The First POST

Ah yes. That feeling when you put a computer together, and it actually posts!

So I don’t have the case yet, but I can still build the computer, right? I forgot how small ITX was. It was pretty easy to build, and everything snapped together just like it should. I forgot I had Windows 10 installed from previously using the NVMe, so I didn’t even have to get out my trusty install thumb drive.

Eh, just kidding. I knew if I didn’t, I’d regret it, so I did a clean install and format (not in that order) on the drive, and got everything running again.

The CPU cooler took a second to figure out, but thankfully, they had the brackets labeled. Installation involved removing the preinstalled brackets and backplate on the board. The fan is already screwed in, and because I’m concerned about vertical clearance, I’m gonna give the included fan a shot before I swap for the Noctua. You place the cooler onto the CPU, and then screw in from the back of the motherboard. The only potential issue is how thick the head of the screws are. They stand off the back of the motherboard a decent amount. That, and if you tighten too hard, because you don’t have a backplate anymore, the entire motherboard flexes.

Alright, so I got it to post, and I’m in Windows. I get HWInfo, CPU Temp, and Prime95, my preferred instruments of torture, and I start it up. So far, no issues. Temps sit in the high 60s, but all cores running smoothly. I’m maybe 20 minutes in, and I begin exploring with putting cardboard over the cooler, trying to simulate being in a 1U chassis. Okay, there may be an issue, with temperatures immediately climbing to the high 80s.

Now we really have an issue. Even without the cardboard, just sitting on the open table, the display starts blacking out. Off for 1.5 seconds, back on for 0.2 seconds. After an hour of troubleshooting, I figure out it’s tied to some combination of the RAM and CPU load. Every time I start up Prime95, the monitor starts going on and off like crazy. I spend five hours trying to troubleshoot before finally caving, and blaming the board. Gamers Nexus on YouTube had just done a whole series on how bad Newegg open box motherboards were, and me being the genius I am, I bought one.

After admitting defeat, I began comparing alternative motherboards, and decided on the Asus ROG Strix B550-I. It has a rather tall VRM cooler, but I noticed some small screws, and no preinstalled I/O shield, so I’m hopeful I can get it to fit a 1U case. Amazon Prime, I’ll have it in two days.

oh yeah, the other thing I noticed? Ripjaws V RAM can be tall. Oh well, it’s only $80, so I order some Corsair Vengeance LPX, which, coincidentally, is the same RAM I bought for my very first custom PC, back in 2017. Prime again, so 2 days.

Here’s to waiting again.