From Issue #5 , Page #66

Computer getting a little crusty? Building a new PC gives you total control and the exact computer you had in mind.

Step 1: Open the Case

Before you begin, you'll need an anti-static wristband (found at any Staples or RadioShack). This will make sure you're free of static electricity, as this can damage your computer as you're assembling it. The best place to assemble a computer is on a wood floor or table. Also wear rubber-soled shoes. You'll need a medium-sized Phillips screwdriver and a pair of needle-nose pliers, but no other tools are required.

The first step is to open up your hard drive case as far as it will go. Many cases are jointed vertically, but some have tops that come off.

Step 2: Install the CPU

Install the central processing unit (CPU) in the motherboard, if it isn't already. There's a socket on the board that's the same size as the CPU. Lift up the lever next to that socket, orient the chip so that Pin 1 matches the large "1” or notch on the socket, and insert the CPU straight on. Don't force it.

When the CPU is secure, push down on the lever. CPUs come with a plastic block called a heat sink, and these go on top of the CPU after it is installed.

Step 3: Add Memory

Look for a row of two to six identical slots about three inches long. Grasp your memory module by the ends with one hand, and open the plastic prongs at either end of the slot with your fingers or pliers. Insert the memory chip into the slot. Make sure the memory module is inserted firmly and the prongs are locked against the chip. Repeat for the other memory modules you have.

Step 4: The Motherboard

Check your motherboard's manual to see if there are any settings you need to make on the board, and follow the instructions before you install it in the case.

Look inside your case. The motherboard will come with metal or plastic spacers, which keep the motherboard from touching the case. Refer to your manual to be sure, as each motherboard is different. Screw the spacers into the case. Slide the motherboard into the case, against the spacers. It will come with screws. Make sure you tighten the screws enough, but not so far that you won't be able to get them out later if you need to.

Plug the fan into the motherboard and slide the fan into the grill on the back of your case. Plug the fan's small power cord into the motherboard. Find a large 20-wire power plug coming from the power supply, and plug it into the appropriate spot on the motherboard. Connect the tiny wires from the front panel of the case to a set of grouped pins on the motherboard. These control the power, the reset switches and several of the lights.

Step 5: Install Cards

The video card plugs into a brown AGP (accelerated graphics port) slot on your motherboard. Push the card into the slot straight on and firmly. Make sure the connector on the back of the card lines up with an opening on the back of your case.

The sound card installs just like the video card, except it goes into a white PCI (peripheral component interconnect) slot. PCI slots are one long space. Also, there's a tiny cable that goes from the sound card to your CD or DVD drive. This cable allows you to play CD music through your speakers. Remember this tiny cable for Step 7.

Regardless of your network setup, your network card or modem will go into a PCI slot, next door to your sound card. Make sure the back of the network card or modem lines up with a space on the back of your case.

Step 6: Hard Drive Cases come with plastic or metal caddies that let you install your hard drive toward the front of the case. Slide the hard drive into the caddy so it's flush with the front of the case. Facing the back of the drive, plug in the white three-holed power cord from the power supply on the right, then the black data cord on the left. Plug the other end of the cord into the motherboard.

Step 7: Install CD/DVD

Slide your CD or DVD drive into one of the larger caddy slots at the front of your case. Plug in the little cable mentioned in Step 5. Plug in the power and data cables included with your CD or DVD drive in the same way as the hard drive.

At this point, you can close your case and tighten it up, if necessary. All the rest of the assembly will be done from the outside.

Step 8: Hooking Up

This part's easy. Plug the monitor into the spot where the video card is on the back of your case. Screw in the connector on either side. The keyboard is plugged into a slot in the back that's often color-coded or picture-coded. Ditto for the mouse.

Set the printer on your desk, plug it into the USB port, and plug in the printer's power supply.

Speakers have a connector that looks like the one at the end of your headphones. Plug it into the headphone jack on the back of your case where the sound card is.

Plug in your cable or DSL router into your network card or plug your phone line into your modem. You can also set upa complex network, but it's beyond the scope of this article.

Your computer and monitor will have their own power cables. Printers, modems, routers and speakers will also need to be plugged in. Use a surge protector to avoid damage and give you more outlet space.

Turn on all your associated devices, leaving the computer for last. If you followed these instructions to the letter, your computer is good to go!

Project Snapshot

The Problem
If you want the perfect PC, sometimes an off-the-shelf model just won’t do. Also, if something goes wrong, you can be your own tech support!

Estimated Time to Complete: 3 hours

Difficulty Rating: 4
[1=Child's Play, 2=Use Both Hands, 3=Call for Backup!, 4=Obi-Wan Worthy]

Estimated Cost: $832 to $5,231 (depending on products used)

Project Steps
1. Open the case.
2. Install the CPU.
3. Pop in the memory.
4. Slide in the motherboard.
5. Install a video card, a sound card, and a network card.
6. Install the hard drive.
7. Install the CD/DVD.
8. Add peripherals.
9. Hook everything up.

Price List
Each part has three choices. The first is a quality part at a great price, but nothing top-of-the-line. The second choice is for the average user. The third choice is pricey, but it’s just about the best there is.

Case

• PowMax Black ATX with 400W power supply ($50)
• Chenming 301 with 350W TurboLink power supply ($65)
• xPCgear Blade Gaming Case with 400W power supply ($75)

Motherboard

• Intel Desktop Board D915GEV ($137)
• Intel Desktop Board D925XCV ($190)
• ASUS P5GD2 Premium ($250)

CPU

• Intel P4 530, 3 GHz ($214)
• Intel P4 540, 3.2 GHz ($260)
• Intel P4 560, 3.6 GHz ($512)

Memory

• 256 MB DDR2 PC2-3200 ($70)
• 512 MB DDR2 PC2-3200 ($140)
• 2 GB DDR2 PC2-3200 ($640)

Video Card

• Gigabyte ATI Radeon 9000 64MB ($50)
• MSI nVIDIA GeForce TV5200-VTDF128 128MB ($156)
• PNY nVIDIA Quadro4 XGL 980 128MB ($541)

Sound Card

• Sound Blaster PCI 128, 4 Channel ($21)
• Sound Blaster Audigy ($34)
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum ($164)

Hard Drive

• Western Digital 40GB UDMA/100 ($56)
• Western Digital 200GB UDMA/100 ($120)
• Western Digital 250GB SATA/150 ($183)

Networking

• 10/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter, D-Link DFE-530TX ($10)
• Modem, Creative Labs DI5633, 56K V.92 ($30)
• Linksys WUSB54GP Wireless Compact USB Adapter ($94)

CD/DVD

• CD-ROM, Sony 52x, Internal, IDE, CDDSO52 ($24)
• CD-RW, Sony 52x-CDR, 24x-RW, CRX230 ($35)
• DVD+R/RW, Plextor, CD-R/RW, 8X, PX-708ASW ($165)

Monitor

• CRT 17-inch, Adamant V70, 1280 x 1024, .27mm ($123)
• LCD 17-inch, CTX S761, 1280 x 1024 ($327)
• LCD 21.3-inch, NEC LCD2180UX-BK, 600 x 1200 ($1,610)

Keyboard

• Liteon SK-1688 ($9)
• Keyboard, Adamant KB-WK-713 ($27)
• Microsoft Natural Multimedia ($31)

Mouse

• Logitech Optical Mouse USB 931222-0403 ($10)
• Microsoft P58-00001 Basic Optical Mouse ($20)
• Logitech MX 1000 Laser Cordless ($66)

Printer

• Lexmark Z515 Color Jet Printer ($43)
• Epson Stylus C86 InkJet ($109)
• HP LaserJet 1300n ($600)

Speakers

• Creative Labs SBS 15 ($15)
• Creative Labs SBS 4.1 450 Speaker System ($50)
• Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 5.1 ($300)

Quality Counts
Never go with the generic. Sure, there may be parts from off-brand manufacturers for less, but unlike a pair of jeans, a computer part’s name brand and higher quality go hand in hand.

Performance Tip
If one of your parts isn’t performing correctly (for example, the CD-ROM drive won’t open), turn off the computer, unplug the power cable, and open up the case. Make sure all cables are secure and the appropriate cards are plugged in all the way. Close it back up before you turn it on again.

About the Writer

Name: Steve Horton
Age: 27
Occupation: Freelance Writer
One thing people would be surprised to know about me: I won $400 on three-card poker in a casino after missing a connecting Greyhound bus in downtown Chicago.