How to Build a Computer: A Step by Step Guide

The Basic of Computer Building 

  

Pre Build

Anti-Static Arm Strap - This is designed to safeguard components from static charge. The probability of your components getting shocked is small, but we shall not take the risk. 

Screwdrivers: Make sure that you have variety of screwdrivers available.

 Zip ties- You will want a bunch a zip ties as they will proved for better cable management, and help your computer look clean.

Preparing the Case 

  To get inside the case you’ll need to first remove the side panels. Some cases will use thumbscrews so this will be easy, otherwise grab your crosshead screwdriver to remove the screws. After this, lay the case on its side as it will provide you with a better idea as to how much space you have in the case. 

Power Supply 

Make sure the power supply (PSU) fan in facing down.   The PSU will draw in cool air from outside the case, allowing it to maintain a lower operating temperature and potentially expanding its lifespan.

With the PSU in place, make sure the screw holes match up with case.  Now it’s a simple matter of attaching the four screws to hold the PSU in place.

Motherboard/CPU

The port surround plate (often called the back plate) fits into the back of your case and gives you access to the ports on the motherboard, typically with pre-cut holes. Occasionally motherboard manufacturers will use generic plates that fit all of their motherboards, so you might need to remove specific port covers in order to match the actual connections available.

The easiest thing to do is to hold up the plate to your motherboard’s back connections to see which of them match, and then remove the ones you need. This could mean either twisting metal covers off, much like the expansion card blanking plates on the case, or it could require you to push a flap cover inwards to give access to the hole.

Installing the motherboard

Take the motherboard and do a test fit by putting in the motherboard in case and seeing which screw holes fit for your motherboard. Next, locate the screws that will be needed to install the motherboard in the case, and screw the motherboard in. Make sure that the motherboard is not bending while in the case. 

CPU

Installing a CPU differs from AMD to Intel. In our case we will be installing Intel Pentium.                   

To access the socket, you’ll need to unclip the handle that runs down the side of the socket. Lift this up to release the retaining clip on the main cage. Now lift the main cage up and out of the way to expose the socket. The pins for an Intel motherboard are on the board itself, so be sure not to damage these as bending them will stop the motherboard communicating with or powering the processor properly.

Now line up the two cutout notches on the sides of the processor with the ridges in the socket. An arrow on the processor should line up with the corner of the socket that has a missing pin. The processor should drop gently into place and sit flush with the socket. If it doesn’t, and there’s some lateral movement, the processor is in the wrong way. Carefully lift it up and align again. NO FORCE SHOULD BE REQUIRED AT THIS PROCESS. Give it a little wiggle to make sure that the CPU fits in correctly. Close the metal cage and pull the retaining handle down. This will required little force. 

The standard heatsink for Intel comes with four feet that will fit into the holes surrounding the motherboard’s CPU socket.  Line up the feet with the holes and start pressing them in a diagonal pattern. These should click into place so you will know they are secure. 

RAM

Instilling RAM is relatively easy. Start by releasing the notches in the motherboard RAM slot. Next, locate the notches on the RAM itself, match these up to make sure you’re inserting the memory module the right way round. Once everything is lined up, press the memory into the slot by applying even pressure on each end of the RAM stick. 

Video Card (GPU)

Remove the back plate by unscrewing the screw.

The GPU is a very delicate component. When instilling the GPU be sure to handle it very carefully by grabbing it by the heatsink. The first part in installing a GPU is figuring out what PCI-E slot your card fits in. Since our motherboard has only one expansion, this will not be hard to do so. The producer for instilling the GPU is similar when compared to the RAM. -Line up the notches and ridges between the card and the slot, apply some downward force to securely fit the GPU in place.  When the GPU is in place, screw back the back plate, by screwing it in. 

Powering the Components 

 In the PSU, look for the wire labeled CPU, and fit it into the slot located near the CPU. You CPU is now powered. Next locate the 20+4 pin connector, and fit it into the 20+4 slot in the motherboard.

Take out the SATA data cable and plug on end into the SSD, and the other end to the motherboard slot labeled SATA 2. To power on the SSD take the wire labeled SATA from the PSU, and plug it into the SSD. 

 Fans

Take the CPU fan wire and plug it into the CPU fan header in the motherboard. Take the wire that comes out of the fan in the back of the case, and plug it into the SYSFAN 2 header on the motherboard.