Installing CPU Cooler & Ram Will Require the Motherboard Be Outside The PC Case

[graybeard47]

I've tinkered pulling and re-installing various computer hardware out of desktops but have not before been confronted with these two: 1. With a i7-3770k processor to be used with all indications that Intel's provided cooler is marginal even if not overclocked, an upgrade aftermarket cooler will require its installetion with the board not screwed down in the case. My concern is the proper handing of the board while rotating the motherboard around while installing the backing plate on the underside and the monster cooler on the top side. Normally, handling the board along the edges is easy but this will not be at all easy from touching the board's circuitry with your fingers along the process, that needs to be avoided.

2. With the motherboard out, the second question is the memory: It may have to be installed before the cpu cooler is mounted. In many cases the first ram slot's corner under the cooler becomes blocked. A sufficient amount of pressure is required to properly install ram when the board has been fastened down in the PC case. With the board out, no regidity is there. What needs to be done to support the board & protect the underside cicuitry when installing the ram?

Thank you for the help

[RickyTick]

Welcome to the forums.

Could you give all the details and specs on the system, including what case you're using.

Thanks

[graybeard47]

[QUOTE=RickyTick;21699]Welcome to the forums.

Could you give all the details and specs on the system, including what case you're using.



Antec Chemming Chieftech Full Tower Dragon Case/Nzxt Hale 82 Series PS/Asus P8Z77-V LK MB/Corsair XMS3 4x2GB DDR3 1600 Ram/Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler/Galaxy GTX 560 2048MB Graphics/Plextor M3 128SSD, Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid 500 Drive

[zburns]

Be certain to use a Static Wrist strap when building the computer including doing any of the following recommendations.

The Noctua NH-C14 cooler install manual is available on line (this url: http://www.noctua.at/pdf/manuals/noctua_nh_c14_manual_en.pdf ). As you state, you need to handle the mobo with fingertips touching only the thin edges of the motherboard; never touch the components topside, nor any of the soldered surface underside. Before you install the motherboard in the case, you mount the 'backside Noctua motherboard mounting bracket' to the underside of the motherboard per the Noctua instructions. After doing this you may install the motherboard with or without the cpu installed (please follow Rob's instructions for cpu mounting and when doing the entire build, book or online). To install the mobo, you will want to lay the case on its side to enable you to continue to handle the mobo with fingertips touching the edges only.

After mounting the motherboard inside the case and installing the cpu, with the case on its large flat side, install the cooler per the Noctua mounting instructions when using Intel cpu.

The cpu is obviously installed prior to mounting the Noctua fan. Note that the cpu top heatsink surface is a certain short distance away from the motherboard fiberglass surface. The motherboard fiberglass surface is the reference measurement point for two measurements -- an approximate measurement for the height of the cpu heatsink surface off the motherboard, and the height of the RAM sockets off the motherboard. The difference between the cpu height off the motherboard and the top of the RAM sockets is going to be a small difference that probably (hopefully) is 'insignificant'.

According to Noctua the clear dimension from the underside of the cooler blades is 65 mm. (approx 2.56 inches) to the top of the cpu heatsink surface. Assume the RAM socket height off the mobo is equal to the cpu heatsink surface off the mobo, then your RAM with heat spreader(s) must be less than 65 mm (2.56 inches) in total height. Total height for the RAM means from the 'top of the heat spreaders to the outside bottom plug in edge of the RAM stick'.

As long as the total height of the RAM is less than 2.56 inches (65 mm) (plus, or minus, any correction factor because the cpu heatsink surface is more or less than the RAM socket height), you should be able to insert or remove the RAM without interference.

All components that go into your build are supposed to meet the ATX specification. Assuming this is the case, there should not be a clearance problem with the RAM.