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MODULE 8: SYSTEM UNIT ASYMBLY PT2.

(Computer Assembly)
INTRODUCTION
Throughout all the PC assembly steps below, we'll also simultaneously cover many
common beginner questions and concerns that may pop up throughout the process. So
if you're a little confused at any stage, just trust in this process that's been used by
many thousands and thousands of other beginner builders, and just keep going one
step at a time at your own pace because chances are your concerns will be addressed
at some point in this guide if you simply continue on.
CONTENT
Step 1: Open Case
1. Remove the back screws
2. Take side cover off
Keep any screws which were
supplied with the case separate
and take note of the different
types. Most cases will come with a
few different packets of screws
and they may have different sizes
or threads, so make sure to match
them up with the correct mounting locations as best as possible. If in doubt, refer to the
documentation which came with your computer case.
Step 2: Mount Motherboard
1. Screw motherboard
standoffs into the case
2. Punch out rear I/O
plate from the case (if
existing) and replace it
with the motherboard
I/O plate
3. Fasten the
motherboard in place
on top of the mounting
standoffs
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There a few different sizes (also known as ‘form factors’) of motherboard commonly
available, so most cases have screw positions that will accommodate the various sizes
of motherboard. You don’t need to install mounting standoffs in all of them; just the
ones that match your motherboard will be fine.
The I/O plate is an input-output plate which is simply a metal cover that is customized to
your particular motherboard. You’ll need to remove the default I/O plate that may have
been supplied with your case and swap it out for the one that came with your
motherboard.
Screws and standoffs are often supplied with your computer case, however sometimes
screws may be supplied with a motherboard.
Step 3: Mount Processor (CPU)
1. Locate the CPU socket holder on
the motherboard
2. Lift up the latch lever to release and
hinge open the CPU socket cover.
3. Holding the CPU by its sides, line
up any alignment notches or the
triangle marked on the corner of the
CPU to the triangle marked on the
motherboard. Gently place it
straight down into the motherboard
socket to seat the CPU
4. Lower the CPU socket cover over
the CPU and lower the latch lever
closed again to secure the CPU
socket holder closed
Don’t apply force to seat the CPU. Avoid touching of pressing down on the back of the
CPU with your fingers, as any residue from your hands can destroy the heat transfer
surface for the cooler which will be mounted next.
Another important thing to note is to remove any plastic packaging around the CPU
socket cover before installing your CPU and cooler. Usually there is a piece of
removable hard plastic somewhere around the CPU socket cover which serves to
protect the CPU terminal pins on the motherboard. Be sure to remove and discard this
as you install your CPU.
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Step 4: Install CPU Cooler

Make sure the CPU cooler is installed
directly to the back of the CPU metal
housing. We’ve heard stories of installations
where the plastic packaging on the CPU
socket cover (which is meant to be
discarded after CPU installation) was not
removed, and the CPU cooler was
mistakenly mounted to the plastic. Don’t
make this expensive mistake, as this will
cause overheating and damage to your
CPU.
1. If required, apply thermal paste to the back of the CPU
2. Seat CPU heatsink/cooler and fix in position.
3. Plug the power cable attached to the cooler fan into the motherboard connector.
Some CPU coolers do come with a thermal pad already applied; in which case you can
skip step 1. If yours doesn’t, you will need to apply thermal paste to the CPU surface
before seating the CPU cooler in position.
Cable headers on motherboards vary in their location depending on what motherboard
you have. To identify the correct header, look for the labeling on the motherboard; they
are always labeled next to the header with the intended connection, for example:
 CPUFAN = CPU fan
 SYS_FAN1 = System fan (any general fan can be plugged in here)
 SYS_FAN2 = System fan (any general fan can be plugged in here)

Step 5: Install Power Supply (PSU)

1. Mount the power supply and fasten with screws to the case mounting points
2. Plug the largest cabling connector from the power supply cabling into the
motherboard power connector.
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3. Plug the 8-pin cabling connector from the power supply cabling into the CPU
power connector
Most power supplies will have
a whole bunch of cabling and
connectors coming out of the
rear. Others may have sockets
for cables to be plugged in. We
find it easiest to connect the
power cabling for each
hardware component to the
power supply as you assemble
the PC (rather than waiting
until the all parts are
assembled and plugging in all
power cables at once); we do
it this way so that you won’t
accidentally forget to connect
power to any deice.

Step 6: Mount Memory (RAM)

1. Press to open the clips
at both ends of the
RAM mounting slots
2. Line up the notch on
the RAM stick with the
mounting slot
3. Seat the RAM and
press it firmly down into
the slot. The tabs
should automatically
latch closed as you
press the RAM down,
securing the RAM in
place
4. Install any other RAM
sticks using the same process
Most motherboards will have multiple RAM mounting slots. If you are installing pairs of
RAM sticks, mount them in the same color slots on the motherboard.
When pressing the RAM into the motherboard mounting slots, you’ll often have to use a
fair amount of force to ensure it is seated properly. Be careful not to flex the
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motherboard too much when doing this – it can help to support the edge of the board, if
necessary, with your spare hand to avoid bending the motherboard too much as you
press down on the back of the RAM stick.

Step 7: Install Graphics Card

Not all computers have a dedicated graphics
card. If you have decided to use the on-board
graphics of your motherboar instead of installing
a dedicated graphics card, you can skip this
section.
1. Remove the expansion slot covers from
the rear of your case where the graphics
card will sit
2. The graphics card slots into a PCI
expansion slot on the lower half of the
motherboard. Line it up and press down
firmly to seat the card.
3. Put in the screws to hold the graphics card
in place
4. Plug in the power connector cables from your power supply into the graphics
card power connector (if existing – not all graphics cards required external
power)
When you plug in your display monitor, always use the output ports of the graphics card
frist (if you have one installed) and not the output ports of the motherboard itself. This
ensures you are actually using your graphics card!
Step 8: Mount Storage Drives
Storage drives come in two main sizes: a
3.5″ form factor or 2.5″ form factor. Due to
their smaller size, 2.5″ drives may need an
adapter plate to mount them within your PC
case. The exact mounting strategy for
storage drives will vary from computer case
to computer case.
Sometimes, you may need to refer to the
manual for your case in order to fit drives
into the drive bays.
Update: A smaller form-factor storage drive
has also become more popular and
available recently – the M.2 storage drive. If
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you have one of these drives, you won’t need to use the drive bays on your case, and
you’ll simply plug the connector tab of the M.2 storage drive (which looks like a card)
directly into the appropriate M.2 port on your motherboard, no cables needed.
1. Mount storage drives in the case drive bays. Fix the drive in place with screws
through the case frame into the case mounting holes located on the storage drive
2. Connect the drive to the motherboard using a SATA cable
3. Plug in power cabling to the storage drive
4. Mount any other storage drives in the same way
External storage drives will typically come with two connections that you need to make:
power and data; which is why we plug in two separate cables to each drive. The data
connection cable is a SATA cable which connects between the motherboard and the
storage drive. The power connection cable supplies power to the drive, and plugs into
the drive from the power supply.
Step 9: Mount Optical Drive
Optical drives are optional and only
required if you wish to read or write CDs,
DVDs, or Bluray discs. Some people
choose not to include an optical drive in
their PC build if they don’t plan on using
optical discs.
1. Remove any front panels from the
computer case where the optical
drive will sit.
2. Mount optical drive in the case by
fixing with screws through the case
frame into the case mounting holes
located on the optical drive
3. Connect the optical drive to the
motherboard using a SATA cable
4. Plug in power cabling from your
power supply to the optical drive
Just like external storage drives that we connected in Step 8, optical drives also require
two connections: power and data. Again, the data connection cable is a SATA cable
which connects the optical drive to the motherboard. The power connection cable
supplies power to the drive, and plugs into the drive from the power supply
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Step 10: Connect case fans and front panel

connectors

Some computer cases come with case fans

already installed/mounted within the case.
However, you will still need to plug the
power cables of these fans into a header
port located on your motherboard. This
supplies the fan with power which is
required for it to operate.
In other cases, you might need to mount
your own case fans, or you may even
choose to run your computer without any
case fans at all.
Front panel connections may vary
according to your case, but typically
comprise of the same components: audio,
USB, and power/reset/lights etc. These will
be present in the form of cables that come
from the front panel; the ends of which will be hanging loose in your case. You’ll need to
hook these up to the appropriate locations on your motherboard.
1. Mount any case fans within your case as required using the supplied screws or
clips
2. Connect any case fan power connectors to the multiple fan headers located at
various places on the motherboard.
3. Identify the cabling from the front panel ports of your PC. These front panel
connectors will need to be plugged into the motherboard so that buttons and
inputs/outputs (I/O) on your case front panel will work
4. Connect any front panel audio connectors to the the motherboard front audio
header
5. Connect any front panel USB connectors to the motherboard USB headers
6. Connect the front panel case connectors to the motherboard front panel I/O
headers
Different computer cases may have slightly different I/O connections, but generally both
the connectors and motherboard headers are labelled, so use these to your advantage
when working out where to plug each cabling connector! If in doubt, refer to the
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documentation which came with your motherboard, which should tell you exactly where
to connect these items.
Step 11: Close Case and
Connect Peripherals
Before closing up your case
completely, you may wish to
do some ‘cable
management’, which means
tucking away, rerouting, or
removing and securing any
loose slack from cables which
would otherwise be hanging
around loose in your case.
We recommend using cable
ties to neatly secure cables in bundles and away from any moving parts (such as fans).
1. Place the side cover back on
2. Secure the side panel with case screws
3. Connect peripheral devices including mouse, monitor, keyboard, speakers etc.

Connecting Peripherals
Connecting peripherals to your computer once it is all assembled is a matter of simply
making sure everything you want to use with your computer (like keyboard, mouse,
speakers etc) is plugged in to the right spot. Use the following list as a guide for what
goes where:
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Plug into USB ports:
 Keyboard
 Mouse
 Wireless network dongle
 Printers
 Webcams
Plug into 2.5mm sockets:
 Speakers
 Microphone
 Line-in/line-out devices
Plug into ethernet ports:
 Internet connection
 Local area network (LAN) cables
Plug into display ports:
 Monitor / screens
 Be sure to plug into the correct display ports: always plug into the graphics card
display output (if you have one installed) instead of the motherboard display
ports.
 If you don’t have a dedicated graphics card, then plug into the motherboard’s
display output ports.

APPLICATION
DIRECTION: Give the Step, Component, and Action.
Step 1: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 2: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 3: _________________________________________________
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Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 4: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 5: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 6: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 7: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 8: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 9: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 10: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Step 11: _________________________________________________
Action: _________________________________________________
Component: _________________________________________________

PRACTICE ACTIVITIES
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Connecting Peripherals:
Plug into USB ports: Plug into 2.5mm sockets: Plug into ethernet ports:
__________________ __________________ __________________
__________________ __________________ __________________
__________________ __________________
__________________
__________________
Plug into display ports:
__________________
__________________
__________________

ASSESSMENT
Direction. Choose the best answer.
Certainly! Here’s a multiple-choice quiz based on the PC building steps and
considerations you've shared:
1. What is a primary advantage of building outside of the case?
A) Less chance of damaging components
B) Easier to access all mounting points
C) Better visibility for mounting components
D) Fewer steps required for assembly
2. When mounting a motherboard in a case, what should you do with the rear I/O plate?
A) Leave it as is
B) Remove it and replace it with the motherboard I/O plate
C) Install it after mounting the motherboard
D) Punch out a new one from the case
3. What must you ensure before installing the CPU cooler?
A) The CPU is seated correctly in its socket
B) The RAM is installed
C) The motherboard is mounted in the case
D) The power supply is connected
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4. If using a CPU cooler with a thermal pad, what step can you skip?
A) Installing the motherboard
B) Applying thermal paste
C) Installing the RAM
D) Mounting the power supply
5. Which component should be installed before the CPU cooler?
A) Graphics card
B) Power supply
C) RAM
D) Optical drive
6. What is the first step in the process of mounting storage drives?
A) Connect SATA cables
B) Secure the drive with screws
C) Mount the drive in the case
D) Plug in power cables
7. Which connection is not required for an optical drive?
A) Data cable
B) Power cable
C) SATA cable
D) Ethernet cable
8. What should be considered when choosing the build order?
A) It’s best to always follow the same order
B) Some components might block access to others
C) All parts should be assembled simultaneously
D) The power supply must be the last component installed
9. When connecting case fans, what must you do?
A) Plug them into the power supply
B) Connect them to the motherboard fan headers
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C) Install them after closing the case
D) Use only one fan header for multiple fans
10. After completing your build, what is one of the final steps?
A) Install additional hardware
B) Perform cable management
C) Test the components outside the case
D) Update your motherboard BIOS