Help! - Video Card Not Lining In New Build

[RockHardly]

Hi all. Of all the problems I expected to encounter on this build, I never expected this:

I'm near the end of a new build, and my video card will not line up with the back of the case properly.

My build (pertinent parts):

Antec 900 case
Gigabyte EP45-UD3P mobo
Asus EAH4850 TOP PCI-E vid card

Here's the problem:

I can line the card up perfectly, ready to go into the slot, and line up with the back opening. When I press it into place, it tilts b/c the bracket is hitting the case where it is supposed to seat. It seems as though if this bracket portion were just a bit taller, or if my motherboard was up out of the case more (maybe 3-4 millimeters), everything would fit.

If I try to force it to fit by pulling the card into place in the back slot after it's in place, the motherboard wants to lift from the front (bend), so I don't want to do that.

As it stands, though - I cannot seat the card completely without doing something to either it or my system.

Has anyone had this problem?

I would like to avoid lifting my motherboard, as I think even the smallest riser would knock everything else out of alignment.

Help! I can't believe I've gotten this far into the build only to be stopped by something like this.

 

[Proximon]

It sounds familiar.

Did you place the stand-offs correctly? Did you place them all? There should be one for every hole in your motherboard, no more and no less.

If the MB was under-supported in that area it could cause the problem, if I'm understanding it right.

 

[RockHardly]

Yes, I double-checked and all the stand-offs are placed correctly.

I'm going to see if I can upload some pictures of this in a minute - this is driving me nuts.

I can mostly seat the card - in that I can "submerge" all the copper portions of the connectors into the slot - it just seems like it needs to go in a tad further. It's at a very slight angle - and I cannot support it with the bracket screw.

 

[Proximon]

I do recall having a board that I had to mount the GPU first then install the board.

How about the I/O shield? is everything lining up right over there?

 

[RockHardly]

Ok - I have some pictures to help go along with what I'm saying.

First, here is the PCI-E Slot:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2806032060104236738fnTgEj

Now, here I have placed the card just in the slot without pressing it into the slot. You can still see the copper of the leads going into the slot:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2372069850104236738OHZSdo

And here, I have pressed the card in as far as I can:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2554090220104236738wgAwcJ

Note on the bracket that the screw hole is just to the edge (it is the dark hole closest to you under the U of the bracket. Note also that the face, or fence, of the card angles slightly into the case. It just seems like the bracket needs to be a slight bit taller and everything would fit perfectly.

I've thought about trying to remove the bracket from my old AGP card in my other system and seeing if it would fit this one just as a test.

Is there anywhere I could buy a generic bracket for this card?

Finally - am I just over-reacting? Does the fact that I do not see any copper leads coming out of the slot mean that although I don't have a perfect fit, that it's "good enough"?

 

[RockHardly]

Yes - everything is lined up perfectly on the I/O shield.

As you can see from the pictures, I've also already connected all of the peripherals and power. I put the video card in as the last item because it's usually the easiest.

I could try installing the card first, but I honestly believe that when the bracket comes in contact with the housing as I'm putting it in, it will lift it slightly again. I really don't want to basically completely rebuild this thing by doing that if I can help it.

It's hard to get perspective on that last photo, but the bracket is perhaps 1/2 mm away from the case at the bottom and about 2 mm away from the case at the very top.

 

[Proximon]

It should be seated fully, that is the priority. If you have to loosen a few MB screws or install a few washers... so be it

Could be a graphics card problem, and testing another card would be good.

I would doubt a case problem, but the wrong standoffs for the case is a possibility.

 

[RockHardly]

Slight update:

I switched out the bracket of the new card with my older AGP card, and the problem remains - so I'm pretty sure there is nothing wrong with the card.

Just for fun, while the case was on its side, I installed the card without ANY bracket in the PCI-E slot, then I placed the bracket in the slot next to it for a height difference comparison. I'm seeing about 2-3 mm difference.

If I raise the board by that amount, I run the risk of the I/O shield not matching up properly with the board.

So, I'm stuck between doing that or somehow modifying my GPU bracket to force it to fit.

I wouldn't even know who to RMA or even talk to on this one - if either the case or the mobo are off, then how is the I/O shield matching up?

 

[Proximon]

Call Antec in the morning and see what they say?

I can only say I had a simillar problem... but mine wasn't at an angle like that.

http://www.antec.com/usa/support.html

Even if it's not their fault they might have a suggestion.

 

[Proximon]

This one is maybe too obvious, but could you simply have a slightly bent MB tray? Take the back off and apply a bit of pressure to see if it makes it line up?