A fully constructed PC with its side panel removed
Constructing your own gaming PC can open up a lot of options, whether you're looking to create a modest gaming PC within a tight budget, a high-performance supercomputer or something in between.
Instructions
1. Remove the outer shell or side panel from your case.
2. A typical PSU with cables
Attach the Power Supply Unit (PSU) to the case with the screws that were supplied with it. The PSU fits into a large gap in the back of the case, with the switch and power socket facing outward. Some cases come with a PSU preinstalled, allowing you to skip this step.
3. A motherboard with back panel connectors (facing right).
Put the motherboard in the case, facing the back panel connectors (USB, serial ports and so on) out the back of your case. Line up the motherboard's screw holes with those in the case, and secure the motherboard with the supplied screws, using a Phillips screwdriver.
4. A white ATX power connector.
Plug the power supply cable into the ATX power connector on the motherboard.
5. The CPU has several pins that connect it to the motherboard.
Install the CPU into the appropriate socket on the motherboard. You may have to lift a small lever to open the CPU socket. The pins of the CPU must match the pinholes in the CPU socket, so look at both very carefully. If you are placing it the right way around, the CPU will slide in without any force.Bbring down the small lever to secure the CPU in place.
6. Install the heatsink and fan according to the instruction booklet. Then connect the power cables from the heatsink to the appropriate headers on the motherboard. Take care during this step: if it is not done right, the CPU will overheat and become unusable.
7. RAM must be installed with the gold contacts facing down.
Install RAM. There will be a series of slots grouped together on upir motherboard where your RAM will fit. Insert the RAM modules into these, and use the little clamps on the sides to fully secure them.
8. Locate the installation slot for the graphics card (usually AGP or PCI-E). Remove the adjacent IO plate in the back of the computer case to make room for the card.
9. A typical graphics card
Hold the graphics card by its edges, and insert it into the slot with its gold contacts facing down. Where you removed the IO plate, there should be a screw hole to allow you to secure the card to the case with a Phillips screwdriver, but this may differ depending on your case.
10. The hard drive is connected by two cables.
Install hard drive by securing it to the appropriate section of the computer case. Insert the cable attached to the PSU into the back of the drive to provide power. Connect the drive to the motherboard by either an IDE or SATA cable.
11. Install the optical drive (for example, DVD, Bluray, DVD-RW) securely into the case. Like the hard drive, there will be a cable from the PSU that needs to be attached to the back. It connects to the motherboard by IDE or SATA cable, which will be supplied in the box alongside the drive.
12. Replace the top/side panel, and close your computer case.
13. Plug in external devices. The monitor will have a cable that plugs into the back of the graphics card, and a plug that needs to be plugged into a normal power socket. Plug your keyboard, mouse and speakers into the appropriate slots on the back of your computer.
14. Plug in the power cord, and switch your computer on. If your computer starts without any problems, install an operating system and drivers for your devices.
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Tags: graphics card, your computer, case with, computer case, hard drive