I have a gateway gt5034, which uses the uBTX form factor. If you are unfamiliar with the uBTX, the mobo is on the right side of the case. All PCI, and PCIe x16 cards are face up. In other words the GPU cooler is above the PCIe x16 slot, instead of below. I am thinking about getting the X1800XT, which has a large GPU cooler and needs two slots to clip into the case. My case does not have any slots above the PCIe x16 slot, and there for I would have to mod the case.

How difficult will this be, and will it invalidate my warranty?

There are 50 ways to lose your warranty... slit out the back, jack... don't look back...

hmm.. man that sux

ehhhh... yah i cant think of a sollution

I talked(typed) to Gateway tech support today. Their official stance on my problem is that I will have to buy a new case and transfer the hardware into it. Presumably I would need to get a BTX, instead of the uBTX. This would void my warranty.

I did not get to finish my conversation with them, partially because I was pissed about the situation and second I was going to the Brewer game. They won in the bottom of the ninth with a home run by Carlos Lee. Even if I transfer the mobo, well everything, into a new case I have concerns that the X1800XT will not fit. The main mobo connector and two PS2 inputs are very close to the PCIe x16 slot, and it may be a close fit for the oversized cooler on the X1800XT.

I see that there is another thread here called BTX the future? and I am going to post my problem on that thread also once I read through it.

Going off topic. Is there any reason not to trust the open box items on newegg.com?

well besides the fact all accessories may be missing and the actual product may be broken

absolutely not.



if u get a full size BTX case the vid card shouldnt be an issue

Where can I find BTX cases? I have done some searching and all I can find is a ATX/BTX case on newegg.

I know coolermaster has 1 or 2 BTX cases, they have to be converted but its really easy and it comes with everything you need for both form factors

they are a bit pricy, the stacker 830 is around 280$
look on ncix, they have some good things - make sure your on the american part of the site, the homepage is usually canadian.

return the 1800 and get a 7900gt, uses 1 slot and is just as fast. if ur an ati fanboy and dun wanan give it up, consider getting an aftermarket cooler for it (toms just did a review on a single slot cooler thats a lot quieter/cooler than the stock one) i wouldnt replace the case because it will void the warrenty, just try to find a single slot card/cooling system... GL!

$280 huh? THe reason this problem began for me was because I saw a X1800XT for $220, and I figured that was my price. For $280 I can just get a X1900GT or 7900GT which only take up one slot in the case.

After going over this problem for several days. I have considered transplanting my PC into a different case or selling my PC and building my own(for the first time). It looks like I will just wait a little longer and spend a little more money. You can't always get what you want, right? But sometimes you get what you need. Well, what I need is more pixel pipelines and a faster memory clock speed.

Can you give me a link to the article, or tell me the name of the cooler so I can search for it? I was looking at the Accelero X2 by Arctic Cooling, which states that it is 100% BTX compatible.

noo parlee the issue is that hes out of room in his case. with an X1800XT even an aftermarket cooler wont help the card will still take up dual slots.


think about it.

ok hes saying this.


my vid card is mounted in the bottom most slot. the X1800XT wont fit cuz its dual slot loading card i only have 1 PCI slot to give it it wants 2.. Understand?

I could mod or change the case clip. Is it possible to change the clip? I could take the dual clip off and put on a single PCI slot clip. Granted it would have to have 2 DVI and one S-vid in the exact same configuration. Or I could just cut the top vented slot clip off. With the Accelero X2 the GPU fan cooler vents into the case not out, there for I would have no need for the vent on the dual PCI clip.

I think it would then fit. Of course there is still the question of the mobo main power conector and PS2 inputs. I think there would be enough room.

Another problem would be your power supply which is only 300 watts. I learned that the hard way. I have a Gateway GT4010 that I tried installing with a 7900GT. It won't boot so I returned it to newegg (lucky I didn't fried it) . Now I'm just gonna save and build my own rig (Oblivion will have to wait).

I have a 430W PSU, which I bought for my X1600 Pro. I can play Oblivion now, and it looks good. But I want something that will kick the living crap out of it.

If I get the X1800XT or something esle I will probably end up getting a 550W PSU.

I don't know, man. I think it's gonna be very difficult if not impossible to install an x1800xt on that mobo, there's just not enough space. I wish I knew about that before I bought mine. Please let me know if you are able to find a solution. Thanks

No, you can't just get a different case. Your graphics card is in the top slot, and because it's a BTX motherboard, the graphics cooler is one slot higher than the top slot. Getting a larger case gives you more slots at the bottom, you still won't have room above the card for another slot. The only thing you could possibly try to do is modify the case, but there's probably a port in the way anyway.

Another option is to use a different style cooler on the VPU.

bah! i run my x1800xt on a generic 350watt PPU with enough juice left over for a couple opticals and a few hard disks.

getting a new case would be he best sollution.

No, he can't just get a different case. His graphics card is in the top slot, and because it's a BTX motherboard, the graphics cooler extends one slot HIGHER than the top slot (rather than one slot lower as it would in an ATX case). Getting a larger case would ONLY give him more slots at the BOTTOM, he still won't have room ABOVE the card for A DOUBLE SLOT COOLER. The only thing he could possibly try to do is modify the case, but there's probably a port in the way anyway.

Another option is to use a different style cooler on the VPU.

the u in uBTX would mean mirco crash man.


he has a mirco BTX mobo.

i guess u missunderstand, because my idea is the cheapest, fastest, and easiest way. the stock cooling on an x1800xt is a dual slot design, the card itself is a single slot, but the fan takes up an extra slot above it. his cae doesnt have the space above the pci express slot for the fan to breath, he was thinkingabout cutting it out, which wouldnt be a horrible idea... but the best way is to look for a single slot cooler for it, installs in 10 min and cools ur gpu a ton better than the inefficent 2 slot design.

i duno the link, and i dont have time to find it out but it was fairly recent... maybe a month old?... there were problems mounting it on a 1800 AIW, but the xt went on easy... im a bit fuzzy about it tho, just look back about a month, its giant piece of copper, u cant miss it