Having to Upgrade my PC

bobkn · Oct 31, 2024

jaylob4 said:
Sorry for this question, I really am but what's the difference between the long grey and black slots and the slots you have rectangle?

I'm not "SIW2".

The short slots are PCI-E X1. (X1 means that it gets a single PCI-E lane.) The long slots are PCI-E X16. (Typically used for the graphics card.)

You can usually insert an X1 card in an X4 slot (which you don't have) or an X16 slot.

Your MB has a single X1 slot. It's in an odd location, IMHO.

SIW2 · Oct 31, 2024

bobkn said:
The short slots are PCI-E X1. (X1 means that it gets a single PCI-E lane.) The long slots are PCI-E X16. (Typically used for the graphics card.)

You can usually insert an X1 card in an X4 slot (which you don't have) or an X16 slot.

Your MB has a single X1 slot. It's in an odd location, IMHO.

If it is the

ASUS TUF GAMING B550-PLUS WIFI II

there are 3 x1. I already posted a picture of them in previous post

here it is again

jaylob4 · Oct 31, 2024

SIW2 said:
If it is the

ASUS TUF GAMING B550-PLUS WIFI II

there are 3 x1. I already posted a picture of them in previous post

View attachment 114772

here it is again

View attachment 114773

Sorry my fault, getting a little mixed up with my replies, my question was meant for you.

spapakons · Oct 31, 2024

jaylob4 said:
The case, PSU and so on I purchased as separates some 10-11 years ago, I purchased reasonable quality, imo, at the time, I did some extensive reading on what MB to buy, I wanted a MB known to be reliable, having suffered a couple of fried MBs and I did alright with my choices with help from MM and Window forums.

At that time I had a keen interest in all things PC and still do but I hadn't kept up, time past and I needed to rebuild and no clue where to start.

I set a budget, started from there, either I would get laughed off the forums or be in with a chance of building something updated which was always going to be a given.

To keep costs down I reused a perfectly good Case for my needs, PSU and other bits and pieces, scrapped were my old MB/RAM/CPU and so on.

My PC was and always intended to be and will remain so, a home office/PC and once up and running hopefull will last me.

I had a set back with the Case, oddly, having built and installed the new gear to discover the new MB was loose on the back plate of the case, I found the MB stud mounts were not tightening, 4 of them were turning in their fixing holes.

With PCs past it would have mattered, what with spinning HDs and other drives, the MB would have rattled but for low spec machines such as mine, there are no moving parts however 4 board mount studs not doing there job, not great.

The back plate fixing holes had become enlarged, studs were spinning, 40 miles from the nearest PC shop and necessity being the mother of invention, I made my own out of small nuts, bolts and washers, doubling up on nuts for the board to rest on and have space between it and the back plate, it's worked out ok, I think.

New PC cases are cheap enough but my case is perfectly adequate, just needed some unexpected attention.

Just purchased Hub and PCIe card from Ali, delivery times was as long from eBay as it was Ali, prices about the same.

It wasn't I was ill prepared, just not fully for the rebuild but I will get there.

This usually is the case with branded PCs. HP or Dell or Fujitsu are known to deliberately use custom non-standard motherboards so you cannot easily upgrade them and you are forced to buy a new one or ask them to upgrade and increase their profit. That's why the standard ATX or mini-ATX motherboard holes don't match the case and you had to improvise. Unless your case is something special, I don't think so, you can buy a cheap case to replace it. Not right now, some time in the future. Besides, if you consider building a second PC from the replaced parts you will need a case. So you use the new case for your new build and put the old components in the old case that they fit without improvising.

PS: Have a closer look at the PSU as well! It might be custom too, not ATX type, and won't fit in a standard case!

bobkn · Oct 31, 2024

SIW2 said:
If it is the

ASUS TUF GAMING B550-PLUS WIFI II

there are 3 x1. I already posted a picture of them in previous post

(snip)

here it is again

My mistake.

The OP's board is an Asus Tuf Gaming B550-Plus Wifi II. Somehow, I thought it was the Asus Tuf Gaming B550M-Plus Wifi II (the microATX version). The image I posted was from the manual for the M board.

There's a shared bandwidth between the second X16 slot (which is X4 electrically) and the X1 slots. Probably not an issue for the OP.

jaylob4 · Oct 31, 2024

spapakons said:
That's why the standard ATX or mini-ATX motherboard holes don't match the case and you had to improvise. Unless your case is something special, I don't think so,
,
PS: Have a closer look at the PSU as well! It might be custom too, not ATX type, and won't fit in a standard case!

No, that's just it, all of them do line up, all 9 of them.

I think it more a case in the first build all them years ago, I must have somehow enlarged the mount holes and never knew and was something to be discovered years down the line and I did.

With posts 29 and 30 ringing in my ears, I couldn't leave it now I knew so improvised.

My existing PC Case is nothing special, it's a Cooler Master, the brand is still available, it's not a great case, a bit thin, not bad either, my first PC case, sneezed and I could blow holes through it.

The case is fine, it was just I had just finished the rebuild, I was there, in the bag and the last moment discovered the MB loose. Usually it would be a case of tightening the mount screws but enlarged case holes and the stud mounts were turning in their holes, so had to strip PC down and fix the issue.

I understand the comments on my PSU, when I replace I't will be a 550w but at the moment my existing is coping and managing with the demands asked of it.

I will stick to brand Corsair or buy Seasonic who manufacture all Corsair PSUs when time comes to replacing mine.

bobkn · Oct 31, 2024

jaylob4 said:
(snip)

I will stick to brand Corsair or buy Seasonic who manufacture all Corsair PSUs when time comes to replacing mine.

I believe that some Corsair PSUs are not made by Seasonic. The CX750F, for example, is manufactured by CWT. I don't know how their reliability compares to Seasonic's.

Edited, later:

Not sure if I've ever had a Corsair branded PSU. Seasonic, yes. PC Power & Cooling. Mostly eVGA. (I don't know who makes theirs.) My current one is the BeQuiet! in my System 1 specs. It's quiet. (Relatively few cable sockets, though. ATX 3.)

I've seen very few PSUs online with a large number of reviews that didn't have a few unfavorable ones.

spapakons · Nov 1, 2024

Corsair are a little more expensive than other brands but are much better and worth their cost.

bobkn · Nov 1, 2024

spapakons said:
Corsair are a little more expensive than other brands but are much better and worth their cost.

That may mainly apply to the RM series.

spapakons · Nov 1, 2024

For best compatibility with any motherboard, I usually buy Kingston or Corsair. I avoid very cheap brands as some motherboards may not be able to use them properly (non-standard or non-stable timings?) and give BSOD in Windows.

bobkn · Nov 1, 2024

spapakons said:
For best compatibility with any motherboard, I usually buy Kingston or Corsair. I avoid very cheap brands as some motherboards may not be able to use them properly (non-standard or non-stable timings?) and give BSOD in Windows.

Not a bad idea.

However, that may be broadened with RAM from the motherboard's QVL (qualified vendors list).

Kingston also maintains a compatibility list.

In the US, Crucial (subsidiary of Micron) guarantees compatibility.

My current primary system uses RAM from G.Skill.

jaylob4 · Nov 2, 2024

I hope to bring the thread to a close soon but an update.

First tho' a huge thanks to you @SIW2, @Ghot, @bobkn, @spapakons and the rest of you who helped and advised me, not sure I would have managed the rebuild without your guidance and this Site.

PC is up and running, in the end I spent £230, New MB, CPU, 16gb or RAM, front and back USB 3 ports, ( yet to arrive ) an ATX/EPN socket converter which in the end wasn't required, I think I did OK and it can be done.

It's been a learning curve, a bit of a trek but the satisfaction of doing it, building something better.

A couple of unexpected setbacks which delayed things, Case and MB related and the latter I had to drill by using a cordless, yup had to put a cordless to my new MB.

This morning I turned on PC everything worked as I hoped but system couldn't find OS, took a bit of time and mainly my trying, discovered Win 10 OS don't like TPM 2.0, once I had that figured and BIOS set to 1.2 I was away and running.

Once Win 11 is installed I'll up the TPM.

No doubt I will tweak a bit but as things stand the PC is faster, glad to have it sitting by my feet instead of in bits.

The extra USB3 port hubs will take at least 10 days to get to me so the new build is not quite completed but almost there.

Thank you, Thank you everyone.

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bobkn · Nov 2, 2024

jaylob4 said:
(snip)

A couple of unexpected setbacks which delayed things, Case and MB related and the latter I had to drill by using a cordless, yup had to put a cordless to my new MB.

(snip)

You modified the MB? What did you do?

(I've never done that.)

Catnip · Nov 2, 2024

jaylob4 said:
A couple of unexpected setbacks which delayed things, Case and MB related and the latter I had to drill by using a cordless, yup had to put a cordless to my new MB.

You are extremely lucky that you didn't drill through traces in the motherboard. Actually, you may have and you just haven't noticed that something in particular isn't working yet.

Motherboards are usually several layers thick and there are traces all over the place between the layers that you can't see. If you somehow managed to avoid drilling through any, go out and buy a lottery ticket. This is your lucky day.

jaylob4 · Nov 2, 2024

bobkn said:
You modified the MB? What did you do?

(I've never done that.)

Catnip said:
You are extremely lucky that you didn't drill through traces in the motherboard.
.

Having sorted the Case out and MB stud standoff issues, while easy to resolve, was fiddly.

After all that, ( the bolts I had chosen which were correct in size ), I hadn't take into account all 9 board holes might not be uniform in size.

Pleased with my make do solution with the Case when it came time to fit the MB some of the board holes would not fit over the standoff bolts, all holes were in the standard ATX configuration but some were a fraction to small.

The MB stand off holes had to be enlarged, so I checked, checked and checked again and concluded by using a drill bit just a fraction larger than the holes that would resolve the issue.

I made sure I was clear of printed circuits and anything else for that matter, I kept within the holes just enlarged by a fraction all of them, problem solved, not without much trepidation I have to say and not something to be taken on lightly but needs must as do budgets.

Read the excerpt below, I hope this all makes sense.

From my post 72.

"I had a set back with the Case, oddly, having built and installed the new gear to discover the new MB was loose on the back plate of the case, I found the MB stud mounts were not tightening, 4 of them were turning in their fixing holes.

With PCs past it would have mattered, what with spinning HDs and other drives, the MB would have rattled but for low spec machines such as mine, there are no moving parts, ( opportunity to EDIT, except for fans ), however 4 board mount studs not doing their job, not great.

The back plate fixing holes had become enlarged, studs were spinning, 40 miles from the nearest PC shop and necessity being the mother of invention, I made my own out of small nuts, bolts and washers, doubling up on nuts for the board to rest on and have space between it and the back plate, it's worked out ok, I think.

New PC cases are cheap enough but my case is perfectly adequate, just needed some unexpected attention."

bobkn · Nov 2, 2024

jaylob4 said:
.Having sorted the Case out and MB stud standoff issues, while easy to resolve, was fiddly.

After all that, ( the bolts I had chosen which were correct in size ), I hadn't take into account all 9 board holes might not be uniform in size.

(snip)

I've never seen anything like that. I expect the mounting holes in a MB to be slightly oversized.

But as you avoided cracking the MB, all is well. I hope that you enjoy your new system.

spapakons · Nov 2, 2024

Only problem the Warranty is void. If anything happens to the motherboard, knock on wood, it won't be covered.

bobkn · Nov 2, 2024

spapakons said:
Only problem the Warranty is void. If anything happens to the motherboard, knock on wood, it won't be covered.

I don't wish to argue, but I doubt that's likely to be an issue.

I suppose not mentioning it if the board failed would be unethical

But boards never fail. Except for my current model. Some USB ports failed while it was within a 30 day return period, so I exchanged it at the shop. (#2 has been perfect so far, for about 11 months. Touch wood.)

jaylob4 · Nov 3, 2024

It would be a mistake if I gave the impression I drilled large holes in to the MB, I didn't, I basically reamed out the existing and was careful in doing so.

I take the point about warranties but as @bobkn states, while not unheard of, MBs rarely fail, so yes, drilling a MB, especially a new one is not to be undertaken lightly and could have ended disastrously but as I said, needs must.

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