GoKawiilHobbyist builds working Mini-ITX PC inside an actual Windows XP retail box
Modder Andy France crammed a Mini-ITX VIA Nehemiah EPIA M10000 motherboard, power supply and a slimline CD drive into the cardboard packaging of a retail Windows XP box measuring just 243mm x 200mm x 48mm. He built an internal support case from Wonderboard plastic to hold the components in place without cutting the motherboard or bulging the box's exterior.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The project illustrates the lengths early-2000s PC enthusiasts went to in squeezing full desktop functionality into unconventional, ultra-compact enclosures using then-new small-form-factor boards. It reflects a broader hobbyist trend of repurposing everyday packaging as functional computer cases, a precursor to today's SFF PC-building culture.
- The build used a VIA Nehemiah EPIA M10000 Mini-ITX motherboard as its most powerful option for the size constraint.
- Internal tolerances were extremely tight, with as little as 3mm of spare space for the box's thickness.
- A custom internal support case made from Wonderboard plastic held all components in place inside the cardboard shell.
VIA EPIA Mini-ITX Motherboard — This article is a classic case-mod build centered entirely around a Mini-ITX board, and the EPIA series is the spiritual descendant of the Nehemiah board used here. If you're inspired to try your own tiny-PC project, a Mini-ITX board is the essential starting point for squeezing a full computer into a tiny enclosure.
See VIA EPIA Mini-ITX Motherboard on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: mini-itx.com, 2026-09-22
Published there as: “The "Windows XP Box" (2003)”
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