How To Install A Motherboard
Author: Anthony Elias

(Important make sure you read through this guide before you
begin installation of your new motherboard.)

The motherboard is the largest and one of the most important
components of your computer. It's reliability and health is
utmost important.

Once you have picked out and purchased your motherboard you are
ready for installation.
Carefully remove the motherboard from the box, do not remove it
out of the ESD (electro static discharge) bag. Do a quick
inventory to make sure you have all of your parts. Most likely
you should have all of you IDE cables for the hard drive and
cdrom, and possibly I/O plate. If you purchased a motherboard
that support ATA hard drives you should have those cables.

Once you have verified that you have all the parts, pick up the
user manual, and read through it, you don't have to read it from
cover to cover but you want to familiarize yourself with the
motherboard, in addition many motherboard manufactures will
also include a quick installation guide so take a look at that
also.

Now you are ready, your work area should be clean and static
free. Put on your anti static wrist band, if you have one. A
anti static wrist band is just basically a cloth wrist band
that has a snap on stretchable cable that is grounded, the
grounded surface area helps keep electrostatic discharge in
control.

Remove the motherboard from the box and all of the parts. Then
remove the motherboard from ESD bag and lay it inside the empty
box. Cut open your ESD bag on each side and turn it inside out
so that you can lay your motherboard inside of it. Just laying
your new motherboard on top of your ESD bag is not enough
protection from electro static discharge.

Prepare your computer chassis. If you have already installed
and mounted your power supply, tie the power cords out of your
way with some wire ties, or some Velcro. You need a clear path
from the opening of your chassis to the bottom of your chassis,
where your motherboard will be mounted.

Something's you need to think about before you drop your new
motherboard into your chassis is, cooling. Depending on what
type of processor you have purchased, the processor may run
hot. So you have to think about good ventilation for your
chassis. Heat can destroy your new investment in a matter of
hours. If you do not already have at least two exhaust fans on
your chassis you may have to think about actually cutting a
hole either at the top of your chassis or on the side to mount
the exhaust fans. Ok pick your jaw off the ground; it's not as
bad as it sounds. If you have a dremel with a cutting blade it
can be very easy. Use an old CD as a template and draw around
the CD with a washable marker. Then just follow the line with
your dremel. Now you don't have to do this, you can buy a
chassis with plenty of exhaust fans already installed, so that
is something to consider when you are in the process of buying
all of your parts.

Now let's get back to installing your new motherboard. Once you
have a clear path to the bottom of your computer chassis, make
sure that you have your bag of screws handy, and a long neck
Philips screw driver. Take a look at the motherboard mounts,
they are installed inside your chassis, these are the mounts
that you will align with the holes on the motherboard. If you
do not have any mounts you will have to installed them your
self. The hardware should have come with your chassis if your
chassis is new; if not make sure you save your screws, when you
remove your old mother board.

Remove the old I/O plate and install the new one, take a look
at the manual for reference. Make sure that it is secure. Look
at the mounts that are on the bottom of your, chassis you want
to make sure that you line up the mounts with the holes that
are drilled on your mother board. (Important DO NOT DRILL ANY
HOLES IN YOUR MOTHERBOARD) Angle the motherboard so that I/O
ports will match with the holes on the I/O plate. There is a
good chance that you might need to remove the break away pieces
of metal the cover some I/O holes on the I/O plate. It is a good
idea to check for proper match before installing the mother
board.

As you angle the motherboard towards the I/O plates make sure
that mounting holes on the motherboard are lining up with the
mounts on the chassis. Gently push the motherboard towards the
back of the chassis so that the I/O ports are snug against the
I/O plate, and that all of the ports are protruding all the way
out.

Once you have the motherboard correctly align with the I/O
plate you are ready to mount the motherboard to the chassis
with the screws provided. Tighten each screw down so that they
are snug; do not over tighten the screws.

Use the manual as your guide and connect the power LED,
speaker, reset switch ECT, coming off of the chassis to the
F_panel (Front Panel) of your motherboard. Since each
motherboard will be slightly different make sure to refer to
the manual for exact instruction.

Ok well there you have it. You just installed your new
motherboard. Need more information on motherboards, and
motherboard form factor like the AT or ATX head on over
http://www.amecomputers.com/form-factor-motherboards.htm


About The Author: Anthony Elias has been in the information
technology field for over 10 years. If you need more
information on computer software, hardware or networking please
visit us at http://www.amecomputers.com