How to Build a PC!!

How to build a PC

• This guide will focus on putting the PC together. These are not included in the guide:
  • Finding the parts
  • Checking for compatibility
  • In depth look on what each feature of each part
  • Where and how to buy the parts
  • Step by step process of installing the operating system
• This guide will assume all parts are already acquired

Supplies

• Tools that will come in handy
  • Screw driver
  • Scissors
  • A jar or bowl to safely put screws safely
  • A big table to place all parts
  • Zip ties for cable management
• Touch something Metallic to release any static build up before touching any part
  • You can buy an anti-static kit

Step 1: Acquire Parts

Main Parts

• CPU (central processing unit)
• Motherboard GPU (Graphics Card)
• PSU (Power Supply)
• RAM (Random Access Memory)
• Storage
  • SSD (Solid State Drive)
  • HDD (Hard Disk Drive)
  • M.2
• CPU Cooler (depends on CPU you get. More on that later)
• Case

Optional

• Optical drive
• Fans
• WIFI adapter
• Sound card

Step 2: Motherboard

Take out the Motherboard from the box

• Do not throw the plastic that it came in because its anti static and can be used to place the motherboard safely while working with it.
• you can also use the box it came in

Look at the Motherboard picture for references on where to every part will be connected

• Red: CPU and CPU Cooler
• Blue: GPU
• RAM
• Pink: internal WIFI adapter, sound card, etc..
• Green: Front Panel of PC (part of the case)
• Brown: SATA ports for SSD, HDD, and Optical Drive, M.2 NVME slot
• Orange: PSU
• White: Case Fans
• Yellow: back panel of PC (part of the Motherboard)

Step 3: CPU to Motherboard

• Take out CPU from its box.
• CPU will goes in the motherboard (labeled Red in motherboard Picture in step 3)
  • Be extra careful when handling CPU as its delicate.
    • make sure not to bend any of the pins, one bent pin can break it.
    • make sure you touch something metallic like i mentioned before before touching the CPU. its very important for this part.
• The CPU will have a triangle in the edge.
  • this will tell you the orientation of how to install the CPU in the motherboard. (labeled in the CPU picture in this step)
• Open the flap on the motherboard by lifting the metallic lever on the side
  • Intel CPU has a covering for the CPU that goes up when the lever is released.
  • AMD doesn't have a covering for the CPU, but the lever is still required to place the CPU safely.
• Locate the triangle in the motherboard and align them together.
• Gently drop the CPU into the motherboard.
  • if you aligned it properly it should just drop in easily.
  • Don't push down hard so you don't bend a pin.
• Close the lever.
  • Intel:
    • close the cover first.
    • when you close the lever, the plastic covering should pop right off. you can throw that plastic away
  • AMD:
    • just close the lever
• The CPU installation is done. Next Step is the CPU Cooler

Step 4: CPU Cooler to Motherboard

• CPU Coolers can vary in installation depending on which one you have.
• Before placing the CPU Cooler, you need to put thermal paste on the CPU
  • The CPU Cooler that came with the AMD CPU should have thermal paste applied on it already, so you can skip the "Thermal Paste installation" section.
  • Thermal paste installation:
    • Place in the middle
    • No need to spread it around, it will be distributed by the cooler when installed
    • Don't put too much as it can spread into the motherboard which can break it.
    • The Thermal paste picture should indicate the right amount of thermal paste to apply
• There should be tabs on the motherboard by the CPU. That's where the CPU Cooler will be attached
  • If it's not on the motherboard, it should be included with the cooler and will be screwed into the 4 holes around the CPU (labeled with light gray arrows on the Motherboard picture in Step 2.)
• Now lower the CPU cooler on the CPU, and latch it on the tabs. then lock it
• the final step is plugging the CPU Cooler to the Motherboard (labeled white in Motherboard picture. the one closest to the CPU). this will power the Cooler
  • most motherboards will have it labeled as CPU_fan

Step 5: RAM to Motherboard

• Most motherboard have 4 RAM slots but they can vary. we are assuming you have 4 RAM slots (Labeled purple in the motherboard picture in step 2.)
• Depending on how many RAM you have, you need to check the motherboard's manual on which slot to properly install RAM.
• push down both the latches on the sides of the slots
• line up the notches on the RAM and slots, then push down until you hear a click and the latches are back to their original state
• Repeat until all RAM is installed

Step 6: Preparing the Case

• Grab your case
  • check where the PSU and storage device goes
  • check where the IO shield will
    • The IO shield is a rectangular metal with a bunch of holes (included with the motherboard)
    • some motherboard have the IO shield integrated with it
• Install the IO shield in the back of the case
  • important to do this before installing the motherboard into the case
  • should snap into place
  • make sure it's in the right orientation as the motherboard.

Step 7: Motherboard to the Case

• Grab your Motherboard and place it on top of the standoff.
  • The standoff is where you mount the Motherboard in the Case.
  • Make sure the back panel is lined up with the IO shield.
• Grab a screw driver and screw the motherboard down.
  • Make sure its tight and secured, but not too tight.

Step 8: PSU to the Case

• Grab the PSU and place it to its appropriate area.
  • Most of the time its in the bottom, but sometimes its in the top
  • Its the big rectangular hole in the back of the case.
• The side where the button and the plug for power should be coming out of the back of the case.
• Screw the PSU in Place.

Step 9: Storage to Case

• M.2 NVME hard drives have a special slot in the motherboard, the other kind of storage device will be plugged in through SATA ports in the Motherboard. (Labeled brown, NVME slot is labeled as NVME in motherboard picture in step 2.)
• Storage devices have their own spot in the case, most will involve screwing it in place.
  • since this can vary case by case, i suggest referring to the Case's manual.

Step 10: Connecting the Cables

• Connecting the PSU to Motherboard
  • 2 connectors will be directly connected to the motherboard (labeled Orange in Motherboard picture in Step 2.)
    • 24 pin connector to power motherboard.
    • 8 pin connector to power CPU.
  • Grab the 24 pin connector and plug it in (24 pin connector picture provided in this step)
    • It's placed next to the RAM slot
  • Grab the 8 pin connector and plug it in (8 pin connector picture provided in this step)
    • Its placed top left of the motherboard, close to the CPU
• Connecting the Front Panel to Motherboard
  • This is for the USB ports, Audio and Microphone jack, and Power/Reset button in the front of the Case.(Labeled green in Motherboard picture in step 2.)
    • USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 have different slots in the motherboard.
      • USB 2.0 is labeled in the motherboard as F_USB1 and F_USB2.
        • Its doesn't matter which one you use.
      • USB 3.0 is labeled in the motherboard as USB3.0_1 and USB3.0_2
        • It doesn't matter which one you use.
        • Most newer case only have USB 3.0 plug so dont worry about the USB 2.0 slots not being used.
        • The way you can tell its USB 3.0 is by looking at the USB port in the case and its blue.
  • Audio and Microphone jack go into the same slot
    • Its labeled F_audio in the motherboard.
  • Power/reset button is a little bit more complicated. Grab your motherboard manual because it's going to be useful in this step.
    • These are the connectors that's labeled
      • POWER SW: power switch
      • POWER LED: LED light when PC is on
      • RESET SW: reset switch
      • HDD LED: LED light for hard drive activity
    • The manual will tell you where each connectors will be connected
• Fans to motherboard/PSU
  • Fans can be plugged in to PSU or motherboard.
    • Motherboard (Labeled White in the Motherboard picture.)
      • They are spread around the motherboard because the Case Fans are also spread around the case
      • They come in 4 or 3 pin connectors. It's fine to plug in a 3 pin connector to a 4 pin plug for the fan.(3/4 pin connectors picture is provided in this step)
    • PSU
      • My suggestion is only use this when you have more fans than plugs in the Motherboard.
      • only plug a fan to one source.
      • The PSU connector picture is provided in this step.
• Storage device to motherboard and PSU
  • NVME shouldn't need any extra connections once installed on the motherboard.
  • HDD and SSD needs to be plugged in to both the motherboard and PSU. Both use the same plugs
    • Grab a SATA cables and plug it into the HDD/SSD, then plug the other end to the motherboard (Labeled Brown in Motherboard picture in step 2.)
    • Grab the SATA power cable and plug it into the HDD/SSD.

Step 11: GPU to Motherboard

• The GPU is the last part to plug in, the process is similar to the installation of RAM.
• Locate the PCIe slot on motherboard (Labeled Blue in motherboard picture)
  • There's usually 2 slots, I suggest using the top one.
• Before installing the GPU unscrew 2 case brackets in the back of the Case that aligns to the PCIe slot you will use.
• Check if latch is down.
• Align GPU to PCIe slot and push down until you hear a click and the latch closes.
• Screw the GPU to where you removed the brackets in the the case for support.
• Grab the connector labeled PCIe from the PSU and plug it into the GPU, if necessary.
  • some GPU doesn't need to be plugged into the PSU, you can tell by the GPU not having any plugs.
  • What connectors the GPU needs can vary depending on GPU.

Step 12: Turn on PC

• Now that everything is plugged in, you case close the case.
• The only thing to do now is turn on the PC and install an Operating System.
  • Windows (most popular)
  • Linux (free)
  • Mac OS (i don't even know if you can get a copy of this)
• Congratulations you have build your PC. Have Fun :)