Setting Up

You'll want to set everything up on a large, flat surface. Use something like a silicone placemat to protect your more delicate computer parts, and use a cup or dish to keep track of your screws. Building up static electricity can be a huge problem when working with electronics like this, and there are a few things you can do to prevent this. Protective gear such as wristbands or even entire jackets can be used to prevent static buildup around your hands, though if you're in a pinch or on a budget you can discharge yourself every so often just by touching a piece of bare metal. High humidity can also help prevent static buildup, so if you have a humidifier on hand you should set it up near your workspace.

 

 

First Steps

The first thing you should do is lay your motherboard flat and begin installing parts onto there, starting with the CPU. You need to be incredibly careful when working with the CPU; there are about 1.000 pins on its underside, and if even one of those is bent out of shape the entire thing will stop working. Make sure the CPU cover is open and very gently drop it into place. There should be a small golden arrow on the bottom left corner on the CPU which aligns with a matching arrow in the socket. Your RAM cards should be much easier to install. Before installing, open up the locks on one or both sides of the card slot, then just insert your cards; the locks should close up automatically once the card is all the way in. The next step is to install your CPU cooler, or just the CPU block if you have a liquid cooler, but before doing that you should apply a layer of thermal paste to the CPU. This allows heat to transfer from the CPU to the cooler more easily. Your cooler may have different attachment points based on your socket type, so make sure you're using the correct parts when installing it.