Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
The exact cable routing you end up with will depend on the specific mother-
board, power supply, and drives you use. For example, one power supply may
have a main ATX power cable that's long enough to route outside the main
chamber and bring back in through a cutout, while a different power supply
with a shorter main ATX power cable may require you to run that cable up
through the bulkhead that divides the chambers.
Similarly, although the Mini P180 has three external 5.25” drive bays, one is
located at the top of the case (in the main chamber) and the other two at the
bottom (in the power supply chamber). But the top 5.25” drive bay is depth-
constrained (by the body of the top 200 mm fan) to accept drives no deeper
than 170 mm.
The upshot is that most current optical drives will fit the top bay, but some
(notably some Blu-ray drives) must be mounted in one of the bottom bays.
That may seem odd at first, but this system is most likely to be sitting on a
desk, where having the optical drive in the lower part of the case is actually
more convenient.
To get started preparing the case, remove the top and bottom thumbscrews
from the right side panel, as shown in Figure 4-2. (Note the protective plastic
film on the side panel; to prevent scratches, leave this film in place until you
finish the build.)
Slide the right side panel back about an inch and lift it free of the chassis, as
shown in Figure 4-3. Set the panel aside in a safe place.
Figure 4-2.
Remove the top and bottom thumbscrews from the
right side panel
Figure 4-3.
Slide the right side panel back an inch or so and
remove it
Remove the two screws that secure the left side panel to the chassis, as shown
in Figure 4-4. Lift the side panel free and put it aside in a safe place.
As with most cases, the Antec Mini P180 comes with an I/O shield installed,
which fits no motherboard known to man. Press in on the outside of the I/O
shield, as shown in Figure 4-5, until it snaps free. Discard the I/O shield.
