Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
InstallingtheMotherboard
Installing the motherboard is the most time-consuming step in building the
system because there are so many cables to connect. It's important to get all
of them connected right, so take your time and verify each connection before
and after you make it.
Seatingandsecuringthemotherboard
To begin, slide the motherboard into the case, as shown in Figure 3-28. Care-
fully align the back panel I/O connectors with the corresponding holes in the
I/O shield, and slide the motherboard toward the rear of the case until the
motherboard mounting holes line up with the standoffs you installed earlier.
One Last Time
Do a final check to make sure there's
a brass standoff installed for each
mounting hole, and that no brass
standoff is installed where there is no
mounting hole.
Before you secure the motherboard, verify that the back panel I/O connec-
tors mate properly with the I/O shield, as shown in Figure 3-29. The I/O shield
has metal tabs that ground the back panel I/O connectors. Make sure none of
these tabs intrude into a port connector. An errant tab at best blocks the port,
rendering it unusable, and at worst may short out the motherboard. Use a
flashlight or other bright light to make sure you can see any problem clearly.
Figure 3-28. Slide the motherboard into position
Figure 3-29. Verify that the back panel connectors mate cleanly
with the I/O shield
Less Power
People sometimes ask us why we
don't use power screwdrivers. The
answer is because they're large,
they're clumsy, and the batteries are
always dead when we want to use
them. Worse still, we once watched
someone crack a motherboard by
overtorquing the mounting screws
with a power screwdriver. A clutched
driver eliminates that objection, but
we still find power screwdrivers too
clumsy to use, even when we're build-
ing many identical systems on an ad
hoc production line.
After you position the motherboard and verify that the back panel I/O con-
nectors mate cleanly with the I/O shield, insert a screw through one mounting
hole into the corresponding standoff, as shown in Figure 3-30. You may need
to apply some pressure to align the motherboard mounting holes with the
standoffs until you have inserted two or three screws.
If you have trouble getting all the holes and standoffs aligned, insert two
screws in opposite corners but don't tighten them completely. Use one hand
to press the motherboard into alignment, with all holes matching the stand-
offs. Then insert one or two more screws and tighten them completely. Finish
mounting the motherboard by inserting screws into all standoffs and tighten-
ing them.
 
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