Member Avatar for vinsky

Hi everyone !

I purchased a used desktop IBM 8212-1SF and it's very small. I'd like to put everything in a new tower case to get more space to put additional cards, hard drive etc.

Is it possible to fit all parts in any tower as long as there's enough space for the motherboard and everything or there is no way to swap the case ?

I don't have an empty tower to try it and I don't want to buy one if I'm not sure everything will fit in and back slots will be at the right places.

Thanks a lot !

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

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For : moving parts from a compact IBM into a tower is possible in most cases, but it is worth checking a few practical compatibility points before buying a case. This expands on the quick suggestions from and by giving a simple checklist and a small test workflow.

First, inspect the motherboard and chassis closely. Photograph the back of the machine, the PCB, and every plug. Confirm the mounting-hole pattern against the candidate case tray; if holes do not line up you will need to add standoffs, use an adapter plate, or (less desirable) drill the case. Verify whether the rear I/O is a separate shield or integrated into the IBM chassis; integrated plates often require trimming or a replacement I/O shield to fit a retail case. Check power: many compact systems use nonstandard PSUs or proprietary connectors. If so, plan to replace the PSU with a standard ATX unit or obtain proper adapters so the board gets the correct 24/20-pin and CPU power connector.

Do a bench test before final installation. Label every cable, test the board with minimal components and a known-good PSU outside the case, then move to the new case once POST is clean. Also check CPU cooler clearance, drive-bay adapter needs, and expansion-card length. These steps address mounting, rear-port alignment, and power issues raised by and and will avoid buying a case that needs heavy modification.

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Member Avatar for jbennet

Depends on whether the motherboard are standard e.g micro atx, atx or whether they are nonstandard

measure them. The sizes are available on wikipedia. Just search for ATX

Member Avatar for caperjack

the big thing will be the back connections ,the video mouse and keyboard and stuff some desktops are stretched out right across the back,and not grouped in the same way as a case going to be trying this next week with a older ibm.

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