To cut or not to cut...

[crenn]

No, this isn't an emo post

I've been wanting a PCI-E x1 GPU however I finally got a full quote for a Albatron 9500GT PCI-E x1... at AUD$154, it's a very pricey 9500GT (I can get a normal one for $75-85). I have a perfectly good 8600GT sitting in a box. So I'm consider either removing the back of my PCI-E x1 slot so I can slot in the full 8600GT or modify my 8600GT to fit in the PCI-E x1 slot. What do you guys think?

[mtekk]

Cut the back out of the PCI-Ex1 slot, it's the safeist route.

[crenn]

I cut up the 8600GT and it seems I've killed it. At least I didn't kill the motherboard. But I found out something which caused bigger problems, even if I hadn't killed it, I wouldn't be able to fit the GPU into the slot because of the screw and springs at the back... that's the crappiest thing. However, the GPU was only worth AUD$45, and I've learnt that I can't install another GPU unless I get another motherboard.

[Luke122]

If you just need a cheap second gpu to drive a secondary display, why not go PCI?

[crenn]

I also wanted it to run PhysX on the other card.

[Spawn-Inc]

so you can run that card on a single pci x1? if you managed to not kill the card and fit it in the slot?

[crenn]

You should be able to. I've heard of it before (although more modifying the PCI-E x1 slot to accept a full 16x card.). I'm going to carefully mod the card to see if I cut a trace or if it's shorting somewhere.

[nevermind1534]

I also wanted it to run PhysX on the other card.

Get a PCI 9500GT. I don't think those are too cheap, though.

[crenn]

I'm looking at just holding out until Core i5. Then I'll just keep the current system as a file server (No RAID) or get a new motherboard for it at a later date.

[dr.walrus]

Club3D do a PCI-e 4350 pci-e x1, but it's got a double slot cooler. Very cheap though.

HIS do a PCI-e 4350 too, which is more expensive (about $120 on newegg).