Can I install ram upgrades and extra SSD drive before turning on my new gaming PC?

[Barnmaster666]

Basically have new ram and an extra 1tb ssd drive (and water cooler kit but thats irrelevant) and have received my new gaming PC (ASU’s rig strix C16GH) so can I fit these upgrades before my switch on as assume system pre installed and ready to go. Have to wait but also if I don’t turn on the pc a can sell my parts being replaced as new. Compared to used. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Will also need some advice on setting up my 2 ssd mve2 PCIe-4 drives. Heard the best way to run them is just have windows on one and everything else on the other? I’m a sim racer so was just a bit confused with every thing, as seems to be a lot of contradictory advice online. Relatively hand with it and electronics but haven’t been the gaming world for a bout 10 years.

2nd question regarding water cooled kit? Does the rad and fans have to sit at the top of the case or could it sit anywhere I can find space. Eg the front as I don’t seem to have any fans there currently and would draw air into the front of the case as was intended I believe and push it out the back??


Thanks All,

Mark

 

[ED209]

You can do whatever you like, options are

1. Swap out the parts before even turning it on for the first time

2. test the new PC with its current parts to make sure all is good and then swap them over.

If you are replacing the OS Storge when re installing Windows make sure you only have 1 of the drives installed as then Windows will only install files on that drive rather than any others it sees during the install.

With regards to setting up the nvme drives there is nothing else you need to do apart from installing them. The 2nd drive will require you to go in to disk management once Windows is installed and create a partition on it before its visible in Windows, The OS nvme drive will be sorted during the install of the OS.

The PC sounds like its a pre built system, it might be worth checking if you are voiding your warranty before doing any upgrades

 

[mickyflinn]

Best to test the pc works first before changing anything , personally I would change the items one a a time so you can pinpoint any problems.

Also if Theres a problem with the pc like 6 months later most places want original spec unless you inform them of upgrades , so it may void your warranty anyway.

 

[LuckyBenski]

As far as the liquid cooler is concerned, it's best if the pump is lower than the radiator, but that's only best practise. If you can orient the pipes so that they are at the bottom and the radiator is above them, that's possibly the next best option. This is so the pump is less likely to run dry if some air is in the system later in life.

 

[Tetras]

I would highly recommend that you don't touch the PC for at least a week or two, to check that everything is working properly. It is easy enough to remove a SSD/extra RAM if you have to RMA it, but it just adds an extra troubleshooting layer that I think is best avoided until you're sure the PC works. Do keep in mind though, that may you get better RMA terms on your new items and the PC within the first month.

2nd question regarding water cooled kit? Does the rad and fans have to sit at the top of the case or could it sit anywhere I can find space. Eg the front as I don’t seem to have any fans there currently and would draw air into the front of the case as was intended I believe and push it out the back??

You can fit an AIO anywhere the case allows you to, but the top is usually where they're placed. You'd expect the front fans to act optimally as an in intake for 99% of builds.