XT motherboard in mini ATX case

[Casey]

Silly question: how hard would it be to install an XT turbo clone motherboard into a micro ATX case? Yes, I would have to buy a power supply adapter, but since I don't plan on installing a -5 volt card, that's not an issue.
I'm on very limited funds right now, have a spare micro ATX case, and even AT mini towers are relatively pricey.
Or am I being unrealistic?

 

[T-R-A]

If you're talking "official" micro ATX case, then your motherboard has to be less than 9.6"x9.6".

microATX - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[westveld]

Also the mounting holes are in different locations, and you may not be able to use all the ISA slots.
I believe a Turbo XT board would be "AT Form Factor"
If your microATX Case has screw-in standoffs, you may be able to drill new holes to mount it.
Or if the case is old enough, it may have the additional holes already.

 

[Casey]

Also the mounting holes are in different locations, and you may not be able to use all the ISA slots.
I believe a Turbo XT board would be "AT Form Factor"
If your microATX Case has screw-in standoffs, you may be able to drill new holes to mount it.
Or if the case is old enough, it may have the additional holes already.

I thought the location holes might be different; wasn't sure how closely ATX followed the AT form factor. I expected to have limited slot access; not planning to max it is out. Video & ide/XT adapter, for sure.

 

[njroadfan]

Baby-AT (and XT) form factor motherboards will fit into full ATX cases. Full size AT may as well depending on the case. Backwards compatibility was accounted for and even backplates with just the AT DIN keyboard socket were available. The only thing that will not be fully accessible is the top most slot as it doesn't have a backplate cutout (AT had 8 slots, ATX is setup for 7).

 

[Pickelhaube808]

Baby-AT (and XT) form factor motherboards will fit into full ATX cases. Full size AT may as well depending on the case. Backwards compatibility was accounted for and even backplates with just the AT DIN keyboard socket were available. The only thing that will not be fully accessible is the top most slot as it doesn't have a backplate cutout (AT had 8 slots, ATX is setup for 7).

This opens up so much that I never knew was possible! Makes me want to use 80s components in a 2020s case or vice versa... 🙂

 

[Plasma]

Vice versa doesn't work so well...AT board will go in ATX case but ATX board doesn't go in AT case without a hacksaw.

 

[Pickelhaube808]

Working with metal I am okay with... I just got done fabricating a steel chassis for an external 8" floppy drive

 

[Unknown_K]

Early ATX cases allowed you to use AT motherboards with no modifications but not sure how long that lasted. They even had AT backplates you had to punch out to install an ATX bezel.

 

[Casey]

I have a spare Antec case c. 2000. That might work.
... I remember seeing those backplates on eBay at one point, but not for a while. Last I checked someone was still selling plastic mesh backplates so you can cut your own holes.