Chapter 2: PC Assembly

Instructor Materials

IT Essentials v7.0
Chapter 2: PC Assembly
IT Essentials 7.0 Planning Guide

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Chapter 2: PC Assembly

IT Essentials v7.0
Chapter 2 - Sections & Objectives
▪ 2.1 Assemble the Computer
• Build a computer.
• Define general and fire safety standards.
• Connect the power supply.
• Install the motherboard components.
• Install internal drives.
• Install the adapter cards.
• Identify additional storage.
• Connect computer components with appropriate cables.

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2.1 Assemble the Computer

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General and Fire Safety
Video Explanation – General and Fire Safety
In this video explanation, you will learn about the general and fire safety
precautions while working in a computer:
• Remove watches or jewelry
• Turn off and unplug equipment
• Remove clutter from workspace
• Cover sharp edges inside the computer
• Wear safety goggles
• Proper lifting procedures
• Fire extinguisher availability, rating, and use

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Open the Case and Connect the Power Supply
Video Demonstration – Install the Power Supply

This is a video demonstration about installing the power supply:

Step 1: Open the computer case
Step 2: Align the screw holes on the power supply with the mount on the
computer case.
Step 3: screw the power supply into place.

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Open the Case and Connect the Power Supply
Select the Case and Fans
• Model Type – The motherboard determines the type of case you can use. The size and shape must
match.
• Size – A computer with many components will need more room for airflow to keep the system cool.
• Power Supply – Match the power supply rating and connection type to the motherboard.
• Appearance – There are many case designs to choose from.
• Status Display – LEDs mounted on outside of case tell you if the system has power, when the hard
drive is in use, and when the computer is in sleep or hibernate mode.
• Vents – All cases have a vent on the power supply, and some have a vent in the back to draw air
out of into the system. Some cases have even more vents.

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Open the Case and Connect the Power Supply
Select the Case and Fans (Cont.)

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Open the Case and Connect the Power Supply
Select a Power Supply

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Open the Case and Connect the Power Supply
Lab – Install the Power Supply

In this lab, you will install a power supply in a computer case.

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Install the Motherboard Components
Video Demonstration – Install the CPU

This is a video demonstration about installing the CPU:

Step 1: Orient the CPU to the CPU slot.
Step 2: Press the CPU into the CPU slot.
Step 3: Lock the CPU into place.
Step 4: Apply thermal paste to the CPU.
Step 5: Install the heatsink.
Step 6: Secure the heatsink.

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Install the Motherboard Components
Video Demonstration – Install the RAM

This is a video demonstration about installing the RAM:

Step 1: Open the RAM slot levers.
Step 2: Orient the RAM chip to the motherboard slot.
Step 3: Lower the RAM chip into the slot.
Step 4: Press down firmly to lock the RAM chip.

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Install the Motherboard Components
Video Demonstration – Install the Motherboard

This is a video demonstration about installing the motherboard:

Step 1: Align the motherboard in the correct direction.
Step 2: Locate the standoffs.
Step 3: Install standoffs in the computer case.
Step 4: Align I/O plate to back of computer case.
Step 5: Lower motherboard into place.
Step 6: Install the screws into the standoffs.

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Install the Motherboard Components
Select the Motherboard
When selecting a replacement
motherboard, make sure that it supports or
accommodates:
• CPU
• RAM
• Video adapter, other adapter cards
• Socket and chipset on motherboard are
compatible with the CPU
• The existing heat sink and fan
assembly when reusing the CPU
• The number/type of expansion slots.
They must match the existing adapter
cards and allow for new cards
• The existing power supply connections
must fit the new motherboard.
• New motherboard must fit into the
current computer case.

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Install the Motherboard Components
Select the CPU and CPU Cooling

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Install the Motherboard Components
Select the RAM
New RAM may be needed when an application locks up or
the computer displays frequent error messages. To
determine if the problem is the RAM, execute the RAM test
in the BIOS. The speed of the new RAM must be supported
by the chipset.

Memory may also be categorized as unbuffered or buffered:

• Unbuffered memory – This is regular memory for
computers. The computer reads data directly from the
memory banks making it faster than buffered memory.
• Buffered memory – Specialized memory for servers and
high-end workstations that use a large amount of RAM.
These have a control chip built into the module that
assists the memory controller in managing large
quantities of RAM.

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Install the Motherboard Components
Install the Motherboard in a Computer
In this lab, you will install a CPU, a heat sink/fan assembly,
and RAM module(s) on the motherboard. You will then install the
motherboard into
the computer case.

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Install Internal Drives
Video Demonstration - Install the Drives
This is a video demonstration about installing the Drives:
Hard Drive
Step 1: Position the HDD so that it aligns with the drive ay opening. The power and
interface connectors should be facing out towards the motherboard.
Step 2: Insert the HDD into the drive bay so that the screw holes in the drive line up
with the screw holes in the case.
Step 3: Secure the HDD to the case using the proper screws.

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Install Internal Drives
Video Demonstration - Install the Drives (Cont.)
This is a video demonstration about installing the Drives:
Optical Drive
Step 1: From the front of the case, choose the drive bay that you want to hold the
drive. Remove the faceplate from that bay if necessary.
Step 2: Position the optical drive so that it aligns with the 5.25 inch (13.34 cm) drive
bay opening at the front of the case.
Step 3: Insert the optical drive into the drive bay so that the optical drive screw holes
align with the screw holes in the case.
Step 4: Secure the optical

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Install Internal Drives
Select Hard Drives

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Install Internal Drives
Select Optical Drives

Optical Drive Capabilities

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Install Internal Drives
Install the Hard Drive

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Install Internal Drives
Install the Optical Drive
Step 1. From the front of the case, choose the drive bay
that you want to hold the drive. Remove the faceplate
from that bay if necessary.
Step 2: Position the optical drive so that it aligns with the
5.25 inch (13.34 cm.) drive bay opening at the front of
the case, as shown in the figure.
Step 3. Insert the optical drive into the drive bay so that
the optical drive screw holes align with the screw holes
in the case.
Step 4. Secure the optical drive to the case using the
proper screws.
Installation Tip: Slightly hand-tighten all the screws
before tightening any of them with a screw driver. This
will make it easier to tighten the last two screws.

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Install Internal Drives
Lab – Install the Drives
In this lab, you will install the hard disk and optical drives.

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Install the Adapter Cards
Video Demonstration – Install the Adapter Cards
This is a video demonstration about installing the Adapter Cards:
Step 1: Find an empty PCIe x16 slot on the case and remove the small metal cover.
Step 2: Align the video adapter card to the appropriate expansion slot on the
motherboard.
Step 3: Press down gently on the video adapter card until it is fully seated.
Step 4: Secure the video adapter card mounting bracket to the case with the
appropriate screw.

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Install the Adapter Cards
Select Adapter Cards
Adapter cards are designed for a specific task
and add extra functionality to a computer. There
are a variety of adapter cards: PCI
• Graphics
• Sound
• Storage Controller
• I/O
• NIC
• Capture PCIe x1
Adapter cards are inserted into two types of
expansion slots on a motherboard:
• Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
• PCI Express (PCIe) – PCIe has four types of
slots; x1, x4, x8, and x16.
PCIe x16

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Install the Adapter Cards
Other Factors for Adapter Card Selection

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Install the Adapter Cards
Install the Adapter Cards
Expansion cards are installed into an appropriate
slot on the motherboard.

• Installation Tip: Research the length of the

video card. Longer cards may not be
compatible with certain motherboards. Some
adapter cards may come with mounting
brackets of different heights to accommodate
these cases.
• Installation Tip: Some cases have small slots
at the bottom of the hole where the cover was
removed. Slide the bottom of the mounting
bracket into this slot before seating the card.

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Install the Adapter Cards
Lab - Install Adapter Card

In this lab, you will install a NIC, a wireless NIC, and a video adapter card

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Select Additional Storage
Select a Media Reader
Several media card formats have
been developed over the years
including:
•Secure digital (SD
•MicroSD
•MiniSD
•CompactFlash
•Memory Stick

Choose a media reader based on

current and future needs.

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Select Additional Storage
Select External Storage
External USB flash drives, sometimes
called thumb drives, are commonly
used as removable external storage.
External storage devices connect to
an external port using USB, eSATA,
or Thunderbolt ports.

Choose the correct type of external

storage for your customer’s needs.
For example, if your customer needs
to transfer a small amount of data,
such as a single presentation, an
external flash drive is a good choice.
If your customer needs to back up or
transfer large amounts of data,
choose an external hard drive.

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Install the Cables
Video Demonstration – Connect the Internal Power Cables
This is a video demonstration about connecting the internal power cables:
Step 1: Align the 24-pin ATX power connector to the socket on the motherboard.
Step 2: Gently press down on the connector until the clip clicks into place.
Step 3: Align the 4-pin auxiliary power connector to the socket on the motherboard.
Step 4: Gently press down on the connector until the clip clicks into place.
Step 5: Align the CPU fan power connector to the socket on the motherboard.
Step 6: Gently press down on the connector until the clip clicks into place.

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Install the Cables
Video Demonstration – Connect the Internal Data Cables
This is a video demonstration about connecting the internal data cables:
Step 1: Align the SATA cable and plug one end into the motherboard socket.
Step 2: Align the other end of the SATA cable and plug it into the smaller SATA port
on the drive.

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Install the Cables
Lab – Install Internal Cables

In this lab, you will install the internal power

and data cables in the computer.

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Install the Cables
Video Demonstration – Install the Front Panel Cables
This is a video demonstration about connecting the front panel cables:
Step 1: Plug the power cable into the system panel connector in the location marked
PWR_SW.
Step 2: Plug the reset cable into the system panel connector in the location marked
RESET.
Step 3: Plug the power LED cable into the system panel connector in the location
marked PWR_LED.
Step 4: Plug the drive activity LED into the system panel connector in the location
marked HDD_LED.
Step 5: Plug the speaker cable into the system panel connector in the location
marked SPEAKER.
Step 6: Plug the USB cable into the USB connector.
Step 7: Plug the audio cable into the audio connector.

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Install the Cables
Install the Front Panel Cables
A computer case
typically has a power
button and visible
activity lights on the
front of the case. The
case will include front
panel cables that must
be connected to a
common system panel
connector on a
motherboard. Writing on System Panel Connector
the motherboard near
the system panel
connector shows where
Front Panel Connectors
each cable is
connected.

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Install the Cables
Install the Front Panel Cables (Cont.)
System panel connectors
include:
• Power Button
• Reset Button
• Power LED
• Drive Activity LEDs
• System Speaker
• Audio

System panel connectors

are not keyed. However, System Panel Connector Pin 1
each front panel cable Indicator
usually has a small arrow
indicating pin 1, and each
pair of LED pins on the
motherboard system panel Pin 1 Arrow Indicator
connector has pin 1 marked
with a plus sign (+).

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Install the Cables
Install the Front Panel Cables (Cont.)
New cases and
motherboards have USB
3.0 or USB 3.1 capabilities.
USB connector cables are
often 9 or 10 pins arranged
in two rows. These cables
connect to USB
motherboard connectors.
This arrangement allows for
two USB connections, so USB Motherboard Connectors
USB connectors are often
in pairs. Sometimes the two
connectors are together in
one piece and can be
connected to the entire
USB motherboard
Internal USB Connector
connector.

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Install the Cables
Install the Front Panel Cables (Cont.)

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Install the Cables
Lab - Install the Front Panel Cables

In this lab, you will install the front panel cables in the computer.

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Install the Cables
Video Demonstration – Complete the Computer Assembly
This is a video demonstration about completing the computer assembly:
Step 1: Reattach the front panel (if necessary).
Step 2: Plug the power cable into the power supply.
Step 3: Orient and connect USB cables to USB ports.
Step 4: Orient and connect the video cable to the video port on the video
adapter.
Step 5: Tighten the video cable screws to the video adapter.
Step 6: Connect the network cable to the Ethernet port.
Step 7: Connect the audio cables to the audio ports.
Step 8: Place the side panel cover onto the case and slide it closed.
Step 9: Tighten any screws to secure the side panel cover.

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Install the Cables
Lab – Complete the Computer Assembly

In this lab, you will install the side panels

and the external cables on the computer.

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2.2 Chapter Summary

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Conclusion
Chapter 2: PC Assembly

• Build a computer.
• Define general and fire safety standards.
• Connect the power supply.
• Install the motherboard components.
• Install internal drives.
• Install the adapter cards.
• Identify additional storage.
• Connect computer components with appropriate cables.

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