ATX GPU in BTX case workaround

[odeezy2ez]

I am moving from a Dell studio 540 to a Dell Optiplex 780 and trying to swap my Gigabyte GTX 750. It is an ATX compatible single slot card with dual bracket. It also has a shorter (length wise) profile to help fit in smaller cases. I noticed the cases opened differently but didn't realize the difference in the PCI-e vs the GPU layout until switching all the essential components and doing a clean install on the 540.

In the 540 it fits fine but covers a PCI-e x1 slot (pic shows a different card)
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwGscqgVw5B-THhHYUdBZTB5Z1E

In the 780 is looks like this
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwGscqgVw5B-ZDNwYnRzNXZSbVE
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwGscqgVw5B-MG9ibDlyLTI2WWM
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwGscqgVw5B-cFo5ZGZjVU95Ykk

There is no space for the top bracket but i think i can remove the screws and the pins on the dvi ports and get it to fit. Looks easy enough and I've removed brackets before to use low profile ones.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwGscqgVw5B-SkpxSERhNmtqOFE

Does anyone see anything wrong with this idea? Will there be a downside to the card blowing air up? does anyone know of a full length single slot bracket with 2 hdmi and 1 dvi? Anything i may want to know before taking this on? Any better ideas?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[k1114]

It's the same expansion slot specs, there is no difference from atx and btx other than being flipped but so are reverse atx cases. It just happens to be a single slot layout. The only consideration on btx is the gpu sucks in the cpu exhaust heat but with lower end cards like that, it shouldn't be an issue. You say it's a single slot card but it's a dual slot card. Even if you take off the bracket, the dvi port gets in the way. There are others with the case who cut it to fit dual slot cards but you aren't getting it in that easy.

Why did you go from the 540 to a 780?

 

[odeezy2ez]

It's the same expansion slot specs, there is no difference from atx and btx other than being flipped but so are reverse atx cases. It just happens to be a single slot layout. The only consideration on btx is the gpu sucks in the cpu exhaust heat but with lower end cards like that, it shouldn't be an issue. You say it's a single slot card but it's a dual slot card. Even if you take off the bracket, the dvi port gets in the way. There are others with the case who cut it to fit dual slot cards but you aren't getting it in that easy.

Why did you go from the 540 to a 780?

To clarify, the card has 1 slot, The bracket has two slots. One above the for a single DVI. There looks to be just enough room for the for the DVI port to fit inside the case if the bracket is moved. I don't need it, so if it is blocked that is not an issue.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwGscqgVw5B-ajdrZ2M2S1VfdGs

i switch because
780
DDR3 RAM 1333Hz
larger case, better airflow, better placement and access
Q8400 core 2 quad 2.66GHz

540
DDR2 RAM
Q8200 care 2 quad 2.33GHz

Almost the same computer no big deal. Just not at the point where i want to build one, yet i can upgrade this one to do what i need it to (i thought).

 

[k1114]

All cards have a single pcie slot, but it's dual slot. This refers to expansion slots it would take and not just the bracket, the hsf too and is more of a width reference. I don't get why you did the pc change when it's a worse layout imo. You can't really do much and doesn't really make any difference. You would have been better off with at least an upgrade since sb is cheap, or even getting nehalem.

 

[odeezy2ez]

You would have been better off with at least an upgrade since sb is cheap, or even getting nehalem.

Don't understand what you mean there. My logic was faster DDR3 RAM and processor that can supports up to 16GB vs only 8 DDR2 in the 540. The GPU issue was the unexpected hurdle.

 

[k1114]

Upgrading to a newer gen. What you did makes no difference. What uses do you need more than 8gb ram? Ddr2 vs 3 is negligible performance difference and so is .33ghz. You wasted money on a sidegrade.

 

[odeezy2ez]

Upgrading to a newer gen. What you did makes no difference. What uses do you need more than 8gb ram? Ddr2 vs 3 is negligible performance difference and so is .33ghz. You wasted money on a sidegrade.

I see what you mean. I didn't waste any money though. I got the second computer as a small gaming rig for my kids. Just thought I'd take the more powerful of the two. Turns out after taking the bracket off I'd still have to mod the case, so there is no work around. I'll just have to swap everything back. Thanks for the help