Building Your Own Computer: How Many Steps Are Involved?
First, you start with the motherboard. Before you install it in the case, attach the CPU, heatsink, and fan. The CPU literally drops into place. It's called a Zero Insertion Force socket. The heatsink and the fan attach to the CPU socket by means of a steel clip. That's all there is to it.
Now, plug in your RAM modules on the motherboard. Little plastic arms will click into place at each end when they seat.
With all this stuff pre-attached, install the motherboard in your case. Usually 7 screws and a couple of plastic standoffs hold it to the chassis. The most technical part of this step is to know how to use a screwdriver.
You can slide your hard drive into place now. It goes into one of the case's 3.5 inch bays, and is held there by four screws. Connect it to the motherboard with a ribbon cable. You'll also need to connect it to the power supply using one of the four-wire leads.
It's much the same story with your CD/DVD, except it goes in a 5 inch bay. It gets a ribbon cable, and the same type of power line. A separate sound wire will connect it to the motherboard.
Since cooling is always a concern, a case fan, or maybe two, will be needed. Screws hold it in place, and it will take a wire from the power supply to run it.
Go ahead and plug in the case wires to stuff like the start button, the front USB ports, and the speaker that makes that annoying beep when you do something wrong. These are labeled, though the print is tiny.
Any cards you require, like a graphics card, modem, and the like, can go in now. Push them straight down into their slots. At the back end they're held to the case by a single screw. There's no power to connect. They get their juice from the motherboard.
Now, boot up your new machine, and install your operating system.
Are there more "particulars" you need to know about building a PC? Yes, but you can learn them easily with a good guidebook. With a book, parts, and a spare afternoon, you can build your own computer!
Related Tags: hard drive, ram, cpu, modem, motherboard, graphics card, build your own computer, power supply
Michael Quarles is the author of the book "Building a PC for Beginners". His website is http://www.monkeyseemonkeydobooks.com
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