Computer Shopper - UK (2021-01)

ISSUE395|COMPUTER SHOPPER|JANUARY2021 73

cooler clip overthe remaining retention
frameanchorsand pullthe handleclosed.
You’ll need some forcetodothis properly,
but the cooler will lock into position when
the handle is all the waydown. 5

ATTACHATHIRD-PARTY

COOLER

Third-partycoolersare allalittle different,
so you’ll need to followthe bundled
instructions. Typically,you lowerthe cooler
down on to the CPU and thenuse the
supplied screws to securethe unitintothe
backplateyou fitted beforeyou inserted
the motherboard.You canread more
about custom coolers inAdvancedProjects
(page 124).

PLUGINTHEFAN

Look forthe CPUfan headeronyour
motherboard,and then plug in the fan
connectorfromyour CPUcooler to powerit.
Your motherboard will most likely havea
four-pin PWMconnector, which gives finer
controloverfan speeds. If your CPU cooler
has only three pins, this willstill connecttoa
four-pin header.Tomakethe connection,
lineupthe ridges in the CPU cooler’sfan
connectorwith the plastic stand-up on the
motherboard header. Pushgently down
until the connectorissecurely in place.

FITTINGTRADITIONAL

STORAGE

U

nless you’ve gone fully M.2, chances

arethat you’ll need to fit traditional

storage: hard disks, SSDsand maybe

even aDVD drive.Here, we’ll show you

howtofit traditionalstorage devices.

FITA2.5inSSD

If you’reusing a2.5in SSD, youshould find

that modern cases will have baysespecially

forthistype of storage. Look at the rear of

the case to see if thereare verticalmounts;

these keep the SSDout of the wayfor a

neater finish.

Forverticalmounts, you’ll haveto

remove the mount(typically with a

thumbscrew),screw theSSD into place

underneath andthen reattach the mount

on the rear of the case.

If youhavetraditional 2.5in drivebays,

slide the SSDintoplace,with the connectors

pointing outwards. Secure the SSD using

the method your case provides: this could

be screwless connectors,thumbscrewsor

old-fashioned real screws. 1

FITAHARDDISK

Find a3.5in drivebay andslide your

harddiskin, so that the ports stick out

the back, either facing youortowards

the motherboard,dependingonthe

orientation of your drivebays. Secure the

disk in placeusing the method your case

provides:screwless connectors,

thumbscrews or real screws.

FITANOPTICALDRIVE

Usethe 5.25in baywhereyou removedthe

panel at the start of this guide andslide the

driveinsothat it sits flush with the front

panel. Secureusing the screwless mounts,

thumbscrews or actual screws, depending

on your case. 2

FITSATACABLES

All traditional storageconnects via SATA

cables to themotherboard. Modern boards

willhaveall SATA3connectors; if yoursis

alittleolder or abudgetmodel and you

haveamix of SATA3and SATA2ports

(check your motherboard’smanual), then

youneedtoconnectyour storage devices

to the rightports. SSDsand newerhard

disks arebest suitedtoSATA3ports, while

optical drives operatefinewith SATA2.

Finally,ifyou fittedaSATA M.2drive,

thenyour motherboard hasprobably

disabledaSATA3port. Check the manual

to see which one(s) havebeen disabled,

and then don’tuse them. All SATA ports

willbeclearly numberedtohelp you

makethe rightdecision.

Take the SATA cables from your

motherboard’s box. If your cables have a

right-angle connectoronthem,that endis

forthe storage device; the straight end is

foryour motherboard. If you’ve only got

straightconnectors,the cable canbe

connectedeitherway round.

SATA connectors canonly be fitted one

way, so plug one endintoyour drive,and

the otherend into theSATA portsyou

identified earlieronyour motherboard.

Forneatness,you may want to routethe

cables through the back of your case, using

the cutouts provided.

TOP TIP

Ifyourcoolerisn’tfitted

tightlyenough,yourPC

canoverheatandeven

crash.Makesurethat

there’satightfitwithnow

obble

beforeyoucontinue.

TOP TIP

Makesurethatyour

drives,particularlyhard

disks,arefirmlyinplace.

Mechanicalharddisks

vibrateinoperationandal

oosedisk

willmakealotofnoise.

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