CPU Installation

CPU installation is the first step taken in populating your motherboard.

It's much easier and frankly usually necessary to populate your motherboard before installing the motherboard in your case.

Start with installing your CPU on your motherboard,

Tips:

Always, always, always ground yourself. Do this multiple times through out your entire installation process.

 

Especially do this each time before touching your:

• Motherboard
• CPU
• RAM
• Video Card

Do not eat or drink while you are installing anything on your motherboard. A mixture of greasy fingers and $600 CPUs are totally a bad idea. Condensation drops from drinks on components, is likewise a bad idea.

When you remove your motherboard from its packaging, ground yourself before touching the motherboard itself. If you do not have an antistatic mat to lay your motherboard on, then lay it on the antistatic bag it came in.

You need to remove the socket cover before you install your CPU in its motherboard socket.

Remove Socket Cover:

• open the socket lever
  • press lever down and away from the latch
• lift load plate

• 

• remove socket cover
• 

Tip: Few items do not collect microscopic dust. Even while still sitting unused in its packaging. Use a lint free cloth to wipe the top of your CPU. Not the bottom!! The top, where you will be applying the thermal paste is what you clean.

I have to admit, when I’ve been in a hurry and not had the lint free cloth, I had zero issue with my install. However, purists will firmly state that a even though you cannot see the dust on the top of the CPU and the bottom of the heatsink of the CPU cooler, it’s there.

Ground yourself again, remove the CPU from its plastic protective case. Do not touch the bottom of the CPU. Hold it with your thumb and forefinger at the edges of the CPU top (the metal portion).

The CPU only fits into the socket one way.

• do not tilt or slide the CPU into the socket
  • hover above the socket,
  • line up the notches
  • lower CPU straight down
• the notches on the CPU will fit the posts on the socket

• the triangle/arrow will be in the triangle/arrow corner of the socket
• it will be flush and even

There is zero pressure required to install the CPU into its socket.

Tip:

If the CPU is not flush, it's in the socket wrong. Do not force it to fit. Remove it, realign it (the posts and the notches) make sure the triangle/arrow lines up and try again. Gently lower the CPU straight down.

Always, always verify that the CPU is in the socket correctly. Otherwise you will damage your CPU when you secure it. That will mean that you will need to replace it and possibly the motherboard.

Once the CPU is properly in the socket, then you will need to secure the CPU in its place.

Securing the CPU in its socket:

• CPU is properly in its socket
• close the lift plate
• close the lever
  • push down and over to get under the latch
  • locking the CPU securely in the socket

Presto, your CPU installation is done.

Next Steps:

1. Apply Thermal Paste/Grease
2. Install HSF (Heat Sink and Fan)

Return from CPU Installation to Installing the Parts

Build List - list of the parts needed to build a gaming computer.

Thermal Paste - How to apply thermal paste to your CPU.

Installing HSF - How to install the CPU Cooler (HSF)

CPU - CPU price point break downs.