NOVEMBER 2004 MA XIMUMPC 31

Build Your PC The Right Way

Got a Phillips head screwdriver? Good. It’s all you need to build

a custom rig. Well, that, a few hours, and our expert 21-point guide

to building a computer—the right way. The Maximum PC way

BY WILL SMITH

W

e’re going to say this one more time,

for good measure. If you own a Phillips

head screwdriver, you can build your

own PC. And, frankly, you’d be a fool

not to. Custom-building a computer

is one of the great spirit quests of our time—it

separates the men from the boys, the hardcore

from mainstream, the Maximum PC readers from

the readers of... um, lesser PC magazines. You call

yourself a power user? We say, prove it, buddy.

Step up to the plate and BYO —Build. Your. Own.

The reality is that building your own PC is actu-

ally simpler than assembling a bicycle or a piece

of Ikea furniture. But that’s not to say the process

is free of potential pitfalls. If you want to build a

machine using the latest cutting-edge hardware,

there’s a lot you need to know before you begin.

Improperly inserting an LGA775 processor can

destroy your CPU, your motherboard, or both! To

avoid such a tragedy, we’re going to show you how

to build your PC the right way. The only way. The

Maximum PC way.

Inside this epic tale of PC building gone good,

you will find:

A LAUNDRY LIST detailing each and every

component you need—for PCs of three different

price-ranges. Each configuration is Maximum PC -

certified, meaning our Lab experts hand-built it and

guarantee it will work.

A SHORT CHECK LIST detailing each and every

step you need in order to build your system. Clip it

and save it for later!

A CUT-OUT QUICK REFERENCE that allows you

to record your PC’s most vital information.

A COMPREHENSIVE 9-PAGE WALK-THROUGH

where we show you every single step necessary

to assemble your PC, get Windows running, and

troubleshoot any problems you encounter along

the way.

Oh, one more thing before we begin: static elec-

tricity. In short, it can kill sensitive computer com-

ponents like CPUs and videocards, so it’s important

you ground yourself, which prevents static buildup

from occurring between you and your case. Simply

touch a metal portion of

the case before you pick up

any of your components

and you’ll be just fine.

Now clear off a nice

big workspace (the den

will do nicely) and let’s

get started!

WARNING!

Think you’re an expert?

Think again. Some of the

new hardware we’re going

to discuss can be delicate

and requires special care

to install. Read our guide

now or risk destroying your

expensive hardware!