Contents 1 Introduction 2 The Components 3 Installing the Motherboard 4 Install the CPU 5 Attach the Power Supply and Other Connectors 6 Install the Floppy Drive 7 Install the Hard Disk 8 Install the CD/ DVD -ROM Drive 9 Install the Video Card 10 Try it Out 11 See Also   Introduction Assembling your own computer is satisfying and can save money, too. This is especially true if you intend to load Linux on your system, since you will be able to avoid the hidden cost of MS Windows. This document does not explain everything you need to know. It focuses on a very specific set of hardware components. You will find additional information and guidance in the See Also section below. Rather than attempting to tell you everything you need to know or to anticipate every problem you might run into, this document gives, instead, a sequence of steps that you can follow along with hints, clues, and advice that I learned during the assembly of my own computer and which I think might be helpful. The Components Here is what you need to order: Case and power supply -- Pro Source Koala Silver Mid-Tower Case w/350W Power Supply & Side Panel 80mm Fan, Model 508U-SL-SF - Retail. Video card -- ATI OEM Rage 128 Pro chipset XPERT 2000 PRO chipset 32MB 4X AGP,Powered By ATI CPU -- Motherboard -- ECS "K7S5A PRO" SiS 735, USB 2.0, SOCKET A Motherboard -RETAIL(Back Plate Included) Memory -- Apacer 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-2100 Infineon Original Chipset - OEM Fan and heat sink -- Speeze ''WhisperRock II''CPU Cooler, Model:5F263B1M3G for AMD/Intel Socket A/370 Hard drive -- Installing the Motherboard Check the backplane template. It's the plate through which the connectors for the keyboard, mouse, etc show through. The motherboard comes with a replacement template. You may have to replace the one in the case. Lay the case on its side. Place the motherboard in the case. Make sure that all connectors on the backplane are properly exposed through the backplane template. Fasten with 6 screws. Install the CPU Make sure that you are grounded. Open (lift) the CPU socket lever. Look carefully at the pin arangement on the CPU and the CPU socket. It is constructed so that it only fits one way. Do not force the CPU. It's a zero-force insertion socket. Lower the CPU socket lever and press in and under to latch it. Attach the heat sink and fan. The Speeze heat sink and fan comes with pretty good instructions. A few hints: Make sure that you use a small, flat blade screwdriver that fits securely in the attachment bracket. You do not want it to slip out and scratch components on the motherboard. After you have attached both ends of the bracket, make sure that they are seated properly and hooked securely. I had one pop off after turing on my system, ruining the CPU and motherboard. At least that's what I had to replace to fix it. Make sure that the power connector from the fan is close enough to the CPU fan power connector on the motherboard. Be sure to connect the heat sink power connector. Attach the Power Supply and Other Connectors The power supply has a single, large, rectangular connector. Insert this in the power connector on the motherboard. The other connectors from the case are tricky. Look at: The writing on the connectors at the end of the wires from the case. The instructions that came with the case. The diagram and chart in the manual for the motherboard. Match the wires from the case to the connectors on the motherboard and connect. Install the Floppy Drive Place the floppy drive in the case and fasten with 4 screws (though 2 screws are probably enough). You may have to remove a plastic cover cut-out from the case in order to expose the front of the floppy drive. Connect the floppy to the motherboard. The K7S5A motherboard comes with a floppy drive connector cable. The K7S5A motherboard has a special connector for the floppy drive. Connect one of the power supply cables to the floppy drive. Notice that the floppy drive power connector (plug) is smaller than those used for hard drives and CD-ROMs. Install the Hard Disk Set the jumper on the drive (next to the connector) to select "Master". Note for later: If and when in the future you wish to add another hard drive, one way to do so is to set the jumpers on the new hard drive to make it a "Slave" and connect it with the same IDE cable as the first hard drive. Place the hard disk in the case and fasten with 4 screws (though 2 screws are probably enough). Connect the hard disk to the motherboard to IDE slot 1. The K7S5A motherboard comes with an IDE connector cable. The motherboard has two sockets (connectors) for IDE devices. They should be labeled "IDE1" and "IDE2". Connect one of the power supply cables to the hard drive. Install the CD / DVD - ROM Drive Set the jumper on the CD / DVD -ROM drive. Here you have a choice. You can either: Attach the CD-ROM to IDE connector 1 and make the CD-ROM a slave. In this case, you will set the jumper on the CD-ROM to "Slave" and attach the CD-ROM drive to the same IDE cable as the hard drive. Or, Attach the CD-ROM to IDE connector 2 and make the CD-ROM a master. In this case you will set the jumper on the CD-ROM to "Master" and attach the CD-ROM drive with a separate cable to IDE slot 2. In order to use this method, you will need a second IDE cable. Connect one of the power supply cables to the CD-ROM drive. Install the Video Card Identify the AGP connector slot in the motherboard. Refer to the diagram in the motherboard manual. Remove the backplane connector cover for the AGP slot. Press the video card into the AGP slot. Secure it to the back plane with a screw. Try it Out You should now be ready to give your system a try. Close the case. Check to determine that the power selector on the case is set correctly. In the US, at least, it should be at 115V. Attach connectors to the backplane for your mouse, keyboard, monitor, and power. Power it up. Press the Delete key to enter the BIOS setup. Review the BIOS settings. Here are a few that you may want to pay attention to: See Also IIDDS Articles and Forums