[SOLVED] Msi Z390 Gaming Edge IO shield problem with Phanteks Evolv-X

[Totorex_79]

Hi All.
I own a Z90 Gaming Edge mobo from Msi and a Phanteks Evolv-X case. My problem is that I cannot figure out why the IO shield I got with the mobo is not aligned with the connectors once I put the mobo inside the case.
I tried to insert the mobo with or without IO shield and I took the pictures below.

https://imgur.com/a/UgFeEuc

It seems that the mobo sits always well in the same position in both cases (same height measured with the caliber), but the shield doesn't match. It looks like the PCB lowers down on the left side because maybe the backpanel of the case is not parallel to the rectangular hole, or the height of the standoffs is not the same... but I cheched several times and all seems fine in the case.
Has anyone got the same issue? I'm really struggling with that...
Thanks a lot. in advance for any help.
Kind regards.
Antonio.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

your first image with no I\O plate looks like you may be missing motherboard standoffs.

 

[Totorex_79]

No.... I'm not missing them.... it's not my first PC mounting... Thank you btw.
I measured right now the standoffs supplied with the case and they are 6 mm tall. I have got the strange feeling I need the 8 mm tall version...
Oh dear.... nothing is written in the Msi manual, and Phanteks made me a really bad joke.... Not good!
I'll try to buy the 8 mm ones and see if the situation improves...

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

It looks like the PCB lowers down on the left side

if it's a modular\removable motherboard tray
there's a chance that it is not totally seated properly.

you can definitely see the odd upwards curve of the motherboard from left to right in the image.

I'll try to buy the 8 mm ones and see if the situation improves.

there's a possibility that substituting taller standoffs in the top sections of the board could help.
but i would guess this would be a documented issue with this particular case if it's a design flaw.

could be that the case is just uneven, bent, etc in a way that is hard to see.
maybe take it up with Phanteks and see how easy it will be to get a replacement.

 

[Totorex_79]

Thanks a lot for your accurate comments. I think that the upward curve can be only due to the cpu passive heatsink already mounted on the board. Gravity played against me as well. But once vertical it should become more flat. But yes, this made my debug a lot more complicated, even because all audio connectors seems to be perfectly centered.
I measured the gap on the hdmi port as a reference. 2 mm should be fine for all, I hope. Otherwise I would really call Phanteks. I think when they built my case they were running out of 8 mm standoffs! If someone else here onws the same case, I would be really curious to know the height of the standoffs they got.

 

[Totorex_79]

New standoffs arrived.
Tried them and discoveted they are not good because the male thread of Phanteks original standoffs is an imperial 6-32 UNC instead of a more common M3.
Tried to look on the internet for 6-32 standoffs as much close as possible to 8 mm but found nothing. Only around 6.5 mm or something like that with kind of non-metallic washers inluded in the pack.
For God's sake, how's possible I've come across a non-standard situation? Aren't all these atx measurements a fixed standard since more than 20 years?? What's the size of the standoffs of all of you, guys?
I need an explanation about that because I have the feeling that I'm missing something (as well as my patience). Who's wrong? Msi? Phanteks? Me??
Thanks a lot for any help.
Antonio

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

Phanteks uses a lot of proprietary hardware for stuff for no reason it seems other than to force us to purchase adapters from them.

something like this with standoffs just seems stupid.
they'd rather pay more for specially designed ones just to make our lives more difficult?

What's the size of the standoffs of all of you, guys?

i couldn't tell you, it's not mentioned in my case or motherboard manual that i see.
but over three different boards in this case, they've been the same size & positioning with no problem.