Step by Step PC Building

Supplies: Hardware: Motherboard

CPU & CPU cooler

PSU (Power supply unit)

Storage (HDD/SSD)

RAM

GPU (not required)

Case

Tools: Screwdriver

ESD bracelet/mats

thermal paste w/ applicator

Step 1: Step 1: Open Case

One side of the case should have a part that looks like a handle. On that side, there should also be 2 screws, unscrew those, then pull on the handle and it should open

Step 2: Step 2: Motherboard

To start putting the motherboard in, we need to insert the standoff screws into the holes of the case. Once those are in, you line up the holes on the motherboard with the standoff screws to be able to screw in the motherboard, when lined up, screw in the mother board.

Step 3: Step 3: Installing CPU and CPU Cooler

Start with the CPU by unlocking the CPU socket by lifting the arm, then locating the indented triangle on the CPU socket and lining that up with the golden triangle on the CPU itself, then place it down with both triangles lined up and lock it again. The CPU cooler should have a lock on it embedded with in the heat sink it also has a lever that has 3 holes on it, the middle hole on it is going to go onto the notch on the CPU bracket. Once both sides of the lock are on, flip the lever, it should give some resistance, but keep pushing until it locks.

Step 4:

Step 5: Step 4: PSU Installation

There will be a hole on the back side of the case, most likely shaped like a rectangle. The PSU is going to go inside the case with the outlet sticking outside through that hole, four screw holes should show up once its in, screw those in. We'll come back to the PSU later.

Step 6: Step 5: Storage Installation

There will be drive bays in the case, put the storage device in there, locks can vary for storage. it could be a slot with a door or a lock that goes into the holes of the storage device. Either way make sure that it is locked in the drive bay.

Step 7: Step 6: RAM Installation

This will be the easiest part to install. locate the RAM slot, a vertical slot by the CPU. Flip up the RAM tabs and locate the notch in the slot and on the RAM, line those up and push the RAM down until you hear a click from both RAM tabs.

Step 8: Step 7: GPU Installation

This step is only needed if you have a GPU. On the back of the computer you'll see some horizontal slots that have metal in them, inside the PC there will be a screw where those are, take one or two out depending on how big the GPU is. Once out, insert the GPU into a PCIe slot, horizontal slot with a smaller and larger part, align them accordingly. Once in, screw in GPU where you unscrewed the metal part.

Step 9: Step 8: Plugging Everything In

There are probably a lot of cords just hanging around right now and it may seem overwhelming, but it's quite simple to figure out where they all go. The big one coming out of the PSU is a 24 pin connector, that goes into the 24 pin socket on the motherboard. There is also a 4 or 8 pin connector coming out of the PSU, that goes on the 4/8 pin socket near the CPU. Next, the storage, there should be a cable that has a connector on it shaped like an L, that plugs into the small slot on the storage device, this is a SATA cable and SATA port, that connects to a socket of the same kind on the motherboard. There is also a large SATA connector coming from the PSU, that connects to the storage as well and it supplies power to it. The CPU cooler goes in a specific spot usually labed as CPU or SYS fan, any case fans you have will go into a connector called "case fan". Lastly, the case cables, this is the most complex one. The cable/s labeled as USB will connect to the USB connector, audio to the audio connector, and now the hard one, the front panel. This has many small cables, nearby where the connector is should be a map, that shows what pins do what, like which two control the power switch, you have to connect the cables that correspond with what the map says, so power switch cable to power switch pins, etc.