How to Install the Abit KX7-333/KX7-333R Motherboard
Last updated: 1/18/2004

Install the Motherboard in the Case. There are nine mounting holes on the motherboard: three across the back, and two rows of three across the front. The motherboard mounting holes are not punched according to the ATX form factor specification 2.1 and older. The third row of mounting holes from the rear of the board would have been better placed along the very front of the board to better match many popular cases, such as the Antic KS282 and SX840, and the AOpen HX45A. For the installation in the SX840 case we were only able to use six screws to mount the board and they corresponded to three holes at the back of the board and the second row of holes form from the front.

Optionally, you can do as we did and mount two plastic stand-offs in a couple of the holes in the row at the front of motherboard as a precaution against the possibility (remote) of pushing the motherboard down against the case and shorting it while the computer is on. The plastic standoffs we used are the kind that were used to secure older motherboard to slots in a case. The part of the standoffs that keyed to the slots was cut-off with a pair of diagonal cutters.

19. Set the motherboard with the anti-static bag on top of the side of the case. Use it as visual guide to screw six standoffs to the case. Screw-in the standoffs by hand and then use a socket driver to tighten them (you could use an adjustable wrench or pliers if you are careful).

Do not over-tighten. What remains when they break can be very difficult to remove. Count them to verify there are six of them.

20. Push out/in the blanks in the I/O (Input/Output) panel covering connector holes needed for the motherboard. We did not have to do anything with this case/motherboard combination.

21. Gently place the motherboard in the case so the mounting holes are centered over their respective stand-offs.

Don't force the motherboard into the case--wiggle it into place if you have to. Be careful with the metal contact fingers around the holes for the I/O connectors. They stick out so they will make contact with the motherboard connectors and can get pushed into the holes. If you see a mounting hole in the two aft rows without a stand-off, you didn't install six of them or, worse, one of them is in the wrong hole and under the motherboard where it will short-it-out. I've done it more than once. It is a very common mistake.

22. Inspect the back of the computer to see if the I/O connectors are aligned with their respective cutouts, etc.

23. Mount the motherboard to the standoffs with six M3*5L screws. The correct screws look like chassis screws except they are smaller and have a finer thread. I call them "Packard-Bell screws."

Other cases use larger screws. I usually check alignment and screw-in one screw at the center of the rear of the board, check alignment again, and screw-in another at the front, followed by the remainder. Do not over-tighten these screws. That could damage the motherboard.

Sometimes the mounting holes in a motherboard will not exactly match the standoffs. The way to handle this problem is to screw in all of the other screws loosely so that the motherboard can still be moved around. If you are careful and patient you should be able to get all of them in without using excessive persuasion and cross-threading them. Once that is done tighten all of the screws and check them to be sure none of them are cock-eyed.

24. Double-check that you have secured the motherboard with six screws and that all of them properly seated (not cross-threaded).

Besides securing the motherboard to the case, most or all--I can't see all four layers of the board--of these screws electrically ground the board to the case.

25. If your case fan has a three pin plug, plug the chassis fan wire into the appropriate jack on the motherboard (the one marked FAN3 for this motherboard), coil-up the excess wire, and zip-tie it. The chassis fans for our case had two pin connectors that were connected

26. Remove the rubber band from the front panel cables.

27. Attach the front panel cable labeled "POWER SWITCH" to connector labeled "Power-on" on the motherboard (Front left).

28. Connect the front panel connector labeled "SPEAKER" to the motherboard connector labeled "Speaker."

There is no polarity associated with these two connections. It is important to connect the speaker now so you can hear any BIOS error beeps when you first power-up the computer. I do not install the rest of the front panel connectors until I'm sure I do not have to remove the motherboard.

29. Remove the rubber band from the power supply connectors, untangle them and connect the ATX motherboard power plug to the socket on the motherboard just in front of the CPU with clip facing towards the front. Firmly push it down until it snaps into place. It will only plug-in one-way.

30. Unpack the display adapter and put the CD, etc. that came with it in the motherboard box.

31. Insert the display adapter into the AGP slot (the brown one), fasten the back of the card to the case with a chassis screw, and push firmly and evenly down on the card to fully seat it in the socket.

Sometimes an expansion board will pop-up a little at the front when it is screwed down.

32. Inspect the sides of the AGP socket to be sure the display adapter is fully and evenly seated.

33. Shake the case for loose screws. If you see a small rubber standoff, it probably came from the CPU... Visually inspect everything for possible mistakes and defects. Check the display adapter and memory again. Check the jumpers. Verify there are no cables in the fans.

34. Attach your monitor's video cable to the back of the AGP display adapter. Turn the monitor on, verify that the power LED lights-up, and let it warm-up.

35. Check the power supply to be sure that the 110/220 volt switch is in the correct position.

36. Plug the computer's power cord into the computer and into an active outlet.

The computer is now in the "minimum bootable configuration" (MBC): Motherboard, CPU, heatsink-fan, memory, video card, power to the motherboard (keep the power cord disconnected), Power-on switch, Speaker connected, monitor, and nothing else--no drives.

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