First Time Clutz needs help

[jclaydon]

Well i found your website a while back, and I've always wanted to build my own computer to use as a home entertainment unit, and maybe another as a portable karaoke machine.

A little background about me:

I am fairly competant at basic computer skills (like using the internet, software packages etc) but know ABSOLUTELY nothing about the inner workings of a computer.

So I read your articles, and was able to follow about 90% of it, but was still apprehensive about starting. Because i don't have the greatest fine motor skills and quite frankly I can't afford to screw up.

So recently, my desktop pc that I've been using died and I've been practicing on that, trying to take the power supply out, putting the mother board in the case etc.

Here are some problems that I keep having:

1. I keep dropping all the screws right onto the connectors/motherboard when trying to screw it in. Is this going to fry the motherboard, and if so is there anything I can get to help me keep the screws in place while I'm trying to attach them *I know you can get magnetic tools that do this, but i don't know if you can use them for a computer*

2. I'm not sure where the best place to keep all the components is. Is there some kind of anti-static mat I could buy so I could keep everything together on that?

3. There isn't a lot of room in the case that I have, and i keep having problems getting everything to fit the way it should. For example, when I'm trying to put the hard drive back in, the ide cables keep getting in the way.

If anyone has any suggestions i would greatly appreciate it..

[RickyTick]

DO NOT use a magnet. Just asking for problems.

Sometimes its kinda tight in the case. Depends on what kind of case it is. The Antec P180 and Antec 900 are very highly regarded cases, and used by several people around here. There's a good bit of room in there, so you shouldn't have that problem.

There are screwdriver with little "claws" on the end to hold the screw when trying to get started.

http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/kdspec07.html

http://www.acetoolonline.com/Greenlee-0453-12C-Screw-Holding-Screwdriver-1-8-x-p/gre-0453-12c.htm

[jclaydon]

Fantastic! That's exactly what i need.. Thanks for the help!

[RickyTick]

Glad to help.

I've seen those little screwdrivers at Sears too.

Best of luck.

[subbu68]

I was almost in the same situation as you are now. Not so bad in using tools though. But was confused what to chose. And also if I would screw up while assembling.Read Rob's article a couple of times. Chose the hardware, gathered up some courage and made a try last Friday. My PC was up and running in about 6 hours.

I took a chance as the local Radioshack ran out of Anti-Static mat and wrist band. There is no other reliable electronic store in Abu Dhabi. So wrapped a piece of wire to my finger ring, connected it to the ground screws of the wall socket to discharge myself, grounded the case too. peeled off the sticker of the anti-static pack of the mobo while touching the case and quickly placed it inside and put the screws. Same with RAM and CPU. Case was absolutely dead so there was no danger of an electric shock. Also there is an ELCB at the distribution board that would trip if I touched a live wire;)My flooring is vinyl over mosaic tiles and building is concrete. So static build up is not expected in the house.

There are some good articles on http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/index.html that were also helpful in zeroing in on my requirements.

Best of Luck

Subbu