THE STEPS IN UPGRADING

DIFFERENT SYSTEM
Prepared by:Group 1
UPGRADING MEMORY
 First,shut down your computer
and unplug all of the cables
connected to it. Then remove the
side of the computer case so you
can access the motherboard.
 The RAM slots are adjacent to the
CPU socket. Look for the big heat
sink at the top of the
motherboard, and you'll see either
two or four memory slots next to
it.
Before you can install the new
memory you’ve purchased, you
have to remove the old kit. Start
by toggling the plastic retention
clips at either end of the
memory slots so you can pull
out the old RAM.
Release the toggles at the
end of the RAM channel in
order to remove your old
memory.
While you're there, remove any
dust from the memory slots,
either by blasting the area with
compressed air or by
vacuuming gently.
Now it’s time to put in the new
RAM kit. Make sure the memory
module is correctly oriented:
The notch in the bottom edge
of the RAM must match up with
the rise in the memory slot.
 If you're not filling all the available
RAM channels, read your
motherboard's manual to see
which specific slots you should fill
first. Placing RAM in the incorrect
slots could result in some
performance degradation.
 Make sure the notch in the bottom
edge of your RAM modules match
up with the rises in the memory
channel on your motherboard.
Now that you’ve seated the
RAM in the slot, toggle the
plastic retention levers to lock
your new memory modules in
place.
Finally, close up your computer
case, plug everything back in,
and turn on your computer.
It may take a couple of restarts
for your motherboard to
recognize and adjust to the
new memory you’ve installed—
so don’t panic if your computer
is acting funny at first. Let it run
for a few minutes, then restart
it and everything will be back to
normal.
UPGRADING VIDEO CARD
 Turn off your computer
 You have to open your CPU for this
procedure,and you’re in danger of
severe electrical shock if you
leave your computer on or even
plugged in while you play around
inside it.Whwnever you’re working
inside CPU,you need to watch out
for static shock.
 Be sure to work on a non-
conductive surface and touch
your screw driver to a ground
before placing it in the machine.
 Open the CPU and locate the
graphics card slots.
Refer to your computer manual to
determine how to open the CPU
and where graphics cards can be
inserted.
Before you buy a new graphics
card for your computer ,make
sure tha you read the manual and
get the right kind.There are
several different types of
graphics card out there,and it
can be easy to waste your money
that won’t work with your PC.
Plug the graphics card into the
appropriate slot,close your
computer and replace any
screws.
Make sure that everything is
securely reconnected before
attempting to turn on the PC.
Turn on the computer.
Windows detects the new card
and installs appropriate drivers.
Choose;
Start
ControlPanel
Hardware and Sound
Device Manager.

The Device Manager holds information

about each installed component on the
PC.
Click the plus sign next to
display adapters,right-click the
graphics card that you
installed,and then choose
prperties.
You see the system settings
from this card.The device
status tells you whether it’s
working properly.
UPGRADING HARD DRIVE
To add more storage space, you
can choose to replace the
existing hard drive in the
computer. Replacing the hard
drive requires you to do the
following.
Purchase a new hard drive that
has more storage space than
the existing one.
 We recommend checking the total
storage space of the existing hard
drive first before purchasing a
new hard drive. Also, check if the
existing hard drive
uses IDE or SATA to determine the
type of hard drive needed.
Backup your files, to later copy
to the new hard drive.
Remove the existing hard drive
by taking out the screws and
disconnecting the cable.
Install the new hard drive.
Using the computer restore
discs, re-install the operating
system and original software
that came with the computer.
Ifyou do not have a set of
restore discs, you will need to
contact the computer
manufacturer.
Copy the personal files you
backed up in step 2 above onto
the new hard drive.
REPLACING MOTHERBOARD
The first step to replacing a
motherboard in a desktop
computer is to remove the old
motherboard. That may sound
trivial, but it's literally half of
the job, and I'm splitting
removal and installation onto
two pages so it doesn't get too
big.
 In
order to remove the motherboard,
you not only have to disconnect all
connections between the motherboard
and components in the case, you
should also remove any cables that are
simply in the way. Remember to touch
the metal edge of the case to ground
yourself from time to time.
 Nextwe remove the data cable
from the hard drives. In a larger
case, I might have left the data
cables installed on the drive end,
but there's very little clearance
between the motherboard and the
drive cages
 And you don't want to start wrestling
the old motherboard out because you
didn't prepare properly.
 Now it's time to remove the PCI
adapters and the video card. All of
the adapters that mount in
motherboard slots are secured to
the back rail of the case with single
screw each, though the screws are
often missing in systems that have
been worked on. You may as well
take all the screws out at the same
time and put them aside in a glass
or any other small container to
keep them from getting too lost.
You should always handle
adapters by the the edges and
by the metal bracket when
removing them from the
motherboard.
Again, you can't race
through this part like you're
just waiting to get to the
main course, because
you're going to need to put
all these adapters back in
after you replace the
motherboard, unless the
new motherboard has those
features integrated in the I/O
core.
Standard ATX motherboards
feature a single 10x2, 20 pin
connector for the power
supply. The connection
features a sort of a simple
latch which is released from
the nub on the motherboard
connector by depressing
the top of the latch (just
below my thumb).
You can also see the nub on the
motherboard connector, on the
side near the motherboard
edge. It can take a bit of force
to pull the connection out of
the motherboard even once it's
release, since there are 20 tight
connection, so be prepared to
use your off hand to hold the
motherboard down if the edge
lifts as you remove the
connector.
 Now we get to removing the data
cables from the old motherboard.
If we had more room in the case, I
would have left them attached to
the drives on the other end.
The motherboard is actually
mounted in the case with a
series of screws through the
motherboard, seven in this
case, all of which must be
removed.
About the worst thing that can
happen when you're replacing
a motherboard is that one of
the screws will turn and turn
without releasing. Normally,
this is due to the screw having
been over-tightened in a brass
standoff, which comes
unscrewed from the
motherboard pan and remains
attached to the screw.
The final set of connections
we have to deal with are the
front panel leads that attach
to the motherboard. This
includes the LEDs for hard
drive activity and power
status, the case speaker,
and most importantly, the
power switch
ATX systems use a logic switch
to tell the motherboard, which is
always receiving a trickle of
power from the ATX power
supply, to power full on. These
are all small format connectors
that easily pull off, and frankly,
the power switch is the only one
you really need to reconnect
when you replace the
motherboard, the other's are
bells and whistles.
Once all the connections to the
motherboard are removed and
the screws are all out, you can
lift the motherboard a little and
pull it away from the back of
the case, where the connectors
of the I/O core protrude
through the shield (left). Once
you disengage the I/O core, you
can lift the motherboard right
out of the case.
I usually hold onto a PCI slot
and the CPU heatsink, there's
just no room to get your fingers
on the edges of the
motherboard in most cases
(below). That pretty much
covers the removal phase of
replacing a motherboard, so
skip over to how to install a new
motherboard if you're ready.
REPLACING SOUND CARD
Turnoff your PC, unplug it, and
remove your computer’s case.
The tiniest sound card slots in
your computer, about an inch
long, are PCI-Express 1x slots.
The adjacent slots, about three
times as long, are usually PCI
slots. The longest slot is
probably a PCI-Express 16x
slot, almost always reserved for
video cards.
 Ifyou’re replacing your old sound
card, remove the single screw
holding that card in place, and
then lift the card up and out of its
slot (left).
If you’re placing a new card in an
empty slot, remove the empty
slot’s metal backplate by
removing the single screw that
holds the backplate in place. Then
lift out the little plate. (Save the
screw, as you need it to secure the
new sound card in place.)
 Holdthe new card by its edges
and position it over the
appropriate empty slot, either PCI
or PCI-Express 1x, then push the
card slowly into the slot.
The edge with the shiny metal
bracket faces toward the back of
your computer. Line up the tabs
and notches on the card’s bottom
edge with the notches in the slot.
You may need to rock the card
back and forth gently. When the
card pops in, you can feel it come
to rest. Don’t force it!
 Secure the card in the slot with a
screw.
Use the screw you removed in Step 4.
 Plug the computer’s power cord
back into the wall and PC, and then
turn on your PC.
Windows usually recognizes a
newly installed card, displays a
message saying it recognizes the
new device, and automatically
sets the card up to work correctly.
IfWindows doesn’t correctly
identify your card (or doesn’t
recognize it at all), install the
software that came with your
card.
 Whenever you install a new sound card
or any other card, visit the
manufacturer’s Web site. Find the site’s
Support or Customer Service section,
and then download and install the latest
drivers for that particular model and
your version of Windows. Card
manufacturers constantly update their
drivers and software to fix bugs.
After everything’s
working, put your PC’s
cover back on.
Yournew sound card should be
ready to wow you!
INSTALLING MOTHERBOARD
Open your computer
case. Then remove both side
panels for easy access to the
motherboard tray. The
motherboard tray can be
removed from the case, which
will allow you to easily install
the motherboard without
having to work at weird angles.
Not all cases have removable
motherboard trays.
 Ground yourself. Before you begin
working on the interior of your computer
or handling the motherboard, make sure
you discharge any electrostatic charge
you may have.
 Replace the I/O panel shield. This is
located at the rear of the case, where
the connectors for the motherboard
extend out for your monitor, USB
devices, and other peripherals. Most
cases have a default panel shield
installed, which will need to be removed
and replaced with the panel that came
with your motherboard.
Find the standoffs. Standoffs
keep the motherboard above
the case. This prevents it from
shorting out and helps cooling.
Some cases will come with
standoffs, while others do not.
Your motherboard should come
with its own standoffs as well
that you can use.
Placeyour motherboard on the
standoffs. The holes and the
standoffs should all line up. If
your motherboard tray does not
come out of the case, you may
need to gently force the
motherboard against the I/O
panel on the back of the case
to fit it. Start securing the
motherboard with screws.
Install your components. Before
reinserting the motherboard tray
with the newly-fastened
motherboard into the case, install
your CPU, CPU cooler, and RAM.
Doing this now will make it much
easier to reach everything. If
your motherboard is not on a
removable tray, install your
components after wiring.
Connect the power
supply. Once the motherboard
is secured, you can start
connecting your components
to it. It is recommended that
you connect the power supply
first, as the plugs will be
difficult to reach later. Make
sure that both the 20/24-pin
connector is attached as well
as the 4/8-pin 12V connector.

Connect your front panel. In order to
turn on your computer with the front
power button or see when the hard drive
is being accessed, you will need to
connect the front panel switches and
indicators. Locate the following wires
and connect them to the appropriate
pins on the motherboard:Power switch
 Reset switch
 Power LED

 Hard drive (HDD) LED

 Speaker
 Connect the front USB
ports. Connect any front USB ports
to the appropriate connectors on the
motherboard. These are typically
labeled. Make sure the correct plugs
are placed on the correct pints.
 Connect the fans. Connect any case
and CPU fans to the appropriate pins
on the motherboard. There are
typically several places to plug in
chassis fans, as well as a two-pin
connector near the CPU for the CPU
fan.
Install your drives. Once the
motherboard is secure and
connected, you can start
attaching your drives to it.
Make sure that you attach
your SATA hard drives and
optical drives to the correct
SATA ports on your
motherboard.
Install a video card. One of
the last components you
should install is the video
card. The card will take up
the most space, and will
make reaching other areas
difficult. Installing a video
card may be optional,
depending on your system
and needs.
Adjust your wiring. Now that
everything is connected to your
motherboard, it’s time to move
that wiring around so that heat
doesn’t get trapped or wires
don’t get stuck in fans. Tuck
excess cable into spare drive
bays and use zip ties to bundle
cables together. Make sure that
all of your components have
room to breathe.
Close up the computer. Return
the side panels of the case to
their original positions and
screw them back in. Plug your
computer and components in.
Turn your computer on and
prepare for operating system
installation. Follow the guides
below for specific instructions
for your operating system:
Install Windows 7.
Install Windows 7.
Install Windows 8.
Install Windows XP.
Install Windows Vista.
Install Linux.