Build a PC, step by step
From an empty workbench to a configured Windows 11 PC: every action shows what you need, what to check and what to do when something goes wrong.
What this guide walks through
11 chapters, from an empty table to the first boot. Depending on which parts you bought, the guide leaves some of them out, liquid cooling for instance.
- 1Getting ready
- 2The case
- 3Preparing the rear
- 4Fitting out the mainboard
- 5Power supply
- 6Installing the mainboard
- 7Liquid cooling
- 8Graphics card
- 9Drives
- 10Cables
- 11The first start
Before you start
The manual for your motherboard and your case takes precedence over this guide. Every case is built differently, and only your manual knows which screw goes where. This guide shows the order and the place, not the details.
What this guide does not tell you
No torque figures, no screw sizes, no statement about how tight something must sit, and no amount for thermal paste. That is in the manual for the part in question, where it is binding. Here it would be guesswork, and nothing here is guessed.
How would you like to build?
Both routes contain the same checked actions. The assistant only shows what is in front of you now.
Prepare Windows
Prepare the Windows 11 installation drive
- 1.Use an empty USB drive with at least 8 GB
- 2.Download the Media Creation Tool only from Microsoft
- 3.Select the USB drive in the tool and let it finish completely
Done when
File Explorer shows the drive as Windows installation media containing several folders.
Stop and check
The selected USB drive will be completely erased. Check its drive letter and back up any files first.
Getting ready
Set up space and tools
- 1.Find a solid table with good light
- 2.Have one medium crosshead screwdriver ready
- 3.Add a bowl for screws and hook and loop straps if you have them
Done when
You can lay the case down and still have an arm's length of space all around it.
Discharge yourself
- 1.Before the first part, rest your hand on bare metal on the case
- 2.Repeat whenever you have stood up in between
- 3.Do not work on a carpet or in a wool jumper
Done when
You have touched bare case metal with your whole hand and are not working on carpet.
Stop and check
A discharge you cannot even feel can damage a part. You will not notice anything, not then and not later, and that is what makes it nasty.
Line up the boxes
- 1.Put all boxes open next to each other
- 2.Do not take anything out of its bag yet
- 3.Keep the mainboard box clear, it becomes your work surface
Done when
In front of you are the boxes for case, mainboard, processor, cooler, memory, power supply, graphics card and drive.
The case
Take both side panels off
- 1.Undo the screws at the back
- 2.Slide each panel back a little, then lift it off
- 3.Lay both panels flat where nobody will step on them
Done when
From one side you look at a large metal plate that the mainboard will sit on. From the other you look into the space behind it, where the cables will run.
Stop and check
If one side is glass, hold it as you undo the last screw. Otherwise it tips forward.
Remember the case layout
- 1.Point to front, rear panel, top, and power supply chamber
- 2.Remember which side is front and which is back
- 3.Know where the power supply and graphics card will sit
Done when
You can point without thinking to where the power supply goes and where the graphics card will stick out at the back.
Sort the bag of screws
- 1.Tip the screw bag from the case into your bowl
- 2.Place identical screws together
- 3.Match every group to a picture or table in the case manual
Done when
Every screw type you will use is clearly pictured or named in the case or component manual.
Preparing the rear
Fit the rear connector shield
- 1.Take the rectangular shield from the mainboard box
- 2.Hold it so the labels read correctly from outside
- 3.Fit it into the rear cutout from the inside
- 4.Press the four corners home until it clicks
Done when
The shield sits flush all round and cannot be moved any more. From the outside the labels read the right way up.
Stop and check
If you forget this step, you will find out once the mainboard is screwed down. Then it all has to come out again. This is the mistake that costs the most time, and right now it costs you one minute.
Standoffs: the fit check first
- 1.Hold the board in its bag over the metal plate without putting it down
- 2.Check that every hole has a standoff under it
- 3.Check that no standoff sits where there is no hole
Done when
You have two answers: which standoffs are missing and which are too many. Remember the spots or jot them down.
Stop and check
A standoff in a place with no hole presses against the board from below. That is a short circuit. The machine then either does not start at all or starts and shuts off immediately, and people look for the fault everywhere except under the board.
Put the standoffs right
- 1.Screw in the missing standoffs by hand
- 2.Unscrew every surplus standoff completely
Done when
There is a standoff under every hole of the board, and none anywhere else.
Fitting out the mainboard
Put the mainboard on its box
- 1.Hold the board by its edges only
- 2.Lay it on the cardboard box, not on the bag or table
- 3.Do not use the antistatic bag as a surface
Done when
The board lies flat and stable on its box; the bag is out of the way and nothing presses against components underneath.
Stop and check
The antistatic bag is the worst possible surface, even though it looks like the obvious one. Its outside is deliberately made conductive so it shields from the outside. A board lying on it is lying on a conductive surface.
Open the socket
- 1.Free the lever from its catch and swing it all the way up
- 2.The frame opens with the lever
- 3.Leave the protective cap in place and do not touch the pins
Done when
The frame stands open and you can see a field of very fine contact pins in the socket.
Stop and check
Do not touch the contact pins in the socket under any circumstances, and do not let anything drop on them. They are hair thin, and a bent one is barely visible to the naked eye.
Place the processor
- 1.Hold the processor by its edges only
- 2.Find the triangle on the chip and on the socket
- 3.Hold it level and align triangle to triangle
- 4.Let go so it drops in on its own, never press
Done when
The processor lies flat in the frame and cannot be shifted any more. It does not overhang on any edge.
Stop and check
If you have to press, it is the wrong way round. Take it out and turn it instead of using force. Bent contacts are the most expensive common mistake on a first build.
Close the socket
- 1.Fold the frame down
- 2.Push the lever under its catch until it locks
- 3.Keep the black protective cap
Done when
The lever is back under its catch and no longer sticks out. The frame lies flat on the processor.
Stop and check
The lever takes noticeable force, and that is normal for this design. Even so, look once more to check the processor really is lying flat before you push.
Open the RAM clips
- 1.Fold the clips next to the memory slots outwards
- 2.Some boards have a clip on one side only
Done when
The clips stand out at an angle and leave the slot clear.
Count to the right two slots
- 1.Count the slots away from the processor
- 2.Usually second and fourth, check your board manual
- 3.One empty slot stays between your two sticks
Done when
One empty slot is left between your two sticks.
Fit the memory sticks
- 1.Align the notch in the stick over the ridge in the slot
- 2.Set the stick in straight
- 3.Press down evenly at both ends
- 4.A click and upright clips are your check
Done when
Both clips stand upright again, you heard a click, and none of the contact edge is visible any more. Look from the side: the stick sits at the same height at both ends.
Stop and check
Sticks that are not fully seated are the most common reason a freshly built machine will not start. It then shows no picture even though all the fans are spinning. If you are unsure, press once more.
Fit the M.2 SSD
- 1.Remove the cover over the M.2 slot and undo the screw or clip
- 2.Slide the SSD in at an angle, press it flat and secure it
- 3.Peel the film off the thermal pad under the cover
- 4.Screw the cover back on
Done when
The SSD lies flat and no longer springs up when you let go.
Stop and check
That screw is tiny. Keep your bowl handy; on the floor of a case you will hardly ever find it again.
Fit the cooler mounting
- 1.From here on your cooler's manual applies
- 2.Lay out only the parts for your socket
- 3.Follow the cooler manual's order and orientation exactly
Done when
Every bracket shown by the cooler manual is the right way round, straight and free of play.
Apply thermal paste
- 1.Check the cooler underside: is there already a grey patch?
- 2.If yes: add nothing, only peel off a protective film
- 3.If no: one portion in the middle of the processor, amount per the manual
Done when
Either the pre-applied paste is visible with its film removed, or the amount specified by the cooler manual sits centrally on the processor, never both.
Stop and check
If a protective film covers the paste that is already applied, peel it off. It looks like packaging, and it is packaging.
Fit the air cooler
- 1.Check orientation and fastening in the cooler manual
- 2.Lower the cooler straight down without sliding it across the paste
- 3.Tighten only as far and in the sequence specified by the manual
Done when
The cooler sits evenly and securely in the intended orientation, matching the final mounting drawing in its manual.
Stop and check
If you take it off again after fitting it, the paste has to be renewed. So put it on right the first time and do not slide it back and forth.
Plug in the cooler fan
- 1.Plug the fan cable into the CPU_FAN header
- 2.The plug has a guide tab and only fits one way
- 3.Do not plug into CPU_OPT or SYS_FAN by mistake
Done when
The plug is seated fully, and you read CPU_FAN on the board next to it.
Stop and check
Do not plug it into CPU_OPT or SYS_FAN by mistake. Many boards abort the start if nothing is connected to CPU_FAN and report a fan error.
Power supply
Choose the cables at the power supply
- 1.Plug cables into the power supply while you can still reach everything
- 2.Wide 24 pin for the board and 8 pin for the processor
- 3.Graphics power and SATA only if you need them
- 4.Use only cables from your power supply, leave the rest in the bag
Done when
Every connected cable came with this exact power supply and both ends are unambiguously assigned according to its manual.
Stop and check
Use only the cables that came with YOUR power supply. On the power supply side the plugs of different makers look the same, but the wiring is not standardised. A cable set from elsewhere fits mechanically and is still wrong.
Fit the power supply
- 1.Slide the power supply into the lower chamber
- 2.With a floor vent the fan faces down, without one it faces up
- 3.Drive in the four screws at the rear panel
- 4.Never open the power supply housing
Done when
All four screws bite, and the mains socket sits flush in the cutout of the rear panel.
Stop and check
Do not open the power supply and do not unscrew its housing. Even with no mains cable attached, the parts inside still hold a charge. This is the one place in the whole build where you can really get hurt. From the outside a power supply is harmless; the inside is for people who do this for a living. If one is damaged it goes back to the shop and not onto your desk.
Route the power cables to the back
- 1.Pull the connected cables through the rubber grommets to the back
- 2.Keep the 24 pin and 8 pin reachable for the front later
- 3.Put the cover back over the power supply chamber
Done when
No loose cable is left lying on the floor at the front of the case.
Installing the mainboard
Put the mainboard in
- 1.Face the ports toward the rear panel
- 2.Guide the ports into the shield first
- 3.Then lower the board onto the standoffs
- 4.Check from outside: no shield tab sits inside a socket
Done when
Every hole in the board sits over a standoff, and the ports sit cleanly in the openings of the shield. Look from the outside: no metal tab of the shield is stuck inside a socket.
Stop and check
The shield has springy metal tabs. They love to catch in the network and USB sockets. You can only see that from the outside, and only before you screw anything down.
Screw the mainboard down
- 1.Start all screws loosely first
- 2.Then tighten them crosswise hand tight
- 3.Do not force them or the board will bend
Done when
The board rests everywhere, it does not rock at any corner, and no screw sits crooked.
Stop and check
Do not force them. The board is clamped between screw and standoff; more force does not make the joint better, it makes the board bend.
Graphics card
Remove the slot covers
- 1.Hold the graphics card next to the case and find the matching strips
- 2.Unscrew them, or break out only the ones you need
- 3.The open gaps must line up with the card ports
Done when
The open gaps sit exactly where the ports of the card are about to come through.
Stop and check
On some cases the strips are not screwed in but have to be broken out. Those do not come back. Break out only the ones you really need.
Fit the graphics card
- 1.Use the topmost long slot, closest to the processor
- 2.Open the clip on that slot
- 3.Lower the card straight in, ports through the open gaps
- 4.Press evenly until the clip clicks shut
Done when
You heard a click, the clip is back in its resting position, and the bracket of the card sits flush against the rear panel. Seen from the side the card sits level and not skewed.
Stop and check
The topmost long slot is not just any slot. On many boards the ones further down are connected more weakly. The card then still runs, only slower, and people look everywhere else for the reason for a very long time.
Screw the graphics card down
- 1.Drive in the screws that used to hold the slot covers
- 2.The card must not lift at the back any more
Done when
The card cannot be lifted at the back any more.
Cables
Connect the 24 pin plug
- 1.Fit the widest plug into the long socket at the board edge
- 2.Align the clip with the catch on the socket
- 3.Push straight in until the clip locks
Done when
The clip has locked over the catch, and no gap is left between plug and socket.
Stop and check
This plug takes noticeably more force than any other. Press on the middle of the plug, not on the cables.
Connect the processor plug at the top left
- 1.Find the 8 pin socket at the top left of the board
- 2.Use the plug labelled CPU or EPS
- 3.Route it up behind the plate and lock it in
- 4.Do not confuse it with the similar graphics power cable
Done when
The plug is seated fully, the clip has locked, and you read CPU or EPS on the plug.
Stop and check
The cable for the graphics card also has 8 contacts and looks very similar. The label on the plug decides, not the shape. And one more thing: this is the plug that gets forgotten most often of all. Without it nothing comes on at all, and it looks as though something is broken.
Give the graphics card power
- 1.Push the matching plugs from the power supply into the card sockets
- 2.Push every plug straight and evenly until it latches
- 3.Check all around: the plug is flush with no visible gap
Done when
Give the cable a gentle pull afterwards: the plug stays put. No gap is left between plug and socket.
Stop and check
Push every plug all the way in. A half seated power plug is the nastiest mistake in the whole build at this point. And do not use adapters or extensions that came with neither the card nor the power supply.
Find the block for the thin cables
- 1.Find the thin cables labelled POWER SW, RESET SW and LEDs
- 2.Locate the pin block at the lower edge of the board
- 3.Use the missing pin as a guide and look up the layout in the manual
Done when
You found the block: two short rows of pins with one pin missing in one place.
Plug the thin cables in one by one
- 1.Plug them in one by one against the drawing in the manual
- 2.POWER SW and RESET SW can go either way round
- 3.Indicators have plus and minus, the coloured wire is usually plus
- 4.No plug may sit offset or in the wrong row
Done when
Every plug sits fully on its pins, none is offset by one pin, and none sits in the wrong row.
Stop and check
If an indicator is the wrong way round, it simply stays dark at the first start. Then pull the plug off, turn it round and put it back on. The power switch itself works either way: so if the machine does not come on, polarity is not the reason.
Connect the front USB and audio
- 1.Plug the large USB3 connector into USB3 or USB 3.2
- 2.The 9 contact plug goes to USB or F_USB
- 3.Audio goes to HD AUDIO or AAFP
- 4.Tell USB and audio apart by the label, not by the shape
Done when
You read the label on the board next to every plug, and every one is seated fully.
Stop and check
The 9 contact USB plug and the audio plug look almost identical, and both have a contact missing in a similar place. The only way to tell them apart is the label. Read it before you push.
Plug in the case fans
- 1.Plug single fan connectors into SYS_FAN or CHA_FAN
- 2.Plug a hub where its own instructions say it goes
Done when
No fan cable is left hanging, and none lies in a fan blade.
Tidy the cables
- 1.Pull everything unused behind the large metal plate
- 2.Bundle runs flat, not into one thick knot
- 3.Keep cables out of fan blades and clear of side panel screws
- 4.Offer up the rear panel as a test, do not force it if it binds
Done when
The rear side panel goes on without pressure, and no cable at the front lies in a fan.
Stop and check
If the panel will not close, do not force it. A trapped cable is the reason it is jamming.
The first start
The last look before power
- 1.Check the wide 24 pin and the top left 8 pin power plugs
- 2.Check the graphics card power plugs
- 3.Check that the cooler or pump is on the right header
- 4.Tilt the case carefully and listen for rattling
Done when
Nothing rattles, and you actually looked at all four points rather than assuming they are fine.
Stop and check
A loose screw in the case can end up between two contacts when you switch on. That is why you tilt and listen before power goes anywhere near it.
Switching on for the first time
- 1.Leave the side panels off
- 2.Plug in the mains cable and set the power supply switch to I
- 3.Connect the monitor to the graphics card, not to the board
- 4.Press power and allow at least three minutes on the first DDR5 start
Done when
The fans start and a BIOS or manufacturer picture eventually appears. Status indicators complete their checks rather than remaining on CPU, DRAM or VGA.
Close it up
- 1.Shut down, set the power supply switch to 0, unplug the mains cable
- 2.Last look inside: no cable lies in a fan
- 3.Fit both side panels and screw them on
Done when
Both side panels sit without pressure, and all screws bite.
Basic BIOS check
Check that the BIOS detects every component
- 1.Read the detected processor and full memory capacity
- 2.Check the system SSD and UEFI boot mode
- 3.Check that the CPU fan or pump reports a speed
- 4.Check the status of TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot for Windows 11
Done when
The CPU, full memory capacity, system SSD and cooling are shown; UEFI, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are available for Windows 11.
Stop and check
Leave clocks, voltages and power limits at their defaults for now. Menu names vary; your mainboard manual is authoritative.
BIOS update
Review or skip the optional BIOS update
- 1.Compare the installed BIOS version with the official support page for your exact mainboard
- 2.Read every note for the newer versions
- 3.Choose update only when the model and board revision match beyond doubt
Done when
You deliberately chose either to continue with the stable current firmware or prepare the official update.
Stop and check
Incorrect firmware or a power failure while writing can leave the mainboard unable to start. The update is optional.
Prepare the BIOS file safely
- 1.Download it only from the official page for the exact model and revision
- 2.Extract it exactly as the mainboard manual instructs
- 3.Copy it to an empty, correctly formatted USB drive
- 4.Read the complete section about the built-in flash utility
Done when
Model, revision and file name agree with both the manual and the support page.
Stop and check
Never use firmware for a similarly named board or an unofficial Windows flashing program.
Update the BIOS with its built-in utility
- 1.Open the flash utility named in the mainboard manual
- 2.Select the file you already verified
- 3.Confirm once, then do not touch anything
- 4.Wait through automatic restarts until a stable BIOS screen returns
Done when
The BIOS starts with the expected new version and still detects the CPU, memory, SSD and cooling.
Stop and check
Never switch off, reset, remove the USB drive or operate a power strip while the update is running.
Install Windows 11
Start Windows Setup from the USB drive
- 1.Insert the Windows drive and restart the PC
- 2.Open the one-time boot menu with the key stated in the mainboard manual
- 3.Choose the USB entry that begins with UEFI
Done when
Windows Setup shows its language and keyboard selection.
Stop and check
Do not permanently change the whole boot order when a one-time boot menu is available.
Select the correct system SSD
- 1.Compare model and capacity with the system SSD you bought
- 2.Select only the drive intended for Windows
- 3.If several drives have similar capacities, cancel and identify them first
Done when
The selected drive's model or capacity matches the intended system SSD.
Stop and check
Deleting or formatting removes every file on the selected drive. Never decide solely by a label such as ‘Drive 0’.
Install Windows 11
- 1.Start the installation on the verified system SSD
- 2.Let the PC restart by itself several times
- 3.Remove the USB drive only when Setup no longer boots from it or asks you to
Done when
Windows now asks about region, keyboard or network instead of the installation destination.
Stop and check
Do not switch off while files are copied and configured. Do not begin a second installation after a restart.
Complete Windows first-run setup
- 1.Choose the region, keyboard and network that match your setup
- 2.Sign in as required by the displayed Windows edition
- 3.Read each privacy option and decide deliberately
- 4.Wait until the desktop has fully loaded
Done when
The Windows desktop appears and the Start menu, network and Settings all open normally.
Stop and check
Do not use unofficial commands to bypass account, TPM or Secure Boot requirements.
Updates and drivers
Run Windows Update until fully current
- 1.Open Settings → Windows Update and check for updates
- 2.Install important and recommended updates
- 3.Restart, then check again
- 4.Repeat until no important update remains
Done when
After a restart, Windows Update no longer reports a pending important restart.
Check chipset and mainboard drivers
- 1.Check optional driver updates in Windows Update first
- 2.If a function is still missing, use the official mainboard or processor manufacturer page
- 3.Install only drivers for your exact model and Windows 11
Done when
Network, USB, audio and mainboard functions work without a warning icon.
Stop and check
Do not use driver collection sites or automatic third-party driver utilities.
Install the official graphics driver
- 1.Download the matching driver directly from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel
- 2.Close running applications and start the installation
- 3.Restart Windows afterwards
Done when
Device Manager lists the graphics card by model name without a warning icon.
Stop and check
With a dedicated graphics card installed, the mainboard video output is not automatically the correct display connection.
Check Device Manager and core functions
- 1.Open Device Manager and look for yellow warning icons
- 2.Test network, audio and every connected display
- 3.Set the intended refresh rate in Display settings
Done when
There are no unknown devices, and network, sound and displays all work.
Secure activation and recovery
- 1.Check under System → Activation that Windows is activated
- 2.If Device Encryption or BitLocker is active, save the recovery key
- 3.Keep the key somewhere separate from this PC
Done when
Windows is activated and any recovery key is stored in a second secure location.
Stop and check
A recovery key stored only on the encrypted PC cannot help when that PC will not start.
Safe optimisation
Choose whether to apply optional optimisation
- 1.The PC is already fully ready to use
- 2.Optimise only after understanding the warnings and the way back
- 3.Change one setting at a time and test stability afterwards
Done when
You deliberately kept the defaults or selected the safe optimisation round.
Stop and check
XMP and EXPO are memory overclocking. They can affect stability and warranty conditions.
Optionally enable XMP or EXPO
- 1.Record the current BIOS setting first
- 2.Select only an XMP or EXPO profile supported by the mainboard and memory
- 3.Save, then allow time for memory training on the next start
Done when
Windows starts reliably, reports the expected memory capacity and completes a stability test without errors.
Stop and check
If the PC no longer starts reliably, load defaults or reset CMOS exactly as the mainboard manual describes.
Use Resizable BAR only with confirmed support
- 1.Confirm support for the mainboard, processor and graphics card
- 2.Leave the setting on Auto unless the manual says otherwise
- 3.Do not change CSM or boot settings without a documented reason
Done when
The graphics driver reports Resizable BAR as active and Windows remains stable.
Stop and check
If any involved component lacks support, leave the setting unchanged.
Choose a documented fan profile
- 1.Start with a manufacturer profile such as Standard or Quiet
- 2.Assign the CPU fan, pump and case fans only to their correct headers
- 3.Then check noise and reported temperatures at idle and under load
Done when
Every fan starts reliably, with no temperature warning or distracting repeated speed changes.
Stop and check
Pumps follow different rules from fans. Control them only as the cooler manual specifies.
Compare stability before and after optimisation
- 1.Measure the stable baseline in Performance Hub first
- 2.Change only one option and measure again
- 3.After a crash, error or unusual temperature, return to the last stable setting immediately
Done when
The PC completes the same check without errors, with a measurable improvement in performance or noise.
Stop and check
This guide does not include manual voltages, clock speeds, PBO, undervolting, debloating or registry changes.
Finished
Your PC is fully set up
- 1.Hardware, BIOS, Windows and drivers have been checked
- 2.Your stable configuration is documented
- 3.Keep manuals, spare screws and warranty documents together
Done when
The PC starts reliably, displays an image, has network and sound, and shows no warning icons.
Useful next steps
Plan missing parts, read the technical background, or check the finished PC.