Eleven Steps to Success in PC Upgrade
1. Prepare for a catastrophic disaster. Before upgrading your PC, you should back up your important files and create an emergency disc. Remember, anything that isn’t saved can easily be lost. Also you need to have a user manual that describes your PC’s configuration settings, which will be important for upgrading your PC.
2. Read steps and instructions that came with the new components. Those documentations actually might give you some useful information. If it suggests you to check out a PDF file on the enclosed CD, do it. There may be also an updated documentation online, which describe the solutions of known problems or bugs.
3. Turn off your computer and unplug it. Just turning the darn thing off isn’t enough as small amount of electricity may still flow inside your computer. Unplugging the computer from the electrical outlet ensures that there’s virtually no possible way that you can get electrocuted and damage some expensive components. And trust me: You don’t want that to happen. Also remove other cables, for example, modem, printer, scanner and monitor cables.
4. Clear the work area. Remove all likely causes of disaster from your workspace, such as cans of soda, cups of coffee, any feline, canine, and small kids who may happen to have a water balloon fight nearby. Your loose computer components have to go somewhere, so it is necessary to find a safe place for them. Use all the ingenuity at your disposal to eliminate excess electricity from your environment: stand on a linoleum floor or static-free tile, touch metal objects to remove static in your body, and others. Work on surfaces that doesn’t generate static electricity, such as Formica, wood, concrete, linoleum, or plastic. Don’t work on a thick carpet!
5. Unscrew the case cover. Check for any bezels (plastic panels) that need to be removed before unscrewing the screws; generally found in the back but maybe in the front. If you find anything that requires serious force, then probably it wasn’t meant to be removed in the first place. When prying something off, you might need a flathead screwdriver but try to be gentle. However, if you want to upgrade a branded computer, made by Dell, HP and others, the case may not have any screws or panels at all; all you have to do is to twist a screw along the side to open the door, it’s easy to do and may take only 5 seconds. However, in many cases you will need a nuthead or Philips screwdriver to remove some screws. Make sure you only undo screws that hold the cover. Don’t accidentally remove the power supply screws; just stick to those found at the cover.
