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Am i supposed to install PC compnents in a certain order?

J

jpr21b

Junior Member
I heard that there may be some certain order that the PC parts go into the motherboard, is this true?

Im thinking that this may be why my computer isnt booting properly for the first time.
 
No. You can pretty much connect them in any order you want.

I just always plug in the ATX and 12V connectors into the motherboard last 😉
 
I usually do:

CPUs
Heatsinks
Memory
Cards
Drives
Power

But it shouldn't matter as long as everything is actually in.

Check to make sure that you don't have the CMOS jumper on clear (happened to a friend), that everything is seated properly, and that the motherboard isn't touching the metal parts of the case.
 
make sure you install everything into the motherboard, plug it in to the power supply, and THEN put it all into the case. and dont unplug anything to do so. especially the optical drives.
 
how am i going to install the video card and power cables, etc.. without the board being already in the case?
 
When I built my system (my first-see my sig) I installed the CPU and HSF on the board before I mounted the board in the case. Then the rest of the hardware were installed. The board is easier to install in the case without any PCI or graphics cards installed on the board. After the board was installed in the case, all the hard drives and optical drives, cables, molex plugs, RAM, etc. was set up. Lastly, the PSU cables was plugged in on the board.

Best of luck and have fun.
 
That was supposedly true for Win98 and older OSs, but I never had problems installing everything at once even on Win98.

Oh, you mean physically...

When I built my system (my first-see my sig) I installed the CPU and HSF on the board before I mounted the board in the case. Then the rest of the hardware were installed. The board is easier to install in the case without any PCI or graphics cards installed on the board. After the board was installed in the case, all the hard drives and optical drives, cables, molex plugs, RAM, etc. was set up. Lastly, the PSU cables was plugged in on the board.
Click to expand...

That's right, but I can't imagine trying to install a mobo in a case when the video card and PCI cards were seated. Has anyone actually done that?? That would be rather difficult.

It's always much easier to install the CPU + hsf and the RAM before seating the motherboard, with the case completely empty, unless you have a very large case. My case is large enough that I can leave the optical drives and PSU installed while replacing the motherboard (click link in sig for pics).
 
I always install the CPU, hsf, and ram on the motherboard outside of the case. So much easier...

Remember to ground yourself! Or at least discharge yourself to ground every few mins or so. Me and my friend did an experiment on an old celeron 533mhz socket 370 CPU not too long ago. We charged ourselves up on good old carpet like little kids and touched the CPU pins once each. Popped it back into the system and there was no POST.....
 
Originally posted by: Garlic
I always install the CPU, hsf, and ram on the motherboard outside of the case. So much easier...

Remember to ground yourself! Or at least discharge yourself to ground every few mins or so. Me and my friend did an experiment on an old celeron 533mhz socket 370 CPU not too long ago. We charged ourselves up on good old carpet like little kids and touched the CPU pins once each. Popped it back into the system and there was no POST.....
Click to expand...

Cold blooded murder!
 
Originally posted by: Amol
lol, whats the proper way to ground yourself, i forgot 😕
Click to expand...

Lick your finger and stick it in a wall socket 😉 Never have to worry about grounding again. lol the best way to ground yourself is to mount the PSU, plug it in (Or don't if it doesn't have an off switch), use a ground strap connected to the PSU. Or you could just touch the PSU or chasis every once in a while, you just don't want there to a be a static build up between you and the chasis. Main thing is to not assemble one without shoes on carpet or on a cloth surface.
 
When starting from scratch, I install hardware in the order of most used to least used. I always assemble with the PSU in the case and the AC cord plugged in - but with either the power switch on the PSU turned off (0) or lacking a power switch, I plug into a power strip and turn the switch on the strip OFF. What I want is ONLY the GROUND circuit connected to a true ground (which I've checked with a circuit tester and a DMM). While assembling, I keep one hand touching the chassis as much as possible to limit the static problem - or you can use a A-S wrist strap if you want.
Then I install the mobo which is grounded thru the mounting points (if I have a removable mobo plate, I keep the plate connected to the chassis either by setting it on top of it or by a wire with alligator clips on both ends). I then install the CPU and memory and set any necessary jumpers and CLEAR the CMOS! Some mobos ship with the CMOS battery disconnected (some w/ a jumper, some with a plastic pull strip under the battery). That will cause mucho hair pulling if you're not aware of it...
. I then install the video card, and connect up the floppy drive and internal power cables (don't forget the P4-12V connector) for a test boot.
. Assuming all goes well, I go into the BIOS setup and do the basic adjustments (Time Date Etc.). If the BIOS is not the latest version, I will update that now (having already downloaded the latest version and prepared a boot floppy with all the files I need on it - yeah, right 😉 ).
. Next are the hard drive(s) and optical drives. Any on-board peripherals (LAN, Serial/Parallel ports etc.) I'm not going to use right away are now DISABLED in the BIOS setup. If you aren't going to use the integrated sound, be sure to disable ALL parts related to it (audio, game port, midi port, etc), or it may not entirely go away.
. Now it's time to install the OS. Once that is installed and updated and with the chipset drivers,USB 2 patch and video card drivers installed, I start adding lesser used hardware still in the order of most used to least used - one at a time by the mfr's directions and with testing in between. It is nice to know at what point any foul up ocurred.
. Lots of people have success with the shotgun approach (throw everything in at once) but I don't consider it good practice (maybe for assembly-line work, but not for my personal systems). And it will likely make troubleshooting considerably more difficult. Good luck.

.bh.

:moon:

p.s. Another tip - get your ducks in a row before ever starting - Download all the latest versions of the drivers and software etc. you will need and get them onto CD or floppys beforehand. Read the readme and version history files. You will almost never find the latest drivers are on the CD that comes with the hardware! The more advance planning - the less hair pulling down the road.

DWIS, NWID! 😉 - 25 yrs. PC experience talking here...

bh.
 
" When starting from scratch, I install hardware in the order of most used to least used."

I don't understand the logic behind this?

Wow, I find it hard to believe there is such a specified procedure. I usually go with what makes the most sense. I agree with MrCodeDude.

I find it nice to place your mobo on a few boxes, connect vid card, ram and cpu, and power, and do a test boot with a moniter before installation of other components (even before placing it into the case) to make sure that your mobo (or CPU, or RAM, or vid card, but mostly CPU) is not dead, and for you not to waste time assembling a DOA mobo and then having to dissassemble it again.

If you have a slide-out mobo tray, I recommend installing everything onto the mobo first (CPU, ram) and then mounting it on the mobo tray, slide the mobo tray back in, and install everything else.
 
Originally posted by: Zepper
. Lots of people have success with the shotgun approach (throw everything in at once) but I don't consider it good practice.
Click to expand...


yeah thats me. i throw it all in and hope for the best. talk about stressful; somehow ive always lucked out, and dont yet have anything i should put on that worst newbie mistakes thread.

i dont understand the thing with connecting everything before putting the mobo in the case. the damn thing is hard enough to get in there anyway, i hardly even understand how that is possible.
 
Most people these days don't really understand the logic of anything as they were never taught logic in school nor did they bother to learn it on their own. And even if they did pick up some logic and/or some of the scientific method along the way, they are too impatient for a methodical approach. So sad...
.bh.

:moon:
 
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