I just closed up the new file server in its Fractal Define 7 XL case. There was an extra filter that matched the Fractal Define R5 which is what I temporarily used for the 98 box. I'm about ready to kill off the old Windows 10 file server--just copying some files off it now--which lives in a Fractal Define XL R2. I'm going Fractal!!! (whatever that means) Didn't even realize.

I ordered two "Fractal Universal Multibrackets" that "Convert(s) a standard 120 mm fan slot to an HDD, SSD or pump mount..." Fractal first pointed me to <<that big online store>> but they only had 1 used. So I looked around for other converters, and there's all kinds of useful things. It seems to me, with a bit more hunting, there might be a way to do a conversion and get at least 2 drives in there on the bottom (or wherever) connected to use IDE 1, saving IDE 2 for the CD player (using that 18/24" ide cable). The rest might go on a couple of Promise cards... have to measure. Also, I wonder if it's possible to install both a Promise s150 tx2+ and a 100 tx2. One way to find out.

That Pop Air is really nice for a retro. Not beige, which I never liked, but all white, even inside, which I think is much nicer.

When I built those 3 computers (in the fractal cases) back in 2016 or so, I originally got a case that looked like it belonged in a stereo system, similar to what you posted, but probably larger and it had a bay for a bluray reader. That thing was so tight and hard to work with: the top flipped up and the drive bays mounted to that top. I cut so many knuckles on it and had such a hard time that I tossed it in the recycling bin and just used the mid size Fractal--originally meant for emby--to the living room. Its replacement was a Corsair Obsidian 250D, but I didn't need it and it sat for 10 years all ready to go but with no OS. The Obsidian is perfect for moving around a bit, but it's mini-Itx.

Anyway, I insist on having all 8 rear motherboard slots for the 98/DOS box.

SiBurning wrote on 2026-05-13, 20:09:

I just closed up the new file server in its Fractal Define 7 XL case. There was an extra filter that matched the Fractal Define […]
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I just closed up the new file server in its Fractal Define 7 XL case. There was an extra filter that matched the Fractal Define R5 which is what I temporarily used for the 98 box. I'm about ready to kill off the old Windows 10 file server--just copying some files off it now--which lives in a Fractal Define XL R2. I'm going Fractal!!! (whatever that means) Didn't even realize.

I ordered two "Fractal Universal Multibrackets" that "Convert(s) a standard 120 mm fan slot to an HDD, SSD or pump mount..." Fractal first pointed me to <<that big online store>> but they only had 1 used. So I looked around for other converters, and there's all kinds of useful things. It seems to me, with a bit more hunting, there might be a way to do a conversion and get at least 2 drives in there on the bottom (or wherever) connected to use IDE 1, saving IDE 2 for the CD player (using that 18/24" ide cable). The rest might go on a couple of Promise cards... have to measure. Also, I wonder if it's possible to install both a Promise s150 tx2+ and a 100 tx2. One way to find out.

That Pop Air is really nice for a retro. Not beige, which I never liked, but all white, even inside, which I think is much nicer.

When I built those 3 computers (in the fractal cases) back in 2016 or so, I originally got a case that looked like it belonged in a stereo system, similar to what you posted, but probably larger and it had a bay for a bluray reader. That thing was so tight and hard to work with: the top flipped up and the drive bays mounted to that top. I cut so many knuckles on it and had such a hard time that I tossed it in the recycling bin and just used the mid size Fractal--originally meant for emby--to the living room. Its replacement was a Corsair Obsidian 250D, but I didn't need it and it sat for 10 years all ready to go but with no OS. The Obsidian is perfect for moving around a bit, but it's mini-Itx.

I originally got that Node 202 to house a i7-9700K + GTX 2080 Super and act as a roll-my-own XBox/HTPC. It was an absolute nightmare for thermals (tucked in that cubby), so that left it open to the silliness I've currently subjected it to.

(Its replacement, in the same pic I posted under the amp, is a much much larger Thermaltake case, chosen specifically to ensure I could get a couple fans pushing straight out the front. I may have gone a little overboard in my frustration to solve the thermal issue...

)

That pic of my old Slot 1 BF6 with 10 IDE hds absolutely had two Promise cards in it. Very likely even a s150 tx2+ and 100 tx2 as that would line up with my upgrade path at the time (I'd just moved in to a KT7-RAID for my primary system). So yeah, go for it!

Edit: ooh, that Corsair case really gives old Shuttle XPC vibes (if a bit bigger), loved that form factor!

Well, I made a gamble and so far it has been a failure, but I am hoping to salvage this.

I don't have much time at the moment so I can't get into too much detail but I picked up an "Untested" ASUS Z97-A/USB3.1 board in box with manual on ebay for a low price. I was hoping it would be okay and I could use it with an i7 5775C I picked up recently.

Needless to say, the board does not work (also, I just did my testing with some basic i3 and i5 chips). When I switch the power supply on the PWR_LED on the motherboard near the PWR_SW (button) flashes every second or two. I got out my thermal camera and I could actually see traces and some ICs lighting up very briefly and their heat dissipating... so I figured I was dealing with a short and a protection circuit was shutting it off before it caused any more damage. My thermal camera is very sensitive so the difference in temp was only like 1C, but it happens very quickly.

Anyway, long story short, I found that there is 6.8 ohms of resistance between 5v and GND at the ATX connector and it is basically like this everywhere on the board with 5v and GND. I tried pulling PQ301 (a P06P03G P-Mosfet) since it was one of the ICs that was heating up quick. After doing this, the PWR_LED stays on and doesn't turn on and off, and the rapid heating of those traces\ICs on the thermal camera stopped but the +5v to ground is still showing 6.8ohms and the system doesn't respond to the power switch. I found another identical P-Mosfet on another board and swapped that in and it is doing the same thing as before, so I think this is just a side effect of the actual problem. Interestingly, two of the ICs that seem to "heat up" (visible on the thermal camera, but they only go from 28 to 30C) when it is turning on and off are actually not even on the +5v circuit, they are on 3.3v or 3.3vsb. I won't pretend to know what any of this means. Just more data.

I tried looking for the lowest resistance component on the board, thought I found it and pulled a tiny cap off the board but that didn't change anything either. There must be something else still.

I'm at a loss at this point. I don't see any damage on the board at all. The pins in the socket are fine and not bent. Everything looks fine on the back too.

I found a boardview of a similar model that is mostly identical and have attached it to this post. I have also done tons of searching online with regard to this board or similar component failures, but nothing quite fits the bill.

I will get into more detail when I have time but if anyone has any ideas as to how I could track down whatever is causing the low resistance on the 5v rail to ground it would be much appreciated. I don't think this is normal because I have checked two other boards of this generation and both show roughly 1500 ohms between +5v and GND.

EDIT: Okay, unless I missed something I have now tested all of the components listed on the schematic that connect between +5v and GND. Only one cap (KC13) was measuring any lower than others and it was 6.7 ohm. I removed it just in case and it made no difference.

Anyway, if I am chasing a red herring here and it isn't the +5v circuit having some kind of failed component, then that means something has likely failed on the 3.3v circuit, and at that point I will probably just call it quits because that could be caused by basically anything, including the PCH itself.

It's the time of year when Windows ignores everything you do to prevent it from updating drivers and "updates" your graphics driver to a broken or incompatible one anyway. That isn't a recent "Microslop" thing. It also happened in Windows 10, and it happens in late April or early May every year.

Before anyone says it, hiding updates never stopped them from being installed in any version of Windows. All that ever did was hide the installation progress from you. That's the way it has been since XP, so that isn't new either.

The Internet and modern hardware and software still suck, and it will just keep getting worse. I'm having a four-day weekend, so I cleaned up my yard and put in some new sprinkler heads.

lti wrote on Today, 00:50:

It's the time of year when Windows ignores everything you do to prevent it from updating drivers and "updates" your graphics driver to a broken or incompatible one anyway. That isn't a recent "Microslop" thing. It also happened in Windows 10, and it happens in late April or early May every year.

Before anyone says it, hiding updates never stopped them from being installed in any version of Windows. All that ever did was hide the installation progress from you. That's the way it has been since XP, so that isn't new either.

The Internet and modern hardware and software still suck, and it will just keep getting worse. I'm having a four-day weekend, so I cleaned up my yard and put in some new sprinkler heads.

I have never had this happen on my PC and I am using the same installation of Windows 10 Pro from December of 2019. I absolutely do not tolerate automatic driver installations on any system that I personally use. It also did not happen on Windows 7 Pro prior to my switch to Windows 10, or on any of my other machines (living room, laptops, etc.).

When I set up a system for use in my house I always use Winaero Tweaker to disable automatic driver updates. It can also be done manually, I just find this program a lot faster and more convenient to enable several tweaks and disable Windows features that I don't want. I believe I have been using it since the Vista days, so close to 20 years. I highly recommend it.