Gerb68 said:
Can anybody please help with this question.
I'm building my first PC and I have all the parts ready except the Video
Card which I'm waiting on(looking around for the new Radeon HD 2900XT) and
may take about two weeks.
My question is, Is it OK to start installing the Heatsink now or Is it
best
to install when I'm near ready to powering on?
Mainly, If I install the Heatsink(Zalman CNPS9700 NT) now and do not power
on for over two weeks will this affect the Thermal paste, Artic Silver 5?
Thanx For Any Help.
Shouldn't matter how long the paste sits before being warmed up.
It's best to mount your CPU, heatsink and memory before putting the
mainboard in the PC, if possible. This helps prevent any flexing of the
mainboard when pushing the memory in, and gives plenty of room for the
heatsink mounting.
Gerb68:
Noozer's suggestion about installing basic components on your motherboard
(mainboard) *before* installing the motherboard in your PC case is a good
one and I would urge you to follow his advice especially since this is the
first PC you're building.
I would go even further...
While the MB is *outside* the case, in addition to installing your
processor, heatsink, and RAM modules onto the MB, also install your video
card (unless you have onboard graphics capability, in which case the video
card is unnecessary to install at this point). Ensure that you've connected
the CPU fan. Connect your monitor.
Then connect your power supply. It can sit right outside the case at this
point. If you're using an Intel processor that needs the 4-pin 12V connector
on the motherboard, connect the power supply's appropriate lead to that
connector.
You do not connect any other devices at this point - no HDD, no optical
drive; no floppy drive; no sound card; - no other component other than
what's indicated above.
Review your connections at this point to ensure they're all correct.
If it's convenient to do so, connect the case's power switch lead to the
appropriate connector on the MB. Often the lead won't be long enough while
the MB is sitting outside the case so that you won't be able to use the
power button on the case. So in order to power up the system you'll have to
temporarily "jumper" the two power switch pins on the MB - a simple way to
do this is with a screwdriver touching both pins simultaneously.
Finally, power up the monitor; switch on the power supply; and power up the
system as described above.
You *must* get a screen display. It's not important what you see on the
screen; you just want a display. If all you get is a black screen - no
display, then you go no further. You have to determine what's the problem.
Hopefully you'll get your screen display with no problem. And when you do
you can proceed with the building of your PC by installing the motherboard
in your case and installing the other components.
Anna
