motherboard and ram test

hi

i'm just about to start a new build but i bought ram and motherboard a while ago off ebay and i havent tested it. i can use the components from my old pc to test it however my old pc had onboard graphics and this new one doesnt so i cant test it before i buy the other components. i was just wondering is there anyway they could damage the new components if they were faulty?

sorry probably sounds like a stupid question

thanks

You could assemble it together without a graphics card and see if it POSTs ok, spins/boots up the HDD and so fourth. Plus if its going to blow up anything, rather your old bits than shiney new bits, no?

Never heard of Mobos wrecking CPUs etc without help from another issue, say an exploding PSU or serious user error, but others might have different stories to tell. Speaking of user error, probs the first thing I would do if that board was secondhand is reset the CMOS jumper before swtiching anything on, never know what kind of mad overclocks etc the previous owner might have been upto.

another nooby question

if i swap everything onto the new board then put put it back its not gonna affect the original configaration at all is it? plus i dnt have a thermal paste, wiill the cpu be ok?

thanks

Shouldnt effect your current comps configuration no, as the machine will be off while bits are removed and replaced. Be just like building it into a new rig.

Shouldnt have much effect on the Mobo your testing either me thinks. Deffo do that CMOS reset first though!

If it was me, I wouldnt be too worried about the lack of thermal paste when testing the new mobo out (what CPU is it btw as would be even less worried with a Core2 than a P4 for example), as we're only talking a matter of seconds and they'll be some on there already if its coming straight from your current rig. You would need some new paste when resembling the CPU and HSF fan onto the old mobo though, I have moved CPU's before and not bothered cleaning and reapplying thermal paste (I'm very lazy and cheap), but its deffo not to be advised. Thermal paste is less than a fiver and if your not buying a retail box CPU or going with an aftermarket HSF on the new build, you'll need some anyway. Whack it on the order :)

it is a P4 :(
ok ill give it ago

thanks