What to use for filing down the metal between pci expansion slots on a case?

[Xenphor]

I'm having a problem where the ports of my graphics card are obscured by the metal on my case. Here are some pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/NWsut

You can see when I have a dvi-vga adapter in there it barely fits and puts pressure on the card. For some reason the ports are off center as to where you would expect them to be. It looks like I would need to file down the metal on top of the ports and then that area beneath the audio ports of the motherboard. What material would I use to get rid of the surrounding metal to open it up more? Preferably something idiot friendly so I don't accidently make a big gouge in my case. I already tried sand paper but it didn't do much. Is there some metal specific sand paper I should use?

 

[Seba]

Partially unscrew the screws from the motherboard and remove the screws from the graphics card and try to push the motherboard down a little before carefully re-tightening of the motherboard screws. After that, you can also try to angle down a little the graphics card before tightening its screws.

 

[Xenphor]

Partially unscrew the screws from the motherboard and remove the screws from the graphics card and try to push the motherboard down a little before carefully re-tightening of the motherboard screws. After that, you can also try to angle down a little the graphics card before tightening its screws.

I've tried moving the motherboard around but it doesn't give me nearly enough room that I need to get those ports uncovered. The backplate holds the motherboard in place from the top and there's not really much leeway there.

 

[Seba]

Don't expect to have much wiggle room, but 1 mm may be possible.

It does not look that your DVI-I - VGA adapter is extra thick, but there may exist thinner versions.

 

[Xenphor]

So I tried moving the motherboard around with the graphics card in and if I want to have access to my graphics card's ports I can't screw the motherboard in. It's just too far off of the stand offs. I even have it in there without the backplate holding it in place and there's just not enough room to move it anywhere unless I want to move it off the stand offs.

 

[Seba]

Any MB position adjustment should be tried with the screws in the stand offs (but loose), not with screws removed.

 

[Xenphor]

Any MB position adjustment should be tried with the screws in the stand offs (but loose), not with screws removed.

I tried that now and still can't get it to where the ports are unobscured.

 

[Seba]

I do not understand one thing from your pictures.

In the picture from the side, I can see a second DVI port, below the one were you have the adapter and cable.

In the picture from the rear you have a graphics card with only one DVI port.

 

[Xenphor]

I do not understand one thing from your pictures.

In the picture from the side, I can see a second DVI port, below the one were you have the adapter and cable.

In the picture from the rear you have a graphics card with only one DVI port.

Sorry. That's actually 2 different graphics cards with which I have the same problem. I no longer have the card with the second DVI port. I couldn't use the bottom one anyway with the adapter.

 

[Seba]

If the only option is to modify your case, best tool would be a dremel with a small cutting disc, with which you could cut the wall between the motherboard backplate area and the expansion cards area. Before cutting, remove all components from the case. After cutting thoroughly clean the case to make sure there are no metal shavings inside.

Some cases do not have that wall:

 

[Xenphor]

Are there any low tech ways of doing it? I don't have a dremel.

 

[Seba]

Not really. With a metal sheet scissor you would not be able to make a clean cut in that area. Your ideea of using sand paper would take weeks and a lot of sand paper to remove that wall. A metal file would not work very well there and would also require a lot of time.

 

[Xenphor]

Even just to remove a millimeter or two would take that long with specialized sand paper? What kind would I use?

 

[Seba]

That wall is made by bending the metal sheet in an U-shape. You would have to sand down through that double wall. That would take ages. It is like making a hole in the case wall, using only sand paper. Twice. Through each wall and also you would have to sand down that bridge (bottom of that U). If you still want to do it this way, you need coarse sand paper and a lot of patience.

 

[heymrdj]

Silicon Carbide or Zirconia Alumina sand paper. Costs decent $$$ but it's the most effective on metal. Still, I would expect days for millimeters given tiredness, you have to press really hard or you're just breaking sandpaper rather than being effective. Not to mention the paper looses toughness because of your slow speed, so it will be much more prone to tearing. That said, my local hardware store rents dremels out for 10$. Might be the best way.

 

[MrTeal]

What motherboard do you have, and can you just move your GPU to a lower PCIe x16 slot?

 

[Techhog]

I would just buy a different adapter.

 

[Seba]

I would just buy a different adapter.

It does not look that his adapter is thicker than usual.

 

[Xenphor]

What motherboard do you have, and can you just move your GPU to a lower PCIe x16 slot?

asrock H97M Pro4. I believe only the first one is pcie3. Could cables pushing down on the card like that cause any permanent damage? I'm not going to do the sand paper thing and a dremel is too far out of my field of expertise.

 

[Seba]

The second PCI-E x16 slot (slot number 4) in that motherboard is working at x4 speed. Depending on what graphics card you have, it might not matter.

But with your mATX case with 4 expansion slots you can not install a 2-slot card in the 4th motherboard slot anyway.

 

[Mr Evil]

I would do it the other way around and shave a bit off the adapter. It will be easier to cut through, and cheaper to fix if something goes wrong.

 

[MrTeal]

I would do it the other way around and shave a bit off the adapter. It will be easier to cut through, and cheaper to fix if something goes wrong.

Give this a try. You should be able to slice off the plastic boot around it with a sharp box knife.

 

[Xenphor]

I would do it the other way around and shave a bit off the adapter. It will be easier to cut through, and cheaper to fix if something goes wrong.

I actually did try that with one of my adapters and messed it up pretty badly. I only have one left and don't really want to mess with it. Yes I'm this terrible with tools. Now you see why I don't want to use a dremel.

pic lol: http://imgur.com/ieuqk2c

 

[MrTeal]

I actually did try that with one of my adapters and messed it up pretty badly. I only have one left and don't really want to mess with it. Yes I'm this terrible with tools. Now you see why I don't want to use a dremel.

pic lol: http://imgur.com/ieuqk2c

LOL... Maybe you should get a friend with a dremel and a steady hand to help you out here. What on Earth did you use to try and shave that down?

 

[Xenphor]

LOL... Maybe you should get a friend with a dremel and a steady hand to help you out here. What on Earth did you use to try and shave that down?

A very dull pocket knife.