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Page 4 of 5 Step Six: Install Your Media With the cables out of the way, you can now install your hard disk drive, CD-ROM drive and floppy disk drive. First, you’ll want to make sure each drive is designated as a ‘master’ or ‘slave’ drive using the jumpers on the back of each drive. If you’ve got one hard drive and one CD-ROM, you’ll see the best performance from both devices if each is installed onto its own channel. In that case, both drives can be set as ‘masters.’ With the addition of a CD-RW drive, you would want to assign one drive as a ‘master’ and one as a ‘slave,’ leaving the hard drive on its own channel.
Now, you’re ready to add a CD-ROM drive. You may have a metal panel preventing you from inserting the drive into a 5.25" slot. If so, remove the panel by rocking it back and forth until it comes loose. If your case uses rails, attach them to the drive and slide it into the chassis. Otherwise, use the included screws to secure the drive.
The floppy drive can be installed using the same method, only use one of the external 3.5" inch bays. Attach the appropriate cable and secure the drive using the same small screws.
Finally, install your hard disk drive in an internal 3.5" bay. Many cases sport detachable disk drive bays that often ease installation, but if we were really looking for the easy way out, we would have picked up a G4 Cube. Attach the ends of each cable to the corresponding drive. For instance, the end of the primary IDE cable should run to the hard drive. Similarly, the end of the secondary cable should go to the secondary ‘master’ drive, while the second connector attaches to the secondary ‘slave.’
Step Seven: In Go The Cards
Expansion cards add capabilities beyond what integrated sound and graphics can do. Additionally, you can buy cards that add SCSI, USB 2.0, Gigabit networking – even cable television support!
Unless your new system is to be used exclusively for business, it’s a safe bet that a new graphics card will find its way into your AGP slot (the brown one in the middle of the motherboard). Nowadays, graphics cards are cooled by heat sinks and fans, much like processors. It should come as no surprise, then, that high-end cards generate lots of heat. When I build a computer, I typically leave the white PCI slot closest to the video card empty for plenty of air flow. Installing the card itself is a snap – position the card over the slot and push down gently until it is fully inserted. Use one of the screws included with the case to secure the card to the chassis. Use the same procedure to install each of your other cards. If you haven’t yet purchased them, consider an upgraded sound card and network card, at the least.
Step Eight: Connecting the Connectors In order for your computer to turn on when you hit the power button, you need to connect the switches and light emitting diodes (LEDs) from your case to the motherboard. The connectors themselves are usually labeled, but it can be a little harder to locate the pins on the motherboard. Your best source for this data is the manual included with the board. Once you have the connectors, well, connected, we can move on to the next step. Don’t worry; we’ll test the lights and switches a little later.
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