Wow, this is nerve wracking

[Dynesh]

I'm putting all my parts for my new pc together tonight, while I wait til tomorrow for my thermal paste. Its killing me though. I feel like I'm handling radioactive elements as careful as I'm trying to be. I just have this feeling tomorrow when I hit that power button, nothing will happen.

Somebody stop me if they think this will kill the motherboard. I only had four spacers in my case for my motherboard, but needed six. So what I did was use four on the middle and back, and for the other end of it, I took two brass screws I had, screwed them into the place where the spacers would go until they were about the same height, and then put the motherboard in so the end rested on the top of the screws, to give it support.

Please tell me this won't fry the board when I give it juice. In my head, the logic seems to work. But I'm no expert, for sure.

Well, enough break, time to install the 8800gts.

[Panda Man]

Actually that should work, the screws are just acting as spacers themselves now. As long as the motherboard isn't making contact with the tray, it will be alright.

[Dread]

The only way it would cause damage is:

...If the height isn't the same, and you torque the board too much installing components.

...If the screw heads are too large and come into contact with a trace or a fragile mounted item on the motherboard.

It is recommended that you use proper standoffs, but not absolutely required. If you're unsure if it will cause damage or death, wait until you can get some proper ones before continuing.

These pictures show a bare system resting on a shelf that has been running folding@home for 6 months 24/7 without problems. Notice the #6x32 bolts used to keep the motherboard level, and off the wood. Also notice the black rubber gromets I used as washers in the event the heads of the bolts might come into contact with a trace or otherwise short out. I was very careful in selecting the bolt sizes and lengths to ensure they wouldn't short anything, but still used the rubber gromets.

[Dynesh]

Ok, I think I'll go with it then. I made sure that the screw heads were the same size as the spacers, so I'm pretty sure everything will be fine.

Also, cool pics of the bare system. Neat way to set things up.

[Jokerswild]

Actually you can use any non conductive material like wood or plastic say and just cut it to the right length and drill a hole thru it for the screw to pass thru.


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--------------------- < a spacer, lol can't get the hole on center
--------------------- using the keyboard
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