Misc noob hardware questions [paste, cables, fan plugs, etc]

[D Incorporated]

OK, as you may or may not know, I'm assembling my first computer in ~8 years, so I've been freaking out over every little detail. I managed to get all my hardware picked out, now I just have a few minor concerns remaining in the setup.

1. Thermalpaste application? Arctic Silver 5 - spread it out over processor/heatsink surface with razor/card, or drop a dollop and hope it spreads out enough to fully cover processor? I'd prefer to spread. I'm assuming I want as little as possible while still fully covering the CPU (E8400) surface? And don't touch with fingers, right? (Even though I already rubber the top of the processor putting it in.)

2. Do SATA cable lengths matter? - I remember IDE ribbons had a short maximum length, apparently due to performance decreasing to unusable levels past that length. Do SATA cables similarly lose performance with length, and if I can use 6" SATA cables, will they perform any better than 1.5' to 2' cables?

3. How to organize SATA drives? - I notice there's no master/slave or other rank settings on these SATA drives, so I'm assuming I just plug them in the order I want on the Motherboard? (Mine has SATA0, SATA1, SATA4 and SATA5 labelled on the plugs; no idea where 2 and 3 went.)

4. Can I use non-PWM fans with PWM plugs? I've got a 4-pin CPU_FAN plug on my motherboard, but AFAIK the 4th pin is merely speed control, so could I plug a 3-pin Nexus 92mm into it without hassle?

5. Are these cardboard washers necessary for motherboard installation? I got these funky red cardboard donuts with the motherboard screw package...

...but all the installation instructions say is "secure the motherboard in place using screws". I don't recall ever having to use anything like this to mount a MB before, and the screwholes on this MB specifically have electronics cleared away from the 1/2" area, so I wonder why these are in the package.

6. Can I use my Windows XP Pro (Version 2002) product key in an SP2 ISO? I thought they gave one product key per CD but I've been told otherwise. I own that XP standard and have only ever used it on one computer. I would prefer to simply install SP2 instead of installing XP standard and doing a big patch, but I don't want to get that far and find out it won't activate or whatever. If I can't, I guess it's no big deal, I just like to keep patching to a minimum, especially when there's full installs that negate such major patching.

OK I think that's it for now

[Cerb]

1. Yes. I think Ceramique is still the easiest to use, though.

2. No. SATA must work to 1 meter...but there's no reason a 5m cable won't work just fine. The short maximum lengths of IDE, and later length issues with SCSI, were major parts of SATA's design. When SATA gets to it's peak, and we're waiting for a new standard, 1 meter will still be viable.

3. Yup. It'll be logically easier on you if your main boot drive in in port 0, but that is the extent of it.

4. Yes.

5. No.

6. I don't know. Try it and see. One thing you can look into doing is making an ISO of your disc, and slipstreaming SP2 into it. If your XP is SP1, though, I think you can istall on a partition over ~130GB, so it's really not THAT bad to install SP2...recall that you don't have to wait to DL it on Windows Update, too; you can get the redist one and just run it.

[angelkiller]

1) Doesn't matter in my opinioin. One way might be better than the other, but its just stress over at most 2C. For you, I say spread to ensure good contact.

2) I'm not sure. For relatively short lengths (ie less than 3ft) I would think length has no impact on performance. On the inside of a case, anything over 3 feet seems unnecessary...

3) SATA is very flexible. Which connector you use is not important. Any works exactly the same. You could even switch them if you wanted.

4) Yes. The fourth pin simply won't be used.

5) Probably not. However, this is probably a way to isolate the mobo from the case. I would use them just to be safe. Can't hurt.

6) Yes. Whenever you buy XP, what you're really buying is a license, which is identified by the product key. Which CD you use doesn't matter.

If I'm not clear or you have follow up questions, don't hesitate to ask. Hope this helps

[Lawrence Lee]

1. Whatever the manufacturer recommends - they have different methods for different CPUs. AS5 in very sticky and I would not recommend spreading it over the entire heatspreader. I did that the first time I used AS5 and when I took the heatsink off it ripped the CPU right out of the socket.

3. Different SATA ports may be on different controllers that may behave differently, so check your manual. Aside from that it doesn't matter, unless you have a preference in which drives show up first in the POST screen.

4. You can use non-PWM fans with PWM plugs. However, some motherboards cannot control 3-pin fans, so they will run at full speed all the time. Depends on the board.

5. No, the donuts aren't necessary.

6. As long as it's the exact same version of Windows (though I don't know if OEM vs Retail matters). It doesn't care about the service pack, just the product key and version. Many people slipstreamed SP2 into their original XP install CD.

[Michael Sandstrom]

MadShrimps did a test of various thermal pastes and also tested the spread versus the dollop application method. The dollop method lowered temps approximately 6 degrees for every paste.

I used the free app Autostreamer to easily slipstream SP2 into my Windows XP install disc.

I also run Autopatcher Updater (APUP) which produces a folder containing all critical and recommended Windows patches, Windows addons and extras as well as a good set of automated registry tweaks. After running APUP, the folder can be burned to disc or placed on a flash drive allowing complete automated updating and customization before ever going online.

After I update with the automated Autopatcher.exe, I start installing drivers starting first with chipset then VGA.

[ntavlas]

Nlite is an alternative to autostreamer which also lets you automate the windows installation, highly recommended.

I also prefer not to spread the thermal paste and let the pressure from the heatsink do that.

Finally, I would advise against using the "donuts" on the motherboard. They were probably meant to prevent damage from tighening the screws too much, but if you look a most recent motherboards, they have a layer of metal around the screw holes in order to get grounded on the chassis.

[D Incorporated]

I love you guys

Heh man I didn't even know about slipstreaming until now. I gotta look further into that in the morning, I already found something about constructing a bootable CD. That would be nice, since I was already planning to make a CD of drivers, updates and such.

Anyway, short SATA cables for less clutter if nothing else, drives in 1-4 order, fan clear, no donuts, slipstream. Great!

The main reason I was asking about drive order is because I want to create a backup of the boot drive on a (smaller) partition on a secondary drive once everything is set up and running, so that I can just switch to the secondary drive in the event that the primary fails; but I also want to be sure the machine continues booting off the primary.

The MadShrimps test is surprising. It was measuring Celcius, right? Well, either way, I think I'll follow the guide on AC's website; they suggest a line of paste (in different directions for dual/quad core) using heatsink pressure to spread. I just keep worrying I'll get too little or too much and either not be able to pull off the heatsink to add more or have it spew onto everything else

[Michael Sandstrom]

Hello again D Incorporated,

I thought I'd take a couple of minutes and provide more information about Autopatcher Updater (APUP). I frequently do OS installs on new builds and reinstalls for people with problems. APUP is my number one time saver and hassle eliminator. Once APUP has finished running you have in the APUP folder the executable (Autopatcher.exe), all critical updates, all recommended updates, an extras folder, an addon folder and sets of registry tweaks. When Autopatcher.exe is run you have the option to select or reject any update, extra, addon or tweak. Highlighting any one of these options reveals a short description of that item so that an informed choice can be made. After your choices are all made clicking "Next" runs the program which takes about one hour to install all of these items with a reboot needed only at the end.

After I have finalized the OS install including drivers and all software I will install and run Belarc Advisor. Belarc may show that there are a couple of critical updates that did not install. No problem though. Go to Program Files\Autopatcher\modules\critical and find the patch and manually install it. Autopatcher is only close to perfect. Every other method of updating is much worse.

[seraphyn]

I wouldn't use the washers, i remember soneone here posting about grounding issues from his front USB which got solved by taking out one of these from under his motherboard.

[yefi]

Nlite is an alternative to autostreamer which also lets you automate the windows installation, highly recommended.

Yes, Nlite come highly recommended. For hotfix integration I use Windows Update Downloader. For Add-ons, what you can't get from the MSFN board you create yourself.

And for a definitive explanation of unattended setups: http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/

And re. the application method of AS5, check http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm. I think it is a line for the processors with integrated heat spreaders, but check.

[VanWaGuy]

Regarding the red washers, if you don't need them for this system, save them. If you do need them later, they might be hard to find. (But I am an extreme packrat, so your milage may vary.)

I have needed them on a couple machines I built with cheap cases. Instead of the little brass standoffs, these cases had square holes in the sheet metal base, and then a clip in piece that the bolts went into. These were maybe 1/2 inch on a side, and so for some motherboards, might touch areas that should not be grounded. With the little red washers under the board, that was enough space to keep things from shorting.

[yefi]

I frequently do OS installs on new builds and reinstalls for people with problems.

Have you tried booting XP setup from USB? I've only done it once so far when I was given a Dell Aspire laptop which didn't have a CD drive, but my impression is this is the way to do it. You can really see where the instant seek times make a difference and it is also, wait for it, silent. Obviously you want to use a fast stick like a Voyager GT or OCZ.

[Michael Sandstrom]

Have you tried booting XP setup from USB?

No I have not tried this yet but a lot of the people I help do not even have USB 2.0.