We assemble a computer from scratch with our own hands. Self-assembly of a computer
I talked about why I always prefer to order a new computer in the form of separate components. In the comments to this article I was asked to show for those who have never encountered anything like this how exactly the assembly process occurs: how complicated it all is, well, maybe If you are not too advanced of a user, assemble a computer yourself. And then I thought that if I filmed and demonstrated this process, it could become a useful article for the “Educational Education” section. After all, in fact, there is nothing impossible in assembling a computer yourself. Mastering all this is no more difficult than assembling a cabinet from IKEA, and even then - in my opinion, assembling a cabinet from IKEA is noticeably more difficult. And if you more or less understand what components a computer consists of and how these components need to select, then, of course, you new computer It’s better to assemble it yourself - from those components that you yourself select for your tasks and your financial capabilities. Well, let’s see how I assembled my computer: what goes into what, what complications and subtleties there may be. Here is a prepared set of components (what these components are and why I chose them is in the article). (All photos are clickable so you can see all the details.)
At home, it is better to assemble on a table, if it is of sufficient size, but even better on a bed - this is the most convenient: you don’t have to bend over too much, and there is plenty of space. I take the case out of the box. Handsome, isn't he? Remove both side covers.
The case contains wires with terminals for connecting various ports, coolers and switches. There are also bags with all kinds of fasteners and clamps.
The front door opens, underneath there are four five-inch seats, for example for DVDs and all sorts of additional panels.
On the left on the top cover of the case there are two USB port 3.0, two USB 2.0 ports, headphone and microphone outputs.
On the right - power button, reset button, on/off button for the backlight of the case, three-position button for switching blowing modes, indicator work hard disks, blowing mode indicator.
Rear part of the case.
First we install the power supply. In the article I wrote that I decided to take the V550 model - 550 W. However, after thinking about it, I decided that I would still take a more powerful power supply. And the point is not that I want to have a power reserve: you never know what I can think of to put in the computer. The fact is that more powerful block power supply, the cooler will turn on much less often for airflow, and it is extremely important for me that the computer is practically silent.
This is what I call a smartly packaged power supply. It's really nice to hold it in your hands.
The power supply itself, complete wires and a set of clamps.
We install the power supply into the power supply compartment of the case. It is installed with the fan down - there is a corresponding ventilation window with a dust filter on the computer case.
We fasten the power supply with bolts.
Now it's time motherboard. By the way, before you pick it up, make sure that there is no static electricity on your hands, otherwise if you discharge directly into your mother, it may end badly. The same applies to other computer boards.
We take out the motherboard.
It comes with a large set of fasteners, wiring, adapters, and so on.
Port block.
It must be installed in the corresponding slot in the computer case: carefully bring it to the slot inside the case and insert it evenly until it clicks lightly. Check that the block is seated correctly on all sides.
Slot for installing a processor. Release the clamping handle, open the clamping frame, and remove the plastic plug.
We take the processor out of the box.
We install it into the mounting socket. The triangle in the corner of the processor should face the triangle drawn on the motherboard under the socket. There are also two guides there, so it’s simply impossible to install the processor incorrectly.
Cover the processor with a clamping frame and secure the handle under the protrusion.
Now we install a cooling system on the motherboard with the processor, in simple terms - a cooler.
We take the cooler out of the box. It consists of a radiator and a removable fan.
Two types of fasteners - for Intel processors and AMD processors.
Fasteners for Intel processors.
Remove the fan from the radiator so that it does not interfere.
The black frame is installed on the bottom of the motherboard under the processor, and its posts pass through special holes.
Holders are installed on these racks from the top. They can be installed like mine, or they can be rotated 90 degrees.
Before installing the radiator top part The processor must be lubricated with a special heat-conducting paste, which will increase the contact area of the radiator pad with the processor and improve heat dissipation. If the paste is not used or applied incorrectly, then it is quite possible that the processor will overheat, which can lead to very serious problems in the operation of the computer. A special syringe with paste is included with the cooler. There you need to unscrew the cap, squeeze out the required amount onto the upper surface of the processor and spread this paste very evenly in a thin layer. Before doing this, do not touch the surfaces of the processor and the radiator landing pad with your fingers to prevent grease stains from appearing.
After this, you need to install the radiator and secure it properly so that it is pressed against the surface of the processor as tightly as possible.
The fan came with special double plastic buffers, with which it was supposed to work even quieter - I installed them.
After that, I installed the fan on the radiator and connected its power to the corresponding connector on the motherboard. This connector is located next to the processor, and there you can set the cooler rotation speed through the BIOS or special programs.
Next, you need to install the motherboard into the case. But first, one note about installing the cooler. I have it installed opposite the case fan that supplies air inside the case. However, it would be best to rotate the radiator and fan 90 degrees counterclockwise so that it supplies heated air to the exhaust fan, which is installed on the rear end (both of these fans are clearly visible in the photo). But I was prevented from installing it this way by the location of the memory card slots on the motherboard - in this case, the fan would rest against the memory cards, which is undesirable. That's why I installed it exactly as in the photo - so it doesn't interfere with anything. And I thought that even with this arrangement I would not have any problems with cooling the processor: after all, this is a very effective cooler. (I’ll say right away that this is how it turned out - there were no problems.)
The ports and outputs of the motherboard should be in their places in the already installed block. First, we check that everything is in its place, and then we attach the motherboard, without missing a single fastening point.
The motherboard is installed, now we begin to connect the wires.
In modern cases, special holes are always made with rubber nozzles, through which cables and wires can be laid not from above. motherboard, and through the back wall. It’s more convenient, and then everything looks much neater.
If necessary, connect cables to power supply, we pass them through the back wall and connect them to the pads on the motherboard. The connectors clearly correspond to the heads of the power supply cables, so it’s simply impossible to mix something up.
We connect the power to the main block of the motherboard, bringing the cable out of the hole closest to the block.
We connect the rest of the cables in the same way - audio, USB, power supply for coolers, and so on.
We pass all the cables through the back wall, take them out of the nearest hole and connect them. Later, when we assemble everything, we will remove the extra sections of cables under the back wall.
From the case comes a bundle of wires with heads that connect to a group of contacts on the motherboard - this is the power button (two contacts are simply closed there), the power indicator, Reset, indicator hard drives.Theoretically, the names and polarity of the contacts are written on the board and in the instructions, but in practice, advanced motherboards usually come with a special block, to which you can easily and simply connect the wires, and the block is then placed on a group of contacts. This block is here.
We insert the wires (it says what it is on the head of each wire).
We insert the block onto the contacts.
For ease of use, I purchased this universal card reader with additional USB ports. It installs in a five-inch slot in the case.
The set includes two front panels in other colors - white and gray.
My case is white, so I installed the socket white.
A plug is pulled out of the five-inch mounting socket, the card reader is placed there and secured. Its cables connect to the USB pins on the motherboard.
Now let's install the memory. Before doing this, you should look at the instructions, just in case: if only two of the four slots are used (and this is exactly what I have), then the memory plates must be installed through the slot - this is the so-called dual-channel memory configuration. The instructions clearly state how to install this memory: either in the 1st and 3rd slots, or in the 2nd and 4th.
Here are two memory strips.
Installation: in the memory slot there is a special protrusion that shows exactly how to unfold the memory board so that the recess on it coincides with this protrusion and the board is installed in the desired position. The board should be placed in the desired position, and then lightly press from the edges so that the board fits into the slot and the plastic levers snap into place along the edges.
Now we install a terabyte SSD in M.2 format - here it is, handsome.
The motherboard has two slots for M.2. We install it in one of them and secure the board with a screw.
Despite the presence of a terabyte SSD, I still decided to put a quiet three-terabyte HDD in some far corner of the case - for all kinds of data that is not constantly used. The disk is installed very simply: plastic holders are pulled out of the disk basket, iron holders are inserted into the mounting brackets holes hard drive, after which the disk is inserted into the selected section of the basket and latched. Its power and interface connectors are located on the rear wall, where they are connected with a power cable and a SATA cable.
Installed disk. Now it's the turn of the video card.
We take it out and insert it into the slot mother card until the lever clicks into place. (In the photo you can still see the already inserted small video capture card, which I use to take screenshots from media players.)
Advanced video cards require their own power supply - connect it. (For really cool cards you need to connect as many as two power heads.)
Well, everything seems to be collected.
Reinstall both covers.
We connect to power, monitor, keyboard and mouse, start it - everything works.
By the way, the illumination of the rear end is very convenient, especially since it can be turned off when it is not needed.
Well, now some indicators on the assembled machine. SSD speed on M.2.
On an old computer, a Samsung 850 PRO has this speed.
The difference, of course, is very noticeable. There, people using Samsung SSDs turn on the RAPID mode in Samsung Magician and get such completely unrealistic speeds through caching.
But these are just pretty numbers that have nothing to do with reality. But on M.2 this is reality! And this is not the PRO version yet (it’s quite expensive, I didn’t see the point in spending money). How does it look in purely practical terms? The system from the start of booting (after BIOS) to the login window is 4 seconds. Launch Lightroom - 2 seconds. Launching Photoshop- 1.5 seconds. The general system index according to Basemark is like this. My old computer (very powerful) had 314.59. Well, about the temperature of important components. Temperature at minimum speeds rotation (complete silence) when working with the browser, text editor and so on.
Temperature at minimum rotation speeds (complete silence), when the processor is 100% loaded - DVD is being re-encoded to MKV with H.264.
It almost never goes beyond 70 degrees, and this is quite normal. Moreover, you just need to increase the cooler speed from the quietest to slightly noticeable - everything becomes something like this. At 100% capacity, I note.
In normal loaded mode (Lightroom and other programs), the processor temperature is about 35 degrees. The video card here is quite powerful - Palit Geforce GTX 1070. It has two coolers, but it turns them on only when it is under serious load, and the coolers I still can't hear it. Here's a measurement of the card after playing the latest DOOM for ten minutes at the maximum settings for this configuration. The temperature is less than 60 degrees, and the coolers are spinning at 32% of maximum speed. These are the indicators for the assembled machine. It’s not for nothing that everything was selected separately. Well, as a conclusion about assembling a computer. The main thing here is to do everything VERY CAREFULLY, taking your time and carefully studying the manuals and pictures in the manual (especially if you still have little experience).
Hello, my dear readers!
During the rapid development computer technology It is very difficult to imagine your life without a PC. And if you don’t yet have a laptop, netbook, or personal computer, then you are definitely thinking about such a purchase.
What could be simpler: go and buy?! But purchasing a computer in parts and assembling it from components yourself is much cheaper, and you can choose the characteristics as you wish.
Before you assemble your computer from scratch with your own hands, find out how much a standard set of parts costs in a store. Actually I took advantage online service with checking the compatibility of elements of the future PC http://www.edelws.ru/constructor/. This is very convenient, since without special computer knowledge it is very difficult to select the hardware yourself. In addition, the components here are cheap.
Frame
There's no need to choose much here. This item has absolutely no effect on the operating process of the device. You should buy a case based on comfort. It is desirable that it be possible to install a USB port on the front side of the box, a disk drive and various panels on the rear wall (TV tuner, etc.).
The material doesn't matter either.
Dimensions may be an important aspect.
There are 2 main factors that play a role here - the number of slots for the strips RAM and cooling. If you just want to work on the computer and nothing else, then 2 slots for slats are quite enough and special important role cooling does not work.
But, if you are an avid gamer, then you should have the option of installing RAM from 8 GB or more, and for this you already need 4 slots. Naturally, for such power there must be a good and reliable cooler for cooling. So when choosing a motherboard, pay attention to the size of the stock fan. It seems like a small thing, but it is important.
power unit
The most popular option is a 500W power supply. Its power is quite enough to connect any peripheral device without autonomous power supply. In addition, such a unit is able to withstand voltage surges without harm to the computer.
The power supply must also fit the case you choose (for reliable fastening).
All memory modules are divided into 2 types: DDR2 (for desktop computers) and DDR3 (for laptops, netbooks and all-in-one PCs). The number of installed brackets directly depends on the motherboard you choose (discussed above). They are installed extremely simply, like a flash drive in a phone: press until it clicks.
When purchasing RAM, you should pay attention to the cut of the copper contacts of the strip, since they are all different in their design, that is, only a certain group of memory modules corresponds to each motherboard.
Choosing this part is very simple: the larger the volume, the better.
This is a very important detail for any gamer. It is the graphics memory that can provide high-quality images. Among large quantity video cards most often used are Nvidia G-Force, AMD ATI Radeon(for video games) and Intel ® Graphics HD (for work and office programs).
Intel ® Graphics HD is not a very powerful graphics card, but most stock laptops come with it. Naturally, a gaming computer also copes well with office work, but costs more.
The type of connector for connecting a video adapter is different, so the graphics chipset must be selected according to the main circuit.
Nowadays the selection of such computer parts is simply incredible, so there will be no problems with the search. Cooling is also important for a video card. Regular office adapters do not have a cooler, there is only a large aluminum radiator that provides cooling. More powerful cards equipped with one or even two fans for more reliable cooling.
There is no point in hiding the fact that the graphics chipset is the most expensive part in a computer, since most of the functions of a PC or laptop are available thanks to this particular adapter. Needless to say, most of even the oldest video games will not run on a stock graphics memory unit! If you need a budget work computer then discrete video card you should have enough.
Processor (CPU)
Most motherboards already come with a processor installed. But, if you know how to install it yourself, then you can take an empty main board and select the CPU yourself.
Now the most popular central processing units– these are i3, i5, i7 devices. The most expensive, the last respectively. There is absolutely no point in buying the first options, since they are already considered outdated.
The above processors from Intel operate at maximum frequencies, which allows you to enjoy the work process of your computer or video game with great pleasure. But be aware: installing a CPU is not as simple a process as it might seem, so if you don't have even the most basic understanding of PC hardware, then buy the main board with the CPU already installed.
There is no need to select this part for a long time; all contacts are absolutely the same on any processor.
Hard disk (HDD, Hard drive or hard drive)
This computer part also has absolutely no significance in terms of device performance. The hard drive is only responsible for storing files, software and the computer's OS. All hard drives new generations have absolutely the same connection principle (SATA II), the only difference is in their purpose (PC or laptop).
If you want to store fairly large volumes of files, but don't want to throw away large sums of money, then 500 GB will be enough for you. All knowledgeable people They choose Hard drives from Samsung because these drives are highly reliable and have good throughput.
Sound card
This is a small board that connects to the motherboard and is output to back boxes It contains headphone inputs, speaker system and microphone. Even age sound card doesn't matter: they are all structurally the same. Choose what is cheaper.
A couple more nuances
In principle, there is no need to install a floppy drive or optical drive, since they are already a thing of history. External hard drives and flash drives have completely displaced them from the world of computer technology. But, if you prefer to store information (photos, movies, music, etc.) on DVDs the old-fashioned way, then make sure you have a drive on your PC.
After reading the article, you learned how to assemble your own computer from components yourself. This way you can save up to 10%-15% of the cost of the long-awaited computer. If you want to understand hardware better and more deeply, I advise you to take a training course “ Computer genius”.
I wish you everything succeeds! Tell us in social networks friends and acquaintances about your intentions by sharing a link to this article. Don't forget to subscribe to blog updates - this is an opportunity to get a lot useful information about your PC. See you!
Sincerely! Abdullin Ruslan
Why start building a computer with your own hands? Of course, for self-assembly system unit PC you will need to pick up everything necessary components for computer and tools.
Computer assembly kit
What do we need when assembling a computer ourselves?
Computer assembly kit includes:
- Motherboard (MB)
- Processor (CPU)
- Random Access Memory (RAM)
- Hard drive (HDD/SSD)
- Power supply (PSU)
- Video card (GPU)
- PC system case (CASE)
- Optical drive ( DVD discs od, optional)
- CPU cooling system (cooler)
Tools that will be useful when assembling a computer:
- Screwdriver (phillips and flathead)
- Plastic clamps (cable ties)
It is best to place the prepared parts and tools in an easily accessible place, so that everything is at hand. In the photo below you can see our set.
Assembling a computer at home from customer components
IN in this case was carried out assembling a computer at home from customer components, the work was done at home. The advantage of this is that the user can see the entire assembly process, ask questions and receive detailed answers to them. And in the future already carry out the modernization yourself own PC or build a new, more powerful computer.
Many people ask: how to build your own computer? Most don't want assemble the system unit yourself. It is considered that this is quite simple procedure and it’s not so easy to handle the assembly yourself. Without assembly experience this is of course not easy, but still possible.
What is the advantage DIY computer assembly? Firstly, such a computer will cost less than one bought in a store. Secondly, the system unit will be assembled taking into account your requirements, and during assembly you will find out what the computer consists of, etc.
The first step is to determine the configuration of the future system unit - home or office, gaming or just a multimedia center, or even some kind of highly specialized computer. The choice of components for assembling the computer will depend on the class of the computer.
Worker computer for office does not require a gaming video card and huge amounts of RAM, but for gaming computer You can’t do without a powerful video card and a lot of RAM. Multimedia center needs a good large-capacity hard drive, or even better if there are several of them, as well as a high-quality sound card and an average video card with connectivity HDMI TV cable.
In any case, it begins with defining the tasks and purposes that this computer will perform. Once you have decided on the type of system unit, it’s time to make a list of components for the system unit:
- Processor and cooler with radiator
- Motherboard
- RAM
- Video card
- HDD hard drive
- Frame
- power unit
- DVD drive
You probably already noticed that there is no sound card, the fact is that modern motherboards are equipped with built-in sound, network card and other modules. Which 10-15 years ago were separate devices. In case you need sound high quality, then you can’t do without a high-quality sound card. Especially if you need support for multi-channel audio.
We recommend choosing components with processor, since only certain motherboards are suitable for different types of processors. The socket in the motherboard where the processor is installed is called a socket, so the choice of processor affects the choice of motherboard. In addition, be sure to check whether the selected motherboard supports this processor core.
Cooler with radiator is also selected according to the type of processor socket, taking into account power consumption and the need for subsequent overclocking. If you do not plan to overclock, then the box version will suffice. Otherwise, we recommend not skimping on a cooler and choosing one with a copper core in the radiator and a fan with speed control.
Planks RAM You need to buy those that are supported by the motherboard and its maximum frequency. Those. if the motherboard supports DDR3 memory with maximum frequency 2000 MHz, then there is no point in buying strips DDR memory 3 with a frequency of 2400 MHz, since they will still operate at a maximum frequency of 2000 MHz.
Choosing video card, Pay attention to the width of the video memory bus, the amount of built-in memory, and then the frequencies of the video core and video memory. IN modern computers. The video card is installed in the PCI-Express (PCIe) slot. On at the moment The bus width is as follows:
- 32 and 64 bit - video card for office computer, similar to the built-in video card.
- 128 bit is a video card for a home system unit, but it is rather weak for modern games.
- 192 and 256 bit - video card for a gaming computer.
- 384 and 512 bits - gaming video cards level GeForce GTX 760 and ATI Radeon R9 290X, will allow you to play modern games no brakes.
Choose frame The computer needs to take into account the form factor of the motherboard and the size of its other components, such as the video card. A situation may well arise that the video card simply won’t fit inside, since modern gaming video cards are quite large. In addition, it is worth considering the number of hard drives and DVD drives installed in the future.
Hard drive or a hard drive should be chosen first for reliability, durable operation and speed. If finances allow, buy a small SSD disk for installing the operating system and a regular magnetic storage HDD for storing personal data: photos, videos, music, etc. Thanks to the use SSD drives, You will not only increase the speed of your computer several times and reduce the noise produced during operation.
Choose DVD drive It’s better to rely on reliability and purchase trusted manufacturers: LG, NEC, Samsung, etc.
Before purchasing power supply it is necessary to determine which maximum power will consume the system unit. The main consumers are the computer's processor and video card. After approximately calculating the power, we recommend increasing the obtained value by 20-30% so that the power supply does not operate at peak loads. This way you will significantly increase its service life.
That's probably all you need to buy to assemble a computer yourself.
For the right computer assembly You can use our service center ITcom in Kharkov. Our specialists will not only help you choose compatible and reliable components, but will also tell you where it’s best to buy them.
Probably every more or less advanced user has wondered how to assemble a computer themselves. It's cheaper and more reliable. And every second person drove this thought away from himself, because he thought that the process of assembling a computer on his own was very difficult. But don’t be afraid of difficulties, especially step by step instructions described in the article will help overcome fear. Moreover, modern computer components are equipped with a protection system. Each component can be installed only the right way, it won’t work any other way. As the saying goes: “Fear has big eyes.” So let your eyes be afraid and your hands do the work.
First, let's talk about the benefits of building a computer yourself. The most important thing is that you will know for sure that your computer has completely new, high-quality components, you will know everything about the characteristics of the computer and at any time you will be able to increase the memory or performance of the computer. Not all sellers are honest; there are also those who are ready to pass off a single-core computer as a dual-core one and hide some of the computer’s shortcomings. Moreover, by purchasing a ready-made computer, you agree that you will not open it yourself (for a while warranty period). This means you won’t be able to make any transformations. Otherwise, you will lose your warranty. Also, if your self-assembled computer breaks down, you will be able to determine and replace it yourself. weak link. While a store purchase will need to be taken to a service center and first wait for the diagnostic results, then they will repair it.
We hope that all of the above has overcome your fears, and now you can get down to business. To assemble a computer yourself, you need to have:
- CPU;
- Motherboard;
- Case with power supply;
- CPU cooler;
- Video card;
- Hard drive;
- RAM;
- Drive.
- Phillips screwdriver.
And not just have all of the above in stock, but also try to ensure that all the components fit together.
So, the first question that needs to be resolved right now is: “What do you need a computer for?”
For all users, the computer performs different tasks: someone plays all day long, someone works on the Internet, someone, due to the specifics of their specialty, works with 3D programs, etc. Naturally, they all need computers with different capabilities. Let's try to figure it out.
The following computer components are suitable for solving simple problems: a 512 MB video card, two 2 GB RAM modules DDR type-1333, 512 GB hard drive (7200 rpm, 16 MB cache buffer), processor Intel Pentium G620 or AMD Athlon II x3 440, H61 Express motherboard for Intel or AMD 770 processor for Athlon, 400 W power supply. Price about $400.
Components for a medium-sized computer price category: two 2GB RAM modules of DDR 1600 type, 512 MB video card (for example, GeForce GTS 450 512Mb), 1TB hard drive (7200 rpm, 16 MB cache buffer), processor Intel Core i3 2100 or AMD Phenom II x4 955, Z68 motherboard for Intel or AMD 870 processor for Phenom, 450 W power supply. Price about $600. The result is a computer capable of performing many tasks, including supporting a bunch of modern games.
To solve problems that require enormous resources, the following components are required: two 4GB RAM modules of DDR-1866 type, 1GB video card (for example, GeForce GTX 560Ti), hard SSD drive 60GB + 2TB 7200 rpm, 16MB cache buffer, Intel Core i5 2500K processor or AMD Phenom II x4 965, Z68 motherboard for Intel processor or AMD 990FX for Phenom, 550 W power supply. Price about $1200.
Have you decided on the purpose of your computer? It's time to choose a case with a power supply.
The case can be selected according to several parameters: size, material, ease of installation.
It is recommended to purchase aluminum cases, which are distinguished by their lightness and thermal conductivity. In addition, steel cases appeared, which have advantages over aluminum cases in resistance to deformation.
The range of housings on the market is very wide. There are surprisingly compact Barebone cases, medium-sized MiniTowers, MidiTowers and huge BigTowers.
Surprisingly compact Barebone cases are suitable for lovers of minimalism. Barebone also has the advantage that it comes with the motherboard, graphics card, and processor included. All you have to do is install RAM and a hard drive. It is important that assembled computer in the Barebone case it operates almost silently.
It is not recommended to buy medium-sized MiniTower cases, since the ventilation system in them leaves much to be desired. And some components are generally difficult to find, since they simply do not fit into the case. But, for example, MiniTower is perfect for office use.
MidiTower cases are the most common. They have a good ventilation system and ease of installation.
The largest BigTower cases for the most powerful computers.
It happens that cases are not equipped with a power supply and you need to select and install it yourself.
Selecting and installing the power supply
There is no need to skimp on the power supply. Since the stability of your finished computer depends on it. It is recommended to purchase a power supply from average price 1500 rubles. When purchasing, pay attention to the weight of the device. The power supply must be heavy. If it's light, it's probably in there bad system cooling. Next you need to decide on the power of the power supply.
Computers designed for gaming and working with 3D graphics require a power supply power of 500,550,600 W. A case with a similar power supply will cost you $50 or more.
Computers designed to work with office applications, working on the Internet does not require such high power. You can get by with a power supply with a power of 400.450 W. A case with this power supply will cost you $30 or more.
The required power of the power supply can also be calculated. Link to power supply power calculator
To do this, simply follow the link, select the components of your computer and their quantity from the drop-down lists. Then click the "Calculate" button. The calculator will display the power value with a small margin (30%). All that remains is to choose a power supply with a power close to the calculated one.
The power supply is usually located in the upper rear corner of the case. To install it, you simply need to screw the unit to the rear wall of the case.
Now the case with the power supply has been selected and now it’s time to select and install
The processor, RAM, and input/output controllers are installed on the motherboard. The motherboard coordinates the operation of these components.
The picture shows the motherboard. 1-power supply for the processor, 2-socket for the processor, 3-north bridge, 4-PCI-EXPRESS connector for video card, 5-PCI connector for expansion cards, 6-slots for RAM, 7-connector for power connection, 8- IDE connectors for hard drives and optical drives, 9 - south bridge, 10 - SATA connectors for hard drives and optical drives, 11 - USB connectors.
- The south bridge is responsible for supporting the optical drive, hard drive, audio adapter, etc.
- The north bridge is needed to control the video card and RAM.
When choosing a motherboard, you should consider the number of memory slots for the possibility of subsequent upgrades.
Let's start installing the motherboard:
- We unscrew the front cover of the system unit and take a closer look at where to place the motherboard;
- We get rid of the plug on the case. We replace it with the plug that comes with the motherboard;
- We screw the bolts into the system unit, into the places where the motherboard is supposed to be attached (the bolts usually come with the case);
- We insert the motherboard, tighten the screws;
- Connect power to the motherboard. We connect the four-pin power connector from the system unit to the ATX_12V connector of the motherboard. We connect the twenty-four-pin power connector from the system unit to the ATX motherboard connector.
- We connect the case wires PWR-LED, PWR-SW, RESET-SW, SPEAKER, HDD-LED to the F_PANEL connector to turn on, reboot, and diagnose computer malfunctions, respectively.
- HDD-LED– red diode on the front side of the case (mainly used color scheme wire designations, red-white)
- PWR-LED– green diode, network indicator (green-white)
- PWR-SW– on/off button (orange-white)
- RESET-SW– the PC reset button (black-white) has reverse polarity.
- SPEAKER– system speaker (red-white, often yellow-white)
We connect the white wire to the minus, the colored wire to the plus. Read the instructions for the motherboard. The boards are different - the connection of these wires is also different.
If you still do not understand what we are talking about and think that you simply cannot cope with these tasks, then I would recommend that you call a computer repair specialist at home.
With the motherboard installed, it's time to move on to installing the processor.
Processor Installation
The processor performs all the basic calculations in the computer and processes information.
Decide which processor you will install: Intel, AMD and others.
You should also decide on the number of cores. For home computer two will do nuclear processor medium power. An engineer or designer's processor requires a quad-core processor.
Whatever processor you choose, make sure it is compatible with your motherboard socket. A socket is a place to install a processor on the motherboard. This information can be found on the motherboard box.
For example, Intel processors Compatible with the following sockets: Socket LGA775, Socket LGA1156, Socket LGA1155, Socket LGA1366.
AMD processors are compatible with the following sockets: Socket939, SocketAM3, SocketFM1, SocketAM3 plus, SocketG34.
Almost everything modern processors from this company on socket 755 (Socket LGA775). The advantage is already noticeable in the absence of legs on the processor. Consequently, the risk of breakdown and careless installation of the processor on the motherboard is minimal.
Let's get on with the installation. To do this, you need to open and lift the socket lever - a metal rod parallel to the slot. Remove the processor from its packaging without touching the bottom. Remove the black protective plate. Install it into the socket. For convenience, there are arrows on the motherboard and on the processor itself; they indicate which side of the processor should be placed in the socket. Make sure the directions of the arrows match.
Close the fastening plate and lower the socket locking lever.
Installing AMD processors
The installation principle is the same. The only difference is that the processor has legs. The yellow arrow on the processor and on the motherboard again simplifies the installation process.
The processor is installed.
Installing a CPU cooler
A cooler is necessary to cool the processor during operation. It is important that the cooler produces as little noise as possible when operating. The operating noise of a good cooler fan should be in the range (20-40) dB. Moreover, in the specification it is necessary to look at the processor power it can cool.
Before proceeding directly to the installation, make sure that the cooler is compatible with the motherboard socket. Some processors are sold complete with a cooler (cooling system).
At the corners of the socket on the motherboard there are four holes for the cooler legs.
But before installing it, make sure there is thermal paste on the cooler (in the picture there is a white spot in the center). The cooler consists of a radiator and a fan. The heatsink touches the processor directly and absorbs heat, while the fan removes heat from the heatsink itself. This cooling scheme requires rapid transfer of heat from the processor to the radiator. For this purpose, thermal paste is applied to the radiator. It provides a tight connection between the heatsink and the processor and has good thermal conductivity. If there is no thermal paste, you need to apply it in a very thin layer of 1mm.
Install the four cooler legs into the holes on the motherboard. Press the legs one by one until you hear a characteristic click. Make sure the cooler is securely fastened. This will be indicated by the switch. If the switch is in the closed position, the leg is securely fastened; in the open position, it is not fastened. Connect the wire to the CPU_FAN connector.
That's it, the cooler installation is complete.
Let's move on to installing RAM
RAM is rewritable memory. Program and application data is temporarily stored there.
The connector slot on the motherboard must match the type of RAM module (DDR, DDR2, DDR3). To increase the performance and speed of the computer, it is recommended to install two RAM modules. It is worth remembering that in this case the module manufacturer must be the same. And in terms of characteristics they should be the same. Bandwidth The motherboard, processor and memory module must match.
The clock frequency of the RAM module must be commensurate with the frequency of the system bus of the motherboard. Even if the module frequency is higher than the bus frequency, the actual memory frequency will still be equal to the bus frequency.
Let's proceed directly to the installation. Push the latches to the sides on the motherboard slot:
Place the memory in the slot. Apply gentle pressure along the edges until the latches click into place.
The slot on the motherboard has a partition that corresponds to a notch on the memory module. It is impossible to make a mistake with the installation.
Installing a video card
A video card is needed to convert the data array into an image displayed on the screen. Moreover, modern video cards are also needed for processing and storing graphic data. The speed and quality of the output image depends on the parameters of the video card. This is very important when gaming or video processing.
The power of the video card should match or be slightly less than the power of the power supply.
The video card is inserted into the slot PCI Express 16x (under the processor). Install and press until it clicks.
The “skeleton” of the computer has been assembled.
Installing a hard drive
Stored on the hard drive operating system, user and program information.
The hard drive and motherboard connectors must match. For example, Serial SATA 6Gb/s. The throughput of a hard drive with a Serial SATA 6Gb/s connector is 6Gb/s.
- Connect the SerialATA cable to the motherboard's SATA connector.
- Connect the SATA adapter to hard drive, then connect the Molex power cable from the power supply to the adapter.
The hard drive installation is complete. Let's move on to installing the optical drive.
An optical drive is a device for reading information from disks or writing information to disks. Drives are currently sold on the market following types: CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW and Blu-Ray.
- The CD-ROM drive is designed for reading CDs only.
- A CD-RW drive allows you to both read and write to a CD.
- The DVD-ROM drive is designed for reading CDs and DVDs.
- The DVD-RW drive allows you to read information from CDs and DVDs and write information to CDs and DVDs.
- Blu-Ray drives are designed for large-capacity discs. Such disks, and the drives themselves, cost a lot of money.
Preferably choose DVD-RW drive, so as not to limit yourself in actions.
A drive is necessary in a computer, even if you have long switched to flash media. After all WINDOWS installation comes from disk. In addition, you can free up computer memory by resetting necessary files to disk, for the time being. Download distribution kits for games. And you can just watch a movie.
When choosing an optical drive, pay attention to its speed of reading and writing discs. In order for the drive to read and write to all disks, a speed of 48x is required.
We place the drive in the space provided for it in the power supply case. We fix it with screws to reduce the influence of vibration and noise. Connect power to the optical drive. Next, we connect the drive directly to the motherboard with a cable.
Closing the housing cover
All that remains is to connect the monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers to the system unit, connect power cords to the monitor and system unit.
When you connect your computer to the network for the first time, you should hear a squeak, symbolizing that all components are properly connected. Information about clock frequency processor, amount of RAM, operating modes and storage capacity. Nothing else can appear, because the operating room WINDOWS system not yet installed.
If after reading the article you still have questions about how to assemble a computer yourself, the video will explain everything to you in detail:
Now we are assembling a computer ourselves, having overcome all fears and doubts and having figured out why it is more profitable to assemble a computer ourselves. Having previously figured out why each of us needs a computer. Learned how to select components and calculate required power power supply. We figured out the purpose of the computer components. We selected the optimal components in each price category. And let the computer you assembled with your own hands be a useful assistant at work or at home.