The Windows XP Box project, documented by Andy France on December 1 2003, aimed to build a small Windows XP machine by fitting a complete PC into the original retail software box. The box measures 243 mm × 200 mm × 48 mm. France’s requirements were to use the most powerful Mini‑ITX board possible—a Nehemiah EPIA M10000—while retaining an internal CD drive, avoiding any cuts to the motherboard, preventing external bulging, and ensuring adequate cooling.
Construction proved challenging because after placing the motherboard only 6 mm of length and 3 mm of thickness remained for internal supports. France created an inner support case from Wonderboard plastic, cutting it with a Stanley knife to form a base plate that matched the box’s interior. The CD drive was mounted against one side so its deeper portion touched the motherboard’s heat sink, while the power supply was positioned above the hard drive with its connectors facing down toward the drive. Brackets secured the CD and hard drives, and pillars supported three corners of the motherboard and the power supply.
To manage heat, France cut a hole in the case for the CPU fan and added plates to act as ducting, drawing only cool outside air; two exhaust fans were placed in opposite corners, with their guards made from a metal speaker grill using an angle grinder. The finished system satisfied all constraints: no motherboard trimming, no case distortion, effective cooling, and a fully operational Windows XP computer entirely contained within the original software packaging.