In a thread a few days ago in the Poast Office, I mentioned that my Quantex computer's motherboard died. I have since stripped down the system, and have an AT formfactor case remaining. I think it would be neat to mod this case so that it can use a modern ATX power supply and motherboard. The power supply will fit, but the case is an AT minitower that can only accomodate a 9" tall mobo.
In the photos, you can see that the bottom of the drive cage is exactly 9" above the floor of the box. Unfortunately, it seems that all of the microATX boards that I've seen so far are 9.6" tall. The ruler fits between the mobo tray and the side of the drive cage above it, but there's only about 3/16" clearance, which isn't enough if the board sits on top of the usual mounting posts.
(http://www.poasters.com/photos/Quantex.case.leftt.png) (http://www.poasters.com/photos/Quantex.case.left.png)
(http://www.poasters.com/photos/Quantex.case.rightt.png) (http://www.poasters.com/photos/Quantex.case.right.png)
If I had some metalworking skills and tools, then maybe the drive cage could be cut to accommodate a larger than AT board. However, it doesn't seem as if it would be as simple as snip-snip-done. Even assuming that I could cut a pathway to allow a board to overlap by 0.6", I'm not sure if the case mounting holes will line up properly.
Looking at other formfactors, there is picoATX, but there don't seem to be any AMD compatible boards. There is Via's miniITX, but they are expensive and slow.
What do ya'll think? Is it a feasible project?
Anything is feasible if you want to put the time into it. I say go for it, because what else would you do with the case if you don't?
Mark H
Ok; I'm in. I say don't.
Don't do it. You might ruin it, and then it won't work. Anything is possible, which means a lot of bad things are possible. Cases are cheap. You could just buy a different one and then slap on a Quantex decal on it. Or paint one. I mean, it's a Q... what's hard to spell with that.
Or just use the motherboard without a case. Shoot, I had my old one open on the floor for about 3 weeks while I tried to figure why it wouldn't boot. It's not that big a deal; you just have to be careful where you step.
I'd go with jumbo ATX, if that's an option. I think a bigger one would be nice, since it'd be nice if they'd make those front panel connections big enough to actually see...
Ace; without taking off my glasses and putting my face on it. Oh, and watch out if the fans are running when you put your hand in there, too. That one I'll remember.
Thank you both for your suggestions; I will follow your advice. After looking carefully at the case, it seems quite possible to modify by cutting a portion of the drive cage to accommodate (sp?) a microATX board. It would require a saw or maybe a Dremel tool. Smoothing the edges might also require a Dremel tool? You can tell I've no experience metalworking. Anyway, it looks like it can be done, but I'm not ready to do it.
I decided that there's too many other unfinished "projects" right now, so the Q is going back into the closet. Maybe it will make another appearance sometime before the next QuakeCon, if I attend.
I?m afraid to say that I gave my old Q case a rather undignified final resting place in the metal scrap pile. I had thought about putting in a new motherboard, etc. just for sentimental reasons. I decided not to though because the plastic parts that had once been this fine looking shade of beige had turned to an unsightly shade of yellow. I did salvage the hard, zip, floppy and optical drives and they are all still in use.
Not sure if that helps your situation any, but that?s how mine ended up.
They just don't make a good putty color like they used to, do they.
You know, my Quantex met with an even more ignomeniu ignomani ignumenius
bad end. I gave it to my retarded inlaws. You'd think living in a mobile home park would make them smarter. It was in fine working order upon leaving my premises, and within a couple weeks I got a "your computer isn't working" response. Like there was a warranty on it, or something. Naturally, it wasn't my or the computer's fault; these people are as pc illiterate as a panda, and must fill out magazine coupons for spyware subscriptions. I don't think they ever met a pop-up they didn't answer. Shoot, I wouldn't mind seeing it again, but I probably would just be sad to see what they did to it.
The sister now has bought a new one, from somewhere retail. Went with the free AOL subscription which she'll "get rid of once the free term runs out." I think it's easier to extricate oneself from Iraq than it is from AOL. That alone probably filled half her hard drive.
Ace; nobody is touching my Monarch. Including me.