Safely power a motherboard outside of a case?

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Sojuuk

2[H]4U
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Jan 18, 2003
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I would like to test my new motherboard+cpu without taking my desktop apart do it. Is there a safe way to do this without using a case such foam under the board or perhaps wood?
 
Just use the motherboard box. Lay the anti static bag underneath the board and you're good to go.
 
I would suggest cardboard over the anti static bag. Anti static bags only work if the item is fully inside the bag; plus the material the bag is made out of is slightly conductive.

A piece of cardboard or wood would be a better bet.
 
compslckr said:
I would suggest cardboard over the anti static bag. Anti static bags only work if the item is fully inside the bag; plus the material the bag is made out of is slightly conductive.

A piece of cardboard or wood would be a better bet.
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Good call, I actually used a piece of cardboard as well on my latest build before I cased it up. Better solution than the anti-static bag for sure (although I have done that before, and it does work just fine).
 
i do it all the time to test things. a static bags or cardboard work very well as does the box the motherboard came in. i use a static wrist strap.
 
I put it on wood typically, you can also get ESD mats to use as well that will connect your wrist strap to the mat. Sometimes they come with options to attach the mat to the ground of your house or building:

http://www.esdmat.com/detail.php?pid=153487&cid=965

But by far the simplest and cheapest method is to use cardboard. The main reason I stay away from cardboard sometimes is that it has the annoying symptom of leaving dust around your board.
 
1) Start by touching the outside of your computer case while the PSU is plugged in to ground any static electricity.

2) open the retail box and remove the MB

3) place the MB on the top of the MB box.

4) install CPU, place thermal interface material of your choice......install heat sink, plug in fan to fan header.

5) install at least one stick of RAM (consult manual)

6) install a GPU unless the MB has onboard video....attach to monitor.

Plug in 24 pin, 8 pin and power to the GPU if needed.
Turn on PSU.
Power up the board.
You should get the POST screen.
 
Usually I just rest the board on top of the box it came in.

The real issue left is how to safely turn it on and off as my board doesnt have one of those built in power butons on it.

Can then either have a case right next to it and connect the power button cable or do what I did connect a jumper to the power button pins to turn on and same for off again. An alternative is simply touching it with something like a screwdriver as well (non magnetic).

I wish motherboards all came with a internal power button by default.
 
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