Basicly I want to get a new shiny glowy case of doom, stick some neon lights in it and have a small rave in my room

Ok, I dont want to do that, but I want to buy a new case and put all my current comptuer parts into it, my pc is basicly a budget pc with a asrock alive nsf6g or some crap like that, Im assuming its standard size.

Is it just a matter of taking all the parts ot and sticking them into the new pc?

Cheers, Jim.

Yup. I just got mine put into it's new case with the same (POS) mobo

It's pretty easy. Most mobos have universal connections and things. Hardest part is just wiring the PSU back up correctly, just pay attention to where you take the cables off - Most mobos have them in (roughly) the same place.

Also watch when you move the mobo to the other case that your copper stuts that hold the mobo are in the right place or you might cause a shortcut. Also for the HDD LED, Power LED, Power Switch and Reset switch is normally in most of the times the same but check the manual of the mobo for it.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

It's pretty easy. Most mobos have universal connections and things. Hardest part is just wiring the PSU back up correctly, just pay attention to where you take the cables off - Most mobos have them in (roughly) the same place.

What? Why should he be taking the connector apart and rewire it?

You have to (most of the time from experience, anyway) unplug most of the power cables from the PSU to get it in more easily. All the other hardware (ram, CPU) should be left on the board, and if you have a newer gfx card, it's also best to remove that for ease of fitting.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

You have to (most of the time from experience, anyway) unplug most of the power cables from the PSU to get it in more easily. All the other hardware (ram, CPU) should be left on the board, and if you have a newer gfx card, it's also best to remove that for ease of fitting.

Ah ok, see what you mean, the word wiring just let me think taking apart connectors. Well, most of the connectors only fit where they should, so it shouldn't be that complicated. And given that it's a basic budget machine there probably isn't any extra cables lying around in the case you could cause any harm with.

I'd say good a way to avoid miswiring anything (not just computers) is to take a picture and maybe print it. You can see how it was if you're not sure anymore.

Of course, it doesn't work if it was wrong in the first place.

Thanks for the help etc

Now to order a case

Pretty easy to do - I've talked two people through the process when they'd never really tinkered with the inside of their PC before.

One tip is to draw a picture of your motherboard showing where everything plugs in as you dismantle it. That way you have an easy reference guide for putting it all back toegther again.

Quote from Scrabby :

Also for the HDD LED, Power LED, Power Switch and Reset switch is normally in most of the times the same but check the manual of the mobo for it.

This is the hardest part, everything else is just about screwing stuff into the slots and sticking cables into somewhere it fits (including PSU - have you ever taken your computer fully apart S14?)...

Quote from bbman :

(including PSU - have you ever taken your computer fully apart S14?)...

You mean actually taking the PSU apart? That's a really bad idea - there's no need to do it and the capacitors they use can hold onto fatal charges even weeks after they've been turned off.

Forgot about those, and didn't see Scrappys post either.

Yes, you really want to know those wires before screwing in the motherboard (as it's easier to read when it's not inside the case). They usually have good markings, and make sense (PWR is power, HDD is light for HDD etc.) If you have a manual it will be most useful here, it will have explanations for the wires and places. There might also be a sticker inside the computer with this information, or at least my first and last ready built machine very long time ago had. Do they have those anymore?

Haven't had any power or HDD lights in use for ages, must been why I forgot those wires, althought I had to replug my reset switch few weeks ago as it was gone loose and didn't work.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

Pretty easy to do - I've talked two people through the process when they'd never really tinkered with the inside of their PC before.

One tip is to draw a picture of your motherboard showing where everything plugs in as you dismantle it. That way you have an easy reference guide for putting it all back toegther again.

I always hated that in college, to get a sheet of paper that says I know how to (re)build a PC without turning it into a costly paper weight we had to draw everything on paper first, I'd always skip that part and get on with the building part then loose marks for not doing the paper part >.<

Weirdly I was the only person from a class of 14 to pass the pooter tinkery thingy. Shows you how useful drawing stuff on paper really is.

Most connectors have nerf pins so you can't plug them in incorrectly, as long as you don't force anything (within reason) you will not have a problem, as has already been said, the hardest part is the LED/switch wires as they can go in all sorts of incorrect ways.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

You have to (most of the time from experience, anyway) unplug most of the power cables from the PSU to get it in more easily. All the other hardware (ram, CPU) should be left on the board, and if you have a newer gfx card, it's also best to remove that for ease of fitting.

All the power connectors can only fit in one place, so there is no need to worry about where they came from. A PSU only has few different types of connector coming out of it so it should be blindingly obvious what goes where. The only slightly tricky bit can be finding out where the power/reset/led pins go as some cases have them so they aren't idiot proof and not all motherboards have the functions marked on them. Using trial and error to find the right place (and instructions!) should be fine though.

By power cables, I meant "all cables". Sorry I wasn't literal enough for you - I think the OP got my message though...

I'm now quite lost on what you actually meant after all.

edit. Not the only one I guess. Anything but the pins (yay, that's the word) can be fitted by a trained monkey.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

By power cables, I meant "all cables". Sorry I wasn't literal enough for you - I think the OP got my message though...

What other cables are there in your computer then?

Fans and SATA/IDE? Which you should be able to fit blindfolded.

If he's asking how hard is it to switch a computer case, chances are he's not all that techno...

I have too many cables to count in my PC, but (for me anyway) it's easy to change cases/hardware because it's something I've been doing for a long time. If you're not a geek it's quite confusing at first...

Ask him what a 4 Pin Molex connector was and I'm sure he'd have no idea.. but those aren't overly important as there's generally not a specific order you have to plug them in.. but you get my point.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

By power cables, I meant "all cables". Sorry I wasn't literal enough for you - I think the OP got my message though...

When you kept saying power cables I assumed you were talking about a modular PSU as other than that, you don't detach anything from the PSU (and any builder worth their weight in frankincense won't use modular anyway).

Ahh, see. This is what happens when I don't explain myself clearly.

Let me re-explain.

Quote :

You have to (most of the time from experience, anyway) unplug most, if not all of the cables from your PSU (going into the mobo)/mobo cables such as front USB, power button, etc in order to transfer your motherboard into your new case. All the other hardware (ram, CPU) should be left on the board, and if you have a newer gfx card, it's also best to remove that for ease of fitting because of the size.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

Ask him what a 4 Pin Molex connector was and I'm sure he'd have no idea.. but those aren't overly important as there's generally not a specific order you have to plug them in.. but you get my point.

I think I know what a Molex connector is, but would have no idea what it is called because there is no need to know what is what you just play fit the shape in the hole like a toddler can. I have never come across anything PC building that could potentially be plugged in the wrong way/order and actually do any harm, in the unusual cases where you can get it wrong it is always very easy to correct and non-damaging (hence why they didn't bother making them one way fit in the first place). PC hardware is designed to be installed by anybody with no training, it is only the perception of people who don't realise how simple they are (like yourself?), deliberately maintained by the companies that do 'techie' stuff that means most people don't even consider it.

Nvm forget it. I was talking about the OP not knowing what a molex is. I could do without you picking on every little thing I say - So give it a rest.

Whatever the **** you do, just don't do as Harjun please.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

If he's asking how hard is it to switch a computer case, chances are he's not all that techno...

I have too many cables to count in my PC, but (for me anyway) it's easy to change cases/hardware because it's something I've been doing for a long time. If you're not a geek it's quite confusing at first...

Ask him what a 4 Pin Molex connector was and I'm sure he'd have no idea.. but those aren't overly important as there's generally not a specific order you have to plug them in.. but you get my point.

Isnt that the thing mah neon light plugs into through the converter which plugs into a ide power thing?

Edit: After a quick google search I can safely say I failed above.

I did mine myself. All i did was label everything up with tape and wrote down where everything needed to go. It took me about 2 hours start to finish, not too bad at all. The only thing i couldn't get working on my own was the USB panel on the front and the reset button, as all the plugs were different and i didnt want to risk frying my mobo. A guy who lives nearby popped round and after 10 minutes with a voltage tester it was all sorted.