Hooking It All Up and Finishing the Computer

Hey guys, this is Austin and today I’m here with part three of my computer build tutorial. The last two videos have gone over how to install everything in the case, but now it’s time to hook it all up and finish the computer. Time for the really fun part – wiring.

I'm actually lying, wiring isn't no fun at all; however, as long as you think about how everything connects, it's really not that bad. The first step is to grab the pair of SATA cables that came with the motherboard. Plug both of these into the connectors on the bottom right of the board. Grab one and run it up to your hard drive. As you can see, they're notched so they can only go in one way. Simply press it in until it clicks. Now do the same with the other cable for the DVD drive.

Now you should see some cables attached to the case. Grab the one labeled HDA which is your front panel audio. There is a single pink-nocked out so you can only plug it in one way. On this motherboard, it's in an awkward spot between the graphics card and the audio connectors; however, with a bit of work, it will fit. You'll also see your front panel USB. This works the same way except that thankfully, this is much easier to install. Just plug it into the USB connector on the bottom of the board and you're good. You'll also see a small bundle of umbilical cables for the power button and LEDs.

These need to be plugged into the front panel connectors beside the SATA ports. If you look closely, you'll be able to see that where each cable goes is marked on this tiny pin out; however, if you look at your motherboard manual, you'll see it recreated a bit better. The most important thing is to note the positive and negative sides as obviously plugging them in wrong won't work.

I won’t go over each and every cable but once you get going, it isn’t that hard. Once you're done, it should look a little something like this; not the neatest thing in the world but it works. Move over to the heatsink and unwind the power cable. This is a 4-pin connector with a pair of notches to make sure you plug it in correctly.

Find the CPU fan connector on your motherboard and click it into place. Amazingly enough, we're almost there. All our parts are installed and everything is wired up. It looks like a minor computer explosion now; but we'll clean up our wiring in a minute. Grab the large AC power connector and plug the power supply into the wall.

Then grab a monitor and keyboard and connect everything together. Now's the scariest part of the entire build, seeing if it actually works. Hit the power button and give it a go! If it boots, give yourself a high five; you did it! If not, don't worry too much, usually it doesn't work first try. Go back and double check all of your connections and make sure the power supply is switched on.

Once it does turn on and get into the BIOS take a look at the build. Are all the fans running? How about on the graphics card? Check the power supply as well. If all's good there, go into the BIOS and take a look around. It should detect your CPU and installed memory, and your hard drive and DVD drive should show up as well.

If everything looks good you're almost there. We’re not quite done yet though; the inside is still a bit of a mess. Cable management is an important part of the build to make future upgrades easier, improving air flow as well as just making the build look better. I won’t show every step along the way but the basic idea is to group cables as neatly as possible and use electrical ties to hold them together.

I didn’t do a great job here but considering how short the power supply cables are, it's good enough and a major improvement. Now put the side panels back on, screw them in with your thumbscrews and you're all done! Congratulations, you’ve built a gaming computer!

If you guys enjoyed this tutorial and found it helpful I’d really appreciate it if you could leave a thumbs up! If you want to check out this exact build I’ll have a link on screen now and I’ll also be doing a giveaway of this PC soon so be sure to subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss it or any of my other computer build videos.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHey guys, this is Austin and today I’m herewith part threeof my computer build tutorial.The last two videos have goneover how to install everything in the casebut now it’s timeto hook it all up and finish the computer.Time for the reallyfun part, wiring.I’m actually lying, wiring is no fun atallhowever as long as you think a bit about howeverything connectsit’s really not all that bad.First step is to grab the pair ofSATA cables that came with the motherboard.Plug both of theseinto the connectors on the bottom right ofthe board.Grab oneand run it up to your hard drive.As you can see they’re notchedso they can only go in one way.Simply press it in until itclicks.Now do the same with the other cable for theDVD drive.Now you should see some cables attached tothe case.Grab the onelabeled HDA which is your front panel audio.There is a single pinknocked out so you can only plug it in oneway.On this motherboardit’s in an awkward spot between the graphicscard and the audioconnectors however with a bit of work it willfit.You’ll also seeyour front panel USB.This works the same way except that thankfullythis is much easier to install.Just plug it into the USB connectoron the bottom of the board and you’re good.You’ll also see a smallbundle of umbilical cables for the power buttonand LEDs.These needto be plugged into the front panel connectorsbeside the SATA ports.If you look closely you’ll be able to seethat where each cable goesis marked on this tiny pin out however ifyou look at your motherboardmanual you’ll see it recreated a bit better.The most important thingis to note the positive and negative sidesas obviously plugging themin wrong won’t work.I won’t go over each and every cable butonce youget going it isn’t that hard.Once you’re done it should look a littlesomething like this, not the neatest thingin the world but it works.Move over to the heatsink and unwind the powercable.This is a 4-pinconnector with a pair of notches to make sureyou plug it in correctly.Find the CPU fan connector on your motherboardand plug it in.Coveringup the camera with your arm is totally optionalof course.Let’scontinue connecting fans.The Antec 300 has a pair of fans and bothofthem have the same type of connector exceptas a 3-pin.You’ll findanother system fan header on the bottom leftof this motherboard tohook up the exhaust.Unfortunately this motherboard doesn’t haveanother connector so we’re going to haveto come back for the thirdfan.Now come down to the power supply, unwrapthe cables and pull themout of the case.Before we get into connecting everything let’sgo overwhat cables do what.The biggest connector is your 20-pin motherboardpower cable.This is what powers everything on the motherboardand italso uses an additional 4-pin connector.You’ll also find a 6-pin cable.This is generally for powering graphics cardsand depending on the powersupply will sometimes have an additional twopins for higher power cards.Moving on you’ll see these larger connectorswhich are known as molex.We really won’t be using these in our buildhowever they can be usefulfor using with adapters which we will be doing.You’ll also see a pair of4-pin connectors.These are for CPU power and also connect tothemotherboard.Lastly we have these long flat cables whichare SATA power.This is what we’ll be using to power ourhard drive and optical drive.I know this is a lot to go over but it’sreally pretty simple.The firstthing to plug in is the 20+4 pin motherboardpower connector.It’s bestto route this behind the motherboard traybut the cable is a bit shorton this power supply so just push it all theway back.Once the maincable is connected plug in the additional4-pin connector.Now you’llneed to power the graphics card.The Radeon 7770 only needs a single6-pin connector so press it in until it clicks.For the hard drive andDVD drive you’ll need to grab a pair ofSATA power cables and plug inthe hard drive on bottom and then the DVDup top.Again, depending onthe power supply and case it’s usually bestto run these behind thetray and then back out to make everythingis as neat as possible but herewe just need to stretch everything to fit.Since the power supply isunraveled we can now connect the last fan.I had a 3-pin to molex adapterlying around which will work perfect.Just connect the male and femalemolex ends together and then connect the fanto the 3-pin connector andyou’re good to go.Last but not least we’ve got to connectthe CPU powerwhich are the pair of 4-pin connectors.This motherboard only uses one solocate it up at the top left of the boardand click it into place.Amazingly enough we’re almost there.All our parts are installed andeverything is wired up.It looks like a minor computer explosion nowbutwe’ll clean up our wiring in a minute.Grab the large AC power connectorand plug the power supply into the wall.Then grab a monitor and keyboardand connect everything together.Now’s the scariest part of the entirebuild, seeing if it actually works.Hit the power button and give it a go!If it boots give yourself a high five, youdid it!If not don’t worry toomuch, usually it doesn’t work first try.Go back and double check all ofyour connections and make sure the power supplyis switched on.Once itdoes turn on and get into the BIOS take alook at the build.Are all thefans running?How about on the graphics card?Check the power supply aswell.If all’s good there go into the BIOS andtake a look around.Itshould detect your CPU and installed memoryand your hard drive and DVDdrive should show up as well.If everything looks good you’re almostthere.We’re not quite done yet though, the insideis still a bit of amess.Cable management is an important part of thebuild to make futureupgrades easier, improving air flow as wellas just making the buildlook better.I won’t show every step along the way butthe basic ideais to group cables as neatly as possible anduse electrical ties to holdthem together.I didn’t do a great job here but consideringhow short thepower supply cables are it’s good enoughand a major improvement.Now putthe side panels back on, screw them in withyour thumbscrews and you’reall done!Congratulations, you’ve built a gaming computer!If you guysenjoyed this tutorial and found it helpfulI’d really appreciate it ifyou could leave a thumbs up!If you want to check out this exact buildI’llhave a link on screen now and I’ll alsobe doing a giveaway of this PC soonso be sure to subscribe to the channel soyou don’t miss it or any of myother computer build videos!Hopefully you enjoyed this tutorial andsince you made it all the way to the end,thanks for watching.