I’m thinking of getting a Pentium 4 motherboard for a couple of computers my wife and I have, but I’m wondering, how can I tell if it will fit or not? The computers I have now are a Pentium Celeron 333mhz computer and a Pentium 233mhz computer.
The Pentium 4 motherboards I’m looking at are ATX form factors. The 233mhz motherboard is a Baby AT size motherboard, and I’m not sure about the 333mhz. We got it from Gateway, but I don’t think that I got any info on the motherboard itself, since I’m sure that Gateway just wants us to get a whole new computer through them. The Minitower casing for the Celeron seems to be a little bigger than the other computer.
So do I have to buy any new Minitowers, or can I just remove the existing motherboards and replace them with the new ones?
Thanks.
A baby-AT case will NOT accomodate an ATX board. You can get a new case cheaply enough.
An ATX won’t fit in a baby AT. Most cases have a lot of holes that will line up with various makes and models of motherboards (and most mobo manufacturers are considerate enough to sorta-kinda have all the holes in the same places), so if that 333mhz motherboard is a full ATX (chances are it is; just compare the size to your 233), you should be ok.
Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. Although, even though the motherboard’s a Baby AT, I’m not sure about the case. I have a case for a 486, which holds AT motherboards just fine, and I think that the Pentium 233mhz case is bigger than that, so it might be a case of a smaller motherboard in a bigger case, but I’ll have to check that out.
If the maindboard is a baby-AT, so is the case. If it were me, I’d get a new ATX case, since your options will be broader.
I’d suggest just getting a new case. The ATX form factor has other built-in things, such as automatic shutdown, that, I belive, will only work in an ATX case. It’ll be sure to fit, probably line up better, and will take advantage of what has been designed into the form factor.
Of course, I put a Pentium II-level computer in a 286-case, but that’s the opposite problem.
Not to mention that an ATX board requires an entirely diferent power connector than an AT or baby-AT or the rare NLX.
Yeah, I probably will just do that. Actually, even though the older computer is a Baby AT, looking at the jumper descriptions, it did mention one that allows automatic shutdown. It’s an FIC PT-2007 motherboard.
How’s it different?
It’s different in shape, for one thing. An AT power connector has two inline plugs of 5 wires each, for a total of ten. An ATX power connector is one plug with 14 wires.
Oh, I see. Thanks.
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Totally different pin and voltage configurations.
Brand new cases and power supplies cost practically nothing.
Like US$20.
You aren’t saving much by recycling the case and power supply.