Motherboard screws

[BurtonBenson]

I'm building my first computer and have a question about what type of machine screws to use to install the motherboard in the case.  The case came with brass standoff nuts that are threaded but they didnt pack the screws with it.  I went out to buy machine screws that would fit but could only find steel screws.  My motherboard manual says not to have any metal components on the motherboard or in the case that could cause a short circuit.  Does that also apply to the screws?  I think it is ok to use but i want to make sure.  Otherwise you would have to use plastic screws...

[DaveLembke]

Metal screws are best. You need the ground plane of the motherboard to be the same ground potential as the case or it will be a floating ground which can cause all sorts of issues including death of the system.

The thread of the brass stand offs I have found come in 2 thread types. One is a thread same as a hard drive and same diameter screw. Others use a metric screw that has a greater thread count. Safest would be to take stand offs to a hardware store and try them against loose screws on shelf and see what one it is. Then get short screws that have a small cap head to them so that they dont ground out components or cut into traces on the motherboard. ((DO NOT FORCE A WRONG THREAD SCREW INTO A STAND OFF! )) if it doesnt thread easy the find the proper screw. You can damage the motherboard and case. One person once did this and the stand off was spun in the case, but the screw wasnt tight so the motherboard wasnt tightened down. They werent able to remove the screw that was cross threaded and the stand off was spinning in place but wouldnt come undone from case backing so the motherboard was now forever part of the damaged case. I had to get a slim wrench under the motherboard and grab the stand off hexagon body and then unscrew the cross threaded screw which snapped off in the stand off when trying to remove. Then get motherboard out and then turn and tug on the stand off to get it to bite and come out of the spun hole in the case backing. Then the repair was adding a new nylon stand off for that hole so that motherboard was never going to short to the case in that corner down by the PCI slots.

If you have an old computer available to salvage for parts, ( I do this all the time ), take parts from that you should find screws that are proper length and cap (top of screw) size to not hurt anything and properly secure it.

***Additionally if a new case you can contact the place that you bought the case from and ask that they send you the screws that were missing. All new cases come with a baggy and should have all hardware needed.

[patio]

Stop by a local PC repair shop....they hand them out like candy.

[DaveLembke]

Cool... never got them for free from a computer shop. Good Suggestion. I guess I didnt know this because I always had systems to pick parts from to recycle.

[BurtonBenson]

Thank you very much

[Geek-9pm]

Bags of screws sold on Newegg and Amazon.
Also on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/161188858009?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

[patio]

Nice pic...my suggestion is usually Free...

[cornemuse]

patio said it!

The computer shops eventually stop saving more screws, after +-10 lbs. Or 5 kilos +- for the metric ones!

I would say the ones in the pic top row far right are usually the ones, Take the standoff to the comp shop with you, , , , They have to 'get rid of old comps after customer upgrades, ask them if they have one (minus any hdds, natch') take it apart & keep the screws!! (mobos to the recyclers, right!)

-c-