I/O shield doesn't line up, what do I do?

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 14:20

I've just built my first PC and everything went fine but I've just noticed that the ports on the mobo and the holes in the I/O shield aren't aligned properly (I know I noticed it a bit late).

I'm using and Antec 300 case and a ASUS M4A87TD EVO mobo. The case isn't bent or warped and neither is the mobo. I have installed all the standoffs properly and I haven't over or under tightened the screws on the motherboard. I've installed a graphics card which fits the motherboard perfectly and aligns with the slot at the back perfectly. My only problem is, the I/O shield doesn't align. What should I do? Do I contact ASUS and ask for a replacement, hoping it will fit? Do I remove the I/O shield?

Any advice will be welcome.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 14:36

It's not an issue of rotation... if you were to look at the PC when it's laying on it's side, the mobo is too low to align with the I/O holes but as I said the graphics card aligns perfectly so I'm as sure as I can be the the I/O shield is the problem.

I'm using the I/O shield that came with the motherboard as instructed by the tutorial in the hardware section and the motherboard manual.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 14:43

It's about a 3 or 4mm difference, so by no means small. I'll post pics in a minute.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 15:02

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 15:22

OLDPHART said:
Hi m8, if l have picked it up right you say they are to low to line up????

** You need longer stand offs ** you can get them in different lengths.

But then the graphics card won't line up... you see the problem. I'm almost sure that the I/O shield is improperly manufactured.

The graphics card lining up makes me think that the mobo is seated correctly and the standoffs are of the right length and number (six standoffs for the six indicated holes).

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 15:31

xBLiNG said:
Contact Asus, show them the pics and ask for a new IO plate and some longer standoffs. Then try both.

Thanks, I'll try that.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 16:05

OLDPHART said:
Yes the graphics card will line up but with the mobo being low the graphics card will not be all the way home[in the pci-e slot] check it.

Did you get any felt washers with your stand offs, if so use them to pack the stand offs up.

I didn't get any washers with anything. I'll check the graphics card but I'm sure it's correctly inserted.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 16:22

I've contacted ASUS so I'm just waiting for their response. In the meantime I'll check the graphics card just to be sure.

Thanks for the help so far, I'm sure I'll need more at some point.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 20:17

I've just taken the PC apart (can't for the life of me remove the 20 mobo power cable). I placed three small metal washers under each standoff. Everything lined up pretty well appart from the PS/2 slots and the two USB slots that are on the left of the image I posted. I don't know what to do from here. Can any one point me in the right direction, please?

[EDIT] I checked the case was flat by using a metal ruler. It's perfectly flat. It can only be two things, 1. the mobo is warped upwards on the top left corner or 2. the I/O shields holes are improperly spaced.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 20:39

Problem solved. The mobo is warped!!!

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 20:58

AiiR said:
Might be that you've installed the cpu cooler a bit weirdly perhaps.

I was extremly careful. The CPU cooler installation was the thing I found most daunting so I obsessed about it, read numerous articles, posted a thread on the forums... I didn't everything I could think of before installing. When I finally did install, everything went fine.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 21:05

AiiR said:
Did you take the motherboard fully out of the case to see if it was warped? It's possible you could fix it by fastening it down to the case to bend it back into shape, but that sounds like risky business, so would look for some more experienced views than mine.

Good luck anyways.

I did take the mobo fully out. I had to, to place spacers underneath the standoffs. As for bending it into position, if it was one milimeter, maybe but it's three. I remember when me and my brother fixed his first Xbox 360. The mobo being 1mm out was enough to cause it to red light.

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 21:21

roger_37 said:
if mbo warped rma it,dont try in straightnen it

I've already submitted an RMA. Now it's just a matter of waiting and finding a way of removing the 20pin power cable. Can any one tell me how long the RMA process usually takes?

[EDIT] the 20 pin just won't budge!

Doctor McNinja · 20 Jul 2010 at 21:40

AiiR said:
I always have trouble with the 20 pin connections. Just pull the clip back and really pull it. I found it easier by pulling one side up and out then the other rather than pulling it from the middle, if that makes sense.

I don't want to use too much force. If I damage the mobo removing the 20 pin then I've got no grounds for an RMA claim.

[EDIT] YEAH!!! pulling it from one side worked like a charm, thanks!

Doctor McNinja · 21 Jul 2010 at 15:32

PhoenixUK said:
"doesn't line up" .... *grabs the hammer*.

Reminds me of the Rugby referee at school... those were the days.

Doctor McNinja · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:12

Here's a picture that clearly shows what's wrong with the mobo.

For those of you who are wondering, I've tried loosening the clamps on the CPU cooler (which I might add is correctly installed) but it made no difference to the deformation.

Doctor McNinja · 22 Jul 2010 at 16:05

nkata said:
600mm out at 1:200 , is it that corner only or is there a general bow along the motherboard?

seems not fit for purpose, have you enquired about RMA?

andy

It's just the corner that's bent and I'm currently in the RMA process.