Why is an upgrade never simple?!?

[dave87]

So as some might have seen from one of my posts on here, I had an issue with my RAID0 Raptors (basically a powercut screwed the RAID array). Fair enough, these things happen.

Anyway, I took the fact my PC was in bits as an opportunity to upgrade the power supply to a modular item. Went from a Seasonic S12 500w non-modular to an OCZ ZT650 modular PSU. Should be an easy swap, right?


No.


Firstly, I have a Lian Li PC-A05, so the PSU is at the front - and that means there is a power cable that runs through the case. Did the power cable fit the new PSU? Of course it didn't. So one new custom made right angled lead required. Ok, that's a quirk of the case I've chosen, nevermind.


Made the lead, went to put the PSU back in, all good. Well, it was, until I tried to put the motherboard back in. The new PSU is longer than my old one. Not too much of an issue, you would have thought.....except it renders the SATA ports on the motherboard I have completely inaccessible.


Nuts.




Back to the drawing board.....

[pollaxe]

The thanks is because I feel your pain.

I recently did a rebuild of a mini-ITX system into a Lian-Li PC-Q08. Due to a combination of factors, it was one of the most fiddly, irritating processes that I've ever been through. If component X fitted in position Y then components A, B & D wouldn't and so on and so forth. Everything in the system will fit in one way and one way only. That one way took me several days and every ounce of bodgineering skill I had. I found new swear words along the way.

I have never been so close to flinging a case through a window. Grrr.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The thanks is because I feel your pain.

I recently did a rebuild of a mini-ITX system into a Lian-Li PC-08. Due to a combination of factors, it was one of the most fiddly, irritating processes that I've ever been through. If component X fitted in position Y then components A, B & D wouldn't and so on and so forth. Everything in the system will fit in one way and one way only. That one way took me several days and every ounce of bodgineering skill I had. I found new swear words along the way.

I have never been so close to flinging a case through a window. Grrr.

If you look at my current system,I am using a modified Shuttle G2 case which use a non-standard form factor motherboard. In the end I had to really modify it to fit standard parts.

Still,if I want to change over any parts,I literally have to take the rig to bits and then shoehorn the parts together again.

[IronWarrior]

Tut tut, should had done some research first before buying it and when it comes to PSU's, checking the size and getting the measurements first should be done.

I normally spend a lot of time researching items before buying them to avoid things like this.

Hopefully you can return the unit or sell it on?

[doyll49]

Extremely frustrating.. especially after building custom cable and all. And your day will come IronWarrior. Just hope you let us know when it is so we Tut Tut you.

[dave87]

I must admit when I looked into a new PSU, I read the reviews with regard to performance, noise levels and the like, but I must admit due to the compact nature of my previous Seasonic PSU, I didn't think size was going to be an issue - but I was wrong. That said, it does fit, just not with the motherboard I had! Anyway, it prompted an unexpected upgrade to an i5 3570k with an Asus motherboard and 8gb of RAM - only thing left on the list to upgrade is the GPU now

With the benefit of 20:20 hindsight, I probably would have simply ordered a different power supply - but such is life, you don't always get 20:20 hindsight.

[doyll49]

I almost learned about the PSU size issue the hard way. Was just luck that I could run cables through cable hole, slip PSU into place and cables were okay... but JUST fit.

[finlaymurray123]

It can be hard to make expensive mistakes!

[dave87]

It can be hard to make expensive mistakes!

Nope, it is rather easy to make expensive mistakes - that is the point of this thread!

[IronWarrior]

I never made mistakes like that, but I did make a clanger with modding my PC but I did think that it could be a problem when I was doing it in that when I rotated my HDD cage sideways, the cable for my IDE drives wouldn't be long enough to connect them up. I found out, I can connect one but the second one is too short on the cable.

But a new cable should fix that, just need to decide if I want a 45cm or 90cm round IDE cable.

I did also think about buying one of them IDE to Sata boards, but... I installed two 80mm fans at the bottom of my case which I think when I install this board, the fans will be in the way, that or the cables will be right over the fans since my IDE port is right in-front of the fans, there is space between them but it could be a problem.

[rustedzeke]

A full build is even more difficult...

[dave87]

A full build is even more difficult...

That's effectively what this PSU upgrade turned into - a new i5 based machine