Can I use A HP Pavilion 8240 Case for a MATX Mobo?

[Chobits]

I'm planning on doing a real low cost upgrade to my parents pc (HP Pavilion 8240. 233mhz pentium1 processor - 64 (I added 32 a few years back) megs of ram) and I'm wondering if in any way I can reuse the case because I'm planning to toss a Biostar M7VIG pro in there and if I could save that extra 30ish dollars I'd really like to.

Way back then did HP use propeitory connectors (pc was bought in 1997-1998 I beleive) like Dell does now or not? I'm worried of plugging it in and it blolwing up. Then comes the next thing - will the mobo fit in there? I know ATX is a standard but even standards slightly change after a few years...right?

Basically I'm just wondering if I can get a blessing to stick in that Mobo (I can't find any info elsewhere) in there and not have to worry of it blowing up ( I need to mainly because I need to convince them to plop 50 bucks into a new PSU for me since I've been getting coldboots 24/7 on my current psu that came with the case)

And would it fit in there? I'm planning to use the AGP slot probably yet the HP doens't have a AGP slot so I'm worried it might not fit in there...or are my fear unfounded and I should easily go and do it? Thanks!

 

[DTSS]

Yes you can, however you may need to use a demmell to cut out the ps/2 and serial ports!

Daryl - DTSS

 

[Chobits]

demmell? The mobo in that is a Standard ATX mobo - 2 ps/2, 2 usb, vga, paralell, serial connection...and that is it.

Do you mean the actual square thingy?

 

[Zepper]

Is the ATX connector plate removable? Most MATX mobos come with their own plate to plug right in. Also there might be a PSU issue. Most Socket A mobos won't tolerate a wimpy PSU. I would seriously consider either a new PSU or perhaps using the MSI KM2M Combo L instead of the Biostar along with a drive to P4 adapter might allow you to continue with the HP PSU if you use a modest processor (Duron 1G or so). Also those old Socket 7 mobos really didn't need the 3.3v bus from the PSU so some PSUs (particularly Gateway) left those wires out. Won't fly with the new mobos.
.bh.
:moon:

 

[Chobits]

Why would the 3.3v rail matter? AthlonXps draw their power from the 12vrail (and hence by logic Socket A) no?

And I'm planning to toss a 1700+ but no overclocking...I would toss a Duron in but let us just say my parents don't realize that the 2100+ I said I'd buy wasn't going in their pc *cough* It'll go in my pc and they'll get my 1700+ *cough*


And as for the PSUs aren't PSUs from store bought pcs - specifically the more expensive ones (pc cost 1600 back in the day) good quality? So I don't see how its wimpy considering Dell has 2.8P4s with 9700pros on 280watt PSUs that run just fine.

 

[Zepper]

Chobits et al.,
Most Athlon mobos still have just the standard ATX power connector and use the 5V lines for the CPU core voltage (via onboard regulators) and use the 3.3v lines directly for the CPU I/O voltage - that's why they generally need ample current on the 3.3+5V lines. Only those mobos with the P4 connector use the 12v lines for core power and they still use the 3.3v lines directly for the I/O.
. Almost all P4 mobos use additional 12V lines via the P4 connector to power the core, thus they can get away with lower power PSUs. Original Pentium systems could run well on a
150W PSU.
I just checked here: Erols CPU Specs , and these are the specs on the Pentium 233:
P55C-233 2.8V (2.7V~2.9V) 3.7V 3.3V (3.135V~3.6V) 4.0V 6.5A 0.75A 7.9W 17W 70° C.
. Note that the core current is only 6.5A and the I/O merely .75A - typical power dissipation, ~8W with 17W as a maximum! Ath/Dur won't even wake up on that little power...
. Here are the specs on the Athlon XP 1700+ Thoroughbred (Palomino is similar) :
Athlon XP-1700+ (6-8-1 1.46GHz Thoroughbred) 1.6V 2.0V--30.9A 44.9W 49.4W 90° C.
. Note the 31A core current and the 50W max dissipation! So the core uses ~50W (1.6V x 31A) or about 6A if powered by the 12V rails (allowing for about 67% efficiency of the on board regulators - may be better DC to DC, I'm going by AC to DC efficiency of switching PSUs). So you would want to have at least 10A (more definitely preferred) available on the 12V line to allow for the other 12V uses like drives.
. Check the ratings of the HP PSU in there - I checked on HP web site. The PSU in the Pav.8240 is only 145Watts - not going to cut it for any current Athlon or Duron. Finding a reasonable PSU (I wouldn't run anything less than 200 on the MSI mobo with an Athlon 1700+) for that case is not going to be too easy. Delta (OEM PSU supplier on the 8240) has a 200W SPX PSU (DPS-200PB-143) that has that much - there may be others. I found a Foxconn/Allied on newegg and an Enhance on Directron that might work (and cost about $30. w/ s+h) - not much less expensive than a whole new case/psu as newegg often has an inexpensive case/psu w/ free shipping. Found this one: N82E16811154018 Foxconn w/ 350W and front USB for $35. Another for $39.: N82E16811128106 , and another N82E16811150031, and another N82E16811182503 - well, you get the idea. Just punch those numbers one at a time into the search field.
. IAC, I would still only buy a mobo with a P4 connector just for the extra stability that having 12V on the input to the Core regulators supplies.
.bh.
hoping for :sun:...

 

[DTSS]

Yes the mobo is ATX standard, however DELL isn't ! I tried also installing a standard atx mobo in a dell case before and in the older models there is no face plate to remove. therefore i hate to use a demmell to cut out the ps/2 and serial ports!

 

[ElFenix]

heh i put an atx board in a dell case once... i'm thinking of doing it again but actually getting it to work this time