Case / Component Question.

[Vectraat]

I just cleaned out my computer with some compressed air and noticed a part / piece of plastic came out--It's 2 inches long with a little groove in it (looks like it might slip over something). I don't know if this part was from the case itself or off a component. Don't know if It's for aesthetics or if it actually served a functional purpose. I looked inside the case and I can't see where it would've come off of. Any guesses? 

 

 

[Xiee]

What's your case manufacturer and board model? It kind of looks like it might be some sort of plastic lining protection on the case.

[Vectraat]

15 minutes ago, Xiee said:

What's your case manufacturer and board model? It kind of looks like it might be some sort of plastic lining protection on the case.

Tower: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/JKQG3C/fractal-design-define-r6-usb-c-blackout-tg-atx-mid-tower-case-fd-ca-def-r6c-bko-tgl
Motherboard: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/GPdxFT/gigabyte-z390-aorus-elite-atx-lga1151-motherboard-z390-aorus-elite

 

Hmm, I wonder if it actually came off the GPU: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/MZm323/gigabyte-geforce-rtx-2080-8-gb-windforce-video-card-gv-n2080wf3-8gc

[kirashi]

20 minutes ago, Vectraat said:

Hmm, I wonder if it actually came off the GPU: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/MZm323/gigabyte-geforce-rtx-2080-8-gb-windforce-video-card-gv-n2080wf3-8gc

Ding ding ding - this piece of plastic appears to be a protective cover that manufacturers sometimes put on the PCIe connector of your graphics card. Most people usually remove it before installing their GPU, however, so not really sure how your graphics card fit into the PCIe slot on your motherboard...

[Vectraat]

2 minutes ago, kirashi said:

Ding ding ding - this piece of plastic appears to be a protective cover that manufacturers sometimes put on the PCIe connector of your graphics card. Most people usually remove it before installing their GPU, however, so not really sure how your graphics card fit into the PCIe slot on your motherboard...

Hmm, can you point me out exactly where it would fit onto?

Hmm, it looks like it could go on here, but I don't think it does? Same length about. 

 

[kirashi]

1 minute ago, Vectraat said:

Hmm, can you point me out exactly where it would fit onto?

Hmm, it looks like it could go on here, but I don't think it does? Same length about. 

I cannot point out exactly what it fits onto as I don't know the physical dimensions of it, however, since you have your computer physically in front of you, you could take off the side panel and physically hold the plastic piece up to the connector that best fits where it might go. The photo you included appears to be of the SLI connector at the top of your GPU, which that plastic piece indeed could have been protecting.

[Vectraat]

3 minutes ago, kirashi said:

I cannot point out exactly what it fits onto as I don't know the physical dimensions of it, however, since you have your computer physically in front of you, you could take off the side panel and physically hold the plastic piece up to the connector that best fits where it might go. The photo you included appears to be of the SLI connector at the top of your GPU, which that plastic piece indeed could have been protecting.

The piece of plastic is 2 inches long. Says in my OP.  Hmm, yeah, I don't know for sure if it fits over that connector. I don't wanna put it on (even if it looks like it might go on) if it isn't actually supposed to go on there. 

[Xiee]

Yeah, it looks like the protector for the SLI connector. But like you said, if it doesn't fit then it's probably something else.

[Vectraat]

27 minutes ago, Xiee said:

Yeah, it looks like the protector for the SLI connector. But like you said, if it doesn't fit then it's probably something else.

Ok weird question. If it looks like it does fit on there (SLI connector), but It's not actually supposed to go on there, can it cause damage? I mean, I don't think it could because It's just a piece of plastic. I'm surprised this happened because I was holding the air fairly far away to prevent exactly this kinda thing from happening or worse. 

[Xiee]

Just now, Vectraat said:

Ok weird question. If it looks like it does fit on there (SLI connector), but It's not actually supposed to go on there, can it cause damage? I mean, I don't think it could because It's just a piece of plastic. I'm surprised this happened because I was holding the air fairly far away to prevent exactly this kinda thing from happening or worse. 

Not really, its just a piece of plastic that looks like it was designed to cover something up. As long as you don't scrape off the stuff on the pins of the SLI connector you should be good.