Are these the rights steps for my build?

[zicogja421]

Hello all. All my parts are supposed to arrive by this Wednesday, so I am continuing to prepare for my first build by reading building guides and product manuals.

I have made a checklist of what I intend to do and the order in which I intend to do them. Can you please
tell me if there is anything that I seem to be missing? Thanks.

1. Open up all the packages to make sure that nothing is missing and that all the parts and included accessories/manuals/etc are in proper condition; if a part comes in an anti-static bag, leave it in its bag until I am ready to install it.
2. Place case sideways on table, leaving any cables or loose parts to the side.
3. Put on anti-static wrist strap and ground it by clipping it to the case (which is aluminum).
4. Take motherboard out of anti-static wrist bag and place it on the cardboard box that it came in.
5. Unhook socket lever and lift up socket load plate.
6. Remove protective socket cover.
7. Remove CPU from bag and align properly with the socket. Lower the CPU carefully into socket, never forcing it in and making sure it is properly seated.
8. Bring down socket load plate and rehook the socket lever.
9. Apply thermal paste, per appropriate instructions, to the top of the CPU.
10. Install aftermarket CPU heatsink per instructions included.
11. Install 1 stick of RAM, making sure it is fully seated and seated in the appropriate slot (per the motherboard's manual).
12. Remove generic I/O panel from case (if any) and install the I/O panel that comes with the motherboard.
13. Install motherboard spacers inside the case, referring to the instructions included with both the motherboard and the case.
14. Install motherboard into the case, screwing it to the spacers inside the case. Make sure that the spacers are properly aligned with the holes in your motherboard and make sure there are no loose parts in the case that will touch the back of the motherboard once you install it.
15. Install power supply unit per instructions included. Do not yet plug the PSU into an outlet and make sure it is set to the OFF position.
16. Install DVD Optical Drive into case, per instructions of drive and case.
17. Install Graphics card into PCI-E slot per instructions of card and motherboard. Make sure that it is fully seated in the appropriate slot.
18. Connect the power supply unit to the motherboard via 24-pin ATX power cable, making sure the cable is properly aligned with the correct connector on the motherboard.
19. Connect the power supply unit to the CPU fan via 8-pin ATX power cable, making sure the cable is properly aligned with the correct connector on the motherboard.
20. Connect the case header (Power, Reset, Power LED, HD LED) cables to the appropriate connectors on the motherboard.
21. Connect the Optical drive to the appropriate motherboard connector via SATA data/interface cable.
22. Connect the Optical drive to the PSU via PSU's SATA power cable.
23. Connect the Graphics card to the PSU via PSU's PCI-E 6+2 power cable.
24. Connect monitor to Graphics card via DVI/VGA connector cable.
25. Turn on monitor.
25. Connect keyboard to motherboard via PS/2 port on I/O panel.
25b. Make sure you set the power supply to the proper voltage. 110v in the United States and 220v in other parts of the world ? Check Manual.
26. Plug PSU into outlet, set PSU to ON, and press power button case.
27. Push the appropriate button on the keyboard to enter system BIOS. Go to your memory settings. Change the voltage to what is recommended by the manufacturer. Set the primary timings that are also recommended by your manufacturer (copied from Crazy_Nate's post).
28. Save.
39. Go to boot menu and select boot from optical drive (the one installed in step 16).
30. Save.
31. Open DVD optical drive and insert CD with memtest86 iso burned to it. Close drive.
32. Restart computer.
33. Fire up memtest, verify ten passes on tests 5 & 8...then at least a couple hours on all tests (Crazy_nate).
34. Turn off computer, set PSU to OFF, and unplug PSU from outlet.
35. Install 2nd stick of RAM to motherboard.
36. Plug PSU into outlet, set PSU to ON, and press power button on case.
37. Run memtest again. (Do you need to change something in BIOS or can you go straight to the memtest again?)
38. Repeat 34-37 for installation/testing of 3rd stick of ram.
39. If you pass all the memtests, proceed to step 40. If you don't pass the tests, then? (Also, how do you know what is good and bad in terms of these tests?)
40. Repeat Step 34.
41. Record hard drive information, including data code, serial number, and model number.
42. Install hard drive into case per instructions of case and hard drive.
43. Connect the hard drive to the motherboard via SATA data cable.
44. Connect the hard drive to the PSU via PSU's SATA power cable.
45. Repeat step 36.
46. Enter system BIOS (before computer boots memtest CD again).
47. Make sure BIOS recognizes hard drive.
48. Eject memtest CD.
49. Insert CD that comes with hard drive to set up hard drive (boot priority should still be set to optical drive).
50. Turn off computer.
51. Install mouse into usb port (I assume that I don't need to turn off PSU and unplug it for this?)
52. Turn on computer.
53. Follow instructions to install, partition, and format a new boot hard drive (here is where I get kind of lost. Do I need to or should I set up a partition on which to install Win 7 RC? If so, how large does it have to be?)
54. Click Done on installation wizard (using WD Caviar Black 1TB Data Lifeguard Tools setup wizard)
55. Eject Western Digital Setup CD and insert CD with Win 7 installation iso burned on it.
55b. Restart computer.
56. Follow instructions to install Win 7 (Can't I install Win 7 on its own partition using this setup rather than pre-creating a partition for it using the Data Lifeguard Setup?)
57. Restart computer.
58. Enter system BIOS (before computer boots Win 7 CD again).
59. Set boot priority to hard drive.
60. Restart computer.
61. Install/connect wireless USB network adapter and connect to home network.
62. Update Windows 7.
63. Install latest drivers for all installed hardware, especially motherboard and graphics card.
64. Restart computer.
65. Make sure basic functions are working in Win 7.
66. Repeat step 34.
67. Connect all case fans to motherboard (or PSU? Assuming that I want to control the speeds through Windows, I intend to connect the case fans to the motherboard) per instructions of motherboard and case.
68. Connect case header USB and audio ports to motherboard per instructions of motherboard and case.
69. Cable management. Make sure there are no loose parts anywhere.
70. Close case up.
71. Repeat step 36.
72. Install / open Prime95. Run for a minimum of 8 hours at stock settings. I like to do at least 24 hours. Monitor temperatures. 60C is the threshold I like to have for processors (Crazy_Nate).
74. Repeat step 34.
75. Unplug everything from the external computer ports and move computer, monitor, and accessories (mouse, keyboard, wireless adapter) onto desk.
76. Plug everything back in and repeat step 36.
77. That's it.

Sorry if this was list was way too long, but I want to be extra careful to do everything right and ESPECIALLY not to break or threaten the integrity of any of the parts while I'm installing them. Thanks a bunch.

[kram 2.0]

The list is very detailed - I congratulate you for doing your fair share of research.

A few comments:
#3: Not absolutely necessary, just try not work on on a highly statistically charged area such as on carpet.

#9: Depends on whether purchased a retail package processor or not. If you purchased a retail processor with a heat sink included as part of the purchase, a nice thin layer of thermal pad that conducts heat is usually already there. Be careful to apply a small dabble - do not apply paste liberally if you are using it.

#53: Yes. Set up a new primary partition. That is where your primary OS will reside and boot off of. It should at least be north of 10 GB - you may consider making the partition size virtually the size of your entire hard drive.

I'm sure there are a few more that I could comment on, but these were the ones that stood out to me.

kram

[shadowpr]

I would do a few things differently.

I would set up a bare minimum build out of the case first to make sure you get a post screen. PROBLEMS with a NEW BUILD? Try This!!

If that works, I would put the power supply in the case first, then the motherboard. After you put the standoffs.

I wouldn't bother running memtest unless you have problems.

You don't need to run the wd hard drive cd. Just put the windows cd in, and boot from that. Install windows, then mother board drivers, then the other drivers.

Also, connect case fans before you start installing windows.

[zicogja421]

Originally Posted by kram 2.0 The list is very detailed - I congratulate you for doing your fair share of research. A few comments: #3: Not absolutely necessary, just try not work on on a highly statistically charged area such as on carpet. #9: Depends on whether purchased a retail package processor or not. If you purchased a retail processor with a heat sink included as part of the purchase, a nice thin layer of thermal pad that conducts heat is usually already there. Be careful to apply a small dabble - do not apply paste liberally if you are using it. #53: Yes. Set up a new primary partition. That is where your primary OS will reside and boot off of. It should at least be north of 10 GB - you may consider making the partition size virtually the size of your entire hard drive. I'm sure there are a few more that I could comment on, but these were the ones that stood out to me. kram

Thanks, I have spent a significant amount of time looking up guides and reading the manuals that are available online for the products that I will be working with. I also read the sticky guide in this sub-forum.

As far as wearing the wrist strap, I understand that it is not necessary, but I figure that it's better to be safe than sorry.

As far as thermal paste, I will be working with a core i7 920 processor chip. I hear that those do not come with thermal paste pre-applied to the chip itself, although it may have paste or a pad pre-applied to the stock heatsink. I will be using an aftermarket heatsink however, which brings me to a question: the heatsink (Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V) tells me to apply thermal paste to the bottom of the heatsink before I install it, but the instructions for the Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste that I will be using tell me to apply a line of paste only to the top of the CPU... so, should I ignore the Xigmatek instructions and apply paste to the top of the CPU rather than to the bottom of the heatsink?

Also, I'm a little confused about Step 19. I believe that I connect the PSU directly to the CPU fan connector on the motherboard (8 or 4 pin), but do I connect the CPU fan/heatsink itself directly to the motherboard or PSU via a cable somehow??

As for step 53, how do I know how large of a partition to create before I install the OS? I have a 1TB hard drive, so should I partition the whole drive for the OS or just the minimum necessary?

[zicogja421]

Originally Posted by shadowpr I would do a few things differently. I would set up a bare minimum build out of the case first to make sure you get a post screen. PROBLEMS with a NEW BUILD? Try This!! If that works, I would put the power supply in the case first, then the motherboard. After you put the standoffs. I wouldn't bother running memtest unless you have problems. You don't need to run the wd hard drive cd. Just put the windows cd in, and boot from that. Install windows, then mother board drivers, then the other drivers. Also, connect case fans before you start installing windows.

I might actually do the minimum build thing instead of putting the mobo in the case before I first power up... is it hard to remove the screws from the spacers after they are first screwed in?

As far as installing the PSU, should I install it at the bottom or at the top of the case?

So there is no reason why I would need to run the WD CD? It all seems like stuff I can do in BIOS, like setting up the drive as the primary drive, but I still don't quite understand the idea of partitioning and formatting a new hard drive, e.g, what is involved and what is required and why (particularly in relation to the installation of the OS)?

Thanks a bunch for the replies so far. I appreciate any help I can get.

[kram 2.0]

As for thermal paste, it doesn't matter. It's usually easier to put the thermal paste on the processor die since the processor doesn't move when you're installing the heat sink contraption.

I realize this isn't the exact answer you're seeking, but the partition size is up to you. You have a finite amount of total hard drive space that you can partition. The most simple method is to simply create one primary partition, load the OS on there, and run off of there. Others like to create multiple partitions to separate between data/file material and the OS/software stuff. That's up to you. Additionally, a few others like to dual boot - that is, load multiple operating systems onto the same hard drive. That simply requires installing the operating systems on separate partitions. If you're seeking the simple solution, creating one partition that spans the size of the entire hard drive works fine.

The heat sink fan (the large fan that is latched onto the heat sink) has a power connection to the motherboard. This is true for most Intel/AMD stock/retail heat sink fans. This may differ for third-party and aftermarket heat sink and heat sink fans as they may require additional power to function.

kram

[tmathews]

I recommend that you go ahead and run memtest86+ on your RAM and manufacturer's diagnostics on your harddrive before installing the OS (just download the Ultimate Boot CD .iso to get both). I've gotten a bad drive and bad memory, both of which seemed okay during the build but tested bad. I would launch memtest86+ before going to bed and let it run overnight. The long harddrive tests may run a couple of hours depending on how big the drive is.

[glc]

It's best to at least format the drive before testing it.

[zicogja421]

Originally Posted by tmathews I recommend that you go ahead and run memtest86+ on your RAM and manufacturer's diagnostics on your harddrive before installing the OS (just download the Ultimate Boot CD .iso to get both). I've gotten a bad drive and bad memory, both of which seemed okay during the build but tested bad. I would launch memtest86+ before going to bed and let it run overnight. The long harddrive tests may run a couple of hours depending on how big the drive is.

What software do I use to test the hard drive (as far as I can tell, the WD Caviar Black 1TB only comes with a CD that lets you set up and partition the drive)? I have memtest86, but I have a question regarding the tests: Do I need to test the RAM sticks one by one or can I install my 3 sticks and run the test on all 3 at the same time?

Also, I received half of my parts today, so I've been reading the manuals. The mobo manual tells me how set up the mobo to test "the absolute bare minimum essentials of your mobo before installing it into a case."... CPU, heatsink (and connection to mobo), keyboard, RAM, graphics card and monitor, power (Mobo, CPU) connections, and finally a hard drive disk... my question is this: on what do I place the hard drive if not in the case? Is it safe to power up the mobo with the hard drive connected to it and the PSU if the hard drive is not installed in the case?

Thanks.

[glc]

You don't even need all that. PSU, mobo, CPU, heatsink, video card, and monitor is ALL you need. Leave the mobo OUT of the case.

PROBLEMS with a NEW BUILD? Try This!!

You can run the memtest with all the ram installed.

The hard drive diags are Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostics. Download them from WD.

[zicogja421]

Originally Posted by glc You don't even need all that. PSU, mobo, CPU, heatsink, video card, and monitor is ALL you need. Leave the mobo OUT of the case. PROBLEMS with a NEW BUILD? Try This!! You can run the memtest with all the ram installed. The hard drive diags are Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostics. Download them from WD.

Hmmm... I think I'll install the 3 sticks of RAM but not the hard drive before the first power-up, if only to start configuring the settings in BIOS for the RAM (voltage, etc.). I didn't really think that it was essential to connect the hard drive before the first POST, but I wanted to make sure, since the included guide said these were the "absolute bare minimum essentials," lol.

I found the Diagnostics tool online. Thanks... and this is something I should run before even partitioning and formatting the drive, correct?

Thanks.

[glc]

No, format it first if you are going to run diags on it.

The link for out of the case is simply for a quick POST to validate the core components. Wait till you have everything in the case to configure the bios.