BUILD YOUR OWN DESKTOP PC (COMPUTER) GUIDE

Small form factors PCs are all the rage. But these days, you have to choose between a tiny, cube-shaped PC with limited expandability or a pizza-box style desktop unit with limited flexibility and performance. We're not completely satisfied with either option. Don't get us wrong -- we love the dinky cube-shaped powerhouses. Sometimes, though, you just want a little more.
We decided to build a compact form factor system using a Micro-ATX motherboard, but with a bit more flexibility than most mATX-based systems. Although typical mATX motherboards have one AGP slot and three PCI slots, most of the cases offer limited room. For example, you're often limited to low-profile AGP cards. Suffice it to say that "high performance" and "low profile" are not synonymous.

So we went hunting for the right components to build a killer small PC. Our criteria were simple:
The steps are:

1. Prepare A Computer Case.

1. Components Of A Motherboard.


2. Installing CPU.


3. Preparing The Motherboard.


4. Installing A Socket Style CPU.


5. Installing Floppy Drive.


6. Installing CD-Rom.


7. Installing Hard Disk.


8. Installing Video Card, Sound Card And Modem Card.

1. Final Checklist.

Prepare The Case

The Computer Case houses all the computer components. The first step is to slide the side panel off the case. Most side panels are secured by several screws. Inside the case are various regions that perform different functions.
The Power Supply, which will typically come installed in, the computer case supplies power to the computer via various sized Power Connectors and one larger ATX Power Connector.
The Motherboard Pan keeps the Motherboard in place using Brass standoffs or plastic connectors.
The Full-Height Drive Bay holds the computers CD-ROM, DVD, and CDRW drives. When these devices are installed the plastic plate on the outside of the computer case is snapped out to allow the computer user access to these devices.
The Half-Height Drive Bay contains the computers Floppy Drive, Hard Drive, as well as any other Half-Height devices E.G. Zip drive.
The PC Speaker issues various noises that give audio cues to the inner workings of the computer. For example when the computer first boots up, it emits a beep after successfully completing its self-test.
Your Computer case should come with a little bag filled with screws.

• Chassis screws- these are little screws that are used to hold your computer cards in place.

• Motherboard screws- these are used to fasten the Motherboard to the Motherboard pan.


• Standoffs-These are either Brass or Plastic and are used to hold the Motherboard firmly in the case while at the same time keeping it from touching the actual metal case, which could cause a short in the motherboard.

Make sure you set the power supply to the proper voltage. 110v in the United States and 220v in other parts of the world.
You might have to install the little plastic feet on the bottom of your computer case. If you do, do it now.

COMPONETS OF A MOTHERBOARD

A- USB ports B-PS/2 ports C- Parallel port
D-Serial port E-ATX Power Supply F-AGP slot
G-PCI slots H-CPU slot I-Memory slot
J-IDE Controller K-IDE Floppy controller L-IDE controller
M-Clock Battery N-Audio Modem Riser slot O-Dip Switches

START

Your Motherboard is the backbone of your computer. It connects your peripherals into one cohesive unit called computer.
Before you actually install the Motherboard, you should first configure it. This is where purchasing a Motherboard with a coherent manual comes into play. The Manual will instruct you how to configure your Motherboard so that it will work with your CPU. This is accomplished by setting various jumpers and dipswitches. A Jumper is a set of two or three pins that jut out from your Motherboard. They are set by either capping or uncapping them with a little rubber cap. If they are uncapped then they are considered off, if they are capped then they are considered on. Your manual will tell you which jumper needs to be capped, based on what type of CPU you are using. There are some newer Motherboards that are completely "Jumper less" and are configured in the BIOS, (Basic input/output system, Pronounced "Bye-Os". Built into the motherboard is a chip that contains several programs that allow the computer to perform certain basic functions without the operating system. This allows the user to gain some functionality over the computer in order to install the operating system), with a special CMOS, (A type of chip that needs a very small amount of energy. This chip is usually used in the PC to keep track of the time, date certain system settings) program.

PREPARING THE MOTHERBOARD

Here is the basic procedure:

Each Motherboard has different configuration methods; so make sure to read the manual.
Set the voltage settings.

Set the jumpers to match the voltage for your CPU. Your manual should have a guide as to what your CPUs voltage should be or just read it from the chip itself.

Some boards are designed to detect the voltage automatically and then use the correct voltage. In this case, you will not have to worry about it.
You also have to configure your Motherboard so that it matches your Processor speed, and the Bus it was designed to work with. You tell the Motherboard about the processor through a roundabout way. You set the CPU speed by using a "multiplier" which is a number that when multiplied by the Bus speed equals the CPU speed. For example, if you have a CPU that was designed to work at 800MHz on a 100MHz bus, you would first set the Motherboard bus speed to 100MHz and would then tell the motherboard you are using an 800MHz CPU by setting what is called a multiplier to a setting of 8.0.

If your manual lists settings by CPU, just do as per the above information says.

THE LAST STEP

The last step to configuring your Motherboard is to make sure all the default settings are correct. This involves going through the manual and all the default dip and jumper settings match the ones on your motherboard.

TWO STYLES OF CPUS

Installing your CPU should not be a very difficult task. Anyone who has ever played with LEGO should be able to perform this simple yet vital task.
How to go about installing your CPU is dependant on what style of CPU you are using.
Currently there are two styles of CPU.

1. The socket style CPU is flat with a grid of pins that are inserted into the Motherboards CPU socket. Some popular socket style CPU's are the AMD Duron, and the Intel Celeron as well as the new AMD Thunderbird Athlons and the new Intel Pentium chips.

2. Then there is the Slot style CPU. The slot style CPU is shaped a bit like a cartridge and often has the cooling fan and heat sink built into it. Popular Slot style CPU's include the Intel Pentium III Slot 1 CPU's and the AMD Athlon Slot A CPU's. Manufacturers are veering away from the slot style CPU's as L2 memory is increasingly incorporated into the chip die, resulting in faster performance.

INSTALLING A SOCKET STYLE CPU

ORIENT THE CHIP

This involves locating Pin 1 on both the chip and the socket. This is easy to do. The chip is always marked at Pin 1. The mark may be a little dot on one corner, a slightly notched corner, or a mark at one of the pins under the chip. On the socket, there is usually a notch on one corner, or a big "1". These corners will be matched up for correct installation.

OPENT THE ZIF SOCKET

This is done by grabbing the lever on one side of the socket and opening it. Pull the lever from the closed, level position, to the open, vertical position. You may need to pull the lever out a little before it will open. Do this slowly and be sure not to force it. You don't want to break the socket. On the way up, you may experience a little more force. This is normal.

INSERT THE PROCESSOR

Bearing in mind the orientation determined in Step 1, insert the chip into the socket. With a ZIF socket, the chip should install very easily. It should almost fall into the socket with all pins lining up. If not, the socket is probably not open all the way.

CLOSING THE ZIF SOCET

Just close the lever. You will probably feel some resistance. This is normal and it should close anyway. If you really need to lean on it, check to be sure the chip is installed correctly. When down, make sure the lever snaps into place.

INSTALLING HEATSINK / COOLING FAN

Now you have to install your cooling fan and Heat sink. Most often the cooling fan and Heat sink will be sold together already attached. Otherwise you will have to screw the cooling fan to the Heat sink. The Cooling fan/Heat sink assembly is attached to the CPU via a metal clip that hooks onto the CPU socket. Alternatively it can be attached by applying a Thermal compound to the Heat sink which assures that the Heat sink is in contact with all of the CPU surface area.

INSTALLING A SLOT STYLE CPU

Slot Style Cup’s are much easier to install, especially since many of them have the heat sink and cooling fan built right into the protective casing. If that is the case with your CPU then installing it into your system is nothing more than lifting the CPU Rails that guide the CPU and sliding the CPU into the slot. The slot is keyed so your CPU cannot be inserted the wrong way. If your CPU doe not already have the Heat sink/Cooling fan installed, simply snap it onto the back of the CPU before sliding it into the CPU slot. It should be placed firmly into the slot till the top of the CPU clicks into the guide rails.

This SHOULD be one of the simplest steps in the whole process. Basically it amounts to finding the available memory slot on your Motherboard and snapping the chip in place. The memory module is keyed so if you have trouble inserting it you probably are trying to put it in the wrong way. Once you have the Memory chip in the slot, press down firmly till it snaps into place

First you have to place the motherboard in the case so that its holes are lined up with the cases holes.

1. Into each of those case holes screw in a Brass Riser; also known as a standoff.(Some cases come with plastic snap in risers). The risers keep the motherboard from touching the metal computer case and causing a short.


2. When the risers are in position, place the motherboard over the risers so that the holes and the risers correspond.

1. Fasten the Motherboard to the risers with the provided screws. If they come with washers, use them, as this will prevent the screws from accidentally shorting the Motherboard.

Next you need to install the various wires that connect your Motherboard to the computer case and power supply.

1. Connect the ATX power supply to the Motherboard. This is a big white 20-pin connector that plugs into the motherboard. It is keyed so don't worry about installing it the wrong way.


2. Your Computer case has connectors for your power and reset buttons as well as LED connectors that show system activity. Consult your Motherboard manual to see where in the motherboard these connectors should be placed.

INSTALLING FLOPPY DRIVE

1. A Computer Case usually has three or four half-height drive bays. Use one of the bays
   that have a removable faceplate that will allow outside access to the floppy drive.


2. Snap the faceplate out of the bay that the floppy drive is being installed in.

1. Then slide the floppy drive into the bay through the front of the case. Make sure the floppy drive is oriented correctly. The eject button should be on the lower right hand side of the floppy drive.


2. Fasten the floppy drive into the case by inserting screws through the drive cage and into the floppy Drive. You should find holes along the side of the floppy drive specifically for this purpose

INSTALLING THE CD-ROM

CD-ROM drive installation is a fairly straightforward process.
Your first step is to make sure that all the jumpers are set correctly.

The back of a CD-ROM drive has three sets of jumpers. The MA jumper that designates the drive as the Master, The SL jumper designating the drive as a Slave unit, and CS mode where the computer decides whether the CD-ROM will be the Master or the Slave based on its position on the cable. If at all possible, the Hard Drive should be the Master connected to the Primary IDE controller on your motherboard, and the CD-ROM drive should be the Master connected to the Secondary IDE controller. If you need to connect the CD-ROM to the same IDE controller as the Hard Drive, designate the Hard Drive as the Master and the CD-ROM drive as the slave.

Once you have your Jumpers set you are ready to install the CD-ROM drive into the computer case. To do this first remove the two side panels of your computer case as well as the front faceplate of the bay you will be installing your CD-ROM drive into.

Carefully slide the CD-ROM drive into the drive bay making sure that the disc tray is facing the front of your computer. Mount the CD-ROM drive to the cage with small screws going from the slot in the cage into the specially designed holes on the sides of your CD-ROM drive.

Connect one end of the Ribbon Cable to your CD-ROM Drive and the other end to the IDE Controller slot on your Motherboard. If the Hard Drive and The CD-ROM drive are going to be connected to the same IDE slot, connect one of the center connectors to the CD-ROM drive and the end terminal reserve for the hard drive.

Next use the audio cable to connect the CD-ROM drive to your sound card. This will allow you to play audio CD's through your computer

Plug in a Power supply connector and the CD-ROM drive is fully installed


INSTALLING THE HARD DRIVE

Installing the Hard Drive is very similar to installing the CD-ROM drive, which is why we lumped the two together on the same page.

Before installing the Hard Drive you first have to make sure that the jumpers are set properly. Its best to keep your hard drive as the master. Typically, computer setups have two IDE channels which usually hold a Hard Drive and a CD-ROM drive. These channels are able to control two devices, this gives you an availability of four devices on one system. If you plan on building a typical system then make both the CD-ROM drive and the hard drive masters, and plug each of them into a separate IDE channel. If you plan on having more than two drives than keep your main hard drive and CD-ROM drive as the master and set any additional devices as slaves.

This is an example of the back of a fairly standard hard drive. Different companies have different jumper configurations though, so be sure and check your manual and the schematic on the top of your hard drive to be sure of what is correct for your system.

* Cable Select (CS) systems utilize a special cable configuration where the hard drive’s position on the ATA cable determines its master or slave status. In this type of configuration, both drives must have their jumpers set to CS.

Once your jumpers are set properly, slide the hard drive into one of the open half-height bays. You do not need to remove any plastic panels since the hard drive does not need accessibility from the outside.

Insert small screws through the drive bay and into the hard drive on both sides to fasten it securely to the computer case.

Connect the hard drive to the motherboard with the ribbon cable. Since the hard drive should be set to master, you should connect the terminal end of the cable to the drive.

Connect the power supply cable to the hard drive and your installation is complete.

INSTALLING VIDEO CARD, SOUND CARD AND MODEM

The first step is to determine if any of these components were integrated into your motherboard. If any of these components did come bundled into your motherboard you obviously don't have to worry about installing those components.

Installation of accessory cards is allot like playing with Lego. You find an open slot and plug it in. This is the easiest and least time consuming step in the computer building process. That being said there are a few things to be aware of.

The first step, determining the format of the card actually took place (or at least should have) when you purchased the card. Sound and Modem cards should both be in PCI form Video Cards are sold in PCI and AGP configurations. This Bus was created specifically for graphics cards and we recommend the use of it whenever possible.

First the Video Card. Install the video card into the appropriate slot (hopefully an AGP) by pressing down firmly (but not too firm) till it is well seated. Secure the Card to the computer case by fastening a screw to the case through the top of the card.

The sound card and modem are installed in the same manner in (hopefully) the motherboards PCI slots.

Your computer is now just about built!!! Now you need to double-check your work to make sure it was all done properly.

FINAL CHECKLIST
Here is a handy Checklist you can print out to help you make sure you completed all of your steps properly.

1. Make sure ALL your jumpers are set correctly. (If you have a jumper less motherboard make sure to do this when you first configure your BIOS)


2. Check all your cards and make sure they are seated properly and fastened to the Motherboard with a screw.


3. Check all wires and plugs to make sure that they are well connected. A loose plug can result in data errors.


4. IDE cables and power cables for both CD-ROM and hard drives should be secure and properly installed (The red stripe on pin 1). Check CD-ROM and hard drives to make sure the jumper settings are properly configured depending on whether they are a Master or Slave.


5. Make sure the IDE cable for the floppy drive is not installed the wrong way. (If it is you'll get a steady green light) Make sure the power supply is properly connected.


6. Make sure your memory is installed properly with the tab securely in the holder.


7. The CPU should be well seated in the slot/socket with the cooling fan/heat sink assembly firmly attached. The cooling fan power cable should be connected to the power supply.


8. Your ATX power supply should be connected to the motherboard.


9. The connectors to the Power switch, Reset switch, Power LED, HD LED, and speaker should be connected in the proper place as recommended by the motherboard manual.

Input and output cable connections

Power cable. PS/2 Key Board connecter. PS/2 Mouse connecter.

Monitor cable connecter. Speakers connecter.


After assembling the devices you will get a complete desktop computer