[Saturn2004]

Hello again folks,

I thought this would a nice guide  for all of you that don't know Jack about building a  computer

I will take you through  the basic steps so you can actually  set it up and get it to boot up

First you need  to pick up a  static guard from the local hardware shop..  and , attach it to a metal section of the  case   be sure  you start in a area THAT DOES NOT have  carpet on the  floor

 Step one: mounting the mother board

Once you have  picked up your static guard , you will need to take  Motherboard (the big green or yellow square board)
 out of the box and  use a philips screw driver to screw and  fasten the motherboard to your  Case

step Two:  installing your Hard Disk drive (storage)

(Note: this is for Parallel Hard drives only)
Second , take the Hard disk drives (the big square  grey lookin (or black) metal box and look at the back of it
First, lets set the jumper.. you should see a  space that has five  tiny prongs
you do it like  this..... you should be able to find  a rectangular
white or black plastic piece from you Hard drive kit ..insert it and place it on the second  slot
this will be  set as your new hardrive to be the "Primary" or "main" hardrive
Next,
you should see  two connections, one has  four large metal prongs... these  are to the right of the "jumper" prongs
these prongs are what your hardrive uses to draw power from the system..
ok,  find a yellow black and red cable with a rectangular shape and has four holes in the front

insert that cable into the hard drive firmly

and lastly,

you should see a a huge slot taking up about 80% of the  space on the back... for this you should take the long grey cable with a  black end for a connector

you should see a black white or blue rectangular slot on your motherboard that has gold metal prongs  sticking out of it
insert the black end of the  grey  cable to that slot
after insert the other end of the cable  to your hard drive

finally, take the  hard drive with all of the connected cables and

take it to the   square  looking  cage inside  your  case

depending on what case you have, you might need a "drive rail"
If so, take the drive rails that were included  with your hardrive and  attach them to each side of your hard drive depending on what kind of drive rail you have  you will either  have  to  snap them into place or screw in the phillips type screw to the each side of your hard drive

if not  just  slide the drive in and  line up the holes on the side of your hardrive, then use the  phillip type screws included with your hardrive and insert them in the hole and use your phillip head screw driver to  fasten them in

Step 3 :

installing your Cd-rom \DVD reader\Burner

Basically , most of the steps here are almost  the  same as installing your hard drive as  i have explained above

all you have to do is repeat the steps from step two
which are:
setting the jumper in the  correct  position  
connecting the gray cable to the huge area  that is in the far right of the  drive and  seems to occupy 80% of the space in the back
and lastly  connecting the power cable to the four huge  prongs in the back


Step  Four: installing  the CPU (computer brain)

First , Take the CPU out of the box and remove the packaging
and you should see a  square with gold metal prongs coming out of the bottom
cautiously take that square CPU and  put  it in the a  white square socket but first find the lever on the side of the socket and raise it up then carefully allign the processor  so that the gold metal prongs match the socket and  then carefully, cautiously and  delicately insert the CPU into the socket firmly until you are sure it is  secure in its  socket...
then press the  lever down that is on the  side of the CPU Socket

and lastly  get some "artic sliver Thermal compound"
and apply it to the top of the CPU ,then buy a  good heatsink\fan combo and  apply it on the  CPU

Step 4: installing RAM/system memory

ok now  you are  ready to install some memory..

I recommend that  you should   buy Corsair XMS Or My personal fav OCZ.
The  ram looks like a  green stick with some black blocks on it
 install and insert it  in a vertical slot that is either white or black
and you should insert it  until it clicks and the  two levers are in the up position

Step 5: installing your Video Card

ok we are  allmost done  

ok, first  take your Video card  out of the box and  you should see a gold connector at the bottom
connect and insert it  with  the VGA (video grid array-- the  thing your montior connects to)
sticking out of  your computer in the back
ok, step one, unscrew and  take the metal slot off the case
and insert the bottom of the video card  into the AGP\Pci express  slot until  you hear  it click
and after you have done  that ... take the screw that  you took out from the metal slot use it to fasten the card into place so it wont move  or anything
Note: if you are installing a SLI (Scalable Link Interface) or a Cross- Fire
solution, there will be a  a hard drive like cable you  might have to plug in to each card to link them together and also the cards  require two PCI-Express slots so make sure you buy a  PCI-EXpress  capable mother board with at least two X16  slots
but the gain  from using SLI or Cross - Fire boards dont make much of a difference in my opnion... you will only get 5 to 10 FPS more  than what you would get from a AGP solution unless you want  braggin rights  :thepimp:  plus the AGP Solution is much MUCH cheaper
:
Step 6: installing your sound card
This is one of the most simple  steps in this guide
it is basically the  same process as installing your video card shown above
just get a  philips  head screw driver and unscrew the metal slot  from the back of your computer remove the plate and you should see  a gold plated connector about the same  size  that your video card had
 insert the card face down like your  videocard
and take the end of the card and fasten it down with the screw  you got  from taking the metal plate out

Step 7:

Lastly, if you havent  done so allready, or if your case wasnt shipped with a power supply,
now is the time to mount\install your Power supply

Usually,  the  power supply goes in the top of the  case...
first you will need to connect that nasty mess of power input  cables to your motherboard so all of your  PC Componets will  be able  to draw power and function correctly
(mini explantion... basically what your  power supply does is take the A\C current  to D\C- direct current current which is  what your PC runs on)

The cable you are looking for  is the biggest one in the install process.. it has yellow, black,orange,white,green and red wires all bundled together... and it  also has a big white  connector  that has spaces on it
depending on your mother board  it will mostly likely  be right in the smack middle of your mother board or will be somewheres else...

Ok now should be the time for you  to power up your system and see if it  boots up correctly
(I recommend getting a surge  suppressor just in case)
if it doesnt make sure everything is connected firmly and securely

Once that is done , insert your windows XP CD
or press  F5 while booting a  format your hard drive (i recommend  formatting it in NTFS because the  data is stored in a smaller more  efficent matter) formatting your Hard drive may take  some time  (two hours max) or  maybe  a max of 20 mins , depending  on what  kind of hard drive\system you got

If all goes well,  you can start installing  games like freespace 2,  quake, battlefield and whatever else you have


well that is it folks
Thank you for your time
i hope  you found this mini guide/how to usefull

please post your comments/suggestions to this  guide below

Thank you


 :thepimp: :thepimp: :

[Grey Wolf]

....

Grammar. Use grammar. And it's not a Wiki.

[SadisticSid]

That's a stupid order to do things in - you should really install the RAM and CPU first, then install the mobo, followed by the graphics card. Then plug in a keyboard and screen and make sure to check the base system is working. If it doesn't, it's much less of a hassle to diagnose and solve the problem than having to deal without having to consider x additional components.

[Saturn2004]

ok i  was unsure in which order to put it in so i just did  at random you know as i go
but your order makes more sense...
thank you for your comments

[aldo_14]

Always install drives last of all; aside from the obvious bit about checking each works in turn, it's simply that much easier to access it.

Same reason for installing CPU and RAM into the mobo before screwing it onto the backplate.

Also, it's better to check your IDE (in particular, but obviously for all cabling) socket positions on the motherboard diagram; specifically to check you set up your primary and secondary channels appropriately.  Likewise for attaching the little cables from the mobo to the case (power switch,reset, media, etc) - and that's a major pain in the arse, so it really needs to be done prior to actually putting the motherboard into the case.

Probably worthwhile noting another couple of things before I forget; always make sure RAM is securely and properly seated in place under the 2 white tabs that hold it into the DIMM socket - if you don't, then you risk blowing the DRAM voltage controller and wrecking the whole motherboard (very nasty thing; the actual blown chip is about 2x1cm and you can only tell it's knackered by a miniscule surface bubble).

 I'd also recommend inserting the RAM by placing into the (opened/up) levers and closing them, rather than just pushing it in and expecting them to close.  Also make sure to touch something metal and attached to the floor in order to ground yourself (such as a radiator).

Oh, and AGP cards don't click into position; at least not in my experience. They just slot; IMO it's best to place them in the side level (they have a little L shape that fits into it), and then gently push them in whilst you close the level.

And 1 more thing; it's better to actually buy the fan before putting in the CPU.  And AMD Cpus always come with their own thermal pad; it actually voids the warranty to use any other kind of paste (although it doesn't mean it won't work).

[MatthewPapa]

nice and elaborate instructions.......just rearrange the order and it will should work better

[CP5670]

Probably worthwhile noting another couple of things before I forget; always make sure RAM is securely and properly seated in place under the 2 white tabs that hold it into the DIMM socket - if you don't, then you risk blowing the DRAM voltage controller and wrecking the whole motherboard (very nasty thing; the actual blown chip is about 2x1cm and you can only tell it's knackered by a miniscule surface bubble).

I'd also recommend inserting the RAM by placing into the (opened/up) levers and closing them, rather than just pushing it in and expecting them to close. Also make sure to touch something metal and attached to the floor in order to ground yourself (such as a radiator).

It seems that on some motherboards you really have to shove them in very hard in order for them to go in the whole way. It's rather annoying and people new to this will frequently not do it hard enough for fear of damaging something.

[StratComm]

Ironic, isn't it, since it's not having it in all the way that will break things.  Which is why it's advisable to use the locking levers to push them down instead of relying on direct force.  Less likely to feel like you're breaking something, more likely to actually work.

[Saturn2004]

im sorry that i couldnt  post a  better guide guys but i was not sure which to place  first , second etc..
because everyone is different and no one  does the  same job...
so i did this guide from  off the top of head.. lol
i still believe that my guide was thorugh though

even though it was "randomized" like  sh!t

[mikhael]

Originally posted by SadisticSid
That's a stupid order to do things in - you should really install the RAM and CPU first, then install the mobo, followed by the graphics card. Then plug in a keyboard and screen and make sure to check the base system is working. If it doesn't, it's much less of a hassle to diagnose and solve the problem than having to deal without having to consider x additional components.

Test?

I don't plug the thing in until everything is in, cabled, zip-tied, case closed and bolted.

Then I turn it on, put my OS CD in and get to work.

[Stealth]

... and then you realize when the screen doesn't come on, and the motherboard doesn't beep, that you've got a much bigger problem on your hands

[WMCoolmon]

Pictures would probably be a good idea.

[Grey Wolf]

Originally posted by Stealth
... and then you realize when the screen doesn't come on, and the motherboard doesn't beep, that you've got a much bigger problem on your hands

The motherboard would beep. Hell, I had an   incompatible processor in mine (3500+ Venice, which wasn't supported for about a month after I bought the parts) and it still beeped.

[Descenterace]

*DAMN TRIPLE-POST... SLOW SERVERS... CRAPPY INTERNET...*

[Descenterace]

*DITTO*

[Descenterace]

Depends if the mainboard actually gets as far as the POST. Beep codes are triggered during the POST, so if a failure occurs before then, or if there's no power...

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by CP5670


It seems that on some motherboards you really have to shove them in very hard in order for them to go in the whole way. It's rather annoying and people new to this will frequently not do it hard enough for fear of damaging something.

Yeah.  Still best IMO to do it while closing the tabs at the same time if possible, though.  Another reason for slapping in the mobo last; you can grip both sides (top of DIMM & back of mobo) to make sure it's right good in.

To be honest, I never tested anything till it was all in place; the only exception was not screwing the side of the case back on.  Doesn't mean it's not a bad habit, of course........ :devil:

[karajorma]

Exactly. Once you've plugged in every single device and bolted the case shut is not the time to realise that you've bought a defective motherboard.

[aldo_14]

Aye.  Happened to me on my last mobo; IDE in sockets were FUBAR-ed or something IIRC.  Thank god for free refunds on via-internet orders

[mikhael]

You know, back when I first started with this stuff, I'd slap everything in the case and close it up and tighten everything down and turn it on... and it wouldn't work.

Fast forward twelve years. I slap everything in the case and close it up and tighten everything down and turn it on... and it always works.

I build PCs for users reuglarly. Sometimes its two a month, sometimes its more like ten or twelve per week. I haven't gotten a bad component from a manufacturer (bad on deliver, that is. I've had a few die a month or two later) in almost five years. I don't make the dumbass mistakes I used to make, either, like attaching the floppy data cable backwards, or mis-seating DIMMs. These days, its really hard--unless you actually TRY--to screw things up. Cards always work if you plug them in if they fit. Memory has positive feedback (the levers) to let you know you've plugged it in properly. Expansion cards and memory fit into exactly one kind of slot (they're keyed, not like they used to be). Data cables are keyed too. Cable-Select on drives actually works reliably now. The legend for the front panel hardware is silkscreened on the board--and the front panel traces are labeled. Processor and memory timing are BIOS soft options now--no more having to hope you got that jumper configuration right. The most complicated thing is routing all the cables to allow good airflow.

These days, short of DOA hardware (a true rarity if you buy from reputable suppliers and manufacturers) and illiteracy, even a moron like me can slap together hardware and expect it to work first try.