redfish
Intelligent Metalhead
- Messages
- 345
- Location
- North Shore Massachusetts
Hi everybody, I'm new to the forum and building my first PC. I have a refined selection of parts, half of which already purchased, and many questions regarding the build. Stats so far:
AMD Phenom II x6 1055T 2.8GHz CPU
ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
Cooler Master Elite 310 Case w/ side panel window (skimped on this)
Cooler Master Elite 460W PSU (skimped on this)
All the parts bought from NewEgg, had to skimp on a lot of stuff (like graphics and PSU) so I could afford the build on my limited budget. Still need HDD (prob WD Caviar Blue 250 GB 16MB Cache), RAM (looking for 4 gigs ddr3 1600 MHz on QVL), and ODD.
first question: How tight is too tight when it comes to mobo screws? I already installed the mobo and CPU, my biggest fear is that i accidentally screwed everything up during a careless moment. They are tightened as much as I can without applying too much force, or should they be completely loose?
Second question: to ground myself, I had made two rings out of heavy-gauge copper wire soldered to wires which were then alligator clipped to the baseboard heat. They were worn on my thumbs. Is this adequate?
Third Question: I've been really frustrated looking for RAM, as my mobo has a very picky QVL. There are some memory DIMMs made by the same manufacturer with the same CAS latency, timing, voltage, and speed but different model numbers than some on the QVL. What is the rule of thumb when it comes to RAM and the QVL? Can I only use those models with the exact model numbers on the list? What if it's the same DIMM model number but a different kit number because it comes with multiple DIMMs?
Fourth Question: Can I put foam spacers between the PSU and the case metal to reduce vibration noise or will this interfere with the functioning of the PSU?
Fifth Question: Any tips?
AMD Phenom II x6 1055T 2.8GHz CPU
ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
Cooler Master Elite 310 Case w/ side panel window (skimped on this)
Cooler Master Elite 460W PSU (skimped on this)
All the parts bought from NewEgg, had to skimp on a lot of stuff (like graphics and PSU) so I could afford the build on my limited budget. Still need HDD (prob WD Caviar Blue 250 GB 16MB Cache), RAM (looking for 4 gigs ddr3 1600 MHz on QVL), and ODD.
first question: How tight is too tight when it comes to mobo screws? I already installed the mobo and CPU, my biggest fear is that i accidentally screwed everything up during a careless moment. They are tightened as much as I can without applying too much force, or should they be completely loose?
Second question: to ground myself, I had made two rings out of heavy-gauge copper wire soldered to wires which were then alligator clipped to the baseboard heat. They were worn on my thumbs. Is this adequate?
Third Question: I've been really frustrated looking for RAM, as my mobo has a very picky QVL. There are some memory DIMMs made by the same manufacturer with the same CAS latency, timing, voltage, and speed but different model numbers than some on the QVL. What is the rule of thumb when it comes to RAM and the QVL? Can I only use those models with the exact model numbers on the list? What if it's the same DIMM model number but a different kit number because it comes with multiple DIMMs?
Fourth Question: Can I put foam spacers between the PSU and the case metal to reduce vibration noise or will this interfere with the functioning of the PSU?
Fifth Question: Any tips?