So I started to build my computer today and got the power supply, optical drive, and HDD in no problem, but upon opening up my motherboard box I found a loose piece rattling around, upon further inspection I found this: (sorry for low image quality)
This being the missing piece that was rattling around:
All the other, err, things (not sure what these big black things that the piece is missing from are to be honest) are 'bolted' down with the piece shown above as well as a spring or coil around it as shown below:
So my question is does it need to be replaced 100% or should I just try to bolt it back down without the spring (can't find the spring anywhere)? Motherboard is Asrock extreme 3 if it makes any difference. Also it was not damaged by me, I could see the piece rolling around before I even took the anti-static bag off.
Looks like a VRM heatsink is loose. If you're overclocking, this will be an issue. And, even at stock clocks, the VRMs may be designed to allow more heat, as there is supposed to be a heatsink. If that is the case, that will be a significant problem.
Ok well I found the spring, put it on the bolt and bolted the heatsink back in place (I guess it's called a heatsink? ) and it seems like it's now secure and the way it was meant to be. Still think I should return it?
Ok well I found the spring, put it on the bolt and bolted the heatsink back in place (I guess it's called a heatsink? ) and it seems like it's now secure and the way it was meant to be. Still think I should return it?
Hmm... maybe. If you have any thermal paste, I would apply a tiny amount to the VRMs affected. If you don't, send it in (or, if you want to be extra safe, send it in regardless).
Yeah looks like the screw for the vrm heatsink came off, if you re-screw it 99% chance it would be fine. You can rma it if you like, but I wouldn't say its absolutely nessecary.
Yeah looks like the screw for the vrm heatsink came off, if you re-screw it 99% chance it would be fine. You can rma it if you like, but I wouldn't say its absolutely nessecary.
I think I'm gonna continue building it, hopefully it'll all work out fine.
Bonus question: What's AC'97? It's connected to my HD AUDIO wire and looks identical except for the fact that it says AC'97 instead of HD AUDIO. It doesn't look like my mobo has a spot for it so I assume it's an extra wire for some feature that my motherboard doesn't support?
I think I'm gonna continue building it, hopefully it'll all work out fine.
Bonus question: What's AC'97? It's connected to my HD AUDIO wire and looks identical except for the fact that it says AC'97 instead of HD AUDIO. It doesn't look like my mobo has a spot for it so I assume it's an extra wire for some feature that my motherboard doesn't support?
It's the old version of front-panel audio. Ignore it.
Hmm... maybe. If you have any thermal paste, I would apply a tiny amount to the VRMs affected. If you don't, send it in (or, if you want to be extra safe, send it in regardless).
They typically do not have thermal paste applied, they either use nothing or thermal pads.
The contact between the VRM and the heatsink is now probably bad, I'd RMA it.
It will most likely work, but the VRM might run very hot, damaging your board and CPU in the long run :/
It should be more than fine. You can see it doesn't use thermal paste in the last screenshot, the thermal pad is the white thing.
These are never a perfect connection in the first place, so there is nothing wrong.
As long as the pin stays in place and properly secures the heatsink there should be no issue. These things pop out once in a while (it's one reason we shouldn't be using pushpins for heatsinks, cough cough intel cough).
I have no idea why case makes still include that standard XD
It's not like there is a single somewhat modern mainboard or soundcard out there that doesn't feature HD Audio at this point in time.
Same reason some motherboards still have IDE connections I would guess. It's just there in case you need it. Although an IDE connection doesn't have a colorful cable dangling from it...
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Same reason some motherboards still have IDE connections I would guess. It's just there in case you need it. Although an IDE connection doesn't have a colorful cable dangling from it...
Actually IDE on motherboards hasn't been commonplace for a good 2-3 years now.
Actually IDE on motherboards hasn't been commonplace for a good 2-3 years now.
I thought some boards still had them, more as an extra feature than an actual selling point. It's clearly not common for IDE to be present on current motherboards, but I'm fairly certain that some still have it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Quote from TheFieldZy »
Nobody's perfect, so neither is Hannah Montana Linux, but it's pretty great.
Quote from BC_Programming on Operating Systems »
They all suck. They just suck differently. Sort of like prostitutes.
I thought some boards still had them, more as an extra feature than an actual selling point. It's clearly not common for IDE to be present on current motherboards, but I'm fairly certain that some still have it.
I believe the Asrock Extreme6 has it, but it also has loads of other legacy connections (like floppy...).
I thought some boards still had them, more as an extra feature than an actual selling point. It's clearly not common for IDE to be present on current motherboards, but I'm fairly certain that some still have it.
No, not at all.
Just old motherboards/legacy sockets, with 1 maybe 2 exceptions:
This being the missing piece that was rattling around:
All the other, err, things (not sure what these big black things that the piece is missing from are to be honest) are 'bolted' down with the piece shown above as well as a spring or coil around it as shown below:
So my question is does it need to be replaced 100% or should I just try to bolt it back down without the spring (can't find the spring anywhere)? Motherboard is Asrock extreme 3 if it makes any difference. Also it was not damaged by me, I could see the piece rolling around before I even took the anti-static bag off.
A pic from a different angle:
Sorry about that, didn't mean for them to be that tiny. OP updated, these pics any better?
Either way, I'd RMA it, to be safe.
Hmm... maybe. If you have any thermal paste, I would apply a tiny amount to the VRMs affected. If you don't, send it in (or, if you want to be extra safe, send it in regardless).
Yeah looks like the screw for the vrm heatsink came off, if you re-screw it 99% chance it would be fine. You can rma it if you like, but I wouldn't say its absolutely nessecary.
I think I'm gonna continue building it, hopefully it'll all work out fine.
Bonus question: What's AC'97? It's connected to my HD AUDIO wire and looks identical except for the fact that it says AC'97 instead of HD AUDIO. It doesn't look like my mobo has a spot for it so I assume it's an extra wire for some feature that my motherboard doesn't support?
It's the old version of front-panel audio. Ignore it.
These are never a perfect connection in the first place, so there is nothing wrong.
As long as the pin stays in place and properly secures the heatsink there should be no issue. These things pop out once in a while (it's one reason we shouldn't be using pushpins for heatsinks, cough cough intel cough).
I hate AC'97 so much. Just another eyesore with no use that needs to be removed already.
Same reason some motherboards still have IDE connections I would guess. It's just there in case you need it. Although an IDE connection doesn't have a colorful cable dangling from it...
I thought some boards still had them, more as an extra feature than an actual selling point. It's clearly not common for IDE to be present on current motherboards, but I'm fairly certain that some still have it.
I believe the Asrock Extreme6 has it, but it also has loads of other legacy connections (like floppy...).
Just old motherboards/legacy sockets, with 1 maybe 2 exceptions:
http://www.newegg.co...h=1&srchInDesc=
http://www.newegg.co...h=1&srchInDesc=
http://www.newegg.co...h=1&srchInDesc=
http://www.newegg.co...h=1&srchInDesc=
ASRock seems to be the only one who offers it on more than 1 model, but even then they are lower end models.
Huh. Well I guess it's about time AC'97 got the boot then, it's just a nuisance to have.
oh, that sucks. Luckily i got my motherboard 3 years ago and it has pata :).