Thread: 2005 Tacoma GigaByte GA-G41M-ES2L build

A quick follow-up: The Win7 performance index for my Atom330 -based predecessor was 2.1, with the SSD drive posting the top score of 5.9 (pretty zippy).

The Win7 performance index for this rig is 4.2 without any bios/graphics or general system tweaking of any kind. I'm probably not going to do any overclocking (although its certainly an option), but I could probably improve the score by a couple of more decimals just by optimizing the bios settings.

I feel happy...

Post some pictures of the setup once you're ready, i'm interested to see how the screen will be mounted.

[UPDATED 03/18/2010]
Some more plugin pics:

1. Google Search plugin - choose categories or enter text. results are for an area within 5 miles of current location. Click to get route.
2. Routes can be displayed as Google driving direction with moving cursor
3. Or routes can be passed to Destinator for turn-by-turn directions.
4. Google Live Traffic plugin shown in hybrid map mode.
5. MiniCam embedded (just for fun)
6. SlingBox plugin showing HBO family

b. Runs VERY hot. I understand that's normal for the Atom processor and the case serves to disappate the heat, but ouch. Very hot. Combined with the normal in-car temps here in Vegas during the summer, and it can't be good for the life of various components.

Just wanted to point out that the Intel Atom processors have a "catastrophic failure point" of 125C or 257F. I've seen the idle temperatures in the 50C (122F) area and workload temps in the 90C (194F) range (depending on number of cores).

They also have automatic voltage regulation so if the external thermal sensors get too hot, they'll underclock themselves until they cool off to a safe operating temperature, then automatically bump up the voltage once things cool off. The motherboards also have the usual "cut all power now" mode if heat gets out of control.

Those babies will get very hot to the touch, but they're engineered to work hot.

To keep it short: I wouldn't worry about the lifespan of your components.

Yep, when I first saw the temps, I got a little excited and started doing some research. i too saw that the Atom was designed to work at those temperatures. The problem arises when that heat leaves the processor. It has to go somewhere, and in this case, with passive cooling, it sits around inside the case. Even with the little fan on the Gen IV case running full speed, you still wind up with a LOT of heat in the air inside the case and transfered to the case itself.

My concern was really with my SSD drive and the M2-ATX which have upper thermal boundaries significantly lower than the Atom processor. When you take the heat produced by the system in general and combine it with occasional in-car temps well north of 120, you have an operating environment that is not optimized for general purpose computing products.

Please don't read this as a slam on the MoCoSo Gen IV case or the ATOM based boards. It's a very nice little setup and if you have sufficient airflow, i think it would work very well over the long term. It just wasn't doing what I wanted it to do.

Please don't read this as a slam on the MoCoSo Gen IV case or the ATOM based boards. It's a very nice little setup and if you have sufficient airflow, i think it would work very well over the long term. It just wasn't doing what I wanted it to do.

I'm not, just thought I'd chime in with the operating temps in case anyone else came across this post and got worried about the temps of the case.

Besides, my own computer build is starting off with a quad-core AMD 65W Phenom II processor

Can we get some updated photo locations?

Oops, looks like I took my website house cleaning a step too far. I'll dig those off a backup somewhere and repost. I'll also try to get some pictures of the current rig.

I am doing a bit of consulting for some hardware development projects, so I've altered my rig considerably to make it a little easier to setup testing. I now have this config:

Asus P5Q-EM motherboard in a mid-tower CoolerMaster case, set horizontally on the smaller side of my split rear seat. I have removed the lower seat bolster and folded the back down to provide a large, cusioned surface for the case. Velcro keeps everything in place.

E5200 2.5 DualCore, stock fan, 4gb Ram, GT9400 video card, 5-port PCI USB card and 2-port USB breakout bracket for a total of 12 USB ports on the back (11 in use), 1 internal and 2 on the front.

64GB Corsair SSD for OS, 640GB 3.5 HD for media
BU-353 GPS
Clear 4G WiMax for full-time in-car internet access
Visteon HDZ300 HD AM/FM reciever
XMPCR XM Satradio
Uniden BCT8 UHF/VHF scanner
ELM327 knockoff OBDII reader
4-port USB hub up front
Lilliput 701 touchscreen in 2DIN dash mount
Creative HD WebCam mounted in front of rearview mirror (good for on the road videos)
Mitch's USB 4-port audio selector
Logitec little bitty tiny RF/Bluetooth keyboard (I don't know the model)

Centrafuse 3.1 (beta tester) with a mess of custom plugins (Google traffic and search, ShoutCast, SlingBox, Orb, BCT8 scanner etc)

I also have some custom projects involving 8-channel lighting controllers, RS-485 hardware controllers, DMX lighting controllers, Arduino microprocessor controllers and a fusion brain stuck in there somewhere.

Finally, to keep myself out of trouble, there is a Beltronic RX-75 remote-mount Radar/Laser detector installed.

Pictures to come in a day or so.

Cheers!

VegasGuy

Thanks.