Is my gateway case proprietary?

[redss]

I just acquired an old gateway computer and wonder if its a standard ATX case that I can put another motherboard in?

Even tho it says Gateway on the front, "G6 450xl" (its a P2, 450 MHz) it says on the back "ATX Tower". Its also quite a large case too; 8.5"x21"tall

Does this sound like its made for a proprietary gateway motherboard or will can I put a different motherboard into it?

 

[Crashman]

It sounds like their standard ATX case.

Their standard case used a standard ATX board with standard ATX port locations. Boards they used with ports missing had those ports covered with a white sticker, which you can trim out to gain access to the covered port holes.

The problems are:
1.) MOST new boards no longer use standard port locations. Instead, most newer boards include a non-standard backplate made to fit a standard backplate hole. Gateways cases don't have a removable backplate, so you need a board with standard port layout instead. Newegg has pictures of their boards so you can decide for yourself which boards do.
2.) The power supply isn't a standard size, so replacing it can be difficult. A standard size power supply will fit if you cut the hole in the back of the case larger.
3.) Some G6 towers used a 1-piece front panel header. Yours is new enough that it probably does. You'll want to pick up some dongle ends from an old case in order to switch them. Yes, you can switch them.

If you would like to see a G6 style tower modified with a removable backplate, etc, take a look at the Opus case review from Sysopt, where a G6 tower is used as a basis for comparison.

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[redss]

Thanks for your reply. Very useful information. I'm very interested in seeing the Opus case review from Sysopt - is it on sysopt.com? I unsuccessfully searched there and couldn't find the review.

 

[Crashman]

Yes, it's at sysopt.com, right <A HREF="http://www.sysopt.com/reviews/opusmt200/index.html" target="_new">here</A>. The case being reviewed is compared to a modified G6 tower, good pictures around 1/2 way down.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[redss]

hmmmmmm....
If that's a G6 case, I don't think its the same as what I have; mine seems larger, with an extra 5.25" bay (its a P2/450). The pic actually looks more like another gateway I have (a P2/266) which lacks a reset button. Tonight when I get home, I will compare the pics to be sure, and post pics of mine to eliminate confusion.

In the meantime, I wonder what the easiest way is to cut the case out for larger power supply?

 

[Crashman]

I was fairly certain the large E-Tower and G series used the same chassis.

Anyway, Gateway had something like 4 styles of this same case, where the plastic on the outside was the only major change.

The real thing to consider is the port cover on the back, whether or not it's removable, and if it's not removable, what boards have the same port layout.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>