Thread: Updrade PC
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Old August 12th 04, 11:50 PM
kony
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On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 12:34:25 +0100, "Guy Smith"
wrote:

The manufacturer is Gateway, made in 1998 and is an ATX case.
Everest report below:


AT this point, none of the components in that system are worth
keeping for next system, unless the modem is PCI instead of ISA,
then it might be worth reusing.

The power supply is electrically ATX compatible but a proprietary
form factor... it will not work in any other case due to unique
shape and mounting points.

Likewise, the case, having unique power supply mounting, will not
accept a standard ATX power supply. Further, the case has
stamped-in-metal rear motherboard I/O ports, instead of the more
common removable I/O plate. In other words, even if you modified
case to accept standard PSU (which is possible, I've done so
several times) you're still limited to old-style traditional
motherboard rear port configuration. That isn't necessarily a
problem, there ARE still boards using that configuration but the
compromise is they only have a couple of rear USB ports, the rest
being put on a dongle-bracket mount instead.

As an example, the case can be modified to accept standard PSU by
cutting out (and drilling four holes for the screws) similar to
what i've done in the follow pictures. One is a circa '97 GW
case, the other circa '98.

http://69.36.189.159/usr_1034/gw_case/

However, considering that you need new power supply too and
probably don't have the templates, power supplies, or misc.
support parts lying around, the most time and cost-effective
route for a single case would be buying a new case. Antec makes
a few nice ones with 120mm fan in rear and 350W+ Antec power
supply included. Following vendor has a lot of good pictures of
their cases, but note that some of the off-brands look better in
pictures than they are in person, ideally a case should have
minimum of .8mm thick metal (1.0 mm is better, or 1.2mm for
aluminum) and good unobstructed front air intake and rear exhaust
paths. Generic power supplies included in many of them aren't
very good, 'tis better to buy without power supply if you can't
get what you want with a name-brand suppply in it, then purchase
power supply separately.

http://www.newegg.com/app/manufact.asp?catalog=7&DEPA=0