Motherboard Mounting

[jpastuch]

OK, so after the CPU, this was thing I was most afraid of facing. I have tested my build and it POSTed twice.

My case has all of the 9 brackets installed for my ATX board, my PSU is unplugged but secured at the bottom, drives are all secured. I just gotta mount the mobo in the case.

I'm paranoid I will damage this board mounting it. I have the mounting stands orientated correctly, my question is, can I accidentally short out the mobo if one of those brass standoffs touch a part of the mobo that IS NOT one of mounting holes? I don't mean when I power it on, I mean when I'm trying to align everything (with the PSU disconnected and such) and get the mobo in the case, will those brass standoffs cause damage unless I place it EXACTLY lined up with those holes?

In other words, is it OK if I'm not exact while I line everything up and getting it in there?

Also, what is the best method to line it up? Should I just focus on lining everything up with the back panel shield and making sure the brass stands line up exactly with the grounding holes on my board?

 

[jpastuch]

OK, I just tried mounting it and I'm having a problem with that insulation cushion on my I/O shield. I think it's making the brackets line up with the holes unevenly. I tried four of the holes and it seemed to go OK.

But I got to a fifth side hole that matched up with the bracket a little unevenly and it felt like it was starting to cross thread so I just backed out.

Now I'm thinking I should unscrew the mobo and take that stupid cushion of my I/O plate. Do I need it?

 

[robustus64]

Ok no it wont short out as long as its all UNPLUGed..#2 the io sheild will always give some feedback so you have to push the board into place and insert at least one screw to hold it while you put all other screws in then tghten them all.....

 

[jasont78]

they pretty resilient they can handle a bit of a bash going in just dont do it intentionally

 

[jpastuch]

No, definately not doing it intentionally. Just when I'm tried to slide/readjust the board into the I/O panel it sometimes kinds of POPs back and I think the brass connectors scrape agains the back of the board a bit (I don't think it was hard enough to scratch it, but I have not checked...)

I left it over night. Like I said, I have four screws in but the other holes do not line up exactly, they are kind of off a bit. I might be able to get them but it might go in at an angle and I don't want to wreck anything.

Do I really need that stupid cushion on the I/O panel? I feel like that is the thing pushing it back to make it uneven in some spots. Again, it's very flush and even in some mounting holes but not others....

And TRUST me I am pushing the board as far as it can go into the I/O panel. This is very nerve racking!

 

[jpastuch]

Just want to update, I took the rest of the screws out, I did not see any cross threading on them so hopefully the stand offs are all right.

Here is the one that was not going in straight and felt like it was starting to cross thread:

It just seems a little too off to make it, which is a pain since the rest lined up pretty well.

The problem is once I have more than one screw in, I can no longer push on the board to adjust as obviously it is not secured in place and won't budge. This is a huge huge pain. arrggghhhh

 

[jasont78]

it will be fine i build about a dozen compus a year and i have only had one doa and that was about 10 years ago and i put them together with cordless drill etc and some cheap cases are a pain in the butt, the stand offs dont line up, gpus dont go in cos the ports hit the mounting brackets, etc etc. end of the day u get what u pay for. just tweak it across u may have to use a bit of force and dump a screw in it. the pcbs usually have some solder reinforcing around screw holes too.

 

[jpastuch]

OK, I tried that screw again and definately met with resistance...do not want to cross thread.

Removed all the screws and it's sitting on the stands now. Should I just rip that dumb padding off of the I/O plate?

 

[jasont78]

OK, I tried that screw again and definately met with resistance...do not want to cross thread.

Removed all the screws and it's sitting on the stands now. Should I just rip that dumb padding off of the I/O plate?

it will be fine and u wont cross thread it thats the least of your worries, check the spring backs on the i/o shield aren't caught in your lan port or anything like that which can happen and if your still that worried about it and its only one mount not being able to be screwed in take your board off and remove that one screw mount and be done with it

 

[jpastuch]

it will be fine and u wont cross thread it thats the least of your worries, check the spring backs on the i/o shield aren't caught in your lan port or anything like that which can happen and if your still that worried about it and its only one mount not being able to be screwed in take your board off and remove that one screw mount and be done with it

Can't I just leave the standoff there, as long as I can see it through the hole?

 

[jasont78]

Can't I just leave the standoff there, as long as I can see it through the hole?

just put the screw thru it wont cross thread then

 

[jpastuch]

just put the screw thru it wont cross thread then

Huh? I meant the ones I can't get through just right, just leaving the screw out. The standoff would be a huge pain to take out at this point.

 

[jasont78]

Huh? I meant the ones I can't get through just right, just leaving the screw out. The standoff would be a huge pain to take out at this point.

it wont cross thread im over this thread