How to build A computer

[Thecookiemonster]

This is to all members, do not reply to this topic with answer any thing about this thread, Just reply on how to build things, or tips. Please make it simple and quick. Please do not spam this thread, we are going to make this step by step, if ya have any comments, or concerns PM me.But you are free to post pic's, and steps on how to do things.



Now, this article is about how to build a computer, know that the user reading this has already got the parts, and knows what to buy. If ya don't, that will be a new topic I hope to get done one day ! :lol:

Now this is a motherboard:
http://recyclesmart.com/upgrader/images/motherboard-600.jpg
This is sorta the main component of the computer. It brings every thing together. But, first we need to mount this to our case.

http://www.techologic.com/images/computer-case.jpg

This is a very common one, and more and more case's are going to a standardized design on how things are built, and put in. To open the side, there should either be a handle or latch some where, or some screws on the back, you need to undo these, and slide back the side. This will expose the inside of the case. Also you may want to do the other side also, this will allow you to install things better, and give you more room.

Now, inside you should see a nice big piece of metal, standing vertical. It also should have a lot of holes into it, and there should be some screws and other parts rolling around in the case.

http://www.a1-electronics.net/Res_Cases/2003/Antec_Sonata_inside.jpg

now, you need to take the mother board out of the static rapping in the case. But BEFORE ! we do this, stay in a stable place, and touch the metal on your case, this will allow all the static energy in you to go away, and stop you from frying any parts, I recommend this any time you open your case, or are messing with any part. You can also buy some things at local radio shack that prevent static, and if you really don't want to do any thing, get some latex gloves, ya kind look weird. But it works :)

ok, put the mother board into the metal parts, and line up the holes in the metal panel inside, with the holes of your mother board. Now, remember where this are. take back out your mother board, and place it on top of, or in the static rapping. Now, open up your little bag of goodies, and you should see some little metal things kinda like this:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/5793/DSC00163.JPG

Now ya need to get one of these, and twist it into the hole, so that it will stay there.
should end up looking like this:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/7715/DSC00164.JPG

now, place the mother board back into the case, and you should have it on top of all these metal supports. Now look for 2 things, little red washers, and some screws.
Should look like this:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9130/DSC00165.JPG

I recommend you test the screws on one of the metal supports before doing them all, they could be too loose, or be to big, and start de-threading all of them, and get them stuck.

now, apply the washer like this onto the holes:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3140/DSC00166.JPG

now, get the screws that work right, and screw them in, don't do them super tight, but tight enough so that your board or anything don't move between them.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9841/DSC00167.JPG

Also, make sure the back pannel:
http://www.a1-electronics.net/Res_Cases/2003/Antec_Sonata_back.jpg
*left side with the holes in it*
matches your mother boards connectors, if not, replace it with the one that came with your mother board, either you just bang it out, or remove a screw that is holding it on.

now, we shall install the CPU!:

You now should see a big White piece in the middle of your mother board.
Like this:
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/5854/DSC00150.JPG

This is the socket in which you install your CPU, take your CPU out of the case, and *open* the socket, this can be done with getting the metal switch and moving it upwards, this will let you. put the cpu on and install it. Place the cpu on the it, and move the cpu around till it falls in place, don't not use any energy what so ever to put it in place, it will go in on its own. If you do, you can risk breaking all of the pins. Now that it has fallen in, move the rod back down to how it was before.

[Thecookiemonster]

like this now:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6162/DSC00151.JPG

Now, it is time to install the heat sink:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1434/DSC00146.JPG

now, there also should be some little white stuff that came with it, this isn't there to kill moths ! :P. Its to have better transfer for heat from the CPU to the heat sink, now, its good not to apply to much, or to little. So cut just the corner of it, and apply it to the top of the cpu, should be raised up, not the base of it:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6747/DSC149.JPG

notice where the white stuff is, this the rest is on the heatsink its self, where when I removed it, it stayed there. If you apply to much, you could mess up your computer, so use good judgment. Remember, that your forcing down the heatsink, so some might come out off the raised area if you apply to much (btw, thats bad in some ways).

now, place the eat sink on top of the cpu, with the little clippy part *the bigger one out of the two* on right right side, with were the larger part is. now, with your finer hold the large part, and then force down the other side just enough so you can slide it onto the opposite side.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8436/DSC160.JPG

Now , note that its ok to apply some pressure to the thing, it takes some to clamp it in there. But watch out on apply to much, a good indication is that if some how you come off the ground while doing it, that might be bad :D

now that the left side is on. Its time to clamp the other side, get a flat head screw driver, and put it in the little clamp where it goes. Now push down and forward a little so that it goes over the clamp then snatches into place.
Like so !:

http://img1.imageshack.us/img1/4208/DSC162.JPG

now that it is in place, ya just need to connect the fan to the mother board.

http://img1.imageshack.us/img1/9566/DSC169.JPG
It is the lower right one, with the back , and three prongs in it. Place the end one *female* into the *male* slot, and it should work now. So that when ya boot up, it will now run.

[Thecookiemonster]

now, lets install some memory !!!!

it should look like this, there are different kinds of memory, but for this build we picked some DDR.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1032/DSC00137.JPG

now, remove this from is package, and look for the spot where ya plug this bad boy in !

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/205/DSC00138.JPG

the memory spot is the huge blue one in da middle of the pick, should be the same size as the stick of memory, ya got in in hand there. Now to install:

Open up the side clamps so that they are not perpendicular with the slot
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/340/DSC00139.JPG
make sure the little notches in the bottom are lined up with the one's in the slot.

Now press down, so that it clicks in, and the side supports clamp in onto the memory.

Like so !:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/871/DSC00140.JPG

[Thecookiemonster]

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/8038/DSC00133.JPG

Now it should all look like this. If not, you did something wrong, and go back, and look what ya didn't do.

now, it should be a good time to install some hard drives(hard drives will now be called HDD for the rest of this tutorial), and some CD drives.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9932/DSC00183.JPG

These are the slots on your mother board that you plug the "flat" cables into:

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3186/DSC00154.JPG

Now, the cable that uses these looks like this:

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6457/DSC00177.JPG

You can see that there are little notches in it, that indicates which way it goes in.

Now, this is the back of your average CD drive. Where all the stuff gets plugged into :)

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1434/DSC00175.JPG

Also be aware that there are "jumpers" that need to be in the right position. If you have more then one CD Drive, then you need to that one you want to be main, as the MASTER ! drive. and the second one as the SLAVE. drive. The way to set/position the jumpers should be on top, or back for the drive.

http://www.cheap-discount-computer-parts.com/Install-CD-jumpers.jpg

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/161/DSC00178.JPG
Now, just push the "flat" cable into the back, and it should slide in there, make sure its aligned properly, other wise ya can mess some things up.

Now ya should see some power cables coming of your PSU:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1606/DSC00171.JPG
that should be attached to your case, assuming that you bought a case with one in it. These power cables should have 4 cables going to them, red,white,yellow, and black. There should be a few of them, and look like this

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4108/DSC180.JPG
Also not now the drive has spots for these, this is where ya plug them in, just make sure the head is going in the right way. And push! :)
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4586/DSC00180.JPG

[Thecookiemonster]

Now, for ya HDD.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6535/DSC00182.JPG

Ya just do the same thing as ya CD-drive. :ph34r:

Also, you can also install them into the case.
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3890/DSC00184.JPG
Note, how that there different size, that means they cant fit into the same spots, most of the time, the CD-drive goes at the top. Look how there are rails and it slides in and holes for screws to go in. And the same for the HDD lower/ below the CD-drive area. Just get some screws, and screw them in. I would recommend using the one's that came with the products those will work best.

[Thecookiemonster]

Now, we need to figure out how to turn on this thing!

First we start by finding the large, rectangular piece that has about 15 different wire's going into it, this should be on the power supply.
http://www.tech-report.com/reviews/2002q1/tyan-tigermpx/power-connectors.jpg
Then we need to connect it to the board through the matching piece.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/26/DSC00145.JPG

[Thecookiemonster]

Now, its time for me to refer you to something. A book, and you have it. Its your mother board manual !. Go look into that, and you should see it show you some pictures and how you insert pins for HDD lights, power, etc...

The pins:*the multi colored area*
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9566/DSC169.JPG

ALl boards are different, mine has them listed on what they do, and then I just find the matching piece that comes off of my case, and plug that into them. Pretty easy :)

Now, for the other parts, Your mother board might have built in sound, or graphics card *now going to be called GFX card* *mostly because I cant spell, and its easier*

So, ya need to install these some how. This is done by 2 ways. PCI slot, or AGP, for GFX.

These are PCI slots:
http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/4453/DSC00157.JPG
And this is the AGP slot:
http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/3189/DSC00156.JPG

You just slide the cards into them, and they will just not go any where else. A slight force is needed to get them in there, But just enough. Then screw the end of them into the back of the case so that they are stable.

*note that* AGP is only for GFX, don't try and install any thing else but that in there. And also make sure whatever you install is the right size. and fits. don't be cramming random objects in there.

[Thecookiemonster]

Now, lets do some basic cooling.

These are fans, they cool your system.
http://tekgems.com/images/large/lot-socket7-fans.jpg
There are 2 different ways they connect to your mother board though. Some are 4-pin, and some are 3. This is told by that 4 pin, has 4 pins =O , and 3 has 3 pins. We have covered both of these, so it should be pretty simple on how to connect.

4-Pin:
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4120/DSC174.JPG

3-Pin:
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2758/DSC00174.JPG

To install. There are 4 holes in the fans, and the fans should have some "fan screws" with them. Use these to screw them to the case. The area that you know supports fans should have holes in it, and size of the holes should be the same width apart as the fan. Also *note* that there are certain size's that change. so make sure if ya buy them, that they are the right size and fit.

[aelx]

latex gloves are a bad idea. rubber has a tendency of taking on a charge, especially when it comes into contact with fabric(ie your clothing). Use your bare hands and touch components at the edges

[[GF]Burke]

sticky.

now update your bolgarted pics cookie..lol

[Adamt]

i have never been shocked by latex :unsure:

[aelx]

latex is a bad conducter, but it does hold a charge(which will be dissapated when it touches a piece of electronics)
Also, we are talking millivolts(so you won't feel anything)

[yum114]

This is a perfect guide the only thing better is a video man keep it up also when are you going to finish it`

[spotechnologies]

that guide isnt to bad. I would suggest a anti-static wrist strap if it hasnt been mentioned before.

[dog2525]

also stay away from carpet and cats. they are deadly

[automaticDEATH]

thank you for the guide and now i hope there wont be 10 billion new threads about this.

good idea cookie monster!
________
needUloveMe2 (http://www.girlcamfriend.com/cam/needUloveMe2/)

[xZelDx]

Good stuff man, Good stuff My fav pic was the carton filled with all the LCD Fan/Grills Haha
GJ

[cactusjack901]

Thanks, i am gonna refer back to this when i build my gamecubepc, it'll be slightly different, but it's a team of 3 people, so it shouldn't be too bad. any suggestions on a mobo besides a miniITX

[DrRo183]

What does the PCI-Express slot look like?

[TMG]

http://www.fatalbox.com/images/tech/pcieoverview.jpg

[Jimbo-b]

what good is that pci-e 1x slot, i have one on my comp but i have a feeling its useless

[linlin]

Its for high-end video cards.

[computerman]

pci-e 16 is for video, i've never seen a video card for pci-e 1

[dog2525]

http://www.yoshi.us/forums/showthread.php?t=18169