1. Fundamentals

The idea of building their first PC intimidates many people, but there’s really nothing to worry about. Building a PC is no more technically challenging than changing the oil in your car or hooking up a DVD player. Compared to assembling one of those “connect tab A to slot B” toys for the kids, it’s a breeze.

PC components connect like building blocks. Component sizes, screw threads, mounting hole positions, cable connectors, and so on are mostly standardized, so you needn’t worry about whether something will fit. There are minor exceptions, of course. For example, some small cases accept only microATX motherboards and half-height or half-length expansion cards. There are also some important details to pay attention to. You must verify, for example, that the motherboard you intend to use supports the processor you plan to use. But overall, there are few “gotchas” involved in building a PC. If you follow our advice in the project system chapters, everything will fit and everything will work together.

Nor do you need to worry much about damaging the PC—or it damaging you. Simple precautions such as handling components with reasonable care, grounding yourself before touching static-sensitive components, and verifying cable connections before you apply power are sufficient to prevent damage to all those expensive parts you bought. Other than inside the power supply—which you should never open—the highest voltage used inside a modern PC is 12V, which presents no shock hazard.

This chapter doesn’t cover the nuts-and-bolts details of assembling a PC, because that’s covered exhaustively in text and images in the project system chapters. Instead, this chapter explains the fundamentals—everything you need to prepare yourself properly. It examines the advantages of building your own PC and explains how to design a PC that is perfect for your needs. It tells you what you need to know and do before you start the project, and lists the components, hand tools, and software tools you’ll need to build your system. Finally, because the best way to troubleshoot is to avoid problems in the first place, it includes a detailed troubleshooting section.

Let’s get started.

Why Build a PC?

With entry-level PCs selling for less than $500 and fully equipped mainstream PCs for $1,000, you might wonder why anyone would bother to build a PC. After all, you can’t save any money building one, can you? Well, yes, you can. But that’s not the only reason to build a PC. There are many incentives:

Lower cost

PC makers aren’t in business for charitable reasons. They need to make a profit, so they need to sell computers for more than they pay for the components and the labor to assemble them. Significantly more, in fact, because they also need to support such expensive operations as research and development departments, toll-free support numbers, and so on.

But PC manufacturers get big price breaks because they buy components in huge volume, right? Not really. The market for PC components is extremely efficient, with razor-thin margins whether you buy one unit or 100,000. A volume purchaser gets a price break, certainly, but it’s a lot smaller than most people think.

Mass-market PCs are inexpensive not because the makers get huge price breaks on quality components, but because they generally use the cheapest possible components. Cost-cutting is a fact of life in mass-market, consumer-grade PCs. If mass-market PC makers can save a few bucks on the case or the power supply, they do it every time, even though spending a few dollars more (or even a few cents more) would have allowed them to build a noticeably better system. If you compare apples to apples—a home-built system versus a corporate business-class system—you’ll find you can build it yourself for less (sometimes a lot less). Our rule of thumb is that, on average and all other things being equal, you can build a midrange PC yourself for about 75% to 85% of what a major manufacturer charges for an equivalent top-quality system.

More choice

When you buy a PC, you get a cookie-cutter computer. You can choose such options as a larger hard drive, more memory, or a better display, but basically you get what the vendor decides to give you. If you want something that few people ask for, like a better power supply or quieter cooling fans or a motherboard with more features, you’re out of luck. Those aren’t options.

And what you get is a matter of chance. High-volume direct vendors like Dell and HP often use multiple sources for components. Two supposedly identical systems ordered the same day may contain significantly different components, including such important variations as different motherboards or displays with the same model number but made by different manufacturers. When you build a PC, you decide exactly what goes into it.

Flexible design

One of the best things about building your own PC is that you can optimize its design to focus on what is important to you and ignore what isn’t. Off-the-shelf commercial PCs are by nature jacks of all trades and masters of none. System vendors have to strike a happy medium that is adequate, if not optimum, for the mythical “average” user.

Want a small, quiet PC for your home theater system? There are three options. You can use a standard PC despite its large size and high noise level, you can pay big bucks for a system from a specialty builder that does just what you want, or you can build your own. Need a system with a ton of redundant hard disk storage for editing video or a professional audio workstation? Good luck finding a commercial system that fits your requirements, at least at a reasonable price. When you build your own PC, you can spend your money on things that matter to you, not things that don’t.

Better component quality

Most computer vendors cut costs by using cheaper OEM versions of popular components if they’re “visible” and no-name components if they’re not. By “visible” we mean a component that people might seek out by brand name even in a prebuilt PC, such as an ATI or NVIDIA video adapter. Invisible components are ones that buyers seldom ask about or notice, such as motherboards, optical and hard drives, power supplies, and so on.

OEM components may be identical to retail models, differing only in packaging. But even if the parts are the same, there are often significant differences. Component vendors usually do not support OEM versions directly, for example, instead referring you to the system vendor. If that system vendor goes out of business, you’re out of luck, because the component maker provides no warranty to end users. Even if the maker does support OEM products, the warranty is usually much shorter on OEM parts—often as little as 30 to 90 days. The products themselves may also differ significantly between OEM and retail-boxed versions. Major PC vendors often use downgraded versions of popular products, for example, an OEM video adapter that has the same or a very similar name as the retail-boxed product but runs at a lower clock rate than the retail version. This allows PC makers to pay less for components and still gain the cachet from using the name-brand product.

It’s worse when it comes to “invisible” components. We’ve popped the lid on scores of consumer-grade PCs over the years, and it never ceases to surprise us just how cheaply they’re built. Not one of them had a power supply that we’d even consider using in one of our own systems, for example. They’re packed with no-name motherboards, generic memory, the cheapest optical drives available, and so on. Even the cables are often shoddy. After all, why pay a buck more for a decent cable? In terms of reliability, we consider a consumer-grade PC a disaster waiting to happen.

No bundled software

Most purchased PCs include Microsoft Windows. If you don’t need or want this software, building a PC allows you to avoid paying the “Microsoft tax.”

Warranty

The retail-boxed components you’ll use to build your own PC include full manufacturer warranties that may run from one to five years or more, depending on the component. PC makers use OEM components, which often include no manufacturer warranty to the end user. If something breaks, you’re at the mercy of the PC maker to repair or replace it. We’ve heard from readers who bought PCs from makers who went out of business shortly thereafter. When a hard drive or video card failed six months later, they contacted the maker of the item, only to find that they had OEM components that were not under manufacturer warranty.

Experience

If you buy a computer, your experience with it consists of taking it out of the box and connecting the cables. If you build the computer, you know exactly what went into it, and you’re in a much better position to resolve any problems that may occur.

Upgrades

If you design and build your own PC, you can upgrade it later using industry-standard components. That’s sometimes not the case with commercial systems, some of which are intentionally designed to be incompatible with industry-standard components (although this is a less common practice today than when we wrote the first edition of this book). PC makers do this because they want to force you to buy upgrade and replacement components from them, at whatever price they want to charge.

Designing the Perfect PC

A sign you’ll see in many repair shops says, “Good. Cheap. Fast. Pick any two.” That’s also true of designing a PC. Every choice you make involves a trade-off, and balancing those trade-offs is the key to designing a PC that’s perfect for your needs. Each project system chapter has a graphic that looks something like this:

Price	✩✩✩✩✩
Reliability	✩✩✩✩✩
Size	✩✩✩✩✩
Noise level	✩✩✩✩✩
Expandability	✩✩✩✩✩
Processor performance	✩✩✩✩✩
Video performance	✩✩✩✩✩
Disk capacity/performance	✩✩✩✩✩

Ah, if it were only true. Reality, of course, is different. One can’t put the highest priority on everything. Something has to give. As Frederick the Great said of designing military defenses, “He who defends everything defends nothing.” The same is true of designing a PC.

If you focus on these elements while designing your PC, you’ll soon realize that compromises are inevitable. If small size is essential, for example, you must make compromises in expandability, and you may very well have to compromise in other respects. The trick is to decide, before you start buying components, which elements are essential, which are important, which would be nice to have, and which can be ignored.

Once you have the priority of those elements firmly fixed in your mind, you can make rational resource allocations and good purchasing decisions. It’s worth looking at each of these elements in a bit more detail:

Price

We put price first, because it’s the 900-pound gorilla in system design. If low price is essential, you’ll be forced to make compromises in most or all of the other elements. Simply put, high performance, reliability, low noise, small size, and other desirable characteristics cost money. We suggest you begin by establishing a ballpark price range for your new system and then play “what-if” with the other elements. If you’ve set too low a price, it will soon become clear that you’ll need to spend more. On the other hand, you may well find that you can get away with spending less and still get everything you want in a system.

Reliability

We consider high reliability essential in any system, even the least expensive entry-level PC. If a system is unreliable, it doesn’t matter how feature-laden it is, or how fast, or how cheap. We always aim for 5-star reliability in systems we design for ourselves and others, although sometimes price and other constraints force us to settle for 4-star reliability. The best mass-market systems may have 3-star reliability, but most deserve only a 1- or 2-star rating.

What does reliability mean, and how do you design for it? A reliable system doesn’t crash or corrupt data. It runs for years with only an occasional cleaning. We are always amused when people claim Windows is crash-prone. That was true of Windows 9X, of course, but Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 has never blue- or black-screened on us without good reason, and that’s going back to the early days of Windows NT 4. We’re not Microsoft fanboys—far from it—but the truth is that most system crashes that are blamed on Windows are actually caused by marginal or failing hardware, buggy third-party drivers, or malware.

There are a few simple rules for designing a reliable system. First, use only top-quality parts. They don’t have to be the fastest available—in fact, high-performance parts often run hotter and are therefore less reliable than midrange ones—but top-quality components may be a full order of magnitude more reliable than run-of-the-mill ones. Use a motherboard built around a reliable chipset and made by a top-notch manufacturer. For Intel processors, Intel motherboards and chipsets are the standard by which we judge, and for AMD processors the same is true of ASUS and GIGABYTE motherboards and AMD chipsets. Use a first-rate power supply and the best memory available. Avoid cheap cables. Keep the system cool and clean out the dust periodically. That’s all there is to it. Following this advice means the system will cost a bit more, but it will also be significantly more reliable.

Size

Most people prefer a small PC to a large one, but it’s easy to design a system that’s too small. Albert Einstein said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” In other words, don’t oversimplify. Use the same rule when you choose a size for your PC. Don’t over-smallify.

Choosing a small case inevitably forces you to make compromises. A small case limits your choice of components, because some components simply won’t fit. For example, you may have to use a different optical drive than you’d prefer because your first choice is too long or too tall to fit into the case. A small case also limits the number of components you can install. For example, you may have to choose between installing a card reader and installing a second hard drive. Because a small case can accept fewer (and smaller) fans, it’s more difficult to cool the system properly. To move the same amount of air, a smaller fan must spin faster than a larger fan, which generates more noise. The limited case volume makes it much harder to work inside the case, and makes it more difficult to route cables to avoid impeding air flow. All other things being equal, a small PC will cost more, run slower, produce more heat and noise, or be less reliable than a standard-size PC (or possibly all of those).

For most purposes, the best choice is a standard mini- or mid-tower case. A full-tower case is an excellent choice for a server, or for an office system that sits on the floor next to your desk. Choose a microATX or other small form factor case only if size is a high priority.

Noise level

Noise isn’t the problem it was a few years ago. Back then, the constant demand for more performance had led to systems with 130W processors and 200W video cards. Better technology has shrunk the die sizes of processors and video GPUs and greatly reduced their power consumption. With that reduction in power consumption comes a reduction in the amount of heat produced and the number and speed of the fans needed to cool the system. Nowadays, most budget and mainstream systems are reasonably quiet, although performance and extreme gaming systems may still sound like leaf blowers.

Still, it’s quite possible to build two systems with similar components and have one system twice as loud as the other. Throughout this book, whenever possible we choose the quietest available standard components. Even the loudest system we built—the extreme system—is quiet enough that most people will not find it intrusive, particularly if it’s under a desk.

Expandability

Expandability is worth considering when you design a PC. For some systems, expandability is unimportant. You design the system for a particular job, install the components you need to do that job, and never open the case again except for routine cleaning and maintenance. For most general-purpose systems, though, expandability is desirable. For example, if you need more disk space, you might prefer to add a second hard drive rather than replacing the original drive. You can’t do that unless there’s a vacant drive bay. Similarly, integrated video might suffice at first, but you may later decide that you need faster video. If the motherboard you used has no PCI Express expansion slot available for a video card, you’re out of luck. The only option is to replace the motherboard.

Keep expandability in mind when you choose components, so you won’t paint yourself into any corners. Unless size constraints forbid it, choose a case that leaves plenty of room for growth. Choose a power supply that has sufficient reserve to support additional drives, memory, and perhaps a faster processor. Choose a motherboard that provides sufficient expansion slots and memory sockets to allow for possible future expansion. Choose less flexible components only if you are certain that you will never need to expand the system.

Processor performance

Most people worry too much about processor performance. Here’s the truth. Midrange processors—those that sell for $150 (give or take $25)—are noticeably faster than $50 to $100 entry-level processors. Performance processors—those that sell for $300 (give or take $100)—are noticeably faster than mainstream processors. Not night-and-day different, but it is noticeable. The most expensive “extreme” processors, which sell for up to $1,000, are typically two to four times faster than midrange processors. For casual use—browsing the Web, checking email, word processing, and so on—choose a $60 to $75 “value” processor. For a general-purpose system, choose a processor that sells for $150 to $200 in retail-boxed form. If you want a bit more processor horsepower for extreme gaming or other tasks and are willing to pay the price, a performance processor may be worth buying. It makes little sense to choose an extreme processor unless cost is no object and performance is critical.

Video performance

Video performance, like processor performance, usually gets more attention than it deserves. It’s probably no coincidence that processors and video adapters are two of the most heavily promoted PC components. When you design your PC, be careful not to get caught up in the hype. If the PC will be used for intense 3D gaming or similarly demanding video tasks, you need a high-end video adapter (or multiple video adapters). Otherwise, you don’t.

Integrated video—a video adapter built into the motherboard—is the least expensive video solution and is perfectly adequate for most uses. The incremental cost of integrated video ranges from $0 to perhaps $10, relative to a similar motherboard without integrated video. The next step up in video performance is a standalone video adapter, which requires the motherboard to have a slot to accept it. Standalone video adapters range in price from $25 or so up to $600 or more. A $75 to $100 video adapter is sufficient to play most 3D games, particularly those that have been available for a year or more.

More expensive video adapters provide incrementally faster 3D video performance and may support more recent versions of Microsoft DirectX, both of which are of interest to serious gamers. A $150 to $200 video adapter suffices to play even recent, demanding 3D games at reasonable resolutions and frame rates.

Only rabid gamers buy the most expensive video adapters, and they get a lot less for their money than you might expect. A $600 video adapter, for example, isn’t four times faster than a $150 video adapter. It may be only 25% faster, which for most people isn’t worth the extra cost. High-end video adapters also run hot and are generally equipped with dedicated cooling fans, which produce additional noise.

When you design your PC, we recommend using integrated video unless you need the faster 3D performance a standalone video adapter can provide. If you choose integrated video, make sure the motherboard has a PCI Express x16 slot available in case you later decide to upgrade the video.

Disk capacity/performance

A mainstream 7,200 RPM serial ATA (SATA) hard drive is the best choice for nearly any system. Such drives are fast, inexpensive, and reliable. The best models are also relatively quiet and produce little heat. When you design your system, use one of these drives unless you have good reason to do otherwise.

Avoid 5,400 RPM or 5,900 RPM drives, which cost less than 7,200 RPM models but have noticeably poorer performance. The exception to that rule is when performance doesn’t matter. For example, you may need to store huge amounts of data that is seldom accessed, in which case performance may be less important than capacity and cost. Similarly, if you’re using the drive in an external chassis for doing overnight backups, you probably don’t care if the backup takes four hours to complete on a 5,400 RPM drive versus only three hours on a 7,200 RPM drive.

If you need very high disk performance, consider installing a solid-state drive (SSD). An SSD replaces the spinning platters of a hard drive with flash memory chips. Because memory chips are much more expensive than disk platters, SSDs cost much more per unit capacity than hard drives. SSDs are also much faster than hard drives, consume little power, produce little heat, and are completely silent. Unless you don’t need much storage space, it’s impractical to use SSD storage exclusively, but you can get the best of both worlds by using a relatively small SSD to store your operating system, applications, and working data and install one or more hard drives for cheap bulk storage.

See Chapter 2 for specific component recommendations.

Balanced Design

Novice PC builders often ignore the important concept of balanced design. Balanced design means allocating your component budget to avoid bottlenecks. If you’re designing a gaming PC, for example, it makes no sense to spend $50 on the processor and $500 on the video card. The resulting system is nonoptimal because the slow processor is a bottleneck that prevents the expensive video adapter from performing to its full potential.

The main enemy of balanced design is the constant hype of manufacturer advertising and enthusiast websites (which sometimes amount to the same thing). It’s easy to fixate on the latest “must-have” component, even though its price may be much too high to justify. Many people just can’t help themselves. Despite their best intentions, they end up spending $500 for a premium LCD display when a $200 model would have done just as well, or they buy a $400 video adapter when a $150 adapter would suffice. If your budget is unlimited, fine. Go for the latest and best. But if you’re building a system to a fixed budget, every dollar you spend needlessly on one component is a dollar less you have to spend somewhere else, where it might make more difference.

Balanced design does not necessarily mean giving equal priority to all system components. For example, we have built servers in which the disk arrays and tape backup drive cost more than $10,000 and the rest of the system components totaled less than $2,000. A balanced design is one that takes into account the tasks the system must perform and allocates resources to optimize performance for those tasks.

But balanced design takes into consideration more than simple performance. A truly balanced design accommodates non-performance issues such as physical size, noise level, reliability, and efficient cooling. You might, for example, have to choose a less expensive processor or a smaller hard drive in order to reserve sufficient funds for a quieter case or a more reliable power supply.

The key to achieving a balanced design is to determine your requirements, look dispassionately at the available alternatives, and choose accordingly. That can be tougher than it sounds.

Designing a Quiet PC

The ongoing PC performance race has had the unfortunate side effect of making PCs noisier. Faster processors use more power, which in turn requires larger (and noisier) power supplies. Faster processors also produce more heat, which requires larger (and noisier) CPU coolers. Modern hard drives spin faster than older models, producing still more noise and heat. Fast video adapters have their own cooling fans, which add to the din. While building a reasonably quiet PC that performs well is easier today, fast and powerful machines still need plenty of noisy moving air.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of noise your PC produces. No PC with moving parts is completely silent, but significant noise reductions are possible. Depending on your requirements and budget, you can build a PC that is anything from quietly unobtrusive to nearly silent. The key to building a noise-reduced PC is to recognize the sources of noise and to minimize or eliminate noise at the source.

The major sources of noise are typically the power supply, CPU cooler fan, and supplementary case fans. Minor sources of noise include the hard drive, chipset fan, video adapter fan, and optical drive. As you design your PC, focus first on major noise sources that can be minimized inexpensively, then minor noise sources that are cheap to deal with, then major noise sources that are more expensive or difficult to minimize, and finally (if necessary) minor noise sources that are expensive or difficult to fix. Use the following guidelines:

Choose a low-power processor

The amount of power consumed by the processor has a direct effect on the noise level of the system. The peak power consumption of mainstream processors ranges from about 30W to 140W. That power ends up as waste heat that must be exhausted from the case. Using a lower-power processor produces less waste heat, which in turn allows you to use a quieter CPU cooler, fewer and quieter case fans, and so on. Power consumption isn’t necessarily proportional to processor performance. For example, one processor that draws 70W peak power may be faster than another that draws 130W. None of this is to say that there’s anything wrong with choosing a high-wattage processor, but doing so complicates cooling and noise issues.

Choose a quiet case

Inexpensive cases are designed with little thought to noise abatement. Better cases incorporate numerous design features that reduce noise, including large, slow-spinning exhaust fans, sound-absorbing composite panels, rubber shock mounts for drives that isolate vibration, and so on. We cover case considerations thoroughly in the next chapter.

Choose a quiet power supply

In most systems, the power supply is potentially the first or second largest noise source, so minimizing power supply noise is critical. Here are a few tips:

• At the first level, choose a noise-reduced power supply, such as the models we recommend in the next chapter. Such power supplies cost little or no more than competing models of equivalent capacity and quality but are noticeably quieter. A system that uses one of these power supplies can be quiet enough to be unobtrusive in a normal residential environment.
• The next step down in noise level is a power supply that is specifically designed to minimize noise. These power supplies cost a bit more than comparable noise-reduced power supplies but produce as little as 18 dB at idle, and not much more under load. A system that uses one of these power supplies (and other similarly quiet components) can be nearly inaudible in a normal residential environment. You won’t have any trouble recognizing any of these models, because all of them are advertised and promoted as “Quiet PC” or “Silent” models.
• Finally, some power supplies use huge passive heatsinks rather than cooling fans. These power supplies, such as the FSP ZEN 400 (http://www.fspgroupusa.com), have no moving parts, and the only noise they produce is a very slight buzz from the electronic components.

Choose an efficient power supply

Power supply efficiency has a direct bearing on system noise level. Every power supply requires higher input power than the output power it provides, and that power difference is converted to heat within the power supply. For example, if the system actually requires 200W from the power supply, a 67% efficient power supply draws 300W of input power to provide that 200W of output power (200W/0.67 = 300W). That extra 100W is converted to heat within the power supply. An 85% efficient power supply requires only about 235W of input power to provide 200W of output power. The difference between 300W input and 235W input power translates to an extra 65W of heat within your system. The efficiency of mainstream power supply models ranges from about 65% to 90% or higher.

Choose a quiet CPU cooler

As processor speeds have increased over the last few years, manufacturers have gone from using passive heatsinks to using heatsinks with slow, quiet fans to using heatsinks with fast, loud fans. Current processors differ greatly in power consumption from model to model. At the lower end of the range—less than 50W—nearly any decent CPU cooler can do the job with minimal noise, including the stock CPU coolers bundled with retail-boxed processors and inexpensive third-party units. At the middle of the range—50W to 90W—standard CPU coolers begin to produce intrusive noise levels, although specialty quiet CPU coolers can cool a midrange processor with little or no noise. At the upper end of the range, even the quietest fan-based CPU coolers produce some noise. Here are some tips to keep in mind when selecting a CPU cooler:

• For a processor with low to moderate power consumption, try using the stock CPU cooler supplied with the retail-boxed processor. If it produces too much noise, install an inline resistor to reduce the voltage supplied to the fan, which reduces fan speed and noise. Resistor kits are sold by quiet-PC vendors such as FrozenCPU (http://www.frozencpu.com), QuietPC USA (http://www.quietpcusa.com), and Endpcnoise.com (http://www.endpcnoise.com).

  The 80 PLUS Initiative

  The 80 PLUS initiative sets standards for power supply efficiency. A power supply that meets the basic 80 PLUS requirements must be at least 80% efficient at 20%, 50%, and 100% load, and must have a power factor (PF) of at least 0.9 at 100% load. The 80 PLUS Bronze certification requires the power supply to be at least 85% efficient at 50% load and 82% efficient at 20% and 100% load, with a PF of 0.9 or better at all three load levels. The 80 PLUS Silver and Gold certifications require the power supply to be at least 85%/88%/85% efficient or 87%/90%/87% efficient, respectively, again with a PF of at least 0.9 at all three load levels.

  Less than half of the power supplies currently sold have any 80 PLUS certification. Less than 4% have the 80 PLUS Gold certification, and about the same percentage have the 80 Plus Silver certification. Roughly 20% have the 80 PLUS Bronze certification, and another 20% the basic 80 PLUS certification.

• For high-current processors, there are several alternatives. The CPU coolers that AMD and (particularly) Intel bundle with their retail-boxed performance processors are much better than they were a few years ago. Even with a hot processor, a retail-boxed CPU cooler does a reasonably good job of cooling the processor with little noise.
• To minimize noise with any processor, install a Thermalright (http://www.thermalright.com) or Zalman (http://www.zalmanusa.com) unit. For processors with low to midrange power consumption, some of these premium coolers can be run in silent (fanless) mode, which completely eliminates CPU cooler noise.

Choose quiet case fans

Most modern systems have at least one supplemental case fan, and some have several. The more loaded the system, the more supplemental cooling you’ll need to use. Use the following guidelines when selecting case fans:

• Case fans are available in various sizes, from 60 mm to 200 mm. All other things being equal, a larger fan can move the same amount of air with less noise than a smaller fan, because the larger fan doesn’t need to spin as fast. Of course, the fan mounting positions in most cases are of fixed size, so you may have little choice about which size fan(s) to use. If you do have a choice—for example, if the case has two or three fan positions of different size—use the largest fan that fits.
• Case fans vary significantly in noise level, even for the same size and rotation speed. Many factors come into play, including blade design, type of bearings, grill type, and so on. In general, ball bearing fans are noisier but more durable than fans that use needle or sleeve bearings.
• The noise level of a fan can be reduced by running it at a lower speed, as long as it moves enough air to provide proper cooling. The simplest method to reduce fan speed is to install an inline resistor to reduce the supply voltage to 7V. These are available from the sources listed earlier, or you can make your own with a resistor from Radio Shack or another electronics supply store. Some fans include a control panel, which mounts in an available external drive bay and allows you to control fan speed continuously from zero to maximum by adjusting a knob. Finally, some fans are designed to be controlled by the power supply or a motherboard fan connector. These fans vary their speed automatically in response to the ambient temperature, running at high speed when the system is heavily loaded and producing lots of heat, and low speed when the system is idle.
• The mounting method you use makes a difference. Most case fans are secured directly to the chassis with metal screws. This transfers vibration directly to the chassis panels, which act as sounding boards. A better method is to use soft plastic snap-in connectors rather than screws. These connectors isolate vibration to the fan itself. Better still is to use the soft plastic snap-in connectors in conjunction with a foam surround that insulates the fan frame from the chassis entirely.

The preceding six elements are the major steps required to quietize your PC. Once you minimize noise from those major sources, you can also take the following steps to reduce noise from minor sources. Some of these steps cost little or nothing to implement, and all contribute to quieting the PC:

Put the PC on a mat

Rather than putting the PC directly on your desk or the floor, put a sound-deadening mat between it and the surface. You can buy special mats for this purpose, but we’ve used objects as simple as a couple of mouse pads, front and rear, to accomplish the same thing. The amount of noise reduction from this simple step can be surprisingly large.

Choose a quiet hard drive

Once you’ve addressed the major noise sources, hard drive noise may become noticeable, particularly during seeks. The best way to reduce hard drive noise is to choose a quiet hard drive in the first place. Seagate Barracuda and Samsung Spinpoint models are the quietest mainstream hard drives. If even those 7,200 RPM models are too noisy for your requirements, use a 5,400 or 5,900 RPM drive. If even those are too loud, install an SSD.

Choose a video card with a passive heatsink

All video adapter chipsets produce significant heat, but some video adapters use a passive heatsink rather than a fan-based cooler. If possible, choose a video adapter with a passive heatsink.

Choose a motherboard with a passive heatsink

The northbridge chip of modern chipsets dissipates significant heat. Most motherboards cool this chip with a large passive heatsink, but some use a fan-based cooler. Again, these coolers typically use small, fast fans that produce significant noise. If possible, pick a motherboard with a passive heatsink.

Designing a Small PC

At the beginning of the millennium, some forward-thinking PC builders and manufacturers began to design and build PCs that were smaller and/or more portable than traditional mini-tower systems. Small PCs have become extremely popular, and it’s no wonder. These systems are small, light, easily portable, and fit just about anywhere. The two standards for small PCs, largest first, are:

microATX PC

A microATX PC is basically a cut-down version of a standard ATX PC. The microATX case and motherboard are smaller and provide less expandability, but are otherwise comparable in features and functionality to a standard ATX system. microATX cases are available in three styles. Micro-tower cases resemble shrunken versions of standard mini- and mid-tower cases. Slimline cases are about the size and shape of a DVD player. “Cube” cases are typically 8” tall and roughly a foot wide and deep. The relatively small case capacity makes cooling more difficult and puts some restraints on the number and type of hard drives, expansion cards, and other peripherals you can install, but it is possible to build a reliable, high-performance PC in the microATX form factor.

Mini-ITX PC

The Mini-ITX form factor was pioneered by VIA Technologies and remained a niche standard for several years. Over the last year or two, mainstream motherboard and case manufacturers have introduced a wide range of Mini-ITX products—enough that we now consider Mini-ITX a mainstream technology.

Mini-ITX motherboards are 170 mm (6.7”) square and are compatible with microATX and full ATX cases and power supplies. Of course, there’s usually little point to installing a tiny motherboard in a large case, so most Mini-ITX systems are built in Mini-ITX cases, which accept only Mini-ITX motherboards.

In the past, Mini-ITX systems were low-powered in every sense. They consumed little electricity and used very low-performance processors. Most Mini-ITX systems used passive cooling and “wall-wart” power supplies, which eliminates fan noise and allows the system to be almost totally silent. Mini-ITX was most appropriate for such “appliance” applications as small Linux servers, routers, and satellite DVR playback-only systems.

That’s all changed. Although you can still build an inexpensive, quiet, low-power “appliance” Mini-ITX system—in fact, we’ll do so as one of the project systems in this book—you can also build a high-performance Mini-ITX system that matches all but the fastest desktop systems. Motherboards like the GIGABYTE GA-H55N-USB3 and the Intel BOXDH57JG use the most recent performance chipsets and accept mainstream and performance processors like the Intel Core i3/i5/i7 models.

The main limitations of Mini-ITX systems all result from the small physical size of Mini-ITX cases. For example, Mini-ITX motherboards may have only one or two memory slots, rather than four or more, and only two SATA connectors, versus four, six, or more on standard motherboards. Mini-ITX motherboards simply aren’t large enough to contain all the features and connectors present on standard microATX or full ATX motherboards.

The small volume of Mini-ITX cases also puts strict limits on the size and number of drives you can install. For example, some mini-ITX cases accept only one 2.5” (notebook) hard drive and a slim optical drive. With some Mini-ITX case/motherboard combinations, you’re limited to integrated video because there’s no room (or slot) for a PCI Express video adapter. The small volume of a Mini-ITX case also limits the size and number of cooling fans. What fans are present must run at high speed to provide sufficient cooling, so a typical high-performance Mini-ITX system will be noticeably louder than an equivalent system built in a larger case. Finally, Mini-ITX motherboards are usually more expensive, sometimes significantly so, than comparable microATX or full ATX motherboards.

If you need to design a small PC, recognize that each step down from a standard mini-tower involves additional compromises in performance, cost, reliability, noise level, and other key criteria. Reducing case size limits the number and type of components you can install and makes it more difficult to cool the system effectively. It also makes it harder to quiet the PC. For example, small cases often use relatively loud power supplies. Because the power supply is proprietary, installing an aftermarket quiet power supply is not an option. Similarly, using a small case forces you to trade off performance against cooling against noise. For example, you may be forced to use a slower processor than you’d like, because the necessary CPU cooler for a faster processor is too large to fit in the available space or is louder than acceptable.

When it comes to designing small full-performance systems, our rule is to use a standard mini-tower case whenever possible. If that’s too large, step down to a microATX case. If even a microATX system is too large, if and only if you are certain that the trade-offs are worth it, build a Mini-ITX system.

Things to Know and Do Before You Start

We’ve built many systems over the years, and we’ve learned a lot of lessons the hard way. Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin your project:

Make sure you have everything you need before you start

Have all of the hardware, software, and tools you’ll need lined up and waiting. You don’t want to have to stop in mid-build to go off in search of a small Phillips screwdriver or to drive to the store to buy a cable. If your luck is anything like ours, you won’t find the screwdriver you need and the store will be closed. In addition to tools and components, make sure you have the distribution CDs for the operating system, service packs, device drivers, diagnostics utilities, and any other software you’ll need to complete the build.

RTFM

Read the fine manuals, if only the Quick Start sections. Surprisingly, while system manuals are notoriously awful, many component manuals are actually quite good. You’ll find all sorts of hints and tips, from the best way to install the component to suggestions on optimizing its performance.

Download the latest drivers

Although PC component inventories turn over quickly, the CDs included with components usually don’t contain the most recent drivers. Some manufacturers don’t update their driver CDs very often, so the bundled drivers may be a year or more out of date, even if the component itself was made recently. Before you begin building a PC, visit the websites for each component and download its most recent driver and BIOS updates. (Bookmark the URLs so you can easily find updates later.) Unpack or unzip them if necessary, burn them to CD, and label the CD. You may choose to install drivers from the bundled CD—in fact, at times it’s necessary to do so because the downloadable updates do not include everything that’s on the CD—but you want to have those later drivers available so that you can update your system immediately.

Ground yourself before touching components

Processors, memory modules, and other electronic components—including the circuit boards in drives—are sensitive to static shock. Static electricity can damage components even if the voltage is too low for you to see or feel a static spark. The best way to avoid static damage to components is to get in the habit of grounding yourself before you touch any sensitive component. You can buy special antistatic wrist straps and similar devices, but they’re really not necessary. All you need do is touch a metal object like the chassis or power supply before you handle components.

Keep track of the screws and other small parts

Building a PC yields an incredible number of small pieces that need to be kept organized. As you open each component box, your pile of screws, cables, mounting brackets, adapters, and other small parts grows larger. Some of those you’ll need, and some you won’t. As we can attest, one errant screw left on the floor can destroy a vacuum cleaner. Worse, one unnoticed screw can short out and destroy the motherboard and other components. The best solution we’ve found is to use an egg carton or old ice cube tray to keep parts organized. The goal is to have all of the small parts accounted for when you finish assembling the PC.

Use force when necessary, but use it cautiously

Many books tell you never to force anything, and that’s good advice as far as it goes. If doing something requires excessive force, chances are a part is misaligned, you have not removed a screw, or something similar. But sometimes there is no alternative to applying force judiciously. For example, drive power cables sometimes fit so tightly that the only way to connect them is to grab them with pliers and press hard. (Make sure all the contacts are aligned first.) Likewise, some combinations of expansion card and slot fit so tightly that you must press very hard to seat the card. If you encounter such a situation, verify that everything is lined up and otherwise as it should be (and that there isn’t a stray wire obstructing the slot). Then use whatever force it takes to do the job, which may be substantial.

Check and recheck before you apply power

An experienced PC technician building a PC does a quick scan of the new machine before performing the smoke test by applying power to the PC (if you don’t see any smoke, it passes the test). Don’t skip this step, and don’t underestimate its importance. Most PCs that fail the smoke test do so because this step was ignored. Until you gain experience, it may take several minutes to verify that all is as it should be—all components secure, all cables connected properly, no tools or other metal parts shorting anything out, and so on. Once you are comfortable working inside PCs, this step takes 15 seconds, but that may be the most important 15 seconds of the whole project.

Start small for the first boot

The moment of greatest danger comes when you power up the PC for the first time. If the system fails catastrophically—which sometimes happens no matter how careful you are—don’t smoke more than you have to. For example, the SOHO Server project system we built for this book uses four hard drives and two memory modules. When we built that system, we installed only one drive and one memory module initially. That way, if something shorted out when we first applied power, we’d destroy only one drive and memory module rather than all of them. For that reason, we suggest starting with a minimum configuration—motherboard, processor, one memory stick, video, and one hard drive. Once you’re satisfied that all is well, you can add your optical and other drives, additional memory, expansion cards, and so on.

Leave the cover off until you’re sure everything works

Experts build and test the PC completely before putting the lid back on and connecting the external cables. Novices build the PC, reassemble the case, reconnect all the cables, and then test it.

Things You Need to Have

The following sections detail the items you should have at hand before you actually start building your new system. Make a checklist and make sure you check off each item before you begin. There are few things as frustrating as being forced to stop in mid-build when you belatedly realize you’re missing a cable or other small component.

Components

Building a PC requires at least the following components. Have all of them available before you start to build the system. Open each component box and verify the contents against the packing list before you actually start the build.

• Case and power supply, with power cord
• Motherboard, with custom I/O shield, if needed
• Processor
• CPU cooler, with thermal compound or pad
• Memory module(s)
• Hard drive(s) and cable(s)
• Optical drive, with data cable
• Video adapter, unless embedded
• Sound adapter, unless embedded
• Network adapter, unless embedded
• Any other expansion cards (if applicable)
• Supplementary case fan(s)
• Keyboard, mouse, display and other external peripherals
• Screws, brackets, drive rails, and other connecting hardware

Hand Tools and Supplies

You really don’t need many tools to build a PC. We built one PC using only a Swiss Army Knife, just to prove it could be done. Our basic PC building toolkit is a #1 Phillips screwdriver. It’s a bit small for the largest screws and a bit large for the smallest, but we’ve built dozens of systems using no other tool.

It’s helpful to have more tools, of course. Needle-nose pliers are useful for setting jumpers. A flashlight is often useful, even if your work area is well lit. A 5 mm (or, rarely, 6 mm) nut driver makes it faster to install the brass standoffs that support the motherboard. A larger assortment of screwdrivers can also be helpful.

You may also find it useful to have some Nylon cable ties (not the paper-covered wire-type twist ties) for dressing cables after you build the system. Canned air and a clean microfiber dust cloth are useful for cleaning components that you are migrating from an older system. A new eraser can be helpful for cleaning contacts if you mistakenly grab an expansion card by the connector tab.

Software Tools

In addition to hand tools, you should have the following software tools available when you build your system. Some are useful when you build the system, others to diagnose problems. We keep copies of our standard software tools with our toolkit. That way, we have everything we need in one place. Here are the software tools we recommend:

Operating system distribution discs

OS distribution discs are needed when you build a system, and may also be needed later to update system software or install a peripheral. We always burn copies of the distribution discs to CD-R or DVD+R and keep a copy with our toolkit. If you use Windows, remember to record the initialization key, serial number, and other data you’ll need to install the software. Use a felt-tip permanent marker to record this data directly onto the disc immediately after you burn it. It also helps to record the same information on a small piece of paper so that you’ll have it available while the disc is in the drive.

Service packs and critical updates

Rather than (or in addition to) updating Windows and Office online, download the latest service packs and critical updates and burn them to CD-R. In addition to giving you more control of the process, having these updates on CD-R means you can apply them even when the system has no Internet connection, such as when you’re building it on your kitchen table.

Major applications discs

If your system runs Microsoft Office or other major applications that are distributed on CDs, keep a copy of those discs with your toolkit. Again, don’t forget to record the serial number, initialization keys, and other required data on the disc itself and on a supplementary note (because it’s really hard to enter that serial number onscreen while it’s spinning in the optical drive).

Driver CDs

Motherboards, video adapters, sound cards, and many other components include a driver CD in the box. Those drivers may not be essential for installing the component—the Windows or Linux distribution CD may (or may not) include basic drivers for the component—but it’s generally a good idea to use the driver CD supplied with the component (or an updated version downloaded from the website) rather than using those supplied with the OS, if any.

In addition to basic drivers, the driver CD may include supporting applications. For example, a video adapter CD may include a system tray application for managing video properties, while a sound card may include a bundled application for sound recording and editing. We generally use the bundled driver CD for initial installation and then download and install any updated drivers available on the product website. Keep a copy of the original driver CD and a CD-R with updated drivers in your toolkit.

Hard drive installation/diagnostic utility

We’re always amazed that so few people use the installation and diagnostic software supplied with hard drives. Perhaps that’s because many people buy OEM hard drives, which include only the bare drive. Retail-boxed drives invariably include a utilities CD. Most people ignore it, which is a mistake.

Seagate, for example, provides DiscWizard installation software and SeaTools diagnostic software. If you’re building a system, you can use the bootable floppy or bootable CD version of DiscWizard to partition, format, and test the new drive automatically. If you’re adding a drive, you can use the Windows version of DiscWizard to install, prepare, and configure the new drive automatically. You can configure the new drive as a secondary drive, keeping the original drive as the boot drive. You can specify that the new drive be the sole drive in the system, and DiscWizard will automatically migrate your programs and data from the old drive. Finally, you can choose to make the new drive the primary (boot) drive and make the old drive the secondary drive. DiscWizard does all of this automatically, saving you considerable manual effort.

Diagnostic utilities

Catch 22. Diagnostic utilities are of limited use in building a new system, because if the PC works well enough to load and run them, you don’t need to diagnose it. Conversely, when you need to diagnose the PC, it’s not working well enough to run the diagnostic utility. Duh. (Diagnostic utilities can be helpful on older systems, for example, to detect memory problems or a failing hard drive.) The only diagnostic utility we use routinely when building systems is a Knoppix Live Linux CD (http://www.knoppix.com). With Knoppix, you can boot and run Linux completely from the CD, without writing anything to the hard drive. Knoppix has superb hardware detection—better than Windows—and can be useful for diagnosing problems on a newly built system that refuses to load Windows.

Burn-in utilities

PC components generally fail quickly or live a long time. If a component survives the first 24 hours, it’s likely to run without problems for years. The vast majority of early failures are immediate, caused by DOA components. Something like 99% of the remaining early failures occur within 24 hours, so it’s worth “burning in” a new system before you spend hours installing and configuring the operating system and applications.

Many people simply turn on the system and let it run for a day or two. That’s better than nothing, but an idling system doesn’t stress all components. A better way is to run software that accesses and exercises all of the components. One good (and free) ad hoc way to burn in a system is to compile the Linux kernel, and we sometimes use that method. We generally use special burn-in software, however. The best product we know of for that purpose is BurnInTest from PassMark Software (http://www.passmark.com).

Troubleshooting

Many first-time system builders are haunted by the question, “What if it doesn’t work?” Or, worse still, “What if it goes up in flames the first time I turn it on?” Set your mind at ease. This isn’t rocket surgery. Any reasonably intelligent person can build a system with a high degree of confidence that it will work normally the first time it is turned on. If you use good components and assemble them carefully, you’re actually less likely to encounter problems with a home-built system than with a pre-built mail-order system or one off the shelf from your local superstore.

Still, it can happen. So, while it would take a whole book to cover troubleshooting in detail, it’s worth taking a few pages to list some of the most likely problems and solutions. Fortunately, it’s easier to troubleshoot a newly built system than a system that’s been in use for some time. Fewer things can go wrong with a new system. You can be certain that the system is not infected with a virus or malware, for example, and driver problems are much less likely on a new system because you will have all the latest drivers installed.

The best time to troubleshoot is while you build the system. A good carpenter measures twice and cuts once. Take the same approach to building your system, and you’re unlikely to need any of this troubleshooting advice. As you build the system, and then again before you apply power for the first time, verify that all cables are oriented and connected correctly. Make sure expansion cards, memory modules, the processor, and so on are fully seated, and that you haven’t left a tool in the patient. Each project system chapter includes a final checklist. Verifying the items on that checklist eliminates about 99% of the potential problems.

Possible problems fall into one of four categories, easy versus hard to troubleshoot and likely versus unlikely to occur. Always check the easy/likely problems first. Otherwise, you may find yourself replacing the video card before you notice that the display isn’t plugged in. After you exhaust the easy/likely possibilities, check the easy/unlikely ones, followed by the hard/likely ones and finally the hard/unlikely possibilities.

Other than sheer carelessness—to which experienced system builders are more prone than novices—most problems with new systems result from one or more of the following:

Cable problems

Disconnected, misconnected, and defective cables cause more problems than anything else. The plethora of cables inside a PC makes it very easy to overlook a disconnected data cable or to forget to connect power to a drive. And the cables themselves cannot always be trusted, even if they are new. If you have a problem that seems inexplicable, always suspect a cable problem first.

Configuration errors

Years ago, motherboards required a lot more manual configuration than modern motherboards do. There were many switches and jumpers, all of which had to be set correctly or the system wouldn’t boot. Modern motherboards autoconfigure most of their required settings, but they may still require some manual configuration, either by setting physical jumpers on the motherboard or by changing settings in BIOS Setup. Motherboards use silkscreened labels near jumpers and connectors to document their purposes and to list valid configuration settings. These settings are also listed in the motherboard manual. Always check both the motherboard labels and the manual to verify configuration settings. If the motherboard maker posts updated manuals on the Web, check those as well.

Incompatible components

In general, you can mix and match modern PC components without worrying much about compatibility. For example, any SATA hard drive or optical drive works with any SATA interface, and any ATX12V power supply is compatible with any ATX12V motherboard (although a cheap or older power supply may not provide adequate power). Most component compatibility issues are subtle. For example, if you install a 4 GB memory module in your system, when you power it up the system may see only 2 GB because the motherboard doesn’t recognize 4 GB memory modules properly. It’s worth checking the detailed documentation on the manufacturers’ websites to verify compatibility.

Dead-on-arrival components

Modern PC components are extremely reliable, but if you’re unlucky one of your components may be DOA. This is the least likely cause of a problem, however. Many novices think they have a DOA component, but the true cause is almost always something else—usually a cable or configuration problem. Before you return a suspect component, go through the detailed troubleshooting steps described next. Chances are the component is just fine.

Here are the problems you are most likely to encounter, and what to do about them:

Problem: When you apply power, nothing happens.

• Verify that the power cable is connected to the PC and to the wall receptacle, and that the wall receptacle has power. Don’t assume. We have seen receptacles in which one half worked and the other didn’t. Use a lamp or other appliance to verify that the receptacle to which you connect the PC actually has power. If the power supply has its own power switch, make sure that switch is turned to the “On” or “1” position. If your local mains voltage is 110/115/120V, verify that the power supply voltage selector switch, if present, is not set for 220/230/240V. (If you need to move this switch, disconnect power before doing so.)
• If you are using an outlet strip or UPS, make sure that its switch (if equipped) is on and that the circuit breaker or fuse hasn’t blown.
• If you installed a video adapter, pop the lid and verify that the adapter is fully seated in its slot. Even if you were sure it was seated fully initially—and even if you thought it snapped into place—the adapter may still not be properly seated. Remove the card and reinstall it, making sure it seats completely. If the motherboard has a retention mechanism, make sure the notch on the video card fully engages the retention mechanism. Ironically, one of the most common reasons for a loose video card is that the screw used to secure it to the chassis torques the card, pulling it partially out of its slot. This problem is rare with high-quality cases and video cards but is quite common with cheap components.
• Verify that the 20- or 24-pin main ATX power cable and the 4-pin ATX12V (or 8-pin EPS12V) power cable are securely connected to the motherboard and that all pins are making contact. If necessary, remove the cables and reconnect them. Make sure the latch on each cable plug snaps into place on the motherboard jack. Also, if your video adapter requires supplemental power, make sure the appropriate power cable is connected to it.
• Verify that the front-panel power switch cable is connected properly to the front-panel connector block. Check the silkscreen label on the motherboard and the motherboard manual to verify that you are connecting the cable to the right set of pins. Very rarely, you may encounter a defective power switch. You can eliminate this possibility by temporarily connecting the front-panel reset switch cable to the power switch pins on the front-panel connector block. (Both are merely momentary on switches, so they can be used interchangeably.) Alternatively, you can carefully use a small flat-blade screwdriver to short the power switch pins on the front-panel connector block momentarily. If the system starts with either of these methods, the problem is the case power switch.
• Start eliminating less likely possibilities, the most common of which is a well-concealed short circuit. Begin by disconnecting the power and data cables from the hard, optical, and floppy drives, one at a time. After you disconnect each, try starting the system. If the system starts, the drive you just disconnected is the problem. The drive itself may be defective, but it’s far more likely that the cable is defective or was improperly connected. Replace the data cable, and connect the drive to a different power supply cable.

  Swapping Power Supplies

  If you have a spare power supply—or can borrow one temporarily from another system—you might as well try it as long as you have the cables disconnected. A new power supply being DOA is fairly rare, at least among good brands, but as long as you have the original disconnected, it’s not much trouble to try a different one.

  Brian Bilbrey Comments

  I keep a spare, high-quality, decent-capacity power supply on hand, awaiting the day the unit in the system dies. It would have been handy a couple of months ago if I found I’d replaced that spare the last time I had to use it. The computer stayed offline until I bought a power supply at a local big-box store, for considerably more money than I’d have paid if I’d ordered that spare online, before I needed it. Sigh.

• If you have expansion cards installed, remove them one by one. Remove all but the video adapter. If the motherboard has embedded video, temporarily connect your display to it and remove the video card as well. Attempt to start the system after you remove each card. If the system starts, the card you just removed is causing the problem. Try a different card, or install that card in a different slot.
• Remove and reseat the memory modules, examining them to make sure they are not damaged, and then try to start the system. If you have two memory modules installed, install only one of them initially. Try it in both (or all) memory slots. If that module doesn’t work in any slot, the module may be defective. Try the other module, again in every available memory slot. By using this approach, you can determine if one of the memory modules or one of the slots is defective.
• Remove the CPU cooler and the CPU. Check the CPU to make sure there are no bent pins. If there are, you may be able to straighten them using a credit card or a similar thin, stiff object, but in all likelihood you will have to replace the CPU. Check the CPU socket to make sure there are no blocked holes or foreign objects present.

  Use New Thermal Goop Every Time

  Before you reinstall the CPU, always remove the old thermal compound and apply new compound. You can generally wipe off the old compound with a paper towel, or perhaps by rubbing it gently with your thumb. (Keep the processor in its socket while you remove the compound.) If the compound is difficult to remove, try heating it gently with a hair dryer. Never operate the system without the CPU cooler installed.

• Remove the motherboard and verify that no extraneous screws or other conductive objects are shorting the motherboard to the chassis. Although shaking the case usually causes such objects to rattle, a screw or other small object may become wedged so tightly between the motherboard and chassis that it will not reveal itself during a shake test.
• If the problem persists, the most likely cause is a defective motherboard.

Problem: The system seems to start normally, but the display remains black.

• Verify that the display has power and the video cable is connected. If the display has a non-captive power cable, make sure the power cord is connected both to the display and to the wall receptacle. If you have a spare power cord, use it to connect the display. Make sure that the correct input is selected. Many displays have VGA, DVI, and/or HDMI connectors on them. Ordinarily, the display detects which input is receiving a video signal and selects it automatically. If that doesn’t work, use the manual input-select button on the display to select the active source.
• Verify that the brightness and contrast controls of the display are set to midrange or higher.
• Disconnect the video cable and examine it closely to make sure that no pins are bent or shorted. Note that the video cable on some analog (VGA) displays is missing some pins and may have a short jumper wire connecting other pins, which is normal. Also check the video port on the PC to make sure that all of the holes are clear and that no foreign objects are present.
• If you are using a standalone video adapter in a motherboard that has embedded video, make sure the video cable is connected to the proper video port. Try the other video port just to make sure. Most motherboards with embedded video automatically disable it when they sense a video card is installed, but that is not universally true. You may have to connect the display to the embedded video, enter BIOS Setup, and reconfigure the motherboard to use the video card.
• Try using a different display, if you have one available. Alternatively, try using the problem display on another system.
• If you are using a video card, make certain it is fully seated. Many combinations of video card and motherboard make it very difficult to seat the card properly. You may think the card is seated. You may even feel it snap into place. That does not necessarily mean it really is fully seated. Look carefully at the bottom edge of the card and the video slot, and make sure the card is fully in the slot and parallel to it. Verify that installing the screw that secures the video card to the chassis did not torque the card, forcing one end up and out of the slot.
• If your video card requires a supplemental power cable, be sure to connect it and make sure it snaps into place.
• If the system has PCI or PCIe expansion cards installed, remove them one by one. (Be sure to disconnect power from the system before you remove or install a card.) Each time you remove a card, restart the system. If the system displays video after you remove a card, that card either is defective or is conflicting with the video adapter. Try installing the PCI or PCIe card in a different slot. If it still causes the video problem, the card is probably defective. Replace it.

Problem: When you connect power (or turn on the main power switch on the back of the power supply), the power supply starts briefly and then shuts off.

• This is usually normal behavior. When you connect power to the power supply, it senses the power and begins its startup routine. Within a fraction of a second, the power supply notices that the motherboard hasn’t ordered it to start, so it shuts itself down immediately. Press the main power switch on the case and the system should start normally.
• If pressing the main power switch doesn’t start the system, you have probably forgotten to connect one of the cables from the power supply or front panel to the motherboard. Verify that the power switch cable is connected to the front-panel connector block, and that the 20-pin or 24-pin main ATX power cable and the 4-pin ATX12V power cable are connected to the motherboard. Connect any cables that are not connected, press the main power switch, and the system should start normally.
• If the preceding steps don’t solve the problem, the most likely cause is a defective power supply. If you have a spare power supply, or can borrow one temporarily from another system, install it temporarily in the new system. Alternatively, connect the problem power supply to another system to verify that it is bad.
• If the preceding step doesn’t solve the problem, the most likely cause is a defective motherboard. Replace it.

Problem: The display shows BIOS boot text, but the system doesn’t boot and displays no error message.

• This may be normal behavior. Restart the system and enter BIOS Setup (usually by pressing Delete or F1 during startup). Choose the menu option to use default CMOS settings, save the changes, exit, and restart the system.
• If the system doesn’t accept keyboard input and you are using a USB keyboard and mouse, temporarily swap in a PS/2 keyboard and mouse. If you are using a PS/2 keyboard and mouse, make sure you haven’t connected the keyboard to the mouse port and vice versa. Of course, many motherboards no longer incorporate “legacy” PS/2 inputs, so skip this step if it doesn’t apply.
• If the system still fails to boot, run BIOS Setup again and verify all settings, particularly CPU speed, FSB speed, and memory timings.
• If the system hangs with a DMI pool error message, restart the system and run BIOS Setup again. Search the menus for an option to reset the configuration data. Enable that option, save the changes, and restart the system.
• If you are using an Intel motherboard, power down the system and reset the configuration jumper from the 1–2 (Normal) position to 2–3 (Configure). Restart the system, and BIOS Setup will appear automatically. Choose the option to use default CMOS settings, save the changes, and power down the system. Move the configuration jumper back to the 1–2 position and restart the system. (Actually, we routinely run the configuration option—when such an option is offered—and reset BIOS values to the defaults every time we first use a new motherboard, regardless of make, model, or chipset. It may not be absolutely required, but we’ve found that doing this minimizes problems.)
• If you are still unable to access BIOS Setup, power down the system, disconnect all of the drive data cables, and restart the system. If the system displays a Hard Drive Failure or No Boot Device error message, the problem is a defective cable (more likely) or a defective drive. Replace the drive data cable and try again. If the system does not display such an error message, the problem is probably caused by a defective motherboard.

Problem: The monitor displays a Hard Drive Failure or similar error message.

• This is almost always a hardware problem. Verify that the hard drive data cable is connected properly to the drive and the interface and that the drive power cable is connected.
• Use a different drive data cable and connect the drive to a different power cable.
• Connect the drive data cable to a different interface.
• If none of these steps corrects the problem, the most likely cause is a defective drive.

Problem: The display shows a No Boot Device, Missing Operating System, or similar error message.

• This is normal behavior if you have not yet installed an operating system. Error messages like this generally mean that the drive is physically installed and accessible, but the PC cannot boot because it cannot locate the operating system. Install the operating system.
• If the drive is inaccessible, verify that all data and power cables are connected properly. If it is a parallel ATA drive, verify that master/slave jumpers are set correctly and that the drive is connected to the primary interface.
• If you upgrade your motherboard but keep your original hard drive (or use a utility to clone your original), your operating system installation may not have the drivers necessary to function with your new hardware. If you’re upgrading your motherboard, chances are good that enough things are different that Windows won’t be able to boot. You’ll need to reinstall Windows.

Problem: The system refuses to boot from the optical drive.

• All modern motherboards and optical drives support the El Torito specification, which allows the system to boot from an optical disc. If your new system refuses to boot from a CD, you can verify that the CD is bootable by booting it in another system.
• Run BIOS Setup and locate the section where you can define boot sequence. The default sequence is often (1) hard drive, (2) optical drive, (3) USB boot device, and (4) network boot device. Sometimes, by the time the system has decided it can’t boot from the hard drive, it “gives up” before attempting to boot from the optical drive. Reset the boot sequence to (1) optical drive, and (2) hard drive. We generally leave the system with that boot sequence. Most systems configured this way prompt you to “Press any key to boot from CD” or something similar. If you don’t press a key, they then attempt to boot from the hard drive, so make sure to pay attention during the boot sequence and press a key when prompted.
• Some high-speed optical drives take several seconds to load a CD, spin up, and signal the system that they are ready. In the meantime, the BIOS may have given up on the optical drive and gone on to try other boot devices. If you think this has happened, try pressing the reset button to reboot the system while the optical drive is already spinning and up to speed. If you get a persistent prompt to “press any key to boot from CD,” try leaving that prompt up while the optical drive comes up to speed. If that doesn’t work, run BIOS Setup and reconfigure the boot sequence to put the USB boot device first and the optical drive second. You can also try putting other boot device options, such as a network drive or boot PROM, ahead of the optical drive in the boot sequence. The goal is to provide sufficient delay for the optical drive to spin up before the motherboard attempts to boot from it.
• If none of these steps solves the problem, verify that all data cable and power cable connections are correct. If the system still fails to boot, replace the optical drive data cable.
• If the system still fails to boot, disconnect all drives except the primary hard drive and the optical drive. If the system still fails to boot, the optical drive is probably defective. Try using a different drive.

Problem: When you first apply power, you hear a continuous high-pitched screech or warble.

• The most likely cause is either that one of the system fans has a defective bearing or that a wire is contacting the spinning fan. Examine all of the system fans—CPU fan, power supply fan, and any supplemental fans—to make sure they haven’t been fouled by a wire. Sometimes it’s difficult to determine which fan is making the noise. In that case, use a cardboard tube or rolled-up piece of paper as a stethoscope to localize the noise. If the fan is fouled, clear the problem. If the fan is not fouled but still noisy, replace the fan.
• Rarely, a new hard drive may have a manufacturing defect or have been damaged in shipping. If so, the problem is usually obvious from the amount and location of the noise, and possibly because the hard drive is vibrating. If necessary, use your cardboard tube stethoscope to localize the noise. If the hard drive is the source, the only alternative is to replace it.

Problem: You hear a repeating, alternating two-tone “siren” sound after the system has been powered on for a short period.

• The sound is a warning that the CPU temperature is approaching dangerous levels and usually indicates there is not a good thermal bond between the CPU and the heatsink/fan (HSF) assembly. If you hear this warning, shut down the system immediately. Fortunately, the most common causes of this problem are easy to resolve. First, ensure the HSF assembly is properly mounted on the CPU and that all clips, screws, and retaining pins are fully seated and tight. If the warning persists, there may not be enough thermal paste between the CPU and HSF, or the paste may not be evenly distributed over the entire surface where the CPU and HSF meet. If the HSF came with a preapplied thermal pad, the pad may have been damaged prior to assembly or the protective plastic foil that protects the pad during shipment may not have been removed.

We’ve developed these troubleshooting procedures over many years and hundreds of systems, but if you work carefully while building your own new system, chances are you won’t have to use any of them. About 99% of the new systems we build start up normally the first time we apply power. If this is your first build, your odds are probably even better because you’ll probably pay even closer attention than we do to the details while you’re building the system.