What to do after building Ryzen 3000 PC

[ConstantColby]

Hi All,

This is my first time building a PC, and I am trying to figure out what are all the steps and things that I should do (like a checklist of sorts) once I finish building the PC.

I am building:

- Ryzen 3700X

- GeForce 2070 Super

- X470 or X570 motherboard (haven't decided on one yet cause availability) - would welcome recommendation for a balanced mobo. Heard that the ASUS TUF is good, but i really don't like that yellow LOL

- DDR4-3600 16GB RAM

- 750W 80+ Gold PSU

- NZXT H510 case

 

So I know I need to install Windows first. Then update drivers. But if I need to update Bios, should I do it before Windows install?

So what is the sequence that I should update all the drivers, what drivers do I need to update, where do I find them, and how do I make sure if I have the latest.

Also, what are the software that I should download? Ryzen Master and MSI Afterburner?

 

I hope this is not asking too much.

 

Really appreciate the help!

 

Thank you!!!

 

[Radium_Angel]

7 minutes ago, Colby_Junior said:

Really appreciate the help!

 

Normally it goes something like this:

 

Windows -> all drivers (mobo 1st, GFX 2nd) -> Windows updates -> BIOS updates

Get mobo drivers from mobo maker's site

GFX card from GFX card maker's site.

 

Some useful software for you

http://gputemp.com/

https://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

 

[Tristerin]

Put PC together

Post to BIOS and check idle temps are good (if you ever crash during a BIOS update, without a good board with BIOS recovery you will brick it - so you don't want overheating to occur in case you had a bad CPU cooler mount, etc)

Install OS

Install pertinent OS updates through Windows updater (if you are doing Windows, Im assuming you are)

Install GPU drivers

Benchmark PC for stability (Cinebench R20 pass, Firestrike pass, Prime95 10 minutes) - if all passes you should be 100% stable and can decide to do BIOS updates or not if you want to.

 

**If you get an X470 board ensure it is Ryzen 3 ready, or you will not be able to post without using a Ryzen 1 or 2 CPU to first BIOS update to even accept a Ryzen third gen CPU

[aDoomGuy]

Well first of all.. Beware the risk of updating BIOS, if something happens like power loss while the update is in progress you may brick your board. With that said I don't see a reason to start there once you have confirmed that the components work.

 

Now, here is roughly my routine when installing Windows.

 

• Disconnect all hard drives you are not installing the OS to and then proceed to install Windows.
• Once booted into Windows open CMD as admin (open Start menu search for CMD and choose run as administrator)
• In CMD run command: SFC /SCANNOW   (this will scan your critical system files and fix them if something went wrong during installation).
• Install chipset driver (it may be best to install the chipset driver from your motherboard manufacturer first and then update from AMD site).
• Download DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)
• Reboot into safe mode (remember that PIN code login is not permitted in safe mode)
• Remove display drivers with DDU and reboot into normal desktop
• Install VGA drivers from Nvidia/AMD
• Install any other driver you may need.

You can find drivers at motherboard manufacturers site, at AMD.com and at Nvidia.com.

 

EDIT: I realize I forgot to mention Windows updates, may as well check for them first thing when Windows is installed to be done with it.

[SpookyCitrus]

My build process is more of a ritual.

First I bench test the major components and install Windows during the bench test. I don't setup any secondary HDDs until later.

After the Windows install I shut everything down and assemble the computer.

Turn the computer back on and get it booted into Windows, then go to the motherboards support page on the manufacturer website and install all the main drivers, chipset, audio, wireless and lan, and the RGB software if necessary.

I then install the graphics driver software whether it's Geforce Experience or AMD Adrenalin and get the graphics drivers installed.

Setup/format any other storage drives.

Next I check for a bios update if it has one I'll do it.

After that it should be good to go install your games and programs and get to playing.

 

The short version:

Bench test components

Assemble PC

Windows Install (you can do it during the bench test or after assembly)

Motherboard drivers

Graphics drivers

Setup secondary HDDs

Bios update if necessary

Get to gaming.

 

[ConstantColby]

Thanks for all the input.

A little confusing and lost to be honest. haha!

 

I looked on the ASUS TUF page, and it has:

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 3
- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode

 

I did a quick search and if I understood it right, it means I can update the BIOS without a CPU installed? That is if I were to opt for a X470 board, right?

[ConstantColby]

1 hour ago, Tristerin said:

Put PC together

Post to BIOS and check idle temps are good (if you ever crash during a BIOS update, without a good board with BIOS recovery you will brick it - so you don't want overheating to occur in case you had a bad CPU cooler mount, etc)

Install OS

Install pertinent OS updates through Windows updater (if you are doing Windows, Im assuming you are)

Install GPU drivers

Benchmark PC for stability (Cinebench R20 pass, Firestrike pass, Prime95 10 minutes) - if all passes you should be 100% stable and can decide to do BIOS updates or not if you want to.

 

**If you get an X470 board ensure it is Ryzen 3 ready, or you will not be able to post without using a Ryzen 1 or 2 CPU to first BIOS update to even accept a Ryzen third gen CPU

Should I not perform any updates for the chipset?

Other than GPU & CPU drivers, are there any other drivers that I should update? Storage (do they have drivers? LOL)

[ConstantColby]

57 minutes ago, aDoomGuy said:

Well first of all.. Beware the risk of updating BIOS, if something happens like power loss while the update is in progress you may brick your board. With that said I don't see a reason to start there once you have confirmed that the components work.

 

Now, here is roughly my routine when installing Windows.

 

• Disconnect all hard drives you are not installing the OS to and then proceed to install Windows.
• Once booted into Windows open CMD as admin (open Start menu search for CMD and choose run as administrator)
• In CMD run command: SFC /SCANNOW   (this will scan your critical system files and fix them if something went wrong during installation).
• Install chipset driver (it may be best to install the chipset driver from your motherboard manufacturer first and then update from AMD site).
• Download DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)
• Reboot into safe mode (remember that PIN code login is not permitted in safe mode)
• Remove display drivers with DDU and reboot into normal desktop
• Install VGA drivers from Nvidia/AMD
• Install any other driver you may need.

You can find drivers at motherboard manufacturers site, at AMD.com and at Nvidia.com.

 

EDIT: I realize I forgot to mention Windows updates, may as well check for them first thing when Windows is installed to be done with it.

You suggest installing the chipset driver from the motherboard first then AMD? I am guessing it is because AMD might have the latest copy?

 

Why do I need to remove my display drivers? Can't I just update them straight from Nvidia website?

[Dravinian]

Can we advertise other content creators work here? It isn't me, so hopefully that is ok.

 

Jayztwocents has a video, I have it saved:

 

He takes you through what to do after, and I think he does it well.

 

 

[Tristerin]

37 minutes ago, Colby_Junior said:

Should I not perform any updates for the chipset?

Other than GPU & CPU drivers, are there any other drivers that I should update? Storage (do they have drivers? LOL)

I don't, and haven't on the latest and greatest platforms I have.  I don't experience any issues to have a need to update them.  Same with BIOS updates - if it works, don't fix it.  Chipset controls the communications between things, if they are communicating correctly, no need to change imho

 

Back on my FX system, I was running an original BIOS, then a few years into I was like - hey lets update the BIOS - my temps skyrocketed, and things were wonky, so I downgraded.

[aDoomGuy]

1 hour ago, Colby_Junior said:

You suggest installing the chipset driver from the motherboard first then AMD? I am guessing it is because AMD might have the latest copy?

 

Why do I need to remove my display drivers? Can't I just update them straight from Nvidia website?

You can but I have seen better performance by removing the graphics driver Windows installs with DDU.

 

Yes, AMD have the latest copy and your motherboard vendor may have things included for your motherboard in the driver on their website. I say may have because I don't think it's applicable too all boards and vendors but for my Asus B450 there was. You can skip the drivers from AMD but you will not get the latest Ryzen power plan.

 

1 hour ago, Dravinian said:

Can we advertise other content creators work here? It isn't me, so hopefully that is ok.

 

Jayztwocents has a video, I have it saved:

 

He takes you through what to do after, and I think he does it well.

 

 

This is a good little video.