I've never had that problem, I quite like using modern-ish cases with the better airflow for old PC's that don't arrive in their own cases.
AT cases are different story but rarely is any AT hardware boring any more, so when people here part out systems that were obviously original part of me things nooo!
BUT
What's the point of having an all original system sitting in storage doing nothing?
As long as any changes are revisable, I'd use the case and store the original parts somewhere. They may never get used again but you can live guilt free knowing restoring it to original is still possible.

The Deskpro EP is a pretty generic machine for an OEM box. It is allmost stock ATX, so feel free to swap. Lot of other OEM use much more proprietary parts so swapping any generic parts is allmost imossible due to incompatibility.

Deskpro EP modern sleeper rig with AMD Threadripper and 32GB RAM...

I keep OEM computers OEM. They are just NOT good for upgrading and modifying.
Better to build from scratch a computer with 3-third party components that are made to work with each-other.

oeuvre wrote:

Deskpro EP modern sleeper rig with AMD Threadripper and 32GB RAM...

Very bad idea. The airflow in those old cases is not anywhere near enough for a system like that.

that's where you get creative...

I've always found the idea of building different PCs inside OEM cases fascinating. I once built a Skylake system inside an old Dell Inspiron case about a year ago.

Depending on the use I have for them, I normally keep OEM desktops the way they are (maybe with some minor upgrades). A good example of an OEM machine that I'd gut for its case would be some old Dell Dimension tower with a faulty motherboard.

My personal favorite MicroATX cases for OEM camouflage builds are the midnight grey Dell Dimension cases (the later ones with the sliding doors), but I'm willing to build something in any OEM MicroATX case whenever I feel like doing such a build.

Once you understand the pinouts for the front panel connectors, re-wiring them to match your motherboard's pinouts can be fairly easy.

The only point of OEM PCs is being able to sell/purchase cost-effective products. Where I come from, these are considered inferior to semi-OEMs/PC builders where you can choose the components yourself. The obvious cons are: BIOSes are often feature-restricted (less for a customer to break = less tech support costs), case, PSU and motherboard designs are intentionally less interchangeable (so you could only seek replacement at the OEM's office, and not any computer store), and unwanted bloatware.

How to start an OEM operation:

1. Choose a catchy company name;
2. Rent a warehouse and a couple of offices, hire guys that can quickly build PCs;
3. Visit China or Taiwan, make a deal with manufacturers on volume-selling you some cost-effective parts;
4. While you're at it, find a decent PC case factory and make another deal for selling some case models exclusively to you;
5. ???
6. PROFIT

So if you can give some components a real purpose - why bother? I'd only preserve the weird stuff - like Packard Bell Corner Desktop or Compaq iPAQ...

On the other hand, if you have fond memories of a particular computer model, or if you like the idea behind its set of components (if they are exeptionally balanced performance-wise, or maybe they arrange in a theme you dig) - sure, why not. I once built a retro PC with all components manufactured strictly in late 1996 😀 Just for theme's sake, and only because I was unable to find a stock (semi-)OEM one from this exact time period.

I've built systems in the past from gutted OEM parts (not done by myself, purchased that way) into generic PC cases. But as for the other way around, I personally wouldn't gut an OEM PC to fit a brand new build unless the original motherboard was dead. It's usually more hassle than it's worth, owing to custom case design quirks etc.

I have a spare OEM BTX slim tower that I might get around to building a system with 1 day, as it's small form factor would be ideal for a HTPC build or a compact gaming system. The case was discarded by a family member when it's original motherboard failed, frying the CPU in the process. I rebuilt the PC for them with a brand new generic ATX case, new motherboard & replacement CPU and kept the old BTX case as a spare. As it's quite a slim style case, it only has enough room to fit a particular size of BTX motherboard, with only 1 expansion slot. Hence why I've yet to be able to do anything with it, as finding suitable BTX motherboards that will fit is a challenge. I saw a Socket 478 Pentium 4 available about a year ago, but decided not to bother at that point.

I try to stay away from OEM hardware, because I don't like mixing brands. E.g., if I get an IBM machine, I need a matching CRT screen, keyboard and mouse — all from IBM, and preferably, the ones that actually came with that machine. An IBM computer with Compaq screen, Genius mouse and Dell keyboard just feels weird to me. So all my machines are built with non-OEM hardware.

The only exception is my IBM Model M keyboard. However, it is famous enough that people did actually use them with non-IBM computers (at least in the recent years), so it gets a pass in my book.

Don't really care, as long as i can hack up something that runs with the target i have at the moment. However most OEM stuff uses all the custom riser boards and terminators and other junk that makes it hard to fit in different cases and/or setups. On the flipside, some of the OEM cases meant for business use are amazing in their layouts, in that it is made specifically to be serviceable by on-site techs and thus it uses some really clever stuff, to make it possible to switch a full fan assembly in seconds, or replace an HDD by just pulling a single clip. Dell cases in the Optiplex ranges in paricular are excellent in this regard, and i use them the other way around, i.e. put other non-OEM stuff in them 😀

I got no problems mixing and matching bits, but it seems most OEM stuff is custom enough that there's no motherboard or sometimes PSU replacements going to happen. It is a pity because sometimes the cases are very sleek or compact but hardware inside not that nice 🤣.

It can be done quite easily on some older OEM cases.

https://imgur.com/a/Fn9VZ

nah, I did it to build a sleeper when my Apitiva Socket 7 died, the case now houses an i7 2600 and GTX 770 on a dell Vostro 270 board just because i can 🤣

jheronimus wrote:

I try to stay away from OEM hardware, because I don't like mixing brands. E.g., if I get an IBM machine, I need a matching CRT screen, keyboard and mouse — all from IBM, and preferably, the ones that actually came with that machine. An IBM computer with Compaq screen, Genius mouse and Dell keyboard just feels weird to me. So all my machines are built with non-OEM hardware.

I sometimes get that feeling. I was close to scrapping a Dell Dimension 4300S desktop because I wanted to have a matching setup and all I needed to complete it was a black Dell CRT monitor which unfortunately was getting hard to find by the time I got it put together, now that I have two of those monitors I have nothing to worry about anymore.

When it comes to spare (i.e. not plugged in permanently) OEM PCs, I'm fine with mixing and matching accessories most of the time. When I set up my spare Dell desktops (my Dimension 4600 and my Optiplex 745) I find myself using a Dell monitor and keyboard but not a Dell mouse and speakers, I have a couple spare Dell mice but for some reason I end up using either my KEIO PS/2 optical mouse (on the Dimension) or my Microsoft USB optical mouse (on the Optiplex), as for speakers I only have two spare sets of speakers and neither of them are Dell. My Dell colored harmon/kardon speakers are plugged into two of my "permanently" setup PCs on my desk.

Koltoroc wrote:

oeuvre wrote:

Deskpro EP modern sleeper rig with AMD Threadripper and 32GB RAM...

Very bad idea. The airflow in those old cases is not anywhere near enough for a system like that.

You don't need airflow when you've got a water block. Just saying.

Yeah fry your VRM's