Rebuilding system guidance

[Medic-one]

I've bought a few new components and eventhough I build my current system from scratch (new everything, 3 years ago) I'm still not very confident in doing it, so rather ask a few questions before I start, so I don't screw up.

So I currently got :

- Gigabyte X570 AORUS ELITE
- AMD RYZEN 7 3700X EIGHT CORE 4.4GHZ
- Gigabyte GEFORCE RTX 2070 SUPER WINDFORCE OC
- Patriot Viper Steel 16GB (2x 8GB) 3600MHz DDR4 C17

I'm keeping the mainboard, but have bought a new CPU, memory, and will order my GPU after the weekend which is :

- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D Cache Eight Core 4.5GHz
- Corsair Vengeance LPX Black 32GB (2x16GB) 3600 MHz DDR4
- Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Gaming 20GB GDDR6 PCI-Express

Ignoring my SSD with music and photo's, I've also currently got :

- WD BLUE SN550 1 TB NVME M.2 - Full of games.
- WD BLUE SN550 250 GB NVME M.2 - Running my Windows 10 OS

I've bought a new 4 TB NVME M.2 drive to replace the 250 GB and want it to look like this :

- WD BLUE SN550 1 TB NVME M.2 - Partitioned, running Windows 11
- Crucial p3 plus 4 TB - for games.

I've backed up all my documents etc and am about to flash my bios to the latest version so I can start rebuilding as soon as my GPU arrives.


1) I've got a fairly big case (don't laugh... it's a Thermaltake’s Overseer RX-I ), will I be alright in removing current components and installing the new ones with the mainboard still in situ, or would I have to take it out of the case ? (I'm reusing my current CPU cooler which is already mounted to the board: 'Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB')

2) What would be the best order to remove and remove and reinstall components ? Am I right in saying GPU last ?

3) I believe my board came with '1X M.2 Thermal Guard' but I'm not actually sure if I'm even using it at the moment. Should I have a thermal guard over the new 4 TB M.2 drive that will sit underneath the GPU or won't that fit ?

4) Would you advise installing the new hardware (CPU, memory, GPU) first, trying it, and then taking out the small M.2 drive with the OS on it, or just doing it all in one go.

5) And what size partition would you recommend for Windows 11, on the 1 TB M.2 drive ?

Also welcome any other tips/advice you can think of it. Cheers.

 

[mickyflinn]

Your spot on with the parts replacement while testing in between and won't need to remove the motherboard out but laying the case flat may help installing parts.

Bios update , everything will return to default settings
CPU
Memory
Gpu

you may want to add the m2 drive at this point if it's the one under the GPU that's being replaced.

If you changing from amd to Nvidia or vice versa uninstall the GPU drivers before replacing the GPU., Ddu uninstall is a good program to use.

Put thermal gaurd on them m2 if it fits without interfering with the GPU. just monitor temps you can always remove it .


500gb particion for windows and apps allows you some leeway.

Download MSI afterburner, cpuz, to check temps and settings and run some benchmarks.

 

[Quartz]

I've backed up all my documents etc

Good man!

am about to flash my bios to the latest version

Good man!

will I be alright in removing current components and installing the new ones with the mainboard still in situ

You'll be fine.

Should I have a thermal guard over the new 4 TB M.2 drive that will sit underneath the GPU or won't that fit ?

Unless it's just a plate it probably won't fit.

Your spot on with the parts replacement while testing in between and won't need to remove the motherboard out but laying the case flat may help installing parts.

Agreed. I'd add that you should have plenty of light.

Download MSI afterburner

There's a hacked malware version doing the rounds; make sure you get it direct from MSI.

4) Would you advise installing the new hardware (CPU, memory, GPU) first, trying it, and then taking out the small M.2 drive with the OS on it, or just doing it all in one go.

Be sure of your backups! Get a USB to M.2 adapter then install the 250 GB and 4 TB M.2 drives, boot off the 250 GB, copy your data from the 1 TB to the 4 TB. Then leave it a week to be sure your data has been copied, then swap out the 250 GB drive for the 1 TB.

 

[Medic-one]

If you changing from amd to Nvidia or vice versa uninstall the GPU drivers before replacing the GPU., Ddu uninstall is a good program to use.

Thanks for that.

Though if I was to do it all in one go, would I still need to uninstall the GPU drivers ? As I'm removing the M.2 drive with the operating system on, and replacing it with a brand new one that hasn't got any OS on it. Or will there be 'traces' of Nvidia stuff on the mainboard/bios or something ?

 

[Medic-one]

That 'MSI afterburner', is that for like overclocking and stuff ?

 

[Quartz]

That 'MSI afterburner', is that for like overclocking and stuff ?

Yes, and monitoring. It will show you framerates, frametime graphs, and so on.

 

[mickyflinn]

Thanks for that.

Though if I was to do it all in one go, would I still need to uninstall the GPU drivers ? As I'm removing the M.2 drive with the operating system on, and replacing it with a brand new one that hasn't got any OS on it. Or will there be 'traces' of Nvidia stuff on the mainboard/bios or something ?

Don't do it all in one go you can't pinpoint which part maybe causing a problem if it happens, Take your time it's better.

You don't have to uninstall the drivers before putting in the new GPU it's just good practice.

Are you doing a fresh windows install ? You could clone the drive if you want to the new drive . Do this first if applicable Macriun reflect is a good free cloning program .

Download Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - MajorGeeks

With Macrium Reflect Free Edition you'll be able to easily make an accurate and reliable image of your HDD or individual partitions. Using this image you can restore the entire disk, partition or...

m.majorgeeks.com

There will be no traces of Nvidia drivers in the bios .

 

[Medic-one]

Are you doing a fresh windows install ? You could clone the drive if you want to the new drive . Do this first if applicable Macriun reflect is a good free cloning program .

Download Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - MajorGeeks

With Macrium Reflect Free Edition you'll be able to easily make an accurate and reliable image of your HDD or individual partitions. Using this image you can restore the entire disk, partition or...

m.majorgeeks.com

I am doing a fresh install, but of Windows 11, and I've got 10 at the moment.

 

[mickyflinn]

I am doing a fresh install, but of Windows 11, and I've got 10 at the moment.

Ok then after you installed the GPU quick test then add the new m2 and install windows 11.

 

[mickyflinn]

Do you need to copy your games drive to the new m2 ? As I'm guessing you would if you using the 1 tb .

Forgot to ask earlier

If yes then you need to do the first before you format the 1tb drive, I looked and your motherboard has 3 m2 slots put the new 4tb in the spare slot and copy you games over.

 

[Medic-one]

Do you need to copy your games drive to the new m2 ? As I'm guessing you would if you using the 1 tb .

Forgot to ask earlier

If yes then you need to do the first before you format the 1tb drive, I looked and your motherboard has 3 m2 slots put the new 4tb in the spare slot and copy you games over.

I thought it only had 2.

One under the heatsink and one just to the left of that :

 

[mickyflinn]

I thought it only had 2.

One under the heatsink and one just to the left of that :

Apologies I misread the spec on the gigabyte website.

 

[Medic-one]

No worries. It confused me as well, as it does almost read like there's 3.

 

[Medic-one]

GPU (Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Pulse) arrives today, but unfortunately working the weekend so will be doing the build on Monday.
Couple more questions...

1) Obviously I'll need to download the latest drivers for that GPU, do I need to download drivers for anything else or should everything work ok after a fresh Win 11 install ?

2) If I'm gonna put windows 11 on that 'WD BLUE SN550 1 TB' hard drive, how big should I make the partition for it ? Does Win 11 take up more than Win 10 ?

3) And what's the advice again re thermal past on the CPU (bought some Artic Silver MX6), is it a little blob in the middle, or an 'X' or what do people tend to do ? Apparently the paste comes with some special alcohol wipes to clean the heatsink etc, so use that, let it dry, and then apply paste ja ?

 

[mickyflinn]

Before or after win 11 install I download the latest drivers for the motherboard , chipset this should be installed first, Lan , etc and gpu drivers from AMD in whichever order you want but I usually do all the motherboard first.

I would particion to 500gb for windows and apps but just for windows 11 it recommends min of 64gb but allowing more for updates would be wise.

Pea size blob is usually the go to but theres been plenty of test where there is only a degree or so between different methods. You usually don't have to wipe the cooler clean just apply thermal paste on the CPU if not already pre pasted on the cooler, but no harm in cleaning it first of you prefer.

 

[Medic-one]

Ignore.

 

[freddie64]

And what's the advice again re thermal past on the CPU (bought some Artic Silver MX6), is it a little blob in the middle, or an 'X' or what do people tend to do ? Apparently the paste comes with some special alcohol wipes to clean the heatsink etc, so use that, let it dry, and then apply paste ja ?

I used a smaller X plus 4 small dots of paste (MX2).

Hope the wipes are not as bad as reported.

Great paste as you would expect but those wipes....They are the worst things ever. They stunk out my whole house, imagine citronella mixed with diesel. I regret handling the wipes without gloves on, god knows what awful chemicals are being used. Plus it's oily so makes a mess and doesn't evaporate.

My advice, throw the wipes in the bin and use a kitchen paper towel dipped in alcohol instead.

 

[darael]

Regarding the cleaning of thermal paste, I've used Akasa TIM Clean for more years than I care to remember because it makes cleaning up the paste so easy. Because the Akasa doesn't dry straight away and to make sure the surface is as clean as possible, I also use 99.9% isopropyl alcohol which you can watch evaporate from the surfaces in seconds.

 

[Medic-one]

So it's all up and running but the temps were a bit high so following advice from here I've ordered a "Peerless assassin 120" to replace my "cooler master hyper 212" which has just arrived and will be fitted over the weekend.

2 quick questions still.

1) I've updated my Bios to it's latest version, but looking on my motherboard's website there are is also a "AMD Chipset Driver" on there. Do I still need to update that to this latest version as well or would that be included in the Bios update ?

2) I've put my new M.2 drive in the PCIe 3.0 slot, but I should have put it in the PCIe 4.0 one (as it's a PCi 4.0 drive) and my old one (containing my Windows 11) is in the PCIe 4.0 slot. If I swap them round will that cause issue's or will the system just 'realise' on which drive the operation system is and still load from there ?

 

[IntMD]

So it's all up and running but the temps were a bit high so following advice from here I've ordered a "Peerless assassin 120" to replace my "cooler master hyper 212" which has just arrived and will be fitted over the weekend.

2 quick questions still.

1) I've updated my Bios to it's latest version, but looking on my motherboard's website there are is also a "AMD Chipset Driver" on there. Do I still need to update that to this latest version as well or would that be included in the Bios update ?

2) I've put my new M.2 drive in the PCIe 3.0 slot, but I should have put it in the PCIe 4.0 one (as it's a PCi 4.0 drive) and my old one (containing my Windows 11) is in the PCIe 4.0 slot. If I swap them round will that cause issue's or will the system just 'realise' on which drive the operation system is and still load from there ?

1. It won't have been included and yes you should do the latest one from the website
2. Might just want to check your boot order in bios once youve swapped. Shouldn't really be any problems though.