On Mon, 5 Sep 2005 16:47:04 +1000, "Michael C"
<me.DeleteThis@nospam.com> wrote:
>> If you'd never even seen how HP /etc cases are always a
>> little proprietary, I contend that you have insufficient
>> experience to know one way or the other how long it will
>> take.
>
>You don't remember our previous conversations?
Perhaps with more details but at the moment I've been
sorting through a lot of data, details, people.
>
>> It's even possible the other case's wiring isn't
>> compatible with the HP motherboard, meaning at least you'd
>> have to fiddle with wire positions or at worst
>> solder/crimp/etc together and adapter board/cable/whatever.
>
>I'll use the HP power supply so shouldn't have any problems with proprietry
>ATX power connectors. That was a dell problem anyway wasn't it?
I'm talking about the case wiring, the front panel leads
such as power, power & HDD LED, reset, front panel audio,
etc.
So far as proprietary power supply-motherboard wiring, yes
Dell was the most notorious for changing pinouts but keeping
the same ATX-type (plastic) connector. Compaq and HP have
used some proprietary connectors but the plug wasn't exactly
the same as a standard ATX, at least on none that I recall.
>
>> HP has been getting better at that though, particularly when
>> they used Asus boards... that was one of the best things
>> about HP (over Compaq).
>
>The model after the one I've got did seam a little better, for example you
>could break off the cd doors quite cleanly with only a little bit of trouble
>and the end result was quite neat.
"Break"?
Have you taken the front bezel off the case and looked at
it? There may be a gentler way to do it.
>
>> That's just it, _I_ do know.
>> They don't "customize" implementations", it's a chip, it's
>> features are hardwired,
>
>Have you ever worked with these chips, as in designing your own boards to
>use them? They are fairly flexible and allow the mobo manufacturer to
>enable/disable certain features. Some of them have inbuilt flash so
>manufacturers can customise some of the features of the chip.
No, I have not been making boards with these chips, but I
have always used chipset manufactuers drivers, 100% success
rate so long as it's the correct driver (obviously enough).
A theory about what "could" be, is not the same as what
actually is, and you're ignoring one of the central issues
here- OEMs don't write drivers, the drivers are supplied by
the chipset manufacterer, and can be confirmed to be the
same (version #s and CRC checks).
It would be unrealistic to think an OEM is going to enable
any chip features the chip manufactuerer didn't enable, and
undesirable to have a OEM limit your features that you
"could've" had, but again, OEMs don't write drivers.
>
>> You have no idea because you've never tried it. I've done
>> it several times. It doesn't "always" work because some
>> drive buttons are too far away, or it could be a problem if
>> you don't have plastic compatible with superglue. PVC
>> cement works too, but it can be a risk to thinner case
>> parts.
>
>I've done enough dodgy fixes in my life to recognise and avoid one. A new
>case is a nice fix which should all bolt together. I must say I really pity
>your customers when they have to fix your glued together computers.
Perhaps instead of focusing only on your failures, you
should also take a closer look at what've worked better.
You have a mental block against making the effort so of
course you won't get as good a result as if you had
approached the issue differently.
You pity my customers because you're ignorant of the fact
that just because you can't (or won't) do something, that
doesn't mean others won't have satisfactory results.
People bring their systems back to me- I am the second
person to know (after the owner) when something isn't right
and your guesses about what you won't do, have no bearing on
what I HAVE done with success.
>> You've alreay spent several minutes posting here, and will
>> spend (by your optimistic estimate) 30 minutes to actually
>> move it. That's multiple times as long.
>
>By the time I make wood button for the floppy drive,
> find some plastic and
>cut and glue it,
Well I suppose if you are in a situation where you have to
"find" plastic, then yes it could be more time consuming. I
suppose it's unfathomable to me that in this day and age
there wouldn't be plastic all around you.
>hack into the case with a drill and a hacksaw
I don't recall suggesting a drill and hacksaw. If you have
left out other details of things that the case may need,
then certainly you may be right, it may not be worth the
effort.
>and find that
>everything didn't really work that well,
What do you mean, "find"?
A solid plan well implemented will work. If that's not your
cup of tea, so be it, but that's an entirely separate issue
from whether it's possible or time-consuming to do the
simple things I'd mentioned.
>I'll have spend a *lot* longer than
>30 minutes and got a *lot* worse job. Not to mention I'll have a PC with a
>newer and better looking case.
.... another issue never mentioned- if you don't like the
looks of the case, why did you buy it? The mods I've done
to OEM cases look *right*, like they aren't out of place at
all. Perhaps you simply haven't given it much thought, but
I've been doing such things for years. Most people do have
OEM boxes and those cases are subject to damage- especially
if there are kids present.
>> True, but then again, it still goes against the idea of not
>> enough time.
>
>That's true, I could spend all weekend on it if I wanted to, but I don't
>want to.
Never suggested you should spend that long... having
actually done these types of things, I know it doesn't take
that long.
>
>> Maybe, but then 2/3rd of those who bought a clone would end
>> up with a POS system.
>
>That's true, although the big names put out some pretty bad systems too.
On average I find OEM boxes far more reliable than the
low-end clone boxes. Midgrade and higher varies a lot more
based on the builder and specific parts.
>> Stay informed about: Name brand computers are ace! 
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