help me install my x1800xt!

[HicRic]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/hicric/IMAG0028.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/hicric/IMAG0029.jpg

Take a look at those pictures. The graphics card is in the PCI-E slot nice and snug, the little clip thingy at the end has clipped in nicely. But the silver connection end shown in those photos is well off! It won't sit flush with the back of the case so I can't screw it in. It looks like it's sort of bending away but nothing seems to be in it's way - can anyone help? I can provide more photos if needed...

Without being able to screw it in it wobbles a lot in the slot and sags downward a bit when the case is standing up (as it's only being held by the PCI-E slot) which makes me feel very nervous!

My case is a Antec Sonata II Piano Black, mobo is Asus M2NPV-VM Micro ATX (Socket AM2). Everything else in the build has worked but this eludes me.

Thanks for any suggestions you have.

 

[Firegod]

It looks like its not in properly between the edge of the mobo and the case. But apart from that I don't know....

 

[Foehammer2003]

perhaps use a longer screw? I had to do the same for my soundcard.

 

[Hlebio]

Aha.. had the exact same problem mate.

You have the Antec Sonata Piano case I see, me too.

If you apply some real force to the graphics card's bracket can you get it close to the screw holes? That is what I had to do, although I obviously couldn't screw in the screws while applying that much force with one hand so luckily my dad was around to give me a hand.

It's abit of a bugger but it can be done.

 

[HicRic]

It's strange, I've checked again and it's actually the metal slots of the case leaning away from the graphics card rather than the card being wonky. It's not aligned enough for a long screw unfortunately, the holes are off by a few mm as well as being high. The bottom metal of the card is between the mobo and case okay, so that's not it.

As you said, Hlebio, I've found that if I push the back of the case in HARD, then it just about aligns properly. I'm hesitant to screw the card in though, as then it'll be subjected to stretching forces. I've managed to do a really naff stopgap where I'm using one of those PCI slot blockers to slide along the top and 'prop up' the card, it seems pretty solid.

Would like to install it properly but just don't see how I'm going to get the graphics card down lower! It's almost as though the risers for the mobo, supplied with the case, are too tall and it's lifted the mobo away from the case floor too much...or something. But the I/O panel seems okay...

This is my first build though, maybe I've done something dumb. Everything was okay until now (HSF for the CPU was hard to put on though, thought I was going to break something lol).

 

[Semiskimmed]

ive had this before, not just with gx cards though.
id just cut the end off the bracket tbh.

 

[james.miller]

my suprano was a little skewif, so i just bent the case inwards slightly. the cards fit fine now

 

[Hlebio]

If the problem he is having is the same as the one I was having then cutting the end of the bracket off won't make a difference.

It's nothing to do with the end of the bracket getting in the way, it must just be the way the case is designed, makes it a job to get these type of cards in.

 

[HicRic]

It seems that the graphics card is fully in the PCI-E slot correctly, as I can get a picture on my monitor okay (splash screen/BIOS). But the card is still magically floating in the air at the end of the case. Kind of irritating! I wish I'd splashed out a bit more for a Lian Li now or something.

ah well, lessons learnt, etc. I don't have any tools to try cutting things and modding the case or anything, I'll just see how it pans out - it's not wobbling any more thanks to me sticking that bit of metal in the way, it works...what more can I ask for? I might try and sort of hammer/dent/bend the back of the case in a bit so I'd have a shot with long screws, I dunno.

Also, cor blimey, that x1800xt fan is loud at 100%! The rig is really nice and quiet apart from that.

 

[Hlebio]

Yep, it's like a jet-engine.

So pushing the graphics card's bracket down doesn't work?

 

[MeatLoaf]

This may sound dumb, but you did use motherboard standoffs didnt you? As that gap looks about the right if no spacers were used.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Yup its like a jet engine, but only for about 2 seconds on startup, so doesn't bother me.

 

[t31os]

This may sound dumb, but you did use motherboard standoffs didnt you? As that gap looks about the right if no spacers were used.

The backplate wouldnt line up correctly i would have thought if that was the case.

 

[HicRic]

Yep, glad the fan shuts up after startup. Nice and quiet again. Pushing the card's bracket down doesn't work, no...simply refuses to go down. It would have to rupture though the PCI-E slot to go lower I think!

This may sound dumb, but you did use motherboard standoffs didnt you? As that gap looks about the right if no spacers were used.

I screwed some small brass hexagonal screws into the case, which the mobo went on top of and then I screwed normal screws through the holes in the mobo into those brass standoffs. I'm pretty sure that's okay? Seemed to be what the case manual suggested. The I/O panel lines up right with the back of the case too. Also, if I had left out the standoffs wouldn't the mobo be lower rather than too high? Maybe I'm confused...I am a newbie to this.

Windows installing now...zzz...

Edit: If it helps, on my old rig I installed a 9800pro. It was an old HP computer, AGP and it was pre-built (obviously). But I had the exact same issue with the 9800pro. It stands away from the case where it's supposed to screw in. Totally different case, computer, everything, but same problem - which leads me to question wether I'm doing something stupid and repeating the mistake.

 

[Darkwave]

Yup its like a jet engine, but only for about 2 seconds on startup, so doesn't bother me.

Didn't bother me either, but I put a VF900 on it anyway.

 

[HicRic]

Didn't bother me either, but I put a VF900 on it anyway.

What did it do for your gfx card temps? Can you remember any before/after figures?

 

[Darkwave]

What did it do for your gfx card temps? Can you remember any before/after figures?

I think (can't remember, but have a feeling I am close) before was about 75ºc idle and 85ºc load, and I lost about 15-20ºc on both. I was very happy, and it let me clock my card to 720/900 (gaming stable) which is a pretty big overclock for air IMO. I used a Zalman VF900-Cu and Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound, overclocking care of ATI Tool.