Computer repair/assembly in Etobicoke?

[Thomas Milne]

On Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 2:58 PM, Lennart Sorensen <
lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org> wrote:

> On Wed, Jun 01, 2011 at 01:25:46PM -0400, Thomas Milne wrote:
> > On Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 1:19 PM, Lennart Sorensen <
> > lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> >
> > > On Wed, Jun 01, 2011 at 11:19:22AM -0400, Thomas Milne wrote:
> > > > I usually went to this guy down on Lakeshore for hardware stuff that
> I
> > > could
> > > > not handle myself. Now they are 'web only'. Wonderful.
> > > >
> > > > Anyone know a place in Etobicoke that is good for this stuff?
> > > >
> > > > Alternatively, can someone show me how to install a motherboard?
> > >
> > > http://www.kitchentablecomputers.com/assemble3.php
> > >
> > > Seems well written.
> > >
> > >
> > It is very well-written. I understand the process logically, but there a
> > couple of things that the motherboard manual does not explain that are
> > completely opaque to me. For one, the case has these wires that connect
> to
> > the motherboard for the power switch and for audio, and I cannot figure
> out
> > where they are supposed to go. The other thing is that I might even be
> doing
> > something wrong from the get-go. I want to try a motherboard I've had
> lying
> > around for a few years, an Asus M2V. I can't even tell if this board will
> > work with this case...
>
> There should be a 2 x 10 pin connector, usually at the bottom front
> corner of the motherboard.  This is where those all connect, in a rather
> horrible manner.  Probably the worst connector left in a PC these days.
>
>
Jeez, yeah, I see what you mean. About it being bad. But I guess if you get
it wrong it just means the computer won't turn on, right?


> The manual will tell you which of the pins is what, and often they are
> labeled on the board too (in microscopic print of course).
>
> I believe that board came with a q-connector, which actually makes
> it a bit easier.  In that case you can connect all the cables to
> the q-connector which is pretty nicely labeled, and then attach the
> q-connector to the white connector on the mainboard.  A lot less fiddly.
>
>
Okay, so THAT's what that is. Yes, I have that, and now I see that in the
manual as well. My mistake was that I looked in the case manual for where to
put the wires that are connected to the case, but I should have been looking
in the M2V manual.


> When installing, the white wire is negative, the coloured wire is
> positive.  This matters for LEDs, but not for power and reset switches.
> All you really need is HD/IDE LED, power LED, power switch, and if you
> have one, reset switch.  Anything else (like message LED some cases had)
> isn't useful.  Some people like the case speaker hooked up too I guess.
>
> I guess my case doesn't have a speaker. The only wires I have are Power SW,
Power LED +, Power LED -, and HDD LED. Never even thought about a speaker. I
don't think I'll miss the beep.


> The pins for each is in the manual on page 2-29 (section 10 of chapter 2)
> as far as I can tell.
>
> If the case is ATX (it has the rectangular metal plate with holes for
> various ports that are on the motherboard), then it will work.  You need
> the plate that came with the board to put in the cutout in the case.
>
>
Yup, got that. Once I overcame my fear of destroying the motherboard (it's
old), I got it in there okay. It fits so _exactly_, the case manufacturer is
to be commended (Antec). I think I've got pretty much everything hooked up
now, but I just realized I'm missing one very important thing: thermal
paste. D'oh! I'll have to wait before I try booting this thing up.

I'm putting in a Sempron (remember those?) processor, that way if I do
totally blow it and fry everything, I haven't lost as much.

Many thanks for the walkthrough :)

-- 
Thomas Milne
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