Don't do it. While you could place some insulating tape on top of the coil, the constant pressure is a bad. Computers vibrate from their fans. That constant wiggle will eventually break the solder joints. And the 'black metal things' is a heatsink. It needs free air to do its job, so that's also not good. Sometimes things just don't fit.

A short ESS Audio Drive would be my choice in this case, perhaps you will have to use a cable for the DBXG50 to make it work even with a short sound card.

As pewpewpew said, the black metal thing is a heat sink, it's for a voltage regulator and the ones on my 233Mhz Pentium get down right hot, much warmer then the CPU heat sink and it's just not worth risking damaging the motherboard or the AWE32. Unrelated but running "Rain" doesn't affect CPU temps a whole lot on that chip but it does keep the voltage regulators MUCH cooler. So I would highly recommend running it to extend the life of the motherboard in general.

Or you could source a different motherboard. It's not that hard and this one does not seem special in any particular way.

Is it actually touching - that would be bad, as mentioned, problem from vibration etc, if it's just close, then obstructing the air around the heatsinks is not ideal.

What's the other monster length card?

Well it's actually not that easy here in Portugal, there's not that many socket 7 motherboards available... And everytime I find one available its in pretty bad condition or is stupidly expensive 🙁

Anyway, for now I guess I will try to use the AWE32 in a GA-5AX with a K6 processor.

As for the other monster card besides the AWE that was in the case there were a Matrox Mystique and a 3dfx Voodoo 2 card, I guess that would be the one.

b_rros wrote:

Well it's actually not that easy here in Portugal, there's not that many socket 7 motherboards available...

True but sometimes you can find something.

I already talked to him yesterday 😀

But thanks for the heads up.

I would go for the p5a-b motherboard! layout is perfect for an AT motherboard

I have the same kind of issue as your's, just not that bad. As my P133 is on a Epox MVP3-C board.
Anyway.... I have these kind of sollutions for you.

Do you own something like an ATX SS7 board, wich are not in use as of right now?
In that case, try to install the P-233-MMX on to that board. (Boards like GA-5AX, PA-2013 or P5A)
My Epox is actually some SS7 board in AT-Form factor. (besides not being able to take full size ISA)

The good part of takikng this approach, is that you will get some more recent technology using ATX.
And you will have more luck in finding good PSU's, when it comes to ATX versus AT technology.
And you will have more luck in finding a board, that can take full size expansion cards.

I know this is not true to the Pentium-1 years. So it will not be a true P1-MMX system.
Yet some times, you have to give up hunting for something, unless you have access to a lot of parts.

I would probably keep the search up for a i430TX or VX motherboard. But then again, I'm almost religious to keeping things closely within their era.

Uhmmm.... Found this item on ebay. (i have absolutely no hands on experience with this board)
Just check out the space around the lowest isa slots.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Socket-7-AT-ATX-mothe … =item20fa2e9ed0

brostenen wrote:

Uhmmm.... Found this item on ebay. (i have absolutely no hands on experience with this board)
Just check out the space around the lowest isa slots.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Socket-7-AT-ATX-mothe … =item20fa2e9ed0

I keep away from Tomato boards and non-intel Socket 7 chip sets... Seriously, this board looks a dog.

How about ASUS TXP4? It has lots of room.