Questions on Mounting Motherboard

[Guest]

Putting together my computer, and I've got a few questions about where the heck the screws go.

I've got these little brass looking screws, that in turn can be screwed into, and I assume these were what I use to mount the mb. The only problem is the case has these parts where it goes out towards the motherbaord, with screw holes in them. There's 3 along the back side that line up with holes in the mb, and one more at about the top right corner.

These all basically line up with the holes on the mb, but there's none in the lower right. Am I supposed to use different screws down there? Is it unsupported? Is my case just screwed up?

I've got other holes down there, but they don't go out towards the mb. I do have a couple of these plastic little things, am I supposed to work them in here somewhere? I've only got two of them.

And one last thing, what is that round flat thing that is attached to the case with the wires? And where is it supposed to be hooked up on the mb? My mb manual was not forthcoming on this subject.

 

[Guest]

And I should probably add- ECS K7s5a mb with some case I picked up from a local computer shop.

 

[tilepusher]

Hey S,
What kind of case do you have? the options are: ATX, Micro ATX, AT, or Micro AT. Next What size Power Supply do you have? If it is not a 300 watt+ ATX, do not install the mobo in the case, get a new 300 watt+ ATX case.
Now for your questions: Does your mounting back plate(in case, where the mobo mounts to) have dimples where the brass screws, screw into? or is it flat?
The little plastic things are used just like screws. I have no idea what you are talking about on the "round flat thing that is attached to the case with wires".
All you really need is 3 mounting screws to mount the mobo to the case. If I were you, I would mount the CPU and HSF, and Ram to the mobo first, before mounting the mobo in the case. Also be very carefull how much pressure you use when installing your PCI cards.
Please do not continue to install your mobo, until you get a book about building PC's or have someone who has built more than 2 computers, to help you. You need more info than you appear to have on the subject of building PC's, and there is so many things that could go wrong. Good Luck!
Peace Out........tile

Keep Hope Alive!

 

[Guest]

ATX case with 300 watt PS.

It has dimples, I suppose that would've been the better word to use in the first place, 4 of them. There's also a whole bunch of other holes scattered around the backplate, but most don't line up with anything.

Round flat thing, kind of dish shaped, maybe inch and half wide. There's some notches it slides into on the bottom of the case. Doesn't look like it actually does anything, no moving parts or lights, some sort of grounding thing?

So the case will be fine even if the screws are only along the top and back of the motherboard? I think that's mainly what screwed me up, I was expecting them to be more evenly space around, although I suppose they'll be under most of the cards and stuff where they're needed most.

I've actually done most of the other stuff I'll be doing(pci, ram, drives) but I've never mounted a motherboard and the case came with exactly zero instructions and about a million different kinds of screws and holes to put them in.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by SomeGuy on 10/11/01 07:27 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

Dude, I had this problem. First pc i built threw me a bit when it came to mounting the MB. WHat I Did was hold the MB over the mounting holes as if i was going to mount it, then check to see which holes in the MB matched up with the holes in the case. I dont think it matters which holes in the case you use, but make sure the rear panel lines up as well.
look at which attachments you have. Use ones that hold the MB away from the case I think (anyone say otherwise if i'm wrong???)
Put these pins, which are probably plastic, into the holes which match up with the board. Also make sure that there is a pin near all places on the MB which will need to take pressure i.e. the AGP/pci slots, where the CPU is, (especially if you have a fat heatsink), the memory slots, and also the edges on the MB which will be loose.
hope this helps.

 

[tilepusher]

Hey S,
In that pack of million screws, do you have a brass screw with a hex body, a screw head and a nut tail? If you do these will screw into the case, and act as another "dimple" mounting point, for a regular brass screw to mount the mobo. Take you case and lie it on it's side, then put a piece of paper in it over the dimples and all the other holes and tape it down, then seat the mobo inside the case and line up the dimples and rear panel(where the on-board ports are- thin chrome metal panel in the back of case), next take a toothpicks and try to punch holes through the paper via the mounting points in the mobo. These are your mounting points. You only need 3, but I like to use as many as I can. If you notice that the case has some large un-threaded holes, these are to put plastic snap connectors, that work just like the screws, but have a arrow shaped head and are not adjustable.
I think the "dish shaped thing" is your mobo speaker. It is the thing that makes the "Beeps" you hear at start up, before your OS loads. Again Good Luck!
Peace Out..............tile

Keep Hope Alive!

 

[HonestJhon]

yeah, but if the 4 dimples match up, and one of them is under or near the ram, then that is good..
because if you are going to be upgrading the ram in the future, then you need the support under the ram slots..
they require a bit of force.
also, i, like stated before, reccomend putting the cpu, heatsink/fan, and ram in before mounting the motherboard, unless the way it mounts does not permit that safely...like if it has to go under the drive mount, and is kinda tight, or if there is a mounting hole somewhere near the ram slots, or the cpu socket/slot.
good luck, and try and get someone who can help you do it, who has done it before...the only way you can learn to do it is either to have someone teach you, or to mess up, and learn the hard way...

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[Guest]

That mysterious round thing isn't a speaker, is it?


Save the children

 

[tilepusher]

Hey S,
About that dish shaped thing, if it is your mobo speaker, it plugs into the mobo on the jumper labeled PC Speaker or Speaker, in the same area as your front panel switches and LEDs. How is it going?
Peace Out............tile

Keep Hope Alive!

 

[Guest]

Been busy last couple days, haven't had much time to get to work or post again. Hopefully tonight after work I'll have some free time, though I'm not counting on it.

Okay, here we go.

I have 2 of those plastic connecters, about 6 brass hex screws that can get screwed into in turn, and a whole bunch(15 or so) short metal screws. 4 of them are black, but appear to the same size and shape as the rest.

So I screw into the dimples with the double screw setup?

Do I need to use the plastic connecters? Or are they optional? And if I do use them, which way do they go in? And do I put them in the dimples, or somewhere in the lower right, where there aren't any dimples?

Mobo speaker, yes that makes sense. It never occured to me there was an actual speaker for all those beeps.

 

[HonestJhon]

umm..i think that with the dimple design, all you have to do is put the mobo on those and use mounting screws to attatch the mobo to the case..
but before poerwing on, make sure that the dimples arent touching anything other than the metal ring around the mounting holes in your mobo...otherwise, things could get ugly..
and, if when you mount the motherboard with just the dimples, and when you try and put in a pci card or the video card, and it doesnt line up at all with the slots in the case, then you might have to use the brass riser screws.
give it a try, and let us know how it goes.

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[Guest]

Oh boy, just get your hands on someone who
does this for a hobby...
The hole thread is a joke, or isn´t it?
I am just waiting for someone to suggest
superglue or drilling new holes into the mobo...

No kidding, if you have such difficuties with
the mere assambling of the mobo then a couple
of well ment post wont help you here.

 

[HonestJhon]

good idea....
if you are still having trouble..then i would seek live help...
or set up a video conference with someone...let them guide you by showing them what you are doing...

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[tilepusher]

Hey M,
I totally agree! At the very least everyone should have a book on "how to build a PC"! I do not think anyone should take anyone else's "Posts" as the "Truth"....this is a good forum, but you can only get as good answers as the information that you supply and if you don't know computers, how can you know what or where to find the information we need to help you. Much better to get a book, and look at the pretty pictures and say "OH! that's what that is!!!!!!!!! All the same, with what little knowledge I have, I will try to help....... with my cut hours, I have way too much time on my hands.
Peace Out...........tile

Keep Hope Alive!