In this fast-paced, technology crazed world, we as individuals want the very best in the easiest way possible. This is no different when it comes to a personal computer, otherwise know as a PC. Unfortunately, people really don't do the work in order to find out which PC is best for them. Also, there is always the threat that comes from criminals and unethical businesses that take advantage of people looking for quality products. Imagine this; you decide to go on the perfect vacation. The smart way to proceed is to research and plan who, what, what, when, where, why and how you are going to take this vacation. These are the same type of questions an individual must answer first in order to purchase, make or design a personal computer (PC,2011)
. The purpose of this paper is to go through the steps of how an individual can design and make a personal computer.
BEFORE YOU START
Basic Terminology
We will explore the basic terminology of various computer parts necessary to create a PC. The first term will explore is the motherboard. The motherboard is the main circuit board that all components are connected to or wired (Rosenthal,2002). It's normally the first item installed in the case/ tower. The mother board provides power to all the other components such as the CPU, memory, internal/ external drives, keyboard and adapters (PC,2011)
. A motherboard design is dictated by the tower/case (Rosenthal,2002). Without a good fit, the motherboard is useless.
The second term is case/tower. The case/tower provides the framework to organize and support all the components associated with a typical hard drive; similar to a house (Rosenthal,2002). The case/tower is what houses the internal components of a computer.
Next is the CPU or central processing unit. A CPU is known as the brains of a computer (PC,2011)
. The CPU sends out instructions for every operation the software programs require (Rosenthal,2002). A CPU is rated by the speed is measure in Hertz. Hertz is the number of cycles a CPU completes in one second (Rosenthal,2002). The more instructions the CPU can do, the faster the computer will appear to be. The CPU usually comes with a heat sink/fan combo to help keep it cool. A CPU will produce a lot of heat when its' in operation. Fourth, is the RAM or random access memory. Ram provides fast temporary storage form which a CPU draws the data it needs to operate (Rosenthal,2002). RAM is measured in Mb(1,000,000 bytes and Gb(1,000,000,000 bytes).
Any computer needs electricity to function. The electricity is provided by the power supply (Rosenthal,2002). These are rated by watts. A watt is the unit of measure of electrical power (voltage x amps). The amount of wattage provided by the power supply must be at least equal to all the other computer components power needs(learn,2011).
The floppy drive is where small disks usually 3 ½" and 2 1/8" in sized and are used to save document/pictures or create ASRs (Rosenthal,2002). ASR stands for Automated System Recovery which is useful in case to system failure.
Hard drives provide permanent storage of data for the computer, also measured in mb, Gb (1,000,000 bytes and 1,000,000,000 bytes respectively) (learn,2011) Computers today will usually contain a CD or DVD Drive. The CD/DVD drove is used to burn and play CD's or DVDs; look for a DVD -RW drive that can accomplish both (Rosenthal,2002).
A computer isn't any good without the ability to take input from the user and transmit that data to the computer (youtube,2011). A keyboard and mouse are the primary tools for inputting information (PC,2011)
. These two components come in a variety of options such as wireless (Rosenthal,2002).
Lastly, a user will need something that will allow the user to see the output a computer produces. This is the job of the monitor which is basically a display screen that shows the result of the input given by the user into the computer. Having all the basic parts to make a computer is only half the battle. Now it is time to assemble all the pieces/parts to make them work together as a full-functioning computer.
ASSEMBLY
Assembling a computer requires the right tools, a good plan and correct knowledge to troubleshoot any mistakes that occur in assembly. Here's a list of the tools you will need to assemble a computer: a Phillip's head screwdriver, long nose pliers, anti-static strap and a flashlight (Williams,2011)
.
Step one, take the case out of the box. Step two, place the power supply. Step three, take the motherboard out and place on a flat surface (Williams,2011)
. Make sure you have your anti-static strap attached to your wrist and attached to a metal surface. Step Four, unlatch the socket on the motherboard, and place the CPU in the socket. Step five, place the heat sink/cooling fan combo on top of the CPU (Williams,2011)
. This will help keep the CPU cool down during operation. Step six; connect the power plug of the fan/heat sink to the motherboard (Williams,2011)
. Step seven, Install the Ram onto the motherboard. Step eight, mount the motherboard in the case. Step nine, connect the power plugs for speakers, case fans, hard drive light, power light, power switch and reset buttons, motherboard and alternate CPU power (Williams,2011)
. Step ten, place all the internal drives, hard drives, DVD, floppy drive, and attach all the corresponding cables to the mother board (Williams,2011)
. Step 11, close up the case and connect the case to the printer, monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers. After all this is done, turn on the power and check if everything works. Step 13, install the operating system software chosen for the computer (Williams,2011)
.
With any assembly, complications can occur. Some common complications are: power issues and boot up issues (Williams,2011)
. When dealing with power issues, take the following steps. First, make sure your computer is plugged into a good outlet. Second, read the monitors and documentation to make sure the monitor, CPU, heat sink, memory modules, cooling fan and power switch are connected properly (Rosenthal,2002). If you have power and everything is connected properly and there is still a problem, then there is a defunct part. Boot up issues can stem from the floppy drive, hard drive, DVD drive and operating system (Williams,2011)
. Floppy drive problems could be form improper placement of the data cable or a bad power connection. Hard drive problems can include the issues with floppy drive in addition to the hard drive being defective, making unnecessary noise (Williams,2011)
. Any issues concerning the CD/DVD drive can be addressed by checking the small audio cable attached t other sound card. Of course not every situation or problem is covered in this paper; however, more support can be found via the Internet and manufacturer's websites.
In conclusion, designing a PC can be a challenging endeavor. However with a good plan that includes knowing what you want out of a computer, knowing and having all the necessary parts and basic trouble shooting techniques will help any keep any individual on track. For further information in creating your pc, check out this website www.newegg.com. All these tips will assist you in making the best PC for your needs with confidence.
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/motherboard-callouts.jpgfig.1-motherboard
http://www.mysuperpc.com/antec_sonata_3_computer_case.jpgfig-2 case/tower
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/power-supply1.jpgfig-3 power supply
How to build a computer - Western Digital Caviar SE 640GB SATA hard drivefig-4 hard drive
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/motherboard-dimm.jpgfig-4 memory
How to build a computer - Zalman CNPS9500 AT CPU coolerfig-5 cpu cooler/fan
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/microprocessor-athlon-64.jpgfig-7 cpu
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Samsung DVD RW fig-8 dvd
The previous pictures were supplied by www.mysuperpc.com and www.computer.howstuffworks.com/computer-hardware-pictures.htm.
