SiliconMage

In dry weather, there is a lot of static buildup and this can damage the computer components if the static is not removed. The computer components will have to be replaced and this can be expensive.

To prevent this problem, the following steps have to be taken to remove static before handling any computer component like the motherboard, CPU, memory:

• Wrist should be grounded using some kind of metal strap / static control wristbands . However, these should NOT be used while working with the computer CRT monitor as the charge stored in the capacitor is very large and can cause death. If no strap is available touching a metal object periodically may remove any charge from the body.

• Push in the power button on the computer and depress it for 10 seconds with the computer unplugged before touching any computer part.
• Increase the humidity level . Low humidity levels are common in areas with air conditioning or heaters, so using humidifiers can help prevent static build up.
• Ground the static by connecting to an earthing wire or by applying a neutralizing charge
• If a carpet is being used for flooring, spray it with an anti static agent to remove the build of static. Try different kinds of shoes and soles and shoes which will pick up the least static.

If you are assembling a computer, you need to find a reliable source for the computer components. If the components you use are faulty, you will waste a lot of time troubleshooting the assembled computer. It could also damage the other components used for assembly the computer,  increasing the cost of  your assembled computer.

One option for getting the computer components is to contact the local computer hardware shop or dealer.  If the dealer can be trusted and you have purchased parts from them earlier, you could get a good deal.  The advantage is that you can physically examine the components before purchase and it is easy to return or exchange them in case of any problem.

For online purchases, check the reputation of the website before taking  a decision.  Newegg  (www.newegg.com) is a popular online store for computer parts.  They carry a wide range of computer components,  and detailed specifications of each component are listed, so that the buyer can verify that all the components are compatible and will work properly together. The prices of the computers are competitive compared to other online stores.  Each product listed at Newegg is rated by the customer on a rating scale of 1 to 5  for the convenience of the buyer.

Earlier, many computer manufacturers like Compaq, Dell as well as assemblers would sell computers with the OS (usually Windows XP) pre installed . However, due to increased competition, many manufacturers are not supplying any licensed software with the low end models of the computers they sell.

The customers are expected to select and the install the operating system they want. Some customers may want to install a free Linux based OS and may not be willing to pay extra. Also the current OS offered by Microsoft, Windows Vista runs very slowly on computers who do not have sufficient memory. So many customers who purchase Windows Vista have to contact the customer support and request that the software be downgraded to Windows XP Pro.

Today many manufactured computers available in the market come with free DoS installed. No CD is provided, only single page instructions that the free Dos software can be obtained from freedos.org.

To install a new Operating System (OS), the following steps have to be taken after booting the PC from the CD drive:

• first delete the existing partition using D

• Use C to create a partition

• Specify the size of 1st partition

• Then specify next partition size

8 MB will always be reserved for system partition MB

Most computer problems can be solved easily, if know where to look. If you do not have any one at home who can help troubleshoot or fix any problem on your computer, you can use the following online resources :

www.buildyourown.org.uk - A step by step guide for building your own PC .  The section on PC building is further divided into subcategories like preparing the PC case, motherboards and adapter cards, fitting the CPU and RAM, fitting the drives, connecting the internal cables and then connecting the external cables. The website provides very comprehensive information.

www.pcguide.com - one of the oldest computer assembly guides, available since 1997.  Fairly comprehensive with over 200 sections and 200 photographs.

www.pcmech.com, PC Mechanic - though a general tech website , with sections on mobiles, computer hardware and software , it has a section on how to troubleshoot your computer

www.makeitsimple.com - PC hardware and digital photography, news, reviews and forums.  You can ask and get help from forum members regarding any computer related problem.

Yahoo answers - you can post your any computer or networking related question.  For a common problem, you will get an answer, but for a more complicated case, you may not get any assistance.

After all the connections have been completed, power on the computer by connecting  both the monitor and CPU to a suitable power supply. Ensure that the earthing is proper, else it could damage the computer components and reduce the life of the computer.

Press del while the computer is booting to enter the BIOS and check all the basic BIOS entries to ensure that all the settings are correct.
Depending on your system configuration, you may want to enable or disable various settings - the motherboard manual may have reccommendations for this.

If there is no problem at the BIOS level, the CPU will search for an Operating System installed on your HDD.

For a brand new HDD, if you are installing Windows XP, the following steps have to be taken

• Insert the Windows XP installation CD in the CD ROM drive and reboot.

• Press del again to enter the computer BIOS settings to set CD Rom drive as the first boot-up device.

Reboot your computer to start the Operating System (OS) install. The OS system install will take some time, and you will prompted to provide the license key.
Once Windows XP is completely installed, the other additional hardware like modems, network card, sound card can also be installed.  The drivers for these peripherals can be usually downloaded from the manufacturer website.