How to Build a PC
(Nov/2007)
When I wrote the original article in the forums,
I was intending
to add photographs of the build, as they say pictures can paint a thousand words.
Unfortunately, time was never generous, and I never got round to doing so.
However,
I built over the weekend a PC to be used as a Windows Home Server (WHS) box for our growing network of
Desktops, HTPCs and laptops. During the Build, I tried to distract myself from the
build to take photographs, and hopefully they will suffice.
Although this is a WHS build, the same principles apply whether your building a
HTPC or standard PC. If your new to building, then this article is great as
it will allow you to see what tasks are ahead of you. Also, if it's been a
few years, then its a great refresher!
Before the Build
Having ordered your parts, and waited for their delivery, it is so very easy to
jump into the process, and start assembling without having read the manuals.
STOP, and Pause... This could be expensive if you get things wrong... There are
some guidelines that I recommend before assembling the parts:
1. All the items I have bought in terms of Motherboards, CPUs etc have come supplied
with manuals. Read them. Drink coffee and read them again, until you are sure it
all makes sense. If unsure, ask someone, especially through the appropriate forums
out there most Manufacturers have websites that have a Forum as well as known issues.
2. Look for the manufacturers web sites. Search the product’s pages and see if the
manufacturer have identified known issues, and check before hand. A recent issue
I had was listed in the FAQ of the product from the manufacturers web site, and
would have saved me a couple of hours of frustration, so it is worth checking. If
appropriate download the latest BIOS for the motherboard. For example some motherboards
have problems with Blu-Ray drives. These issues can be resolved or pre-empted by
downloading the latest drivers and BIOS from the manufacturer’s website.
3. Ideally, set aside a couple of hours with minimum interruptions, and ensure you
have some tools available including a long shaft ‘+’ head screw driver which is
magnetic, and a pair of long nose pliers .
In nost cases and motherboards come with the appropriate items to secure and cable
up the components together. Finally you need space and a good working light.
4. I prefer to build a minimum, bare bones system first, so if there is an issue,
and fault finding is simplified by the presence of fewer parts. As such connect
minimum components first to the Motherboard, until at least the motherboard is booting
up correctly.
Having read the manuals, once or twice, read a few forums and other websites you
are starting to feel comfortable with the build, let us go.
I like to build the PC in sections, rather than jumping about. As such this assembly
guide is broken down into several parts:
• The Case
• The Motherboard assembly
• Installing the Motherboard Assembly into the Case.
