How do I put it all together?

What are all these slots and plugs on my motherboard for?

If you have already bought your parts and have taken them out of the box, this is probably the first question you will be asking about your motherboard. Don’t worry, if you click the link above you will see an interactive graphic that will tell you about all the parts of a motherboard. You will need to refer to this often when you start connecting the peripherals and power to your motherboard.

How do I mount the MotherBoard?

The first thing you must do is mount your motherboard to the case. Then you can start connecting the peripherals. Be sure you have all your screws and nylon brackets available.  take your time and touch the case before handling the motherboard to rid your body of static electricity.

Which way do the ribbon cables go?
& What do I do with those jumpers on the drives?

Most ribbon cables are not keyed, meaning that they will only go on the drive one way. That is why you must know the importance of the red stripe on the ribbon cable. The links above gives you a nice tutorial about correctly connecting your drives and setting up their jumpers.

What can I do to squeeze more speed from my computer?

There are many different things you can do to squeeze more speed from your PC.  These are not just component upgrades but also configuration changes. Refer to our article on Performance for more information.

Article last reviewed: 05/22/2003

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