Any aftermarket cases to fit a Dell 4600?

[Waterskier1]

I'm getting a Dell 4600 which I plan to use for HTPC. I know it won't fit my existing case, because of the cooling system and such, but are there any cases that will work? I want a horizontal balck desktop case, to fit the shelving. I could run the dell on it's side, I guess, but I'm not sure if HDD and Optical (CD and DVD) drives like that??

Thanks

 

[Zepper]

Why by a Dell when you really want something else??? Make it yourself just the way you want it.
.bh.

 

[AFB]

Yes just get an AMD64 system with the money you would have save on the dell.

 

[Waterskier1]

I got the Dell with a P-4 3.06 GHz HT CPU and all the goodies, for $400, after rebate. I don't think there is any way I could begin to put together a system for that price. I had been looking at both new and used MB/CPU Combo's. In any case, I have bought the Dell, so the question still stands - does anyone know of a horizontal desktop case which will accomodate a Dell? I haven't seen any other new P-4 setups (all of mine are older, pre 1-GHz systems) so don't know if the cooling/ducting used by Dell is universal, or proprietary.

 

[ElFenix]

hard drives work in any position you can think of. cdroms usually have a tab on them so the cd's will stay in the tray in the vertical position.

 

[dexvx]

Hmmm...

The motherboard and PSU are standard ATX (except for the motherboard's front connectors). You could fit it in any standard ATX cases. As for the duct system, that can be somewhat replaced if you put the heatsink/CPU within close proximity of an exhause fan.

You maybe should've gone for the Dim 4600C, they were built to be ultra slim tower or desktop.

 

[nitromullet]

If the motherboard is a standard ATX form factor your only issue is with the Dell cooling solution. I think before you can fit it in to another case, you will need to replace that with something else. If the motherboard has the standard P4 cooling unit bracket on it, just use whatever standard P4 cpu cooler will fit. Judging from this in the manual...

http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dim4600/en/4600/sm/mprcsr.htm

It appears that the mounting bracket is non-standard, but that the motherboard does have the four holes for the mounting bracket. You could try to find a replacement bracket or use a cooler that mounts through the holes. The latter type is usually more expensive, while the OEM bracket appears to be failry difficult to locate by itself.

I assume thay using a different case will void the warrantee. Dell uses a proprietary vented cooling solution because it allows them to use a large fan at low RPM's, which keeps the noise down. Plus, I imagine it's cheaper for them somehow. OEM's are all about cutting costs.

 

[Zepper]

If you do change cases, you may as well go ahead and get an HSF appropriate to it - won't add that much to the total. Just be sure to save all the original equipment and make notes when disassembling so you can put it back the way it was for warranty purposes. Though they will probably just send you replacement parts w/o ever having to see the machine...
.bh.

 

[Waterskier1]

I guess this won't be as simple as I'd hoped. I read some threads which said that Dell was no longer using the propretiary Power Supply and didn't think the Motherboard was either. I had hoped to simply disassemble the parts from the Dell case, and reassemble them into a new case. I'd forgotten about the Dell cooling system, and hoped it might be somewhat "standard" or that someone made an aftermarket case the would accomodate the cooling.
I'm leaning toward just putting it on it's side, but I checked and it seems the newer optical drives don't have the "tab" to hold a CD/DVD while in the vertical position.
It's too bad that Dell doesn't make their cases like an old Compaq I have, where you can simply rotate the drive bays and position the case either way.

 

[Pseudodominion]

"The motherboard and PSU are standard ATX "


I thought Dell used a propietary PSU? Did they stop doing this?

I know the pin count is the same, but thought they switched the order on them.

 

[Waterskier1]

I'm not 100% sure of the pin order, what I think he was referring to was the physical dimensions, that the motherboard and power supply would "fit" in a standard case. I planned to simply transfer everything from the Dell case to a horizontal desktop case. I wan't planning on changing anything electronic. But, I didn't think about the cooling ducting. :-(