Step 19: Fit the video card
With the release of AMD’s 7970, the GTX 580
may no longer be the fastest single GPU card on the market, but it’s still a
mighty piece of kit. The first step you’ll need to take when installing a video
card is to unscrew the blank PCI backing plates from the case. Next, you need
to line up the video card with the top PCI-Express slot while also ensuring
that the tips of the video card’s backing plate are also lined up correctly
with the gaps in the motherboard tray. It’s not uncommon to have to bend the
backing plate slightly to get it in, particularly in cheaper cases. With
everything lined up, push the card into the slot, making sure you cannot see
any gold contacts along the edge. Once the card in place, secure it to the case
using coarse-threaded screws.
Step 20: Install PCI-Express power leads
If you’ve purchased a gaming grade video
card, it will need extra juice from the PSU in order to function correctly. As
the GTX 580 is a top-spec card, it actually needs two extra cables: one
eight-pin and one six-pin. On our Corsair TX750 PSU the eight-pin plug is
formed by merging a six-pin PCI-Express power cable with the extra two-pin
‘tail’ next to it. If your card has two six-pin connectors, it does not matter
which of your PSU’s PCI-Express leads you use; any will power the card
correctly. If your PSU does not have enough PCI-Express power plugs, you can
buy cables that convert two Molex leads into a single six-pin connection. This
should serve as a warning, however, as a PSU that’s up to the job of powering a
good video card should have the necessary leads as standard!
Step 21: Plug in your motherboard power plugs
The vast majority of motherboards now have
a 24-pin main power connector along with a secondary 12V auxiliary plug to
provide extra power to the CPU. Cheaper boards tend to use a four-pin auxiliary
connector whereas more powerful products have an eight-pin aux plug. If your
PSU only has a four-pin 12V connector, don’t worry too much; most boards will
still work with only four of their eight-pins powered. Just bear in mind it may
limit your overclocking ability and consider upgrading your PSU when funds
allow. The main plug is normally on the right-hand edge of the board, with the
auxiliary plug residing along the top. Both sets of motherboard power plugs are
keyed in such a way as to only allow installation in a single orientation. You
simply line them up and push them into the motherboard slit until the clip
clicks them into place.
Step 22: attach your fans
The Fractal Design Define R3 case we’re
using comes with a rheostat fan controller that can control up to three fans
simultaneously. This allows you to manually balance your cooling solution for
the best compromise between noise level and performance. Despite the relatively
hot and power hungry hardware in our build, we found the two included fans kept
the system sufficiently cool, even with the fan controller at its quietest
setting – a testament to the chassis’ excellent internal layout. Another option
is to use the three-pin headers on your motherboard. This has the benefit of
allowing the board to control the fan’s rotational speed on demand, though you
will probably end up with a slightly louder computer. Some of the latest case
fans come with a PWM connector, which has four pins rather than the usual
three. These allow for even finer control over fan speed depending on CPU load.
Step 23: Tidy your cables
This step is all the more important if your
case lacks the facility to route your leads behind the motherboard tray. Bundle
any unused leads into a spare drive bay or similarly unobtrusive area of the
case and make sure cables are tied to a sturdy upright to prevent them from
moving around. Loose cables can easily stall fans or may short motherboard
surface components so don’t be tempted to skip over this step just because you
think it’s purely aesthetic. Carefully routed cables will also help to improve
airflow, because there’ll be fewer internal obstructions. Think carefully if
any of the leads you are tethering away will be needed in the future, and make
sure you don’t have to completely rewire your case just to free up a single
SATA connection! Once you’ve finished installing your cable ties, trim off the
tails and rotate any sharp edges away from regularly accessed areas.
Step 24: All finished!
With all your hard graft done, you should
perform a few final checks. Make sure any add-in cards are pushed in as firmly
as they can be, and that the memory modules are all seated correctly. Make sure
your fans can all spin without impediment and double-check your motherboard’s
power leads are fully pushed home. You can now reinstall the two side panels
and fire up the system for the first time. Before you install the operating
system, press Delete or the relevant F key to enter the BIOS and check that the
CPU temperature is at an acceptable level. Anything under 45oC
should be fine for a chip idling in the BIOS. Set your primary boot device to
the optical drive if using a DVD-based OS installation and you’re finally ready
to start using your new system!
