mATX download/linux box

[r1zeek]

I'm planning on building myself a tiny machine for surfing the web/downloading.
Its gonna be running the Sarge version of Debian and I need it pretty much as small as possible.
I have an old p3 rig lying around but it is ATX, not mATX so i'm having trouble finding a case for it.
My budget is £200 and that includes a decent KVM switch (I need to run 2 machines on same kb/mouse etc)
Can anyone give me some links to decent mATX motherboards and cases aswell.
I would prefer a very small case, 1 5.25 bay, prefferably none though.
Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance

[malfunction]

Have you thought about going mini ITX? The performance is truly bloody awful but if you want small and really only need it for surfing / downloading they ought to be fine. If you got an older model board you could re-use your SDRAM from the P3 and then just sell your existing board + CPU. You need low profile RAM (and laptop drives) for the really tiny cases but you can still get some pretty small cases that use a standard desktop HDD... (check out www.itx-warehouse.co.uk, www.linitx.com, www.mini-itx.com, www.ultim8pc.co.uk)

Failing that you can JUST fit a Shuttle + CPU + low end AMD cpu into £200 (on ebuyer you can get an SN45G, Duron 1600 and 256MB Viking PC3200 for £198.71 inc VAT and delivery)... No KVM though and I'm presuming you already have a spare HDD. With a bit of a shop around you might be able to fit in a mobile XP from cpucity.co.uk

Edit: oops - you'd need a GFX card for the SN45G too... I'll have another look around

[r1zeek]

I did think of going mITX, but i'm not sure if Sarge actually supports M and MII
I would also be using it todo HTML, PHP etc coding and maybe a bit of the GIMP and I was talking to directhex and my P3 I have at the moment (its a full rig ram, hdd, GFX and all) should do fine.
I'm really after something very small.

[malfunction]

I did think of going mITX, but i'm not sure if Sarge actually supports M and MII
I would also be using it todo HTML, PHP etc coding and maybe a bit of the GIMP and I was talking to directhex and my P3 I have at the moment (its a full rig ram, hdd, GFX and all) should do fine.
I'm really after something very small.

I'd maybe lean towards a shuttle then - you could keep HDD, GFX, etc. Only disadvantage (and it's a big one) is that you'd have to sell your mobo, CPU and RAM. But IMO a Shuttle is the best way to go for a powerful PC in a small box. Failing that silverstone do a *smaller* desktop case that can take a full ATX mobo:

http://www.systemcooling.com/sst_lc04-01.html

Kustom have them listed but not in stock at the moment:

http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1232.html

If you can get hold of a mATX mobo for the P3 then you can go smaller still:

http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1225.html

(I'm just using kustom as an example - you can get silverstone cases - and similar stuff - from other places)

But IMO if you can't find a decent mATX P3 mobo and you're going to have to change the CPU + RAM as well you might as well go the shuttle route.

Out of interest what exactly have you got at the mo?

[r1zeek]

Hmm, hard desicion.
I need it to sit next to my desk (i think there is about 1ftx2ftx1ft (DxHxW) space for it and I don't really want a Shuttle as it is a corner and probably wouldnt fit.
Something laptop esque (like that silverstone) would be nice so I could have it standing upright taking up less room.

I'm not too sure what I have got, the p3 used to be my dads old work machine which he now doesn't want. Its got 20gb HDD (I think) which im fine with, 265mb RAM I think, tho im not sure as I cant get to it at the moment (on holiday) i think its about 600-700Mhz though, again, not sure.

[malfunction]

Hmm, hard desicion.
I need it to sit next to my desk (i think there is about 1ftx2ftx1ft (DxHxW) space for it and I don't really want a Shuttle as it is a corner and probably wouldnt fit.
Something laptop esque (like that silverstone) would be nice so I could have it standing upright taking up less room.

I'm not too sure what I have got, the p3 used to be my dads old work machine which he now doesn't want. Its got 20gb HDD (I think) which im fine with, 265mb RAM I think, tho im not sure as I cant get to it at the moment (on holiday) i think its about 600-700Mhz though, again, not sure.

If it was your dad's work PC it might not be standard - I'm not 100% sure but I think some of the old compaq / HP / Dell PCs of the time were still custom mobos (i.e. non ATX back plane, custom header connector for buttons + LEDs) so it might not be that easy to transplant the existing mobo (it's easy enough to check this though). If you're strapped for cash though can't it just sit under your monitor or in tower 'configuration' on the floor (i.e. even if it's a desktop case will it stand stable on it's side?)

Mini tower / mATX cases are pleniful though if you can find a suitable mATX mobo (lots of things like the yeong yang casper type cases or the aopen 340 series cases can be stood on their side)

http://www.xcase.co.uk/acatalog/Aopen_340__Series.html

http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1417.html (I can only find the DAMN UGLY versions of the YY cases at the mo)

[r1zeek]

I think I am gonna have to get a mATX mobo, the ATX mobo in the p3 would be too big so the case wouldn't fit in the corner :/

You know anywhere I can buy a mATX mobo, it doesnt need any real features as it will just be used to surfing, downloading and web design so I don't need oddles of power

[myth]

I think I am gonna have to get a mATX mobo, the ATX mobo in the p3 would be too big so the case wouldn't fit in the corner :/

You know anywhere I can buy a mATX mobo, it doesnt need any real features as it will just be used to surfing, downloading and web design so I don't need oddles of power

where you live? us?

[r1zeek]

where you live? us?

Engeeeeeeeeerland!
Uk mate

[malfunction]

I think I am gonna have to get a mATX mobo, the ATX mobo in the p3 would be too big so the case wouldn't fit in the corner :/

You know anywhere I can buy a mATX mobo, it doesnt need any real features as it will just be used to surfing, downloading and web design so I don't need oddles of power

Might be easier to just get one of these:

http://www.itdealers.co.uk/catalog/p...roducts_id/192

[r1zeek]

Hmm, looks a bit big for what I want.
I'll have a hunt for a mATX mobo, if I can't find you i'll use one of the linkys you gave for the cases, should do me fine.
If anyone can give me a link to some or any mATX mobos that would be great.
Cheers guys

[r1zeek]

Searching for a mATX pentium 3 motherboard is like searching for <insert witty comment here>

bizrate gives me a nice juicy list of boards, I click on any of them and it says "found in 0 store"

If someone has a P3 mATX mobo they would like to sell, drop me a PM and we can arrange something

If no one does, looks like i'll either have to go for a shuttle, mini itx system or just see if I can make my current desktop case fit into the corner

[myth]

I can find cellys all over the place! and there faster too! I'll search quick!

FOUND ONE!!!

http://www.savastore.com/products/pr...pid=45&tid=162

Edit: lol...

Why not this,

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...5856&GroupID=4

+

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...811&GroupID=32

[arsen]

ill sell you a shuttle sv24 if you want nothing amazing, but it does exactly what you want now, it has deb installed and runs irc/gimp/kylix/gaim/small games etc no idea what its worth, but its probably worth more to me than its market value if that makes sense :/ currently its a celly 900/256mb ram w/ onboard sound/graphics etc & a realtek NIC, dvd/floppy in it etc, works perfectly with 2.6.7-1-686, infact its been the EASIEST machine ive installed debian on, 2 hours from CD in to desktop with proggies :>
considering putting linux on this lappy once net's fixed & ive got my bluetooth&p900, so the sv24's gona become redundant :\

only semi considering selling it but if you can chuck me loadsa money for something that seems to be exactly what you want, then ill consider it
youll be hard pushed to get a sff/mitx box for under 200 inc KVM etc, cheapest ive priced a system up for before was £150 with a £10 case and a £20 mobo, shuttles are £100 at least :x

[myth]

Well.... I could help! But I have yet to make up my mind! I have a Celly 1.7 and a mATX with 356 megs ddr 2700 ram.... Its just sitting here! Someone was thinking of buying it from me but they have not responded to my email! Shipping would be around $25 US! But I like to save my old junk! lol Well if all else fails, I'll be here!

[r1zeek]

ill sell you a shuttle sv24 if you want nothing amazing, but it does exactly what you want now, it has deb installed and runs irc/gimp/kylix/gaim/small games etc no idea what its worth, but its probably worth more to me than its market value if that makes sense :/ currently its a celly 900/256mb ram w/ onboard sound/graphics etc & a realtek NIC, dvd/floppy in it etc, works perfectly with 2.6.7-1-686, infact its been the EASIEST machine ive installed debian on, 2 hours from CD in to desktop with proggies :>
considering putting linux on this lappy once net's fixed & ive got my bluetooth&p900, so the sv24's gona become redundant :\

only semi considering selling it but if you can chuck me loadsa money for something that seems to be exactly what you want, then ill consider it
youll be hard pushed to get a sff/mitx box for under 200 inc KVM etc, cheapest ive priced a system up for before was £150 with a £10 case and a £20 mobo, shuttles are £100 at least :x

All i'd need is the barebones, i got the RAM, CPU, HDD and CD drives, all I need is the board.
How much for just the shuttle?