Removing a serial port?

[aisle9]

I picked up an ancient Dell Optiplex 755 desktop yesterday on the very cheap, intending it to be used as a HTPC case that fits between shelves. It uses a riser to fit a full size PCIe card sideways in the case. I had intended to drop a PNY GTX 750 Ti XLR8 card that I already have in there. 

 

The problem is that the case is am inverted BTX design, which I completely blanked on, and the PCIe slot is on the inside of the riser, not the outside, meaning that (on paper) only a single slot GPU will fit. In practice, the 750 Ti almost fits if you remove the bracket, but the serial port (pink port in the bottom left, pictures below) is in the way of the forward edge of the fan shroud. To make the card fit, I'd have to dremel off roughly the area around the GTX 750 Ti badge, which I'd rather not do. As an alternative, could I somehow remove that serial port from the motherboard to clear space for the card? I'd much rather alter a $25 motherboard than a $125 card. 

 

Failing that, are there any single slot cards out there that can match the 750 Ti's performance, full or half width, for around $100 (what I could probably get if I sold the 750 Ti)? 

 

[MoonlightSylv]

Dremel off the serial port?

 

EDIT: There's also a single slot 750Ti: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127836

Edited August 3, 2016 by ShadowTechXTS

[MisterMK3]

Is there anything holding the serial port on besides solder? 

I *think* you can remove it without causing issues to the board, but I can't say that I've ever done it myself.

[SLAYR]

The pink one is parallel, the green is serial, but a dremel should take that off really easy.

[MisterMK3]

5 minutes ago, ShadowTechXTS said:

Dremel off the serial port?

This is probably your best bet, honestly. 

[comicsansms]

Dremel off the parrel and serial port, you probably will never need them, make sure the fins that were from that parrel and serrial ports are not bridged against each out.

[Networking Wolf]

Dremel whatever you don't need also side note cover the motherboard before you dremel away please

[aisle9]

3 minutes ago, ShadowTechXTS said:

Dremel off the serial port?

 

EDIT: There's also a single slot 750Ti: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127836

I've got that 750 Ti in a different rig, and I love it dearly, but it's not really a single slot. The cooler extends all the way through a second slot. The card runs hot as-is, and removing the fan shroud might cause it to go boom

1 minute ago, MisterMK3 said:

Is there anything holding the serial port on besides solder? 

I *think* you can remove it without causing issues to the board, but I can't say that I've ever done it myself.

Might not even be soldered.

3 minutes ago, SLAYR said:

The pink one is parallel, the green is serial, but a dremel should take that off really easy.

Going back to middle school, I never could keep those two straight

2 minutes ago, Comic_Sans_MS said:

Dremel off the parrel and serial port, you probably will never need them, make sure the fins that were from that parrel and serrial ports are not bridged against each out.

Only the parallel has to go. So basically just flatten any leftover metal isn't touching other leftover metal after I'm done and it's good to go? 

[MoonlightSylv]

1 minute ago, aisle9 said:

I've got that 750 Ti in a different rig, and I love it dearly, but it's not really a single slot. The cooler extends all the way through a second slot. The card runs hot as-is, and removing the fan shroud might cause it to go boom

 

Oh  

[SLAYR]

@aisle9

 

just watch the ltt video where they cut off the dvi port on a titan, same concept, but for the parallel.

[comicsansms]

12 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

I've got that 750 Ti in a different rig, and I love it dearly, but it's not really a single slot. The cooler extends all the way through a second slot. The card runs hot as-is, and removing the fan shroud might cause it to go boom

Might not even be soldered.

Going back to middle school, I never could keep those two straight

Only the parallel has to go. So basically just flatten any leftover metal isn't touching other leftover metal after I'm done and it's good to go? 

Id also coat the remains of the Parrel port with lots of electrical tape just to be sure.

[mariushm]

Desoldering that parallel port can be a b*#$h ... it's lots of pins going into large copper surfaces, which means the desoldering iron has to be working at higher temperatures (400+ C) and even then the copper in the board will basically suck the heat away and it's hard to heat up the solder on those leads enough to suck it away using desoldering pumps or whatever is cheap. It's easy with desoldering guns by adding some solder to the joints first and then sucking the solder but a desoldering gun is $200 or something like that.

 

Cheapest (but ugly) solution is to just cut that connector off. Don't even need a dremel. With a bit of patience and some pliers you could bent the metal bits a few times until you weaken the metal bits and they just break and you can cut the plastic parts with stuff you have around the house (heat a sharp knife/blade on the kitchen stove and it will go through that plastic)

[aisle9]

Going to give this a try when I get home. I know where the Dremel is, time to see what happens lol

[aisle9]

12 hours ago, ShadowTechXTS said:

Dremel off the serial port?

 

EDIT: There's also a single slot 750Ti: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127836

 

12 hours ago, MisterMK3 said:

Is there anything holding the serial port on besides solder? 

I *think* you can remove it without causing issues to the board, but I can't say that I've ever done it myself.

 

12 hours ago, SLAYR said:

The pink one is parallel, the green is serial, but a dremel should take that off really easy.

 

12 hours ago, Comic_Sans_MS said:

Dremel off the parrel and serial port, you probably will never need them, make sure the fins that were from that parrel and serrial ports are not bridged against each out.

 

12 hours ago, Jstone said:

Dremel whatever you don't need also side note cover the motherboard before you dremel away please

Here's what I ended up with, guys!

 

 

Attaching the 750 Ti was a bit more of a challenge, but when in doubt, zip tie!

 

Working perfectly now. The graphics card is installed and working like a charm, though I haven't given it any real test yet. I've only got a janky, nonreplaceable OEM 280W power supply on there, so I'm taking it slow lol

 

Also, don't put a paper towel down to catch shavings when you're dremeling a PCIe bracket. Don't ask me how I know this.

[comicsansms]

4 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

 

 

 

 

Here's what I ended up with, guys!

 

 

 

Attaching the 750 Ti was a bit more of a challenge, but when in doubt, zip tie!

 

 

Working perfectly now. The graphics card is installed and working like a charm, though I haven't given it any real test yet. I've only got a janky, nonreplaceable OEM 280W power supply on there, so I'm taking it slow lol

Very clean. good job.

[MoonlightSylv]

4 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

-snip-

That actually looks good

[MisterMK3]

Looking great. Nice job!