Moving full ATX PC into a Mini ITX case

[homerdog]

I have the urge to smallify my PC. Right now I'm running an Antec Three Hundred Two, and although it is a swell case, it is way too big for my needs. Only expansion card I have is the GPU (stock GTX670), so I figure I can move to a micro-ATX or even mini-ITX case pretty easily.

Of course, I'll need a new mobo as well, and that's why I'm starting this thread.
Can I simply move all my parts onto the new mobo without reformatting? Or will this create a spacetime singularity and end all life as we know it?

I just had to reformat a few weeks ago, and I'm really just now getting everything back the way I like it. Would be great to not have to do that again..

Oh yeah I currently have a Gigabyte Z77-D3H mobo. Would it be best to stay with a Gigabyte mobo if I decide to go through with the transplant?

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

You can often get away without reformatting. At worst you will have to do a repair installation from your OS install disk. Changing motherboards will not likely make any difference one way or another.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

You can move everything over just fine for the most part. I haven't run into any issues for over 10 years now from swapping out motherboards or just about anything else.

Windows will automatically stop using any drivers that don't have supported hardware installed although there will still be mention of them in the registry.

Regards,
SB

 

[Bludd]

Problem is usually AHCI drivers. If the chipset is the same, you should be safe.

 

[homerdog]

Okay... what if I go from a Z77 chipset to H77. The mobo I want is H77. (Built in WiFi and Bluetooth!)
There is a Z77 version of it, but since my CPU doesn't even support overclocking I see no need to spend the extra $25 on it.

Also, any recommendations on mini-ITX or small microATX cases? This is completely new territory for me.
This is the case I think I'm gonna get, but I'd be wilingl to spend a bit more if there are clear benefits.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119261

 

[Blazkowicz]

H77 is probably the same chip as Z77, with just a couple features disabled (overclocking and splitting the 16x PCIe). So no worries.

The Bitfenix Prodigy is a case meant to support big cards, you will get the physical room at least but more importantly the cooling too, your vid card's TDP is 170W which is very high or would have been considered so before the GTX 480 made such cards look "low TDP".
Trouble is it's a big mini-ITX case

Ah well duh, that Coolermaster seems made to be compatible with big cards too even if it's more of a "cube" case!

 

[homerdog]

Stuff came in yesterday, gonna put it together this weekend.

I am excite!

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Stuff came in yesterday, gonna put it together this weekend.

I am excite!

Good luck. I still have a full gaming rig. in a Mini-ITX case that fits in my backpack (LAN gaming). It has my 5870 in it as I finally upgraded that a few months back. Love the Silverstone SUGO series of cases, great cooling, small size, depending on which one you get can even accept full length graphics cards. Just don't get one if you don't like noise. LAN gaming means noise won't be a problem as they are so noisy anyway. But at home, I'd never use it.

Regards,
SB

 

[orangpelupa]

Just in case if windows failed to boot, run in safe mode once.

If safe mode also fails, boot from dvs/usb and do the automatic repair.

Btw if you use windows 8, it's possible that the windows activation get broken. (call Microsoft to activate, windows say activated, but if reboot windows back to not activated)

 

[Davros]

Homer wait !!!!
Ive found you the ideal case
The Lian Li PC-CK101LB mini-ITX case

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-609-LL&groupid=2362&catid=187