Will this work?

[ButtMunch]

I am upgrading a old socket 7 based board with a pentium 200 to a P3 650 and of course a slot 1 board that will work with it. Will I be able to fit the new processor and board into my mini tower case? I know that the p3's kinda stand up. Does anyone know if I might have any problems?

 

[Halz]

There is a good chance that your Socket7 motherboard is AT while most all Slot1 motherboards are ATX. What changes with an ATX case from an AT case is the placement of the connecters for serial, USB, PS/2, and parallel ports. All of the connecters are moved directly onto the motherboard thus aleviating the need for the ports to be 'mounted' into the case with screws and brackets. Its one of these "Why didn't they think of this before?" situations.

Along with a new CPU and motherboard, you will need to purchase an ATX case.

 

[Plester]

i dremmeled a my old AT case when i moved to an ATX mb, worked fine, but a bit messy looking - fortunately most people don't spend much time looking at the a$$ end of their pc.

 

[ButtMunch]

That's what I thought, well what sucks is I'm getting this new processor and board as a present so I don't want to order a new case and act like I know i'm getting it.

Thanks,Halz,& Plester

 

[Imaginer]

There are a few AT pentium 3 boards out there. You just have to know where to look.

http://www.mtiusa.com/6bb.htm
BX board.

http://www.zida.com/clx.htm
Although LX, it is another board that uses AT form factor.

http://www.zida.com/product/vm133.htm
An Athlon board but look at the form factor.

http://www.zida.com/product/T810B.htm
This is an i810 motherboard. Good for the value person but still something to take note.

http://www.zida.com/product/createbxv-at.htm
Another board.

http://www.zida.com/product/v8605.htm
Pentium 3 board, Baby AT.

 

[Jhhnn]

You just gotta wait and see what you get, take it from there. If you have an at system, then you likely have an at psu, incompatible with an atx mobo. You likely have edo or similar memory, again incompatible with modern atx mobos. You may get a s370 processor and a slot1 mobo, you'll need an adapter. Then there is the case....and the device drivers for the vid card(the old system may have onboard video, it was common) and the sound card(same issues)

Upgrading can be tricky, parts selection is an artform, and varies depending on how deep your pockets are. The top link in imaginers post is to a decent little board, one of the local gurus (read BS artist) uses them for cheap upgrades. They actually work rather well.