Once you have confirmed that you have a faulty mainboard and purchased a replacement, you need to prepare it before installation.

Begin by replacing the original fan as a preventative measure to avoid future issues. Use the best fluid dynamic bearing fan you can find, such as the Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX featured in the photo. Any other high quality 40x40x10 mm fan with a 12V 3-pin connector will work as well. Don't forget to connect the fan cable.

Next, replace the original CMOS battery (CR2032 type) as a preventative measure, as the mainboard may have been in a warehouse for eight or more years, causing the original battery to die.

Caution: Be aware that some variants of the mainboard do not come equipped with a CPU fan. If this is the case, you must add a fan to prevent the CPU from overheating and burning out.

Mainboards produced at different times may use different screws for the CPU fan, which may present some difficulties during installation. If necessary, purchase 2.5x15 mm wood screws or M2.5x15 screws with washers.