Building A Computer How to build Your own Computer G.Tomlinson Hopwood Hall College

Let's start the assembly process You will need a Phillips head screwdriver, and Snipenose pliers, handy for recovery of dropped screws. You will need a Phillips head screwdriver, and Snipenose pliers, handy for recovery of dropped screws.

Processor and Heatsink Installation Heatsink and fan with a pre-applied thermal pad and a plastic clamp for mounting on the motherboard. Also a syringe of Arctic Silver heatsink compound and a tube of standard heatsink paste.

Install the Processor Then line up the processor and drop it in. Gently press it down and lock it in place by depressing the metal lever. Lift the lever next to the socket

Heatsink compound. Start by placing a pea-sized dab of heatsink compound on the mounted processor. Next, gently lower the heatsink on to the processor using the plastic guide rails. Press very lightly then lift the heatsink off the processor. You should have a small round blotch of thermal compound on both the processor and the heatsink.

Use a disposable cloth or paper towel to smear the blotch on the heatsink, and remove thermal compound until you have a very thin film on the bottom of the heatsink. When finished, you should see a broad silver discoloured area where the high-performance thermal compound has filled in the tiny grooves and crannies in the bottom of the heatsink. Use a disposable cloth or paper towel to smear the blotch on the heatsink, and remove thermal compound until you have a very thin film on the bottom of the heatsink. When finished, you should see a broad silver discoloured area where the high-performance thermal compound has filled in the tiny grooves and crannies in the bottom of the heatsink.

To complete the installation of the heatsink, plug the fan power cable into the motherboard. The location of the fan power jack varies depending on the motherboard brand and model, but it is always close to the processor socket To complete the installation of the heatsink, plug the fan power cable into the motherboard. The location of the fan power jack varies depending on the motherboard brand and model, but it is always close to the processor socket

RAM installation. Fortunately, RAM installation is much easier than processor installation; the RAM DIMMs are keyed so they only go in the right way. Fortunately, RAM installation is much easier than processor installation; the RAM DIMMs are keyed so they only go in the right way.

In the picture below, you can see the key slot in the RAM DIMMs and the key tab in the DIMM slot. In the picture below, you can see the key slot in the RAM DIMMs and the key tab in the DIMM slot.

To install the RAM, push down the white locking tabs at each end of the DIMM slots. Line up the key slot on the DIMM with the key tab in the DIMM slot, and press the RAM into the slot To install the RAM, push down the white locking tabs at each end of the DIMM slots. Line up the key slot on the DIMM with the key tab in the DIMM slot, and press the RAM into the slot

Motherboard installation The motherboard is now prepared for installation. To finish motherboard installation, we need to open the case and remove the motherboard mounting plate. The motherboard is now prepared for installation. To finish motherboard installation, we need to open the case and remove the motherboard mounting plate.

The motherboard mounting plate dismounts much like the side panels; just locate the securing screws, remove them, then slide and lift out. The motherboard mounting plate dismounts much like the side panels; just locate the securing screws, remove them, then slide and lift out.

Once all the spacers are installed, place the motherboard over the mounting plate and line up the screw holes with the spacers. Screw the motherboard into the spacers, with fairly light torque on the screws.

With the motherboard installed, we need to check the input/output (I/O) plate on the back of the case. Compare the I/O plate to the I/O jacks on the back of the motherboard With the motherboard installed, we need to check the input/output (I/O) plate on the back of the case. Compare the I/O plate to the I/O jacks on the back of the motherboard Compare the I/O plate (top) to the I/O ports on the back of the motherboard (bottom) and punch out any required holes on the I/O plate.

Mount the Motherboard With the motherboard screwed on to the spacers and firmly attached to the mounting plate, re- install the mounting plate in the case With the motherboard screwed on to the spacers and firmly attached to the mounting plate, re- install the mounting plate in the case

Make sure the I/O ports on the motherboard are correctly aligned with the I/O plate, so they poke out of the holes Make sure the I/O ports on the motherboard are correctly aligned with the I/O plate, so they poke out of the holes

Motherboard Installed That step completes the motherboard installation That step completes the motherboard installation

The Power Supply and Front-Panel Controls Hooking the power supply to the motherboard is easy; this motherboard only requires one power supply connector. It's a unique connector that is keyed to prevent incorrect installation Hooking the power supply to the motherboard is easy; this motherboard only requires one power supply connector. It's a unique connector that is keyed to prevent incorrect installation

LEDs (power, reset, etc.) The inside front panel of the case will have several little wires and plugs hanging out of it. These plugs attach the front panel controls and LEDs (power, reset, etc.) to the motherboard. To install them, check your motherboard manual and locate the appropriate jacks on the motherboard; they are usually near the front lower portion of the motherboard The inside front panel of the case will have several little wires and plugs hanging out of it. These plugs attach the front panel controls and LEDs (power, reset, etc.) to the motherboard. To install them, check your motherboard manual and locate the appropriate jacks on the motherboard; they are usually near the front lower portion of the motherboard

Expansion Cards Time to install the expansion cards Time to install the expansion cards Video Card Video Card

Expansion Cards The second expansion card is the NetGear Ethernet PCI card, to connect this PC to my home network The second expansion card is the NetGear Ethernet PCI card, to connect this PC to my home network Once your cards are installed, use a screw from the parts bag that came with your case to secure the back of the each card to the case

Hard Disks and Optical Drives The case has four 5.25" drive bays and three 3.5" drive bays. The large drive bays come with mounting rails, so you can slide each drive into the bays, and the lower drive cage slides out the front of the case

The two IBM 80GB hard disks go into the lower drive bay, as well as the 3.5" floppy disc drive. There is no special trick to installing them; just shove them into the drive The two IBM 80GB hard disks go into the lower drive bay, as well as the 3.5" floppy disc drive. There is no special trick to installing them; just shove them into the drive

Cd Roms CD writer, DVD-ROM and removable drive bracket with mounting rails CD writer, DVD-ROM and removable drive bracket with mounting rails The optical drives and removable drive bracket installed.

Multifunction Transfer Panel The multifunction transfer panel will route several useful connectors to the front of the case, you won't have to pull out the computer each time you want to plug something in. The transfer panel can include joystick ports, USB ports, Firewire ports, audio ports. also can have a thermometer with a sensor on the end of wire; this can be placed anywhere you want to check the case temperature. The multifunction transfer panel will route several useful connectors to the front of the case, you won't have to pull out the computer each time you want to plug something in. The transfer panel can include joystick ports, USB ports, Firewire ports, audio ports. also can have a thermometer with a sensor on the end of wire; this can be placed anywhere you want to check the case temperature.

Cable Installation and Finishing You can hook up the hard disks for the RAID array in any order you want, but remember that once you set-up the array, the hard disks need to stay plugged in to their respective RAID ports. If you disassemble your system, make sure to mark the drives so you can plug them into their original ports. Note that all the IDE cables in this project are 80- conductor ATA/100 compatible cables. Rather than mix and match 40-conductor and 80- conductor cables

Finish the cable installation by hooking up all the devices to the power supply, including the front panel cooling fan if available. When finished, your case will look like you tossed a stick of dynamite into a pot of spaghetti. Finish the cable installation by hooking up all the devices to the power supply, including the front panel cooling fan if available. When finished, your case will look like you tossed a stick of dynamite into a pot of spaghetti. No, it is not pretty. With so much hardware in the case, cable clutter is inevitable. You can hook it up right if you plan ahead and install one cable at a time

Case Complete Put the outer case panels back on, and the system build is complete. It's a lot prettier with the case on! Hook it up to electrical power, monitor, mouse and keyboard and you are ready to go. Put the outer case panels back on, and the system build is complete. It's a lot prettier with the case on! Hook it up to electrical power, monitor, mouse and keyboard and you are ready to go.

RAID Setup and Operating System Install Follow the prompts to create RAID 0 striped array with the two hard disks. Or if you plan to set this system up for reliability instead of performance, specify a RAID 1 mirrored array. Follow the prompts to create RAID 0 striped array with the two hard disks. Or if you plan to set this system up for reliability instead of performance, specify a RAID 1 mirrored array.

When you complete the array setup, press ESC to close the setup utility and save your changes. Now the two hard disks are joined together in a RAID array, and they will appear as a single hard disk to the operating system When you complete the array setup, press ESC to close the setup utility and save your changes. Now the two hard disks are joined together in a RAID array, and they will appear as a single hard disk to the operating system

Install Windows XP To install Windows XP on this system, simply insert the Windows XP CD and allow the computer to start from the CD. During the initial start-up, Windows XP will prompt you to press the F6 key to install additional storage controller drivers. When you see this prompt, press F6 and insert the driver disk included with your motherboard. After that, you just follow the prompts to set up your hard disk (actually two hard disks) and install the operating system. When the computer restarts during the operating system installation, you will need to remove the driver disk. When the operating system is completely installed, you will need to install the video any other hardware drivers. To install Windows XP on this system, simply insert the Windows XP CD and allow the computer to start from the CD. During the initial start-up, Windows XP will prompt you to press the F6 key to install additional storage controller drivers. When you see this prompt, press F6 and insert the driver disk included with your motherboard. After that, you just follow the prompts to set up your hard disk (actually two hard disks) and install the operating system. When the computer restarts during the operating system installation, you will need to remove the driver disk. When the operating system is completely installed, you will need to install the video any other hardware drivers.

The P4 project system is ready to go! G.Tomlinson Hopwood Hall College