I MIGHT HAVE UNDERESTIMATED....

[oddssodds]

I currently have an E-2699v3 box unlocked to 3.6gh on 18 cores. Been a solid computer for over 5 years.

Three years ago I had decided to do a dual server with 5952c processors. I bought most of the parts, but didn''t realize the 240w issue. So I returned everything and decided to wait until I had more info.

Well that time never came. I started again recently when I saw this board for sale. Brand new and a recent revision
I got that with the plan of putting it in a tower


I then saw @RolloZ170 guide to unlock the vrms

I decided to watercool it



and a junk server for parts I'm not thinking of


Then I started to learn about dell server:
Then dummy off stock fan headers and reprogram IDRAC
Then set the bios for uefi - functioning nvme riser - etc...
Then firmware downgrade
Then install independent fan control for running all case fans

Then aux 15mm thick 60mm noctua fans on custom mount for vrm.
Then ribbon cables to make the cards come out the back of the case
Then mounting holes for the mobo are not only in the wrong place, but they require special standoffs. I guess I am cutting out the bottom of the server and bonding it to the tower.
Then the big one... Licensing that service tag doesn't belong to you. Now I am opening dell commercial accounts to gain custody of the hardware. So that I can input it on the virgin motherboard
Then do @RolloZ170 reprogramming of vrm.

Thank god i got this dead server. Now I can use the stock processors to get everything set up and working, before installing these bad boys


Did I mention my chromebook is what I am using to configure??

It got so complicated, I made an ai build plan. Let's hope I don't go sideways.

Sharing the plan, if it is helpful to anyone

MOUSE TRAP

 

[oddssodds]

So who would have though such a large case could be so small and a 3090 could be so big......

So, right off the bat, nothing works or fits. No where to go but up from here.

I was planning on having the radiator on top, but there is just too much structural modification. So the radiator with the push pull fans is living in the bottom drive / psu area.

These bump outs have to go, there is no way for the mobo to reach the back plane and we need the room

About zero percent of this works, so I will be dragging out the welder.
There are three pcie boards:
3090ti
Nvme 4 slot
Pcie usb hub (with a converter cable to supply it from #4 m.2 slot)

We also have to deal with the stock mobo ports.


This means everything on the back, changes. Been strategizing on the most minimally invasive path and there isn't one. I have an idea, but it's too complicated to explain. I will show pictures as I do it.

The motherboard is so close to fitting top to bottom, that I think that if I remove the bump outs and these rubber cable passes, it will just fit. I was going to pirate the bottom of the donor chassis and put it in the case, but it's just too much metal. Going to find a way to connect the mobo back plate to the tower from behind. Don't know how.

As I want both #1 Pcie slots to have x16, I have a two slot board. I will hopefully put the Nvme card directly into slot #3 and drop the usb card right next to it in slot #2. Slot #1 will be gone. I will run a ribbon cable from that slot to the 3090, which will be perpendicular to the mobo, with the exhaust pointing up towards the top, possibly with a 120mm booster fan on the top grill.

So I am disabling all the stock fans and using a octo

Not sure how to get from this usb plug to the internal usb3


Now on to the complete mystery. I have solved all the case usb, but now I have to deal with the power button. The plan was to use the stock power button circuit board off the front of the donor server, but mine doesn't appear to have that front button board.



Do I have to purchase that part? Where does it plug in? Is there a way to do a direct pin out for power and restart?


I was going to modify the psu cages to just use one, but it appears that I don't need the space I was going to use for other stuff. Should I just install both cages, complete?


Any observations are appreciated a lot.

I am going to use the donor server's cpu and heat sinks to get the machine running and programmed. I have been told that I can leave the service tag blank on set up and I will just have to manually download driver updates. The plan is to downgrade IDRAC to the last version that can control fan speed and use the dummy circuits to bypass the fact that those fans don't even exist. On the PSU I understand that you can put in a resistor to keep the stock psu fan from over spinning. Anyone done that?

I hope to get the board and cards in this weekend.

Being a virgin board and having to:
Downgrade IDRAC
do settings for the fans
Do settings for Nvme
Change to boot to UFEI

Trying to figure out when to do the 240w mod. Probably last right @RolloZ170 ? And I should probably do all these settings before putting the mobo in the case, right?

Thx

 

[oddssodds]

day 1 update.

Kind of got it in. Still too tight, but I should be able to get it there

Having way better luck with the stock plate. Going to loose the top two slots. That will create 4 device grouping and fit right to the board


The square in the upper left is going to be the mount for the gpu


I pulled the mobo off the plate and aligning the rear pcie openings to where the board is sitting

The goal tomorrow is to have everything mounted