Motherboard Installation Guide 1

MicroATX Motherboard Installation Guide

Everett B. Marcian

Blue Ridge Community and Technical College

Motherboard Installation Guide 2

How to install a MicroATX motherboard (socket type

LGA 1151)

The motherboard is the central hub of the computer, connecting all components and allowing
them to function together. Installing the motherboard and its related components takes up much
of the PC building experience. Motherboard installation can be a daunting task for novices. This
guide seeks to eliminate the uncertainties that new builders may have.

This guide will assume that you have already installed a power supply and will provide step-by-
step instructions for every part of the motherboard installation. This guide is for those without
any PC building experience. The installation process should take 45-60 minutes to complete.

Parts used for this build:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-7500

• Case: Cooler Master Masterbox lite 3.1
• RAM: 2x8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport
• Motherboard: Gigabyte B250M-DS3H.

Figure 1. PC components and tools

Note: You do not need to use these specific parts, as the motherboard installation process is
similar across all brands. Some steps may change depending on which brands you choose, so this
guide will include notes regarding compatibility.

Tools you will need:

• Phillips head screwdriver (preferably with magnetic tip)

• Flashlight
• A static-free workspace.

Warning: Static electricity can damage or kill PC components! To prevent static damage, do not
build on carpeted flooring, and do not wear fleece, fur, or any other material that generates a
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static charge. An anti-static wrist strap and building mat can also help but are not strictly
necessary.

Preparing Your Case

Before you install your motherboard, you must prepare your case. Failure to prepare the case
properly can short out the back of the motherboard. A short will render the computer useless, so
pay close attention to the following instructions.

Standoff Installation
1. Lay the PC case down on a flat surface and
remove the left-side panel
2. Locate the standoffs included with your case
3. Screw the standoffs into the holes labeled
“MI” as shown in figure 3. These only need
to be finger-tight.

Note: Depending on your PC case, standoffs may be

pre-installed.

Figure 2. Motherboard standoffs. (Newegg)

Figure 3. Standoff installation locations

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I/O Shield Installation

1. Locate the I/O shield in your motherboard’s

box. Most manufacturers package the I/O
shield underneath the motherboard
2. Snap each corner of the I/O shield into the
rectangular cutout on the back of the case
from the inside.

Note: Depending on your motherboard, the I/O

shield may come pre-installed.
Figure 4. I/O shield

Figure 5. I/O shield cutout

Figure 6. Installed I/O Shield

Installing Components onto the motherboard

Next, the CPU and RAM will be installed. This will make it easier to work inside of the case
later.
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CPU Installation
1. Remove the motherboard from its anti-static
bag and place it on top of its cardboard box.
This helps to create a low-static workspace
2. Press down on the CPU retention arm
(highlighted in figure 7) and move it to the
right, this will open the CPU socket
3. Hold the CPU by its edges, locate the gold
triangle on your CPU and align it with with
the bottom left corner of the CPU socket
4. Place the CPU inside the socket with its gold
plates facing down. Do not press down on the
CPU, no force is required
5. Close the socket cover and return the
retention arm to its original locked position.
This step will require firm pressure.

Figure 7. CPU retention arm location

Warning: The pins on the CPU socket are very fragile and bending them can prevent the
computer from functioning. To ensure safety, do not touch the pins.

Figure 8. Gold triangle location

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CPU Cooler Installation

1. Locate the stock cooler that came with your
CPU
2. Place the cooler over the CPU, and align the
four pegs with the four corresponding holes
in the motherboard
3. Press down on each peg to fasten the cooler
into place. Do not twist the pegs.
Figure 9. Cooler pegs fastened into place

Note: This installation process only applies to Intel stock coolers. For instructions on how to
install AMD stock coolers or 3rd party aftermarket coolers, consult their respective manuals.

RAM Installation
1. Press down on the tabs next to the gray RAM
sockets (shown in figure 10)
2. Line up the notches in each stick of RAM with the
notches on the slots, as shown in figure 11
3. Press down on each stick of RAM until all tabs have
clicked back into place. Install the RAM vertically.

Note: Proper RAM installation locations vary by

motherboard, consult your motherboard’s manual to ensure
they are installed into the correct slots.

Figure 10. Tab locations

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Figure 11. Proper alignment

Installing the Motherboard into the Case

1. Lift the motherboard by the CPU cooler and
place it into the case, aligning the screw
holes on the board with the standoffs. Make
sure the ports on the back of motherboard are
lined up with the I/O shield
2. Locate the short screws included with your
PC case
3. Drive the screws into the standoffs in the
order shown in figure 13. This order will
minimize stress and help prevent the board
from warping or breaking over time.

Figure 12. Short screws

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Figure 13. Optimal screw pattern

Wiring the Motherboard

Note: You do not need to connect the wires in any specific order, but you should follow the
wiring instructions in the sequence this manual presents them. This order will make the process
easier and more intuitive.

1. Connect the case fan to the four-pin system

fan header located in the top-left corner of
the motherboard (shown in figure 14)

Figure 14. System fan header

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2. Connect the eight-pin CPU power cable to

the CPU power header above and to the left
of the CPU socket (shown in figure 15).
This cable will only fit into the socket in one
way

Figure 15. CPU power header

3. Connect the CPU cooler’s four-pin power

cable to the CPU fan header between the
CPU socket and RAM slots (shown in figure
16). This cable will only fit into the socket in
one way

Figure 16. CPU fan header

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4. Connect the twenty-four-pin motherboard

power cable to the motherboard power
header located to the left of the RAM slots
(shown in figure 17). This cable will only fit
into the socket in one way

Figure 17. Motherboard power header

5. Connect the USB 3.0 cable to the USB 3.0

header directly under the motherboard
power header (shown in figure 18). This
cable will only fit into the socket in one
way. Be careful when connecting this cable,
as it is particularly fragile

Figure 18. USB 3.0 header

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6. Connect the ten-pin front panel USB cable

to the front panel USA header at the bottom
of the motherboard (shown in figure 19).
This cable will only fit into the socket in
one way

Figure 19. Front panel USB header

7. Connect the ten-pin front panel audio cable

to the front panel audio header at the
bottom-left corner of the motherboard
(shown in figure 20). This cable will only fit
into the socket in one way

Figure 20. Front panel audio header

8. Connect the one-pin power LED + and

power LED – cables to their corresponding
front panel headers, as shown in figure 21

Figure 20. Power LED headers

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9. Connect the two-pin HDD LED cable to its

corresponding header underneath the PLED
cables (shown in figure 21). The label on
this cable should face downwards

Figure 21. HDD LED header

10. Connect the two-pin reset switch cable to its

corresponding header next to the HDD LED
cable (shown in figure 22). The label on this
cable should face downwards

Figure 22. Reset switch header

11. Connect the two-pin power switch cable to

its corresponding header on top of the reset
switch cable (shown in figure 23). The label
on this cable should face upwards.

Figure 23. Reset switch header

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Final Checks
After installing your motherboard, you will want to boot up the computer and check the system
BIOS to ensure that all components are recognized. If any components do not appear on-screen,
double-check your installation. If the components still do not appear on-screen after double-
checking, they may be faulty.

1. Plug the computer into a wall outlet

2. Flip the power switch on the back of your power supply to the “on” position
3. Connect a keyboard and mouse to the USB ports on the back of your PC
4. Connect your PC to a monitor using an HDMI or DVI cable
5. Press the power button on your PC. The initial boot may take several minutes. Once the
booting process is complete, the BIOS screen will appear on your monitor
6. Check the information on the righthand
side of the screen. Your CPU information
should appear in the “information”
window, and all your RAM sticks appear in
the DRAM status window.

Figure 23. System info in the BIOS

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Images Cited:

Motherboard Standoffs [Photograph]. Newegg.

https://www.newegg.com/apevia-cs-03-black/p/N82E16811998144