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Page 1 of 5 How to Build Your Own PC For many, building a computer is scarier than working on a car. There are complicated components, lots of electricity, and the looming possibility that you may very well fry an expensive processor. There is something to be said for "working under the hood," though. It should be an entertaining process that, when finished, should invoke a feeling of pride. Think Da Vinci and the Mona Lisa or Enzo Ferrari and one of the most prestigious car manufacturers in the world. And with a little pricing research, a powerful machine can be built for an affordable sum. Saving money isn’t the only benefit to building your own computer. In addition, you will acquire knowledge otherwise required for an upgrade further down the road. You’ll also get exactly what you want. For example, if gaming is important, splurge on a RADEON 9700 Pro and settle for a 60GB IDE drive rather than an expensive SCSI setup. Planning on using the PC as a home entertainment hub? Invest in a good sound card (Creative Labs and Hercules both make excellent units) and pick up a DVD drive. Before you can sit down at your new computer desk though, you’ll need to actually build the system. Piecing a computer together may sound like a daunting task, but if you take a couple of precautions, there is nothing to worry about. I’ll be right here the whole time to ensure you don’t axe the power grid in your locale, but realize that I can’t give out my phone number so technical support is something you have to arrange. Most components include warranties and a toll-free number. If you suspect a particular piece of hardware is causing dissention in the ranks, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Before We Begin
In order to ensure everything goes smoothly, gather a few important tools. A Philips head screwdriver is a must and needle-nosed pliers are often helpful. It doesn’t matter if your allegiance lies with the Pentium 4 or Athlon XP – buy quality thermal grease to keep the processor in contact with the heat sink. If you don’t have an anti-static wrist band, make a conscious effort to touch a ground point every so often (exposed metal on the case works fine) to keep electrostatic discharge from damaging any of your components. Finally, pour yourself a soda, pick up a towel (sweat and delicate hardware don’t mix), and clear some space on a desk or countertop.
Step One: Case Preparation Like a doctor preparing for an operation, you need to make sure your case is ready to accept the innards of a computer. After opening the empty case (usually accomplished by removing two screws on one side), lay the case on its side, so the motherboard can be dropped into place. If the case includes screws and cables, take those out and set them aside. There should be a set of copper colored spacers in the bag of screws – we’ll use those to mount the motherboard above the metal plate on the side of the case. You may need to lay your motherboard down in the case to determine where the copper spacers are needed, but be extra careful – if you add a spacer that doesn’t correspond to a mounting hole in the motherboard, you risk a short-circuit.
Next, you’ll want to check the thin, metal plate towards the rear of the case that includes holes for the PS/2, serial, parallel, and USB ports. If it matches the configuration of your motherboard, you’re set. If not, you’ll need to remove the plate by sliding it out. Again, be careful; the sides of the plate are sharp. Once the proper plate is in place, set the case aside for a moment and focus on the motherboard.
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