Help mounting motherboard in Antec 1200

Rswitz · 06-20-2009, 09:37 AM

I'm really paranoid about causing a short, so i want to know how to prevent it.
will the motherboard standoffs already be in place in the Antec 1200? if not, then how do i mount them? do i just screw them in? will they only go in so far? do i have to use the washers, and what are they for?

**grimx133** · 06-20-2009, 11:03 AM

I think that there are a few standoffs already in place, though they may be in the wrong place, depending on the motherboard. Thing to make sure of is that you have the exact amount of standoffs (usually 9) and correctly placed, you need to put a screw in every mounting hole. A standoff in the wrong place can touch the traces on the back of the motherboard and cause a short. Not enough standoffs and you can have bending issues and damage the board. They only screw in so far, just put them in all the way.

I use those red washers when mounting hard drives, to absorb vibration.

Don't put your cables to those hard drives real tight, make sure there is an inch or two of wiggle room. To clean the filters on the front intake fans, you need to slide out the drive bays a bit, then the filters just lift up. To clean all three drive bays requires the removal of 24 thumbscrews, a real pain. I don't use all those thumbscrews, still mounts solidly in place, and a lot faster to take apart.

Run your power cables behind the motherboard tray when you can, that's what all the space behind there is for. Much easier to stash unused cables, cuts down on the clutter in the case.

06-20-2009, 09:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
Rswitz Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 15 OS: mac osx	Help mounting motherboard in Antec 1200 I'm really paranoid about causing a short, so i want to know how to prevent it. will the motherboard standoffs already be in place in the Antec 1200? if not, then how do i mount them? do i just screw them in? will they only go in so far? do i have to use the washers, and what are they for?

06-20-2009, 11:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,130 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: Help mounting motherboard in Antec 1200 I think that there are a few standoffs already in place, though they may be in the wrong place, depending on the motherboard. Thing to make sure of is that you have the exact amount of standoffs (usually 9) and correctly placed, you need to put a screw in every mounting hole. A standoff in the wrong place can touch the traces on the back of the motherboard and cause a short. Not enough standoffs and you can have bending issues and damage the board. They only screw in so far, just put them in all the way. I use those red washers when mounting hard drives, to absorb vibration. Don't put your cables to those hard drives real tight, make sure there is an inch or two of wiggle room. To clean the filters on the front intake fans, you need to slide out the drive bays a bit, then the filters just lift up. To clean all three drive bays requires the removal of 24 thumbscrews, a real pain. I don't use all those thumbscrews, still mounts solidly in place, and a lot faster to take apart. Run your power cables behind the motherboard tray when you can, that's what all the space behind there is for. Much easier to stash unused cables, cuts down on the clutter in the case. __________________