IT Essentials I v.

3
Module 3
Assembling a Computer

© 2004, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

 Module 3
Assembling a Computer
3.1 – Overview of the Assembly Process
and Safety Issues
3.2 – Creating a Computer Inventory
3.3 – The Computer Case and Power Supply
3.4 – Preparing the Motherboard for
Installation
3.5 – Installing the Motherboard
3.6 – Installing the Floppy Drive, Hard Drive,
CD-ROM, and DVD
3.7 – Video Card Installation
3.8 – Final Steps
3.9 - Booting the System for the First Time
Overview of the Assembly
Process and Safety Issues
Overview of General Safety Issues

• Before beginning any

assembly process, review
safety procedures.
• Assembling a computer is
not an inherently dangerous
job, but being aware of
safety procedures is a good
starting point.
• In addition to the safety
procedures, there are safety
concerns with leaving the
computer plugged in while
working inside it.
ESD Precautions

• Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

is more commonly referred to
as static electricity.
• ESD is probably the greatest
problem when a user is
unwrapping newly purchased
computer parts and
components while preparing to
assemble the computer.
• Just because a discharge
cannot be felt does not mean it
cannot harm a computer
component.
Process Demonstration

• Watch the video,

“Assembling a Computer*”
for a demonstration how a
computer is assembled from
beginning to the end.
• Note the safety procedures
that are followed by the
technician as the computer is
assembled.

* “Assembling a Computer” is in the online

course and on the companion guide
CD.
Creating a Computer Inventory
Importance of an Inventory

• When building a computer

from scratch, it is important
to document all of the
components and parts that
are purchased.
• Make sure the specifics
about installation and
maintenance requirements
are saved, so that
warranties will be valid.
Inventory Checklist

• It is important to save all the

documentation that comes
with the components.
• Store original
documentation in zip lock
type bags and paper work
in 3-ring binders.
• Keep a notebook in which
websites can be referenced
with useful information
related to components such
as devices drivers, and so
on.
The Computer Case and Power Supply
Computer Cases and System Units

• Whether buying a tower or

desktop it is recommended that
the unit conforms to the ATX
standard and has at least a 250-
watt power supply (300 watts is
ideal).
• Purchase a case that comes
with a tray that allows easy
access to the internal
components.
• There are three basic system
unit styles: desktops, towers,
and portables. Each design
offers characteristics that adapt
the system for different
environments.
Desktops

• There are two important

considerations in choosing
a desktop case style for a
computer:
1. Available desktop
space
2. Form factor (describes
the general layout of
the computer case )
Towers

• Tower cases are

usually designed to
sit vertically on the
floor beneath a
desk.
• Tower cases come
in three sizes:
1. Mid towers
2. Mini towers
3. Full-size towers
Power Supplies

• The power supply unit

provides electrical
power for every
component inside the
system unit.
• There are two basic
types of power
supplies:
1. AT power supplies
2. ATX power supplies
 Power Supplies

• The power supply produces four (five in the ATX) different

levels of well-regulated DC voltage for use by the system
components. These are +5V, -5V, +12V, and -12V.
• In ATX power supplies, the +3.3V level is also produced and
is used by the second-generation Intel Pentium processors.
The IC devices on the motherboard and adapter cards use
the +5V level.
• Be able to identify the uses for each voltage level and the
corresponding color-coded wire. This will allow testing of the
wires using a multimeter to determine if there are problems
with the power supply.
• The computer power supply produces a voltage only when it
has a load. Some component must be running on the machine
before a voltage can be found in the power cable connectors.
Preparing the Motherboard for
Installation
Motherboard Location Map

• A motherboard location map

shows where the hardware
and major components are
located on the motherboard.
• Typically, everything listed in
the specifications section of
the motherboard manual is
depicted and labeled on the
location map.
• The main memory is
subdivided into slots, and the
slots are identified and
numbered in sequence DIMM
bank 1, DIMM bank 2, and
DIMM bank 3.
Motherboard Configuration

• Configuring the
motherboard typically
means the taking the
following steps:
• Installing the CPU, installing
the heat sink and fan,
installing RAM, connecting
the power supply cables to
the motherboard power
connectors, connecting
miscellaneous connectors
to the correct switches and
status lights, and setting the
system BIOS.
 Motherboard Configuration

• Location maps allow the correct configuration of the

motherboard for the case controls and monitor lights
on the front case panel .
• For the disk controllers, always remember that a
colored stripe on the data cable is pin 1.
• The BIOS interface can be keyboard driven, or it can
be graphical and mouse driven.
• When drives are replaced, memory upgraded, or
adapter boards added, the BIOS setup will need to
be updated to reflect the configuration changes and
saved to the CMOS chip.
• The motherboard must be configured for the
frequency of the installed processor.
Motherboard Jumpers

• A jumper is a pair of prongs

that are electrical contact
points set into the computer
motherboard or an adapter
card.
• When setting a jumper, place
a plug on the prongs that
completes or closes the
contact.
• Closing or opening the circuits
establishes logic levels to
select functions for the
operation of the board.
 Motherboard Jumpers

• Typically, motherboard jumpers are configured by using a

jumper to bridge a pair of pins that are to be connected
together (to complete a circuit) on the board.
• Removing or inserting jumpers on a set of pins will enable
or clear a given option, as specified in the motherboard
manual.
• There are several additional jumper settings that may
have to be set along with the general motherboard
configurations:
– BIOS Recovery
– Clear CMOS
– Password Clear
– BIOS Setup Access
– Processor Voltage
Installing the CPU

• Most problems occur when

the chip is hastily installed
or installed backwards,
which causes the chip pins
to break.
• There are two main types
of CPU interfaces.
1. Socket type
2. Slot type
 Installing the CPU

1. Turn over the chip and inspect the pins to make sure none are
damaged (bent or broken). All pins should stick straight out.
2. Align pin 1 on the chip with pin 1 on the socket for a correct
installation.
3. Open the ZIF socket. Shift the lever slightly away from the
socket, from its default closed, level position and raise it to the
open, vertical position.
4. Align pin 1 according to the orientation that was determined in
Step 2. Insert the processor chip into the socket so that all of
the pins slide into the matching holes.
5. Double-check to make sure that there is no gap between the
bottom of the CPU chip and the socket. If there is none, then
the processor chip is properly inserted.
6. Secure the installed chip, push the lever gently back down to
the closed, level position.
 Installing the CPU

• Most motherboards are flexible enough to

handle a variety of CPUs, but most CPUs are
very particular about the amount of voltage
they can handle.
• After installing the CPU, it is important to
make sure that the right voltage is present for
the proper performance of the processor.
• If the proper voltage is not set, total damage
to the system could occur, or the whole
system will never operate correctly.
Installing the Heat Sink and Fan

• Most microprocessors can

produce a lot of heat, which
if not efficiently dissipated
can cause the system to
operate intermittently or fail
completely.
• One way to dissipate heat
from processors is to use
the heat sink and cooling
fan.
Installing the Heat Sink and Fan

• Processors that come with the fan and heat sink

already attached to them are more convenient.
• These are called boxed processors.
• Boxed processors cost a bit more but are safer to
install since it lessens the chance of breaking the
pins.
• They also have better warranty coverage than those
without the fan and heat sink attached.
• Boxed processors are referred to as original
equipment manufacturer (OEM) processors.
Installing RAM

• There are two types of

memory modules used on
most PCs: 168-pin Dual In-
line Memory Module
(DIMM) cards and 72-pin
Single In-line Memory
Module (SIMM) cards.
• Cover the four step
Installation of RAM.
Installing RAM

• New motherboards do not use

SIMMs. It may be found, for
example, that the DIMM
sockets on the motherboard
map are grouped into three or
four banks of one slot each.
• DIMM1 and DIMM 2 are Bank
0 and Bank 1.
• In some cases, motherboards
have more than two slots for
RAM. These slots would be
DIMM3 and DIMM4.
• Cover the four step Installation
of RAM.
Installing the Motherboard
 Installing the
Motherboard into the Case
• Before installing the
motherboard, review the
section on motherboards in
Chapter 2 "How Computers
Work".
 Attaching the LEDs,
Keylock, and Speaker
• LEDs, the status lights, are useful
in indicating whether components
inside the computer are on or
working.
• LEDs that could be installed are
for power, turbo, and the hard
drive.
• The keylock switch is used to
prevent non-authorized
individuals from booting the
computer and changing the BIOS
settings.
Connecting Power Supply
Cables to the Motherboard
• After successfully installing the
motherboard in the computer
case, proceed with attaching
the appropriate power supply
connector(s) to it.
• This process is easy with an
ATX (boards and power
supply) because there is only
one connector that is also
keyed to fit only one way.
• Cover the steps for connecting
the power supply cables to the
motherboard.
Installing the Floppy Drive,
Hard Drive, and CD-ROM
 Attaching the
Floppy Drive to the Case
• The step-by-step process is
used for installing either a
3.5” drive or 5.25” drives.
• Make sure the floppy cables
and power cables are long
enough to reach the drive
before starting.
• Verify the drive is mounted
right side up or it will not
work.
 Floppy Drive Installation Steps

• Step 1. Select which drive bay is to be used for the

floppy drive. Remove the faceplate of that bay, and
save the faceplate for future use.
• Step 2. Without connecting anything, insert the drive
into the chosen bay, making sure it fits properly.
• Step 3. Select the proper size screws (preferably those
that came with the drive). If using brackets to hold the
drive in place, secure them now, or simply use the
screws to attach the drive to the bay.
 Floppy Drive Installation Steps

• Step 4. Attach the power and ribbon cable to the drive.

If other drives are to be installed, this step can be
skipped. This provides more maneuvering room in the
case, especially if there are no removable drive bays.
The drive cable and power cord can then be
connected after all the drives have been installed.

• Check your work.

Attaching the Hard Drive
and CD-ROM to the Case
• Attaching the hard drive and CD-
ROM are basically similar
processes.
• Make sure that the interface
cable will reach the drive in its
intended location.
• With IDE/ATA drives, the length of
the cable is limited to 18" and
less, in some cases.
• The designation of a hard drive or
CD-ROM drive as either master
or slave is generally determined
by the jumper configuration, not
by the order in which the drive is
daisy-chained to the other drive.
 Attaching the Hard Drive
and CD-ROM to the Case
• It is much easier to configure these drives before
installing them in the computer case.
• Before setting the jumpers, determine the types and
number of drives to install.
• In a basic system that only has one hard drive, set
the jumper to “master”. Some drives have another
setting called “single”.
• The CD-ROM is similarly easy to configure.
However, jumpers may be located in different places
on each drive and may even be labeled differently.
• Set the CD-ROM to “master” if it is the only drive
connected to the second IDE channel.
 Attaching the Hard Drive
and CD-ROM to the Case
• The hard drive can be inserted in any free bay in a
computer case. However, there are some things that
should be considered:
– They can generate a lot of heat. Therefore, keep these drives as far
away from other hardware as possible
– If it is necessary to install a drive cooler, make sure there is enough
room
– Install a hard drive away from the power supply
– Try to keep the hard drive near the front of the case. It will benefit
from the cooling effect of the air current drawn into the case
through the front by the system cooling fans
• Cover the four general steps for mounting a hard
drive.
 Attaching the Hard Drive
and CD-ROM to the Case
• Installing the CD-ROM is not very different than
installing the hard drive.
• Remove the drive bay cover first. Then set the CD-
ROM jumper to master since it will be connected to
the secondary IDE channel.
• Slide the drive into the bay from the front, making
sure that it is flush with the front panel, and screw it in
place.
• In some computer cases, particularly the mini towers,
it can be quite challenging to work behind the CD-
ROM because of its length and also because it is
obstructed by the power supply.
 Connecting the Floppy Drive, Hard
Drive, CD-ROM, and DVD to the System
• The floppy drive exchanges data
with the motherboard devices,
including the microprocessor, via
a 34-pin flat ribbon (data) cable.
• The hard drive, CD-ROM, and
DVD exchange data signals with
the controller on the motherboard
by means of a flat ribbon cable.
• Cover the four steps to connect
the floppy drive to the
motherboard.
• Cover the four steps to connect
the hard drive, CD-ROM, and
DVD to the motherboard.
Connecting Power Cables to the Floppy
Drive, Hard Drive, and CD-ROM
• Small cable drive connectors from the power supply
provide power to the floppy, hard drive, and the CD-ROM.
The cable connectors have a female 4-pin plug that
connects to a male 4-pin connector at the rear of each
drive.
• Two different power voltages are required for proper
functioning of the drives. The circuit board and the logic
chips are designed to use the +5v power. The drive
motors use the +12v power.
 Connecting Power Cables to the
Floppy Drive, Hard Drive, and CD-ROM
• Attaching the power cables to the floppy drive, hard
drive, and the CD-ROM is simple since all the
connectors are keyed and can only be inserted one
way.
Video Card Installation
Step-by-Step Installation
of the Video Card
• The video card as shown is
the only expansion card that
needs to be installed before
booting the PC for the first
time.
• It is critical in displaying vital
information needed to
configure the BIOS during the
initial boot process.
• All the other cards can be
installed once the computer is
up and running.
• Cover the four steps to
installing the video card.
Final Steps
Fitting the Case Together

• Once all the components and

parts have been installed in the
case, it is time to complete the
PC assembly process.
• Check to make sure that all of
the pin 1 indicators on the cables
match up with all of the pin 1
indicators on the sockets and
that connections are snug.
• Make sure that all of the screws
are properly tightened.
• When securing the case, make
sure no cables or wires are
sticking out or are caught
between the parts of the case.
 Connecting the Keyboard,
Mouse, Monitor, and Power Cord
• Connect the basic input and
output (I/O) devices that the
computer needs to start.
These devices can be
connected in any order.
– Connect the keyboard to the
back of the case
– Connect the mouse to the
back of the computer
– Connect the monitor
– Plug in the main power
supply
Booting the System for the First Time
What is BIOS?

• BIOS stands for Basic Input

Output System.
• It contains the program
code required to control all
the basic operating
components of the
computer system.
• BIOS contains the software
required to test hardware at
boot up, load the operating
system, and support the
transfer of data between
hardware components.
 What is BIOS?

• The BIOS function runs basic device test programs

and then seeks to configure these devices.
• The system BIOS and the information required to
configure it is stored on a Complementary Metal-
Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) chip.
• CMOS is a battery-powered storage chip located on
the system board.
• The CMOS chip has rewritable memory since the
configuration data can be changed or updated as the
components or devices in the computer are changed.
Entering the BIOS Configuration

• When setting up the

computer for the first time, it
is necessary to run the
CMOS Configuration Setup
utility.
• Simply pressing the delete
key during the opening boot
sequence provides access
to the BIOS on some
computers.
Standard CMOS Setup Screen

• Standard CMOS setup screen

includes the basic operating
parameters that need to be set
for the system to work
correctly.
• These BIOS features are
typically universal for all PCs.
• The fields available for
entering configuration data
that are commonly find in this
screen are: Date, Time, Hard
Disks, Drive A, Drive B, Video,
and Halt On.
 BIOS Features and
Chipset Features Setup Screens
• The BIOS Features Setup
screen provides advanced
features that control the
behavior of the system.
• This screen is where the
system hardware can be fine-
tuned for optimal performance.
• The Chipset Features Setup
screen allows the fine-tuning
of the control parameters for
the main system chipset.
 Power Management
and Plug and Play screens
• The Power Management Setup
screen controls the optional
power management for devices
on the computer.
• The PnP/PCI Configuration
screen contains the feature
settings used to control the
system I/O bus and Interrupt
Request (IRQ) and Direct
Memory Access (DMA) allocation
for ISA and PCI Plug and Play
(PnP) devices.
 Power Management
and Plug and Play screens
• The “Resource Controlled By” setting when set by
default to Automatic Configuration, the BIOS will
automatically manage the interrupts and direct
memory access channels on the I/O bus for the PnP
devices to avoid conflicts with any legacy (non-PnP)
ISA devices.
• In general, the default settings should be used for this
section of the BIOS setup when working on newer
systems, because any manual configurations require
a good knowledge of the bus devices installed.
 Integrated Peripherals and
Fixed Disk Detection Screens
• Used to configure the
control of integrated
peripheral support on the
motherboard.
• Integrated peripherals
typically include such
devices as the onboard
floppy and hard drive
controllers, USB controller,
serial ports, parallel ports,
and the sound card chip.
Password Screens and the
Load Setup Defaults Screen
• There are two password
screens that will be
encountered in the BIOS
setup:
1. Supervisor Password
2. User Password

• The Load Setup Defaults

screen resets the BIOS
setup to default settings.
BIOS Exit Options

• There are two BIOS exit

options:
1. Save and Exit Setup
2. Exit Without Saving Setup

• When exiting and saving

settings, the computer will
restart according to the
new configuration.
Startup Sequence

• Whenever a computer starts

up, a series of tests are
automatically performed to
check the primary components
in the system, such as the
CPU, ROM, memory, and
motherboard support circuitry.
• The routine that carries out
this function is referred to as
Power-on self-test (POST).
• The POST routine provides
error or warning messages
whenever it encounters a
faulty component.
 Startup Sequence

• The POST routine provides error or warning messages

whenever it encounters a faulty component.
• Post error codes take the form of a series of beeps that
identify a faulty hardware component.
• If a problem is detected, a different number of beeps will
be heard, sometimes in a combination of short and long
tones.
• These are mainly BIOS-dependent codes. They vary
according to BIOS manufacturer and even between
different versions of BIOS.
• Problems that occur during the POST are usually caused
by incorrect hardware configuration or installation. Actual
hardware failure is rare.