All of your parts have now arrived, and you are now wondering how you are supposed to actually build this PC. There are some tutorials out there, but they are often 2-3 hours long, and sometimes don't have the parts you are using. This is why we are making this quick guide.
Step 1: Open all of your parts, and see if everything is there.
This is surprisingly important. I was about to start building my PC, but I had realized I did not have an ethernet cable to actually test it. You need to make sure you have everything to be able to even turn on your PC.
Step 2: Put your power supply in your case
Normally, putting your power supply in your case is as easy as sliding it in, and screwing it on, BUT, there is one thing you need to pay attention to; you have to have your PSU fan facing down or out, depending on your case layout, so your PSU won't overheat.
Step 3: Put your CPU into your motherboard
To put your CPU into your motherboard, you have to first lift up the lever, align the gold triangle on the CPU with the one on the CPU socket on your motherboard. Push the CPU in, but not that hard to not damage the pins. Pull the lever back and latch it on the hook by the socket.
Step 4: Put your RAM on your motherboard
To put your RAM on your motherboard, all you need to do is pull the little latch on the edge of the DIMM slot, align the notch on the ram with the bump on the slot, and push the RAM in until it clicks. If you have a motherboard with 4 RAM slots, and you have 2 sticks, make sure to put the RAM in the 2nd and 4th slots, AKA the furthest from the motherboard, separated by a slot. Basically, it is like |empty| |stick 1| |empty| |stick 2|.
Step 5: Screw your motherboard on to the case
Tilt the case so the motherboard would be horizontal when it is installed. Using the screws in the motherboard box labeled "Standoff Screws", screw the motherboard on to your case, being careful not to scratch the board with your screwdriver. If it is not already installed, attach your I/O shield to the back of your motherboard. FYI, For most of the rest of this build, you will leave your case in this position.
Step 6: Put in your hard drives or SSDs
Depending on what type of case you have, the SSDs either go on the bottom of the case or the back. Not much to say here, you just slide it into the slot, and plug in the SATA cable.
Step 7a: Installing your CPU cooler (Pre-applied thermal paste)
If you are using an air cooler, THAT HAS PRE-INSTALLED THERMAL PASTE, all you have to do is align the thermal contact with the CPU, and then screw it on. If you are using an all in one water cooler with pre-applied thermal paste, you need to first screw on your radiator and fans. Using the shorter screws, screw in the radiator from the top of the case. Then, using the long screws, screw in the fans from the bottom. After that, install the water block just as listed above for the air cooler. Plug in all the fan cables to the fan headers on the motherboard
Step 7b: Installing your CPU cooler (No thermal paste)
If your cooler does not come with thermal paste, put ONLY AN AMOUNT SMALLER THAN A PEA on your! If you put too much, wipe it off with a cloth or paper towel, as it can cause a big mess on your motherboard. If you have a thermal paste applicator, which should come with a thermal paste kit, spread around the thermal paste to make a thin, even layer. Then do step 7A.
Step 8: Installing airflow fans
On most fans, if the logo is facing out, that means the fan is an intake fan, and if the logo is facing in, it means this fan is an exhaust fan. Screw your fans in from the outside, and install the dust filter that should come with your case. Plug in all the fan cables to the fan headers on your motherboard.
Step 9: Installing your GPU
Remove the breakaway panels next to your where you want your GPU to go. Unclasp the GPU lever like the one on the RAM from step 4. Stick your GPU in and push until it clicks. Using the breakaway panel thumb screws, screw in your GPU.
Step 10: Cable routing
This is probably the most tedious part of building a PC, but if you do it right, your computer will look great. If you have a modular power supply, plug in the cables on the PSU end, matching the number of holes with the number of prongs. Then, judging by the text on the PSU, plug in the cables to their relative slots. If you have a non-modular PSU, the cables should be labeled.
Finally, screw on your front panel and boot your PC. Load an OS, and restart. If it boots, CONGRATULATIONS (^-^), you're finished. If it doesn't boot, try checking if everything is plugged in and working. Also, be sure all of your peripherals are plugged in and working.
Thanks for reading, and I hope this guide helped you.
~TheGamerBros
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