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• How to build a computer | Build your custom computer | Build me a computer
  How to build a computer - Many people are intimidated by the inside of a computer case. At first glance all those wires and components look confusing and impossibly high-tech.
  
  
• Building Your Own Computer | Computer custom built
  Before building a new computer you must decide what it will be used for. This will allow you to allocate your budget to purchase specialized equipment where needed. For example, if you plan to play a lot of games, you will need a powerful graphics card and specialized controllers like joysticks. If the computer is going to be used for word processing and surfing the net, your graphics card doesn't need to be so powerful. Instead, you could spend extra money on a keyboard and mouse.
  
  
• Building Your Own Computer Part Two | Build my own computer
  After purchasing all the components for your new computer, you are ready to put it all together. Choose a dry, dust free work area that gets plenty of light. To minimize static, you should not work in an area which has carpets.
  
  
• Building Your Own Computer Part | Make your own computer
  Your motherboard should now be installed on the motherboard plate. The reason for installing it on the plate before adding the components like the CPU is to minimize the amount of handling the motherboard receives. Once it's mounted on the plate, there will be a very little need to touch the motherboard itself.
  
  
• Building Your Own Computer Part Four
  If you are installing the motherboard on a removable plate, the only thing left to do to prepare the motherboard for the case is install the memory. Press down on the tabs on either side of the memory module slots and insert the RAM. Memory modules are notched so it is impossible to put them in the wrong way. When they are in place, gently lift the tabs to secure the module in place.
  
  
• Building Your Own Computer Part Five
  Before installing the hard drives and optical drives in the computer case, they should be configured properly. The newer SATA drives do not need to be configured at all and can be simply installed in the case, but the traditional ATA (also called IDE or EIDE) drives have jumpers that set them as either 'Master' or 'Slave.'
  
  
• Building Your Own Computer – Part Six
  You are now ready to install the expansion cards. There are three basic types of expansion slots -- AGP, PCI, and PCI Express. Modern motherboards usually have a selection of PCI and PCI express slots, but for the video card there's usually either an AGP or a PCI Express slot. Your video card has to be the correct type to match.
  
  
• Building Your Own Computer Part Seven | Make your own computer
  The two main contenders are Windows and Linux. While Linux has some advantages over Windows, the majority of software on the market today is designed to be used under Windows. It is advisable to install the latest version of Windows (Windows XP), and if you have a special need for Linux or just want to see what it has to offer, it can be installed as a second operating system later.
  
  
• Computer Accessories Part One
  Besides the essential components of the computer like the motherboard, the CPU and the hard drive, there are many useful peripherals that can be added. These two articles will take a look at some of the extra components you can buy to make your computer more useful and productive.
  
  
• Computer Accessories - Part Two
  The previous article looked at some computer 'accessories' that, although often overlooked, are nonetheless essential components of every computer. This article will look at some of the true accessories – useful but not essential.
  
  
• Hard Drives – Part One
  When we talk about computer memory we usually think of RAM – Random Access Memory. Computer memory is not just about RAM however. The hard disk is also a form of memory. When the computer is turned off all your work and other data can be stored on the hard drive for later retrieval.
  
  
• Hard Drives Part Two
  How big should your hard drive be? As we saw in the previous article, the file system your computer uses can determine the maximum size, but if you are using Windows XP and the NTFS file system the sky is the limit (almost).
  
  
• The Motherboard Part One
  When you open up a computer case you see a large printed circuit board underneath all the other components. This circuit board is the motherboard. The function of the motherboard is to provide power and connections to all the other components of the computer.
  
  
• The Motherboard Part Two
  If you are in the market for a new motherboard, there are several things you need to consider to make a good choice. If you wish to use your existing CPU, you are limited to buying a motherboard that accepts that type of CPU. However, if you wish to upgrade both the motherboard and the CPU, you have many more options.
  
  
• CPU Basics
  The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is often described as the 'brain' of the computer. Perhaps describing it as the 'engine' may be more appropriate - it has no innate intelligence of its own, and more powerful CPUs cannot do more complex work; they simply work faster.
  
  
• Computer Components
  There are many fancy add-ons that can be incorporated into a computer, but before these can be installed the basic components of the computer must be connected and operating correctly. If one of these main components is missing the computer will not operate.
  
  
• Graphics Cards
  In order to interact with a computer (enter information and see the results) we need both an input device and an output device. We enter information with the keyboard, mouse, or microphone (to name a few), and the computer outputs sound and/or visuals.
  
  
• The Basics of Computer Memory
  Computer memory is a storage area for both program code and data which is currently in use. Computer programs can write and retrieve information from memory in any order, allowing for fast data retrieval and manipulation.
  
  
• Sound Cards
  Every year computers are becoming more important as multimedia entertainment stations. We are seeing computers move from the office into the living room and replacing the stereo system, the video player, the karaoke machine, and even the TV.
  
  
• Optical Drives – CD and DVD
  There are many ways to store computer data. Most of the data is kept on hard drives which are permanently installed in the computer case. Data can also be stored on removable media such as floppy disks, memory sticks, CDs and DVDs.