Have I Got The Steps To Installing My New Hardware Right?

[Vanchatron]

Tomorrow for Christmas I'll be getting the following:

Motherboard
CPU
Power Supply
Video Card

I'll be taking a few parts from my current PC and adding them to the new motherboard along with the new parts and was just wondering whether the following steps are right for installing everything, and whether I've missed anything out:

1) Putting the mobo into my PC Case & attaching the Power Supply to it.

2) Attaching the Video Card, CPU, CD/DVD Rom Drive, Floppy Drive, Hard Drive.

3) Booting up the PC, going into the Bios, selecting 'Boot From CD' and re-installing Windows XP

4) Restarting the PC (and I'm assuming everything will boot up fine)

5) Installing the Video Card drivers

Now I know I've most definitely left something out but seeing as this is my first time upgrading to a new PC I'm not 100% knowledgeable on the subject.


HK

[david eaton]

Personally, I would insert the CPU, and fix the heatsink/fan before mounting th motherboard in the case. From experience, there is a LOT more room to work! Might even fit the RAM, and do a bare bones boot out of the case, then you know that the motherboard is working

[jlreich]

Install CPU/HSF, one stick of ram.

Do a bare bones boot outside of the case. This is optional, but it can save you a lot of headache if there is something wrong with the mobo.

Install mobo in case - Hook up font panel wires

Install video card and hook up monitor

Try a boot. Go into the BIOS to make sure CPU and ram are recognized, and system and CPU temps are good.

If all is well, add in the rest of your ram.

Boot

Add in a CD/DVD drive and hard drive

Boot

If all is well, install the OS

As soon as the OS in finished, install the latest mobo drivers that you have previously download from the chipset manufacturers website onto a thumb drive or burned to a CD. Never use the drivers on the CD that come with the mobo as they are usually outdated.

Install video drivers

Install AV and Firewall

Go get all the windows updates.

Install any other components you have not installed yet. Such as printer, extra hard drives etc.

Grab a six pack of you favorite beverage and some chips, install your favorite game, and enjoy. :D

[sassie05]

Jlreich,
I would change the order of just one item! Grab the Six pack then install the OS;) :D .

[kiosk]

2) Attaching the Video Card, CPU

Remove the protective foil from the thermal pad on the heatsink before fitting it onto the cpu/mainboard. You wouldn't believe how many people miss this part.

[jlreich]

You know I have never seen any protective film on any CPU I have installed. I always check just to be sure, but it's never there. :confused:

Maybe I have just been lucky. Maybe it's because I have installed many more AMD than Intel chips?

I would change the order of just one item! Grab the Six pack then install the OS .
Yeah you have a good point. :D