Step 3
Installing the Motherboard
Now we are ready to install the motherboard inside the chassis. To do this, we’ll first need to
install some small brass stand-offs that will hold the motherboard in place within the chassis.
Most chassis are designed to work with a variety of board shapes
and sizes including the most common ATX and MicroATX
standards. First you’ll need to work out which brass stand-offs
your board requires. You can do this by simply lining up the board
first and assessing which holes in your board you need to support.
You can use a pair of pliers to then screw the stand-offs in place.
Once the brass stand-offs are in place, you can add the I/O
shield that came with your motherboard. This will most
probably mean removing the pre-fitted I/O from the chassis first.
Be careful while doing this as many pre-fitted I/O shields will
have dangerously sharp aluminum edges once torn from the
chassis. Once again, we suggest using pliers.
Once you have the I/O shield in place, carefully lower the motherboard into the chassis, placing the motherboard’s I/O section
gently against the I/O shield which will have some springy sections
that you should use to maintain a gentle tension against the
board. Now, you’re ready to screw the board to the brass standoffs inside the chassis. Be careful not to over-tighten the screws,
as you may want to remove them again one day. Video here
Next, we can install the power supply to the motherboard. This
is a simple matter of attaching the 24-pin power cable the
board’s 24-pin socket, followed by an additional 4 or 8-pin
connector, which is