Hardware

Tri-Boot Build Part II: The Build

OK, so you’ve got your parts all ready, now it’s time to really get hands on with the project. If you’re nervous, don’t be. Building your own computer is surprisingly easy and by the time you’ve finished, you’ll feel like a professional.

Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind before you begin your build:

• Read through this guide once or twice so that you know what you are getting yourself into. There is nothing worse than starting a project but never finishing it because you feel you don’t have the skills or knowhow to continue.
• Build your computer in a room with plenty of light (natural or artificial) so you can see what you’re doing. Things can get a little dark and cramped when you’re reaching into your case, and you don’t want to make things worse by building in a room with low light.
• If you don’t have a clue what you’re doing, ask for help. I’ve tried to make this guide for mid-level computer users. If you want a very in depth guide, check out the one at PCMech. Also, if you have any problems at all, feel free to comment here, or check out the Anandtech forums.
• Always follow the instructions in your motherboard’s manual if you get stuck somewhere.

Start by finding yourself a nice open space on a table somewhere where you can work without being disturbed and without too much dust floating around. Also, be sure that you ground yourself with a grounding bracelet. They’re cheap and certainly beat the price of replacing your motherboard or processor.

The best place to start a build is to prep your case for your parts. That means removing the panels, taking out the screws and any drive bay covers where you will later insert a drive. Also, stretch the case’s cables so that they can be easily accessed when it’s time to connect them to the motherboard. And take out the default I/O shield at the rear of the case. Replace it with the I/O shield that comes with your motherboard. Remove the motherboard mounting plate from the case and set it aside. Be sure that you clean your case at this point unless it’s brand new.

Many people choose to start with one thing or another, but you should really let your case dictate where you begin. Personally, I start by putting in the drives, followed by the power supply. This works best for smaller cases where you may not have much room to move around once the motherboard is installed.

Unwrap your drives and slide them in place. Screw them in loosely for now, as you may need to reorient them slightly later.

Next, remove the case’s default power supply (if there is one) and replace it with the power supply you bought. You can go ahead and screw it in tightly, chances are you won’t have to remove it any time soon. Unbundle the internal power cables and let them hang for easy access.

Now for the tricky part: mounting the processor and heat sink to the motherboard. There are different ways of doing this, but I usually place the motherboard on its anti-static bag on its box at this point. Place the processor in its socket in the proper orientation and close the socket with the lever. Do not put any unnecessary force on the chip. If the socket does not want to close, do not force it.

Installing the heat sink has always made me nervous. If you’ve never done it before, it fits very tightly to the processor–so tight it is possible to crack the processor’s core if you’re not careful. Instead of explaining it in full detail, I’m going to recommend that you read the manual that came with your processor.

While the motherboard is still easily accessible, install the RAM by sliding each stick into its correct slot. Make sure you have the orientation correct. Also, if you are using a matched set, consult your motherboard’s manual to make sure you install the RAM in the proper slots.

Locate the orientation of the holes in your motherboard and line them up to the proper slots on your motherboard mounting plate. Insert standoffs into the mounting plate where they line up. Place the motherboard on top of the mounting plate. Screw the motherboard to the mounting plate using the motherboard mounting screws that came with your case.

Install the video card by placing it into its proper slot and making sure it snaps into place.

Slide the motherboard mounting plate (and motherboard with everything installed) back into the case. Screw the mounting plate to the case.

Connect the case fans, power supply, drives, and power/reset button cables to your motherboard. Once again, if you are unsure of where everything connects, consult your motherboard’s manual.

Replace the side of your case. Connect your mouse and keyboard. Plug in the power cord and connect your monitor.

Press the power button and cross your fingers. We’ll configure the BIOS in the next post.

• Intro
• Part I: The Parts
• Part II: The Build
• Part III: The Installation
• Part IV: The Bootloader
• Part V: FAQ