HSF to fit in a micro atx case

[Cliptin]

As I don't have the hardware in hand yet, I'm guessing on sizes.

This is the MB (http://www.directron.com/m7vkq.html) and this is the case (http://www.directron.com/v2000.html).

The case is only 90mm high in total. It'll have a Duron 950 in it at first but I'd like the HSF to work up to the limits of the MB (266MHz FSB). I'm looking for a large but flat HSF. I'd like it to able to fit a large low speed fan.

I speak in generalities because I've not built a system in a few years and I don't know what's out there.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[Cliptin]

And one more thing. Do I need a CPU shim?

[Pradeep]

No shim needed if you get a cooler designed for Socket A

[time]

The case is only 90mm high in total. It'll have a Duron 950 in it at first but I'd like the HSF to work up to the limits of the MB (266MHz FSB). I'm looking for a large but flat HSF. I'd like it to able to fit a large low speed fan.

The best advice I can give you is don't do it!

Desktop cases have limited cooling effectiveness. Slimline cases are worse. And as you say, you may need a lower profile heatsink to avoid blocking the fan intake. The giant review on www.dansdata.com includes some medium profile coolers, which of course don't perform as well as their full-sized cousins.

But the showstopper in this and almost every similar case is the power supply. Did you notice it is only 150W? Less than 50W available on the 12V line for drives and only 33W on the 3.3V line! Combined 3.3V and 5V power is probably about 72W. Just forget all about modern CPUs such as Athlon, Duron and Pentium 4 (there's no mention it supports P4 and I doubt there's even a connector).

Don't get ideas about changing the power supply. As you can see, it's a low profile design that just doesn't come in meaty flavours. BTW, that product code doesn't look like an HEC one at all.

No, Celeron 1200 is the CPU for you (otherwise known as Pentium III/Tualatin). That solves all your problems because its cooling requirements are minimal anyway.

[Tannin]

"The power supply in this case is a special one. No spare is available for replacement at this time."

Don't walk away from this one Cliptin. Run! Don't look back. Don't even think about it.

[Cliptin]

Sigh. This is frustrating.

My objective is to replace my two p5 genome systems with more current hardware. I need these machines most importantly for software and network testing but time wise they will mostly just be genome crunching.

I had decided on the duron 950 for a low-power/crunching-ability compromise, and a laptop hardddrive to help with the 150W problem. I had not noticed that replacements were unavailable. I also just noticed that the motherboard I had picked will not physically fit in the case. :oops:

The Goal:
My work area (a 6' folding table) is in a corner of the living area and so I was looking at very small cases to help with the clutter. I will probably eventually(within 2 yrs) move all my stuff to rackmount because it will be easier to manage and make look presentable. Isn't rackmount stuff stanardized pretty well(2U is 2U and so on). Until then, I've got to do something.

What do you recommend as an alternative?

[Handruin]

Sigh. This is frustrating.

My objective is to replace my two p5 genome systems with more current hardware. I need these machines most importantly for software and network testing but time wise they will mostly just be genome crunching.

I had decided on the duron 950 for a low-power/crunching-ability compromise, and a laptop hardddrive to help with the 150W problem. I had not noticed that replacements were unavailable. I also just noticed that the motherboard I had picked will not physically fit in the case. :oops:

The Goal:
My work area (a 6' folding table) is in a corner of the living area and so I was looking at very small cases to help with the clutter. I will probably eventually(within 2 yrs) move all my stuff to rackmount because it will be easier to manage and make look presentable. Isn't rackmount stuff stanardized pretty well(2U is 2U and so on). Until then, I've got to do something.

What do you recommend as an alternative?

Could you opt for a tower case and just place it on its side like the case you mentioned above? I believe you can still use the CD-ROM on it's side, we have some rack mounted servers at work with CD-ROM drives that sit verticle with no problems.

What about something like this for $89 with 300 watt PS (Most likely a sparkle power supply):

http://www.isitoday.com/atx601aw.htm

It's the same as the antec SX830 case. You can get just the case for $69.00 USD and buy any power supply you want.

[Buck]

Cliptin,

They'll have what you need here:
http://www.caseoutlet.com

with a nice mATX case here:
http://www.caseoutlet.com/case/4117/CS-4117.html

BR

[i]

Hmm...

1) Size is a primary concern.
2) "...most importantly for software and network testing..."

Well, if you want to take this to the extreme (while simultaneously impressing your friends) how about one of these:

http://www.intrinsyc.com/images/products/cerfcube_top.jpg

From their website (http://www.intrinsyc.com/products/referencedesigns/cerfcube.asp):

* Web-ready, low-cost server device
* Insanely small 3" x 3" x 3" stackable aluminium cube
* High-performance Intel® StrongARM™ 1110 processor with 32 MB RAM and 16 MB Flash
* Powerful, yet inexpensive - only $379
* Ideal for headless Internet devices
* Supports Bluetooth CompactFlash card
* Pre-loaded with Apache embedded web server (Linux)
* CerfCube comes with a Software Developer's Kit(SDK) that enables you to you develop applications for your platform

I don't think they get much smaller than that. I wish I had one.

[Mercutio]

Much as I hate to give Shuttle any play, they have a sub-shoebox enclosure that's supposed to support P4s, with an athlon-based one on the way.

Probably featured right on the front page of spacewalker.com

[NRG = mc²]

Thought of an Asus Terminator? My flatmate has one, they come in AMD/Intel (P3/Tualatin/P4) flavours, are extremely quiet (92mm low speed fan) and you can get one over here for 150 pounds (roughly $200) which includes everything onboard - all you need is hard drive, memory and processor. Its been reliable, everything is recognised by WinXP automatically (VIA chipset with everything onboard, Asus mobo)...

Comes with floppy drive and 52x Asus CD-rom drive. Its got two PCI slots, onboard NIC, modem, sound, VGA, and room for another 5.25 optical drive. It really is small.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Full_Systems_43.html (you can also see the Shuttle systems which are even smaller)

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/asusterminator/

Even smaller than the terminator is the HP e-pc. Integrated everything, no expansion slots, very quiet, i815 chipset, got one here as firewall/ICS/genome box with a p3-733 in it. Performance is crap because you cant set any BIOS options, but its been reliable (uptime so far since I bought it has been 12 days at full load).

http://www.rotting-energy.net/images/photos/epcfront.JPG
http://www.rotting-energy.net/images/photos/epcin2.jpg
http://www.rotting-energy.net/images/photos/epcin.jpg
http://www.rotting-energy.net/images/photos/epccpu.jpg

[Cliptin]

Cliptin,

They'll have what you need here:
http://www.caseoutlet.com

with a nice mATX case here:
http://www.caseoutlet.com/case/4117/CS-4117.html

BR

Energy, Thanks.

I have decided to go with Buck's case recommendation.
I will put one of these (http://www.viavpsd.com/product/epia_mini_itx_spec.jsp?motherboardId=21)in it at first. Later (meaning around the end of May), I'll move that MB to here (http://www.procase.com.tw/minicase.htm) and put a Duron or PIII into Buck's case.

Congratulations Buck! You just got a node named after you! :mrgrn:

BTW, I think the two cases I'm getting are manufactured by Morex (http://www.procase.com.tw/whatnew.htm).

[Buck]

Thanks Cliptin, I'll be famous forever! :D

[Cliptin]

If anyone cares I purchased the MB and case from idot.com and learned about the part details from http://forums.storagereview.net/viewtopic.php?p=31013#31013 .

[NRG = mc²]

I forgot about the original question - if it still applies. You can get a Molex radial fin cooler from www.quietpc.com. They're very quiet and, from memory, around 3cm tall.