System Building Part II: Putting It All Together

've spent months saving money for your first computer build. You have spent weeks picking out computer parts and posting them on 10 different forums only to be criticized by other forum members. You finally decided what to buy and you placed the order.

UPS Santa arrived with all of your geeky goodies and you can't wait to get down and dirty and start putting your pride and joy together. You rip open all the boxes like a kid on Christmas morning! Your floor is covered in computer parts, packaging materials, and foam peanuts when suddenly, you feel intimidated. You realize you have never done this before and you don't know what the hell you're doing. Relax. Putting a computer together is easier than a 5000 piece jigsaw puzzle. We will walk you through all the basic steps to get your computer from packaging to a working machine.

To start off, you need to find yourself a good spot to build your computer. A desk or table works best. If you use the Dinning room table, make sure your project is complete before dinner time. Also, pay attention to static electricity. One little zap and your components are toast. It's best not to build your computer while standing on carpet. Try to find a room with vinyl or hardwood floors. However, if your whole house is carpeted, you can always get a rubber mat.

For most computer builds, you will need just a Phillips Head screw driver. Here are some other items that will make your building a little easier

Phillips Screw Driver
Anti-static wrist band
Marker
Scissors
Flash Light
Grabber
Multi-tool
Thermal Paste
Zip Ties

The case we'll be using has a Motherboard tray. Not all cases have one. If your case doesn't have one, you may find it easier to do some of these steps differently.

On some motherboard trays, the holes for the motherboard standoffs are marked, so it's easier to know which holes to put the standoffs in. If your tray isn't marked, use a marker to identify which holes fit your motherboard. This is important because a stray standoff could cause a short in your motherboard causing your system not to boot, or worse, kill your motherboard!

Put the standoffs in the marked holes and install the I/O shield. Don't forget to install the I/O Shield before you install the Motherboard. Otherwise, you will be taking your Motherboard back out to put it in. No you can't squeeze it in there.

Put the motherboard on the tray and line up the holes in the motherboard to the standoffs on the tray. Make sure the I/O ports are inserted into the I/O shield properly to avoid problems later. Start screwing in the motherboard to the tray. It's best to put all the screws in loose at first so you have room to move the motherboard a bit so each hole lines up with its standoff. Once all the screws are in, tighten them up. You should put all the screws in to make sure your Motherboard is secure.

Install the CPU into the socket. Make sure you put the CPU in the right way. Most CPUs and Sockets are marked with arrows so you know which direction the CPU goes.

Apply thermal paste onto the CPU. Be careful not to glob it on. You don't need to cover the whole CPU in gunk. One drop should be enough. Read the directions for the Thermal Paste you're using for proper application.

Install the Heat sink and Fan. Make sure you install it the right way. Again, hrefer to the directions for proper orientation. Like everything else, not all HSFs are the same.

Installing RAM is probably the easiest part of the build. It only goes in one way and snaps into place. Make sure the levers at each end of the Ram module are locked in place. Check your Motherboard manual for proper slot placement for dual channel operation.

Install your Video Card and any other add in cards, like Sound Cards and Controller Cards, if you have them. Then set your Tray to the side.

Prepare your Power Supply for installation. Some Cases have a PSU adapter so your PSU fits securely into the case.

Install your PSU and get the cables straight so it's easier to install the rest of the components.

It's easier if you install your drives and Bay Devices before inserting the Motherboard tray. Some drives won't fit past the motherboard into the drive bays.

Get all the cables out of the way and slide in the Motherboard tray.

Once the Motherboard Tray is in place, connect all the cables and wires. Check with your Motherboard manual to ensure you connect the right cables and wires to the right ports on the Motherboard.

Once you get everything connected, you can use zip ties to tidy up the cable management. Using Loom and Sleeving will help make the inside of your case look uniform and organized.

Well, now that we are done, we can fire it up and watch our build come to life. You're now ready to setup the BIOS and install your OS.

When building your computer, just remember to keep your parts organized. Keep the manuals for all of your components handy for quick hreference. If you're using pre-owned parts, you can go to the manufacturer website and download the manual. If you get to the point where you feel stuck, posting on the forums can help you get a solution to your problem.