Just looking before I leap...new PC final thoughts.

[ignatzatsonic]

I just looked at the several Big Shuriken videos on you tube. Ignore how they apply thermal paste. Instead go to arcticsilver.com and follow their instructions.

One of the vids made a good point. Since you have heat spreader ram, you should install the heatsink before the ram because the heatspreaders will make it even more difficult to get your fingers under the cooler overhand well enough to apply pressure down on the push pins. Install the ram after the heatsink is secure.

 

[GARoss]

Thanks. I downloaded the pdf from Arctic Silver & it looks straight forward but leaves me with a dumb question. I believe the illustration QP3 is to show why it isn't necessary to cover from corner to corner but looks to be on the underside of the CPU as well as on the top. Just the top, right?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Thanks. I downloaded the pdf from Arctic Silver & it looks straight forward but leaves me with a dumb question. I believe the illustration QP3 is to show why it isn't necessary to cover from corner to corner but looks to be on the underside of the CPU as well as on the top. Just the top, right?

Yes, just the top.

The left and right pic are the same view. The middle pic is just to demonstrate where the goop lies with respect to the underlying cores. The goop is actually applied to a backing plate, which is shown in the first and third pic. The second pic is as if the backplate were removed to give you a point of reference. After the heatsink is mounted, the pressure forces it outwards as shown in the third pic. So the first and third pics are the ones you need to understand.

You only need the one thin line down the middle, about like uncooked spaghetti.

The RAM mounting thing is a tough call and you probably should judge it yourself after you eyeball things.

If you mount RAM before the heatsink, the RAM interferes with your ability to exert downforce on the pins. If you mount RAM afterward, you may find it difficult to wedge it into the innermost slot due to heatsink overhang. You may have to make a judgment at the time.

 

[GARoss]

This video isn't bad, either. YouTube - Scythe Big Shuriken unboxing & installation

Looks like the hard part is getting fat fingers, like mine, under the overhanging fan to apply enough pressure to fasten securely.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

This video isn't bad, either. YouTube - Scythe Big Shuriken unboxing & installation

Looks like the hard part is getting fat fingers, like mine, under the overhanging fan to apply enough pressure to fasten securely.

Exactly right. But you may be better with fat strong fingers than slender weak fingers.

The problem with that vid is that at 4'20" it magically edits out the important part--applying pressure to the pushpins, swearing, etc. He doesn't show it and probably for good reason.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You should for sure attack the toughest pin first. That will likely be the one at 11 oclock that is partially obstructed by the 2 black heatsinks that form an L-shape. Then do the one diagonally from it. Then the other pair, hard one first.

 

[GARoss]

I was planning on installing the RAM in the white slots only, see photo.

The Solo case has a front iEEE 1394 port but it looks like this can only be connected if I have a separate iEEE 1394 card. MB instructions warn against this. This isn't a biggie as I haven't used iEEE for years.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Yeah, white slots. The only question is the degree of overhang and the height of your particular heat spreaders.

Do you have that CPU mount mechanism figured out? The processor is keyed and will fit in only 1 way. Then you latch it down.

 

[GARoss]

This video isn't bad, either. YouTube - Scythe Big Shuriken unboxing & installation

Looks like the hard part is getting fat fingers, like mine, under the overhanging fan to apply enough pressure to fasten securely.

Exactly right. But you may be better with fat strong fingers than slender weak fingers.

The problem with that vid is that at 4'20" it magically edits out the important part--applying pressure to the pushpins, swearing, etc. He doesn't show it and probably for good reason.

You should for sure attack the toughest pin first. That will likely be the one at 11 oclock that is partially obstructed by the 2 black heatsinks that form an L-shape. Then do the one diagonally from it. Then the other pair, hard one first.

He left out the best part; not the swearing but the actual install! He did indicate 2 different speeds. Are these preset or auto as the CPU gets hotter?

The diagonal method would seem the best. Can't go wrong with diagonal.

 

[GARoss]

Yeah, white slots. The only question is the degree of overhang and the height of your particular heat spreaders.

Do you have that CPU mount mechanism figured out? The processor is keyed and will fit in only 1 way. Then you latch it down.

I don't think I have a problem there. What might be a problem, as a 1st timer, is knowing how much down pressure to apply before flipping the latch to fasten. My impression is it's best to aline 1st, then allow the latch to seat the CPU.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The fan ramps up as necessary according to load so long as you connect it to the appropriate header labeled "CPU fan". The other fan connectors are for case fans. It's not two speeds--it is continuously variable.

If you are antsy about cooling performance, you might consider installing a full height (25mm) heatsink fan initially, rather than the included one, which is only 12mm in height and thus blows less air due to thinner fan blades. Some people use a Big Shuriken with a Scythe Slipstream full height 800 rpm, connected to a Molex rather than the CPU fan header. This causes the fan to rotate at 800 constantly, but that moves more air than the 12mm included fan at it's highest speed.

I'm just suggesting it because I imagine it's easier to change fans initially, rather than after you mount the sink.

They used a 12mm fan because it lowers overall height and is thus more suitable for very narrow cases as might be found in an HTPC.

I am running the stock fan because I am using on-processor graphics, rather than a separate card, and I won't overclock. You may have greater cooling requirements due to separate graphics card.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Yeah, white slots. The only question is the degree of overhang and the height of your particular heat spreaders.

Do you have that CPU mount mechanism figured out? The processor is keyed and will fit in only 1 way. Then you latch it down.

I don't think I have a problem there. What might be a problem, as a 1st timer, is knowing how much down pressure to apply before flipping the latch to fasten. My impression is it's best to aline 1st, then allow the latch to seat the CPU.

You put the processor in first. It should just fall in. The proper way is marked with a little triangle on the CPU as I recall. Triangle goes to lower left.

The CPU is seated BEFORE the latch comes down. All the latch does is prevent it from moving miniscule amounts. The latch doesn't really force anything into place. It better ALREADY be in place---or you will be trying to force a square peg into a round whole and bend some pins--a major sin.

It takes quite a bit of pressure nonetheless.

 

[GARoss]

The fan ramps up as necessary according to load so long as you connect it to the appropriate header labeled "CPU fan". The other fan connectors are for case fans. It's not two speeds--it is continuously variable.

If you are antsy about cooling performance, you might consider installing a full height (25mm) heatsink fan initially, rather than the included one, which is only 12mm in height and thus blows less air due to thinner fan blades. Some people use a Big Shuriken with a Scythe Slipstream full height 800 rpm, connected to a Molex rather than the CPU fan header. This causes the fan to rotate at 800 constantly, but that moves more air than the 12mm included fan at it's highest speed.

I'm just suggesting it because I imagine it's easier to change fans initially, rather than after you mount the sink.

They used a 12mm fan because it lowers overall height and is thus more suitable for very narrow cases as might be found in an HTPC.

I am running the stock fan because I am using on-processor graphics, rather than a separate card, and I won't overclock. You may have greater cooling requirements due to separate graphics card.

Overall I'm not concerned about cooling. I think this will be determined by actual CPU measured temps after everything is installed. If Big Shuriken/standard case fan combo isn't cooling enough while rendering a project, then we'll replace the case with the 25mm Scythe Slipstream. But, I really don't render as much video as I once did. Just will be nice to have all this rendering power when you need it.

 

[GARoss]

Looks like everything except the SSD will arrive today via UPS. The SSD is said to arrive no later than 4/14 via USPS. My dealings with USPS is they tend to be conservative in their arrival time estimates. All this is OK as I plan on taking my time & lots of photos anyway & only working on it a few hours per day.

 

[IownAmoneyPit]

In your mind, divide it into 2 processes: before and after you apply power to the PC.

Before you apply power, not much can go wrong if you pay attention to the fair Gigabyte manual and the fair Intel CPU instructions.

The PSU is probably the first thing to go into the case.

The processor requires no force to put it into the socket, so be sure you have pin 1 lined up (lower left). Add RAM. Apply thermal paste. Mount heatsink. Screw standoffs into case. Set motherboard/CPU/RAM/heatsink combo down on standoffs. Use supplied screws to secure motherboard to standoffs.

Sort out and attach the applicable modular PSU cables. Mount all fans to their headers, paying attention to pin 1 per the motherboard manual.

The front panel connectors are very small, so you have to pay attention or LEDs and switches won't work.

It may be preferable to install hard drives and DVD drive before the motherboard---immediately after the PSU. It depends on clearance issues.

The moment of truth is when you apply power. You want to see fans spin and hear some hard drive action.

I'd go the first few hours or so without sound cards or video cards. Get the thing running and install Windows with on-board video and on-board sound. Add video cards and sound cards later. The fewer things in the slots, the fewer things you have to troubleshoot if it doesn't boot as expected.

If it powers up OK, go into the BIOS and make sure drives are acknowledged. Familiarize yourself with the BIOS generally. Look at fan controls in BIOS, RAM settings, etc. Default settings are certainly good enough until you get Windows installed.

The reason I quoted this post (post #79) is because a P67 motherboard does not have on-board video capability so your video card will also have to be installed in order to install windows and have display capability.



Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3-B3 Back panel Connectors.



As I just built a new system using a P67 board this caught my eye.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Right you are, Money pit. I keep getting his motherboard confused with my own H67A. GARoss needs a video card early on.

 

[GARoss]

As I just built a new system using a P67 board this caught my eye.

Thanks & noted. I received the MB on Saturday & didn't see any video connections for a monitor & I definitely need video! I have an ATI-GIGABYTE GV-R567OC-1GI graphic card.

 

[GARoss]

Here's a question I need to ask.

When Win 7 boots it immediately searches the internet & or PC for drivers for new hardware & there's plenty of that for a new PC. Other than unplugging the LAN line to kill the internet connection, is there a way to stop this & have complete control of what is installed & when? Or is this an over-kill; just let it do its thing? Just wondering.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'd keep the LAN unplugged until I had installed the Intel Chipset INF and all of those drivers you downloaded from Intel and Gigabyte--just to avoid confusion. You aren't going to have a net connection anyway until you install your LAN driver--Realtek as I recall.

I'd install that Realtek LAN as the last driver and then go to Windows Update. It shouldn't find any newer drivers than what you have, but it will find plenty of Windows updates. Ponder Service Pack 1. You might wait on it rather than get bogged down in it in case the SP 1 install is cranky for some reason.

 

[GARoss]

Well, UPS delivered late yesterday so all I was able to accomplish was to mount the PSU & study where to put the standoffs for MB mounting. Although I left the MB in its' anti-static bag, I can see where there isn't threaded holes for every mount. I've attached 2 photos to illustrate this. Yellow circles indicate good mount points & red circle & "?" indicates where there isn't a thread hole to mount a stand-off.

I think its been said that all mounts are not needed but it would seem this one would be because it's so close to a major power connection. I do have the tools to do this, taking great care not to leave any metal chips that could cause problems.

So, fix it or leave it as is?