First build: very basic questions

[pchaplo]

Im doing my first build:

1, what holds the I/O plate in place? How do you mount it?

2, my case came with screws and little red washers - do I use those red washers when mounting the motherboard on the standoffs? ...or is it important that the motherboard mounts use screw>standoff metal to metal. The red washers feel non-conductive. I see that the holes in the motherboard for mounting have solder dots ...the screw heads need to make direct contact with those?

Well, these are super-basic. Catch your breath after laughing what can I say - first build.

Im going to read the manual again on my porcelaine throne. More soon!

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: First build: very basic questions

Good luck with your first build!! Be sure once you get going that you load and apply optimized defaults then save/reboot F10 Back to the BIOS before making further changes

1. The I/O plate is held in by the case and the shield itself, see the little edges around the shield that is what holds it in place. You just line it up and press it into place, making sure each edge is securely in place

2. You do not have to use the washer, but I always do. Place them on top of the standoff's then the board on top of that and screw it down. They are more to protect your board (The PCB) these days then anything else as your PSU Will ground the system properly

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

Re: First build: very basic questions

GL Pchaplo!

[pchaplo]

Re: First build: very basic questions

Be sure once you get going that you load and apply optimized defaults then save/reboot F10 Back to the BIOS before making further changes

dont laugh - I dont know how to do that? I will do a search, but if you tell me or give a link, I will appreciate it. Thanks!

The optimized defaults are BIOS settings? I load those somehow, perhaps from a menu item that says "load optimized settings" ? Then I press F10 to save those. Sorry Im in over my head but loving it. I told the guy at Micro Center the component that I bought after reading the forums: GA-EP45-UD3P, E8400 ($139!!!!), Corsair 750, Mushkin RAM, 640 GB WD Caviar blacks - he said IM Impressed - you picked good stuff for you first build!!! lol So I have hope - and I AM a fast learner!

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

Re: First build: very basic questions

dont laugh - I dont know how to do that? I will do a search, but if you tell me or give a link, I will appreciate it. Thanks!

The optimized defaults are BIOS settings? I load those somehow, perhaps from a menu item that says "load optimized settings" ? Then I press F10 to save those. Sorry Im in over my head but loving it. I told the guy at Micro Center the component that I bought after reading the forums: GA-EP45-UD3P, E8400 ($139!!!!), Corsair 750, Mushkin RAM, 640 GB WD Caviar blacks - he said IM Impressed - you picked good stuff for you first build!!! lol So I have hope - and I AM a fast learner!

Yep! ("[...from a menu item that says "load optimized settings" ? Then I press F10 to save those.]")

[frank351]

Re: First build: very basic questions

Hey LSd, is it a problem if you load optimized defaults after you have fiddled with the settings and updated to current bios?

I put my computer together, updated the bios first up then fiddled. I then loaded optimised settings when I realised I was having trouble.

[pchaplo]

Re: First build: very basic questions

Im going to ask my questions here which are many, bc frankly the heart of my first build is my Gigabyte mobo. I just added a signature with details. I just installed my processor - i cant believe it was that easy IM EXCITED! Next the Xygmatek heatsink - I got the crossbow bracket. Which way do I orient the CPU cooler on my GIGA board with the E8400. Its seems to make sense to have the maximum surface area facing the front of the case - but Im reading that the cores' orientation must be considered. I plan to mount the Zygmatek on my GIGA mobo so that if the case is standing for use, the cooling pipes will be at the top and bottom of the install, not to the side. Does that make sense?


-----case top-----

-----
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
------
cooler over E8400



case bottom

[TranceFat]

Re: First build: very basic questions

pchaplo: I have virtually the exact same set up as you -- I also have a Xigmatek HDT-S1284 (4 heatpipes). For me, I oriented my CPU cooler facing up towards the top of the case (fan draws cool air from the bottom and exhaust points up). The reason I did this is because the the E8400 is dual core and thus the cores will be aligned in a vertical fashion like this (as opposed side by side horizontally:

______________
|      X      |
|   Core 2    |
|      X      |
|   Core 1    |
|      X      |
*-------------

See where the asterisk is above? That's where the small yellow triangle is on the processor (pin 1). On mu EP45-U3DP, the arrow points downwards and towards the back of my case. Since I used Arctic Silver 5, it was recommended to apply a thin strip of thermal grease vertically across the cores. Thus, I also aligned my cooler in the same fashion so that the heatsink pipes are parallel to this strip of thermal grease:

| | .| |
| | .| |
| | .| |

In the illustration above, the dots "." represent the thermal grease line I applied across the cores, and the pipes "|" represent the orientation of the heatpipes within the heatsink. That's what those "Xs" are in the first illustration above.

At first I was worried that this would cause the exhausted heat to warm up my PSU too much, but my temps have been quite low.

[pchaplo]

Re: First build: very basic questions

the heat pipe cross the cores at a right angle (perpendicular)? ...or parallel?

[pchaplo]

Re: First build: very basic questions

Is this the correct orientation of the 1283 cooler with E8400 on a GIGA GA-EP45-UD3R?

this is NOT my build - i found this on Photobucket.

[Psycho101]

Re: First build: very basic questions

There should be mimimal difference as regards to heat sink orientation in relationship to the cores. The CPU itself has an integrated heatsink, the metal top, that does a fine job of spreading heat evenly across its surface.

I would personally recommend that the fan be at the front of the case, blowing through the heatsink and being carried away by the rear case fan.

Having the air flow bottom-to-top means that the PSU will be taking in the hot air. This can lead to the PSU fan spinning faster than necessary due to warmer air being sucked in, artificially heating the PSU (they all have fan controlers that run the fan slow at low temperatures, faster as it heats up).

If you have a case where the PSU is installed at the bottom, then either direction is fine as long as the case has an extractor fan at the top.

The golden rules for case cooling are usually:

• Intakes at the front (side intake optional)
  
• Output at the back and top (because hot air rises)
  
• Slightly more air being sucked out of the case, creating negative air pressure which helps the movement of air.
  
• Keep fans, fan grills and fan filters clean. A dirty fan can become a noisy fan.

Have fun with your build. There's nothing like building a PC from the ground up, getting it all working and being able to say "I made that". Sweet!

[TranceFat]

Re: First build: very basic questions

Heatpipes are parallel to the cores

[TranceFat]

Re: First build: very basic questions

I thought about this too, but I actually saw a test of this where the the fan exhausts heat up (without a separate top case fan) right into the PSU and it actually resulted in lower case temps. I think the reason it works so well in my system is because the Xigmatek HDT-S1284 cooler has cross fins that allow air to be blown through in all directions. This means that the fan in the back of the case is still exhausting a considerable amount of heat.

I guess the problem is that this will cause the PSU to heat up more, but considering the warranty on the Corsair that I have, I think I'll be fine!

And yes, I LOVED BUILDING my system.. First one that I've ever done (although I've been using and taking apart and upgrading computers for 20 years) from the bottom up!

There should be mimimal difference as regards to heat sink orientation in relationship to the cores. The CPU itself has an integrated heatsink, the metal top, that does a fine job of spreading heat evenly across its surface.

I would personally recommend that the fan be at the front of the case, blowing through the heatsink and being carried away by the rear case fan.

Having the air flow bottom-to-top means that the PSU will be taking in the hot air. This can lead to the PSU fan spinning faster than necessary due to warmer air being sucked in, artificially heating the PSU (they all have fan controlers that run the fan slow at low temperatures, faster as it heats up).

If you have a case where the PSU is installed at the bottom, then either direction is fine as long as the case has an extractor fan at the top.

The golden rules for case cooling are usually:

• Intakes at the front (side intake optional)
  
• Output at the back and top (because hot air rises)
  
• Slightly more air being sucked out of the case, creating negative air pressure which helps the movement of air.
  
• Keep fans, fan grills and fan filters clean. A dirty fan can become a noisy fan.

Have fun with your build. There's nothing like building a PC from the ground up, getting it all working and being able to say "I made that". Sweet!

[Psycho101]

Re: First build: very basic questions

Your Corsair will definately be fine. They're nice units. Made by Seasonic, superb quality. I shal be getting one, either the 750W or 800W version, and putting the OCZ in my upcoming HTPC.

The only concern really for most PSUs is just the noise factor blowing warmer air into it causing the fan(s) to always spin faster. A certain amount of hot air will of course rise up to the PSU even with the fan facing to the front, but you have the benefit of two fans with the optimum opportunity to catch most of the warm air.

I shouldn't thing it would matter much though. Either way will be cool in the grand scheme of things. You can always try it, see which way works best. It can be case dependant. For instance an aluminium case has better thermal properties than a thick steel case

[pchaplo]

Re: First build: very basic questions

My PSU is located at the bottom of the case.

I cut a hole in the bottom of my Antec 900 case so my Corsair 750 exhausts downward, out of the case. I dont like hot PSU going into my case. I like cool air.

Back to the cooler - if it makes little difference, I like the cooler fan to blow toward the rear of the case, to get a good front to rear flow. hmmm - it would be cool to see some smoke going through the case to see the flow pattern.

Moving right along: wow I do a first boot before I connect my HDD's and optical drives? Im so new - I didnt know that!!! [shock and horror] Im intalling XP Pro SP3 due to some old software for my photo work.

Im searching for a great ste-by-step instructions for first boot onward...