How to Build a Computer In Easy Steps

In this guide I will tell you how to build a computer the easy way and fast, this way it will only take you about 30 to 40 minutes. After that your computer will be ready for installing an operation system that you have picked.

First of all if you power supply unit (PSU) isn't already installed into your case place that in first, this will allow you to see how far the cables stretch from the power supply around the case to see where is best to place the hard drives, optical drives and any extra fans you might have.

Now you should attach you central processing unit (CPU) onto the motherboard, place some thermal transfer compound on top of the processor if there isn't on it already, once that is done you can place the heat sink on top of the CPU and clip into place.

Once the PSU, CPU and heat sink are in place the next component to go in to the case is the motherboard, place the board on the place spacers that are already in the case, fit extra spacers if needed. Once the motherboard is on the spacers screw in and ensure that the board is only touching the spacers and not the case.

Now you want to connect the power cables from the PSU to the motherboard there are normally two connections one is a four pin plug and a twenty-four pin plug connected both of these to the board.

Once connected you can start to install graphics card, optical drives, hard drives and memory (RAM).

The easiest way to do this is by installing your RAM first as once you start to install the drives there is going to be a lot of cables everywhere in the case, so installing memory now while the memory slots are easily accessible.
After you have installed your memory then the next component to install will be the optical drive, this is normally placed in the top available slot of the case this is to ensure the air flow is optimum so the computer doesn't over heat or even worse burn out or catch fire! When you have placed your optical drive in the slot now connect the power to the drive and connect it to the motherboard via SATA cable or IDE connections.

Now you have your optical drives installed you want to install the hard drives next these are normally placed into the lower half of the case again this is to ensure the best air flow around the case. Once you have placed the hard drives into the case connect to the power and motherboard the same way as the optical drives.

Now with most of the components installed it just leaves the graphics card and any extra cards you want to install i.e. wireless card, sound card.

So if you have a graphics card to install you want to place that in now, new graphics cards are placed into the PCI Express 16x slot and require extra power from the PSU there is normally at least a 6 pin plug required to power the card some require 8 pin plugs or two 6 pin plugs. If your card requires the extra power plug it in now, if you don't have the right connection for if there are converters that you can buy that convert two normal 4 pin plug into one 6 pin plug or an 8 pin plug.

Once your graphics card is installed you will install the extra cards in the same fashion but without the power going to them as most can get their power from the motherboard.

Now everything is almost ready to boot the computer up for the first time, all there is left to do now is attach the front case buttons to the mother board there are many different types so you will have to follow the motherboard manual to help you with that part also they may be extra USB ports that can be plugged into your motherboard, these are easy to install and just require you plug the 8 pin plug on the extra USB pins located on the board and are normally labelled as USB 1 USB 2 etc.