New PC, small form factor, Windows 7, with a single expansion slot (gift from a technically-challenged gf). My Audiophile 2496 won't fit in the case, and my GuitarPort is USB (which means that the sound stops randomly, with no error messages, necessitating a reboot).* Lovely. Not sure what I should do. Maybe look for a new low-profile card (and which one)? Maybe invest $$$ into a firewire expansion card, cable, and standalone interface? Hold a MicroSerf hostage until s/he fixes the issue? Pretend it's the '90s and just put up with random sound failures and more reboots? At my wits' (and $$$s') end here, and could really use some advice. TIA!

* See here for my rant.

Hmm...don't know about any small-form factor cards, but I am going to be building a new comp to use with my old firewire saffire le interface and will need a firewire card there (can't find a motherboard that has it). Those FW adapter cards don't take up much space certainly...

Although I wonder how dead firewire is going to be - now that apple s#@tcanned it?

I use a Steinberg CI2; it's usb too, but I have just not had any problems with it.
Utilizes yamaha technology, I don't know why it isn't talked about more.
I could have gotten by very easily with the (cheaper) CI1 (2 has a knob for using in Cubase).

Because so many people still use it, you will still be able to find an interface card and cables and such. It's just not going to get an update on the hardware side is all.

Aren't most soundcards small-form factor? Have you looked at ESI or RME?

I can't prove it, but I have a feeling Firewire was mostly big on macs - there were never exactly tons of pc motherboards with built-in FW AFAIK.

Ah well, when I can afford it sometime in the future, I'll probably go RME on PCI anyway. It's better and more expandable.