IT self care

First of all make sure you have all the right tools and all the pieces at hand. For this demonstration we’re installing a P5QL-E motherboard from ASUS and a OCZ MODXSTREAM PRO 700 W power supply on a THERMALTAKE SOPRANO DX case.

Rule no. 1 is that no matter what, you MUST install the power supply first, otherwise you may have big troubles trying to fit it in its designated place. As shown in the video, it’s an easy process, the biggest problem you may encounter is your ability to move it into its place. If you find yourself unable to make it fit into place, you may wanna check if it’s not upside down. Once you got it right, it’s a matter of screwing 4 screws on the outside of the case and it’s all done.

Before you can install your motherboard you must install the I/O shield that comes with every motherboard. The I/O shield is a thin sheet of aluminum that fits the I/O options of the motherboard, that’s why all motherboards come with its own shield. You have to remove the shield already in place on the case (if that exists) and snap the new shield in the place. It’s only a matter of aligning the shield and press it from the inside of the case until it snaps in.

Now you’re ready to install the motherboard. Check the mounting holes on the case. Usually the cases have mounting points to fit all motherboards, which means that not all the holes will be used. You can grab your motherboard, align it with the I/O shield and notice which mounting holes you will be using. You should use all those spacers into the mounting points to avoid motherboard touching the PC case. Just screw them by hand, because they will tighten up when you screw the actual screws on the motherboard.

Aligning the motherboard can be tricky and frustrating, specially if it’s your first time. Try to align it with the I/O shield and the center mounting point of the case. Screw all screws on a zig-zag pattern and don’t tighten them until they all are in place. The trickiest thing is to connect the pins of the front panel of your case. These are: USB ports, power switch, reset switch, hard drive activity LED, power LED and internal speaker. The pins are clearly marked as which one is which so you won’t have any problem to identify them. The motherboard connectors are also marked, but you may have troubles reading that fine writing. To clearly identify them you should check the motherboard manual.

Attaching the power connectors to the motherboard is as simple as aligning the connector’s locking tab with the latching key and push it straight down. Don’t forget the 4 pin connector which connects in the same way. That’s all the connector will be using so far, more will be attached to the hard drives, DVD writer, card readers, etc. and they will be covered on future tutorials.

Installing a new RAM memory should be an easy straight-forward process if you follow few steps. If you find yourself unable to follow these simple steps, please DO NOT attempt to install any new hardware on your machine or you may end up burning down your house.

Rule no. 1: Chose the right type of RAM memory for your machine. You may check your motherboard manual to find what type of RAM it supports (DDR, DDR2, DDR3). If you somehow got the wrong type of RAM memory, DO NOT attempt to make it fit the slot (don’t laugh, I’ve seen it before: RAM chopped off to fit in). In the most fortunate case, your system will not start if you do this.

Rule no. 2: Unplug your machine from any power supply… that of course if you’re not the suicidal type or extreme sports addict. In this case you may wanna try inserting the RAM memory while your machine is running.

After you followed the above 2 rules, you need to follow these easy steps:

• Open the case by unscrewing the 2 screws on the back of your computer.
• Scan with you eyes and locate accurately the empty RAM slots.
• Press the security clips on both ends of the RAM slot.
• Grab the RAM memory from its case and try as much as possible NOT to touch its lower part with your hands.
• Line up the notch of the RAM with the tab on the slot. If it doesn’t fit, turn the RAM module by 180 degrees and try to line up again. If it still doesn’t fit, you broke the no. 1 rule.
• Press the RAM module into place by applying firm pressure on both ends until you hear a *click*. That means the security clips snapped into place and you can check it with your fingers to see if they snapped all the way back.
• Close the computer case and connect the power cords.
• Power up the system.
• That’s all!