mdportal Elite :: original configuration

The mdportal crew needed an old gaming machine; something to run old DOS and Windows95 games. Mike, a.k.a. Heavy Pie, had and RAID array chassis. With an enormous all-steel chassis, a stockpile of ancient PC components, and a fifty dollar budget, the Ultrascience Labs crew set out to create the mdportal elite- a classic gaming rig of monstrous proportions. [img_assist|nid=454|title=Elite.15|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] The first incarnation was powered by an AMD 4x86 DX2-80 on a VLB motherboard. It sported an 8-bit SCSI controller card driving 5 HDD's with a whopping 2.5 Gigabytes of total storage. We replaced the CPU with an AMD 5x86 133, brought the total system RAM to 64 MB and switched the SCSI card with a 16 bit model. The latest version of the system has a new board with a Pentium 166 CPU; faster, larger HDD's; and a 3DFX VooDoo3 video card. These are shots of the original build. We're hacking up the chassis from an ancient 2x86 rig for it's capacious AT motherboard tray. [img_assist|nid=439|title=Elite.00|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=440|title=Elite.01|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=441|title=Elite.02|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=442|title=Elite.03|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=443|title=Elite.04|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=444|title=Elite.05|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] In order to bolt in the motherboard tray, we had to cut into the side of our server chassis. I decided to turn the bolt access holes into one large opening. I used a scroll saw to rough cut a circular panel from the waste server chassis opening and added the mdportal logo with the scroll saw and my rotary tool. Obviously, the edges left with the saw left a nasty edge- a simple circle grinding jig took care of that problem. A bit of aluminum bar stock became brushed metal panel brackets. [img_assist|nid=445|title=Elite.06|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=446|title=Elite.07|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] On the other side, a window; after all, we've got to show off that AMD DX-2 80 and cutting edge VLB motherboard. [img_assist|nid=447|title=Elite.08|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] A quality finish requires good prep. Sanding the old paint smooth and removing the dust and cutting oil residues is a must. [img_assist|nid=448|title=Elite.09|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=449|title=Elite.10|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] With the case prepped, it's time to start wiring. Wrapping wires- in split loom ganked from an old motorcycle wiring harness, of course, mounting lights, rounding data cables, and tucking stuff out of the way. [img_assist|nid=450|title=Elite.11|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=451|title=Elite.12|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=300|height=225] [img_assist|nid=452|title=Elite.13|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=453|title=Elite.14|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96] [img_assist|nid=454|title=Elite.15|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=128|height=96]