Software Downloaded

As much as this was meant to be a guide for people to easily do this I have kinda failed and I had to get the help of someone else to install all the crazy-ass Linux stuff so to be honest I have no idea what to say I did. My only advice is to just get a damn hard drive instead of a USB stick and install Windows on it...

Software Problems.

Ok, Linux is impossible to understand so I tried to install Windows XP. It didn't work either so I'm going back to try XBMC Live. Which you also use UNetbootin but just use a diskimage thingy from the file. (you can get this on XBMCs website)

Installing programs and such.

Ok, I've cut around the plastic sheet as close to the motherboard as I can to allow hot air up from the lower section.

To download Linux I used UNetbootin which was really easy as you just select Ubuntu 11.04 Live and set the "space used preserve files across reboots" to 9999 (joys of large modern flash drives) I then downloaded a remote on my phone that allowed me to use it as the mouse/keyboard, may mod the NES controller at a later date (Pretty much this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Apple-NesRemote/) but it will do for now.

Oh, and before you boot from the usb you need to set it in the BIOS. For me I just had to spam the delete key when I turned the NES on and then went to the boot menu and changed the order to the usb first. (Make sure its plugged in when you do this, may sound silly but it was an issue I faced...)

Slight Issues.

I managed to get a basic version of Ubuntu running on the NES but it was running REALLY hot and I burnt myself touching the DVI port. So I'll need to sort that before running anything more ambitious then a desktop.

Putting in the Internals.

Right, due to the momentum of work I kinda forgot to take photos so the photos are of the finished thing.

So i measured out the interior of the case and cut/drilled out a plastic sheet to mount the motherboard to. (I thought painting it grey would make it look better... I was wrong) I ran into the problem of the screw pegs being in the way of the sheet so after trying a few methods (Thus the unnecessary holes) I decided to cut the pegs inside in the middle and then cut the corners off the plastic sheet so I could still screw the NES shut.

 (For some reason I cant get this photo landscape...)

After accidently dropping a calculator I came into position of small plastic calculator keys which I used as spacers for the hard drive slot due to it not being level/ in line with the NES case. so I glued a few of them underneath and it seemed to fit perfectly.

With the hard drive I wanted the ability to take it in and out for file transfer. So I needed to secure the mini usb cable which was accomplished by the use of plastic bits, green stuff (which I found along with the clippers in my old Warhammer stash) and A LOT of super glue. It doesn't look pretty but it holds and you don't see it anyway so Im not too bothered. I cut off a strip of that insulator padding that came with the motherboard and taped it to the end of the plastic sheet to stop too much dust etc getting in the gap between it and the motherboard.












I then hack-sawed off the ends of the controller ports and cut a hole for the hdmi/power cable and then assembled everything which fitted all nicely. All thats left now is software.

Motherboard Arrives.

After weeks of delays and inconvenience the motherboard FINALLY came. I hooked up the RAM, USB boot device and keyboard and tested XBMC on it with not quite success (No sound...) So I then set to measuring out what needed to be cut and what not.

The first thing i needed to do was sand down the pegs that were in the way of the motherboard, I could have cut them off but for structural integrity it was better to make the motherboard fit exact.

For the plastic 'T' I measured around the chunky heat sink and after many, many methods including Swiss-cheesing it with a drill and another attempt at melting it with a lighter. I managed to find a way to cut it out. Luckily I found some old Warhammer clippers from back when I was cool and a combination of them and pliers worked quite well. It was then sanded down so I don't cut myself later. I also secured the power switch in place by gluing it to a corner of plastic, and then that to the case. While it set I propped it up with the lighter so I now dont regret buying one for the project...

I then got to cutting the cartridge slot as there were a few protrusions which wasn't too difficult as I was a freakin' pro at the clipper method by then.

Constructing the Hard Drive.

Right. The Gamebit came in the post today so I decided to have a go at this. I opened up the cartridge and drilled out/sanded down the peg in the middle. 

I then proceeded to crack open the external hard drive which was no easy task due to the lack of screws. I was still able to pry it open with a screwdriver although there were a few markings on the case (which I didn't want in case I needed to use it for something else).












I then marked out where it stuck out at the bottom and cut the cartridge so that the Mini USB port came out the bottom. Then I cut some small strips of plastic and glued them in place around the hard drive to secure it in position and another one to go over the bottom with a hole for the Mini USB. I found that there were some foam pads in the original hard drive casing which I put in just to make sure it was protected. I then screwed it all together and stuck the new sticker on properly.

For anyone who wants to try out modding this is a pretty good mod on its own if you have any spare NES games kicking about.