Installing Mobo, RAM, cpu. Any tips?

[Timz]

Im new to all of this. I have never put in any hardware into my comp besides my Radeon 9600XT. Are there any tips i should know of before i get started. I know about grounding myself before touching the parts due to static.

The parts are the Gigabyte GA-7N400 Pro 2 for the MOBO http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=25223&CatId=1124

256 PC3200 400mhz Kingston RAM x2 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=84386

and the AMD 2800+ CPU http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=561087&CatId=256

[Peerzy]

RAM is like a graphics card, easy.

For the chip make sure you add a thin layer or thermal paste over the core and make sure you seat the heatsink so it fits in nice. Mobo is make sure you have all the jumpers set, the cpu and ram in and all cables attached before you screw it in.

[Timz]

i was told that i didnt need thermal paste if i want going to overclock, and that the heatsink already has a piece of tape underneath it that can absorb the heat. Also, how to i enable dual channel technology w/ my ram. Do i jsut install it anywhere or is there a specific pattern. Im using PC3200 ram

[Timz]

also, can i leave the system jumpers on the mobo on "auto"? i dont understand how the CLK_RATIO multipliers work, how do i determine which one is right for me?

[tesco]

Leave the jumpers.
When you start the computer for first time the board will autodetect the right speeds for your CPU. (FSB and MULTIPLIER)

To get dual channel read the manual for your board. Usually there is a certain 2 slots you must put the ram into to get it working in dual chanel mode.


Be careful when putting the heatsink on the board. Don't slip with the screwdriver or anything. Also make sure you put it on right. If for any reason you need to remove the heatsink then you will need to buy new thermal paste and apply it.

edit: you should also make sure to use the spacers (pic below) and make sure they are aligned correctly. I didn't use them the first time I installed my motherboard and it fried :(

Spacers attach to the case where the motherboard is going to sit...they line up where the screws on the motherboard are going to be. The spacers have threads on the inside for the motherboard mounting screws to go into.
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20020904/images/schraube_abstandshalter.jpg

[Timz]

My manual says that w/ 2 Memory modules i have to place them in difference places depending on what type of DIMM they are 1-4. Whats a DIMM? Also, what does DS dual side and SS single side have to do with anything?

[Storm]

edit: you should also make sure to use the spacers (pic below) and make sure they are aligned correctly. I didn't use them the first time I installed my motherboard and it fried :(

you just placed your mobo directly in the case??

thats an expensive joke.......


@ timz: it should say in your manual how to place them...... if it matters that is....

and the thermal paste isnt nessisary if you dont overclock, but it will lower your temps.....

[tesco]

My manual says that w/ 2 Memory modules i have to place them in difference places depending on what type of DIMM they are 1-4. Whats a DIMM? Also, DS dual side and SS single side have to do with anything?
dual sided means that on the ram stick the chips are on both sides...single sided means that only one side has chips, the other is usually just green and blank.

@storm, they gave me a new board and later a new cpu for free. :)

[Timz]

can i get an estimate of how long this may take, i know u ppl are good at it, but how long did it take ur first time? Also, if i dont have two hdds or two DVD drives, do i have to worry about the "slave" part of Tom's Guide?

[Timz]

Leave the jumpers.
When you start the computer for first time the board will autodetect the right speeds for your CPU. (FSB and MULTIPLIER)

To get dual channel read the manual for your board. Usually there is a certain 2 slots you must put the ram into to get it working in dual chanel mode.


Be careful when putting the heatsink on the board. Don't slip with the screwdriver or anything. Also make sure you put it on right. If for any reason you need to remove the heatsink then you will need to buy new thermal paste and apply it.

edit: you should also make sure to use the spacers (pic below) and make sure they are aligned correctly. I didn't use them the first time I installed my motherboard and it fried :(

Spacers attach to the case where the motherboard is going to sit...they line up where the screws on the motherboard are going to be. The spacers have threads on the inside for the motherboard mounting screws to go into.
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20020904/images/schraube_abstandshalter.jpg


the spacers are jsut supposed to leave a small gap between the motherboard and the metal case?

[Virtualbody1234]

For the Dual Channel RAM: Put one piece into each orange slot.

For the CPU cooler: Peel off the tape but leave the thermal paste on the heatsink. (Good enough if not overclocking.) If you intend to overclock then look into better thermal paste.

On the motherboard there is a switch marked CLK_SW, near the northbridge fan. Switch it to the ON position. This will let the Front Side Bus run at the correct speed for your CPU.
There is also a group of switches marked CLK_RATIO, located at the top edge of the board. Leave them all in the OFF position. That way the CPU will set the mutiplier automatically.

[Virtualbody1234]

the spacers are jsut supposed to leave a small gap between the motherboard and the metal case?
Yes, that's correct. Make sure to put the spacers at each mounting point of your motherboard. Be sure to not put spacers where they shouldn't be.

Note: It's easier to install the CPU and cooler before putting the motherboard into the case.

[Timz]

k, i understand about the Dual Channel Ram, the Heatsink installation and the spacers. Is there anything special i should know about installing the hard drive, cd-drive,dvd-drive, and floppy drive? Basically from what i read in the manual, i jsut have to connect "IDE Connector 1" to the hard drive (as the master) and then connect my CDRW drive to "IDE Connector 2" and my DVD drive to "IDE connector 3", lastly i have to connect my floppy drive to the "Floppy Connector". However, whats is this page talking about? http://www.motherboards.org/articles/guides/924_10.html

[tesco]

Not that simple.

There are three IDE cables.
one is primary IDE.
one is secondary IDE. (same as the primary pretty much).
one is floppy ide.
each cable has 3 connectors. one goes to the motehrboard. the other two are Master and Slave.
On the back of drives is a jumper\jumpers. This can be set to master, slave or cable select. (ignore cable select).
Set that jumper to the same as where your drive is connected on the cable.

Put the drive you will be isntalling windows onto on the master of primary cable.
the rest of the drives can be wherever u want.

hope you understand that.

[Virtualbody1234]

You're better to try starting the computer before connecting the drives.

The info here: http://www.motherboards.org/articles/guides/924_10.html is about connecting the case to the motherboard. The power button, reset button etc. Refer to page - 29 - in your User's Manual for more help about that.

[Timz]

Not that simple.

There are three IDE cables.
one is primary IDE.
one is secondary IDE. (same as the primary pretty much).
one is floppy ide.
each cable has 3 connectors. one goes to the motehrboard. the other two are Master and Slave.
On the back of drives is a jumper\jumpers. This can be set to master, slave or cable select. (ignore cable select).
Set that jumper to the same as where your drive is connected on the cable.

Put the drive you will be isntalling windows onto on the master of primary cable.
the rest of the drives can be wherever u want.

hope you understand that.

ic, if say i connect the IDE 1 Connector to my hard drive, master, do i only have to connect two of the three availiable connectors, one to the mobo and the other to the master port?

[Virtualbody1234]

Do you have only one hard drive and one optical drive?

If so then set them both as Master. Connect each drive on it's own IDE cable with the hard drive on the Primary IDE.

Unused connectors on the IDE cables are just left unconnected, ready for later expansion.

If you need to connect another optical drive then connect it on the same cable as the other optical drive as a Slave drive. Never connect an optical drive on the same IDE as the Master hard drive.

[spirex]

Don't forget about grounding yourself by touching your case(metal) or with anti-static braclet. Handling ram can be dangerous.

[Timz]

Do you have only one hard drive and one optical drive?

If so then set them both as Master. Connect each drive on it's own IDE cable with the hard drive on the Primary IDE.

Unused connectors on the IDE cables are just left unconnected, ready for later expansion.

If you need to connect another optical drive then connect it on the same cable as the other optical drive as a Slave drive. Never connect an optical drive on the same IDE as the Master hard drive.

by optical drive, do u mean the CD-Drive and the DVD Drive? if so, am i supposed to connect the IDE Connector 2 cable to the DVD and CD Drive( w/ 1 cable) and then connect that to the IDE 2 Connector on the mobo?

[Virtualbody1234]

Yes. Optical drives are CD ROM, DVD ROM, CDRW, DVD±RW etc.

If I understand you correctly, you have a CD ROM drive and a DVD ROM drive?

Connect an IDE cable to the IDE 2 connector on the motherboard. Connect those two drives to each IDE connector of the cable.

Set one to Master and the other to Slave.

http://www.daltoneasypc.co.uk/images/Slave%20CD%20Small.gif

[clocker]

Timz,

Given that you have zero experience assembling these components, along with all the other fine suggestions previously posted, I would recommend that you put just the CPU ( with HSF installed), the RAM and the video card on the board and hook up the PSU and see if it POSTs outside the case.
Then add the drives ( starting with the hard drive) one at a time, checking for POST after each one.

THEN install into the case, assured that you have everything hooked up correctly.
We routinely do this at the shop on all the new builds...it can save lots of time should you run into a problem.

[Timz]

Timz,

Given that you have zero experience assembling these components, along with all the other fine suggestions previously posted, I would recommend that you put just the CPU ( with HSF installed), the RAM and the video card on the board and hook up the PSU and see if it POSTs outside the case.
Then add the drives ( starting with the hard drive) one at a time, checking for POST after each one.

THEN install into the case, assured that you have everything hooked up correctly.
We routinely do this at the shop on all the new builds...it can save lots of time should you run into a problem.

hmm, ok, so jsut assemble everything outside of the case, before moving the mobo, everything on it, and the drives into the case. Then i have to hook up the case wires? btw, whats a PSU and whats POSTs?

[tesco]

hmm, ok, so jsut assemble everything outside of the case, before moving the mobo, everything on it, and the drives into the case. Then i have to hook up the case wires? btw, whats a PSU and whats POSTs?
PSU is power supply unit.

POST is POWER ON SELF TEST (that's the screen you see when you first turn on the computer that tells you how much ram, what CPU, all your drives, etc.


remember that once the heatsink is on the CPU\motherboard dont remove it. leave it on as you put it into the case.

[Timz]

k, i understand. Im gonna start the assembly now. If i dont post again, i probably hit a snag. Thx again all

[Timz]

i tried assembling the mobo. Put in the cpu w/ the HSF (took a little force, but it came out ok) and plugged in the fan power. Then i installed the 2 chips of RAM into the orange slots as instructed. After that i installed my r9600XT card and connected the "ATX Power Connector" and my "12V ATX Power Connecter" from my original comp's power cables, onto the new mobo. Then i disconnected the power cables to my hard drive, and my two optical drives. When i tried to boot up the motherboard, nothing happened. Not even the fan turned on. What am i doing wrong?

So far ive tried a bunch of combinations w/ the RAM and nothing makes the mobo work.

note: my new mobo is not acually in the case, im testing it outside of the case as recommended

[Peerzy]

Make sure you didnt nail gun the heatsink and fan to the CPU, i tried to skip around the fiddly bits and it cost me alot to replace the parys. Also for gluein he ram in DON'T use PVA, prick stick is much better.

[tesco]

peerzy, wtf :lol:

timz, try...umm...

did u connect the case's pwoer button to the motherboard? (in the right place)

[Timz]

peerzy, wtf :lol:

timz, try...umm...

did u connect the case's pwoer button to the motherboard? (in the right place)

by power button, do u mean the ATX cables, or is there something im missing?

[tesco]

by power button, do u mean the ATX cables, or is there something im missing?
ya the button that youpress on the case which turns on the computer needs to be plugged into the motherboard. there's also the lights and reset button and speaker that you should hook up as well.

they're little plugs that look like this:
http://www.regstevens.co.uk/photos/headers.jpg
http://ocmodshop.com/gmono/cord.jpg

there will be a strip of pins on the bottom right of your motherboard. you will need to read the manual to know what plug goes where.
it's pretty straight forward. sometimes the diagram is hard to follow, but if you get it wrong then nothing will happen you just gotta try again :)

[Virtualbody1234]

The power button, reset button etc. Refer to page - 29 - in your User's Manual for more help about that.
Yes. As you can see I already pointed that out. Check page 29 of your manual.

[Timz]

hmm, i thought those connections were jsut for the LED lights, i'll try that ASAP. Are there any other things i could try? (so i dont have to keep reconnecting my old comp back together to ask questions?)