Can I use an AT tower case as an ATX

Bigtosser · 13th July 2001, 3:45 PM

I am seeing a lot of older AT full tower cases going through IT auctions quite cheaply, and was wondering how difficult it would be to use an ATX board namely an A7V133 in one of these if I changed the existing powersupply.
I am a relative newcomer to this, but I have a dremel and was wondering if anyone else had gone down this road.
Some times these cases go for next to nuthin'.
That is the appeal in the idea for me.
Any thoughts????

Deanodriver · 13th July 2001, 4:58 PM

you would need to modify the back plate, as AT cases use serial keyboards. the power switch would also need to be modified as the power for at power supplies was activated by the power supply, not by the motherboard

Deus_Horribilus · 13th July 2001, 8:04 PM

The above points are quite true, though some mobos exist that were both AT/ATX compatible, but these are rare and hardly likely to run an Athlon/Duron system. Thus, the back plate would require some modification, it would help to have an ATX back plate template (a piece of metal with all the relevant ATX mobo ports punched into it) that you could nibble away until it fitted the case.

Another major point is that motherboard placement differs from ATX and its predecessors, i.e. the mobo will sit about 2mm closer to the backplate than it would usually do. When screwed down, this is enough to pull the AGP slot pins on your graphics card out of alignment fully, and even PCI cards can suffer. The best solution is to nibble off a small segment of the metal piece that screws the card to the case, so that the card can sit flush while remaining secure.

IT is an ambitious job, but not impossible to do, I speak from experience, having put an ATX form board into a 386 case (pre AT methinks). Just be patient, and the results will be magnificent.

13th July 2001, 3:45 PM	#1
Bigtosser Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 725	Can I use an AT tower case as an ATX I am seeing a lot of older AT full tower cases going through IT auctions quite cheaply, and was wondering how difficult it would be to use an ATX board namely an A7V133 in one of these if I changed the existing powersupply. I am a relative newcomer to this, but I have a dremel and was wondering if anyone else had gone down this road. Some times these cases go for next to nuthin'. That is the appeal in the idea for me. Any thoughts????

13th July 2001, 4:58 PM	#2
Deanodriver Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 7,440	you would need to modify the back plate, as AT cases use serial keyboards. the power switch would also need to be modified as the power for at power supplies was activated by the power supply, not by the motherboard __________________ sifnt.net.au \| I brew, therefore I am.

13th July 2001, 8:04 PM	#3
Deus_Horribilus Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 348	The above points are quite true, though some mobos exist that were both AT/ATX compatible, but these are rare and hardly likely to run an Athlon/Duron system. Thus, the back plate would require some modification, it would help to have an ATX back plate template (a piece of metal with all the relevant ATX mobo ports punched into it) that you could nibble away until it fitted the case. Another major point is that motherboard placement differs from ATX and its predecessors, i.e. the mobo will sit about 2mm closer to the backplate than it would usually do. When screwed down, this is enough to pull the AGP slot pins on your graphics card out of alignment fully, and even PCI cards can suffer. The best solution is to nibble off a small segment of the metal piece that screws the card to the case, so that the card can sit flush while remaining secure. IT is an ambitious job, but not impossible to do, I speak from experience, having put an ATX form board into a 386 case (pre AT methinks). Just be patient, and the results will be magnificent.