Building Commenced, Part 2

As my package of parts gets closer to its destination, I've begun to have second thoughts. The doubts have started to creep in.

What if the motherboard needs a firmware update before it can use the processor? When I search for BX80637i53330, the number that's part of the item description on Newegg, it tells me it belongs to a processor that's "Step E1". Which the processor compatibility table over on ASRock says should work (or at least i5-3330(E1) has worked) since firmware version P1.10. But is that accurate? Or rather, am I reading the tables right? Will I actually get the E1 version, or will an N0 version show up instead, which isn't supported until P1.20. And if so, will the BIOS (or rather, the UEFA) be factory updated? I don't want to have to pony up the money for a Sandy Bridge processor just to run an update and then swap, even if it is only $50.

Speaking of processors, or rather, processor accessories; the i5 retail box I bought comes with a fan and heat sink, but does it come with thermal compound? If not, do any of the local shops carry it?

Does the hard drive I'm planning on using even work? I mean, it's not like I could test it. The only computer I have with a SATA connection was the one it came from, and that couldn't even make it to the POST. I mean, yeah I could run -- for instance -- Puppy Linux from USB, or maybe even a Ubuntu LiveUSB image, assuming I can dig up a flash drive big enough. It's less than optimal, but it will work. Especially since I don't have a SATA optical drive to boot a LiveCD. Something that is quickly moving its way toward the top of my "buy next" list.

Does the power supply work? Again, hard to tell since I'm pulling the potential one from the broken box.This one I'm actually going to test when I get home, by swapping it out with the bigger one in my Debian/Pentium 4 box. That way I know if a new P/S (for one or the other) is next on the agenda.

As of this writing (6:30 AM Wednesday), the parts have gone from Memphis on Monday night, to Lenexa, KS (a suburb of Kansas City) on Tuesday morning, and then on to a brief layover in Salina before heading to the "local" office in Great Bend to spend the night. They are listed on UPS's website as "out for delivery" about half an hour ago. If all things go my way, I should be able to answer at least some of the questions by the time I go to bed this morning.

Update, 10:00 am:  Well, the parts haven't arrived yet, so no love there. I was mistaken on both of my power supplies, though. The one from my salvage box was a 350W, not a 400. Unfortunately, after I got the one from my Debian box out, I discovered that it was also a 350 instead of the 750W that I apparently had in the box I sold off. The good news -- and the whole reason for pulling them out in the first place -- is that both of them work. I'm going to use the P/S from the Debian box, for no other reason than I was too lazy to take the salvage P/S back out of my Debian machine.