Received All Parts, Now Onto Build

[Combo7]

thanks to everyone, i ordered all my parts and now it has come time for me to build my first computer today. I will be following the steps by "ed_jacobson" listed in his thread. These are the steps he listed:

 

Step-by-step procedure for DFI Lanparty NF4 Ultra-D

 

1. Familiarize yourself with how to assemble a PC generally, including:

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

http://www.buildyourowncomputer.net/learntobuild.html

http://www.motherboards.org/article...ides/924_1.html

http://www.build-your-own-computer-tips.com/

2. Place motherboard on insulated surface (on wood table and pad shipped with motherboard)

3. Inspect and prepare motherboard, adjust jumpers as necessary.

4. Install CPU and heatsink.

5. Install 1 stick RAM in slot 2 (orange, closest to edge) (optional but not advisable: install dual channel memory in slots 2 and 4) (I installed 2 sticks and didn't have any problems)

6. Install video card in top (closest to CPU) PCI-E slot.

7. Connect power supply to motherboard – be sure to make all four connections. (A minimal install outside the case is optional. You may wish to jump to Step 10).

8. Connect monitor.

9. Connect keyboard and mouse.

10. First boot – use EZ Touch Power Switch on motherboard to turn power on. To enter BIOS, press DEL before the fourth diagnostic LED turns off and the DFI LanParty splashscreen appears. Load Optimized Defaults/save and exit.

11. Install mobo and I/O shield in case.

12. Connect case and CPU fans to motherboard.

13. Install power supply (can be done before Step 11 if you prefer).

14. Connect power supply to motherboard – be sure to make all four connections.

15. Connect front panel connectors and case fans to motherboard.

16. Connect monitor.

17. Connect keyboard and mouse.

18. Second boot. Enter BIOS. Set Update ESCD/will update DMI pool.

19. Install hard and optical drives.

20. Third boot. Can turn off Update ESCD.

21. Press DEL to enter BIOS

22. Input BIOS settings from Rgone (Post 1) {for TCCD Mem.} and Angry_Games screenshots (Post 18) from

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5844

23. Fourth boot.

24. Run Memtest86 v3.2 (bootable CD downloaded from http://www.memtest86.com/)

25. Install second stick RAM in Slot 4.

26. Reboot and run Memtest86 v3.2, or you may want to test each stick separately first.

27. Install OS (Windows XP). During install of Win XP, drives will be partitioned and then formatted to be able to use them and then Install of OS continues. Use Win XP SP2 or SP2 slipstreamed is highly recommended, as it has updated drivers and DirectX9.0C. Directions on creating a bootable slipstreamed Win XP http://www.helpwithwindows.com/Wind...sp2-bootcd.html and http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/...am-Guide_1.html

28. Install MB drivers from DFI supplied CD (Note: some drivers cause problems for some users; do not install Nvidia IDE drivers or Nvidia Firewall / Nforce Network Access Manager programs; do not install Ntune from the DFI disc).

29. Install video drivers from DFI supplied CD and/or CD supplied with video card.

30. Install monitor drivers from CD supplied with monitor.

31. Before connecting to internet, read http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1743653,00.asp

32. Connect to internet through LAN. (WinXP didn’t recognize my Vitesse LAN 1. The network wizard only recognized the Marvell LAN 2, so I connected through that. Follow instructions provided with modem or router.)

33. Install virus protection. I installed AVG freeware http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/

34. Install Win XP updates http://www.windowsupdates.com

35. Test speed and stability.

36. Enable Cool‘n’Quiet – download software from http://www.dfi.com.tw/Upload/Driver/cpucooler.EXE enable Cool‘n’Quiet at Power Management in BIOS; set power option as “minimal power management” in control panel.

37. Hook up peripherals.

38. Load other software.

 

Now, i have a few questions before i start my build.

 

1. Where in those steps would i flash my BIOS to the 3/10. I have several reasons for wanting to flash. First, more support for my 4000+ San Diego, Second, better support for my OCZ plat 2 RAM, and third for the RAID 0 setup im going to do.

 

2. If i download the DIAMONDFLASH bios off of DFI's site, do i download them onto my currently working, non DFI computer and run the EXE that is downloaded (of course with a floppy disk in drive A)? Will that set up the floppy to a boot disk and copy all the files to the disk so all i have to do is boot up my new build with it and it will flash it all for me?

 

3. Since i only have 1 DVD-RW drive (it will be the only cd/dvd/cd-rw drive in the computer), do i have to set it to master and how is that done? Setting in BIOS or jumper on the drive?

 

Thanks for all your help guys.

[StephenC]

1. I would flash bios first. Just clear cmos boot for the first time choose default optimized. Place floppy in drive. Save and reboot. You will boot to the floppy.

2. Yes you can create the floppy on another PC.

3. Just go ahead and set it as master. The jumper will be on the cd drive.

 

Just take your time building - check twice build once

And have fun.

Good Luck.

[Combo7]

EDIT: Never mind, i figured it out. The "E" does plug in with the 20 pin.

http://www.bleedinedge.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5661 -That link helped alot

 

so ive got to the part where you connect the power supply to the board for the first time with the MB outside of the case. (yes this long and ive only gotten this far).

 

I have another question.

 

1. Ok, in this OCZ powestream 600w manual, under athlon boards section, it says "i.)Slide out the 4-pin from the 24(20+4)pin and connect the 20-pin to the motherboard

ii.)Seperate the combo 8 (4+4, light blue color housing) pin connector into two 4-pin connectors and connect either one 4-pin (12v) connector to the motherboard."

 

Then, on the combo 8 light blue cable, it has a tag saying "!!WARNING!! Do not exchange, mix or misplace with the 20-pin main connector. Used for p4/p8 12v only."

 

-Did the manual and cables just contradict themselves or am i just not getting something here :confused:

[oc newbie]

the board you have requires the 24 pin connector so leave that attached.

[Combo7]

ok, new problem. Im at the step where it says to connect the case fans to the mobo. Problem is the case fans have the big connectors on them (i think the 5v/12v connectors) and the fan connections on the MOBO are these little 3 pin things. What do i do? :confused:

 

BTW, my first boot up went great. lol i was able to load optimized defaults and exit without a hitch

[StephenC]

It a molex connector right? Should be able to connect directly to PSU.

[Combo7]

ok, got fans connected and hopefully connected the front panel display connectors correctly, thanks . I have 2 questions now.

 

1. With the way im going to be setting things up (flashing bios, RAID-0, and all that), should i change the order of the process to:

15. Connect front panel connectors and case fans to motherboard.

16new. Install hard and optical drives

16. Connect monitor.

17. Connect keyboard and mouse.

18. Second boot. Enter BIOS. Set Update ESCD/will update DMI pool. *EDIT* Flash bios (btw what is the ESCD/update DMI pool anyways?)

19. Install hard and optical drives. *Already done

20new. Start up. Enter BIOS. Set Update ESCD/will update DMI pool. Then Power Down

20. Third boot. Can turn off Update ESCD.

21. Press DEL to enter BIOS

22. Input BIOS settings from Rgone (Post 1) {for TCCD Mem.} and Angry_Games screenshots (Post 18) from

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5844

 

Sorry it looks so confusing, i couldnt think of another way to put it.

 

EDIT: Whoops totally forgot my other question. I got a case with temp monitor on the front. The wires going into the case are thin and have this bare, brown, thin sheet coming off of them and one wire says CPU and the other says HDD. Do i put the bare parts physically onto the CPU and HDD?

[StephenC]

I would go ahead and flash the bios first. Clear cmos again set bios to optimized default again, place floppy in floppy drive save and it will boot to the floppy.

[Combo7]

ok, got ya. Um one question lol. How do i clear the CMOS? All i see is the battery and then a pin with a red thing next to it. What do i do with those 3 things to clear the CMOS?

 

Thanks for all the help so far though Stephen, youve really been alot of help.

 

 

EDIT*- Also, when it says to remove power cord from PSU when clearing CMOS, does it mean the 24 pin one to the MB or the one on the back of the PSU that goes into a powerstrip or outlet?

[StephenC]

Check the manual pg 6 for location. Move the jumler from pin's 1 and 2 to 3 and 4. Leave it there for a few min. Then move it back to pin's 1 and two.

[StephenC]

No The powercord going from the PSU to the power socket.

[Combo7]

ok, so i plugged in my floppy drive and all the fans and all that. Cleared CMOS too. Now, everything booted up perfectly fine, got into BIOS again without a problem. Well, i go to check the front of my floppy drive to see if the light is continuously on and it is. So i switch the floppy cable around because if the light is continously on it means the wirings wrong (right?). Then i boot back up (floppy drive now has no light, and yes i plugged the power in), go into bios, stick the 3/10 bios floppy that i made into the drive, load optimized defaults, save and exit, and it restarts. Hmmm no flash. I only reversed the part of the plug that goes into the floppy drive itself...i didnt reverse the one on the board. Should i reverse the one on the board too? Can i check some way if the floppy drive is plugged in correctly before actually trying to reboot with the disk in there?

 

BTW, what will i see when the bios is flashing?

 

 

Also, i checked my temperatures and the CPU is already up to like 36C. Is this normal or not right at all? Chipset is around 42-46C. Yes i applied AS5 to the CPU before i put the heatsink on (about the size of a BB).