Build Your Own PC - Step by Step Computer Building Guide
Build Your Own PC - Step by Step Computer Building Guide
Why not build your computer? Some people think it’s scary to do because it is complicated. But it’s not, in the event you look at inside the casing there's only few wiring inside there & you can connect them easily.You don’t require a degree you’re on your way to build your computer. I made a simple step by step guide that makes it simpler for you to follow.
Advantages of building your own computer
1. You can select your own preference of parts that suits your needs
2. Simpler for you to upgrade
3. You can fix any issues fast. You don’t require to call a technician.
4. Economical
5. Fun & Enjoyable & soon addictive
Disadvantage of Building your own computer
1. It takes a tiny time to learn
Safety First
Make sure your hands are dry
Make sure your both hands are dry & free from damp because, water is a kind of conductor that can caused short circuit that can damage your computer parts.
Unplug the power chords
Make sure that the power chord is unplugged before touching anything inside your computer. To prevent electric shock & to keep away from further damaged to your computer parts.
Discharge electric static in your body
Touch the metal frame of your computer case along with your both hands to discharge any electric static charge in your body before touching any parts of your computer. Presence of electrical static charge in your body can damage your computer parts. In the event you have an anti static wrist band use it. Put it in your wrist & attached it in to the metal part of your computer case.
Be cautious not to hurt your hands
Your computer casing has lots of sharp edges that can hurt your hands & fingers. Not only that, the back of your motherboards & add in cards has lots of little pointed parts. You better be cautious on holding this.
Tools and Parts
Tools to be needed
1. Phillips head screwdriver
2. Long nose pliers
1. Phillips head screwdriver
2. Long nose pliers
That’s it you require only two but most of the time you’re using the Phillips head screwdriver
List of your computer hardware parts
1. Motherboard2. Processor
3. Memory
4. Computer case
5. Power Supply
6. Hard Disk Drive
7. CD/DVD ROM Drive
8. Video card
9. Monitor
10. Keyboard
11. Mouse
Work Area
You require a comfortable work area with a proper ventilation to prevent you from dropping your sweat in any part of your computer parts & and a proper lightning to perfectly visualize every detailed part of the computer parts.
Step 1: Install the processor on the motherboard
The square formed with braces is the processor socket on the motherboard. Push down outward up to 90 degrees the lever arm to unlock the processor socket. Look for the indicator on the socket & the processor to put in it properly. In the event you have experiencing a hard time placing the processor on the socket STOP IT & don’t push it hard you possibly putting it in the wrong way. Read the manual of the motherboard & look for the installation guide to make it sure. It will naturally fit effortless in to the socket if you’re doing it the right way. So wait & see & look again for the right indicator. Make sure that the processor is in the proper place by holding it along with your one finger, & then lock the lever arm by pushing it downward to the clip.
NOTE: The processor is very fragile so handle it with care & do not drop it.
For AMD processors, socket AM2, AM2+ & AM3 can be fitted in to the same socket therefore, it is simpler for you to upgrade the processor without changing the board & memory.
For Intel processors, socket LGA 775, socket LGA 1156 & socket LGA 1356 cannot be fitted in to one another so, be sure that your processor fits in to your motherboard. Therefore, upgrading your processor means you require to change your board & memory in some cases.
Step 2: Install the processor’s heat sink
Apply a thermal paste on the processor & also on the heat sink. Thermal paste is used to properly transfer the heat from the processor to the heat sink to prevent overheating. Most heat sink comes with cooler thermal in it. The fan is directly mounted on the heat sink that provides further cooling to the processor.
For AMD processors, Place the heat sink on the retention frame on the motherboard. The heat sink has a bracket with a lever on the other side mounted in it. Hook the fist side of bracket on the motherboard retention frame & hook the other side inward to lock the heat sink.
For intel processor, Place your heat sink above the processor & look for the holes that exactly shoots the two posts in to the holes. Then push down & twist the two posts in to the holes to lock it.
Then connect the 3 – 4 pin socket connector of the fan supply on the motherboard that has a label of CPU1 Fan.
Unscrew The access panel
Step 3: Install the Motherboard inside the casing
Unscrew & remove the access panel of your computer case. Most casing has a power supply included. If your casing doesn’t have a power supply you can basically mount it on the upper back of your casing it took only 4 screw to do this.
Remove any knock outs plate where you can install your Add in cards at the back case & also the back panel for your motherboard. Remove also the knock outs where you can install your DVD drive. You can use pliers to do this. Mount the I/O shield at the back panel of the casing. The I/O (input/output) shield is an rectangular formed with holes that exactly fitted to your motherboard sound, LAN, USB, mouse, keyboard & other ports available from your motherboard back panel.
Place your motherboard on the case & locate the mounting holes where your motherboard can be screwed. Other boards makes use of a stand offs. You will be needed 6 – 8 screw that was included in the casing to fix this.
After you’ve done this think me the next part are very simple.
Connecting the 20 to 24 pin Power Connector
Step 4: Connecting the Supply & the front panel connections
On your motherboard you can see the 20 pin or 24 pin ATX power supply connector. If your motherboard supports 24 pin you can basically add the additional 4 pin connector of your power supply. Look for the locking tab of the connector for proper connection. You can notice that it can only be connected in one way you can never go wrong with this one.
You still have another 4 pin connector which is the 12v supply comes with 2 yellow wires & 2 black wires. It is connected separately with the 24 pin. You can basically find it on the board & can be basically connected follow the indicator.
The front panel connectors consist of power switch, reset switch, HDD LED & Internal speaker. The lovely thing here is that all connecting wires have label including the motherboard panel that makes it simpler for you to identify the correct connections. It makes use of abbreviations such as SPKR for speaker, PWR for power switch, RST for reset switch. Other connectors are USB, mic & audio that makes use of socket to make it simpler for you to connect.
Proper Installation Memory Module
Step 5: Install the memory
Installing the memory module is very simple look for the notch bellow the memory module between the pins if that is perfectly inline with the slot breaks of the memory slot. After securing the correct position, press down both ends of the module until the tab locks on either side. You can also press both the tab lock inward for further securing the lock.
Note: DDR1, DDR2 & DDR3 memory module are not compatible & it doesn’t fit to each other. For example, if your motherboard supports DDR2 therefore, you can only use DDR2 memory & never DDR1 or DDR3.
Step 6: Installing the Drives
Install the Hard Disk Drive on the 3.5 inch drive bay of the casing. Find the two holes on both side for the screw & screw them. Get your 2 SATA cable, the smaller one is for the interface & the bigger is for the supply. Look for the indicator; in this case you can see the L type on the left side for the interface & on the right side for the supply. Then connect the other side of the SATA interface cable on the motherboard most probably in SATA1 header. The SATA supply cable has a 4 pin inline rectangular adaptor on the other finish that you can connect to the 4 pin Molex connector of the power supply. Again look for the indicator it's a 2 slash on the top both side of the connector.
Next is the DVD ROM drive, Install it in to the 5.25 inch drive bay of your casing & look for the two holes on both side (usually it's 4 holes on both sides) where you can screw it & make it sure that the DVD drive was properly label with the front panel of your casing. Then connect the two SATA cables same as you did in your hard drive but this time you connect it to SATA2 of your motherboard.
If your drives are using a 40 pin IDE interface cable, it's a slot notch in the midst of the cable connector that indicates the proper connections. On the hard drive part the pin1 indicator (which is the heavy line on the cable) is beside the 4 pin Molex connector of the power supply. If you’re using one IDE cable your hard Drive is master by default & the DVD drive is your slave
Inserting The Add-in Cards
Insert your PCI-E video card in the PCI-E slot in vertical position. If you’re using an AGP video card, insert it in to the AGP slot. When the video card is properly seated in to the slot put the screw in to the card frame to secure the video card on the casing. Expansion slots are simpler to identify because you can see it obviously the physical size of the cards & the slots if it fits, whether it is a PCI, PCI-E16x, PCI-E1x or an AGP slot.
If your motherboard has already an integrated (built-in) video in it, you don’t require to put in another video card on the expansion slot, unless you require to upgrade it for faster graphics performance. make it sure that you disabled the integrated video in the CMOS settings to keep away from conflicts.
Connecting The Keyboard & Mouse
Step 8: Connecting the outside cables & testing your computer
Connect the ps/2 mouse & keyboard in to its respective ports. Ps/2 ports are little circular shape having a 6 pin with a near middle indicator on it. Violet color is for the keyboard & green is for mouse. If your mouse & keyboard makes use of a USB port then connect it in to the USB port.
Connect your monitor in to a 15 pin SVGA video port connector of the video card. If it makes use of a DVi port then connect it there.
Connect the monitor power cord (male connector) in to the back of the power supply. & finally, the power cord (female connector).
You can never be wrong with all of these because when you do it in the wrong way it doesn’t fit the port. avoid using of excessive force to prevent damage in any of the pins.
Now, the moment of truth! Make sure that you double check first all of your connections. Plug the power cord in to the outlet & press the power switch button. You can listen to a single beep & the monitor will display. Congratulations! I do know the way it feels to successfully build your own machine. It’s very rewarding & soon very addictive & some day you’re aiming for a more powerful machine.
