CoolerMaster HAFx 942 Case & PCI card problem.

[yoelt]

Someone with experience building should be able to take one look at this picture and let me know if something is wrong here or not:

I have installed PCI cards before, but this it has been a long time for me and this is a new build. Leading up to this, I installed the motherboard into the case, and then the next step was to install this PCIe SSD. It seems to me like I should be able to push it all the way into the PCIe slot for a proper installation. Further movement is blocked by the mounting bracket on the case.

If I remove the motherboard from the case, the card seems to be able to lock into position. It will go in so far that the "A32, A12" labels are not visible. Once I screw the motherboard in, the PCIe card is pulled out a little from the slot. I am using the standoffs that were included with the case, the motherboard included no mounting hardware. The I/O cover seems to line up with the motherboard fine.

Do I need taller standoffs to be able to insert the PCIe card into the motherboard fully? If so, then the I/O sockets would not line up with the I/O cover installed on the case. Or if I only used the taller stand offs on one end, the mother board would be slightly bent. Are the dimensions of these things not all standardized?

I don't have the video card yet, so I have no other PCI component to compare.

These are the relevant components:

Case: Cooler Master HAFx 942
Mobo: ASUS P8z77-v LE Plus
PCIe Card: OCZ Revodrive 3, PCIe2 x4 SSD

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

That looks like it is in the wrong slot to me.

 

[yoelt]

The PCI slot next to it is taller, but it does not have the little notch.

This is a PCI-e 2.0 x4 card... so it should go in the PCIe slot???
My slots are labeled like this:

1. PCIe 2.0 x1_1
2. PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_1
3. PCIe 2.0 x1_2
4. PCI _1 <---- the taller slots
5. PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_2 <---- the slot it is in right now
6. PCI _2 <---- the taller slots
7. PCIe 2.0 x16_3

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

I thought those went in mini pci slots.

 

[yoelt]

There is no x4 slot. But the x4 cards can go in larger slots. The manual clearly shows it being inserted into a long x16 slot.

 

[Deemo13]

The x4 can go into a x4 and all the way up to x16.

 

[neon neophyte]

doesnt look fully inserted, no

 

[yoelt]

So what is wrong here? For the past 5 hours or so I have been trying to figure out what could be the solution here. The SSD and motherboard could not be defective, and I seriously doubt the case was made so that it cannot accommodate PCI cards. Given the popularity of the HAFx case, and ASUS motherboards, if there was some major compatibility issue I doubt I would be the first one to find it. So either I am missing something, like there is some way to make the motherboard higher, or this is not actually a problem.

 

[yoelt]

I think I found the problem. It is indeed the case! Searching the Newegg feedback, I found plenty of reports of a problem with the PCI mounts. Apparently the back of the case is warped and not at a 90 degree angle to the side, which yields this issue of not being able to mount PCI cards into the motherboard!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=11-119-225&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Keywords=pci&Page=1#scrollFullInfo


So I need a new case. I bought this used off eBay not long ago, so I got ripped off. I doubt I can send it back to CM. Will see if I can send it back to the seller. Anyone want a nice case and don't need to install PCI devices, lol.

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[yoelt]

* this issue is only present in a certain batch of this case model, not in all of them.

 

[Deemo13]

So can you mount other cards? It doesnt make sense.

 

[yoelt]

I only have this one PCI card right now, but I don't think I would be able to mount any PCI card. The rear panel where the cards mount to is just screwed.

 

[Deemo13]

Hmm. That's weird. I'll have to remember this problem then.

 

[alyoshka]

It would be easier for us to tell you if you were to post pics of the case mounting brackets and the right panel opened.
There is a slit under every Rear mounting slot where the metal holding bracket gets locked.... if either of the 2 are bent or slightly mis-aligned then the thing will not clamp down in place and the moment you try to screw the bracket onto the rear slot it'll pop the equipment out of the mobo.

 

[yoelt]

You can't actually see anything visibly wrong until the PCI card is attached. It is a really slight defect, but enough to ruin it. If I grab the case and try to bend the back panel inward, the card moves toward the proper position. But there is no way fix it without major reconstruction of the case.

In the picture you can see the card bracket properly mounted on the rear panel, but the contacts are not fully inserted into the motherboard.

I emailed Cooler Master but I doubt they will do anything since I got this used. Emailed the eBay seller who was totally incompetent, and opened a case with eBay.

I think I will buy a Lian Li mid-tower.

 

[yoelt]

'Worst case' scenario is that neither Cooler Master, ebay, or the seller work with me and I end up being stuck with this case. I paid about $120, which is pretty good if it had worked knowing that is goes on NewEgg for about $180. I could sell it on ebay in 'as-is' condition and disclose the defect. I'm sure I'd sell it at a major loss. Not sure how many people out there would want it, I suppose some people build computers without any PCI devices.

 

[yoelt]

eBay ruled in my favor. Will get a refund. Got a Lian Li case, no issues.
/thread

 

[yoelt]

Best answer selected by yoelt.