Experienced user please for advice on new built PC

It's only a bit of styling. You don't have to remove it, but you can if it annoys you...

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119213
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128423

When I screwed the motherboard to the case, I wasn't able to do that because the screws are not long enough esp the side of the motherboard with the peripheral connectors such as speaker connector, USB connector or mouse connector...

One side of the motherboard just tilts a little bit upward, where the screws are not long enough to screw down the motherboard, and the other side is ok...

One word, they don't seem to be compatible. Would you please help?

 

You did remember to put the standoffs in first right?

 

These are two big for the drilled holes of the case...I tried them but the screws were just simply too big to fit in.

As you told me earlier in your post Sam, you said you own one of these cases as well...Is it the way how you set up your motherboard? Is your motherboard Gigabyte in ATX factor? I really wanna know and I feel so desperate about the compatibility between the case and the mobo.

I hope you could help me out SAM.

 

The fact that I own a HAF as well is largely irrelevant. All cases use this method of fitting a motherboard, they are all to a specific standard, the ATX standard. You take these motherboard standoffs, screw them into the case holes by hand, then place the motherboard on top of them, and screw the board into the standoffs. It should be pretty self-explanatory. The reason standoffs are used is so that the motherboard is elevated above the metal surface of the case, so nothing will short out on the case itself. If you simply sat the board on the case without elevating it, all the metal connection points underneath the board would be connected together by the case material, which would potentially destroy the board if it was turned on in such a state.

 

I will try that out as soon as I get home and see how that works again. Thanks a lot SAM.

 

Well Sam...I hope you could help me through whenever I get stuck or have problems assembling certain parts of the computer...Since you have lots of experience about this kind of stuff...Maybe an expert haaa...

Here comes the question...I have already installed the CPU...But because this is my first time I have put my hand on PC building, so I really hope if what I did was correct.....

1) I opened up the lever and took out the cover.
2) Then I aligned the CPU of 1366 socket(920), the first pin.
3) I placed it on the socket.
4) I closed the lever.
5) Since the lever didn't complete close, which I thought I read certain article before I did it. I had to push and held the lever with my index finger, and then pulled down the lever arm.

If not, could you please generalize the steps and show me how to do it? I really appreciate that.

 

The CPU socket lever should require reasonable force. It is not that easy to close. However, the lever locks in place when closed, and it should not take unreasonable force to do so.

 

Could you please walk me through? I'd like to learn the correct steps to install the CPU...although I already installed it. I really like to confirm if what I did is correct. It would be great Sam if you could show me step by step because it is said that the i7 and 1366 socket is different from those made a while back ago.

 

LGA1366 might have a different pin layout, but the installation is exactly the same. You open the socket, remove the plastic cover, place the CPU in the socket, then close the lever again. Then you can start installing the cooler.

 

Would you care to help me with the front panel connector such as the power led, HD led and so on?

 

It can vary for each board. Just read the motherboard manual.
Most motherboards also print the diagram next to the connectors, to tell you which connector is for what.

 

- Putting all nonsense aside...The first thing I have to do right now is:

1) I don't even know what I should say...But the time you have spent and the effort you have put into helping me has been deeply appreciated from the bottom of my heart. As I am a newbie and this is my first time doing that...You have participated into all threads and now my thread has expanded to third page, but you are still willing to answer any question I have...This is extremely generous of you to do that.

2) Do you have the ATI+ certificate? if not, you should get one...I think you are now a professional, and with the ATI+, that will assure and authenticate your status esp as far as PC hardware is concerned.

3) I have not really installed any window or anything yet, but since when I turned it on, it booted and I was able to see the set up screen, I am quite happy about it and again because this is my first time. The reason why I don't install OS is because of the SSD that I bought, and I didn't even know that it is so small until I received it and opened it as I was installing the harddisks. And then I decide to buy the mounting bracket.....DO HAVE ANY ANY RECOMMENDATION Sam? and I wanna mount it to the 3.5 bay drive. Or the case of mine has already come with one which I don't even know about?

4) With the PC being able to put, does it really mean that the CPU is working and no damage done to it?

5) I still have a lot to learn when it comes to building a PC esp something like component compatibility, good components, and other peripheral stuff...Last but not least, overclocking is what everybody's dream when it comes to PC...I hope you would still be able to walk me through whenever I get stuck and help me overcome the difficulty...I am really grateful to that.

 

Just make double confirmation about my CPU and see if it has been damaged, I have to ask this question:

with my PC being able to boot into the setup menu of the Gigabyte the first time, does it really mean that my CPU is working and I have done no damage to it?

 

1. I was in your place once, it's only fair to offer others the help I once relied on.
2. Never heard of it, explain?
3. You don't NEED to install an SSD anywhere, they don't have exposed circuitry like mechanical hard drives, nor do they generate much heat, so you can hide it pretty much anywhere you like. Some cases come with 2.5"->3.5" adapters, but they are rare at the moment. You can, however, buy them separately.
4. "being able to put?" assuming this means being able to boot yes, the CPU has not been damaged during installation.
5. If you have any problems, be sure to post them. However, for advice on overclocking, have a flick through some articles on the web (make sure they are about a similar CPU to yours, AMDs overclock differently to Core 2s, and i5s/i7s overclock a lot differently to Core 2s.

 

sorry I misspelled it, it was supposed to be CompTIA++...What it means is if you get this certificate, that means you are capable of the job you are doing...If people see this, they know you are capable of fixing computer, working with PC hardware and so on.

If you have done building your PC, I hope you could post some of the pics and share with us...That's another way of helping people to learn.

For the mainboard of yours, what the blue slots won't work but the white slots do...I installed my rams into the white slots not blue but I am just wondering why the blue slots won't work.

 

The blue slots usually don't work on their own. If you use all four you can of course use them, but they often won't work when it's only them being used.

 

My board has three white and three blue...And some of the people are still saying the blue might not work.

 

Six-slot LGA1156 boards work differently, you'll probably be OK with those. The vast majority of boards only have 4 slots, and may be subject to this limitation. LGA1366 boards aren't affected as far as I know.

 

Hi Sam! Is there any article that show you how to overclock step by step for a noob or someone who has never really overclocked before? U know my goal is 4.0, that's all, not less than 4.0 but not over than 4.0 because the one I have is i7 extreme 965, which is 3.2 already and another one is 920.