tips putting together a new pc

[Greco101]

WOW.


It's definitely a bigger pain than it seems. I dont have any idea how you guys make them so neat in so little of space... I can't get it even close to neat in a full tower!

The psu came with 2 connectors with 3 power doodads and 1 with only 2. I'm only using 1 HD so I have 2 extras just hanging there.

Wires coming from the top of the case for usb and other crap. AHHHH

Also, how do you tell which wire is + and -? Right now I took it as white = neg and for the red/black plug the black is the neg?

blah... I'm almost scared to start it up:dead:

[.Maleficus.]

Wow I don't know what you're trying to say. Clarification would be great.

[Eclecticos]

My God mann. . what are you doing over there?

I would recommend against starting it up!

Here are your PSU Voltages:
20 Pin:
http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/2866/20pinkw3.jpg
24 Pin:
http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/6891/24pingc1.jpg

Your molex connectors are Red= +5v Yellow= +12v and Black is Always Ground.

[Greco101]

I dont even know what Im saying lol. I'm pretty overwhelmed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?Image=17-139-002-14.jpg%2c17-139-002-03.jpg%2c17-139-002-04.jpg%2c17-139-002-05.jpg%2c17-139-002-06.jpg%2c17-139-002-07.jpg%2c17-139-002-08.jpg%2c17-139-002-09.jpg%2c17-139-002-10.jpg%2c17-139-002-11.jpg%2c17-139-002-12.jpg&CurImage=17-139-002-09.jpg&Depa=0&Description=CORSAIR+CMPSU-620HX+ATX12V+v2.2+and+EPS12V+2.91+620W+Power+Suppl y+100+-+240+V+UL%2c+CUL%2c+CE%2c+CB%2c+FCC+Class+B%2c+TUV %2c+CCC%2c+C-tick+-+Retail

there's a picture with what the PSU came with.




basically, where do you guys get your cables? It'd help if I knew the name for each connector but I dont. I'm not even 100% sure if everything is hooked up right.

I needed to know which are pos and neg because the wires such as the hddlight, restart button etc are *color* and white. One of them is black and red. In the motherboard manual it just shows where to put them but not which way.

I think I'm going to take it all apart and start over. it looks like crap, there are just too many wires I'm not using!!

there are usb connections coming from the top of the case but instead of being normal, theyre flat! uivsf they all need to stick in the same damn form factor

and there's a 6pin and 4pin connected to the psu... and theres only a 6pin on the mobo so that 4pin is also just hanging there. I honestly have no clue how you guys do it.

**EDIT**

8 pin not 6

[Eclecticos]

Here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?Image=17-139-002-14.jpg%2c17-139-002-03.jpg%2c17-139-002-04.jpg%2c17-139-002-05.jpg%2c17-139-002-06.jpg%2c17-139-002-07.jpg%2c17-139-002-08.jpg%2c17-139-002-09.jpg%2c17-139-002-10.jpg%2c17-139-002-11.jpg%2c17-139-002-12.jpg&CurImage=17-139-002-09.jpg&Depa=0&Description=CORSAIR+CMPSU-620HX+ATX12V+v2.2+and+EPS12V+2.91+620W+Power+Suppl y+100+-+240+V+UL%2c+CUL%2c+CE%2c+CB%2c+FCC+Class+B%2c+TUV %2c+CCC%2c+C-tick+-+Retail) are the Names. Now I see why you are confused!


hddlight, restart button etc are *color* and white. One of them is black and red. In the motherboard manual it just shows where to put them but not which way.

With the writing face up Make sure you count them according to the Up and Down zig zag pattern.

Do you have AMD or Intel Processor? What is the make and Model of your Mobo?

[.Maleficus.]

1. I get my cables with my PSU. I'm not sure what you mean "where do you get them". They come with the PSU, either attached, or in your case, not attached because it's modular.

2. I imagine that the writing on the front panel connectors will be facing up when put in correctly. If not and you try to boot the system, it just won't turn on. No biggie, just switch them around.

3. Ummm, I'm pretty sure that they're always flat. Mine are.

4. That 4 pin hanging off doesn't matter. Leave it.

5. We do it by not getting frustrated. If you're having a hard time, set it down, watch some tv, do something else. Don't slam things together in a fit of rage. Be calm when you put it all together. It's easier after the first time.

6. There's really no need for a triple post ;).

[Eclecticos]

Here is your Motherboard:

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/6424/1318801404jy1.jpg

Plug your PSU 8-pin EPS12V into your 8 Pin CPU connector on your Mobo.
Also Plug your 24pin into you 24-Pin atx power connector.

Are you that far yet?
I hope you get it figured out.

[slytherock]

And never underestimate the power of the Manual

@Eclecticos: just as a side note, I get back to you as soon as I can ;)

[intergalacticman]

well, with the extra wires, just coil them up and twist tie them, then stuff them behind the CD drives, Or just cut em off. If you are so into neatness, maybe you should have got a modular power supply.

http://www.computerhope.com/pictures/power/molex.jpg
Power doodads?

when i set up my first mobo, i just plugged everything where it looked like it fits. Its not all that complicated

[Bucko]

As far as the front panel LED connectors, usually if they all have a white wire and a *colour* wire, the white is negative. For the power switch and reset switch, it doesn't matter which way round they go as there is no positive and negative in the switch, the switch simply completes the circuit.
The red and black is probably your speaker connector. Does it have a flat 4 pin connector where the middle two are empty?

As where we get out cables, well I use what comes with the PSU and then modify from there, either cutting it shorter and resoldering, or cutting it off completely if I don't need it. In this post below from a worklog of mine you can see how I'm shortening all 20 wires for the MoBo connector. Also look to the left of the picture and you'll see a whole lot of black and yellow wires with red heat shrink on the ends. They were wires I didn't need, so I cut them off.


More on the PSU. I shortened all the wire for the MoBo connector so it will be a nice neat fit. I removed around 7" from each of the wires and soldered them back together.

Part way through:

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1340/cameradump124ha1.jpg

And job done:

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/2540/cameradump125er4.jpg


The next step will be doing the other power wires for the drives and fans.

I would get the system up and running first if I were you, then worry about cable management.

[Spawn-Inc]

well, with the extra wires, just coil them up and twist tie them, then stuff them behind the CD drives, Or just cut em off. If you are so into neatness, maybe you should have got a modular power supply.

he did get one...

and as far as the power switch with the postive and negative it doesn't matter, like bucko said, same with the reset. but with the hdd lights and power led it does so if it doesn't work the first way flip it.


whats with all the triple posting?!?! you know there is a edit button right?! i use it all the time. there i just edited it now!
(to intergalacticman and Greco101)

my edit button works too. I merged their posts together. Bucko

Nice:D

[Greco101]

After about 4 and ahalf hours of work... I figured out some of the tricks. Here are some pics minus the sound card and video card coming tomorrow. Also the temp gauges and fan controller arnt hooked up yet.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/BlackS3ven/Picture003.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/BlackS3ven/Picture10.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/BlackS3ven/Picture006.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/BlackS3ven/Picture005.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/BlackS3ven/Picture002.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/BlackS3ven/Picture001.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/BlackS3ven/Picture9.jpg
Some of the mess... I try to semi clean up every so often so I don't lose stuff or go crazy because of a mess (cluttering stresses me out)



Sorry about double and triple posts... I do it because it's usually addressing something or someone else. I'll break the habit though.



I would get the system up and running first if I were you, then worry about cable management.

...oops. :redface:

Edit again...
effin newegg does it again! Instead of shipping from their warehouse 90 minutes away... they wanna ship from EDISON,
NJ. So much for having my pc up 2morrow.

[Spawn-Inc]

if you want some good cable management why don't you group cables going to the same place in one big cable sleeve instead of seperate smallers ones. dam you i want my computer too! but alas i have no money yet. btw what dvd drives are those? are they sata (looks like) once u get it all working tell me if there any good.

[Bucko]

The reason I say to get it running first, is then you can address what cables you really need, and what you don't, before you cut out any extras.

@Spawn: I have an LG SATA DVD drive in my gaming PC. It seems to work fine and makes the inside neater having a small SATA cable rather than a big IDE.
I'd run them on my Mini-Rat Media PC too, but the MoBo only has 2 SATA ports and they are taken up with the two HDDs.

[Spawn-Inc]

^^ well thats good to hear since thats what i was planing on getting. but i'm not sure if i need two and if i don't then i was considering a plextor. what model is your lg this? (http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013996&cid=CR.184)

[Bucko]

That looks like it. It was $55 here.
I only have one in the gaming PC as that's all I need. I've got two in the media PC for easier copying of data. Each one there runs it's own IDE cable for a bit better speed.

[Greco101]

if you want some good cable management why don't you group cables going to the same place in one big cable sleeve instead of seperate smallers ones. dam you i want my computer too! but alas i have no money yet. btw what dvd drives are those? are they sata (looks like) once u get it all working tell me if there any good.

I thought about that before but then it looks too <i>blah</i>. I may anyways thought for better airflow if needed.
Here's (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827106040) the link to my DVD drives



The reason I say to get it running first, is then you can address what cables you really need, and what you don't, before you cut out any extras.

Well I know which ones I need, but because this was my first custom I was a bit overwhelmed with all the parts and wires. I'm use to the basic old school computer where the wires are exactly what you need and are the lengths they need to be. Hopefully nothing is DOA :dead: