The case
The power supply
The motherboard
The CPU or the central processing unit
The CPU's fan or heatsink
The RAM or the random access memory
The drives
The floppy drive
The other drives
The graphics card
The sound card
The modem
Preparing the components and tools
Listing components
Checking components
Starting with the case and motherboard
Mapping
Assembling steps
You are a first-time computer builder and you want a computer that has a lifetime of more than three years. You don't want to pay someone to make something you can make yourself. You want to be able to swap new components in and out easily, and you want to understand what you use.
What are you going to do?
Make it yourself.
Making your own home computer enables you to improve, change, and think about the computer in entirely new ways. It will give you new insights, and not having to depend on a service department can save you time and much mental anguish.
This manual is also for people who want to do things for a little less. If you have the time and patience, you can shop from home or via the Internet, and try to bargain for the cheapest of deals. Shop around, deals abound. It’s a great time for looking for discounts on RAM, CPUs, and drives. Some on the newer stuff like DVD and CD-RAW (Read And Write) is a little more expensive, but you can go and bargain for things through the online auctioning houses, or plug away through The Computer Shopper and find the best deals. It's all there just waiting for you to go and get it.
This following section is for those users who want to check their basic knowledge of the pieces that come together to make a computer, how the computer works, and what and where to look when you are selecting those pieces.
You can assemble a computer relatively easily, however, there are still parts of it that can kill. Electricity will be your main enemy here--and it can hurt your computer as easily as it can hurt you. When you see this symbol:
Stop, take a minute and make sure everything is being done as safely as possible.
You might see an important note. The notes are non-critical information that are still important.
Also, bold green letters tell you to follow steps.
You need: money, time, patience, a work space, a + (Phillips head) screwdriver, more patience, the components, more time, and maybe some more money.
According to The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Second Edition Unabridged, a computer is, “...an electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations.”
Another way to think about computers, is to describe what a computer is not. It is not the monitor, it is not the printer, it is not the mouse or speakers. It is the beige or black box that sits on, or next to your desk. The computer is a collection of all the pieces that run your printer, monitor, mouse, etc. These pieces sit inside of the case of your computer. Before you start putting them together, you should know a little more about each part.
The main components that comprise a PC are: the case, the power supply, the motherboard, cards, drives, RAM and the CPU, plus any extra cables and wires that hook things together in the guts of your machine.
The case
The case is simply the cover that fits over the working parts of your computer. Cases come in many sizes from the full, mid, and mini tower down to the tall or slim desktop size. For a first time computer-builder a mid to full-sized tower is best. Small cases fit in smaller places more easily, however, your big case will have more ports and bays to hold disk drives, floppy drives, CD drives, or DVD drives. The mid and full-sized towers give you extra room to work in and gives you more bays and space.
Cases also come in form factors of AT, ATX, and baby-AT. While the baby-AT has room for up to eight bays, the ATX has space for seven. However, the ATX case has the advantage of better air circulation inside the case--keeping your system cooler and less likely to overheat.
You must purchase a motherboard that is either AT, ATX, or baby-AT. Make sure that the form-factor of your case and your motherboard match. The case you buy must be big enough to hold all of your internal drives--the ones that you currently own or the ones that you intend to buy.
Remember that cables and wires eat some of your case’s interior space as well. Sold together and pre-installed with many cases is the power supply.
The power supply
Normally power supplies deliver between 200 and 300 watts, while most computers use 230 watts. The power supply should come together with a fan.
The motherboard
This piece of plastic harbors the guts and brains of your computer. No one single component in your machine functions as quietly and, for the user, transparently as the motherboard. Criss-crossing the green plastic of the motherboard or the mainboard are circuits, sockets, jumpers, and power connectors. The motherboard is also the most difficult piece of your computer to set up.
Your motherboard will determine:
As your motherboard is responsible for the smooth functioning of your computer, make sure you purchase the best board that you can afford.
The CPU or the central processing unit
The brain of the computer is the CPU. Many brands of CPU are on the market today, and for the most part are identical. CPUs come in speeds measured in MHz.
MHz stands for Mega Hertz or Hertz multiplied by one million. MHz measures the frequency for regularly repeating waveforms that occur in one second. The "regularly repeating waveforms" are computers completing calculations. For example, a 300 MHz CPU performs some 300,000,000 calculations a second.
The CPU's fan or heatsink
The heatsink carries heat off your CPU and releases it into your case. The fan blows air onto your CPU keeping it cool. Some CPUs come with fans preinstalled on top of them.
The RAM or random access memory
If the CPU is the brain of your computer, and the hard drive is the long-term memory, then RAM is your computer’s short-term memory and ability to do multiple tasks at the same time. RAM is cheap and handy. You should purchase at least double the amount that is recommended for your operating system.
The drives
Drives are the long-term memory of your computer, they store data, retrieve it, and send it to the CPU to process it and make it into something that you can manipulate and use. Drives come in many flavors, right now you can purchase a floppy drives, hard drives, CD-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-RAW (Read And Write), and DVD. Drives eat ports in your case.
Some hard drive numbers to keep in mind are storage space, access time, RPM, and cache. Usually storage space is from one to 10 GB (gigabytes), access time is from 7 to 10 ms (milliseconds), RPM (revolutions per minute) is from about 5,000 to 10,000, and cache is from 128K to 1024K (K=thousand).
You should go with a big name brand hard drive, and look for a three to five year warranty. Hard drives are getting cheap fast, with a much higher dollar per storage price now than ever before. Look around and choose your drives well and wisely.
The floppy drive
Floppy drives are ubiquitous and generally growing more useless. You’ll need one to swap files with friends, maybe to carry small files to and from work, and to make and use a bootable floppy. Buy a cheap one, and don’t worry much about it.
The other drives
The CD-ROM, CD-RAW, and DVD drives are all good purchases. The CD player is needed to load most programs nowadays. The CD-ROM and CD-RAW players come in speed ratings clocking in at the now barely acceptable x4 to a fast x 40 or more. Your CD-RAW (Read and Write) player’s speed will generally be much slower--but will allow you to, in effect, store massive amounts of data on a flexible and relatively cheap medium.
DVD players are the newest of the storage media, and offer great promise as an emerging data storer. DVD II is the latest, and allows the user to play movies on their computer, or through the computer to the television.
The graphics card
Your computer’s graphic card allows your computer to translate complex images onto your monitor. If you like computer games, your graphics card(s) are an essential choice. However, for newer high application programs and games you may need two, one for 2D rendering and one for 3D rendering.
The sound card
The sound card is optional, but sound adds a very nice dimension to your home or office computer. Most sound cards are 16, 32, and 64 bit.
The modem
The modem allows you to connect to the Internet, send or receive faxes, and some allow you to do these things at the same time. Modem speeds now range from 14.4 Kbps to 56Kbps.
You have three sources of finding and purchasing components that you will use to make your computer. You can, and should, make use of all these: the Internet, magazines, and stores. Use all three and find the best, cheapest, and most reliable components that you can.
The modern “multi-media” computer has basic requirements. You have to choose which elements are necessary or critical for your needs. You should ask yourself these questions: Do I want Net access? Do I want sound? Do I want high-quality graphics? Do I want a really fast machine? Or Do I want a gamer's machine? And, How much do I want to pay?
Once you have established your needs, you will then find the parts necessary for your machine. An excellent magazine that you can use is the Computer Shopper. Remember to be careful. Mail order companies may be less likely to honor warranties, take back returned purchases, or provide any kind of technical support. A good rule of thumb is, “If you pay less you get less.” This holds especially true in the computer world.
Preparing the components and tools
You now have all of your parts in their shrinkwrappings sitting neatly in front of you. You have a good-sized work space in a low-static electricity environment.
Assemble your tools: a Phillips head screw driver--magnetic is convenient for dropped screws, a pair of tweezers, a nice notepad that you intend to keep, some colored pens, pencils, or crayons, two or three file folders, a telephone, and although this is optional and maybe difficult, another computer with web access, a CD-ROM drive, and a floppy drive.
Many components will come with complete documentation on CD, or if you run into problems or questions the manual will point you at the Web. The extra computer can come in extremely handy in those situations. Likewise, if you have a phone you can call helplines for more information.
Listing components
Before you open any packages, get your pencil and notepad, and make a list of your components. Use one page for each component you have purchased. Write the makers' name and the components' name across the top of each page. Then, go over each shrinkwrapped package and make a note on the appropriate page of the model number, serial number, purchase number, and date and place of purchase. Also note any special or odd numbers that look important. This is tedious, but will save you much aggravation and worry later on if and when you have questions or concerns regarding any of the parts of your computer.
Checking components
Open each package carefully and check that all of the parts listed on the box of each product are actually in the box and look undamaged.
For example, if you purchased a CD-ROM drive, the package will tell you that the box contains a CD, the drive, a manual, and a cable. Make sure they are all there. Make sure everything looks good. Jiggle the drive gently, does it rattle? If it does then maybe you should consider sending it back immediately, rather than having to unscrew it from the inside of your case later.
Now scour each component and resume noting serial numbers, registration numbers, purchase numbers, or any other odd or important looking numbers, messages, or dates.
Put all of the registration material that came with each product into one of the folders you prepared. Put all of the user manuals into pile, or if they fit, into a folder.
Try to keep screws, cables, etc. with their components for the time being. After checking and cataloging each component it is a good idea to replace each component into its respective box.
Take care of static electricity. Handle RAM, the CPU, and any board by the edges, don’t scuffle around on shag carpet, and try to notice if the air is dry and static. Static electricity, even the little that is built up on a human, can kill parts very easily. One way to "ground" yourself and discharge static electrical buildup is to touch the case of your computer.
Starting with the Case and Motherboard
Scope out your case and read its instructions carefully. Odds are it doesn’t have much in the way of instructions, but get a feel for the position of the power supply, where the jumper cables feed from, how many jumper cables there are, and their colors.
Decide which bays will hold which drives. Bays come in two sizes, 5 1/4” and 3 1/2”. CD-ROM drives, DVD, and CD-RAW drives are all usually 5 1/4”, while floppy drives and hard drives are usually 3 1/2”. Do you have enough bays? If not, then you will have to return the case and try again.
Now for the hard part, the motherboard. Read the manual carefully if you have one. Make sure it accepts the power supply’s power cables, which are either AT or ATX. Find the power supply's jumpler cables, for the power button, the reset button, the motherboard's sound (which is not the sound you hear from the speakers), and the hard drive activity light. Some older power supplies may have a turbo jumper and an LED jumper, but this is not likely. Notice that each jumper has two smaller wires funneling into a plastic head like so:
Mapping
Now, sit down and draw a map of your motherboard. You should use a pencil and ruler here, or make a copy of the map that came with your motherboard. Try mentally matching each jumper, cable, board slot, and ram slot against what you are planning on installing. If you have a copy machine around, or the time to re-draw your map, you can also try installing everything on paper once before you do it physically.
Now connect each jumper to each jumper connector. Each jumper should have its name written across it somewhere. Each time you connect a jumper to the motherboard, label it in your notebook. You can be colorful here, so use crayons or colored pens and pencils.
The problem is that each jumper can be fitted into the motherboard two ways, and if slotted the opposite way, can burn out your motherboard. Take your time. Read and re-read the manual, call your motherboard manufacturer's help line if you need to, or search the Internet for more information.
Usually the black and white wires are the ground or negative charge wires.
The data cables are the long thin cables that move data to and from your drives to your motherboard. They have a red stripe running down one side. The red stripe is the side that will go into the pin one side. Most drives and motherboards indicate which side is the pin one side.
Assembling Steps
Set the jumpers on your motherboard. You need to configure your motherboard to tell it what kind, speed, and voltage your CPU uses. You set the motherboards' configuration by moving small pieces of plastic that fit over the heads of wires. You may not have to move any jumper settings, or you may have to move them all. Refer to your motherboards' manual carefully.
Mount the motherboard in your case. Remember to touch only the sides of the motherboard. Use all the screws that came with the motherboard to make sure that it is firmly in place. Try to use six screws and make sure they are tightly fastened.
Install your CPU into its socket. Raise the restraining arm that holds the CPU in place. Notice, the Ziff 7 socket has one edge that is slightly chopped off. Match your CPU's chopped edge with the socket's chopped edge and gently drop the CPU into place. Be careful not to bend any of the legs of your chip as they are delicate. You will now lower the restraining arm to hold the chip in place. You may have to use a little strength here, but stay gentle.
Place your heatsink or fan onto the top of the CPU. You may have to use a glue or sealant with some fans and heatsinks. Others lock in place.
Insert your RAM into its slot. Locate your RAM's slot from your motherboards' manual, then tilt and push the RAM into its slot. If the fit feels wrong, you might have it reversed.
Insert your graphics card into its slot. This is also a good test of how well you screwed your motherboard to your case. Does the motherboard flex too much? If it does, then you will need to strengthen its fit against your case. You should be able to locate your graphics card from your manual.
Connect your floppy drive. Run a power cable from your power supply into your floppy drive. Then attach its data cable from the floppy drive to the motherboard. Remember, the red line on the cable is next to jumper one. Your motherboard will have a number one, or maybe a dot telling you where it is. If in doubt, consult your motherboards' manual.
Connect jumpers and power cables to motherboard. Refer to your manual carefully, take your time, and map your connections. You now have a "bare bones" system.
Connect your keyboard and monitor to their ports.
Connect your computer to the wall power outlet.
Be careful, if you have mis-wired the computer it may surprise you and self-boot. Stand back and keep one hand near the electrical outlet and your computer's power cord. If you see sparks, smoke, or fire, immediately disconnect your computer from the wall. You may have to return parts as any overload of electricity can short out components easily.
Enjoy your new computer knowing that you did it yourself.
Here is a check list for you to print and carry around while you decide what pieces you will use. Please print it out, and when you purchase a component, fill in the blanks.
| Manufacturer | Model/Price | Serial Number | Part Number | |
| Case | ||||
| Power supply | ||||
| Motherboard | ||||
| CPU | ||||
| RAM | ||||
| Floppy drive | ||||
| Hard drive | ||||
| Graphics card(s) | ||||
| Sound card | ||||
| Modem | ||||
| Extra | ||||
| Extra |