Step-by-step PC assembly order and first boot checklist

Before you start

• Clear a large, well-lit table and work on a hard surface, not carpet.
• Tools: a magnetic Phillips screwdriver, cable ties, a torch and small bowls for screws.
• Ground yourself by touching bare metal on the case before handling parts, and avoid working in socks on carpet.
• Keep the motherboard on its box, not on the anti-static bag, which can conduct on the outside.

Step 1: build on the motherboard outside the case

1. Install the CPU. Lift the socket lever, line up the triangle marking on the CPU with the one on the socket, and lower it in without force. Close the lever; on Intel boards the plastic cover pops off as you do.
2. Install the memory in the slots the manual recommends for two sticks. Press firmly until the clips click.
3. Install the M.2 SSD in the main slot, remove any heatsink film and secure it.
4. Fit the CPU cooler if it is an air cooler or if the case leaves room. Check whether the cooler needs paste applied or has it pre-applied, and fit any backplate or mounting kit first. Plug the fan into the CPU fan header.

Step 2: prepare the case

1. Remove the side panels and any drive cages you will not use.
2. Check motherboard standoffs match your board's mounting holes. Many cases have them pre-installed.
3. Install the rear I/O shield if your board does not have one built in.
4. Fit the power supply, fan facing out through a vent, and run the main cables through to where they will be needed.

Step 3: mount the motherboard

1. Lower the board in at an angle, lining the ports up with the I/O shield.
2. Screw it down to the standoffs, firmly but without overtightening.
3. Connect the 24-pin motherboard power and the CPU power cables at the top left of the board. Check whether your board needs one or two CPU power cables.

Step 4: connect the case wiring

1. Front panel connectors for power switch, reset switch and LEDs. Use the motherboard manual's diagram; these small plugs are the most common source of confusion.
2. Front USB and audio headers.
3. Case fans to fan headers or a fan hub.
4. A liquid cooler's radiator, pump and fans, if you use one, following its manual.

Step 5: install the graphics card

1. Remove the slot covers at the back of the case.
2. Push the card into the top full-length PCIe slot until the latch clicks, then screw it to the case.
3. Connect the power cables fully. On cards with a 12V-2x6 or 12VHPWR connector, push it in until it is completely seated and avoid sharp bends right at the plug.

The first boot checklist

• CPU power and 24-pin cables are seated
• The graphics card has its power cables connected
• The CPU fan is plugged into the CPU fan header
• The monitor cable goes into the graphics card, not the motherboard
• The power supply switch at the back is on
• Nothing loose is lying on the board or in a fan

Switching on

1. Press the power button and watch the fans and the motherboard's debug lights.
2. Be patient. A first boot, particularly with DDR5, can take several minutes of black screen while the memory trains.
3. Enter the BIOS (often the Delete key) and check the CPU, memory capacity and SSD are all detected.
4. Enable XMP or EXPO for the memory, set fan curves if you wish, and update the BIOS if needed.
5. Install Windows from a USB stick, then the motherboard chipset drivers and the graphics driver from the makers' websites.

Tidy up