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Building Your Own Computer - Part 1

Building Your Own Computer - Part 2

Building Your Own Computer - Part 3

Building Your Own Computer - Part 4

Building Your Own Computer - Part 5

Building Your Own Computer - Part 6

Building Your Own Computer - Part 7

CD DVD

CPU

Components

Computer Accessories Part 2

Hard Drives - Part 1

Hard Drives - Part 2

Memory

Motherboard - Part 1

Motherboard - Part 2

Sound Cards

Video Cards

Building Your Own Computer - Part 6

 

Building Your Own Computer - Part 7
You now have a working computer!! Before you can use it, though, you have to install an operating .....
It is now time to install the expansion cards. There are three basic types of slots for these cards -- AGP, PCI, and PCI Express. Modern motherboards usually have a selection of PCI and PCI express slots, but for the video card there's usually either an AGP or a PCI Express slot. Your video card has to be the correct type to match.

Start with the video card. The video slot is usually closest to the CPU. The first step is to remove the case cover from the video card slot. It may be held in place by a screw or perhaps it has to be snapped out. Insert the card in the slot and gently rock it back and forth until it's firmly seated, then secure it by using one of the big screws to attach the metal bracket to the case.

The video card will probably have a cooling fan that should be connected to the motherboard for power. Look for a two- or three-pronged connector on the motherboard in the vicinity of the video card and attach that wire from the fan.

Follow the same procedure with any additional add-on cards you have, which could include network adapters, sound cards, and TV tuners. Always make sure the cards are seated firmly in the slot and secure them with a screw.

Check Your Work

That should be all the work that is necessary on the inside of the case, but before closing the case, inspect all of the connections and cabling to make sure that everything is connected properly and there are no stray wires preventing fan rotation or the motor will burn out when power is turned on. Close up the case when you see that everything looks correct.
Building Your Own Computer - Part 2
After purchasing all the components for your new computer, you can start putting it all together. .....

Attach all the peripherals including the monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, and any others that you arer going to need. All the connections are color-coded, which makes them easier to find and attach correctly. Finish off by inserting the power cord and plugging it into the wall.

Very First Power-Up

Now comes the moment of truth. Turn the computer on and see if it works. If nothing happens, the most likely culprit is the power connection. Check to see that the computer plugged into a power strip and the power strip is on. Also, check that the power supply is on if it has a power switch.
Motherboard - Part 1
When you open up a computer case, you see a large printed circuit board underneath all the .....

If you hear the power supply fan come on, but the hard drives or the CPU fan do not, turn the computer off immediately. This usually means that something inside the case is shorted and leaving the power on could permanently damage some of the components. In this situation, you will have to reopen the case and check all the connections.

If you turn the power on and hear a series of beeps, remember the beep sequence and turn the computer back off. A series of beeps is a signal of a malfunctioning computer, and the beep pattern can offer a diagnosis of the problem. Refer to your motherboard manual to find out the meaning of the beeps.

If all is well, you will simply hear one beep and the computer will boot. A few seconds after booting you can press the F1 or delete key to get into the BIOS settings. There are many options that can be set in the BIOS including the order of drives that the computer boots from. Setting the boot order to 1) Floppy Disk 2) CD-ROM 3) Hard Disk will allow you to install the operating system from a CD. All the various BIOS settings are explained in detail in the motherboard manual. You can probably leave them at their default settings until after the operating system is installed.

There is one more thing you should do before installing the operating system. The BIOS has a section that monitors the temperature of various components (including the CPU) and indicates fan speeds. Allow the computer to run for 15 or 20 minutes while checking this information. If all of the readings stay within the allowable range, you need to proceed with the installation of the operating system.



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