The Mini-ITX build begins.

[Lazzer408]

Having delt with a pci-e flex risers problem with interference, I've decided to use a short PCB riser and relocate the graphics card to the bottom of the chassis. I'm using 3/8" rubber feet and placing vents in the chassis bottom for the graphics card to draw air from. The drives are then located above the graphics card which makes them easier to access. Unfortunatly that area can get pretty toasty. To help with that heat, the side vents will be pushed towards the top rear. The air drawn in by the PSU fans will enter there. These changes moved the graphics card over about 0.5" allowing room for the pci-e power connectors so the chassis will not have to be made wider after all. The harddrive mount can now make use of the motherboard partition as one of it's mounts. I'll bend a bracket for the other side.

The pci-e short riser is also $30 less expencive then the flex riser.

 

[Geofrancis]

Having delt with a pci-e flex risers problem with interference, I've decided to use a short PCB riser and relocate the graphics card to the bottom of the chassis. I'm using 3/8" rubber feet and placing vents in the chassis bottom for the graphics card to draw air from. The drives are then located above the graphics card which makes them easier to access. Unfortunatly that area can get pretty toasty. To help with that heat, the side vents will be pushed towards the top rear. The air drawn in by the PSU fans will enter there. These changes moved the graphics card over about 0.5" allowing room for the pci-e power connectors so the chassis will not have to be made wider after all. The harddrive mount can now make use of the motherboard partition as one of it's mounts. I'll bend a bracket for the other side.

The pci-e short riser is also $30 less expencive then the flex riser.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41146&stc=1&d=1300293697

was it the pci-e flexible riser that was causing all the stabibity problems you were having before? that could explain some of the anomalies i was having when i was using my 4850 on a flexible riser. i always thought it was a power problem because it only happened when my graphics card was in. nice catch tho working that one out

 

[Lazzer408]

was it the pci-e flexible riser that was causing all the stabibity problems you were having before? that could explain some of the anomalies i was having when i was using my 4850 on a flexible riser. i always thought it was a power problem because it only happened when my graphics card was in. nice catch tho working that one out

The first problem was the graphics card issue that was caused by the flex riser. Sometimes it would post and boot but once Windows loaded the graphics driver it would hang. Other times it would either not detect the card and default to the onboard graphics or not post at all. Shielding the riser's ribbon cables with aluminum tape cured both problems and was 100% Furmark stable. The motherboard finally died after only a few successfull boots. It would be my opinion that those two problems were completely unrelated.

The new board and short riser are working great. I'm currently making the other HDD bracket and the inlet vents in the bottom of the chassis. This is going to work out well. If the other drive rail extends all the way to the front, it can serve to support one side of the optical drive. This leaves enough room on the far left front for a card reader or USB ports. I still have plenty of room for cables and the front display which is now located below the optical drive.

 

[Lazzer408]

Couple more pics. If it looks like the optical drive is set back, it is. I can take another 3/8" off the front now. I'm hells bent on making this 12x12x3". The back of the case will be removable and with it removed, the graphics card can be removed without having to take anything else off. The hard drive can also be removed without having to take anything else but the top cover off. The optical drive can be removed fairly easily but the PSU has to be lifted up to get to the screws. All in all it's pretty easy to work on.

 

[xBruce88x]

lookin sweet so far!

 

[stevenmichael]

The 12v power is solved! I managed to fit the Vector Travelmate adaptor just under the video card. I made a new heatsink that is shorter and puts the fins horizontal and parallel the airflow through the case. I have just just enough room for a small fan (probably 2) and the usb pcb just fits in that notch as if it was ment to be. Now to knock out the ATX supply, power/reset buttons, and LEDs.

I need the small black box that is just above the 1 in the HT7001 number on the board . This same board is in the Vector travel mate ac/dc converter model vec004 . The little box blow up and you can see in my photo its not there any more .

 

[Caring1]

Holy necro Batman.

 

[stevenmichael]

Holy necro Batman.

Do you know how I can go about finding that little box electronic piece ?