ATX Motherboard Standoffs

[GrimeOne]

Hey I got a new ATX motherboard. It has 9 holes that have little circuits around the the hole, those are the only holes I should use when installing screws into the standoffs right? Because in the corners there's holes too, but there's no circuitry around those holes, they're kind of just blank.

 

[DRagor]

What motherboard you have?

 

[aquielisunari]

Hey I got a new ATX motherboard. It has 9 holes that have little circuits around the the hole, those are the only holes I should use when installing screws into the standoffs right? Because in the corners there's holes too, but there's no circuitry around those holes, they're kind of just blank.

I think only 6 are necessary. Anyways, you can look to your motherboard's manual and it will show you which holes will be used to secure the board to the standoffs. My manual shows

 

[GrimeOne]

I'm using the Asrock Z270 Killer SLI/AC. I'll take a look at the manual. Because I only have 6 as my build I'm swapping parts out of was a prebuilt. So I don't have all of the accessories that came with the case, working on ordering more standoffs for the NZXT Source 220 now just figuring out the size I'll need. Yeah my new board has 9 of those holes with circles around them. But there's also holes in the corner without any circuitry like that would make like 11 holes total. In the installation part of the manual it only goes over installing the cpu/heatsink not actually mounting the board or which holes to use. I know the hole are typically the ones with metal circuits around them I'm just making sure. http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Manual/Z270%20Killer%20SLI.pdf

 

[DRagor]

Well, call me blind but I see only 7 holes. But anyway those holes in the corners are not supposed to be used for mounting - note that they would not line up with holes on the case.

 

[aquielisunari]

I'm using the Asrock Z270 Killer SLI/AC. I'll take a look at the manual. Because I only have 6 as my build I'm swapping parts out of was a prebuilt. So I don't have all of the accessories that came with the case, working on ordering more standoffs for the NZXT Source 220 now just figuring out the size I'll need. Yeah my new board has 9 of those holes with circles around them. But there's also holes in the corner without any circuitry like that would make like 11 holes total. In the installation part of the manual it only goes over installing the cpu/heatsink not actually mounting the board or which holes to use. I know the hole are typically the ones with metal circuits around them I'm just making sure. http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Manual/Z270%20Killer%20SLI.pdf

Well, call me blind but I see only 7 holes. But anyway those holes in the corners are not supposed to be used for mounting - note that they would not line up with holes on the case.

@ GrimeOne there are another 3 optional standoffs located next to the M.2 slot. You would only use one depending on the M.2 model.

Capt. Obvious says that none would be used to secure the board to the standoffs if there is not a M.2 drive present.

 

[GrimeOne]

Well, call me blind but I see only 7 holes. But anyway those holes in the corners are not supposed to be used for mounting - note that they would not line up with holes on the case.

You might not actually be blind it might just me being dumb so together we might be Helen Keller. I was doing this very late last night. And I only had 6 stand offs, but it looks like there is only 7 mounting holes. I thought the holes in the top right and bottom right of the board in the corners were mounting holes too so I was thinking I needed 9 stand offs. But I guess since they don't have the metal things around them they're not ground and they also won't line up with the case like you said and I'm not supposed to use those. So off to get 1 stand off I go. Thanks boys. Also @aquielisunari Thanks because I didn't know that either lol.

 

[DRagor]

As a matter of fact, those 6 you have should do. I would just skip the 3rd hole from the top on left column. Note that adding just one standoff to existing 6 can be a bit of problem - if it won't be exactly same height, the board might get a little skew, which is not good thing. So i would either use 6 you have or order 7 new and use only new. Don't mix them.

 

[GrimeOne]

Alright perfect I actually order ones for the nzxt guardian, was the closest match I could find and it comes with 9. So I'll wait till those get here and just use 7 of those instead of just adding in 1 of them to the existing 6. And if all else fails I'll just use the 6 I have and skip the left one like you said thanks so much. Do you mean the 3rd hole down on the left side out of the 4 that are there inside the big audio shroud?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Just to correct this bit of misinformation, despite it being three years old, you are ILL advised by anybody who tells you it is ok to only use SOME of the 9 standoffs that are SPECIFICALLY intended to be used on ATX motherboards.

There is no "circuitry" around ANY motherboard standoff hole, ever. Ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.

The metal you see around standoff holes is NOT there for grounding, or any electrical purpose of any kind. That is ONLY there as reinforcement so that the upward and downward force of the standoff and fastener do not crush the PCB material. That's it, and that's all. Period.

As far as not using all of the standoffs, for anybody who happens to wander by and read the best answer saying it's ok to use only six, I advise against that, and recommend that you ALWAYS use all of the standoffs. If you don't HAVE enough, GET them, and make sure they are the same height and thread pitch as the ones you already have. Leaving off standoffs can cause SERIOUS damage to the motherboard, by allow flexion to crack traces, solder points, damage contacts and so on. Also, always make sure that you ONLY use standoffs in the locations where there is a matching standoff hole in the motherboard. Otherwise, you will likely short out or otherwise damage the motherboard as well.