No screw to support video card?

[pzkpfw]

That's actually pretty accurate. I wouldn't think a manufacturer would get that wrong (ie, it doesn't look like a different model). Did he screw the board down?

Only other possibility is that he's using cheap shit, hence the manufacturing tolerance?

Yeah, I think the little panel itself is very much the correct one, and it was in the correct place in the case, but the motherboard just wasn't fitting right.

I did take a look (after he confirmed it wouldn't break his warranty) and I just couldn't see how the motherboard could be made to move to the correct position. (Though I didn't remove the motherboard).

It was like (I'm not saying this is the actual problem, just trying to provide a metaphor or something) the spacers along just that edge of the motherboard were too big, so it just couldn't screw down far enough.

Except the buckling of the dividers between two of the expansion slots does point to other issues in the case.

I see Cooler Master cases being sold everywhere, so hopefully it's not simply crap, but I just ended up with a Friday one. (He's getting a replacement case from his supplier).

[Gremlin]

It was like (I'm not saying this is the actual problem, just trying to provide a metaphor or something) the spacers along just that edge of the motherboard were too big, so it just couldn't screw down far enough.

Except the buckling of the dividers between two of the expansion slots does point to other issues in the case.

I see Cooler Master cases being sold everywhere, so hopefully it's not simply crap, but I just ended up with a Friday one. (He's getting a replacement case from his supplier).

The spacers could indeed be the incorrect length, and they do come in different sizes. Usually come with the case, to offset the board in the correct position. If he mixed them up, then it could happen.

Buckling... it's mild steel and bends quite easily. Still sharp enough to cut you if you're careless Haven't had a problem with Cooler Master cases, used several dozen of various models.

[Akzle]

everyone is this country seems to be an expert at absolutely everything so we're both wrong.

speak for yourself. i'm fucking awesome. (and right) in this case and every other.

Yeah, I think the little panel itself is very much the correct one, and it was in the correct place in the case, but the motherboard just wasn't fitting right....

Except the buckling of the dividers between two of the expansion slots does point to other issues in the case.

yeah it looks right. did he get the right sized risers/spacers/standoff bizos for under the motherboard....?

the buckling of dividers was caused because he wasn't gentle when he put the video card in. of he prised the blanking panels out with a screwdriver.
what a n00b.

[imdying]

OEM cases are crap, just like the rest of the proprietary bullshit that comes with OEM computers.

They really aren't. They're easy to work on, everything is accessible and no tools required. White boxes are great for average Joe desktops.

I've had bad experiences with OEM machines. The worst is the proprietary parts and lack of support. Just trying to find a motherboard model number to get a new BIOS on old HP machines is a nightmare sometimes. I'd much rather have a custom build, even though the reliability is absolutely shocking with an average of 2 months between component failures. At least I can easily fix it myself if I keep throwing money at it.

Right. They're business PCs. They're only useful for 3-5 years. After that they've been written off through depreciation, and they're too slow/small/whatever. During that 3-5 years, you can get any part you need overnight from HP. If you can't, you call me, I'll sort it out. What the hell you'd bother with upgrading a BIOS on a white box I have no idea... you just get another box if it's gone that far out of date... it's already been written off... and then you give it away/recycle it. I've got one that's eaten two HDDs in 3 years, but other than that we've hundreds that never get opened during their life cycle.

We use them because:
- should one die for any reason, we swap the drive and keep working, no down time (down time for a day costs more than the box)
- they're cheap (TCO)
- they're easy to get parts for


If they had good 3D performance, I'd consider one for home. You should come in some time... hell if you're a .NET developer I can probably even sort you out a a job.

[SMOKEU]

What the hell you'd bother with upgrading a BIOS on a white box I have no idea

I have a spare HP computer which I use whenever my "good" computer shits itself and I wanted a newer BIOS to enable Pentium D support on it. HP doesn't exactly make it as easy as Gigabyte or Asus do.

[iYRe]

imdyin +1

My sanity has been saved so many times for this very reason.

Sure, there are better designed cases etc.. but they are more expensive, and there is more downtime if there is an issue.. and time is important.
Google recently said they prefer linux, because it saves them about 1 million USD a year in reboots alone - that's 1 million to answer a call and say "reboot it" or send a tech to reboot it. Doesnt count actual down time.

[pzkpfw]

A Dilbert for every occassion:

[imdying]

I have a spare HP computer which I use whenever my "good" computer shits itself and I wanted a newer BIOS to enable Pentium D support on it. HP doesn't exactly make it as easy as Gigabyte or Asus do.

Of course not... if you wanted a white box with a faster processor, they would sell you one! White boxes basically never see upgrades... they'd only require that if procurement were given the wrong specifications to order in the first case.

Corporate IT is vastly different from consumer... there's no quibbles over a few hundred bucks for a start.

[Gremlin]

Corporate IT is vastly different from consumer... there's no quibbles over a few hundred bucks for a start.

Don't be silly, we love upgrading machine components every 6 months for shits and giggles... Company loves paying for the cost too with no real benefit...

[pzkpfw]

Don't be silly, we love upgrading machine components every 6 months for shits and giggles... Company loves paying for the cost too with no real benefit...

I have a mate who got fed up with his work PC the other day, so bought an SSD and did a sneaky upgrade.

He's curious - wondering if corporate IT will ever catch-on...

[Gremlin]

He's curious - wondering if corporate IT will ever catch-on...

Depends how closely monitored. I wouldn't really care, other than the risk of damaging other components/the upgrade went wrong etc, but we contract to companies. No news is good news. I've been rung once in 6 years re a client just ringing to say thanks, good job... if it's quiet, it means things are working as required.

[imdying]

I have a mate who got fed up with his work PC the other day, so bought an SSD and did a sneaky upgrade.

He's curious - wondering if corporate IT will ever catch-on...

Catch on? Hell I would've had them supply and install it... why use your own money? Defeating the point of going to work isn't it?

[pzkpfw]

For the record: got it back (Saturday) and (almost) all seems fine.

He admitted a "mistake" resulting in the buckled back panel, and didn't do it to the second case.

The motherboard all sits in place properly now, and all rear ports are accessible. He claims the original case had too-large holes for the risers, so they didn't sit in place, resulting in the motherboard position being off....

On the basis of the little tab on a PCI-e x16 slot, he still (!) claims no screws are needed. But, the card is very definitely sitting correctly now, and he did put two screws on the back panel, so I'm happy.

This time around he's got the power wires more nicely sorted, too. I don't like how some of them touch the cooling pipes of the video card, so may put in another cable tie to hold them off; but it's no biggie (I hope).

Thanks everyone for your time.

(I do have a sound issue, but started a new thread with a new title for that.)

[pzkpfw]

Frack.

Now I've noticed the way he's mounted the hard drive. He seems to have not been able to make it sit on the tabs that hold it up, and has bent/mangled them out of the way.

Especially silly as the case actually came with nice little plastic locking things, with prongs that go in the screw holes in the drive, so you don't actually need screws to hold it in!

Also unimpressed with the way the DVD cable was jammed through the side of the drive cage.

He really is an amateur.

Sigh.

[Gremlin]

Haha, what was that about cheap?

The plastic thing's lock go to the right of the screw, top photo...