Proprietary cases?

[Wiley Q. Hacker]

Hi all,

Still working on resurrecting my PC. It all started with bad RDRAM. I
decided to spend the $300 or so I'd spend on 1GB of Rambus, on a new mobo,
Athlon 64 CPU and 1GB of SDRAM instead.

Then I discovered that I'd need a more powerful power supply. Got that.

Now, after making sure all the hardware is working, I sat down to put it
into the old case. That's when I discovered the case is "proprietary". It's
a Gateway mini-tower. The problem is that the wires coming from the front of
the case - power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive LED, terminate
into a proprietary 14-pin header, and use a custom connector.

So, I decided I could cut the connector at the end of the wires and replace
them with generic single-wire connectors (those black plastic things) that I
could then plug into the new motherboard. Guess what? I checked all my local
stores, and they all say they've never seen those being sold separately.

Can anyone help me figure out how I can leverage my old case with the new
motherboard? The alternative I'm facing is to get a new case.

Thanks for all the help so far, and for help you all will provide again no
doubt.

 

[JAD]

hobby store that has RC cars, is where I go

 

[spodosaurus]

Hi all,

Still working on resurrecting my PC. It all started with bad RDRAM. I
decided to spend the $300 or so I'd spend on 1GB of Rambus, on a new mobo,
Athlon 64 CPU and 1GB of SDRAM instead.

Then I discovered that I'd need a more powerful power supply. Got that.

Now, after making sure all the hardware is working, I sat down to put it
into the old case. That's when I discovered the case is "proprietary". It's
a Gateway mini-tower. The problem is that the wires coming from the front of
the case - power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive LED, terminate
into a proprietary 14-pin header, and use a custom connector.

So, I decided I could cut the connector at the end of the wires and replace
them with generic single-wire connectors (those black plastic things) that I
could then plug into the new motherboard. Guess what? I checked all my local
stores, and they all say they've never seen those being sold separately.

Can anyone help me figure out how I can leverage my old case with the new
motherboard? The alternative I'm facing is to get a new case.

Thanks for all the help so far, and for help you all will provide again no
doubt.

What 'local stores' have you checked? The grocery store? You'll probably
have to mail order these or find an electronics supply store to order
them for you. Alternatively you could cannibalise an old case that's
being thrown out. Given the tediousness of all this, personally I'd just
buy a real case and save yourself the hassle. How much is your time
worth? You'll spend more time tracking down these parts and trying to
assemble them than the monetary equivalent of a new case.

Ari

--
spammage trappage: replace fishies_ with yahoo

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[Wiley Q. Hacker]

I completely agree with you about the value of these things, and yes, I will
get a new case, if it comes to that.

The reason I do this, however, is not to save money, but as a hobby. Since
I'm "playing", I like to take things to their logical conclusion, and
abandon a stream only when I've run it dry. Just don't want to give up now
and then find out I goofed up.

Looks like that may not be the case here, though. Thanks.

 

[DaveW]

Sorry, but having made it this far in your project you are stuck buying a
new NON-proprietary case.

 

[Ruel Smith]

Still working on resurrecting my PC. It all started with bad RDRAM. I

decided to spend the $300 or so I'd spend on 1GB of Rambus, on a new mobo,
Athlon 64 CPU and 1GB of SDRAM instead.

Then I discovered that I'd need a more powerful power supply. Got that.

Now, after making sure all the hardware is working, I sat down to put it
into the old case. That's when I discovered the case is "proprietary".
It's a Gateway mini-tower. The problem is that the wires coming from the
front of the case - power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive LED,
terminate into a proprietary 14-pin header, and use a custom connector.

So, I decided I could cut the connector at the end of the wires and
replace them with generic single-wire connectors (those black plastic
things) that I could then plug into the new motherboard. Guess what? I
checked all my local stores, and they all say they've never seen those
being sold separately.

Can anyone help me figure out how I can leverage my old case with the new
motherboard? The alternative I'm facing is to get a new case.

Thanks for all the help so far, and for help you all will provide again no
doubt.

You should have really did your homework first. Any computer maker short of
a custom company like Alienware, Falcon Northwest, or someone will give you
a bare minimum power supply, and chances are, several years later, it won't
be enough juice for upgrades. When you bought your power supply, for a
little more, you could have gotten a good Antec case and power supply combo
and this wouldn't even be happening.

My personaly opinion is to return the power supply from where you bought it,
and get an Antec case and power supply combo.

 

[SMS]

So, I decided I could cut the connector at the end of the wires and replace
them with generic single-wire connectors (those black plastic things) that I
could then plug into the new motherboard. Guess what? I checked all my local
stores, and they all say they've never seen those being sold separately.

See: "http://www.mouser.com/catalog/623/949.pdf" Be sure to purchase a
crimping tool as well, Mouser sells them for only $222.

Can anyone help me figure out how I can leverage my old case with the new
motherboard? The alternative I'm facing is to get a new case.

You must have too much money and too much time, to spend so muc of it
trying to save some sheet metal. About the only thing you can "leverage"
is the floppy drive, and even that's questionable.

 

[Matt]

So, I decided I could cut the connector at the end of the wires and replace
them with generic single-wire connectors (those black plastic things) that I
could then plug into the new motherboard. Guess what? I checked all my local
stores, and they all say they've never seen those being sold separately.

I assume you can solder.

If it is a molex connector, you may be able to pull the individual metal
connectors out of the molex and resolder them. They may have little
clips that lock them in place when they are inserted into the molex. If
you can spring those little clips, you may be able to get the metal
connectors out and reuse them.

Also you may be able to make connectors from jumpers or from the metal
connectors inside the jumpers.

 

[spodosaurus]

I completely agree with you about the value of these things, and yes, I will
get a new case, if it comes to that.

The reason I do this, however, is not to save money, but as a hobby.

Ahhh, then it may be worth the effort to browse around some online
electronics supply stores and have a look through their online
catalogues. I hope you have a broadband connection, though, as these
catalogues tend to be image heavy!

Since
I'm "playing", I like to take things to their logical conclusion, and
abandon a stream only when I've run it dry. Just don't want to give up now
and then find out I goofed up.

Looks like that may not be the case here, though. Thanks.

--
spammage trappage: replace fishies_ with yahoo

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[sdlomi2]

Hi all,

Still working on resurrecting my PC. It all started with bad RDRAM. I
decided to spend the $300 or so I'd spend on 1GB of Rambus, on a new mobo,
Athlon 64 CPU and 1GB of SDRAM instead.

Then I discovered that I'd need a more powerful power supply. Got that.

Now, after making sure all the hardware is working, I sat down to put it
into the old case. That's when I discovered the case is "proprietary". It's
a Gateway mini-tower. The problem is that the wires coming from the front of
the case - power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive LED, terminate
into a proprietary 14-pin header, and use a custom connector.

So, I decided I could cut the connector at the end of the wires and replace
them with generic single-wire connectors (those black plastic things) that I
could then plug into the new motherboard. Guess what? I checked all my local
stores, and they all say they've never seen those being sold separately.

Can anyone help me figure out how I can leverage my old case with the new
motherboard? The alternative I'm facing is to get a new case.

Thanks for all the help so far, and for help you all will provide again no
doubt.

Tried local computer-builders. They have to dispose of the old cases
somewhere! Luck to you, s