Tip 3: Prepare the Work Area

You'll be removing all your internal hardware: It has to go somewhere. So you'll need a spacious work area. If you have them, gather up several of those antistatic bags that are used to store motherboards. They're very handy to as mats on which you can lay any expansion cards or drives. At the very least, have enough antistatic bags to store delicate expansion cards.
Milwaukee screwdriver
The Milwaukee screwdriver gets the job done...fast.

You should also be aware of static electricity issues. Modern semiconductors are much more resistant to static discharge than they used to be, but it's still possible to fry a chip with a high-voltage static spark. If you must work on carpet, try to do it barefoot. If you are working in an exceptionally dry climate—the desert, or somewhere very cold—consider using a humidifier or vaporizer to cut down the chance of static discharge.

You'll also need tools. You'll need a Number 2 Philips screwdriver at a minimum, and possibly a flat-blade screwdriver. A pair of fine needle-nose pliers or locking laboratory tongs (also commonly called forceps or hemostats) can be very useful when you're inserting jumpers or retrieving dropped screws.

If you decide to use an electric screwdriver, use a real electric screwdriver, such as the Milwaukee 6546. Don't use a power drill. Make sure your electric screwdriver has a clutch, and set that to the minimum setting to avoid stripping screws and mounting nuts.

Tip 4: Don't Overlook the Power Supply

You may be in for a rude shock when installing a new motherboard: You may need a new power supply.

Many older boards use an older version of the ATX 2.0 power supply. These older units have 20-pin connectors, plus the 4-pin ATX12V connector for the CPU. Most of today's motherboards adhere to the ATX 2.2 standard, which uses a 24-pin connector. A few now even have EPS12V connectors for the CPU, which have eight pins instead of four.
ATX Power Connectors
click on image for full view

In theory, you can plug in a 20-pin connector into the 24-pin connector. It only goes in one way. But you risk delivering inadequate power to your peripherals and the processor. So if you're running an older ATX power supply with a 20-pin connector, it's best to get a new power supply.

What if your motherboard has an EPS12V 8-pin connector instead of a 4-pin, ATX12V connector? You can plug the 4-pin connector into the 8-pin socket. In this case, you should actually be okay, unless you're running an Intel dual-core CPU that's 3.0GHz or faster. Then you might consider getting a power supply with an EPS12V connector, such as one of the new Antec NeoHE (500W or larger)

Tip 5: Disconnect and Remove All Cables and Wires

Last year, we were swapping out a motherboard. When we finished removing all the screws, we pulled out the board, neglecting to actually disconnect all the little wires. The result was about a half-hour with a soldering iron, re-attaching the power switch and reset jumpers that had pulled out of the chassis switch block.

The big connectors are easy to notice. An IDE connector, or 24-pin power supply connector, is pretty obvious. Less obvious are the small connectors, like the power switch, serial ATA connectors or front panel USB blocks. Check and double-check to make sure you remove every connector that's attached to the motherboard. Many motherboards now have floppy or IDE connectors mounted on the edge of the printed circuit board facing out.

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