PC Construction How To

Gather all you Components!

Mother board

Graphics card

CPU

Video card

RAM

Hard drive

Power supply

Case

CPU fan

SATA cable

Thermal paste

You should a build your own computer because it is much cheaper than buying a prebuilt machine and it teaches you valuable skills on how to problem solve. It also teaches you about how computers work.

Clear a work space

make sure your work space is not damp, prone to static shock or dusty

the more space you have the better

place down an anti static mat or wear an anti static armband

place Components within reach of work space

ensure you are not wearing any polyester or silk that may cause unwanted static electricity

Place your mother board in your work space

(optional place on top of a box)

unhinge the CPU latch

(AMD) ensure the pins on your mother board are not bent

pick up your CPU by the edges

(Intel) ensure the pins on CPU are not bent

align the CPU with your motherboard

gently drop the CPU into the motherboard

close the latch on the CPU

spread a thin layer of thermal paste on your CPU

pick up your CPU fan

align you CPU fan with the motherboard

Place CPU fan on clamps

Clamp down the lever on your clamps

plug in your CPU fan to your mother board

RAM:

Align your ram so it fit in the slot

choose the slots closest to your CPU

Place your ram in your slot(s)

unscrew the lid of your case

use the Stilt screws in your case where you plan to place the mother board

place mother board with all components in your case

Screw your mother board on to the stilt screws

plug in all the cords in the case to the mother board

there are all lined one one side of your motherboard beneath the Video card slot

these cord's positions varies depending on the Motherboard so check the labeling on the Mother board

list of cords:

Power SW

Reset

HD lED

+

-

USB cord

HD audio cord

Align your video card so that it is visible from the backside of the case

press down on the video card until it snaps into the slot

place in your motherboard screw in the top of the Graphics card to the case

find the shelves located in the bottom front end of the case

ensure that the Sata cables and power cables are facing the power supply.

Slide the hard drive onto the shelves

lock the hard drive using the lock that should come with the case

(otherwise use screws)

plug in the Sata cables to the hard drive and the mother board

plug in the power supply to the hard drive

Align the power supply so the power outlet is facing the slot leading outside the case

place the power supply in the bottom of the case

screw in the power supply

attach the ATX one way cord located near the RAM

attach the ATX one way 12 volt cord located near the VGA and USB imputs

there is only one way to attach these cords

(don't forget forget to plug in the hard drive power cord)