Create Your Own Personal Computer

You can start assembling your computer by purchasing a motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), memory (RAM), and storage disks.

The central processing unit (CPU) is the brains of the operation, random access memory (RAM) is where the magic happens, and the hard drives are where all your data lives. If your motherboard doesn’t have built-in audio hardware, you’ll also need a sound card and a video card, at the very least. You’ll also require a case, some fans, a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. Assume you have all the necessary components and have made an intelligent bundle purchase from a retailer such as NewEgg.com, where someone else has already chosen the CPU, RAM, and motherboard to ensure compatibility. (This is an excellent way to buy a cheap computer for a small amount of money if you’re looking for “last generation” hardware.)

A screwdriver, some good lighting, and maybe a magnifying glass would be helpful here. Mount the motherboard inside the case according to the motherboard’s and the case’s respective installation guides. Connect the power supply’s wires to the motherboard, then attach the case’s front and rear panels. Turn it on, and the LEDs should come on; if they don’t, you might want to contact the company that sold you the motherboard.

Turn the power off once more. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) must be inserted into the CPU socket. Everything will fall into place, and everything will click into place eventually. Now, when you’ve practiced installing the heatsink/fan on the motherboard, remove it, and apply a thin layer of thermal paste to the top of the CPU. There should be a locking lever with spring tension to keep it in place; employ it. Forcing a CPU into a motherboard, bending a pin, or trying to run the CPU without the heat sink is the leading cause of failure for both the CPU and the motherboard.

After you’ve installed the central processing unit, you can install the memory and connect the hard drives. Since we’re starting with the motherboard, you’ll want to ensure that the hard drives you buy are compatible using the same connectors. SATA hard drives are superior to their predecessor, the IDE kind, in speed, capacity, and availability. SATA is superior to IDE and can be a deciding factor when picking a hard disk. Hard drives can be secured in place by screwing them into the bays. If your hard drives have fans, you should also plug them in. Temperatures near their operating limits are inadequate for hard drives.

Install the video card, connect the screen, and power on the computer; the “POST” test should reveal the processor and memory capacities and the hard drives should be detected if you’re lucky. If it hasn’t worked, you may need to fiddle with the motherboard’s jumper switches and recheck the handbook.

Finally, connect everything else where it belongs, including the CD-ROM Drive. To set up Windows or Ubuntu Linux, a CD-ROM drive is required. Keep the casing open as you install the OS in case any settings need to be tweaked.

You’ve come a long way in constructing your computer.

Webmaster and chief nerd Guy Ames runs the website Cheap Computers Guide.com (http://www.cheap-computers-guide.com), where one may learn how to acquire and construct inexpensive computers.

Read also: Precisely Why To Use Computer Repair Companies.