Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (
More info?)
JAD wrote:
> are all server designed cases ATX in their form factor?
No. EATX (Extended ATX) and WTX are server form factors ('super ATX', if
you will) and there are tons of others (with chassis to match) including
vendor specific form factors (plenty of those in workstations and 'PCs'
too). There's a whole other world or rack and modular mount case
specifications (CEB, EEB, MEB, TEB, etc.) and, of course, everyone nowadays
is hearing of "the blades."
Here, for an example, is an Enlight support page for which E(xtended)ATX
motherboards fit in their 8950 5U server chassis.
http://support.enlightcorp.com.tw/8950-5U-mb-list.htm?SN=52
Here's a Supermicro WTX case that "can be outfitted with just about any
ATX/WTX form factor motherboard, as long as it's not a custom design."
http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/reviews/2585/6/
One of the selling points for these folks is that their blade servers use
"commercial off-the-shelf" <gasp> components (point being a lot are vendor
specific).
http://www.extremenode.com/
The photo gallery on this page will show one with what I think is a
proprietary layout.
http://www.siliconmechanics.com/i1585/blade-server.php
I was just touching on the most common 'home PC' form factors.
> I was wondering bout
> that as I have a weird case and MB combo here with strange rebooting
> problems, looks like holes were drilled to accommodate the board.
Could be. Wise move to drill the holes in the mounting plate rather than
the motherboard, though
> "David Maynard" <nospam@private.net> wrote in message
> news:11563ebep3lc5ae@corp.supernews.com...
>
>>Mark wrote:
>>
>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>Can someone tell me do all modern cases accept all modern motherboards
>>
>>No.
>>
>>
>>>or do I need to be careful and match the right case to the right
>>>motherboard.
>>
>>It's not quite that rigid. The common case form factor, in order of
>>decreasing size, is ATX, microATX, and flex with motherboard
>>specifications to match. Generally speaking, however, a smaller
>>motherboard will fit in a larger form factor case which, obviously, does
>>not apply in reverse (similar to the 10 pounds of dung in a 5 pound bag
>>problem).
>>
>>AT (and baby AT) is the older case/motherboard form factor and ATX
>>motherboards will generally not fit in an AT case. However, many ATX cases
>>are reverse compatible with AT motherboards (depends on the rear I/O plate
>>options and changing the PSU/power switch). An ATX PSU doesn't work with
>>an AT motherboard and vice versa. Plus, there are multiple version levels
>>of ATX PSUs as specifications changed to keep up with new
>>processor/motherboard power requirements (ATX-12 added the 12 volt
>>motherboard connector, etc.).
>>
>>And then there are 'small form factor' cases. NLX is an older form factor
>>that takes neither 'AT' or 'ATX' motherboards; it must be NLX. ITX is a
>>current small form factor that takes ITX form factor motherboards.
>>
>>BTX is a new case form factor, intended to replace ATX, but is not in wide
>>usage yet.
>>
>>So, you can't assume that just any old thing fits in any old case but
>>there is some flexibility in what does fit.
>>
>>Usually you're dealing with the ATX and mATX form factor so 'just about
>>anything' (in the ATX context) will fit in a "full size ATX" case. If you
>>want something smaller then you must have the smaller motherboard, I.E.
>>microATX (common) or flexATX (like small eMachines, Compaq, and HP
>>mini-towers), to match the smaller case size.
>>
>>
>>>Regards
>>>
>>>Mark
>>
>
>
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