Need help for first-time builder

[inFamousTyy]

Hello hello!

My build parts are slowly but surely coming in day by day and I want to make sure I've done all my research beforehand so I can hit the ground running on build day. My parts should all be in by this Thursday, when I'm conveniently off

As this is my first build, I am currently seeking any tips, suggestions, and especially any guides/articles on how to build your first rig. Some videos that I watch on YouTube are a little overwhelming and I wanted to see if any one out here in oc3d has any guides they might want to share

Thank you to all.

 

[Feronix]

Safety tips:

- Don't build it on carpet.
- Touch a radiator every once in a while to discharge

Building tips:

- Don't forget to install all your motherboard standoffs!

- Put the PSU, hard drive, optical bay, etc in before the rest (don't want to drop a PSU on your motherboard, it will die). It's usually just easier to get the bulky bits out of the way first.

- Put the CPU in the motherboard first, then RAM, then CPU cooler. Then put the whole thing into the case in one go.

- Do all your cable management before you plug the GPU in as it'll massively get in the way.



If you run into any problems during building just ask here and there will be people around to help

 

[inFamousTyy]

Safety tips:

- Don't build it on carpet.
- Touch a radiator every once in a while to discharge

Building tips:

- Don't forget to install all your motherboard standoffs!

- Put the PSU, hard drive, optical bay, etc in before the rest (don't want to drop a PSU on your motherboard, it will die). It's usually just easier to get the bulky bits out of the way first.

- Put the CPU in the motherboard first, then RAM, then CPU cooler. Then put the whole thing into the case in one go.

- Do all your cable management before you plug the GPU in as it'll massively get in the way.



If you run into any problems during building just ask here and there will be people around to help

These are awesome tips, thank you. Two questions I do have - I'm buying around 3-4 additional 120mm/140mm LED fans. Does it matter whether they I make them exhaust or intake fans, and second question - I originally bought the cooler master hyper 212 evo as my CPU cooler. Should I buy a liquid cooler instead?

 

[Doomslayer]

Safety tips:

- Don't build it on carpet.
- Touch a radiator every once in a while to discharge

Building tips:

- Don't forget to install all your motherboard standoffs!

- Put the PSU, hard drive, optical bay, etc in before the rest (don't want to drop a PSU on your motherboard, it will die). It's usually just easier to get the bulky bits out of the way first.

- Put the CPU in the motherboard first, then RAM, then CPU cooler. Then put the whole thing into the case in one go.

- Do all your cable management before you plug the GPU in as it'll massively get in the way.



If you run into any problems during building just ask here and there will be people around to help

Sorry dude but i find the carpet one complete BS i have always built my computers on carpet and nothing has happen even when i was a Noob back when it was a lot easier to kill parts.

 

[AlienALX]

About the only things I can really say are critical are -

1. When you go to fit the CPU make sure you check the socket for bent pins. Give it a good look over before fitting the CPU, as this can cause days worth of messing around later. It's rare but it does happen.

2. Make sure you learn properly how to fit the CPU and how to align the marks on the corner. TBH fitting the CPU is probably the hardest part for a new builder to do, so watch plenty of videos.

3. Also critical. Lay your motherboard down on the box it came in (on the static bag on the box is usually the done thing) and look at how many screw holes it has. Then make 100% sure that your case has the standoffs in the correct positions so you can fit every one of those screws. Not that getting all of the screws in is of utter importance but making sure you don't have a rogue standoff in the wrong position is.

For grounding? I always fit the PSU, plug in the power cable and make sure the PSU is switched off. The ground remains active so all you need to do is touch the case itself.

But again over the years parts are much less vulnerable to that so some days I don't even bother any more.

 

[Feronix]

These are awesome tips, thank you. Two questions I do have - I'm buying around 3-4 additional 120mm/140mm LED fans. Does it matter whether they I make them exhaust or intake fans, and second question - I originally bought the cooler master hyper 212 evo as my CPU cooler. Should I buy a liquid cooler instead?

No problem mate!

If you're using 3 fans and your case supports it, I'd suggest using two intake fans in the front and one exhaust fan in the rear. This will make sure you have some nice airflow over your components and having more intake then exhaust fans will create positive air pressure which helps against dust building up inside your case over time

Sorry dude but i find the carpet one complete BS i have always built my computers on carpet and not has happen even when i was a Noob back when it was a lot easier to kill parts.

Depends on the shoes you're wearing. Even then there's only a small chance that static electricity will make things go wrong cause there won't be any power on the components yet, but for new builders it's better to be safe than sorry.

Also critical. Lay your motherboard down on the box it came in (on the static bag on the box is usually the done thing).

Don't bother putting it on the anti-static bag. It does virtually nothing once it's been opened so just stick to the box to prevent your desk/table top from the solder points on the back of the board and you'll be fine.



Oh last tip, something that still always gets me!

If your PC doesn't switch on... check if the PSU is turned on before you start to worry :lol:

 

[AlienALX]

If your PC doesn't switch on... check if the PSU is turned on before you start to worry :lol:

haha that old chestnut ! I've taken ram out, disconnected every drive... Turns out I hadn 't turned the power on at the socket.

 

[Doomslayer]

No problem mate!

Depends on the shoes you're wearing. Even then there's only a small chance that static electricity will make things go wrong cause there won't be any power on the components yet, but for new builders it's better to be safe than sorry.

I've built computers wearing shoes and no shoes and nothing has happen to my parts

 

[AlienALX]

I've built computers wearing shoes and no shoes and nothing has happen to my parts

Put on a pair of rubber soled hiking boots and do the moonwalk on a nylon carpet dude.

Back in the day when I had long hair I had a pair of these really expensive hiking boots. Every time I wore them I was like the Blackpool illuminations ffs.

The only part I ever sparked was a SB Live ! back in '99. It was the £160 model with the Live ! drive. I had both long hair and those boots on.

So that's at least one good thing I can see from going bald

 

[B NEGATIVE]

Sorry dude but i find the carpet one complete BS i have always built my computers on carpet and nothing has happen even when i was a Noob back when it was a lot easier to kill parts.

Its not BS,its sound advice.

Because you didnt have problems this time doesnt mean you wont in the future,its solid basic practice.

Touching the central heating rads is also good advice,it will earth you well as long as the earth straps were put in by your heating installer.

Always leave the socket cover in place while you are doing chip swaps.

The anti static bag is only anti static on the inside,not the outside,the box it came in is a better pre build test 'rig'.

As mentioned,get the ancillary crap in first and start the wiring as best you can,check the length of your 8 pin cable,you may,depending on the case,have to run it directly behind the mobo.

Populate the board but,as mentioned before,leave the GPU's out until the rig is fired up and running on the iGPU,do all your install nonsense then add the GPU's.

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

Just buy an anti-static wrist wrap juuuuust to be sure and while you have the motherboard built on its box out of the case, plug in the EPS the 24pin and the PCIE cables (to the gpu) and do a test run to see if you end up in the UEFI screen

 

[barnsley]

Just buy an anti-static wrist wrap juuuuust to be sure and while you have the motherboard built on its box out of the case, plug in the EPS the 24pin and the PCIE cables (to the gpu) and do a test run to see if you end up in the UEFI screen

The Anti-static straps are never needed and tbh are really only for insurance purposes in this day and age.

If it makes you feel secure than yes get one but unless you're building it on a carpet wearing your finest tracksuit you generally don't need one.

 

[CreatiXx]

and what might help when doing your cables, try to do the front panel cables before you do the PSU cables, makes it easier and gives you a better overview instead of doing them all at once ^^

Just a little habit i have

 

[coffeefoot]

Some good advice from all sides here. I would just suggest staying calm and take your time. I know it is exciting to build your own, but I have made some simple mistakes because I wanted to finish and get this thing up and running. When in doubt, read the instructions. I have found that this is one of the best sites to get help from folks. This is a good crew here.

 

[Doomslayer]

Its not BS,its sound advice.

Because you didnt have problems this time doesnt mean you wont in the future,its solid basic practice.

Nope sorry i will still call BS on it cause as long as you keep touching the case nothing will happen.

 

[jimma47]

• Test it posts before you put the side panel on to make sure it fires up.
• Take your time.
• Check and double check the CPU orientation.. then check again. It's really the only stressful part when the pins are exposed.
• The front panel connectors are a pain when they're individually attached to the motherboard. If you have fat thumbs do this while you can still get your hands in there before mounting other cables or cards etc.
• Enjoy

In regards to static then yeah sometimes I'm charged so if I've been wandering around in my runners or ugg boots or whatever I ground myself before touching anything expensive. I think some people are just more prone to static than others. Every time my old man went near the old TV he'd cause interference to the rabbit ears antenna and the picture would go fuzzy. (Well it was the 80's)
It's probably different depending on the carpet, shoes, environment, weather, humidity etc.

Then again I've also hot plugged the system back in and you get that horrible 'spark' noise and think you've killed it but it's all good. Better safe than sorry.

 

[MadShadow]

Sorry dude but i find the carpet one complete BS i have always built my computers on carpet and nothing has happen even when i was a Noob back when it was a lot easier to kill parts.

It's not BS at all. Walking on carpet can greatly increase the static electricity that builds up and can be discharged into your parts. Just because it didn't happen before doesn't mean that it won't happen. Not building on carpet is simply best practice.

All you have to do is take a look on various PC forums to see the amount of people that have destroyed components due to ESD.