1st time building system, any guides to DFI NF3 installation online?

[Guest shaolin95]

Hi!

This is my first post here. Ive been using PC for a long time and know my way around installing everything BUT a mobo. Never before I had the need to hook up my PC from scratch. I dont think it will be that difficult if I use the manual and common sense but it was hard for me to save the money to buy this stuff and I dont want to mess it up now. The system is arriving tomorrow at 4pm (fedex):

 

A64 3400

DFI UT LP NF3 250GB

Patriot 3200 XBL 512 MB

Aspire X-Navigator Case with inlcuded PS ( for now)

Audigy 2 (original)

Geforce 4 4400 (needs to be upgraded immediatly!)

3 7200 HDs (Western Digital 40GB, Samung 80GB,, Seagate 200GB)

Windows XP Pro SP1 (dont plan to install SP2)

 

I wanted to use the extra Raid connectors for more ATA 100 HDs but as I understand it cant be done. I dont want to do any Raid configs just needed extra IDE channels.

Well, hope you can give me a hand perhaps even recommend best BIOS, Chipset Drivers, etc.... Memory timings Ive seen plenty of threads so thats covered.

Regards

[LoN3R]

watch for static ( ESD strap = cheap insurance ) and dont over tighted anything pretty simple and most thing jus fit one way if it doesnt jus fall in (excluding memory and vid card) there another way it goes . Manual should give u a pretty good idea

[Guest shaolin95]

I am mostly worried about damagind the CPU and what PS lines to connect to the mobo. The rest (video, audio, etc) Ive done a million times so np there.

[e268]

Here is a good link. It is not dfi, but will give you a pretty good general guide.

 

http://www.mysuperpc.com/build/pc_install_cdrom.shtml

 

Good luck. Yeah, in these dry winter days, watch out for statics, if you don't use a strap, touch the metal part of the case before you touch anything every time. Bios 9/14 is official, but the 10/15 beta is pretty good as well. As for loading the chipset drivers, try and avoid the nvidia ide driver (you can load it later on once it is going ok), and also the firewall and LAN manager (again install it only after your system is stable, but they are really useless imo. If you have not installed cpu's before, watch out for the thermal paste under the heat sink and don't touch it in any case. If you accidentally touched it (like me), you have to clean the whole thing out using alcohol (from pharmacy), and buy a tube of Arctic Silver5. (The AS5 web site has instructions for putting it on and follow it strictly - it works for me). The rest of the link above gives a pretty good description of everything else.

[Guest shaolin95]

Thanks guys! Thats what I was looking for.

[Angry_Games]

please check the rules and the Important Info threads stuck to the top of this section, paying close attention to the second post in teh 'critical' thread (about system specs in your sig).

 

this helps us tremendously to help you solve your issue if we can see what is in your system every time you post.

 

Be as thorough as possible please. Voltages, timings, settings, bios version. The more information you give us about the problem, and the more details about your hardware in your sig = more help we can give you.

[Old School]

I would also add that the manual that comes with the DFI mobo is a bit light.

 

You can download a more detailed 100+ page manual on DFI's website. Below is the link. Under "Manual," just look for the UT Lan Party nF3 250.

http://www.dfi.com.tw/Support/Download/dow...TYPE=MB&SITE=NA

 

I just received the same mobo today and will be building a similar system within the next few days. The online manual looks much more helpful than the one that comes in the box.

 

Good luck. -OS

[Guest shaolin95]

OK got the online manual now. I cant wait to try my new system. Previously I had a Tbird 1.4 (OCed to 1.6) then it died thanks to USPS and a friend gave me a P4 1.8 which sucks big time and it had Windows ME!!! Of course ME is long gone now but still the P4 1.8 is very poor, my 1.4 felt much better. Anyway, I guess I am in for a BIG feeling of speed going from a P4 1.8 to an A64 2.4.

Regards

 

PS Is there anyway to use those Raid channels as regular IDEs for my ATA 100 HDs?

[Angry_Games]

http://www.angrygames.com/NF3.htm

 

and yes you can use all IDE + SATA as JBOD

[Guest shaolin95]

I was told at the AMDMB that I couldnt. Thats great news cause I have 4 HDs and a DVD burner and normally had to disconnect my burner in order to have all 4 HDs running at the same time.

[Angry_Games]

they might have problems on another board

 

or they might have had problems on our board but they didnt have it setup correctly

 

could be any number of things.

[Guest shaolin95]

Do I need to setup something in the BIOS in order to use the Raid connectors as regular IDE ports. My current setup idea is

2 HDs in IDE 1

1 DVD burner IDE2

1 HD (ATA100) as IDE 3

1 HD (ATA100) as IDE 4

I am trying to have each with its own channel in order to maximize trasnfers without using RAID array.