Building own personal computer rather than buying an already built PC is better because, with this option, one is able to get a computer that suits the needs they have. It will also be a lot easier to do the upgrading of the PC in the times to come because the owner understands the machine well. Another reason for this option is that it saves money when opting it build own machine when compared to purchasing something that is already built. Getting personal computers that have already been built is expensive as the sellers include the cost of assembling the computer. This paper will give details of building a personal computer at home. It will highlight the steps that are needed to have a full computer that is functional in the end.
The first step in building the computer is deciding the type of computer that one requires. This is a crucial step as one is required to have specifications of what they need. The cost of the computer is important, the speed, the storage capacity, the processing speed and other factors that are deemed important to the computer that is being built. In making the decision on the type of machine that one needs, the most important factor to consider here is the function that the machine will serve. The purpose and the type of machine that the owner wants will control the decisions and the steps they will take in the process of building the machine.
In this paper, we will build a machine that will be used in video editing. The requirements for this machine will include having either an AMD or Intel processor, which is Quad-core. The RAM (Random Access Memory) in this computer is 8GB. The hard drives that will be used will be SATA and four in number. There will also be FireWire connections in both the front and back. There will also be 3.0 ports on the machine. These are the requirements that we will base the [personal computer that we will be building in this paper. Then there will need to be a casing that will be able to hold all the requirements and be able to have many hard disks. When building a computer, the most crucial step understands the machine that one is building.
The second step in building a personal computer is gathering the requirements that one needs to have a computer. These requirements are to be purchased online as this is the most convenient way of getting materials and requirements to build a personal computer. The computer requirements are shown in figure 1.
The next step in this process is choosing the type of motherboard that one wants. There are various types of motherboards that are found in the market. There are various categories of motherboards. They can be categorized basing on their cost, so that we have cheap motherboards, middle-of-the-range motherboards, high-end mother boards and extreme motherboards. The cheap motherboards cost approximately $50, middle of the range motherboards cost between $50-$100, high-end motherboard cost between $100 and $200 while extreme motherboard cost above $200. The use of the computer will determine what type of motherboard will be purchased. The author has chosen a middle-of-the-range motherboard in this research paper.
Middle-of-the-range motherboard
The next step after this is picking out the parts of the computer. The CPU that is to be chosen should be the right one and should have the right pins. The clock speed will determine the number of instructions per second that will be processed by the processor. If the motherboard that has been chosen is a combo motherboard, then this step of choosing the CPU can be skipped/. This is because the motherboard already has a CPU. The RAM that is chosen should also have the same number of pins that are specified in the motherboard. There will also be a need to choose a power supply if the motherboard did not come with one. If the machine, that one is building is used for normal small tasks, then 300 watts are just enough. If one is building a video-machine that will have multiple video cards, then there will be a need to have a bigger power supply. If not using a motherboard which is onboard, then one will be required to choose a video card too. There will also be a need to choose the optical card. One can either choose to choose CD ROM or DVD. It will all depend on the use of the machine. Also, choose the hard disk that the machine will use. One will have to confirm the type of SATA that the motherboard supports. The motherboard can either support SATA 3.0GB/s or SATA 6GB/s. If the motherboard supports the latter, then it is preferable. If the owner can manage solid-state hard disk, then it is a better option as it is built on high technology.
The next step is to choose the operating system that the machine will run. Microsoft Operating systems have had widespread acceptance. They are used widely. There are options to choose. One should choose the operating system it use basing on the uses they have and the functionalities they are hoping to get from the computer. If one chooses the Linux operating system, then there are many available versions on the internet. Some of them are free. One can also choose Hackintosh, a Mac operating system that is not operating on Macintosh machines. This is tricky and challenging because, in case of anything, there will be no support from Apple.
Now that, all the components have been chosen, the next step is to buy the components. There are many mailing options that one can buy from the Internet. The location that one is will determine the mailing option they will use.
The next step after getting all the parts is to get to the real building. Before, building, it is important to note that static electricity will destroy many parts because they are electric and will get shock quickly. It is, therefore, important to ground one. After this, get the motherboard from the pack and the RAM. Also, get the CPU from its wrap. The CPU will have corners marked with the corresponding positions on the motherboard. When placing the CPU to its place, one does not have to apply a lot of pressure, if the pins are aligned correctly, then it will be easier to place it in place.
After having the CPU in place, install a heat sink. There will be a guide on how to do this in the manual. The heat sink will have a sticker or grease that will be used to mount it to the CPU. After getting the CPU in place, the next item is to install the RAM. The slot of placing the RAM Is where it is marked “one”. It will need more pressure when putting RAM in place than when putting the CPU. The sides of the modules should have rotating clips that will hold the RAM tightly in place.
After this, it is now time to install the case. You will need to install the power supply in place. There is a place that the power connectors will stick. Press the power unit in place. The power supply should be placed approximately 6.6 millimeters from the surface of the case so that there are no connectors that touch the case. Screw the parts to their right positions. After this, connect the power connectors to the various components in the motherboard. There is a big power connector, which is used to power the motherboard and the small ones which power the various components.
Installing the power supply
The last step is installing the hard drive and the optical drives. There are four rubber grommets on it. There should also be 4 holes on the hard drive. There is a bracket where the hard drive will be put. Screw the hard drive in the bracket and tightly fix the bracket in its place in the case.
Installing the hard drive
Connect the hard drive to the power connectors from the power supply. After this install the cables. One side of the cable is marked “pin 1”. Connect this with a place in the motherboard that is marked “1”. The other end is now put in the hard drive, and the drive is now ready to be used. Now install the optical drives. The jumpers are the most important things to watch. The case has a slot where the drive will fit. Remove one of the faceplates.
After all the steps, power the computer and look if everything is working perfectly well. Check the speed of the fans. Also, ensure that the power supply is set correctly to either 110 or 120 volts. There are some power supplies which do this automatically while others have a slider. Your PC is now ready to be used.
