Steps to assembling a computer

Safety Precautions

1. Electricity is good, but static electricity is bad for parts. Remember to always stay grounded by keeping at least one part of your body in contact with metal.
2. If at first a part doesn’t fit, do not force it because you might break it.
3. Don’t over-tighten screws. You can start stripping them
4. Remember to keep all your manuals. You never know when you may need them
5. Keep all the screws in a safe place. Don’t mix them up.

Now to start

1. Make sure you get all your parts. Check the list and make sure they’re all compatible
   
   
2. Take your computer case apart. It comes with rails, which will be needed. In this case an Antec case is shown.
   
   
   
3. Install mounting screws in the case for each the motherboard’s screw holes.
   
   
   
   
4. Grab the Input/Output shield, which comes with most cases and attach it the back of the system.
   
   
5. Now take the motherboard and align the holes of the motherboard with the mounting screws, and carefully screw the motherboard down.
   
   
6. Put the RAM in the RAM slots.
   
   
7. The CPU “slot” is called a Mobo. Just push the lever up and drop the CPU into. Be very careful because it is extremely fragile.
   
   
   
   
8. Now to install a heat sink (fan). This can be a bit tricky. If you have a boxed Intel CPU use the thermal compound that is already on it. Flip the heat sink’s lever into the open position and line up the four corners of the mobo. Make sure the heat sink’s “teeth” latch on to each of these four corners
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Once this is down, throw the two levers into the lock position. Now plug the fan’s power cable into the three-pronged connector on the motherboard. It’ll usually say “CPU Fan”.

Now you have your CPU, RAM and motherboard installed. It’s now time to install your other parts: Your hard drive, floppy, CD-ROM drives, Video and Sound cards.

10. To start you have to remove the plates that cover the front of each case. You’ll usually need a screwdriver to take them out.  You also have to remove the bays.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Now take your hard drive and floppy drives (this is for the 3 ½” bays) and slide them in (correctly of course). Then screw it in.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. Once this is done for both drives, put the bay back into the case.
    
13. Now this for your other drives. Your CD-ROM for example. But this time attach rails.
    
    
    
14. After this is done, connect all the cables that come with each part to the motherboard.
    
    
    
    
15. Now take their power supply and put it in the back of the case. Attach the power cables to the motherboard.

That is how you assemble a computer. Your finished product should look like this.

Sources
www.ati.com
www.nvidia.com
www.intel.com
www.gamespot.com

By PK Chan and J Leong