VOGONS


First post, by Planet-Dune

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This feels like a stupid question but after examinating the case trying things for an hour I give up.. I am trying to remove this mobo from a 386 but while the motherboard is totally loose there is no space to get it out because the drive tray is in the way.. i unscrewed and removed anythingi could see but that drive tray is rock solid attached to the case.. i then thought maybe the back plate (side motherboard is screwed on could move but nope...).. pictures added..

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Reply 2 of 40, by Planet-Dune

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cyclone3d wrote on 2020-06-10, 18:58:

Does the expansion card piece come off?

Yes, removed it.

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Reply 3 of 40, by imi

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I'd have tried to "rotate" it out at the bottom, so the whole bottom edge comes out first, but I'm sure you tried that already? ^^

maybe the bent bottom is preventing that ever so slightly?

Reply 4 of 40, by Planet-Dune

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imi wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:03:

I'd have tried to "rotate" it out at the bottom, so the whole bottom edge comes out first, but I'm sure you tried that already? ^^

I tried to rotate it in a few ways without success.

Reply 5 of 40, by TheMobRules

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That is not a very smart design... though it doesn't surprise me, I have seen many of these ridiculous things on other AT cases. I wonder how they managed to get that board in there!

How is the motherboard tray attached to the case? Is it part of the chassis itself or is it riveted? Same question for the drive cage, those are usually riveted.

Last resort could be using a drill (carefully) to remove the rivets, get the drive cage and motherboard out and then rivet the cage back in.

It seems to me that even though the case has holes for a full-size baby AT motherboard it was intended to be used only with newer boards that were usually shorter.

Reply 7 of 40, by Planet-Dune

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Ok never mind, rotation did work when i first lifted the board up a bit.. however i got one of the two power plugs that do not want to deattach.. i already put more force on it then i really am comfortable with but it does not move an inch.. tried to get a screwdriver between it for leverage but it doesnt even give me the millimeter required for that if i use modt of my force.. feel like i am gonna rip the socket out of the board before it goes off 🙁

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Reply 9 of 40, by Planet-Dune

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SuperSirLink wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:08:

Pull the PSU out and see if you can rotate it and lift the rear edge along the rear of the case maybe?

Edit: side note, I like the mobo display!

Mobo display, now if only i could get this psu off.. the other half needed almost no force... this part ... well as said almost used my full force on it which was more than i felt comfy with but nope..

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Reply 10 of 40, by TheMobRules

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Try to use a sharp object between the plug and the connector, and use that as a lever to separate them.

Also, I wouldn't recommend using that power supply, looks like the insulation was pulled from the white cable due to excessive force on the cables instead of the connector itself.

Reply 11 of 40, by SuperSirLink

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Planet-Dune wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:16:
SuperSirLink wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:08:

Pull the PSU out and see if you can rotate it and lift the rear edge along the rear of the case maybe?

Edit: side note, I like the mobo display!

Mobo display, now if only i could get this psu off.. the other half needed almost no force... this part ... well as said almost used my full force on it which was more than i felt comfy with but nope..

Very Cool!

Reply 12 of 40, by Planet-Dune

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Another stupid question now that i am asking them.. if i want to switch power supplies.. do these 4 things at the power button come off or should i remove the screws and move the entire black box with the 4 still attached? If they come off does it matter in what order i attach them in the other case?

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Reply 13 of 40, by SuperSirLink

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You have to remove that switch... Any AT power supply will have a switch like that since those lines are A/C... Some have spade connectors, but some are hard soldered, so I would just keep it with the PSU...

Edit: you could fix that P9 connector if you are comfortable with a soldering iron. There are also companies that still manufacture brand new AT PSUs...

Last edited by SuperSirLink on 2020-06-10, 19:41. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 14 of 40, by Planet-Dune

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SuperSirLink wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:37:

You have to remove thrat switch... Any AT power supply will have a switch like that since those lines are A/C...

So i do not need to remove the 4 parts connected to it, i have to remove the full black box?

Reply 15 of 40, by SuperSirLink

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Planet-Dune wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:40:
SuperSirLink wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:37:

You have to remove thrat switch... Any AT power supply will have a switch like that since those lines are A/C...

So i do not need to remove the 4 parts connected to it, i have to remove the full black box?

I would... keep the switch with the PSU. Not sure if all the pin outs are the same between different AT PSUs...

Reply 16 of 40, by pan069

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Planet-Dune wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:34:

Another stupid question now that i am asking them.. if i want to switch power supplies.. do these 4 things at the power button come off or should i remove the screws and move the entire black box with the 4 still attached? If they come off does it matter in what order i attach them in the other case?

I guess it depends on which power supply you want to switch it with. but, I think the on/off switch belongs to the case, not the PSU. I have seen on/off switches that have a special "tiny cap" on the actual on/off switch pin to reach the button on the case and without that tiny little cap, any other standard on/off switch would not work because it won't reach the button on the front panel.

So, yes, I would detach the cables and leave the switch on the case.

Reply 18 of 40, by pan069

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Planet-Dune wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:45:

Hmm conflicting replies. I did try removing the four cables first but they seem very hard attached again so was starting to doubt they even are meant to come loose..

OK. Then take out the entire on/off switch but check if it isn't "special" in any way. I.e. check if it doesn't have a tiny cap that is removable and preferably check with another on/off switch when attached, and you press the button on the front panel that it actually pushes in the on/off switch. Nothing sucks more if it turns out that the on/off switch was custom and another switch doesn't work... 😀

Reply 19 of 40, by SuperSirLink

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pan069 wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:43:
Planet-Dune wrote on 2020-06-10, 19:34:

Another stupid question now that i am asking them.. if i want to switch power supplies.. do these 4 things at the power button come off or should i remove the screws and move the entire black box with the 4 still attached? If they come off does it matter in what order i attach them in the other case?

I guess it depends on which power supply you want to switch it with. but, I think the on/off switch belongs to the case, not the PSU. I have seen on/off switches that have a special "tiny cap" on the actual on/off switch pin to reach the button on the case and without that tiny little cap, any other standard on/off switch would not work because it won't reach the button on the front panel.

So, yes, I would detach the cables and leave the switch on the case.

I have never seen that being the case... If you buy a new AT power supply it will have that switch and it should be the same. That is part of the AT standard, it doesn't appear to be a proprietary design. Those connections are actually switching the A/C line. Not like a ATX power supply where the switch is a "soft momentary" switch.

Here is a brand new AT power supply, it comes with the switch which has spade connectors.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Replacement-Power-Su … 872.m2749.l2649

If you put in a ATX power supply that switch is not useful either since it is not a momentary... So I would just keep it with the PSU... Unless it is riveted in.