To start out, make sure you have all of the proper parts laid out. It is highly recommended that you work with latex gloves, to avoid natural oils on your skin and fingers coming in contact with the hardware. You should also stay grounded at all times (do not stand on a surface that could generate static electricity, such as a carpet or a rug). To stay grounded, start by touching a solid surface – the easiest way is to rest your hand on your computer case.

The first step is to begin opening your hardware. Make sure you have everything before we begin – your motherboard, RAM, CPU chip, case, power supply (PSU), and whatever else you may have bought (video and sound card). You’ll want to keep your manual for the case handy, since you will be referring to it often. Start by laying the case down on a flat surface, and opening the side panel. When the panel is removed, you will want to take notice to the holes on the motherboard tray. Lay your motherboard over the holes, and find which ones you will be using to screw and fasten the motherboard down. It may be helpful at this point to refer to your motherboard and case manual, to ensure you are properly screwing the piece of hardware down, and using the correct holes.

Once the motherboard is tightly (but not too tightly) fastened in, just enough so it won’t fall off, you’ll want to place your RAM into the allocated memory slots. Refer to the motherboard manual, as it will show you where the memory slots are, and how to open/release them. Generally, there will be two white tabs on either side of a memory slot. You simply push them open, insert the RAM, and push gently. If inserted properly, the white tabs will close, locking the RAM into place.

Now you’ll need to insert the CPU chip. This can be difficult for newcomers, and you must take your time to make sure it is inserted properly, otherwise you may ruin the chip. Be gentle when you insert it – you should not have to push the chip, instead, it will simply fall into place. After it falls into place, lock the chip in with the metal guard (refer to motherboard manual). At this point, you may want to apply some thermal paste to the top of the CPU chip carefully. Apply a small dot in the center of the CPU, and smooth it out into an even coat using something such as a credit-card. When you have a nice, smooth, even coat applied, lay the heatsink over the CPU, and lock the pins.

We’re almost done! Up next you’ll want to insert your video card into the proper slot (refer to motherboard manual), and sound card (if purchased). These are similar to the RAM – you will open a tab, and push the card in, until the tab locks.

The motherboard should now be finished. All that’s left to do is install the hard drive, dvd-drive, and power supply. You should refer to your case manual for these, as all cases are different. It shouldn’t take very long, and once everything is in, the last part is hooking it all up. Refer to your hardware manuals for this part, since it can be a bit tricky.

Once everything is installed, and the PSU is hooked up to all of the hardware, slide the side panel of your case back on, fasten it on, and plug in your peripherals (mouse, keyboard, monitor, power). If the computer turns on, and you see an output on the monitor, then so far, so good! From this point on, you will need to install an OS (windows, os x), and the proper drivers which came with your hardware, usually on a CD.

Lastly, enjoy your new computer!