Building a Computer/ Computer Components.

By George Smith-Moore

In this document I will go through the different stages to building a computer.

I will go through installing the power supply, motherboard, adapter cards, internal drives, drives in external bays, internal cables, and external cables.

Each part will be explained with a labelled diagram which the picture was taken from http://vendorlib.leighacademy.org.uk/curr/ITEVP/VDE/Index.html virtual desktop.

What will be included?

For your safety but more importantly the computer parts safety, you will need to use either an antistatic mat or an anti-static wrist strap.

Safety

The power supply is a main component of a computer, it is what supplies the computer with the correct voltage to make the parts work.

Power Supply

The power supply takes an AC power connector and has an exhaust vent to stop overheating.

The power supply also has lots of wires protruding from the other side, this is how the power supply powers the other parts.

Power Supply

The next slides will show how the power supply is installed.

Power Supply

After you have placed the power supply in correctly you use some screws that fit the power supply in place.

The screws keep the power supply from moving about.

See the difference?

Power Supply

This is the main printed circuit board. This connects all of the components of the computer, The motherboard also harbours the central processing unit CPU, as well as other things such as the RAM

Motherboard

Before you install the motherboard you have to install all of the required parts .

These include:The CPU (Intel or AMD).The thermal compound for the CPU heat sink/fan.RAM module’s

After that you would then install the motherboard.

Motherboard

RAM- RAM is called random access memory, RAM is made up of small memory chips than make up a memory module, they are installed in the RAM slots in the motherboard.

Every time you open a program it gets loaded from the HDD onto the RAM, RAM is much faster to read off of.

This reduces lag time on the computer.

Motherboard-RAM

Installing the RAM. Line up the RAM

Motherboard-RAM

Fit it into the socket, once this is done, secure the latches.

Motherboard-RAM

If you have more than one RAM, fit them into separate slots like the picture below.

Motherboard-RAM

The CPU stands for the central processing unit.

The main CPU brands are Intel and AMD; when a motherboard is bought it can only take a certain type of CPU’s, different CPU’s have different socket types.

The CPU reads computer code and executes the commands.

Motherboard-CPU

The CPU fits into the CPU socket with the pins facing the motherboard. There is then a cover which keeps it in place.

Motherboard-CPU

The heat-sink is used to disperse the heat from a CPU, the heat-sink is attached by applying thermal compound to the CPU

Motherboard- Heat-sink

Once the thermal compound is attached you place the heat-sink on top.

The fan on top of the heat-sink forces air over the heat-sink.

Motherboard- Heat-sink

Once the heat-sink is in place and secured you attach the cable.

Motherboard- Heat-sink

Once all of the steps above are complete, you must install the motherboard, you attach the motherboard with the motherboard screws attached.

Motherboard

The next slides will show you the NIC, the Wireless NIC, and the Graphics Card.

Adapter Cards

The NIC stands for network interface card. It allows the computer to connect to the

internet via an Ethernet port. It is attached to the computer via a PCI slot.

NIC

The Wireless NIC stands for wireless network interface card.

It allows the computer to connect to the internet Wi-Fi

It is attached to the computer via a PCI slot.

Wireless NIC

The graphics card takes stress off of the CPU to render games, movie, etc.

The graphics card will also have more power to render the games and movies than your CPU, so better quality images.

Graphics Card

To install place the NIC card onto the corresponding PCI (in this case it’s the PCIe x1) slot.

To install the Wireless NIC place it on the PCI corresponding slot.

To install the Graphics card place it on the corresponding PCI or PCIe slot (in this case it’s an PCIe x16)

Adapter Cards

In this area you will find out how to install the HDD (Hard disk drive) or SSD (Solid state drive), in this case we will be using only one HDD.

Internal Drives

To install the HDD you must have a spare HDD slot,The HDD will fit in nicely, finish byattaching screws where needed.

SSD’s also fit into the same slot andare installed the same way.

HDD

Under this section there will be the Floppy disk drive and the Optical disk drive (CD’s and DVD’s).

External Drives

The floppy disk drive, fits into it’s slot nicely but it needs screws to hold it in place.

Floppy disk drive

The Optical disk drive is installed in the same way as the Floppy disk drive above, but the Optical drive comes in several options, you can buy one’s that re-write CD’s and DVD’s.

Optical disk drive

After you have installed all of the components of the computer you must connect them all.

The cables you will be connecting are:20 pin ATX power supply cable4 pin Auxiliary power connector SATA powerMolex cableBerg cable3 pin case fan cableSATA cablePATA cableFloppy data cable

Connecting the (internal) cables.

(Could also be the newer specification 24pin ATX 2)

This comes from the Power Supply and fits into this slot, it provides the motherboard with power.

20 pin ATX power supply cable

This cable fits into the motherboard and provides the CPU with extra power.

4 pin auxiliary power connector

The SATA power connecter provides the HDD or the SSD with power from the power supply.

SATA power

The Molex cable is a dying breed, it is slowly being replaced with the SATA cable.

The Molex cable/connector is held in place by friction and it used to provide power to large devices like the HDD (now used SATA) and the CD/DVD drive.

Molex cable

The Berg cable/connecter isused to provide power to the floppy disk, andsometimes other peripherals.

(floppy disk no longer used)

Berg cable

The 3 pin case fan cable/ connecter provides power from the motherboard to the case fan

3 pin case fan cable

The SATA cable provides an interface between the motherboard and the HDD/SSD.

Now being used instead of a Molexcable.

SATA cable.

The PATA cable connects drives (CD/DVD) to the motherboard.

It serves as an interface between CD drives (and others) and the motherboard.

PATA cable

The floppy cable connects the floppy drive to the motherboard.

It serves as an interface between the floppy drive and the motherboard.

Floppy Cable

In this section I will show you how to place your case panels back in once you are finished:-how to connect the monitor HDMI or monitor cable.-Keyboard and mouse (USB and Ps2)-Ethernet, and wireless antenna.-USB cables and power.

External cables.

When you took the case panels off of the computer to fit in the different components, you have to just fit them in the same way you took them off.

The case panels are there to protect the computer, it also blocks dust entering from the side.

Case panels

The HDMI and monitor cables are connected at the corresponding slots at the back of the computer.

The monitor cables has screws built in which you tighten to stop the cable coming loose.

HDMI is digital, VGA is analogue, VGA only carries video not sound.

HDMI and monitor cables.

The keyboard and mouse used to be connected via a Ps2 connection, it is now done via USB.

To connect you place in the corresponding Ps2 slot (colour coded)

Keyboard and mouse

Ethernet cables are a means of connecting to the internet, it does use wires but it comes with added security.

The Ethernet cable attaches to the computer and the ISR (router).

Ethernet

The wireless antenna allows you to connect to the internet without the hassle of wires.

Using wireless has its downsides though, it is easier for others to see what you have been viewing.

Signal is not as great either.

Installing the Wireless antenna

Now the computer has been installed, you will need to install any software, to do this you need power!

Use the power cable and attach it to a wall socket and a power supply.

Power