First Build in Case or Outside?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Magnusfarce
  • Start date Start date
M

Magnusfarce

I'm building my tenth or so computer, and I have always built them into the
case without any external testing beforehand. I have to admit that on two
or three occasions, it's been necessary to pull out some or even most of
the hardware. I was wondering how many experienced builders wire everything
up and power up on the bench first before mounting it all in the case? Just
curious.

- Magnusfarce
 
Quite often, I'll set up the MB with CPU and ram, video card of some sort ,
and a PS on the bench and power that up to verify that the MB/CPU/ram all
works, then I stuff the case.
 
I build all the way up in the case. However, I pay the vendor fee
to assemble and test the mobo, cpu, ram bundle so I can get
their vendor warrantee. If you don't do that, the vendor will tell
you to send each part to the manufacturer for their testing and
warrantee. Nuts to that. Also, fair warning, I have some no-nos
that I never violate anymore ... no VIA chipsets ... no ASUS
anything. I just don't have time for that crap anymore.

johns
 
I build all the way up in the case. However, I pay the vendor fee
to assemble and test the mobo, cpu, ram bundle so I can get
their vendor warrantee. If you don't do that, the vendor will tell
you to send each part to the manufacturer for their testing and
warrantee. Nuts to that. Also, fair warning, I have some no-nos
that I never violate anymore ... no VIA chipsets ... no ASUS
anything. I just don't have time for that crap anymore.

johns
Click to expand...

What have you got against Asus? One of the most stable mb's I have
ever owned is an Asus P4B533. Lots of people swear by Asus.
 
Magnusfarce said:
I'm building my tenth or so computer, and I have always built them
into the case without any external testing beforehand.
Click to expand...

What sort of external testing are you talking about?
I have to admit that on two or three occasions, it's been
necessary to pull out some or even most of the hardware.
Click to expand...

The mainboard? If you are hesitant about putting everything together
right at first, then why don't you start with the bare minimum
components?

Unless you're case has very sharp edges, the edges of the case are
made for resting your hands and forearms against while removing and
installing components to help avoid static electricity damage. And
the power supply is very convenient to have right there in the case.
I was wondering how many experienced builders wire everything up
and power up on the bench first before mounting it all in the
case?
Click to expand...

You mean people who test mainboards for a living?

I cannot imagine why anyone else would consider messing with the
mainboard outside of the case. The case is an excellent holder/bench
for the mainboard. That's what the case is made for.

You start by putting the mainboard inside of the case and you go
from there. If you're mainboard failure rate makes that step seem
like a waste of time, then maybe you should consider buying
different mainboards.

If you are talking about failure of other components, then in my
opinion you have no reason to avoid mounting the mainboard inside of
the case before you begin.

Messing with the mainboard/components outside of the case sounds
sloppy and prone to hardware damage.
Just curious.
Click to expand...

Me too.
 
Magnusfarce said:
I'm building my tenth or so computer, and I have always built them into the
case without any external testing beforehand. I have to admit that on two
or three occasions, it's been necessary to pull out some or even most of
the hardware. I was wondering how many experienced builders wire everything
up and power up on the bench first before mounting it all in the case? Just
curious.

- Magnusfarce
Click to expand...

IMO, the odds of a new motherboard being defective out of the box is rare
enough that you might as well build in the case.
 
Does not hurt anything to put the cpu and cooler on and then the RAM
and then install the motherboard. It can be hard to see and maneuver
through all those wires and cables and things.

I like to test the motherboard to see if it will boot up at least.
Normally if it beeps it will work in the case. Of course you could
hook up a video card just to check it out.

Maybe you have a 10 or 50 to 1 chance you will see a bad motherboard,
but once you get all that junk in the case it is a pain to take it all
out. Better safe than sorry.
 
Last Boy Scout said:
Does not hurt anything to put the cpu and cooler on and then the
RAM and then install the motherboard. It can be hard to see and
maneuver through all those wires and cables and things.
Click to expand...

If it were so hard to maneuver through all those wires and cables
and things, placing the mainboard with the CPU/cooler and RAM
already installed would be very difficult or impossible.
I like to test the motherboard to see if it will boot up at least.
Normally if it beeps it will work in the case. Of course you
could hook up a video card just to check it out.
Click to expand...

So now you have a video card flopping around in the PCI/AGP slot.
With a video cable hanging off of the card, you might even damage
the slot.
Maybe you have a 10 or 50 to 1 chance you will see a bad
motherboard, but once you get all that junk in the case it is a
pain to take it all out.
Click to expand...

Slopping the components into the mainboard outside of the case and
then removing them before inserting the mainboard into the case
would be an unnecessary risk and a waste of time and effort. I am
assuming you remove the components before inserting the mainboard
into the case since you have trouble "maneuvering through all those
wires and cables and things" without any components installed on the
mainboard.
Better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

If you want to be safe, you put the mainboard in the case where it's
secure when you install the bare minimum of components.

All those "wires and cables and things" can be easily moved out of
the way. You can drape them over the side of the case. Some of those
cables are required, and with the mainboard is securely fastened
inside of the case, you have a stable set up for connecting those
cables, CPU/fan, RAM, and video card.

If you feel a need to slop the mainboard and components around
outside of the case, just be sure there isn't any metal (like screws
or screwdrivers) under the mainboard.

I have built lots of crude small electronics from scratch. Having a
secure holder (like a case) for the project is a blessing. I see no
good comparison between slopping things around outside of the case
and beginning with the minimum components inside of the case. If you
have so little confidence in your mainboard, you should buy a
different mainboard instead of compounding the perceived damage.
Messing with things outside of the case is just asking for trouble
unless you have a professional set up for holding the mainboard.
 
Back
Top