Starting the Process
Changing a PC’s motherboard requires time and effort, particularly if you’ve never done it before. During the motherboard removal and reinstall procedure, you may encounter a variety of minor obstacles. But never fear! We will assist you in completing the procedure as swiftly and painlessly as feasible.
Why would you ever want to or need to replace your motherboard? (If you’re only searching for instructions on how to install a motherboard in a new computer, scroll below.)
Sometimes components fail. Motherboards are comparable. I have fried several motherboards as a result of faulty BIOS flashing and malfunctioning or unstable power supply. Sometimes, unforeseen circumstances might cause irreparable harm to your motherboard.
However, changing a motherboard is laborious. Before you begin, you should be very certain that your motherboard is faulty. First, use one of these helpful troubleshooting flowcharts to confirm that the motherboard is really the cause. Assuming your motherboard’s demise has been confirmed, it is time to contemplate a replacement.
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What to look for in a new motherboard?
There are several motherboard manufacturers, but just two processor suppliers. Therefore, you must choose a motherboard that is compatible with your CPU, regardless of whether it is manufactured by Intel or AMD.
Verify that the motherboard you’ve selected is compatible with your existing (or new) CPU. Each company has a variety of processor sockets for its processors. For instance, if you have a contemporary AMD APU, you will need a socket FM2+ motherboard. Conduct a Google search for the socket type of your particular CPU, then browse for motherboards designed for that socket.
Now that you have a list of motherboards compatible with your CPU, you should examine the board’s size. This selection will be heavily influenced by the maximum size of motherboard your computer case can accommodate. The majority of cases are built for ATX form factor motherboards, although some may accommodate smaller mATX and ITX motherboards. You must restrict your motherboard search to those that are compatible with the casing of your computer.
The next step is to choose a motherboard brand. Today, motherboards have more similarities than differences. You should not anticipate significant changes in performance, power consumption, or overclocking across motherboards with comparable prices from various manufacturers. However, they vary in colour scheme, I/O capabilities, and expansion slot configurations.
Choosing the motherboard with the correct colour scheme for your computer will always be a subjective choice. There, we cannot assist you. However, you must ensure that the motherboard you choose has a sufficient number of USB, ethernet, and any other ports you want to utilize. Additionally, you must choose a motherboard with an expansion slot configuration that can support any graphics or other cards you may want to install.
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Price is the last factor to consider after all other factors have been resolved. Beginning at approximately $80, you’ll get decent, though austere, motherboards, but you’ll get far better motherboards for your money up to about $250. Similar-featured motherboards from various manufacturers are often priced within $10 of one another. Open-box (returned) motherboards are an excellent (although somewhat hazardous) option to save money when purchasing a new motherboard.
How to install a new motherboard on your PC
When you have decided on a motherboard and are in possession of it, it is time to install the motherboard. However, before we get into it, let’s go through the process of uninstalling your previous motherboard.
After shutting down your personal computer and removing any wires or connections that are connected to it, open the side panel of the chassis of your computer so that you can have access to the motherboard. Before you begin unplugging anything, it is a good idea to snap a photo of this area so that you have a record of everything that has to be plugged in before you go on to the next step.
The larger components, such as your graphics card and your wireless network card, may be removed from your motherboard first. The next step is to get SATA cables or other interface cables that will allow you to connect your solid state drive (SSD), hard drive, or optical media drive to your motherboard.
At this point, it is time to remove all of the power cables that have been hooked into your motherboard. On the majority of motherboards, there will be a smaller power connector for the CPU that has 8 pins and will be located near the top of the motherboard. Additionally, there will be a much larger power connector for the ATX that has 24 pins and will be located near the middle of the left side of the motherboard. It is necessary for you to detach both of these connections.
It is time to get your go-to Phillips-head screwdriver out of the drawer, as it is time to remove the screws that are attaching the old motherboard to the mounting points in the chassis of your computer. Hold on to the screws since you will need them once again in the future.
At this point, your motherboard should be able to move around freely in your case; remove it. After you have removed the old motherboard, you will need to remove the CPU cooler, the CPU, and the RAM from the old motherboard before you can put it into the new motherboard. Be cautious! Never use unnecessary force, since this might result in the unintended destruction of your expensive equipment.
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Finishing the Process
As soon as that is finished, it is time to install your new motherboard into your personal computer. You basically only need to replace everything that you taken out of your previous motherboard and put into storage earlier. This is the perfect opportunity to put the photo you captured earlier to good use.
After you have installed the central processing unit (CPU), CPU cooler, and RAM in your new motherboard, put the I/O shield for your motherboard into the back of the chassis, and then place the motherboard into the case that is now empty.
Make sure you use the standoff screws that came with your motherboard so that it doesn’t contact the inside of the casing. When you turn on your personal computer, you run the danger of damaging the motherboard if you neglect to utilise the standoffs. (Some computer cases already have higher mounting points installed for you when you buy them.)
You can easily secure your new motherboard by reusing the screws that were holding your old motherboard in place. After this, you should proceed to reattach the two power connections (24-pin and 8-pin), which you had previously disconnected. After that, reconnect the SATA wires and reinstall the expansion cards in their appropriate slots. Check again to ensure that each of the internal cords in your computer are appropriately connected and that everything is securely positioned in its designated location. Turn on your personal computer once you have reconnected all of the external cords that were attached to it before you began disassembling it.
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Now comes the time to reveal the truth. As the motherboard adapts to its new life, it is likely that your personal computer may need a few restarts. After that, everything should return to its usual state. If, after replacing your motherboard, you are having trouble getting your computer to correctly boot, you should either get in touch with the manufacturer of the new motherboard or seek assistance on one of the numerous computer building forums that can be found on the internet.
Your personal computer should function just as well as new once you get a new motherboard installed, and with any luck, it will also have a more fashionable appearance.