Installing Mobo, RAM, cpu. Any tips?

[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.