This document outlines the comprehensive process of building a computer, detailing the installation of key components such as the power supply, motherboard, RAM, CPU, and various drives. It emphasizes safety precautions and provides step-by-step instructions along with diagrams for clarity. Additionally, it covers connecting internal and external cables and finalizing the setup with software installation.

1. Building a Computer/ Computer
Components.
By George Smith-Moore

2.  In this document I will go through the different stages
to building a computer.
 I will go through installing the power supply,
motherboard, adapter cards, internal drives, drives in
external bays, internal cables, and external cables.
 Each part will be explained with a labelled diagram
which the picture was taken from
http://vendorlib.leighacademy.org.uk/curr/ITEVP/VDE/
Index.html virtual desktop.
What will be included?

3.  For your safety but more importantly the computer
parts safety, you will need to use either an antistatic
mat or an anti-static wrist strap.
Safety

4.  The power supply is a main component of a
computer, it is what supplies the computer with the
correct voltage to make the parts work.
Power Supply

5.  The power supply takes an AC power connector and
has an exhaust vent to stop overheating.
 The power supply also has lots of wires protruding
from the other side, this is how the power supply
powers the other parts.
Power Supply

6.  The next slides will show how the power supply is
installed.
Power Supply

7.  After you have placed the power supply in correctly
you use some screws that fit the power supply in
place.
 The screws keep the
power supply from
moving about.
 See the difference?
Power Supply

8.  This is the main printed circuit board. This connects all
of the components of the computer, The
motherboard also harbours the central processing
unit CPU, as well as other things such as the RAM
Motherboard

9.  Before you install the motherboard you have to install
all of the required parts .
 These include:
The CPU (Intel or AMD).
The thermal compound for the CPU heat sink/fan.
RAM module’s
 After that you would then install the motherboard.
Motherboard

10.  RAM- RAM is called random access memory, RAM is
made up of small memory chips than make up a
memory module, they are installed in the RAM slots in
the motherboard.
 Every time you open a program it gets loaded from
the HDD onto the RAM, RAM is much faster to read
off of.
 This reduces lag time on the computer.
Motherboard-RAM

11.  Installing the RAM.
 Line up the RAM
Motherboard-RAM

12.  Fit it into the socket, once this is done, secure the
latches.
Motherboard-RAM

13.  If you have more than one RAM, fit them into
separate slots like the picture below.
Motherboard-RAM

14.  The CPU stands for the central processing unit.
 The main CPU brands are Intel and AMD; when a
motherboard is bought it can only take a certain type
of CPU’s, different CPU’s have different socket types.
 The CPU reads computer code and executes the
commands.
Motherboard-CPU

15. The CPU fits into the CPU socket with the pins facing
the motherboard. There is then a cover which keeps it
in place.
Motherboard-CPU

16.  The heat-sink is used to disperse the heat from a CPU,
the heat-sink is attached by applying thermal
compound to the CPU
Motherboard- Heat-sink

17.  Once the thermal compound is attached you place
the heat-sink on top.
 The fan on top of the heat-sink forces air over the
heat-sink.
Motherboard- Heat-sink

18.  Once the heat-sink is in place and secured you attach
the cable.
Motherboard- Heat-sink

19.  Once all of the steps above are complete, you must
install the motherboard, you attach the motherboard
with the motherboard screws attached.
Motherboard

20.  The next slides will show you the NIC, the Wireless
NIC, and the Graphics Card.
Adapter Cards

21.  The NIC stands for network interface card.
 It allows the computer to connect to the internet via
an Ethernet port.
 It is attached to the computer via a PCI slot.
NIC

22.  The Wireless NIC stands for wireless network
interface card.
 It allows the computer to connect to the internet
Wi-Fi
 It is attached to the computer via a PCI slot.
Wireless NIC

23.  The graphics card takes stress off of the CPU to
render games, movie, etc.
 The graphics card will also have more power to
render the games and movies than your CPU, so
better quality images.
Graphics Card

24.  To install place the NIC card onto the corresponding
PCI (in this case it’s the PCIe x1) slot.
 To install the Wireless NIC place it on the PCI
corresponding slot.
 To install the Graphics card place it on the
corresponding PCI or PCIe slot (in this case it’s an PCIe
x16)
Adapter Cards

25.  In this area you will find out how to install the HDD
(Hard disk drive) or SSD (Solid state drive), in this case
we will be using only one HDD.
Internal Drives

26.  To install the HDD you must have a spare HDD slot,
The HDD will fit in nicely, finish by
attaching screws where needed.
 SSD’s also fit into the same slot and
are installed the same way.
HDD

27.  Under this section there will be the Floppy disk drive
and the Optical disk drive (CD’s and DVD’s).
External Drives

28.  The floppy disk drive, fits into it’s slot nicely but it
needs screws to hold it in place.
Floppy disk drive

29.  The Optical disk drive is installed in the same way as
the Floppy disk drive above, but the Optical drive
comes in several options, you can buy one’s that re-
write CD’s and DVD’s.
Optical disk drive

30.  After you have installed all of the components of the
computer you must connect them all.
 The cables you will be connecting are:
20 pin ATX power supply cable
4 pin Auxiliary power connector
SATA power
Molex cable
Berg cable
3 pin case fan cable
SATA cable
PATA cable
Floppy data cable
Connecting the (internal) cables.

31.  (Could also be the newer specification 24pin ATX 2)
 This comes from the Power Supply and fits into this
slot, it provides the motherboard with power.
20 pin ATX power supply cable

32.  This cable fits into the motherboard and provides the
CPU with extra power.
4 pin auxiliary power connector

33.  The SATA power connecter provides the HDD or the
SSD with power from the power supply.
SATA power

34.  The Molex cable is a dying breed, it is slowly being
replaced with the SATA cable.
 The Molex cable/connector is held in place by friction
and it used to provide power to large devices like the
HDD (now used SATA) and the CD/DVD drive.
Molex cable

35.  The Berg cable/connecter is
used to provide power to
the floppy disk, and
sometimes other
peripherals.
 (floppy disk no longer used)
Berg cable

36.  The 3 pin case fan cable/ connecter provides power
from the motherboard to the case fan
3 pin case fan cable

37.  The SATA cable provides an interface between the
motherboard and the HDD/SSD.
 Now being used instead of a Molex
cable.
SATA cable.

38.  The PATA cable connects drives (CD/DVD) to the
motherboard.
 It serves as an interface between CD drives (and
others) and the motherboard.
PATA cable

39.  The floppy cable connects the floppy drive to the
motherboard.
 It serves as an interface between the floppy drive and
the motherboard.
Floppy Cable

40.  In this section I will show you how to place your case
panels back in once you are finished:
-how to connect the monitor HDMI or monitor cable.
-Keyboard and mouse (USB and Ps2)
-Ethernet, and wireless antenna.
-USB cables and power.
External cables.

41.  When you took the case panels off of the computer
to fit in the different components, you have to just fit
them in the same way you took them off.
 The case panels are there to protect the computer, it
also blocks dust entering from the side.
Case panels

42.  The HDMI and monitor cables are connected at the
corresponding slots at the back of the computer.
 The monitor cables has screws built in which you
tighten to stop the cable coming loose.
 HDMI is digital, VGA is analogue, VGA only carries
video not sound.
HDMI and monitor cables.

43.  The keyboard and mouse used to be connected via a
Ps2 connection, it is now done via USB.
 To connect you place in the corresponding Ps2 slot
(colour coded)
Keyboard and mouse

44.  Ethernet cables are a means of connecting to the
internet, it does use wires but it comes with added
security.
 The Ethernet cable attaches to the computer and the
ISR (router).
Ethernet

45.  The wireless antenna allows you to connect to the
internet without the hassle of wires.
 Using wireless has its downsides though, it is easier
for others to see what you have been viewing.
 Signal is not as great either.
Installing the Wireless antenna

46.  Now the computer has been installed, you will need
to install any software, to do this you need power!
 Use the power cable and attach it to a wall socket and
a power supply.
Power