PC Assembly

First of all before you proceed with the assembly please make sure that all the components or parts are complete.

PC Components:

1. PC casing

2. Power supply

3. Casing fans 

4. Motherboard

5. CPU (Central Processing Unit) 

6. Heat sink with fan for CPU

7. CPU thermal compound / paste 

8. RAM (SD RAM, DDR1, DDR2, DDR3)

9. Video card (usually newer motherboards have a built-in but you need to buy one if you're a gamer)

10. Sound card (built-in also with the newer motherboards) 

11. Lan card (newer motherboards have a built-in also)

12. Hard Disk

13. CD / DVD ROM

14. IDE / SATA cables

15. SATA to IDE power connector converter (if your power supply does not support SATA power supply)

Others:

1. Anti-static wrist wrap

2. Screwdrivers

One more thing make sure that components (Power supply, CPU, Heat sink with fan, RAM, IDE / SATA cables, Video card, Sound card, Lan card and other PCI cards) are compatible with your motherboard. If all is checked and found to be complete, then let's with the assembly.  Find a working place which is suitable and comfortable.

Step 1: Motherboard Installation

Put on your anti-static wrist wrap (if you don't have one, try to to hold on to the PC casing for about 10 seconds. This avoids your pc components from being affected by your static electricity). Open the side panel of the PC casing (when you're facing the front of your PC casing, usually it's on the left side). Lay it flat on the right side. Put the motherboard on place (check the back of  PC casing  and make sure that all the connector panels are showing). After you have placed the motherboard, it's time now to place the screws (make sure that it's not too tight).

Step 2: CPU Installation

CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of your machine, please be careful upon installing. Don't touch the gold pins. Here is a clue for you to easily install your CPU. Check the 4 sides of your CPU, did you see the side which has a missing pin? Now look at the part which your CPU is to be installed and check again the four sides, did you see the side which has a missing hole? That two sides which have a missing pin and a hole should come in contact upon installing the CPU. Please refer to your motherboard manual on how to lock your CPU in place (motherboards have different locking mechanisms for there CPU's).

Step 3: Heat Sink Installation

Before we proceed please apply a small amount of thermal compound onto the top surface of your CPU (thermal compounds helps heat dissipates faster). For the installation of your heat sink please refer to your manual. After you have installed the heat sink in place and have locked it in, connect the fan cables in to the motherboard.

Step 4: RAM Installation

Installing the RAM is an easy job. The newer RAMs ie. DDR RAMs are easy to install as you don’t have to worry about placing which side where into the slot. The older ones, SDRAMs are plagued by this problem. Push the RAM into the slot carefully (If it's kind of hard to insert the RAM please try to check the slit of your RAM and it will be your guide on inserting). Upon inserting the RAM it's locks are automatically locking your RAM.

Step 5: Power Supply Installation

Place the Power supply on it's proper place and lock it with screws.

Step 6: Video, Sound, Lan Card Installation

Video cards are installed in the AGP or PCI-e slots. Insert it onto the slot and lock it with screw on the back of your pc casing.

Sound card and Lan card are installed on the PCI slots. Just insert it into a selected slot and lock it with screw in the back of you pc casing.

Step 7: Hard Disk Installation

Notes: On installing multiple hard drives try to specify which will be the master and slave by adjusting the jumpers. (Please refer to the manual at the top surface of your hard drive for the jumper settings). Please handle it with care upon installing.

Slide it on the Hard Disk slot. Lock it with screws, connect the cable (SATA or IDE) one end on the hard disk and the other end on the data cable slot on the motherboard and connect power supply (if your power supply does not support SATA power connector try to buy a IDE to SATA power connector)

Step 8: CD / DVD ROM Installation

Notes: On installing multiple optical drives try to specify which will be the master and slave by adjusting the jumpers. (Please refer to the manual at the top surface of your hard drive for the jumper settings)

Place it on the optical drives slots. Lock it with screws. Connect  the data cables (one side on the optical drive and the other side onto the motherboard and connect the power supply cables.

Step 9: Casing Fans Installation

In my machine I usually install a minimum of 2 fans, 1 for air intake and the other for exhaust. I install the intake fan on the left side panel and the exhaust on the back of the casing. Just place the fans on there slots and lock it with screws. (Refer to the printed manual on the side of fan for the intake and exhaust position) and finally connector the power cables.

Step 10: Various Cables Connections (Internal and External)

Notes: Refer to manual for the cable connections

• Connect the large ATX power connector to the power supply port on your motherboard
• Connect the square power connector to the proper port (this supplies power to your CPU)
• Connect the power cable, reset cable, power LED cable, HHD led cable or any other cables on the pc casing to the appropriate port on the motherboard.
• Connect the front USB / Audio cable panel  to the appropriate port on the motherboard.
• Check all the internal cables if properly connected.

Let's proceed on the external connections. Position your PC upright and close the side panel. Proceed to the back panel.

• Connect the VGA cable of the monitor to VGA port.
• For PS/2 mouse and keyboard use the PS/2 ports
• Speaker cable to audio port
• Connect power cable to power supply

Now that all has been installed your ready to install your OS (Operating System {Windows, Linux, Mac})