How to Build Your Own PC - Save A Buck And Learn A Lot

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

[SIZE=+2]Hard Disk Drive[/SIZE]

The hard drive is like long-term human memory. Whatever’s saved on the hard drive will remain after the computer is turned off. ​

The main factor in selecting a hard drive is its size, which is measured in gigabytes. Today, you’ll probably want at least a 40 GB drive. For this build, an 80 GB Western Digital hard drive was purchased from Best Buy for $60. It is shown in Figure 20.​

A hard drive has platters which spin around (think of how a CD works). The faster the platter spins, the faster the hard drive can find, read, and write information. The speed of a hard drive is usually measured in RPM or revolutions per minute.​

Figure 20: Hard Disk Drive
A ribbon cable will plug into the back of the hard drive (left side) to send signals between the drive and the mainboard. A 4-pin Molex power connector from the PC case’s power supply will provide power to the hard drive (right side). Usually four screws provided with the drive will attach the hard drive to the PC case.​

The drive purchased for the build spins at 7,200 RPM, which means the platter spins around 7,200 times every minute. That’s considered a good speed. If you’re doing something that requires fast access from the hard drive, such as playing videos, you’ll want the fastest drive you can afford. ​

The final hard drive performance factor you’ll want to examine is the buffer size, which is usually measured in Megabytes (MB), with 2 MB to 4 MB being common. This western digital drive has an 8 MB buffer. ​

Buffers are like waiting areas where information can be accessed more quickly than if the information must be read from the hard drive. ​

The drives you’ll use are referred to as IDE drives. Another type of drive, SCSI hard drives, are also available. A new builder should stick with IDE drives. ​

Some people suggest purchasing the largest drive you can afford because you’ll fill it up, especially if you download many webpages, photos, videos, or songs. However, if you don’t intensively download from the Internet, a more modest-sized drive will probably work great. ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]CD-RW, DVD and Other Removable Media Drives[/SIZE]

You’ll certainly want a CD-RW drive. This will let you play music CDs, install software which comes on CDs, and back up your important information to CDs. The drive we purchased is illustrated in Figure 21.​

Figure 21: A CD-RW drive
CD-RW and DVD drives are called 5.25” drives.​

Because hard drives do occasionally fail, it’s important to back up all your important information to some other media. Your information can be backed up to another hard drive, a tape drive, or, most commonly for consumers, a CD. ​

DVD drives are discussed in more detail in another chapter. If you plan to produce videos, you’ll want a DVD burner which will allow you to create your own DVD movies. ​

Most CD-RW and DVD drives are also called IDE devices. They are also called internal devices, which means they go inside the PC case. That’s the kind you’ll probably want for a PC. If you plan to share a device between multiple PCs, you could use an external drive and move it between the PCs. Otherwise, you could install a home network and allow all your PCs to access the device while it remained attached to a single PC. ​

A floppy drive (see Figure 22) isn’t called an IDE device, but it’s a standard component that’s readily available for about $15. Nobody uses them anymore.​

Figure 22: Floppy drive
Floppy drives are called 3.5” drives. Floppy drives and hard drives usually attach to the PC case with four screws.(two on each side).​

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[SIZE=+2]Sound Card[/SIZE]

Some mainboards have build-in support for sound. Highest quality sound is achieved by using a quality PCI sound card. Many PCs for business use don’t even need sound. But, sound is good for multimedia, action games, and listening to commentary or music over the Internet. So, we’ll consider a quality sound card or sound built into the mainboard a necessity. ​

If you plan to use Linux as your operating system, you might want to avoid extra functionality, such as sound, built into the mainboard. This is because Linux is sometimes less capable of recognizing extra mainboard features, such as built-in sound. This is less true today than it was in the past. Linux 9 immediately recognized our system’s built-in sound.


[SIZE=+2]Monitor[/SIZE]

A monitor is necessary to display the output from the PC. Most new monitors today are slim LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) models. But, older, more bulky CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors are just as serviceable, if you’re looking to save money, rather than be stylish. CRT monitors also have a faster response, if you need to battle aliens or such. ​

It’s important to buy your CRT monitor locally or get it with free shipping. You might pay $90 for a 17" .28 dot pitch monitor. But, to ship that sucker across the USA might cost $50! ​

For this build, we purchased a 17" ViewSonic A70f+ Flat Screen Monitor online from Best Buy (BestBuy.com). Shipping was free, and the monitor should have cost $150 after a mail-in rebate.

However, the rebate was initially denied, so the monitor could cost us $190. We followed up aggressively to get the rebate and received the rebate. See the chapter about purchasing components for more about the dangers of mail-in rebates. ​

The key parameters for a CRT monitor are refresh rate, resolution, and dot pitch. You want at least a 75 Hz or greater refresh rate. 85 Hz is even better. Lower refresh rates might cause eye strain. Refresh rates tell us how often the monitor screen is redrawn by the beam which displays it. ​

The dot pitch should be .28 mm or less. About .25 is ideal. Resolution should allow at least 1024 by 768 pixels for a 17" monitor. Most 17" CRT monitors support 1280 x 1024 pixel resolution. ​

If you purchase an LCD monitor, resolution is determined by the actual matrix of the display. For example, most LCD 15" monitors are designed to show 1024 x 768 pixels. Think of the monitor as actually having this many dots across the physical screen. Most 17" LCD monitors will allow 1280 x1024. ​

it’s important to know that a 15" LCD display has about the same viewable area as a 17" CRT. ​

One important parameter of an LCD display is the contrast ratio which expresses the ability of the monitor to distinguish between lighter and darker colors. A contrast ratio of 400:1 or more is good. Another important parameter is the brightness of the screen which is measured in nits or cd/m.² 300 cd/m² (nits) or more is considered good. ​

If you plan to use an LCD monitor, also be sure your video card supports a DVI (Digital Video Interface) connector. LCD monitors can use analog VGA connectors, but doing so makes little sense. The video signal from the computer is converted from digital to analog and then back to digital! Analog signals were necessary for CRT monitors, but not for LCD monitors. ​

If you plan to purchase an LCD monitor, it might be a good idea to visit your local computer store and examine some models to be sure you’re happy with the display. ​

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[SIZE=+2]Modem[/SIZE]

Today, modems and an Internet connection are nearly essential. You have many options for modems and Internet service providers ranging from DSL Internet connections, cable modems and cable access to the Internet, slow 56k dial-up modems, and satellite Internet connections. The modem and other equipment you need will depend upon the type of Internet connection you decide to use. An example of a PCI modem card can be found in Figure 23.​

Figure 23: Modem card
This is a PCI modem card. The most common type of expansion cards are PCI cards. They plug into PCI slots in the mainboard. All PCI cards are installed in the same manner. Once you’ve installed one, you’ve installed them all!​

Many people today will choose cable modems or DSL modems because of their much faster download speed. ​

Modems can also be internal or external. Internal modems usually plug into a PCI slot in your mainboard. Some internal modems are called Win Modems, because they rely upon the mainboard’s processing power to help them do their job. Win Modems are less expensive and are affectionately known as lobotomized modems. ​

Unless you plan to do intensive computing while also online, a Win Modem should be fine if you plan to use a Windows operating system. If you plan to use Linux, you might want to avoid Win Modems, because they’re sometimes more difficult to configure properly with Linux. Non-Win-Modems are called controller-based modems. ​

I like external modems (all of which are controller-based), because I like to see all the lights (LEDs) showing modem activity. And, if the modem disconnects, a glance at the external modem’s LEDs will show it’s disconnected. ​

Some operating systems are notorious for showing a dial-up modem as connected even if the connection has been lost. I also like to turn off the modem when it’s not in use. That physically prevents a hacker from gaining access to your computer. ​

Some internal modems have lights showing similar activity. These lights sit at the back end of the PC where nobody can see them. I don’t know what genius decided that modem lights on an internal modem was a good idea. ​

Most controller-based modems, whether external or internal, should work with Linux. ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Network Interface Card (NIC)[/SIZE]

Network Interface Card (NIC) and other PCI controller cards giving your PC added capability. If you decide to connect your home or business computers together to form your own mini-network, you’ll need to install network interface cards on each PC you plan to connect together (unless your mainboards include built-in LAN connections). ​

Adding a controller card to your PC is easy. These cards are designed to plug into existing slots in your PC mainboard. These slots are called expansion slots. Today, PCI slots are the most common. The older ISA slots are now outdated.


[SIZE=+2]Keyboard and Mouse[/SIZE]

You probably have an older computer from which you can scavenge a quality keyboard and mouse. Otherwise, you can find cheaper ones free after mail-in rebates. However, most experienced PC users suggest purchasing high-quality keyboards and mice, because a quality keyboard and mouse make using your PC much more enjoyable. I like Microsoft keyboards and mice.​

Figure 24 shows the complete system with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. ​

Figure 24: A full system
Includes the system case plus a keyboard, mouse, and monitor.​

By building your own PC, you’ll also learn how to upgrade your PC. You’ll have the skills and confidence to install a larger hard drive, add more RAM, or install a DVD drive. ​

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[SIZE=+2]Operating System[/SIZE]

The most popular operating system is Microsoft Windows. The newest version is Windows XP. We’ll show you how to install Windows XP on your system. And, we’ll demonstrate installing Linux, a free operating system available over the Internet. Boxed versions of Linux are also available for purchase. If

your connection to the Internet is a slow dial-up connection, you’ll probably want to purchase Linux in a retail box. Or else have a friend with a faster DSL or cable modem connection download the Linux CDs for you. We’ll also show how to install a dual boot operating system. ​

When purchasing your Windows operating system, be sure to purchase it as OEM software when you purchase your mainboard. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. Microsoft allows its software to be purchased for slightly less if the software is being purchased with a new system or hardware components. ​

When buying main components for your new system, such as a mainboard, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase OEM software. (This is why if you purchase Microsoft software on eBay, for example, the seller might send along an old hard drive. Microsoft’s licensing agreement demands that the software only be sold with original equipment to build a system.) ​

When you purchase your mainboard, be sure to examine the vendor’s selection of OEM software and determine if there is anything you wish to purchase. ​

If you forget to purchase some OEM software that you want, just purchase some low-priced component, such as a small hard drive, and you’ll be able to buy the OEM software then. ​

OEM software is usually better than upgrade software. For example, Windows 98 OEM CDs will boot from the CD, while Windows 98 upgrade CDs won’t. Plus, upgrade CDs will inspect your system for a

power version of Windows. Or, you’ll need to insert your disk from your previous operating system to perform the install. So, if you upgraded from Windows 95 to Windows 98, don’t throw out your Windows 95 CD! In the near future, Microsoft plans to stop supporting Windows 98. I’d recommend Windows XP or Windows XP Professional for your new system.


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[SIZE=+2]Chapter 3: Installing the CPU, Heatsink, and RAM On

The Mainboard[/SIZE]

The process of building a PC consists of several major phases. One of the most important is installing the mainboard into the system case. However, once the mainboard is in the case, it is rather difficult to access it to install components on the board. For that reason most PC assemblers first set up the mainboard with critical components before they put the mainboard into the case.​

In this chapter we’ll do exactly that. We’ll start by installing the CPU into the mainboard, then attach the heatsink and fan, and finally, insert the RAM modules.

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Quick navigation to subsections and regular topics in this section

• Installing the CPU Into Its Socket
• Installing the Heatsink/Fan
• Installing Memory (RAM)
• CPU and RAM Installation Complete

[SIZE=+2]Installing the CPU Into Its Socket[/SIZE]

Placing the CPU into its socket is easy, and we’ll do it in three steps. First, we’ll prepare the mainboard to accept the CPU. Then we’ll open and examine the CPU socket. Finally, we’ll insert the CPU into the mainboard and secure it in place.

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Quick navigation to subsections and regular topics in this section

• Preparing the Mainboard for the CPU
• Opening and Examining the CPU Socket
• Inserting the CPU into the Socket

[SIZE=+2]Preparing the Mainboard for the CPU[/SIZE]

Remove the mainboard from its box and static-proof bag. Before touching the mainboard touch both of your hands to a piece of metal (the PC case) to draw off any static electricity that might be present on your hands. ​

In addition, you might want to wear a wrist grounding strap, with its clip attached to a grounded metal object. Keep the strap tight to your wrist and clip it to a metal ground. Usually, the metal ground is the power supply attached to the PC case. Some argue that the heavy paint on a PC case can prevent proper grounding, so clipping it to the power supply is usually recommended. This should keep any static charge from accumulating on your hands. ​

As with all circuit boards, try to handle the mainboard only by the corners to minimize the chances of undesirable static shock being transferred to the components. Try to avoid touching components on the mainboard, unless necessary. Also, try to avoid touching the bottom of the mainboard. You can usually handle a mainboard by its edges and corners. ​

Place the mainboard on a sturdy, clean surface. Don’t place the mainboard on a dirty surface or on a surface that will encourage the mainboard to pick up lint, such as a towel or bedsheet. Plus, those surfaces are very bad, because they encourage the build-up of static electricity. Either a clean table or the top of the box the mainboard came in should work well. The mainboard pictured is sitting on a large sheet of clean paper. ​

Those who build many PCs can purchase grounded mats. As with everything else, it’s good to prepare your work surface before you begin. Some builders suggest using a plant sprayer to mist some water into the room before you start working, because humidity reduces the chances of static discharge. If you do this, don’t mist the mainboard itself or any PC parts! ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Opening and Examining the CPU Socket[/SIZE]

First, raise the CPU socket lock lever on the mainboard, as shown in Figure 25, until the lever is fully opened. For the Athlon Socket A, this means lifting the lever so it points straight up into the air (Figure 26). A small notch locks the lever into place when it’s closed, so you’ll need to pull the lever very gently away from the socket to clear the closing notch when you first lift it. ​

Figure 25: Raising the lift lever on the CPU socket
There is a notch at the side of the lever. Pull the lever gently away from the socket to clear the notch. Notice that the pin holes at the top on each side lack a hole for the corner pin. This configuration prevents the CPU from being inserted in the wrong orientation.​

Figure 26: The socket lever is fully raised
You can now place the CPU into the socket. You just need to set the CPU into the socket and close the lever.​

Examine the pin holes of the socket (socket pins). You’ll see that the pattern of the holes will only allow insertion of a CPU in one orientation. ​

For the Athlon, you’ll see that two of the corners have pin socket holes that end in a triangular formation, i.e., they don’t use the pins at the very corners. Thus, if you have the orientation of the CPU incorrect, a corner pin of the CPU won’t have a hole to go into, and the CPU won’t seat into the socket. This is designed to prevent people from inserting the CPU incorrectly and damaging the CPU. Rest assured, it’s nearly impossible to insert a CPU incorrectly. ​

The Athlon also has a small triangle on the top of the chip to indicate its proper orientation. ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Inserting the CPU into the Socket[/SIZE]

Open the box the CPU came in and remove the CPU chip. Before touching the CPU chip, touch your hands to a grounded piece of metal. Touch the CPU chip only by its edges to protect it from static electricity. ​

Place the CPU into the socket holes (Figure 27). Don’t force it down. Just set it in place, so it appear as in Figure 28. Then, push the lift lever down. It takes a little bit of force to push the lever down. This is normal, because the process of pushing the lever down locks the CPU pins in place and secures the CPU. As you continue to push, the force will subside. This is also normal. ​

Figure 27: Placing the CPU into the socket
Hold the CPU only by the edges. Due to the pin configuration, the CPU will only insert in the correct orientation.​

Figure 28: CPU sits in its socket
Close the lever to secure it.​

Continue to push the lock lever down. When it gets to the close (fully down) position, gently pull the lever slightly away from the socket to clear the notch that locks it into place. Then, allow the natural springiness of the lever to move the lever back toward the socket so it’s held in place by the notch. ​

You now have the CPU properly inserted into the socket. ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Installing the Heatsink/Fan[/SIZE]

The next step is to install the heatsink/fan combination (a typical heatsink and fan are shown in Figure 29). Before we do, however, let’s explore why cooling is essential.​

Figure 29: Heatsink and fan
Notice the thermal material at the bottom of the heatsink. This thermal material will touch the die of the CPU.​

Quick navigation to subsections and regular topics in this section

• The Importance of CPU Cooling
• Thermal Conducting Compound/Tape
• Orienting the Heatsink
• Seating the Heatsink
• Securing the Heatsink Clip
• Checking Installation and Connecting the Fan

 

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[SIZE=+2]The Importance of CPU Cooling[/SIZE]

Consider heating a pin until it’s red hot and dropping it onto your hand (Don’t do this!). It will hurt. But, imagine if the same amount of heat had been added to a much larger metal object, such as an iron bar.

The temperature of the larger object will increase far less, and you could comfortably hold it. The installation of the heatsink will allow the CPU die to dissipate heat by providing thermal contact between the CPU and the heatsink. Heat will be conducted from the die to the heatsink. ​

Cooling of the CPU is absolutely crucial, especially for the Athlon CPUs which aren’t designed to shut off if they overheat. They’ll just fry. This isn’t a criticism of the Athlon. Dollar for dollar, I

think it’s one of the best choices for a CPU. ​

It’s considered almost impossible to fry a Pentium 4 processor, because they’re designed to shut down if uncooled. I’ve been told that you can even remove the heatsink from a Pentium 4 while it’s running and it will shut down in time to prevent damage to the chip. Don’t try this yourself! Even short

periods of excess temperature greatly reduce the length of a CPU’s life. More effective case cooling can significantly increase the life of your CPU. ​

Ideally, it’s good if a CPU can run at 100F or less. Higher temperatures shorten the CPU’s life. If you install the heatsink properly, your PC will probably be fine. But, if you’re interested, there are PC monitoring programs that will tell you the actual temperature of your CPU when it’s running. For example, a utility, called PC probe, which provides a temperature monitor, came with the Asus mainboard (see Figure 30). Similar programs are available from download.com.​

Figure 30: Asus PC Probe
The program Asus PC Probe came with the mainboard. It allows you to monitor your CPU’s temperature and other conditions. It’s useful to have such a program if you plan to install extra case fans, so you can see if the extra case fans are actually helping.​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Thermal Conducting Compound/Tape[/SIZE]

To allow the most effective conduction between the heatsink and the CPU, a thermal conducting compound is used between the CPU die and the heatsink. This is because the more contact between the die and the heatsink, the better the transfer of heat will be. ​

Even flat objects that appear to be in full contact might have limited points of contact, due to the roughness of the surfaces at a microscopic level. It’s estimated that only 1% of the surfaces may actually be in contact when two flat metal parts touch each another! The remaining space is filled with

air, which is a poor thermal conductor. Thermal compound fills in these gaps of contact and greatly increases the efficiency of the heatsink. ​

Proper use of a thermal compound between the CPU and heatsink is absolutely necessary for proper cooling of the CPU. If your CPU and heatsink instructions tell you to use a thermal compound, do not omit this step. ​

Thermal compound comes in two forms. First is thermal grease, which looks just like any other thick liquid. If thermal grease is used, you simply place a drop of thermal grease on the die before installing the heatsink. Use a drop just about the size of a small pea and place it at the center of the die. As the

heatsink is installed, it is pressed down and the thermal grease will compress and flatten out. ​

Second, and a better, less messy method, is a thermal tape applied to the heatsink that comes with the heatsink (Figure 29 shows the thermal compound on the bottom of the heatsink). Examine your heatsink and your heatsink instructions to see which method is used. If your heatsink has a strip of

thermal tape on it, you don’t need to use thermal grease. The tape is used instead of the grease. ​

If your heatsink has a thermal tape applied to it, remove the cover of the tape just before you install the heatsink. Don’t allow the thermal tape to be exposed for a long period of time before doing the installation. You don’t want it to attract dirt. ​

If you ever need to remove the heatsink from the CPU, which originally had thermal tape and then reinstall the same CPU and heatsink (you probably will never need to do this), you’ll need to scrape off all of the thermal compound from the heatsink. Because the material will fill in the pores at the microscopic level, you’ll never remove all of the old material. But, try to remove all visible material.

Then, you’ll apply new thermal material. For the Athlon, AMD.com has a list of approved thermal materials, including Bergquist HF225UT (See AMD’s Builder’s Guide For Desktop/Tower Systems, Document 26003A for other thermal materials). ​

Incidentally, AMD only approves phase-change thermal material. So, don’t use ordinary thermal grease of an unapproved type. If you purchase your CPU in a retail-box version, it will come with a proper heatsink and an appropriate thermal compound inside the retail box. ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Orienting the Heatsink[/SIZE]

Examine the top of the Athlon CPU and you’ll notice four feet (see Figure 31). These feet are designed so that the heatsink/fan can be placed on top of them. You need all four feet for proper seating of the heatsink. The feet should already be in place and ready to go. When the heatsink is secured, these feet will compress slightly, allowing the heatsink to contact the CPU die.​

Figure 31: Feet on the CPU chip
This is the same chip shown in Figure 16, but with one of the four feet circled. The heatsink sits on these feet which compress slightly. Notice the small square at the center. That’s the CPU die. When the heatsink pushes down on the CPU feet, it will contact the die allowing heat to be effectively conducted to the heatsink.

This figure shows the top of the CPU chip. The bottom of the chip has many little pins which will insert into the CPU socket shown in Figure 26.​

Examine the center of the CPU (inside the four feet). You’ll see a small square, which is called the die. The die is important, because it will get really hot and heat will need to be drawn away from it. This will occur by allowing the die to thermally contact the metal of the heatsink. This effectively increases the thermal mass of the die and allows heat to be dissipated into the PC case. A CPU fan will blow air through the heatsink. Other fans will circulate air in the PC case and remove the heat from the PC. ​

Examining the heatsink, you might guess that it can be installed in any direction. You might guess that you can just set it on top of the CPU in any orientation (Figure 4.8). This isn’t so. Examine the bottom of the heatsink (Figure 4.9) and you’ll see that one edge of the heatsink is slightly indented or cut away. This allows that edge of the heatsink to clear the top of the CPU socket (the part of the socket from which the lever pivots from, which is a bit higher than the rest of the socket). So, you’ll need to pay attention to orientation. ​

Also, if you look through the fins of the heatsink (Figure 4.10), you’ll see that the metal clip that will be used to secure the heatsink to the CPU socket isn’t symmetrical. One side of the clip is shorter than the other. When the heatsink is seated properly, the clip is designed so that it will push the heatsink down onto the CPU, and the force from the clip will be directly above the CPU die. ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Seating the Heatsink[/SIZE]

Seat the heatsink on top of the CPU (see Figure 32), manipulating the shorter end of the clip so that the three holes of the clip engage the bottom of the three notches of the CPU socket. Don’t push the heatsink down. That’s done naturally by the heatsink clip as the clip is secured. Do examine the edges of the heatsink to be sure the heatsink isn’t hitting anything besides the four feet it’s supposed to rest on; when the CPU is in place it should look something like Figure 33. ​

Figure 32: Placing the heatsink
Notice the cut-out notch on the bottom of the heatsink that matches up with the high end of the CPU socket. Be sure to install the heatsink in the proper orientation.​

Figure 33: Heatsink sitting on CPU
Notice the notch in the heatsink at the left, which fits the raised portion of the CPU socket.​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Securing the Heatsink Clip[/SIZE]

The heatsink clip is made of spring steel and its tension holds the heatsink firmly against the CPU (see Figure 34).​

Figure 34: Heatsink Clip
Looking through the fins of the heatsink, we see that the clip isn’t symmetrical. The point of the clip will push down on the CPU die when properly installed.​

Use a flat-head screwdriver or “other appropriate tool” to secure the clip to the other side of the CPU socket. Place the screwdriver into the clip opening for it and gently push down and slightly away from the CPU socket, allowing the clip to clear the three notches of the CPU socket. Then, push the clip back toward the socket, engaging the three notches (see Figure 35 and Figure 36). ​

Figure 35: Securing the heatsink
Be gentle and avoid putting unnecessary force on the clip and the CPU socket.​

Figure 36: Engaging the clip of the heatsink.
This “appropriate tool” (flat-head screwdriver) allows you to push the clip down and lock it into place. The other end of the clip is already engaged to the notches of the CPU socket on the other side of the heatsink. Be sure to select a tool that won’t slip and damage the mainboard. Do not push down on the heatsink itself. The clip will push the heatsink down naturally and allow it to contact the die of the CPU.​

If you read the AMD instructions for installing the Athlon, they say to use the “appropriate tool” to secure the clip, but they give absolutely no clue as to what that tool is. Pliers? Hammer? Power Drill? Weed Eater? ​

The heatsink here seems to have a natural affinity for a flat-head screwdriver, and that tool works well here, so it’s the one we’ll use. Be careful so that the tool doesn’t slip and damage the mainboard. Don’t use an “inappropriate” tool which you think might slip. ​

The AMD heatsink puts considerable force on the notches that the heatsink locks into. Because of this, be gentle when using the screwdriver to push down and lock in the heatsink. Don’t push the lever much farther down than necessary to secure the heatsink. ​

 

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[SIZE=+2]Checking Installation and Connecting the Fan[/SIZE]

The installation instructions say you should examine the seating of the heatsink to be sure it’s resting properly on the die. In practice, it’s difficult if not impossible to do this (see Figure 33). But, if you have a good light handy, you can peek between the heatsink and the CPU if you want. (Incidentally, a Mini-Mag AA flashlight is a great tool to have handy here.) ​

Finally, examine the mainboard manual and see where the three-pin CPU fan power connection pins are. They’re usually clearly marked. Then, plug in the heatsink fan (Figure 37). Don’t forget to plug in the heatsink/CPU fan! Do this immediately after the heatsink is installed! If the heatsink fan isn’t plugged in, it won’t work and your CPU will overheat. When your system is fully assembled, it’s a good idea to leave the side of the case off and examine all of the fans to be sure they’re operating properly. ​

Figure 37: Plugging the heatsink fan into the mainboard
Notice the post shows us the proper orientation. IMPORTANT! DO NOT FORGET THIS STEP! Failure to properly cool the Athlon CPU will damage it. When you first start your system, leave the side panel of the PC case off and examine all fans to be sure they are spinning rapidly.​

While the thermal grease and the connection between the CPU die and the heatsink allow heat to be conducted away from the CPU, the heat builds up on the fins of the heatsink where the fan dissipates it from there. The fins spread this heat over a large area, and the fan helps blow the heat away. ​

You now have your CPU and heatsink properly installed on your mainboard. Well done!​

 

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

[SIZE=+2]Installing Memory (RAM)[/SIZE]

Now that you have your CPU installed, it’s time to install the RAM. Most common today is DDR memory. It’s a good idea to purchase your mainboard before you purchase memory, just to be sure you acquire the correct memory. Read the manual that came with your mainboard to see what kind of memory it uses. ​

Quick navigation to subsections and regular topics in this section

• Matching RAM to Mainboard RAM Requirements
• Preparing to Install the RAM
• Inserting the RAM Chips
• Seating the RAM Chips

[SIZE=+2]Matching RAM to Mainboard RAM Requirements[/SIZE]

Each memory socket is called a bank. And, the banks are numbered. Examine your mainboard and its manual to see which bank is Bank 1. It’s most common to place a single memory chip into Bank 1. If you install several memory chips, see which order allows the easiest installation of all the chips. This isn’t usually a problem with DDR memory which is inserted straight down, but if one of the banks of memory is close to some obstruction, you might want to install that bank first. That way each chip will be easy to install. ​

It’s usually recommended that all your memory chips be similar. For example, the memory used in this build is Kingston DDR PC2700 ValueRAM. So, if you decided to add another 256MB RAM chip to your PC and you had Kingston PC2700 ValueRAM installed, it would probably be good to use Kingston PC2700 ValueRAM for the new 256MB chip. ​

You can mix PC2700 chips with PC2100 chips, for example, but they’ll all often run at the slowest speed. Whenever you have a question about memory compatibility, check your mainboard manual and look for the memory chip manufacturer’s website with google.com. ​

For example, the mainboard manual for the A7V333-X says that the chips should be unbuffered non-ECC DDR SDRAM. That’s the most common type. But, if you wanted to double check that the Kingston ValueRAM we purchased was appropriate, you could go to kingston.com and look up the exact Kingston model of the memory chip to see that it’s non-ECC (you could get the model number from a website like BestBuy.com where you were thinking of purchasing the RAM). ​

Today, most memory sockets and leads will use gold contacts. You can see this by the goldish color of the connectors. It’s usually recommended that you don’t try to mate gold connectors with tin connectors, because the metals won’t play nicely with each other. They try to steal each other’s electrons which leads to a corrosive-type effect. ​

 

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

[SIZE=+2]Preparing to Install the RAM[/SIZE]

RAM is very sensitive to static electricity. Before picking up a RAM chip, touch both hands to a metal piece to draw any static electricity away from your hands. You might also want to wear a grounding wrist strap when you install the memory. Try to touch the RAM only on its two sides and the top near the sides (see Figure 5). The sides are great for picking it up, but you’ll need to push it into its socket from the top. Try not to touch the chips themselves or the metal contacts. And, leave the RAM in its original packaging until you’re ready to install it. ​

Not touching the metal leads of the memory is also important because oils that build up on your hands can damage the leads. ​

Examine the RAM sockets (Figure 38) and the RAM chip (Figure 39). You’ll see that RAM can only be inserted in one direction, because there’s a small cut out separating the metal contacts (also called leads) on the RAM chip into two sides. Each side has a different number of metal contacts, making it impossible to seat the RAM chip incorrectly. Be sure the notch in the RAM chip is aligned with the protruding part on the RAM socket. ​

Figure 38: RAM slots (or sockets) on mainboard​

Figure 39: RAM module notch
The RAM chip has a notch (indicated by the white arrow) to prevent inserting it in the wrong orientation

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[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

[SIZE=+2]Inserting the RAM Chips[/SIZE]

Fully open the locking levers of the RAM socket (Figure 40). Each bank will have a lever at each side. Push the lever gently away from the RAM socket and down until it is fully open.​

Figure 40: Opening the lever at the sides of the memory slot
Pushing the chip down will close the lever.​

Now, pick up the RAM chip and place it over the RAM socket. Be sure that it’s aligned in the proper direction (see Figure 41). Press the chip straight down into the socket. If it sticks, you might find it useful to allow one side of the RAM chip to enter first, but try to keep the chip as nearly level as possible as you push it into place.​

Figure 41: Inserting the memory chip into its slot
Align the chip and press straight down. Be sure to touch the metal of the PC power supply before picking up the chip to draw off any static electricity that may have built up on your hands.​

 

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

[SIZE=+2]Seating the RAM Chips[/SIZE]

When the RAM chip seats itself, the levers at the side should pop into position themselves, “locking” the memory chip in place (Figure 42). You shouldn’t need to touch these levers after opening them to insert the memory.​

Figure 42: Pressing the memory into the socket
You can use your thumbs to press the memory chip into place. The locking levers will close by themselves.​

Examine the memory chip to be sure it’s fully seated. Sometimes one end of a chip might seat fully, but the other end doesn’t. If so, just push the non-seated end in some more.​

Your RAM chip is now fully installed (see Figure 43 and Figure 44). ​

Figure 43: RAM chip fully installed
Note the wires off to the right aren’t part of the RAM. They are for the heatsink fan which was plugged in earlier.​

Figure 44: Close--up of installed RAM​