The memory (RAM)
You'll find slots (called DIMM slots) for the memory (a piece or 'stick' of memory is usually called memory modules) next to your processor. These slots are arranged / configured in a special way. Check your motherboard's manual to find out what the slot configuration is. It's better to place the modules in order - place the first one on the first slot and the second one on the second slot and so on. Knowing this is more important if your motherboard (or processor) supports dual channel memory controllers. To take full advantage of dual channel memory controllers, you have to install a pair of memory (usually identical ones or the same specification) in slots of different channels. Only then will they work in dual channel mode. Remember that some vendors start their numbering scheme from 0 instead of 1. Check the manual to be sure.A note on single sided memory and memory banks. If you're using single sided memory (only one side is used for the memory chips or alternating places), that particular memory uses only one bank. Usually there's a limit on how much banks a memory controller supports and sometimes they vary from one memory specification to another. For example, on some chipsets, the memory controller will only support 1 bank of PC3200 memory, and 2 banks of PC2700 memory. This means you can only use one single sided PC3200 memory. You have to downgrade (use a lower specification) if you want to use two banks of memory (for example 2 single sided or 1 double sided PC2700 memory). If you don't, this might cause problems and instabilities, which could lead to system crashes. Check the manual (again) to be sure.
Depending on where the slots are located, installing (and uninstalling) memory modules might be hindered by other components (such as the graphics card or power cables). That's why we're installing them first. Open the memory modules package and pick them up. Just like the processor, don't touch the electrical parts of the modules. This means you have to pick them up by the sides, the ones with the notch. These modules will only fit a certain way on their slots, so make sure you place them the right way. There's a notch in the slot that will fit perfectly with the notch on the module where the electrical connectors are, just align them and the two will fit just fine. You might have to press firmly on the module to close the slot's lock. Again, do this very carefully and try not to touch other electrical components.
The Graphics Card
If you have a motherboard with an integrated graphics card, all you have to do is plug in the monitor's cable to the graphics card connector. You can usually find it on the back of your CPU, colored in blue, next to the serial and printer port. If you choose to buy an add-on card, you have to install it on the motherboard first. Depending on your choice, your graphics card will use either an AGP or a PCI Express x16 interface. Of course, you need the same, corresponding interface on the motherboard as well.Open your graphics card's packaging and locate your graphics card. Pick it by the sides, don't touch the electrical parts and the AGP or PCI Express electrical connector. Now, locate the corresponding slot on the motherboard. AGP slots usually come with a retention clip, so you'll have to open it first. Just press it gently inward and the clip should move into the 'open' position. Slowly insert the graphics card's connector into the slot. When it has gone all the way inside, close the retention clip.
Your graphics card may need extra power connections. Check the manual and see if your graphics require such connections. If it does, you have to find a direct power connection from your power supply unit. It's best not to share this connection with other peripherals. Remember, the power connector on your graphics card and power supply will only fit one way, just match their shape and you should be fine. If it will not fit, check your orientation and see if there's an obstruction (a slightly bent or misaligned pin). Now, all you have to do is connect the monitor's cable to the connector on your graphics card. Done.
Power Supply Unit
Just like any electrical appliance, the PC (and its components) needs electricity. The function of the power supply unit is to supply electricity / power to the components, that's easy enough. This is what all those cables from your power supply is doing - supplying power to the components. Some cables supply power to storage devices such as hard drive(s), CD / DVD-ROMs, while others supply power to your motherboard.Depending on what your processor and motherboard is, you need to connect one or two power connectors from your power supply to the motherboard. The ATX power cable should be easy to spot - it's the one with the biggest connector. There's a clip on the side of the connector that will fit into a lock on the motherboard's connector. It won't fit any other way, so don't try. Just insert the power supply's connector in the motherboard's connector until you hear the lock clicking. If you're using a Pentium 4 processor (or an Athlon with an NForce motherboard), you need to connect the ATX 12 volt connector. It's the square one with 4 wires on it. Like the ATX power cable, it also has a lock on the side. Locate the corresponding motherboard's connector and plug it in.
Dry Run : Seeing if Everything's OK
OK, everything is connected and ready to go. But before we do that, there's several things we need to do.- Check the cooling fans power cable and see whether or not it's connected to the power connector on the motherboard or power supply. We wouldn't want your processor imitating a toaster oven or a frying pan. You did follow the processor / heatsink manual didn't you?
- While we're at it, check the other power connections as well (graphics card, additional fan connectors etc).
- Check whether or not the heatsink is properly installed - you shouldn't be able to move it without moving the whole motherboard (do it very gently when you're checking this).
- Arrange your cables so they don't take up space on your motherboard, and also make sure they don't get in the way of any fan blades - you'll get a clearer view of your motherboard and at the same time stop your cables from hindering airflow.
- Check the memory modules and graphics card as well.
Then, connect the power cable to your PC's power supply and monitor and turn them on. If your power supply has a built in switch on the back, flip it into the 'on' position. Some motherboards feature a built-in LED (light emitting diode - a small indicator light) that will tell you whether or not the motherboard is receiving power from the power supply. If you have it, this LED will be on.
To turn the PC on, we have to use the motherboard's switch - the same thing as a power on / off switch for your PC. Look it up on your motherboard's manual and locate it. The diagram's usually located on the 'Front Panel' section of the manual. Basically, the switch is two open electrical contacts that needs to be connected, easily done with the point of a screwdriver. On some motherboards, these two contacts will be colored red.
If everything's in place, you should hear the fans whirring and spinning and your screen flashing the BIOS screen. If it's not, there is several things you could do. Remember to flip the switch on your power supply to the 'off' position (or disconnecting the power cable) before removing / installing components on the motherboard.
- The motherboard powers on, fans are turning but the screen stays blank. Check your monitor. Is it turned on and properly connected to the graphics card? Check the LED on the side of your monitor. This light will lit up continuously if the monitor receives a signal from your graphics card (such a BIOS screen or your Windows desktop). If it's blinking, the monitor is powered on but no signal is received.
- The motherboard powers on for awhile, then suddenly powers down. This usually means you haven't connected the fans properly (did you see / hear the fan blades spinning?) or the motherboard couldn't detect the fans. If the latter is the case, you need to connect a fan that the motherboard can monitor / detect. This fan is usually the ones with three wires (black, red and yellow). Also make sure you connect this fan to the proper fan power connector on the motherboard reserved for the processor's fan (usually called CPUFAN header).
- The motherboard emits several beeps, which usually means you didn't install the memory or graphics card correctly. The series of beeps will tell you which one - check your manual to see which is which. Make sure you properly install both of them and then turn your PC on again.
- The motherboard won't power on at all. Check whether or not you've connected the power cable from the power supply to the motherboard. Also check whether or not the power supply's cable is connected to your power outlet and the power supply's switch is in the 'on' position. Check the FSB jumper and see whether or not you have set the FSB above the processor's rated FSB. If all else fails, try clearing the CMOS or bypassing it. You could clear the CMOS by placing the CMOS jumper on the 'clear' position. Return it to its original position if you want to turn the PC on again. Sometimes you could force the motherboard to bypass the CMOS values by pressing and holding the 'Ins' key on your keyboard while powering up.
We have to check whether or not the processor is correctly identified by the motherboard. When you first power on, the BIOS should flash something like the name of your processor and what speed it is running. If the speed is wrong, most likely the motherboard uses the wrong FSB for your processor. You could either change this with a jumper or through the BIOS, depending on your motherboard. Choosing an FSB higher than what your processor is specified for means you're overclocking your processor. While this can be beneficial (more speed, more performance), for now we'll choose the default (your specified processor's) FSB.
Next, we have to check whether or not the memory is correctly identified and configured by the motherboard. For best performance, the memory should run at the same speed or higher than the processor's FSB. For example, if you're using a Pentium 4 with an FSB of 200 MHz (800 MHz effective) or an Athlon 64 with an FSB of 200 MHz (400 MHz effective), it would be best to use PC3200 memory modules running at 200 MHz. You could check at what speed your memory is operating through the BIOS. Some BIOS will show the memory clock either as a nominal value or relative to the processor's FSB (or host clock - HCLK). The other thing we can also check here is the memory timing used by the motherboard for your memory. In general, the tighter the timing, the better the performance. Tighter means that your memory uses less cycles (less latency) while operating. Beware, using a timing tighter than what your memory is specified for can cause system crashes since for all intent and purposes, you are overclocking your memory. The safest way to properly configure the timing and speed of your memory is to choose the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) option in the BIOS. So, choose this for now and your memory modules should be properly configured and identified.
Your motherboard comes with all sorts of peripherals integrated. Some of it you'll never use, such as the serial port (COM port), the printer port (LPT port) or the (internal) modem. It's best to disable these peripherals, so your motherboard's resources can be used for something else. You could disable these peripherals through the BIOS in the 'Integrated Peripherals' menu. You could also disable or enable other peripherals such as the floppy disk, USB, Ethernet / LAN controller and game / MIDI port. We'll leave them on for now, since you will want them on anyway.
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