How to install a CPU on a Motherboard

Jay Simenson: Hi, I am Jay with Valcom Computers. We are here learning how to build a computer today. This clip is the box and what goes in it. We will be putting the power supply, the motherboard, the RAM, and the processor in the case. So let's get started with the case.

We will open up the side here. All cases are a little bit different; this one just slides back, put your thumb here, and then pull it back, slides off, and then you have access to the case. Computer cases are cheap and plentiful, so don't be tempted to use a case like this, even though its free.

This is the power supply, and it slides into the top of the case. I am going to attach this with for four Phillips screws. Slides in there, take our Phillips screwdriver, put the four screws in here, and make sure that screws are tight. So I have started by attaching my static strap to the case, and now we will be opening up the processor and putting that on the motherboard.

This is the CPU; it has two alignment notches on either side of the chip; the left side, the right side. It will align the chip into the socket when you insert it. So flip it over. It slides right into the socket so that there should be no force used when putting the processor in there. Then put the locking mechanism back over the top of the processor and lock it down.

Now we are going to install the fan on top of the processor. Depending on your heat sink and fan combination, you may need to install thermo grease. This heat sink comes with thermo grease already applied, so we will not need to do that in this step. We will just be putting the fan down on the motherboard, making sure our fan header can reach the fan supply, so we will need to rotate it one more time. The heat sink fan just sits down on the motherboard, make sure your clips are aligned, and then just press down on that, and that will seat that in there.

The fan attaches to the motherboard on this header here, just slide it right over the pins, and you have your fan attached. You want to route the fan wiring around the heat sink so that doesn't get caught up while its running. There we go.

Now we will be installing the memory. Take it out of its case here. The RAM is slotted, so it can only go into the module one way. You want to make sure you align that, and slide that right into the opening. If you push down with lots of pressure on one side, it will click, and then you come over on the other side, and click it in also. You can hear that snapping, and the memory is installed. We will be installing the second sticky memory. Make sure you put the memory in the same matching color on the memory's modules, and it goes in the same way; slides in, click on the left hand side, click over here, and that's our second memory stick installed.

This is the I/O shield for the motherboard. We will be installing it in the case before we put the motherboard in. It slides in the opening back here and snaps into place. Next, we need to make sure all the standoffs are installed for the motherboard. They are these screws here, and there are several of them, depending on your motherboard. They are located all over the case here. Just make sure they line up to the motherboard before you put those in.

So now the motherboard will pick it up by the processor. You want to be careful not to pick it up anywhere else. We will just slide it in here. Then make sure you align it to the I/O shield, slide it up into its place. We will start with the first screw, start down here in one corner. Don't tighten the screw all the way until we get all of them installed, then we will go back and make sure they are all tight. The last screw, and then we will go back over and make sure they are all tightened down correctly. There, now we have the motherboard secure in the case.

In the next clip we will be installing the wiring, the fans, the video card, and the drives.