How To Build A Computer Part 8: Your Goal To Build Your Own Computer Is Complete!

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Part 8 of How To Build A Computer and you are done! But before turning the power on and seeing if everything works, just double check your work. Just take a few minutes to inspect the connections and cables just to make sure that everything is connected properly.

Once you're satisfied you can close the case and start attaching all the peripherals. You don't have to plug everything in yet. Just the monitor, mouse and keyboard should be sufficient to test out your new computer. Finish off by inserting the power cord and plugging it into the wall.

Now turn on the power and see if the computer starts up. If it doesn't star up though, here are a few things that could likely have happened.

• The first likely culprit is the power connection. Is the computer plugged into a power strip? Does the power strip have an on/off switch? How about the power supply? Some power supplies have their own on/off switch.

• If you hear the power supply fan come on but not the hard drives or the CPU fan, turn the computer off immediately. This usually means that something inside the case is shorted and leaving the power on could permanently damage some of the components. In this situation, you will have to reopen the case and check all the connections.

• If you turn the power on and hear a series of beeps, remember the beep sequence and turn the computer off. A series of beeps is a signal of a malfunctioning computer, and their pattern can offer a diagnosis of the problem. Refer to your motherboard manual to find out the meaning of the beeps.

But if your computer turns on successfully then 3 cheers and a big congratulation to you, you just learned how to build your own computer!

Next, a few seconds after booting you can press the F1 or delete key to get into the BIOS settings. There are many options that can be set in the BIOS including the order of drives that the computer boots from. Setting the boot order to the CD-ROM will allow you to install the operating system from a CD.

All the various BIOS settings are explained in detail in the motherboard manual. You can probably leave them at their default settings until after the operating system is installed.

There is one more thing you should do before installing the operating system. The BIOS has a section that monitors the temperature of various components (including the CPU) and indicates fan speeds. Allow the computer to run for 15 or 20 minutes while checking this information. If all of the readings are within the allowable range, you are set to install the operating system.

 

How To Build A Computer Part 8