Can I cut off this part of my motherboard pcb?

[TomvanWijnen]

Hello everyone,

 

Long story short: I have two old smallish Dells, one is pretty good, one is blweh. The pretty good has a motherboard that's a little bit bigger than the other motherboard. I want to put the bigger (and more powerful) motherboard in the smaller case. This almost fits, but one piece of iron or motherboard pcb is in the way.

Could I maybe cut off or so this piece, without destroying the motherboard, and with it still working?

 

 

I would like to remove the part with the squares on it. Can I do this without ruining the motherboard, and if I can, how should I do it?

 

 

Thanks for your time!

[Tagiau]

No

[Godlygamer23]

I'm not sure what the squares actually do so I can't tell you. A bare part of the PCB can be removed, but if there's any hardware integrated into it like traces, the answer is no.

[DamnTarget]

No. Motherboard's have many, many layers. So even though you can't see any traces, there's likely to be some in the middle layers.

 

EDIT: The squares add thermal capacity to the board so it is equally heated when in the soldering oven.

[jameshumphries47]

Hello everyone,

 

Long story short: I have two old smallish Dells, one is pretty good, one is blweh. The pretty good has a motherboard that's a little bit bigger than the other motherboard. I want to put the bigger (and more powerful) motherboard in the smaller case. This almost fits, but one piece of iron or motherboard pcb is in the way.

Could I maybe cut off or so this piece, without destroying the motherboard, and with it still working?

 

 

I would like to remove the part with the squares on it. Can I do this without ruining the motherboard, and if I can, how should I do it?

 

 

Thanks for your time!

why? and i think so i cant see any traces, can you show a photo with a torch behind it? 

[Chickenator]

I would just not cut up your motherboard.  most of us aren't electrical engineers who know the MOBO you are using, so we can't tell you for sure.

[Philcat101]

Hello everyone,

 

Long story short: I have two old smallish Dells, one is pretty good, one is blweh. The pretty good has a motherboard that's a little bit bigger than the other motherboard. I want to put the bigger (and more powerful) motherboard in the smaller case. This almost fits, but one piece of iron or motherboard pcb is in the way.

Could I maybe cut off or so this piece, without destroying the motherboard, and with it still working?

 

 

I would like to remove the part with the squares on it. Can I do this without ruining the motherboard, and if I can, how should I do it?

 

 

Thanks for your time!

No. Doing this will void your warranty and getting a new case is better than getting a new motherboard.

[UnknownEngineer]

You will be cutting off some parts grounding I am sure, after that the mobo will not work. You would need to use an Xray or something similar to see if there are any traces in there.

 

It would be safer and smarter to mod the case you are using, additionally, how it it that only the corner is restricting you? Can you show us pictures of the case too?

[Godlygamer23]

You will be cutting off some parts grounding I am sure, after that the mobo will not work. You would need to use an Xray or something similar to see if there are any traces in there.

At least some traces are usually visible with the naked eye. Any "lines" passing through the board are traces.

[TomvanWijnen]

I'm not sure what the squares actually do so I can't tell you. A bare part of the PCB can be removed, but if there's any hardware integrated into it like traces, the answer is no.

It looks like there aren't any.

 

No. Motherboard's have many, many layers. So even though you can't see any traces, there's likely to be some in the middle layers.

 

EDIT: The squares add thermal capacity to the board so it is equally heated when in the soldering oven.

That's a good point, but I wouldn't know which components the traces would connect.

 

why? and i think so i cant see any traces, can you show a photo with a torch behind it? 

I tried putting the flashlight of my old phone under/above it (very very sharp), but it couldn't see through it.

 

No. Doing this will void your warranty and getting a new case is better than getting a new motherboard.

The motherboard is from 2008 and the case is from December 2006.

 

You will be cutting off some parts grounding I am sure, after that the mobo will not work. You would need to use an Xray or something similar to see if there are any traces in there.

 

It would be safer and smarter to mod the case you are using, additionally, how it it that only the corner is restricting you? Can you show us pictures of the case too?

Sure, I'll post some pictures. Give me a minute or so.

[Godlygamer23]

It looks like there aren't any.

I still have no idea what the squares do.

[FatPenguin]

no dont cut anything off

[Altecice]

Cut the case, not the mobo.

[TomvanWijnen]

Pictures of case:

 

http://imgur.com/a/NoDnT
 

EDIT: Do NOT worry about powersupply etc, I've sorted that out.

[Godlygamer23]

Pictures of case:

 

http://imgur.com/a/NoDnT

If you decide to modify the PCB, you accept any of the consequences(good or bad). I wouldn't do it - you may screw up the board and make it non-functional.

[ABUSIV3]

regardless of outcome i have to admit i clicked on the thread just because of the initial question 

i was like:

 

 

so my input, having ZERO experience cutting a mobo OR pcb. is DO YOU NEED THE MOBO IF IT FAILS? if the answer is NO then cut away sir. with nothing to lose why worry. experimentation is fun and educational. however, if you need this board FOR ANY REASON or would have to spend money to replace it for any reason, then no way dont cut it unless you know from the manufacturer (dell will never tell you crap) 

 

just my 2 cents tho, there is likely something in teh middle layers we cant see. dell is super cheap and would likely not have any section of unused pcb or they would just cut it themselves
good luck either way

[UnknownEngineer]

SNIP

That signature... It's kind of funny to see you give advice in something like this... And for the advice to be somewhat mostly reasonable...

 

OP should make a poll, to cut the mobo or not to cut, just to make it clear for him. (I hope he decides not to cut the mobo)

[ABUSIV3]

That signature... It's kind of funny to see you give advice in something like this... And for the advice to be somewhat mostly reasonable...

 

OP should make a poll, to cut the mobo or not to cut, just to make it clear for him. (I hope he decides not to cut the mobo)

extremely observant. hence why i could not resist the thread lol

[TomvanWijnen]

If you decide to modify the PCB, you accept any of the consequences(good or bad). I wouldn't do it - you may screw up the board and make it non-functional.

*snip*

That signature... It's kind of funny to see you give advice in something like this... And for the advice to be somewhat mostly reasonable...

 

OP should make a poll, to cut the mobo or not to cut, just to make it clear for him. (I hope he decides not to cut the mobo)

 

I also have the option to cut away some of the iron. Might do that.

 

Bedtime now, so I'll let it sink in for a bit, and then think again about it tomorrow.

 

@   ABUSIV3: I don't "need" the motherboard, but if I break it, I'd have a spare 8GB of DDR2 and a spare q6600... Not a good idea, I would really like to use them now (had them since last year December, never really used them...

[ABUSIV3]

I also have the option to cut away some of the iron. Might do that.

 

Bedtime now, so I'll let it sink in for a bit, and then think again about it tomorrow.

 

@   ABUSIV3: I don't "need" the motherboard, but if I break it, I'd have a spare 8GB of DDR2 and a spare q6600... Not a good idea, I would really like to use them now (had them since last year December, never really used them...

Well i think you just answered your own question then. night mate, sleep on it im sure youll agree in the morning.

[TheKleen]

Are you going to mount it with the I/O facing the wrong way like that?

 

Either way, cut the case not the mobo.

[TomvanWijnen]

Are you going to mount it with the I/O facing the wrong way like that?

 

Either way, cut the case not the mobo.

Yes, I'll probably plug in an USB hub for memory stick, and other IO I don't need to change. It doesn't fit the other way, because it's too long for that.

[LukaP]

Yes, I'll probably plug in an USB hub for memory stick, and other IO I don't need to change. It doesn't fit the other way, because it's too long for that.

You will be much better off just cutting the case a little, since it seems there isnt much to cut anyway, just that one square "post". While i dont think there are any traces in that part of the motherboard (atleast it wouldnt make sense, even in the deeper layers, to go around) i dont expect dell to be sensitive, so its risky. 

 

You can check it if you have access to one of those red glowing IR lights for heating. That should pierce the glass PCB but not the metal traces.

[othertomperson]

How much do you care if you destroy it? Sounds like not a tremendous amount. Why not?

[TomvanWijnen]

How much do you care if you destroy it? Sounds like not a tremendous amount. Why not?

It would cost me around 40 euros to get a new motherboard, so I do care. 

 

You will be much better off just cutting the case a little, since it seems there isnt much to cut anyway, just that one square "post". While i dont think there are any traces in that part of the motherboard (atleast it wouldnt make sense, even in the deeper layers, to go around) i dont expect dell to be sensitive, so its risky. 

 

You can check it if you have access to one of those red glowing IR lights for heating. That should pierce the glass PCB but not the metal traces.

 

I ended up not modifying anything, as I thought the power supply would fit, but it wont Was still fun taking apart the two computers, and putting them back together.

 

Everyone, thanks for your help!