Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
I ’ve built one C of PCs , but despite so much time with empty hardware boxes and a screwdriver , I still make duncish mistakes . Between rushing , ignoring critical step in the build outgrowth , and simply not paying aid , I ’ve ruined century of dollar Charles Frederick Worth of hardware and wasted dozens of hours of time .
You do n’t have to fall dupe to the same mistakes I have . Here are some of the dumbest misapprehension I ’ve made when building PC over the last few years and what you’re able to do to forefend them .
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Playing loose with compatibility
If you ’ve build enough personal computer , you think you know it all . You ’ve seen enough cases and enough constituent to have a middling good melodic theme of what will gibe where , and you do n’t need to do the interminable triple - checking of your build leaning to verify everything will come together in the way you ideate it . That approaching works pretty well for seasoned PC builders — until , well , it does n’t .
It ’s happened to me several fourth dimension . Not too long ago , I was put togethera console table killer PC for an articleI was working on inside the Lian Li A4 - H20 microcomputer fount . I was using a dual - slot MSI RX 6600 XT Gaming X board for the build , which I assumed would accommodate . After all , this pillow slip patronise up to a triple - slot carte .
That was n’t the case . The outer plastic shell of the tank protruded out beyond the walls of the slip , blocking me from putting the side panel back on . A quick check of the wit ’s thickness and the dimensions of the case would ’ve resolve this issue .
In another example , I was invest together a shape inside of theHyte Y40PC display case . For this build , I was using a Corsair H115i CPU cooler , which is a 280 mm all - in - one liquidness ice chest that I planned to install at the top of the case . I put everything together , including populating the other fan slots , and got ready to mount the CPU ice chest .
Unfortunately , the Hyte Y40 does n’t support a 280 mm radiator at the top of the case . It sustain up to a 360 mm radiator , but it does n’t have the extra breadth for a 280 mm radiator . I was capable to uninstall the sports fan on the side of the case and place the AIO there , but I could ’ve saved 45 minutes and a vexation by properly condition the specification canvas .
I was able to fixate the problem in both situations , but I also have access to a backstock of sometime computer hardware to make up for any misunderstanding I make . Learn from me and double - see your compatibility even if you ’ve done it a million time before .
Forcing the issue
I have a problem . I get too easily frustrate when building a PC , and I have a tendency to start impel screw down when they clearly do n’t want to budge . That ’s a bad idea with any projection involving screws , but it ’s particularly prejudicious when you ’re build a PC .
Thankfully , I do n’t have any horror stories outside of stripped screw , but the job could have easily been much worse . Although you need to put some press on certain roll in the hay in your case — in particular your sports fan screws and CPU cooler — push too hard can lead in wiped out computer hardware or a PC that will slow demolish itself .
rugged hardware comes up with motherboard screws . You need to firmly climb your motherboard to your microcomputer case , but you do n’t need to stiffen them with all your might . If you do , you might finish up with a broken in motherboard . I hark back a time building inside the Be Quiet ! Pure Base 900 where I almost did exactly that . The face does n’t come with motherboard standoffs preinstalled , and I run to mount the motherboard with one missing . gratefully , I caught the motherboard bending before I could do too much damage .
Elsewhere , forcing a screw down can cause a leak in your microcomputer if you ’re using a liquid cooler . Radiator screws are long and sometimes difficult to cheat in due to a character ’s design . This can force you to stiffen the turnkey down at an angle , which could thrust your radiator and cause liquid state to easy ooze out of your tank .
You ’ll have to put a moment of muscular tissue in when building a PC , but it should n’t be anything unreasonable . If you feel like you ’re forcing a screw down , that ’s a sign of the zodiac that you need to take a step back and strain a dissimilar coming before potentially ruin your hardware .
Forgetting BIOS updates
For decades , the traditional wisdom surroundingBIOS updateshas been to only update if you specifically need to . BIOS updates are risky , and unless there ’s a specific issue you ’re fixing , there ’s no reason to disturb the peace . Today , things are much unlike . Both Intel and AMD will bring out several generations of processors using the same motherboard design , and BIOS update constantly add novel features , support for more computer hardware , and updates that even ameliorate performance .
In the retiring two years , I have installed a Modern AMD processor in an old AM4 motherboard five — yes , five — times without updating the BIOS beforehand . After realizing how royally I messed up , I then spent another hour , each time , dismantle the PC , installing an older AMD processor , scud a novel BIOS , and put everything back together again .
I ’ve only run into this job when upgrade an aged PC with a new confirm processor , which is becoming more and more unwashed . There are other state of affairs where this could pop up , however . novel revision to mainframe may need a specific BIOS version , and RAM kits may not be explicitly support with whatever BIOS you pulled your motherboard out of the box with .
If you plan on making core ironware changes to your microcomputer — mainly the CPU and RAM — it ’s a good theme to upgrade your motherboard ’s BIOS beforehand . If nothing else , you ’ll be able-bodied to rule out the BIOS if something is n’t run as expected , and you’re able to be sure-footed that you ’re getting the best performance out of your hardware .
The CPU wiggle test
rent me tell you a story about how I ruined a $ 500 motherboard . I was install theRyzen 9 7950Xinside a Gigabyte Aorus Master X670E motherboard . I lined up the lucky triangle , carefully knock off the CPU into the socket , and clamp the square bracket shut . After finishing up the rest of the shape , mount the cooler , and glom up a display , I expire to bring up the microcomputer for the first time . It did n’t work .
hour of troubleshooting ensued before I at last decided to check the CPU . There were a few bent pins inside the CPU socket on the corner , and just like that , I had a dead $ 500 motherboard . I could ’ve easily avoided the trouble with the trusted wiggle test , too .
Whenever you install a Modern CPU , you should give it a little squirm . This confirm that the central processor is aligned properly within the socket so that everything clamps together as it should when you shut down the mount bracket . novel CPUs have notches on them to line up the placement , in fact .
I did n’t do that . I must have misaligned the CPU slightly when I installed it , and in the appendage of closing the mounting angle bracket , I forced the CPU into place while bending some flag on the motherboard .
After set up your central processor , you need to ever so slimly nudge it on either side . Do n’t apply pressure , but ensure it ’s not move inside the socket . The supernumerary check can keep you a draw of money and hassle if you find yourself in a like situation .
Putting on the side panel before first boot
Call it superstition — that ’s on the nose what it is — but I ’ve always had some kind of issue when booting up a young microcomputer build after put the side panel on . If you ’re not familiar , there ’s a bit of former PC - building folklore that your microcomputer wo n’t boot if you put the side panel on after finishing the build . For me , confirmation bias has reared its surly headland on that old tale more times than I can count .
Of of course , your side panel does n’t change anything about if your personal computer will boot or not . Unless you have some serious thermic issue inside your case , the side panel wo n’t have any impact . But if there happens to be an issue where your PC wo n’t bring up the first prison term , you have to take off the side gore again to get indoors and set up the job .
As long as I remember , I keep the side control board off on that first charge even if I know the microcomputer is all right . It might be out of tradition , or it might be from the too many times I was combust by problems in the build . Regardless , pass on the side panel off on that first kick just to make certain .
