View Full Version : Is my motherboard grounded?
I installed an Abit Sa6r in my new system. The manual says to use plastic
spacers 2 were supplied, or studs 4 were supplied but it says for P4 CPU
use only.
I'm using an Addtronics case, and the base has square mounting holes,with
metal square spacers that go into these holes. Then there are small fabric
like washers, and the screws which fit into the square metal spacers.
How would I set up my motherboard safely?
Also, there's a small, black, plastic thing a little smaller than a dime on
the motherboard. It has a seal on it that has a positive + sign on it,and
it says "remove seal after washing".
Someone said building a computer yourself was easy.
Thank You for your help.
AwARe
06-21-2001, 07:42 PM
Lori,
Now that made me laugh http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif Thank you!
I have no idea what that sticker could be...posibly someone else does?
but my guess would be, its something left over from the mfg process "maybe"
as far as the plastic washers "I guess" you're "supposed" to use them, but I rarely do......
I look at the board as I mount it and make sure nothing is going to be "under" any of the screws i use to hold down the board...
Actually 1st I should warn you...........Dont listen to me! the chances that I do any of this "correctly" are pretty slim.......
.......but my point in posting is..........Ive never burned up a board or had any ill effects from anything Ive put together, or posibly done wrong "Ever!"
My moto is........if it looks like a screw is going to short something on the board, then I put a washer under it..........if it looks like a pretty clean spot to put a screw, then "Screw It!" hahaha, as far as grounding/not grounding the board I never really cared, and all the comps (many) Ive personally put together with this moto, are "all" either still running, or capable of running to this day (aight well maybe there was this one Video Card that I "Might" have killed, and there was that cpu I tried to run at twice its rated speed at a much higher voltage that burned up in a matter of seconds heh).............but Ive never had any problems with background noise, static, or any of the likes of any of those problems............and really there hasnt been much Ive ever had a problem with, other then me doing stuff I knew in advance was dumb.....
Basically take a close look at the case and the board, and if you stare at it for a min or two, itll all make sence to you how it goes........after all, the only "real" purpose of a case to to keep the MoBo from falling on the floor, and to hold the Power supply away from your fingers heh.......and it also makes a good cup holder http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif
Now shortly Im sure someone will chime in and tell you the "correct" way, and also probably tell me Im crazy hahaha, but I got my view across Im sure, and Im imagining that even after you learn the "correct" way, that the day will come you dont have the correct stuff available to you, and you'll remember that I told ya you'd be OK http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif
Truth be known.....you can run a computer with the MoBo sitting on your carpeted living room floor, with no case to be found.........but they dont put that in manuals............
Good Luck! with all your future computer adventures..........
And Before Someone Blows Something Up And Blames Me! DONT LISTEN TO ME! Just take it for what its worth.......
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What I meant by what I said is hopefully less confusing then the contemplation of the question that led to the confusion in the 1st place.......
[This message has been edited by AwARe (edited 06-21-2001).]
Aware, you pretty much have it covered...use the washers where you need them. If you have the plastic stand offs/clips use them in places that look like they may have the potential to short out...
As to grounding the MOBO the connections to the PSU take care of that...plus any screws into the metal standoffs, plus any cards that are installed with the screw....so any "extra" grounding should not be needed.
Lori, have you located the CMOS backup battery?
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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)
Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.
AwARe
06-21-2001, 08:21 PM
woohoo! you mean Im actually doing something right? haha kewls! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
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What I meant by what I said is hopefully less confusing then the contemplation of the question that led to the confusion in the 1st place.......
Originally posted by LORI:
Also, there's a small, black, plastic thing a little smaller than a dime on
the motherboard. It has a seal on it that has a positive + sign on it,and
it says "remove seal after washing".
It sounds too small to be the CMOS battery. It may be a piezo-electric (solid-state) speaker (or beeper). Could be part of a temperature alarm circuit. Boards may go through a solvent wash during manufacturing, so the seal would prevent damage to the element.
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reido@my-deja.com
Friends don't let friends install Windows ME
I've worked with all sorts of circuit boards for quite sometime now and I use the look at it and put 'em where I need 'em approach....yeah you can put washers under every screw, use plastic stand offs everywhere and still not do any better that paying attention and being careful in the first place...now of course somebody else is going to say we're both wrong, but I say if it works, and I've done it for years....with one exception, if the manual says to put a certain item in a certain place.
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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)
Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.
What I double check is to make sure I don't have a threaded metal mount installed on the chassis where it doesn't match up with a hole on the motherboard. It is almost certain to short across some board traces or components.
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reido@my-deja.com
Friends don't let friends install Windows ME
Hey Thanks for all the input. I just got mail from Abit.
They said after matching holes with the case's mounting
stand position, put the motherboard on them and use the
washer between the screws and the motherboard.
All these questions answered in one day.
I love electronic technology http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Bailey
06-23-2001, 06:31 PM
I was wondering the same thing about the sticker. I put together a box using an abit board a couple months ago and saw that sticker on the cmos battery. Didn't think much about it, but I remember wondering what it meant. Maybe someone knows.
Don't worry about it Lori.
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"Ooooh, They have the
internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson
Just thought I'd let you know, I took the sticker off, put
the washers where Abit told me to put them, and I'm up and
running. No problems so far. Now on to external cables and
things like that. Thanks for your input.
Ok so maybe I spoke to soon about not having problems, but I'm
learning. I found out what the little black thing with the sticker
is. When you hear all that beeping when there's a problem, guess
where it's coming from. That's why you have to remove the sticker
on it, so you can hear the crazy beeping .
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