Avoiding Common PC Building Traps - Episode 2

There's no way we could cover every issue you could run into while building a PC in just one episode! Check out some more of our top tips right here.
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[@Eddynstain]

speed > 0.5 - really drunk linus speed > normal - sleepy linus speed > 1.25 - regular linus

[@FohzNA]

Eddynstain lmao

[@allenm3164]

Lol

[@defaultdan7923]

what how come 1.25 sounds regular

[@MisterMotel]

05 speed is king haha

[@cammy649]

Your so right

[@youssef.a7110]

My friend got a 1050 ti and he was telling me that he didn't feel any performance boost. I went to check and i found out that he plugged his hdmi to the motherboard the whole time. He kept using the integrated graphics for more that 6 months

[@edgyyoutuberuser5991]

Mystery Man lmao intergrated cpu power!!

[@harshkharadi4689]

LOL

[@leemathoo6583]

Lmao

[@brainiax2602]

A Human someone on Newegg or the comments (pretty sure the comments on another video) said the same thing (maybe for a year) he had like 14 fps

[@cbfedge5593]

Brainiax260 isn't that optimum?

[@Mafanca]

this is the chillest Linus i've ever heard

[@kazzng2087]

I prefer this Linus

[@CoconutConsumer]

Yeh this Linus is so chill

[@ok-js3tp]

Sound just like a teacher explaining something to a little kid.

[@bharathdjreddy]

Yup very true

[@eddiejrbation5095]

This show that Linus really loves to inform people very well 😊

[@rustyshackleford6874]

Don't get your tongue caught in the CPU retention arm...

[@AquarialTV]

An extremely common problem

[@MrGible]

If you're black.

[@NarwahlGaming]

Instructions unclear! PC is now pregnant!

[@chrishansen7004]

Rusty Shackleford excuse me?

[@jpesicka999]

@ALI Aliraqi woah black is racist now?

[@MM1das]

plug your monitor in to the gpu, not the mobo

[@annelisemeier283]

M1das depends

[@ferchos_pl]

Depends? I'd say if you bought a GPU u would like to use it, right?

[@LegendBegins]

This is big. First time PC builders often don't know that there's a difference and end up with a black screen.

[@ShahUddin94]

This is a mistake I made building my first PC, I thought I might've messed up the entire build until I plugged in the HDMI cable to the GPU.

[@axelbostrom3606]

Qbriosa that makes no sense what so ever what the fuck

[@5erazoR]

You don't need a GTX 1080 for league of legends. The overflow of enthusiasm is a big trap.

[@NovemberBegin]

whatever scrub I run league at 4K 300 FPS on triple monitors

[@serajabughoush]

You're so right that's why i went with the GTX 1070

[@watunnaam4127]

NovemberBegin lol on 3 screens is cancer on unlocked camera imo

[@TheRealSh1zz4m]

Every PC deserves at least the best card you can afford. What, do you hate your computer? You don't want it to be happy?

[@ludus1135]

5erazoR Ik my friend told me he was gonna get a 1080 to play league.. ffs man

[@ParasiteQueen1]

Do NOT install Windows/Windows Updates or flash your BIOS during a thunderstorm.

[@Minkafighter]

lmao

[@KronicNitron]

mclightning88 haha true

[@DUCKDUDE4100]

Don't install any windows updates on a laptop if you have an Nvidia gpu! without making sure to update the drivers immediately after anyway.

[@snakeblood913games3]

Unless you have a UPS/a death wish XD

[@a64738]

Do not keep your computer plugged in during a thunderstorm unless you have some king of high grade lightning protection... (battery power completely disconnected might be the only 100% safe way).

[@fuckenoathcunt4230]

1.) Seat the CPU properly and dont force on the socket. 2.) Always use Dual Memory if your motherboard supports it. 3.) Put Windows and Applications (and the odd game like Arma or PUBG) that need to load quicker than any other apps or games on an SSD. 4.) Use a HDD for media such as Music, Photos and Videos, unless you are using PC as a editing rig then pump all your money into SSD's 5.) Be gentle with the motherboard, try not to scrape it along the case and other surfaces it will lead to shorting out. 6.) On cheap motherboards like H110 Asus boards, it is very common for connectors to get stuck, be gentle and try put pressure between the two and dont pull because it'll come straight out the solder points. (Past Experience)

[@pxra3491]

I love ur username

[@maxmustermann194]

never overtighten screws.

[@zackaryrethati7627]

I'm 99% sure I stripped a few screws in my PC and 99% sure that I will hate myself in a few years when I want to replace something.

[@redcat1630]

1 - Be gentle with the HDD. It doesn't take a lot to kill one. 2 - if the GPU isn't going in/out, don't try to force it in. You will break the PCIe slot. 3 - if the PSU cable can't quite reach, don't try to stretch it as that may bend the pins/connector and cause damage over time even to the cable if it's a lower grade one. 4 - avoid cases without a bottom intake for the PSU. A cool-running PSU lives longer and has increased stability in some cases. 5 - The Intel stock cooler is enough for most CPUs - only invest in an AM cooler if you want a quieter solution or temps are going over 70*C 6 - Balance your build. If gaming, don't buy an i7 and a 1050/460 combo or an i3 and a 1070 combo. In both cases, you'll be better off with an i5 and 1060/480. 7 - Leave yourself RAM slots for future upgrades. What may seem like enough now may not be enough in the near future (I recently found this out after using 40 tabs in Firefox and using 6/8GB just doing that)

[@FurryTrash_]

lol why are you using 40 tabs? Don't you ever shut down your computer?

[@redcat1630]

I do - I actually use all 40 at the same time. It's a first for me.

[@FurryTrash_]

Those are some mad multitasking skills... you might even be able to get a world record!

[@Psychodegu]

a bottom intake for a PSU is good if you have you case on a desk, then the air going through the PSU is cooler then pulling from the case, and will be even better for loggevity. Plus any case with a bottom PSU intake can be ignored, because you can still mount the PSU to pull from in the case.

[@redcat1630]

No? It's quite simple - I have about 10 articles open and several tabs with resources and resources monitors. Linus uses about 60 IIRC.

[@Cybrok]

late af comment but - especially for first time builders, make sure to take your sweet time building everything, not just to enjoy it, but to make sure nothing goes wrong, triple check everything - my first build took 2-2.5 hours, but with the caution i took i had a successful boot on the first power up, and a month in still no issues

[@glodafister5427]

Ill remember that

[@rogehmarbi]

2.5 hours? My first build took 6 hours, and that doesn't include the time used for research and tutorials like this video.

[@rpgspree]

Definitely! Take a few extra minutes to do it right the first time. One small detail can cost you far more of time later.

[@K4R1N3L1M4]

Already built a FX-8350 rig, and am currently with a R5 3600x right now. No problems whatsoever 👌

[@fteambjj]

when i was as reading i thought you said 2-2.5 days... thats probbaly just me

[@TheZubata225]

Linus: "Countless builders did ..." What he actually means "I did countless times ..."

[@aiml3sscalam1ty85]

*Tip #1* - Run the EPS 12v Power cable for the CPU (4xPin / 8xPin) before installing the motherboard. Some smaller cases like the Corsair Spec-02 don't have enough room to run the 12v CPU power through the cutout on the back of the motherboard-tray once the board is installed. Running this cable before installing the board will ensure you don't have to run the cable across the front of your board. *Tip #2* - Lay your computer on it's side when installing the GPU, don't install/remove it while the chassis is standing up. This will help keep your GPU straight and limit GPU-Sag at the start. Some GPU will sag regardless due to the weight however some that would install straight will otherwise often have a little sag if installed vertically. *Tip #3* - Pre-bend your cables. If you need to put a bend in a cable to route it be sure to pre-bend it before connecting it to the header. You'd be surprised how many USB3.0 and SATA connections have been brought-in due to new-builders breaking them off. *Tip #4* - Cable manage your 24-Pin motherboard power cable first. This one can be subjective however I find that it's much easier to tie-down this large cable first and zip-tie other cables along the side of it. This helps especially when back-panel space is a limited luxury and gives you something to anchor to when manufacturers don't provide adequate tie-down locations. *Tip #5* - Maintain constant pressure when mounting LEDs that use adhesive. Of course everyone knows that having a clean surface is necessary for a good bond, it's also beneficial to hold them in-place for at least a minute to ensure the adhesive bonds well. This also helps squeeze out trapped air that may have been caught in between the LED source and the chassis. *Tip #6* - Do NOT over-tighten your CPU cooler. Previous generations Intel CPU's (Haswell 4th Gen and below) didn't really have an issue; However since Skylake 6th Gen CPUs, the substrate (PCB layer) is much thinner and is susceptible to being bent under pressure. I've only had a few PC's brought to me with this issue but it does happen. Needless to say the pins on the socket underneath were bent too. If the mounting hardware uses thumbscrews I only hand-tighten however is using a cooler that requires a screw-driver pay close attention to the force being applied. Some coolers have a "safety-stop" that prevents over-tightening but many do not. *Tip #7* - Use your PSU as a ground. Many don't have an anti-static workstation or a place to connect a grounding wrist-strap. However if you plug you PSU into the wall (make sure the switch is off/0) you can touch the PSU to discharge yourself or mount the grounding strap to the fan grill/honeycomb exhaust holes. *Tip #8* - POST test your components outside your chassis before installation. Almost nothing is more frustrating then completing your build and putting a ton of effort into your cable-management only to have your new rig fail to POST. You can use your motherboard box as a test bench and connect your components to ensure everything works before installing. *Tip #9* - Record yourself breaking the the seal, opening the box and examining the CPU Socket pins on the motherboard if ordered online or check the pins before you leave the store if bought locally. This is to help protect yourself and hopefully assist in the event of a return/exchange. All retailers essentially have a NO BENT PINS policy, "Pins are bent? You want to exchange? Pft SAD DAY FOR YOU!" This is understandable in the sense that it's, for all intents and purposes minus limited caveats, impossible for bad to arrive at the retailer with bent pins and you will be stuck with a nice paperweight unless you have good eyes and a steady hand. If your eyesight isn't the best or you have difficulty discerning all of the pins, use your smartphone to take a high-resolution photo so you can zoom-in on the picture taken for a much better view. *Tip #10* - Mount your fans for your radiator in a "Pull Configuration" if you use it at an exhaust and live in a dusty or furry environment. This will make it far easier to clean when dust/fur collects in/on the fins. Don't worry, whether in push or pull you don't have to be concerned about higher temps. *Tip #11* - Using an AIO Liquid cooler and not overclocking? Then show your GPU some love! I do alot of builds where people want liquid coolers on locked (non-K) CPUs and have awesome GPUs. Sometimes they specifically ask that the radiator and fans intake fresh air for lower temps; However this isn't the best option in most situations. A non-overclocked CPU will not benefit from slightly cooler temps but your GPU can/will. With GPU boost/overclocking one of your first ceilings will be the GPU's temperature. The lower your GPU temp, the more headroom your card has to run faster. (provided you're not hitting a power limit) *Tip #12* - Make sure when installing Windows 8/8.1/10 that your UEFI is set with "CSM"/Legacy Support/"Windows 7 support" turned off and that "Windows 8/10" is selected if applicable and not "Other". If your options include "Windows 8/10" AND "Windows 8/10 WHQL" select the prior. This will ensure that all four partitions are created and that all of the Recovery Options are available. If legacy support is enabled you will lose out on some features like "Reset your PC" and "Refresh your PC" without an install/recovery media. *Tip #13* - Unplug all other HDD's or SSD's besides the target drive for the OS. Windows likes to install the Boot-loader on a different drive rather then the target OS drive. This will help prevent headaches and downtime in the event that the drive Windows installed it on is removed or fails. Just reinstalled the OS on a SSD a few days ago in which the storage HDD died and the OS didn't have it's boot-loader. Of-course there are ways to correct this but I also wanted to disable the legacy support in the UEFI as he was also missing many of his recovery options. *Tip #14* - I need a new GPU. No seriously my GTX 780 is showing its age. :( Will update post with more tips when I'm not as tired, I know I'm skipping much more helpful info...

[@FurryTrash_]

I pretty much did exactly the first one there, only with the spec 03. It looks like Corsair didn't test that in the factory.

[@oceanbytez847]

Aiml3ss Calam1ty tip #15 for you. buy parts on discount or black friday. Less cost for each part turns into better parts and a better overall computer for you.

[@snakeblood913games3]

I feel like grounding yourself against the case would be a better idea, but if it's been working, then you go.

[@ryanrobertson9744]

Aiml3ss Calam1ty is #12 like when you hold down a button on the motherboard screen while booting ?

[@nathanielsett118]

Aiml3ss Calam1ty Thanks a lot!

[@froyo0007]

dont forget to include windows price when building a new pc.

[@sienile]

I didn't forget... Linux, bitch! :p

[@slawor4]

sienile Linux for life

[@Slenderman63323]

Not everyone is going to use windows.

[@Killershark217]

hell no, its not worth $100, just pirate it or find a cheap activation key

[@ScullyBrewing]

Meh, pick it up cheap on kinguin or related sites

[@1lifeonearth]

If I can't afford a motherboard, can I use a cutting board?

[@cosmicsubliminals7064]

You should probably use a fatherboard actually, you can't download as much ram to one like a motherboard can but you'll still get decent rpm.

[@gabrielwilliams6373]

You might need extra knife slots.

[@malware9515]

Make the cutting board marry your father

[@linkthehero1234]

if it has a cpu and pcie slot then yes

[@kernely]

@@linkthehero1234 haha haha WOOosh

[@letterman151]

Don't build PC's while you're drunk

[@kylerbrown3030]

Is this a throw at Kyle from Bitwit?

[@RadNitro]

But, I always do that?!

[@jem4838]

You mean the GPU doesn’t go into the DIMM slots?

[@RadNitro]

@@jem4838 The header pins should never go down on the USB controllers. Or should they.

[@jpramflow]

Hold my beer

[@LundBrandon]

my tip is to not drop your new gpu that your releasing for the first time

[@sam7348]

my friend did that with his 980ti strix when he first got it

[@r_____________________]

LinusGPUDroppingTips

[@meade4573]

lol

[@twinkstepwaifu]

Thank you

[@registrado54]

Raj is going the kick the shit out of you

[@thenerdyouknowabout]

Top tip. Don't spread thermal compound, it's a liquid and the pressure of the cooler will get it far smoother than you'll ever be able to.

[@Slenderman63323]

Not all pastes are liquids. And spreading is actually neater than the dot, because the don't won't cover the whole IHS.

[@Killershark217]

Who cares if its neater, you are not gonna look at it. And even if it doesn't cover the whole ihs its not a problem because the CPU die is in the center where a dot of thermal paste would easily cover it.

[@brittneypaul2089]

You are supposed to use a very thin layer. I spread just enough to cover the CPU case. I really should wear gloves doing that (it is labelled as toxic (will kill you over time, not immediately)).

[@anjopag31]

Thermal compound is meant to cover up pockets of air between the heatsink and CPU, as long as everything that needs to be cooled like cores is covered up it's good to go

[@thenerdyouknowabout]

When you spread you trap air bubbles. With line or dot, as the paste spreads it forces all air out. It is physically impossible for it to bubble. As for having to cover the whole ihs... You dont... Just the central bit. Wonderful thing about heat, it conducts through metal...

[@unspeci8852]

I got a GTX 1060 but it was 5mm too long for my case, so I just bent a bit of the case and everything worked out.

[@HDvideoedit]

BRUH

[@ThatOnionispog]

just take off the fancy shroud

[@AnEnemyAnemone1]

You’re on a government watch list for that one...

[@falconhorizon8691]

A reasonable outcome.

[@jc.1191]

I used side cutters. Lol

[@leepowell2953]

Anyone notice that Linus pronounces Z as both "zed" and "Zee" in this video

[@ahhcaffeine9948]

ye lmao

[@evanhoover2447]

He used tunnel bear to research for the script and it took him to the USA.

[@KyleHarrisonRedacted]

@@MJRaymond from Vancouver, can confirm. When I lived further north, it was VERY strongly just Zed. Since moving here even I've found myself saying Zee occasionally

[@user-hr9zv1mz5g]

He's a confused Canadian

[@masochisticgamer2082]

At first I thought he was saying words to make sure nobody misheard him but then he said y...and b,h,c lol

[@BirdEgg123]

Don't let the cat piss on your motherboard... Past experience

[@a64738]

Same happened to me but most of it went under it not on top but it killed a Soundblaster X-fi...

[@Sercil00]

Wait, what happen4s to your keybv4oard if you d4o? I'm asking fo4r no part4icular reaso4n.v Would that b4y any chanc4e cause shortcuts and therefore44 random letvters or number4s to appear, as well as cause4 keys to get st4ucvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444

[@zeddy5085]

4

[@TrustTheShooters]

Voult Bioy piss cat?

[@zeddy5085]

wait, how does the motherboard affect a keyboard?

[@billyashworth3944]

I hate IO shields. They are annoying

[@Azivegu]

you can say that. Have forgotten them more then once, and one time I was proud of myself for putting it in before the mobo, only to later realize I put it in the wrong way... Then comes the fun task of getting it out without bending or breaking it... Fun for the family for all ages.

[@jonetech5324]

Billy Ashworth I didn't even put mine on

[@TwilightWolf032]

I don't understand why Motherboard manufacturers don't make the IO shield be part of the board. I think it was one of Linus's videos on the ongoing CES that showed a motherboard that came with a built-in IO shield, and all I could think of after seeing that was "why haven't they changed this to be the default for every brand?!"

[@slipknotboy555]

TwilightWolf032 I agree! With the cutout for the I/o shield being standardized (at least, I'm pretty sure), I don't know why more companies don't make it part of the board. I'm sure it adds more cost than the cheap separate ones common now, but probably not by all that much.

[@darwinwallace77]

Asus ROG MAXIMUS IX FORMULA www.asus.com/ca-en/Motherboards/ROG-MAXIMUS-IX-FORMULA/

[@kevinjameswhite]

Always remember to instal 2 floppy drives, so that you can leave the OS in one drive and use the other, without the need to keep swapping the discs whenever you use a disc command. (such as dir)

[@user-me8sp5tq7q]

Floppy?

[@ali_new_world]

Floppy???? Im konfusion

[@rembramlastname3631]

@Jacob Elizondo LOL, YOU SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER UPDATING.

[@MNsLegoChannel]

Is ThIs a JoKe

[@seotenin]

One thing I learned a while back is to add things to the motherboard before putting it in the case, cpu, memory & m.2 drives in particular Makes installation a lot easier

[@MarksterC]

@Rakha Naufal kinda is yea

[@m-copyright]

You can tell CES is going on. Every tech KZbinr uploads shit videos while CES is going on.

[@stigafan]

This was actually a pretty interesting topic.

[@TOXICFAIL52]

You can also tell because they are making videos about CES....

[@trevorphilips986]

The videos are shit because the products presented are shit.

[@krelsen7]

this video is obviously for less experienced builders. it's not shit just because it's not useful info to *you*, there's alot of people watching this channel you know?

[@JJMza]

krelsen7 I came from reading other's stories on forums years back for my first build during the Nvidia 8800GTS 320mb GPU days and found out GPU is literally EVERYTHING. It took my my 4th GPU for a solid one where I can comfortably jam any game for the next several years to come. I currently use the R9-390 8gb GPU

[@MaxArceus]

AMD being completely skipped on the overclocking part xD

[@camsterasmar975]

MaxArceus Yeah, maybe AMD should have paid for Linus & Co to attend CES...

[@RailFanChannel]

They did, check some of their CES videos on the Linus Tech Tips channel. A few of them are sponsored by AMD.

[@Gametherapist]

That was obvious sarcasm.

[@lordlunarian]

It's a joke.

[@Vunk]

Well, nobody wants to start a fire in the house.

[@skyewise]

When building or upgrading, I like to always lay out the components in order of install. I used to make a list, but by having everything laid out (first closest) it helps me to foresee any missing components, oddities or needed mods.

[@stukaseptember]

My tip is to check the mobo's memory compatibility table and buy accordingly.

[@fatsceptre6313]

SchoolTerrorist your computer probably won’t even boot up. You can go under the RAM compatibility numbers but not over. Check your mobo website

[@Defendos]

What happens when you have top of the line mobo and cpu and the list only shows max 32gb but you decide to go 64gb lol

[@zomfgroflmao1337]

The worst thing i saw so far when i was working in a PC shop was a guy that put in the motherboard without the placeholders in place (aka screwed directly to the case). Not sure if this is common for new pc builders, but it was for sure a sight to behold. :D

[@BankruptGreek]

zomfgroflmao1337 yep, we did that on my friend's pc, we saw those placeholders but we had no clue what they did so we ignored them xD

[@peter_smyth]

He should have used a "my first PC case" made of plastic.

[@sienile]

Seriously?! How stupid can people be... "Oh, I'll just bolt this motherboard with all these component pin tips sticking out of the back directly to this metal plate. Nothing will short out." Anyone that dumb should never touch the inside of a PC case.

[@peter_smyth]

Steven Box I guess they're not pre-installed as different ones fit different motherboards, and that would add complexity and expense to making cases.

[@BankruptGreek]

+sienile we ve never heard of them or seen them since they are under the motherboard, and our prior knowledge was changing graphics cards and ram

[@Sitzkrieg]

put in dust filters always

[@andrewj2358]

_Sitzkrieg Any recommendations?

[@colossalbreacker]

I buy the single fan filters off ebay. They are pre-cut and just attach at the screw holes

[@stevethea5250]

@@colossalbreacker How choose

[@nickys5578]

dust filters and a aluminum mesh screen do wonders to keep out HAIR, dust, and BUGS dear god all the bugs that can somehow fit SO deeply in these electronics is terrifying.

[@Jasonw9540]

Make sure your motherboard supports 7th gen without a bios update or you'll need another cpu just to get the new 1 working =S

[@Markinpuff]

Jason Wilson Good one, happened to a friend of mine. He had to borrow my i5 to update the bios. For I7 compatibility.

[@AWSMcube]

Learned that the somewhat hard way with my r5 2400g

[@joshuacollins9346]

Or has bios flashback. No cpu required to update.

[@san709]

happened to my friend too, luckily he was just upgrading cpu's and could use the old one to update it lol. but he was really puzzled on why the monitor wasn't displaying when he tried to use the i7

[@ansh51]

Case and motherboard manufacturers should really come up with some standard for those front panel connectors and IO shields.

[@hakont.4960]

I don't install those IO shields anymore, not worth the risk of damaging the motherboard.

[@ih7168]

@@hakont.4960 congrats u won the idiot award 2019

[@hakont.4960]

@@ih7168 Why am I an idiot?

[@zackaryrethati7627]

@@hakont.4960 do you even know why IO shields exist?

[@hakont.4960]

@@zackaryrethati7627 Enlighten me, my PC seems to work fine without one?

[@SangoProductions213]

make sure to discharge static safely.

[@Kab_On_The_Fly]

How is that achieved?

[@SangoProductions213]

frequently make sure to touch metal.

[@acanofspam4347]

SangoProductions213 statox doesnt really matter that much unless you're talking about the CPU

[@snakeblood913games3]

Wrong (Donald Trump innuendo), "statox," or the correct way to spell it, static, does matter. Static discharge can ruin any component of the computer, which is why you must touch metal, preferably the case for certain reasons, in order to ground yourself.

[@SangoProductions213]

Exactly. Bricked a 200 dollar graphics card by being careless. And this is coming from someone who has basically $0 annual income.

[@sonictimm]

I once assembles an entire PC inside my case, and things didn't fit QUITE right. I tried booting, and nothing happened. I was soooo confused and looked up the motherboard model and problems with it and detailed troubleshooting guides, but nothing worked. THEN I found out what motherboard mounting screws are for. Once my entire board was NOT short circuiting on the steel case, all worked like a charm :P

[@BradCage]

You are lucky it worked at all after that!

[@Sercil00]

Same here. I never heard of the things despite a lot of reading up and following the manual. When I did try to install them, they just wouldn't fit at all. At best, they'd get stuck sideways. I hammered them through the metal and it was a huge ordeal. To be fair, only the PSU, case and RAM were new, the rest were old used parts, because I was impatient for the real stuff to arrive and I wanted to practice to avoid mistakes. So I wasn't all that diligent. And the stuff still worked. Maybe it's the expensive PSU. Still had problems with those dividers on my second build. Hate those things.

[@ruinedlasagna]

I did this with my first build, and I had a CHEAP (like, $40) motherboard! It surprisingly held up, after I had called my brother who was already into the building computers thing. That motherboard has since been sitting on carpet, used on carpet, and tossed around more than it should've been. Now it is my spare pc-in-a-box, for when my system gives out, due to it being a xeon X5660 (equal to i7 980x) at 4.7GHz and 1.4 volts, matching almost exactly the performance of a non-overclocked i7 6800k.

[@kylerbrown3030]

Was called as an SOS from a friend who was building his first pc, came over and looked at his motherboard. Left half on standoffs, right half touching the case. Luckily he didn't get far enough to turn it on before I got there

[@Iceflavours69]

I just finished my first build, my only problem that I wish I knew before hand was which way my cpu cooling fan should be facing.

[@meat_404]

Here are some issue I ran into with my first PC build: 1.) forgot to plug in the system speaker so no beep codes when the following happened 2.) ram was in the wrong spot. needed to go in slot 4 and not slot 1 3.) PSU had significant wattage but I misread the connector types and it didn't have enough PCIE 6+2 cables to power my GPU. 4.) make sure your processor has onboard graphics before you try and use the inboard port while breadboxing. couldn't get system to post without using my GPU and got confused until I realized the difference between APU and CPU.

[@spyro127]

number 4 got me

[@manic_misfit9722]

Please mention cable management in a future installment....the biggest bane of a PC builders existence

[@marccharbonneau1114]

Not so bad, the trick is to do the cables first, then put everything else inside the case. The problem is when you put all the parts inside first then connect the cables to the component, you'll then try to hide the cables in whatever space you find. Count yourself lucky that IDE ribbon cable origami isn't a thing anymore

[@manic_misfit9722]

Marc Charbonneau Fair enough. I've only gotten into PC building in the last couple years or so. Arrogantly I decided to choose the Prodigy M for my first build thinking "Honestly how hard could it possibly be?" After about a week of cursing and swearing (that case was a damned nightmare) I gave up in defeat and decided to go with the Arc Mini R2 instead.

[@goldenshowercap9395]

Yep, made the same mistake and ended up paying someone to do it for me. Handsome case though.

[@jamescarney3478]

having bad cable management wont really cause you any performance problems. they have already done a video about this (maybe on LTT) where they jam as many cables as they possibly could into the case and it does practically nothing, so, unless your cooling solution is so bad that your PC could burst into flames at any point, having a few extra cables running through the case will do fuck all.

[@Some-guy-on-the-internet]

Tip: Just because two different sockets have similar names, doesn't mean they will work together. Example: LGA 2011-3 CPU on a 2011 MoBo or FM2+ CPU on an FM2 MoBo.

[@dcmario]

Some guy on the internet another example for this is that a previous gen skylake 1151 boards will not necessarily natively support the new kabylake without a bios update. so if you don't have a spare chip around you'll have a non funtionctional pc

[@sparkplug1018]

+Dillon Lin yep always check the bios notes before buying your board. Same is true on X99 boards too.

[@angelojulioth3616]

+Dillon Lin Is it dangerous to make a bios update? I mean, I just bought a 1151 mobo but I was planning to return my skylake for a kaby lake ...I know I have to make a bios update to make it work, but is it dangerous?

[@Some-guy-on-the-internet]

Angelo Julioth Use the Skylake chip to update the UEFI/BIOS, then put the Kaby Lake chip in. And no, it's not dangerous. You can find many tutorials for your specific MoBo online.

[@angelojulioth3616]

Alright, I get it, so ...if my mobo doesn't come with the feature to update bios without CPU, It would be impossible to update bios and I would not be able to use the Kaby Lake one, so I should get the Skylake one at least to update bios. Thanks!

[@everope]

Ohhh I once discovered I'd had the plastic film still on the bottom of the heatsink for YEARS. But never had problems with it though. Kudos to both Intel and Zalman I guess ':)

[@darthgamer6080]

For a first time builder, is wiping off the Intel stock thermal paste and replacing it with another higher performing paste ok?

[@matejtheog1048]

Yea its fine.

[@RazzleJazzle420]

yeah its a bit better, use rubbing alcohol to make it ez n cleen

[@mikeoleksa]

Actually, I would recommend it. 99% of the time the manufacturer is using something that will work, but not as good as some 3rd party thermal pastes that are out there. I use Arctic Silver most of the time. It works great and is inexpensive. Make sure the base of your CPU radiator or pump are cleaned well to remove the stock paste. A small amount of rubbing alcohol on a clean rag works well.

[@ImDembe]

Yes you can but id say it's a waste of thermal paste, the cooler is not the best and changing the paste will probably just make it drop a few degrees tops if even that.

[@TomBom292]

Yeah, and it should actually be better for your temperatures than the bird shit they spread on.

[@SrtRacerBoy]

best pc building tip, "Don't half ass it". Don't cheap out on certain parts, and Spend a little time planning out the cable management. Also my biggest downfall, DONT FORGET TO SEND IN THE MAIL-IN-REBATES!

[@AKSBSU]

I think beginners tend to be tempted to go cheap on the PSU and motherboard because they don't see tests and benchmarks demonstrating performance boosts. I tell people if they are going to overspend and go overboard anywhere, it should be for a good PSU and motherboard. You'll get many more frames if your PC doesn't short out and fry your expensive new components.

[@brainiax2602]

AKSBSU is a b350m pro vd plus a good mobo? Or did I cheap out too much

[@AKSBSU]

I'm not familiar with that particular board, but I've had only good experiences with MSi motherboards so far. I personally tend to go with a higher priced board, but it will probably be OK if it has all the features you need and runs your RAM at a decent speed. I was talking more about avoiding off-brand junk like PSUs from companies I've never heard off that exaggerate specs and burn out in a few months. MSi has a very strong reputation for mobos. I've actually only bought MSi boards for the past decade. I look at other brands like ASUS and Gigabyte, but I ended up getting great deals on the MSi boards with recent builds.

[@brainiax2602]

AKSBSU ok thx for your input

[@HiteshJetwaniTechtesh]

buying an expensive mobo for "features I might use"

[@Mwadrummerboy]

hitesh jetwani I just bought my motherboard because it was the coolest looking one that I can afford.

[@qwormuli77]

Please say that you have even a window and enough lighting for it to be seen...

[@gaff3229]

I can't tell are you advising for or against this. Personally, I think 'features I might use' would be a really good thing to consider, as probably the majority of upgradability is tied into what your motherboard supports, and otherwise, you need to replace said motherboard if you really do want these features later.

[@brainiax2602]

Ei'riġ Proinsias Dammantaċ Ó Gaṁna lol I cheaped out on my mobo and I got a b350m pro vid which supports 32gb of ram (2 channels and I got 1stick of 8gb so whatever) and it’s pretty limited

[@Nigghachu]

I bought an LED mobo and an opaque case =_= realized tooo late

[@vividhkothari1]

You are actually quite helpful, Linus. Bought an already built PC recently, but I was just messing around and I took out all the front panel connectors. Searched a lot how to plug them back properly but couldn't find all the information I wanted. You cleared it up in under 30 seconds.

[@gaaherrera]

dude, you speak so nicely that it's really easy to understand every word that you are talking. thank you very much for the videos! :)

[@koppadasao]

Avoid common PC building traps - buy a Mac

[@kaarelkahu212]

Koppa Dasao How can a Mac help me build a PC?

[@jonetech5324]

Koppa Dasao Macs Limit you like border control

[@koppadasao]

Kaarel Kahu It's prebuilt

[@geem7867]

Hahaha, you're funny.

[@kaarelkahu212]

Koppa Dasao I dont see how thats relevant. Building a PC is exactly the process with or without a Mac.

[@ryanxie7554]

awkward gaping hole? i say better airflow

[@cbfedge5593]

ryan xie hehe

[@DiogoVKersting]

Linus, you're videos are awesome! The amount of stuff I learned from you is incredible.

[@andreysma3798]

Back in 2014 I tried to build a PC for a friend. Not only did I mess with the front panel connectors, but also forgot to put the I/O shield, which I then forced in so I ended cutting my finger and had a couple of blood droplets falling onto the motherboard. Eventually, everything worked, but what a monumental sequence of blunders it was.

[@MichaelSodapop]

I'm glad this video didn't contain anything I didn't already know, was worried I might've missed something in my 6+ months of build prep lol.

[@politikz1987]

I forgot about the IO shield when I was building mine so I never put it back. I might make a cardboard one.

[@PolarBearGaming100]

Just Myself be

[@agnel47]

+PolitikZ I'm a spiritual lyrical PC building individual.

[@antonrockoboac8711]

you can avoid pc building traps if you just look at their adam's apple

[@annelisemeier283]

anton rockoboac you ... I like you.

[@nataliegray7703]

Not if we keep it hidden. :^)

[@aus1317]

anton rockoboac lmao thanks I needed that.

[@yashwinning]

I feel stupid for not getting it

[@D8W2P4]

Traps are a term for "advanced" cross dressers. The cancerous things you learn on the internet.

[@brianc.mcguire9263]

Building traps to avoid: First, install the right size power supply. Not having enough wattage will cause power surges, which could lead to system failure. And, if you're going to use a internal hard drive to backup your computer, make sure it's not a storage drive. That is to say, make sure the drive is bootable. If it is not bootable, then it will lead to you having more problems and spending more money.

[@Malicomatt]

Awesome videos! Love watching this stuff. Sometimes I learn something I never knew.

[@mhtjabermht]

the way he explain makes you feel like you are an 8 yo kid.

[@thalessousa5493]

To be honest, that is the target audience.

[@mhtjabermht]

we are speaking about building a PC not a sand castle.

[@crazyjak56]

to be fair, building a pc is easier than making a sand castle.

[@surelock3221]

He probably looked at the comments on his videos and assumed only 8 yo kids watched his stuff

[@dingsens2810]

because there are too many 8 yo kids making minecraft tutorials

[@dward12]

trap. dont forget wifi adapters or ethernet cables

[@thePhished]

A pc trap i would avoid that might not be so apparent is impatience. You finally have all your parts and youre excited. Youve watched a million build guides, you know exactly what to do and you just want to put it all together as quickly as possible and start using it. It seems like it goes without saying, but dont rush your build. tried to rush my 2nd build, forgot to install the back plate for my air cooler and created a bunch of avoidable problems.

[@WaLLy_]

Some thing that has really worked out for me and alot of people do it the other way around; After installing your motherboard (with ram, cpu installed) do your cable management and kabels before anything else. When everything is installed you will have a hardtime plugin everything in. Make it nice and clean before installing any other component after your motherboard is set. After all cables are ready and plugged and managed than hook up your graphics card, cooler, harddisks, and powersupply, Make sure you leave some space and are able to move your cables a little and that not everything is super tight. Goodluck building.

[@harveyjames7750]

My tip is to plug the psu in

[@Nathan-ss4ki]

Harvey jam and make sure the switch is on

[@harveyjames7750]

lol

[@RpiesSPIES]

Make sure it's snugly inside. So a slight tap to the wire won't disconnect it... Happened to... A friend.

[@colmjmcgivern]

RpiesSPIES This actually just happened to me recently

[@taz874]

every time i forget to plug the psu in and then im sat there for an hour wondering whats wrong

[@jacobwcrosby]

*PLEASE KEEP MAKING THESE VIDEOS, AND SIMILAR BUILD TIPS VIDEOS!!!* Thank you kindly, and be well! As much as I don't much need these videos (Since I am pretty well versed in everything you can possibly bork, after ~25yrs of porkchop build errors), they are GREAT for sending new builders to so that neither do I have to be there for their build, but additionally I prefer to teach people to look things up for themselves, as opposed to just doing it for them, or just telling them what to do...

[@jamming8519]

Linus I have to give you a kudos on your video compression abilities. I can watch all your videos at 1440 with no lag or skipping. I can't do that with any other tech vids.

[@alexanderburton5990]

keep these coming please. I am about to buid a computer for the very first time and all of these tips are good to know

[@tylerhouseknecht4400]

Don't forget to push your PCI tab down before removing your graphics card :'(

[@mattheadplus]

I was so excited when building my current PC I forgot to plug the power to the gpu and spent an hour trying to figure out why I wasn't getting any sort of display xD

[@christianlane2307]

Thank God I decided to go through these videos as I was falling asleep! I jolted awake about the size of the CPU cooler, checked the specs and realized it would have been 2mm too big! Planned on building it this weekend. Luckily I was able to get a quick order in to Amazon for the right size and cancel the other one before they shipped it out. 🤘😎👍

[@leemathoo6583]

Good tips. Something that I do on a new build is add filter material on the fans and all open areas on the case. Dust and moisture is the second worst killer when it comes to PC's appart from heat and transient switching surges.

[@EnvAdam]

my tip - make sure ram is actually pressed down and properly in the slot. sometimes it seems it is but isn't I've ran into a couple times where a laptops sodimm somehow popped out and caused the laptop not to boot.

[@Bipedalduck]

Adam Khan rofl I installed 2 extra Ram and my PC wouldn't boot. Eventually , monitor popped out with a message "overclocking error" so I went to BIOS on that single run to underclock everything. After that, the PC won't display any signals. It took me 10 minutes to figure out that one of the ram was a bit higher.I pressed it down and made a small "pop". Hallelujah!

[@taz874]

i remember one time my PC wouldnt boot and for like 3-4 hours i was trying to figure out. reinsterted my cpu, checked all the cables. and then turned out to be the ram slot i felt so stupid since it was the last thing i expected

[@bencebokor269]

WATCH OUT FOR THE MOTHERBOARD STANDOFFS! If you have one in plus it may fry your motherboard. Trust me, I experienced it. There was one under the south bridge and it killed my PCI slots and my GPU as well. RIP MSI HD6850 😢

[@pianosenzanima1]

Bence Bokor do i have to take them off or what??

[@SonicXVIII]

@@pianosenzanima1 when you Not need them yes Your Board can touch one oft These like bence bokor says the harmles way it would fry your Motherboard or it would set the hole case under electricity load... ans this is dangerous.. and it can kill Not only pc parts ... i was toss throug the room and woke up at the hospital because i forgot One of These things under my board... Sorry for my Bad englisch :-/

[@JmC023]

Use masking tape on nice finishes when setting the case on one side! Touch up the inside with touch up paint (brush) if the inside finish gets chipped when screwing and installing drives. Moisture can seep into the case and prematurely corrode especially around fan vents. Coolmaster case I ditched had much rust in the front grill, second one I received, I took off all the plastics and left just the metal to cold galvanized primer then spray paint the color back and over 10 years later, not a lick of rust! The last case lasted less than five years. I've multiple systems and found with case screws and screws in general, 3 in 1 Oil the threads, tighten then back out a a less than a quarter turn. Two things it does: protects the threaded metal parts and easier to untighten at a later date.

[@lassef3692]

Some of your videos is just spot on. Love when you take all the fooling around out of your videos and just give information asap. I hate wasting time and get pretty annoyed by non information. I know not everybody is like that so it's nice to soo some of your videos is more serious. 👍

[@espertalhao041]

Once, I found an OEM pc with the "remove this first" plastic on the cooler

[@AndyLSB]

i think a great episode will be about M.2 and U.2 and how to take advantage of those things in your mobo. btw great video Linus !

[@NoOne-fe3gc]

Welp, I've being putting my own PC together for around 15Yrs and I mount the MOBO first and then mount everything on top of that. This series had waaaay too many useful tips, thanks =)

[@Mol0t0k]

Thanks to your help I am now installing the backplate before my parts arrive tomorrow and I start the build.

[@me0262]

Some things that have come up in my life as a certified computer repair technician (there's a lot of them): - Assemble base components before installing into case (if you have bad ram, video, MB, or proc). - Check graphics card clearances relative to the case as well. (Long card, short case) - Check fans / airflow. - Put thermal compound between CPU and heatsink. - Check that you have thermal compound, not thermal paste (this actually did happen to another employee). - Check amount of power supply connectors and length of power supply cables (this has happened to my backup machine). - Unless you plan on running Linux, you need to shell out cash for Windows. - Make sure you're grounded (cold weather means dry atmosphere, and dry atmosphere leads to static shocks). - You have hard drive storage, do you need a disc drive? Does your case have a disc drive bay? (This has happened, a lot) - If you're shelling this much money out for the computer, go the extra step and get a Blu-Ray drive! Combo, at least. - Do you need speakers? - Do you have a keyboard and mouse? - Does your case have front USB ports? Does your motherboard support these ports? (USB3 ports when board only has USB2) - Does your motherboard have enough fan ports? - Do you have external cards? Can they fit in the motherboard slots? (PCI / PCIe) - Do you have the right memory? (This has tripped me up as DDR4 was hitting the market) - Are those standoff screws already installed? Do they align with the motherboard you're installing? (MicroATX) - Secure the motherboard with all the screw holes. - No, those PC components won't fit in that Mac case... - No, those Mac components won't fit in that PC case... - Don't skimp on the processor. Intel Celeron/Pentium and AMD E just don't cut it. - For today's standards, get more than 4GB of memory if you can afford it. - Unless you're concerned about power consumption, don't use Green drives. (Don't use Purple / Video Surveilance drives either) - You don't need to hide the wires, but it helps. - Also check case width when using that large heatsink. - CPU fan goes in CPU_FAN on the board, not SYS_FAN, not CPU_OPT. - Microsoft Office will need to be registered with a Microsoft account. - You need antivirus. Only one. 2+ and you'll crawl slower than a turtle. - Add-on video card? Plug it in there, not to the motherboard. - Plug the power supply in with a satisfying 'click'. Brace the board if the board is too long.

[@thomasr7129]

What is the difference between thermal compound and thermal paste? I know that you should avoid thermal glue... ;)

[@thomasr7129]

www.pcgamer.com/whats-the-difference-between-thermal-paste-grease-and-pads/

[@thedgatmsn]

Another one is to make sure your graphics card is not too big/long. I learned this the hard way when trying to stick a GTX 970 in a Dell case.

[@Hackwar]

I had to build about 200 PCs for several schools in my hometown for a small vendor about 15 years ago. Those PCs were the cheapest of the cheapest, starting with a case that collapsed when looking at it. I've cut myself several times during assembly. In the end I was able to assemble one of those PCs in about 20 minutes. The interesting part however is the graphics card and the AGP slot. The mainboard manufacturer and the graphics card manufacturer both pushed the specs to the limit, resulting in the AGP slot being a tiny bit to shallow and the graphics card connector being a tiny bit to long, resulting in about half of those PCs not working. So we had to take a belt sander and grind maybe a millimeter of the card connector. m( But hey, it worked...

[@akashsinghrajput2943]

I wish linus was still this polite n humble in his videos

[@nicholasroberson8350]

How about telling us how to avoid whatever it is Luke did in that Coolermaster case review / build video? No seriously though, tell us what happened so I can never do it! You can't just ignore an elephant in the room that big!

[@matex6680]

Make sure the gpu you buy can fit the case if you buy the gpu that can't fit your case you are scrued then you need to buy a new bigger case for example you have a micro ATX case and you buy an gtx 1080 that could probably not fit so take a look on that

[@xavier7769]

There are gtx 1080 made for mini itx

[@tinkertron]

You forgot RAM speed for certain CPU and Motherboard.

[@PowerRanger83]

Please teach me how to apply thermally conductive paste w/o making a mess or worse, damaging stuff. Love the tech tip videos, will take them as a foundation for my very first build in a couple of weeks.

[@playa69playboy]

My tip is to make sure your psu is switched on before you start fault finding

[@fabianbees]

Do not plugging in the 8pin-PCIE connector (which is for GPUs) into the 8pin-EPS which is for CPU! I did that accidently :)

[@Nidhogg84]

You cannot, its keyed.

[@fabianbees]

Nidhogg84 That was also my thought, but on my PSU (a EVGA NEX750B) you could! It is a semi-modular PSU and you could plug it in the wrong plug on the PSU side ...

[@Nidhogg84]

It may be plugged into the PCIe power connector area of the PSU. On my PSU: the Corsair AX860i, the area is designed 6+2 PCIE & 4+4 CPU. The wires are rerouted in the CPU power connector itself and its keyed on the motherboard side. Fundamentally, its the same voltage +12v so it shouldn't matter , as long as pins 5-8 are +12v on the EPS connector and pins 1-3 are +12v on the PCIe connector. Researching your PSU, the CPU and PCIe connections on the power supply are obviously keyed. Pins 3 and 5 are different.

[@brittneypaul2089]

Nidhogg84: the polarity is reversed. So you are 24V from what the circuit expects. The "Don't force stuff" adage may apply here.

[@jacklindsay171]

3.46 "But wait" With the dramatic head turn hahaha yes!

[@StrappingAtrumvir]

Only thing I would really say is to learn as much as you can before doing anything. I've been building computers for 15 years now and here I am watching a beginners video (along with the other experienced commenters here). You never know where you may learn something. And with computers the learning never ends.

[@rvdm88]

TRAP: "dont forget to buy thermal paste"

[@Slenderman63323]

Lots of coolers come with it though

[@rvdm88]

except the one cooler you happened to pick out ;)

[@dingsens2810]

dont ever ever buy a cheap power supply. I got the hx1000i in platinum efficency, and my build uses between 1/3 and 1/2 of its capacity, which is fine. I spend very much money on the supply, but it was worth it. A friend used a cheap one on 3/4 capacity and had following problem: the supply had enough over all wattage, but ad he installed 4 graphic cards, his use on 12V was much higher than the use of the other voltages. as he powered everything up, he suffered from the pc spontanously being powerless when loading a big game, and this damaged the cheap supply so that the 3,3V raised to 3,5V and that burned his motherboard and other components. remember me buying an expensive power supply? well my friend saved 250€ by buing a cheap one.. but now he completely destroyed 1200€ Hardware.

[@RazzleJazzle420]

similarly avoid the cheapest motherboards

[@pastedtomato]

4:45 , A couple of years ago a disassembled a Socket 478 Celeron PC from an uncle, the Stock cooler still had that protective plastic.

[@boomercorley1930]

Love this series, good content.

[@kratu6625]

Is it me or is Linus making an effort to speak slower than usual?

[@moyomo]

yea if you made that video earlier i wouln't have bought a H series motherboard and could overclock my i7 6700k now... :(

[@johnchngg]

Sorry to hear that, i was already planning to go out and buy the parts this week and i realized the gigabyte B360M doesn’t support OC, thank god Linus🙏🏻

[@True_Blood_89]

I'm curious to know what happened to your board?

[@prod.erebus]

3:50 I had this message when I powered up my pc about current overflow on a usb thing and some guy on Reddit told me to remove my IO shield and that fixed he problem lol.

[@wilkelley9319]

Linus you nailed the first one. On my life I left my front panel header disconnected for the entire first month of my first full custom build because of this. I took one look at them and said, " Well that's just not gonna happen." Luckily the power switch on the motherboard wasn't to hard to access through my open air case. After a month tho I opened the manual and realized how simple it really was.

[@BLOEDVLEK]

Install motherboard standoffs! I didn't on my first build and not only bricked the mobo, but there was even black burn marks where it shorted.

[@dariusztalarek8089]

I forgot to connect the CPU fan. The processor is overheating and I was hit with a heat sink. Processor survived. Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600.

[@sienile]

I'm guessing the computer's owner was the one that beat you with a heatsink? You deserved it.

[@Kyros9119]

All modern CPUs have thermal protection so they throttle when they hit their max operating temp (usually 100 degrees) so it is safe to run it without a fan, it will of course throttle all the time and it is obviously not recommended to do this.

[@dariusztalarek8089]

It was not until I started my adventure with the creation of the PC. Currently, even the wiring I have arranged, no longer commit such errors. I was much younger.

[@TheCobraxGamers]

may i ask why you we're beat with a heatsink?

[@dariusztalarek8089]

Lack of knowledge and experience

[@Live4Christ1995]

As always, thanks for the tips Linus!

[@BlackForest909]

Attach your tower-cooler fan the right way round, when I was dumb and inexperienced I just turned my tower cooler round because of ram clearance without turning the fan round so I was blowing air in the opposite direction of the case airflow... my case was open enough so that it never crashed but it ran louder and hotter than it ever needed to (I think an opening on the side panel saved it). I got a new case without side openings and suddenly my system was crashing and overheating... that's when I noticed my mistake and corrected it. It's never been quieter or cooler and runs like a dream...

[@polarbear1888]

Something to avoid, when using SSDs which are mounted in the back of the case, look for power supply cables with no pieces sticking out (mine has this annoying plastic rectangle about one cm thick and I can't fit the back panel on... being the noob I am I tried to force it and now I am starting to pull the pins out of the cord, my solution right now is just no back panel

[@ReggieWarner]

Now I really want a porterhouse steak. Man that looked good.

[@hardleecure]

my top tip is to buy a kit with extra screws. Additional motherboard standoffs always come in handy... I've seen my fair share of people with a eATX mobo being held in by only 3 standoffs. Twist/zip ties greatly assist with cable management.

[@iberiuspred4906]

As for forgetting to remove the plastic cover, that has happened to me a few times. So what you should do after completing the build is to test the system and see whether you get proper temperatures during load. That way I could easily spot my mistakes and correct them.