The '09 Rebuild Part B: Finding a Purpose

If some people could find their purpose in life as fast as I found a use for this secondary machine, the world would be a much better place! Originally, I was going to mess around with Linux on the machine and then J said he wanted it to play Richard Burns Rally. Although I don't think he understands my point, I would feel ashamed to let him play RBR on the second-best machine when I put all that money and effort into building a great machine to play The Sims. So RBR goes on this machine right along with The Sims 3 when it comes out in June.

I was fiddling around with a picture frame by the TV earlier, when it struck me: The TV has a gazillion connections at the back... one of which happens to be an RGB connector with another connector for audio. So... why not build the secondary machine as a media center and slap it onto the TV? J's always watching all sorts of car vids on YouTube and other Web sites, as well as... well, other videos, so why not watch them on 37" instead of on the laptop hunched up at the dining table? As I stated my case earlier: No, it's not something I'd wake up and decide to blow money on, but since we have all the parts... why not? He likes car projects. I like computer projects.

So in short, I slapped the machine together this evening, went out to Wal-Mart after dinner and caught a great deal on a wireless Linksys PCI adapter and now I'm getting set to download XP Sp3 when we go to bed. Hopefully, tomorrow I can hook her up to the TV while J's writing his paper for school and we can see how my idea pans out... anyway, here are the pictures:


I swore my old mobo wasn't going to work because it's been on the dining table collecting dust since early last month LOL



Hand-me-down case with some handy cables (thanks guys!)



Case from the back... that plate had to go. J' had to help me get it clipped in properly because I couldn't get the mobo to fit flush up against the sucker. Tore my nail too. Beast.



My old power supply, Nvidia Geforce 7-series card, IDE DVD writer, IDE 60GB Seagate HD and miscellaneous screws and tools. You can see the IDE 80GB Western Digital that's going into my external HD case up on the counter to the right. I'll use that to transfer stuff from upstairs to downstairs.

Yes, I could setup a network. No, I don't have the patience to figure that out right now :-)



Power supply in. I'd never had to take the top of a case off before, but I guess that's what happens with a mini-case.



Things got really crowded inside the case afterward. Here's J trying to attach the reset button jumper with his teeth ;p



Me wondering if I killed the mobo when I screwed the board down to the spacer and then managed to screw everything out the base of the case... don't ask, J' figured it out.



No space for much else. She didn't power up on the first try like the primary machine, turns out I connected the power LED and not the power switch itself. But I can say that the software side has been a damn sight easier than the last time around!



Ran out and got this baby later in the evening. I was going to get a Dynex adapter originally, but this Linksys baby was on sale for only $8 more and now all our wireless adapters match out router.

• Mood: Happy... because I'm a nerd and computers bring me peace.
  
• Music: The hum of not one, but TWO sets of CPU and PSU fans spinning and whirring away.