Build own PC -Glossary

GLOSSARY Welcome to the glossary.  This has been created to help you with some terms you might not be familiar with. ACRONYMS There are a lot of different acronyms used when talking about computers.  Here are a few of the more common ones: KB (Kilobytes) Used to define size - it means times one thousand. MB (Megabytes) Used to...

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Build own PC -Parts List/Shopping List

Parts List/Shopping List ____   CPU/Processor Recommended: Although we used a Pentium III for our PC, we recommend purchasing a Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor.  As of this writing these were available in speeds well over 2-3 GHz.   Usually the very fastest Pentium chip is VERY expensive - a good alternative...

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Build own PC -Completing The System

Booting Up for the First Time 1. Check that your monitor, your keyboard and mouse are all plugged in correctly. 2. Turn your monitor on, and let it heat up a few seconds before proceeding. 3. Keep in mind what to expect - you may need to act quickly! 4. Turn on your PC. The power LED should turn on, the cooling fans should start spinning,...

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Build own PC -Checking Your Work

JUMPER SETTINGS The term “jumper” gets tossed around a lot when it comes to upgrading computers.  A jumper refers to both a small piece of plastic called a “shunt” that is used to connect two pins together and the pins themselves.  Jumpers can be found everywhere including your motherboard, hard drive, CD/DVD drive, sound, video, network...

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Build own PC -Making Final Connection

If your connections are different Check your motherboard’s instruction manual.  All good motherboards come with a detailed manual, which has diagrams for your particular board.  By referring to these diagrams, it is very easy to see which connectors go where.  If you are using an AT style motherboard If you are using this type...

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Build own PC -Installing The CD/DVD Writer Drives

About CD-ROM/DVD Drives CD-ROM drives are an essential part of any PC.  With almost 100% of software being distributed on CD-ROM, it is almost impossible to get by without one.  However, with the introduction of DVD-ROM drives, users can get all the benefit of a CD-ROM drive and watch DVD movies by upgrading to this new standard. ...

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Build own PC -Installing The Hard Drive & Floppy

About Hard Drives The technology that determines the amount of data a hard drive can store is growing by leaps and bounds.  Literally every month, each dollar you spend on a drive will get you more and more space and with that space comes a place to store more pictures, video files, documents, games and application software.  But that’s...

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