Help with new (just built) computer

[ooitsmagic58]

Thanks to anyone who helped me choose my parts (HERE)
Ended up going with

i5 CPU
GIGABYTE GA-P55-UD4P LGA 1156 Intel P55
SAPPHIRE 100279-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB Video Card
Cool Master 600w Power Supply
Cool Master Case
4GB RAM
640 Cav Black WD HDD
VISTA 64bit
Sony Optical

It is all put together now and seems to be up and running fine.
I bought an extra fan that I haven't installed yet because I'm not sure if I need it or not

Is there a way to check the temperature of the CPU/MOBO without installing anything else?
Any advice on general upkeep to make sure things keep running smoothly?
My video card would only work when i plugged it into the power supply with two separate connections is this normal or something I should take a further look at?

Thanks again for any help

 

[obsidian86]

http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php to keep an eye on temps and the 4870 uses 2 connectors yes

 

[wathman]

If your BIOS supports it, you might have some monitoring values for your temps, but really it isn't telling you a whole lot since the CPU isn't under much of a load in BIOS. There's a little program called Core Temp that doesn't even need an install to run, just get the .exe from a good source, like download.com

 

[ooitsmagic58]

Ok thanks again, I'll check out the temp monitors.

A few more quick things...

My front headphone jack doesn't work, any ideas besides just a missed connection on the motherboard?
After the GIGABYTE screen pops up when I first boot my system it will wait a few seconds and then flash "Loading Operating System..." for probably a good 3-5 seconds. Is this normal for a custom built computer?

 

[wathman]

most front audio jacks on cases can use HD audio, or AC '97, If you configured your motherboard for one, and hooked up the front ports with the wrong header, it could possibly not work. Each motherboard is a bit different when it comes to sound, so looking closely at that section in your motherboard manual might tell you something.