Build the Perfect PC! Step-by-Step Illustrated How-To Guide
Ready, Set, Build
Once you’ve collected all your parts, you’re just 13 steps away from a hand-built PC you can be proud of
1. Mount the Power Supply
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We like a case that gives you options as to where you mount PSU. This Cooler Master CM stacker allows you to mount it in the traditional spot up top or place it below the motherboard. We’re sticking with tradition here, but the process is pretty much the same no matter where you mount yours. First, remove the back plate covering the PSU slot by removing the two screws that hold it in place. Then carefully slide the PSU in place, pushing the wire bundle from the PSU through the front of the cage (image A). Now attach the PSU brackets to the case (image B). The power supply will mount to this bracket.
2. Install the Optical Drive
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You’ll need to remove both the left and right sides of the case in order to mount the optical drive. If you’ve chosen a case with a tool-less design, you’ll see a row of quick-release latches that hold the drives in place. Open the latches at the spot where you want to insert your drive. Now remove the bezel from the slot on the front of the case where your drive face will be. (While you’re at it, you should also remove the three lower bezels that block access to the hard-drive cage.)
Most modern cases use a quick-release rail system to mount optical drives. You’ll find two plastic rails in the case parts box marked Right and Left), attach each to the appropriate side of the optical drive (image A). The rails do not screw into the drive, so don’t bother trying. Now slide the drive into its slot in the case and flip the quick-release levers (image B).
3. Install the CPU
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Installing the CPU is the most delicate operation you’ll perform when building your system. If you’re a ham-fisted tyro or you’ve got the coffee shakes really bad, get someone who’s more deft to install your proc rather than risk destroying your motherboard. First, remove the protective plastic shield covering the socket on your motherboard (image A). Set this cover aside in case you need to return the board (or store it). Many manufacturers will not take back a board without this plastic shield in place. Now unclip the metal arm alongside the socket and flip out the load plate (image B). To install the proc, match the two notches in the CPU with the tabs in the socket. Grasp the CPU with two fingers and carefully lower it straight into the socket while keeping it parallel to the plane of the socket. Do not drop one side first and do not slide the CPU around in the socket, as you could bend the pins and kill your mobo.
4. Add CPU Cooling
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We chose a retail CPU package, which provides a stock Intel cooler. Although Intel ships different coolers with its CPUs, the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 comes with a fairly decent model. It’s quiet, efficient, and easy to install. A brand-spanking-new heatsink should have thermal past pre-applied to it (image A). To install the heatsink, match the four legs with the holes in the motherboard and gently push them in. Each leg’s locking mechanism should be in its install position out of the box, with the arrows facing out. Lock each leg into place by pushing on the locking mechanism until it catches, using a cross-star pattern (image B). To verify that you’ve done it correctly, flip the motherboard upside down. You should see the four legs protruding slightly through the bottom. If one is not locked in place, turn the locking mechanism counterclockwise—so the arrow faces in (you may need to use a slotted screwdriver to do this). Pull the leg straight up, turn it clockwise, and try again. Now plug the four-pin power cable into the four-pin mobo header labeled “CPU fan."
5. RAM it home
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You’ll get the most performance out of your PC by installing RAM in dual-channel mode. The method for doing this varies among motherboard brands. On the MSI board, dual-channel mode requires that you put one stick in an orange slot and the second stick in a green slot.
Place the board on a flat, stable surface. Put your antistatic bag beneath the board if you don’t have a good static-free work area. Next, locate the notch on the RAM and match it with the notch in the slot (image A). Pop the arms open for the slot you’ll be filling, put your fingers on the ends of the module, and gently push the RAM in place until the arms lock into position (image B). If the RAM doesn’t go in, double-check that the notches line up and try again. When you’re done, make sure the arms that hold the RAM in are in their closed position. If they are extended, they could impede your GPU or even damage it.
6. Cage the Drive
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Installing the hard drive is a straightforward process. But first getting to the hard drive cage in some enclosures is another matter. If your case uses one, unlock the quick-release arms on the left and right sides of the case. Pull the cage straight out. To get to the screws that you’ll use to mount the drive, pull the side plates off of the cage. They’re held there by simple friction and will come loose with just a slight amount of pressure.
Now, as you have done for the last 20 years, use four coarse screws to mount the hard drive in place (image B). Put both sides of the drive cage back on (along with the drive rails), and slide the cage back into the case. Push the bezels in place, lock the arms in place, and you’re done! With the hard drive, anyway.
7. Mount the Motherboard
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Before you can mount the mobo, you must install the I/O shield—that little metal plate that frames all the inputs and outputs on the back of your case. The shield should have come with your mobo. If it didn’t, you’ll have to contact the maker for a replacement or mount the board commando. Use the butt of your screwdriver to pop out the shield that came with the case. Now take the shield that came with your board and pop out the squares for the necessary ports. Make sure the grounding arms for the Ethernet, eSATA, and PS/2 ports are bent in toward the case’s interior (image A). Otherwise, they’ll get tangled in the ports when you install the board.
Next, find the bag of brass motherboard standoffs that came with the case. Install these in the case, making sure you have one for each mounting hole in the motherboard. Use pliers to torque them down enough so they don’t back out should you need to remove the mobo (image B). Take note of how many mounts you installed. The typical number is nine. Now drop the board in and screw it down (image C). Use just enough force to keep the screws from backing out, but not enough force to crush the PCB.
8. Drop in the GPU
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Our MSI board hosts two physical x16 PCI-E slots. We say “physical” because only one will operate at x16 data rates if both slots are occupied (in a dual-videocard CrossFire configuration, for instance). Before you install your videocard, remove the expansion slot cover from the rear of the case where the card’s ports will emerge. You can toss the cover or keep it as a back scratcher. When you put the card in, make sure it is firmly in place with all of the contacts securely in the PCI-E slot (image B).
A common error is to insert the card so the contacts sit just outside the slot. Another common error is for the contacts to not make a complete connection with the slot. This is usually the result of a bent case enclosure causing a gap between the card and the case. You can sometimes fix the problem by bending the case back in place. Now use the two thumbscrews that had held the expansion slot covers to screw the card in place.
9. Install the Soundcard
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We didn’t have to forgo discrete audio this year, so we reached for a budget X-Fi card. There are two options at this price range, but only one is really worthy of being called an X-Fi: the XtremeGamer. Its cousin, the XtremeAudio, doesn’t actually feature a full X-Fi chip and does not support EAX 5. One thing Creative did right with the XtremeGamer is include a standard front-panel audio header on the card. This lets you use the front headphone and microphone jacks.
Grab the Poseidon cable labeled “AC97, HD Audio.” Insert the plug labeled “HD Audio” into the header on the card—it’s keyed and should fit only one way (image A). Now remove the expansion slot cover from the back of the case where the card’s ports rest and firmly insert the card into a PCI slot (image B). As with the GPU, make sure the card is firmly in place and that all of the contacts are connecting. Screw the card in place and you’re good to go.
10. Connect the Umbilical Cords
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Connect the Gigabyte Poseidon 310’s two front-panel USB ports by connecting the case’s USB cables to the USB headers on the P45 Platinum. Each is keyed, so they cannot be installed incorrectly. Plug them into the JUSB1 header on the motherboard (image A. Note: This motherboard supports more USB ports than this particular case does.) Now use the SATA cable that came with the mobo to attach your hard drive. Simply plug one end into an available purple port on the mobo and plug the other end into the drive (image B). One caveat: A SATA connector is delicate.
Once you have it in place, do not put pressure on it or you may snap it; this can be fatal, especially if you snap the connector on the drive. Two of the MSI’s internal SATA ports flaws are inconveniently located where a long videocard might block them. Fortunately for storage mavens, there are six other SATA ports that are situated much more conveniently. If you really need SATA ports six and seven, ou can get around the problem by purchasing right-angle SATA cables. There’s also an eSATA port on the back of the motherboard.
Now grab another SATA cable (several of these should have come with your mobo), attach one end to your optical drive and the other to a vacant SATA port.
11. Finish off the Front Panel
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Remember in Kung Fu how Caine had to grab a pebble from the old man’s hand to prove how badass he was? Well, installing a computer’s front-panel connectors is kind of like that. Only after years of study and apprenticeship will you be able to plug in the front-panel connectors without getting it wrong at least once. Nevertheless, we’ll try to do it right here. Grab the rainbow cable with the Power SW, HDD LED, Reset SW, and Power LED connectors and take a close look at the front-panel header. You’ll notice that the yellow header is color-coded and also features a plus symbol on the positive connector (image A).
The motherboard manual will spell out where each cable goes, but since the board follows the Intel FP connector standard, we know that the power switch connects to black, the power LED connects to green, reset goes to blue, and the hard drive LED goes to red. The orientation of the power-on and reset switches don’t matter, but you’ll have to match the positive and negative with the LED indicators. If you do it wrong, don’t worry; there’s no risk of destroying anything. We got it right on the first shot, however, because our kung fu is that strong.
12. Add Power to all Parts
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You’re in the final stretch. The penultimate chore is to power up all the components. One feature of our mid-range rig we’re particularly happy with is the PC Power & Cooling power supply. Usually, one of the first compromises you make when building a budget box is with the PSU. The Silencer 750 is relatively quiet and gives us reliable power output under all conditions. We can’t say that about other inexpensive power supplies, some of which have faded on us after 18 months of duty.
First, make sure the PSU is not connected to the wall socket. Now, begin by plugging the main power connector into the motherboard (image A). This 24-pin connector is keyed and cannot be inserted incorrectly. You should hear a soft click as it locks in place. Make sure it’s firmly in place—double-check by gently trying to pull out the connector. A common building error is to have the plug just slightly off kilter, which will cause booting problems or a failure to boot at all. Now grab the eight-pin ATX power connector. You’ll plug this into a socket on the mobo, southeast of the CPU (image B). Failure to plug this in is another common error. Next up is the GPU’s power.