Datasheet

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Part I: Preparations and Planning
Assembly 101
You might have heard a horror story or two about someone who tried to build a PC
and ended up being sucked through a black hole into another dimension. When you
announce to the world that you’re going to build your own computer, you’re likely to
face a number of common myths:
⻬
“Why, you have to be practically psychic about how machinery works to
stick your hands inside a computer!”
Wrong. In fact, you don’t have to
know how any of the components work, so you don’t have to be an expert
in laser optics, magnetism, or electronic theory. You just need to connect
the parts together correctly and attach them to the motherboard and com-
puter case.
⻬
“You can’t build a computer on a card table, you know. You’re going to
need an airstrip, a complete toolkit, and a warehouse full of parts.”
Nope.
You can not only assemble a computer on your dining room table but also
do so with no special tools. Find your favorite screwdriver, and you’re a
lean, mean, computer-assembling machine.
⻬
“It’s going to take you years to put together a computer. Heck, by the time
you’re finished, your computer will already be out of date.”
Depends on
how long it takes. No, no — just kidding! This myth is
definitely false. If you
have all your components ready to go, assembling a PC is a first-time proj-
ect that you can easily finish during a long weekend.
⻬
“Something’s not going to work with something else. You’ll see.” Wrong
again. (Geez, who
are these people? They probably still think that airplanes
will never get off the ground.) Today’s computer components are designed
to work with each other. Regardless of what brand name you buy or how
much you spend, if you buy a standard computer device, it should join in
that big cooperative team effort that makes a working computer.
What’s the secret to building a PC? Time for the first Mark’s Maxim for this book:
There really isn’t a secret to building a PC.™
That’s why many people have started their own home businesses building custom
computers in their spare time — and why many thousands of my readers have built
their own computers using this book. Building a computer is fun — that is, after you
conquer your initial fear. Plus, you get a big ego boost after people find out that you
built your own computer. Suddenly, you’re a genuine PC guru to your family and
friends, so be prepared to handle those technical support questions at your next
party.
Building a better computer
Over the past few years, I’ve developed a simple rule for myself, which applies per-
fectly to building anything from a mousetrap to a computer. I call this rule
CA —
or, for those who can’t stand abbreviations, commonsense assembly. The idea is a
simple one: You can prevent most mistakes while assembling a PC by using a little
common sense.
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