Build Your Own

Home PC Computer System

One of the advantages of building your own home pc computer system is that you decide what you want the system to have and therefore not pay for all the pre-loaded bells and whistles you'll probably never use anyway. If you really want it, you can download MineSweeper once we get your custom PC online.

Therefore the first step in building your own computer is deciding what you need the computer to do, and what you want it to do. For example if you want to build a gaming system or a media center DVR, you'll want to allocate for at least a gig (GB) of RAM and high end video and sound cards. If you're building a computer to use as a second home pc for the kids to check their e-mail and do school-work, 512 Mb RAM and integrated sound and video should suffice.

Tools and equipment

There are a few tools that you will need to begin assembling your computer. The following is a good starting point, as they include the bare minimum to build a working computer.

Basic tools

Before you begin building or refitting a computer, you will need these basic tools:

1. #'2 phillips-head screwdriver
2. Needle-nose pliers
3. All available manuals for every component to be installed
4. Anti-static Wrist Strap (optional) and / or
5. Grounding-mat or anti-static carpet (optional but recommended)

Optional, but useful tools

Some other tools and equipment that may come in handy as well:

1. Spring action parts grabber.
2. Electrical tape
3. Pen light
4. A second, working computer to swap parts, look for tips, ask for help online, download drivers and patches, etc. - very useful
5. A can of compressed air - useful when working with older parts that have collected dust. A better alternative but also more costly, is a vacuum cleaner designed for cleaning electronics. (I prefer a combination of the two: one hand using the compressed air, the other holding my vacuum cleaner nozzle to help catch the dust I'm stirring up)

Preparation

Before you begin poking around inside your computer have the proper mindset. Read the instructions that came with your hardware. Do not work inside your computer if you are in a hurry or do not have the proper level of knowledge to complete the work. If you do not know how to do something reread the instructions, find futher information online, or simply ask someone you know has more experience.

Find a dry, well-ventilated place to do your work. You should have plenty of light to see your components with, and if possible, you should choose an area without carpeting (we want a static free zone).

To assemble your components, you will need a basic toolkit. For this kit, you will need

• a Phillips-head (cross-shaped) screwdriver

• an anti-static wrist strap, for grounding yourself with (these can be purchased cheaply at most electronic supply stores) - this can often be a huge saving over the amount of money that you waste by destroying your components with static electricity. Do not be tempted to connect yourself directly to a tap or other grounded object with only a length of copper wire, if the machine is still plugged in and there is an electrical fault, the consequences could be fatal. Anti-static wrist straps have a high resistance, thus limiting any potential current flowing through your body to safe levels.

Unpack all the components, and put them on top of the anti-static bags they came in, as this will prevent stray static from reaching your components. (Note. Anti-Static bags conduct electricity on the external surfaces!) Make sure you read the following section, as it contains some important safety information.

Safety precautions

1. Dismantling electronic components such as your power supply or monitor is an extremely dangerous thing to do - DON'T DO IT! They contain several high-voltage exposed components (capacitors), and can cause a severe electrical shock if you touch them, even after the unit is unplugged.

2. Nobody except you is at fault if you shock your components with static electricity ie no returns. Make sure that you take the precautions to ground yourself from static electricity by using an anti-static wrist strap and / or grounding mat.

Note: if you really must work on a computer and don't have the proper anti-static equipment, it's usually OK so long as you: (1)don't move about much (2)are not wearing any static-prone clothing (3)handle components by the edges and (4) frequently touch a grounded object. The case metal of your PC's power supply will usually be a suitable grounded object, touch it every few minutes while you are working on your PC.

3. Construct your computer in a dust free enviroment! The worst thing for components (besides static) is overheating, most commonly caused by air vents, fans, and heatsinks clogged with dust. If this occurs, the fans will fail, and will cause your system to overheat and fail. However, if they are clogged, just buy a can of compressed air and blast the fans with it to clean them.

4. Unplug your PC's Power Supply before installing or removing any components - if power is flowing to components as they are installed or removed, they (and you) can be seriously damaged.

5. Never cut the grounding pin off your power cord. This "safety ground" stands between you and potentially lethal voltages inside the power supply.

6. Be wary of sharp edges! Many lower-end PC cases have sharp, unfinished edges. This is especially so on interior surfaces, and where the case has been cut or punched-out. Use care and take your time to avoid cutting your hands. DO NOT FILE THE SHARP EDGES! The act of filing away the edges will create polarity making the metal shavings magnetic and near impossible to remove entirely from the inside of your computer where they can create all sorts of destruction!

• magnets = bad
• metal shavings = bad
• magnetic metal shavings = super bad

A better alternative is to mask the sharp edges with a small bit of electrical tape.

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