Switching Cases..

[Guest]

I know you all know how to do it, and I don't...I just bought an Antec 901 Server case for another one of my systems, and want to replace the case. Everytime my case gets switched, my dad does it..

I wanna do it now!

Is there a tutorial on how?

[sedative]

disconnect everything

unscrew the mobo

pop the mobo in the new case

connect everything

i'm not trying to be funny. it's like puting together a very simple puzzle... but with expensive electronics

one thing you must take notice of are the wires that control your reset/power/hd lights/etc. that gave me trouble the first time i did this. luckily i had xperties' number and he helped me out

usually it'll show on your mobo where the wires go, but if not print out a diagram of your board.

it's really simple and there's nothing to be afraid of :bigok

[FthrJACK]

err... differs for each case, but asuming you have a non-proprietry pc, clone, something like an ATX tower then:

unplug your power cables from all your drives and from the mother board, if possible take the power supply out to make some room.

take your drives out, hard discs, CD drives etc.

take al your cards out, graphics, sound etc.

unclip the processor fan and heatsink. take them off (thats if they are big heavey modern ones, anything PIII and up.)

To make sure it doesent get banged you might take the CPU out too, but id leave it in and just dont smack it with the case or anything stupid.

if you need them, take the mother board mounts out and put them in the new case.

do everything in reverse.

err turn it on.

[XPerties]

unclip the processor fan and heatsink. take them off (thats if they are big heavey modern ones, anything PIII and up.)

this is one thing I HIGHLY dont suggest, leave the heatsink alone.....you dont want to deal with reapllying the thermotape/paste and trying to clip the heatsink on. Ive switched every MB and CPU from case to case and never took them off.

I would suggest posting or going to your MB website if you dont have the manual and reading it from front to back, also take notice on the IDE cables and where they go.

[XPerties]

oh yah your MB mounts that you screw the MB to the case....if you have 6 you better put 6 screws in it, make sure there is absolutly no contact between the rear of your motherboard and the case. this would case a short and could burn your mb up totaly.

[Tinker]

Here is a tutorial you may want to look at......

How To Build a PC

[rstryker]

make sure there are not any standouts in the new case under your motherboard that dont line up with a hole. i shorted out my first board like that.

[FthrJACK]

so did lezend

ok, reason i said take the heatsink off is because if he has a very large heavy thing like i have, or an intel pentium 4 monster, then i had visions of someone reading this, and holding the motherboard at one end and swinging it about. crunch, one board broke in half.. cracked, damaged tracks, whatever.

and TWO: its also easier to get it mounted in the case if the board is light enough to move easily while you line it up, its more awkward getting it lined up on the raisers with a heavy lump of metal wieghing it down.

lastly... best tip anyone can give you, lay you machines flat on their side while you work on them!! dont have them stood up in their usual position.

touch something like a radiator or tap before working on the case, if Canadians have an earth line on plugs unlike americans, then leave the pc plugged in, and before unplugging everything, touch the unpainted inside of the case somplace, with the pc turned off of course, dont touch anything electrical.. just the case itself, that will discharge and static on you, but only if your mains has an earth line on it. if not.. touch radiator.. Tap.. etc like i said fist.

[Drewdatrip]

Do yourself a favor and get your self a anti-static wrist guard....be wary of static, dont touch compnents directly, and ground yourself first, try discharging you staic by grabing the metal of the case for a few secs...and just dont go waling on shag carpet and then grab your mobo or Geforce 4...It could be bad...

I have seen friends kill several Mobos like this..so just be smart about it...

=Drew

[FthrJACK]

the effects of static arent instant, but more a cumalative effect on the chips on your circuits, you wont blow something up becuase you touched it once when you had static on you, the odds are very remote.

and a wrist strap isnt needed unless you do it for a living all day.. just earth yourself by touching the case. no point buying a wrist strap just to change one case over.

[zipp51]

One thing that I do after the mobo is in is to use the antistatic sheets that either a mobo,modem,vid card came with.I use these to rest each add in card on for antistatic and anti abrasive protection.Do wear an antistatic wrist band as Drew said.I haven't cooked anything yet by this procedure.Use masking tape to label each startup lead wire(reset,led,power,etc).Easier to read that way.Make sure the arrow or #1 on each lead goes to the #1 pin on the board or corresponding connection.Likewise on all connections(FD,IDE,fans).You should take the CPU and memory off in addition to all your cards.Take notes,draw pictures,and take your time.Read your documentation in the mobo manual.If you don't have one go on line and download the file and print it out.Read Tinker's suggested "How to build a PC" site.Sound like alot? To most of us that have we can do these things a bit easier after researching and doing.Have fun.

[Guest]

mobo went... New one to be bought...

Question:

Does anytone know of a cheap mobo, Socket 478, only has to support up to 1.8GHz...

I need it to have:

6 PCI Slots

1 AGP Slot

2 USB 2.0 Slots

Big Mobo, nothing small (Antec 901 Case)

As a matter of fact, if you look at the specs of the Antec 901 Server Case, that I have...somewhere online> I need a motherboard MADE for the case