Do you use all the motherboard standoffs in your build?

Do you install all the motherboard standoffs in your builds?

  • I just use the 4 in each of the corners

  • I use the 4 corners and a few extra where I think it's needed

  • I use every damn one for MAXIMUM motherboard rigidity!


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ofcourse I use as many as I can to match the motherboard holes. lol. That is the only time I skip it if I run in to odd size board that doesn't match all teh standoffs. But normally yes. As many as I can use.

This is critical.

When using metal standoffs, each one must match up to a mobo mounting hole.

Otherwise any "extra" metal standoff will touch that spot on the bottom of the mobo and there may be anything at that spot, not necessarily a ground.
It could be 5v, 12v, a data line, clock signal, etc.

I've seen even experienced techs make the mistake of changing out mobos and not checking that all of the standoffs are correct.

One such tech did that when he installed a new mobo in a customer's computer that I ordered after looking at the system.
He gets it together and I get a call from the boss that "I fucked up" and ordered a mobo when that wasn't the problem.
The system was still dead.

Got back to the office and found the extra standoff under the mobo that he left. System worked fine with new mobo after it
was installed correctly.

Quite enjoyed watching the tech and the boss have to eat a shit sandwich after blaming me for the other guy's fuck-up. :D

Plastic standoffs are ok for anywhere under the mobo as others have said.

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Pisses me off getting blamed for something you didn't do.

Funniest part was the boss told me the other tech (his superstar) said the "CPU fan was dead and that probably killed the CPU and that
was the problem the whole time". Told to me in a condescending tone to try to make me feel like a moron.

Uhh no.

The CPU fan runs on 12v, and when you short out something because you mounted the mobo incorrectly, the PSU shuts down and you
don't get your 12v. Other tech apparently didn't notice NOTHING was powering up, not just the CPU fan.

I had to explain all of that to the boss when he looked inside the running system and was confused the CPU fan was now spinning. :D

We had to order a different model mobo to replace the original that was in the system, the original mobo was no longer available.
The boss's superstar tech didn't see that the mounting holes were different than the original mobo. :rolleyes:

I taped the brass standoff to a note that said, "Paul, thanks so much for your expert diagnosis, I fixed the CPU fan by pulling out
the extra standoff you left in there.". :p

ETA: So glad I work for myself now.


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When I put this large board in my case I had to drill new holes (red) and the white ones had nothing since the standoffs were over the cutouts in the case, just have to be careful when plugging/unplugging the PSU cable at the bottom.

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I use all of them- I always have a lot of weight on my boards with heavy full cover water block on video card and monoblock on motherboard. I do require maximum rigidity
 
If I am putting the system/motherboard into a case/enclosure then I use all available standoffs/motherboard anchoring points.

However, most of the time I leave my systems running naked on a cardboard box or other non-conducting surface.
 
No option for just the center screw and the video card bracket anchored to the case?
 
I use every available,and also tighten like a wheel on a car. Skip around until just about tight, then go through and finish tighten. If I had a torque wrench I'd use it.
 
I use every available,and also tighten like a wheel on a car. Skip around until just about tight, then go through and finish tighten. If I had a torque wrench I'd use it.

That's a good point. I do the same, get them in and not too tight then go through them sweeping from side to side doing the final tightening.
 
You mad broah?
Of course I use them all. I even used to put extra standoffs under the power connector in the olden times. Those old PSU connectors were brutal. Or the 80pin ide cables? Those took quite a lot of force as well. You could literally bend the board to touch the MB tray with all standoff already in place just by connecting those cables.
 
You mad broah?
Of course I use them all. I even used to put extra standoffs under the power connector in the olden times. Those old PSU connectors were brutal. Or the 80pin ide cables? Those took quite a lot of force as well. You could literally bend the board to touch the MB tray with all standoff already in place just by connecting those cables.

I've done that too with a plastic standoff under the ATX power connector.
Haven't done that in a while though, usually I end up jamming my fingers under the edge of the mobo to support it when I connect the ATX power.

I've used one of those big rubber pencil erasers under the edge of the mobo to push against too.

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All, the 4 corners failed against the Scyth Njnia, from that point I used each and every one.
 
It takes about 2 extra minutes to install and screw in all the standoffs. Why wouldn't you use all of them? Board flex alone should outweigh laziness. We had a person doing our IT work years ago that was lazy beyond description. I fixed several of his pc builds because the board wasn't grounded well (industrial environment). The screws he did install weren't tight at all. The strength of a 2nd-grade girl just didn't cut it.
 
It takes about 2 extra minutes to install and screw in all the standoffs. Why wouldn't you use all of them? Board flex alone should outweigh laziness. We had a person doing our IT work years ago that was lazy beyond description. I fixed several of his pc builds because the board wasn't grounded well (industrial environment). The screws he did install weren't tight at all. The strength of a 2nd-grade girl just didn't cut it.

Yep, I don't get it either.

It drives me crazy to have to follow-up and fix sloppy work from technical people who calls themselves professionals.
Everybody makes mistakes, but the ones who are lazy and just don't care piss me off! :rage:

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Normally I would, for various reasons, but these B85 MicroATX boards are weird. They have this extra screw hole that I have yet to find a single case with a corresponding hole for... I don't understand at all, frankly.

Long story short, though, if I can, I will. If I can't, I won't really sweat it.
 
I would think far more ppl at the [H] would have more screws lose, honestly who do you guys think you are fooling?

Now seriously, raise your hands, who has had a screw rolling around in their case forever they could not find but could hear rolling around every time you moved the box?

lol, that would drive me insane to leave it there. I have lifted the entire PC and shook it in different orientations to find the damn thing. :)

I use all the standoffs. I am quite paranoid of PCB flex killing components.
 
lol, that would drive me insane to leave it there. I have lifted the entire PC and shook it in different orientations to find the damn thing. :)

I use all the standoffs. I am quite paranoid of PCB flex killing components.

Yep.

Loose screws are a no-go.
I will completely disassemble a piece of equipment to find/remove a loose screw.

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It takes about 2 extra minutes to install and screw in all the standoffs. Why wouldn't you use all of them? Board flex alone should outweigh laziness. We had a person doing our IT work years ago that was lazy beyond description. I fixed several of his pc builds because the board wasn't grounded well (industrial environment). The screws he did install weren't tight at all. The strength of a 2nd-grade girl just didn't cut it.

Lazyness, ignorance and apathy.
 
yes. unless the new case I just bought doesnt have all the stand off locations that my board requires. looking at you phantek....
 
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When you get a new computer case and the godamn standoffs are preinstalled & fused to the case and you don't have anything but a pair of needle nose pliers.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSyorPALRRX5vCIjXZokqD8t_mhbtZfynxxopsF0gCfO6MS-e6jjQ.jpg
 
yes. unless the new case I just bought doesnt have all the stand off locations that my board requires. looking at you phantek....
That's when the plastic standoffs come into picture. Back in the 486 / P1 days standoff were plastic pins. I still have some of those saved for cases like that. Just cut the part that goes into the case and voila you have a standoff you can literally put anywhere where there is a hole on the MB.
 
That's when the plastic standoffs come into picture. Back in the 486 / P1 days standoff were plastic pins. I still have some of those saved for cases like that. Just cut the part that goes into the case and voila you have a standoff you can literally put anywhere where there is a hole on the MB.
yup you can but i said fuck it and i didnt have any.
werent we just suggesting those to someone with those metal stupid clip standoffs? maybe it was someone else...
 
When you get a new computer case and the godamn standoffs are preinstalled & fused to the case and you don't have anything but a pair of needle nose pliers.

View attachment 148138

I have a mini socket set just for this. Some of them must be either machine-installed or they paint/coat/seal over them because I've damn near sheared off some removing the ones I don't want. (matx in atx case is typical reason)
 
I have built a lot of systems over the years and have always used all standoffs. I have always used air cooling and with the weight of these newer coolers you need some stability IMO. Also the grounding effect as others have mentioned.
 
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