**note: Since a lot of people have been having trouble with new systems, and a lot of these problems have been due to improper system setup, I opted to post this guide both here and in technical support. For some reason, the trouble threads seem to be congregating in those two locales.
System Setup Guide
1/22/2005
Author: Insomniak
Additional Contributions: MechBGon
Version 1.1
Disclaimer: This guide is intended as a general guide to setting up a new PC from the point of first boot through the beginning of normal usage. The instructions here in are general, and should work for most systems, but as is often the case with Information Technology, I cannot guarantee that the steps of this guide will be 100% glitch free for everyone. Many of the steps herein involve placing great stress upon system components (within their manufacturer specified abilities) to ensure they are properly functioning. I take no responsibility, nor does anyone who contributes/contributed to this guide for any system damage, inconvenience, loss of life, acts of God, etc. that may occur. If you choose to use this guide, understand that you do so of your own accord and are responsible for any results of doing so.
*NOTE*A crucial portion of new system setup involves you being disconnected from the Internet for your own safety for the first half or so. If you choose to follow this guide to assist you in setting up your new system, I recommend printing off a hardcopy, or accessing it via the web on another machine. You may also copy and paste this text into a text file and access that from your hard disk.
Welcome to Insomniak's System Setup Guide.
Patent pending.
Just kidding.
I'll get right to the beef, so you can get right to enjoying your system. This guide is intended as general instruction/guidelines for setting up the software and hardware configurations of your newly assembled PC. I want to be very explicit that this guide does not include any instruction on how to build a PC, which parts to purchase, or whether AMD or Intel is better. It is intended solely to take you from first boot to final windows configuration in a manner that produces the fewest (ideally none!) headaches, allows for the easiest troubleshooting, and in the end, leaves you with peace of mind that your PC is properly set up and will work correctly.
This guide is written for those with a workable knowledge of PCs. I am assuming that since you just built your own PC, that you are familiar with hardware and how to adjust it, and are familiar with Windows and how to navigate it, install programs, etc. I am assuming that your PC was properly assembled an configured, so that hardware problems will be due mostly to defects or incompatibilities. This guide was NOT written for a completely clueless person. If you need to be taken by the hand and walked through the process step by step, this guide will be too advanced for you.
I want you to realize that I have provided these steps in a chronological order that they should be performed. Completing all the steps in this guide will likely take the average person (by which I mean adult with a day job) several days (3 to 4) to complete. Double that figure if you have children. Triple it if they are under 5 years of age. Setting up and configuring a new PC is not a simple task. I have provided notes in this guide as to when good stopping points would be, so consider those clues as to when to go to sleep, get some food, et cetera.
All I ask is that you do not rush this process. Doing it right takes a little bit longer, but it is well worth it.
With that in mind, let's begin.
Before We Begin
Did I say begin? I meant prepare to begin. Why can't anything computer related be simple?
Firstly, I want to say a few words about education. It is THE number #1 resource that can assist you the most with your PC, it's assembly, set up, and maintenance. GET INFORMED! Ask questions in forums - most of us who frequent them really do want to help. Use Google or whatever search engine you prefer, and start digging up information. Compile a healthy set of bookmarks to quality hardware review websites. These things will prove invaluable to you in the future. I would note here that I am self-taught - all my computer knowledge came from two sources: The generous education provided by others, and hard lessons learned through burning a lot of hardware up by doing something stupid. If I have to choose, I'll go with the former. To get you started, here are a few excellent hardware sites that I regularly frequent:
AnandTech
HardOCP
X-Bit Labs
Recommended Utilities
Throughout this guide, I will refer to many third-party software utilities which are very helpful in setting up and testing your system. I have compiled a list of the ones I use here. I recommend downloading these and backing them up to CD or Flash Drive in preparation for your next PC setup. Even if you aren't building a new system, many of these are handy for troubleshooting other people's machines, sort of a "software toolkit". You will need/want these:
Ad-Aware
RegCleaner
CPU-Z
SANDRA
Everest
Prime95
MemTest
3DMark03
In addition to these programs, I also recommend that you have all the drivers handy for your motherboard chipset, video card, and any PCI add-in cards you have in your system. These drivers should have been included in the packaging with the product when you purchased it. You will want all these on hand and easily accessible. Also make sure you have your Windows install disc ready. Lastly, I recommend downloading and backing up recent Windows Security Patches and Updates for the version you will be using to a CD or Flash Drive as well, to have them on hand.
Now then, if you have everything, we are really truly ready to begin (I mean it this time).
Step One: First Boot
Begin by ensuring that all connections to your PC AND WITHIN YOUR PC are fully seated and have good contact. This includes keyboard, mouse, monitor, and speakers. At this time, you don't need to bother with connecting extraneous peripherals like external hard drives and USB devices. Leave those unconnected. We'll get to them later.
IMPORTANT: For security reasons, it is best if you are not connected to the internet when first installing and configuring Windows. For this reason, leave your PC unconnected to the internet ? unplug CAT5 cables or your Cable Modem, and leave them as such until prompted to plug them in by this guide. This will prevent you from picking up something nasty before you have a chance to install security updates/firewall software.
You will want to have the side panel removed from your case, or if it's a side door, have it open, during this first boot. This is so we can make sure that everything inside your case is working properly. If you don't have the side panel off, go ahead and remove it.
Also, turn on all peripherals before powering on your system. In this case, that should be monitor and speakers, and not much else.
Now go ahead and power the system on, and make sure the POST occurs correctly. This should consist of the POST screen, a single beep from the PC speaker, and then an attempt to boot. Since you haven't installed windows yet, you should get a boot error. That's normal and expected, don't worry about it.
Test your reset button, by which I mean press it and reset the system. This time, during POST, press the appropriate key to enter BIOS setup. Once in BIOS setup, do NOT begin configuring BIOS options. We haven't gotten to that yet.
At this point, it's best to get a flashlight, and check the internals of your case. This is why I instructed you to leave your side panel off earlier - take a good look around in there, and make sure everything is working properly. Make sure all fans are spinning, that there are no warning LEDs on the motherboard (this feature is becoming more and more common), and that nothing has come loose. Make sure there are no wires touching heatsinks, as the insulation is likely to melt and cause problems later on.
If everything appears ok, then we're ready to move on. You can replace your side panel, or leave it off...it doesn't make much difference from this point on.
Recap:
- Double check all connections inside and outside of the PC.
- Remove the side panel of the case, or open the side door.
- Turn on all peripherals.
- Power on PC and check for successful POST.
- Reset PC, and enter BIOS setup.
- Leave PC in BIOS setup and inspect inside of case. Ensure all fans/hardware appear to be working properly.
Step Two: Installing Windows
If everything has gone as expected up to this point, we're ready to load the operating system, which I'm going to assume is Windows since that's what 97% of the market uses. If you're a Linux advocate, congratulations, but you're on your own.
While still in BIOS setup, go ahead and put the Windows Install CD in an optical drive. Then adjust the boot settings in your BIOS such that the optical drive is the first boot device. Go ahead and reset the system again. This time it should boot from the CD, and begin the Windows install process.
Follow the prompts to install Windows. Partition and format however you desire (I don't recommend partitions less than 4GB in size, unless you're creating a partition solely for your page file), and complete the install process. Remember, if you're using a RAID setup, you'll need to take appropriate steps (usually F6 at some point during Windows setup - it will prompt you) to install a RAID driver from CD before Windows installation can continue.
If you need a more specific guide on how to deal with installing Windows, I suggest you check out Black Viper's OS Guides page. He has a step by step guide for installing pretty much every version of Windows since ME. If you're installing something older than Windows ME, or, God help you, Windows ME itself, I STRONGLY suggest looking into an upgrade to Windows XP.
After Windows is installed, we get to the real meat of this guide.
Recap:
- While in BIOS setup, insert Windows install CD into optical drive.
- Change boot priority so that optical drive is first boot device.
- System will boot from CD. Format as needed and follow the prompts to install Windows.
Step Three: Cold Boot/Driver Installation
After Windows has successfully installed, remove the Windows Installation CD and shut your system down. After it is off, do a cold boot to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. If all went as it should, you should get a POST screen, followed by your PC booting into Windows from the Hard Disk.
Before we start doing any major configuring and such with Windows, you'll want to make sure that all your devices are properly installed. Largely, this consists of installing device drivers. As mentioned at the beginning, these drivers should have come on CDs that were included with the devices themselves - you should have some for your motherboard and video card, as well as any PCI add-in cards, such as sound cards or network cards.
I recommend starting by installing the drivers for your motherboard chipset. These usually contain drivers for fairly vital devices such as IDE, AGP, and PCI Bus controllers, as well as drivers for the motherboard itself that offer much better performance than Windows's generic drivers.
After that, I would move on to video card drivers, and then PCI add-in cards last.
When installing drivers, reboot as prompted by the install programs so that they can correctly finish their installation process.
*NOTE* In many cases, PCI add-in cards can cause problems with new hardware setups. For BEST compatibility, I recommend leaving PCI add-in cards uninstalled (that is, physically out of the system) until Windows has been completely set up and configured. This way, you can rule them out as things that may be causing problems. If you want to go ahead and deal with them at setup however, you shouldn't have any problems - in theory.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
Now that Windows and essential drivers are installed, we have reached a good stopping point. If you need to go to bed, or get something to eat, or pick the kids up from soccer practice, or whatever, now is a good time. If you're still rearing to go, read on.
Recap:
- After Windows installs, remove the installation CD and shut the system down.
- Do a cold boot to Windows.
- Install device drivers, preferably starting with motherboard and moving downward in priority.
Step Four: Getting Windows Up to Snuff
Now that Windows and the needed drivers are installed, it's time to start getting the OS ready for use. This involves changing a great many settings, depending on your needs.
Your first course of action should be to get your install internet ready. Recall that we are not connected to the Internet yet. First and foremost in this process is updating Windows with all the latest security patches and updates. Remember back at the beginning when I told you to have those patches and updates backed up on an accessible drive? This is why. Go ahead and install those patches and updates now. Follow the prompts to install, and reboot as needed.
At this point, I also recommend installing internet security software, such as a firewall of some sort. This gives you an added layer of security over top of an updated Windows, and will keep anyone malicious from gaining access to your machine. A free firewall can be gotten here:
ZoneAlarm
MechBGon suggested, and I wholeheartedly agree, that it would be a good idea to install some Anti-Virus software at this point as well. You can try Norton's TrialWare version of their Anti-Virus software, or you can download AVG, which is a free Anti-Virus software program. There are also many AV programs that can be purchased at retail, but it's recommended that you stick with a well known brand like Norton or McAffee.
Norton TrialWare
AVG AntiVirus
Once these steps are done, you can connect PC to the internet. I would like to say, as an aside though, that I do not endorse the use of Microsoft's included Internet Explorer browser. It is so riddled with gaping security holes it almost boggles the mind, and I find it a chore to use. Here are two alternative Internet Browsers that I find to be much more satisfactory:
Mozilla Firefox
Opera
Ok, now security is no longer an issue, so you can begin to configure Windows to your liking. There are a multitude of settings, customizations, menu options, registry tweaks, and more which can be enabled or disabled in Windows in order to make it a much more responsive and less bloated operating system. Rather than detail these changes here, I'm simply going to link to many of my favorite Windows Tweak/Configuration Guides, and let the reader cull what information they need from those.
TweakTown: Windows XP - From Reformat to Relax
Black Viper's Windows XP SP2 Service Config Guide
Black Viper's Windows XP SP1a Service Config
Black Viper's Windows 2000 Service Config
*NOTE* Most of these tweakguides will work for Windows 2000 as well as XP. 2000 is a very similar operating system, and in fact, XP uses large portions of 2000 code.
These guides are excellent, and refer to other excellent guides themselves as well. I personally use several of them to set up my own systems, and they are well worth the time it takes to follow them. Use the information in these guides and your own general knowledge to configure Windows the way you want it. Be aware, this process, especially when following some of those tweakguides, may take several hours. Do not start this process unless you're comfortable setting it down in the middle of things, or unless you have enough free time to get it all done in one fell swoop.
Once Windows is configured to your liking, we have one last thing to do before we start shaking down the system.
Recap:
- Install Windows Security Patches, Updates, and internet security software
- Configure Windows to taste. See provided guides for extra information.
Step Five: BIOS Configuration
For this step, you will probably want to have your motherboard manual handy. I'm an experienced DIYer when it comes to PCs, and even I ALWAYS read through a motherboard's manual every time I purchase a new one. BIOS settings are labeled differently on almost every board, and deciphering what they all mean can be a real challenge. Having your motherboard user guide handy will make the process a great deal easier.
So, with manual in hand, reboot your system, and enter the BIOS. Begin configuring the settings of the BIOS to taste. If you do not know what a setting does, and your manual does not provide any understanding of this setting, I recommend leaving it to the default setting. Also, if, after configuring your BIOS, there are any problems with the system where it was functioning before, I suggest re-entering the BIOS, resetting all options to default (there should be a BIOS menu option for this), and then configuring the settings 1 by 1, rebooting after each change. This will help you determine where the problem is.
*NOTE* At this point I STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST ADJUSTING ANY HARDWARE OUT OF STOCK SETTINGS! Do not overclock anything or adjust timings to anything more stressful on the hardware than stock settings. You want to make sure your hardware functions properly at stock and is not defective before you try to unleash any untapped potential it may have. Don't start tweaking or overclocking yet - just get the BIOS properly configured.
Before saving and exiting the BIOS, take a moment to browse over to the hardware monitoring section. Check the voltages that your hardware is recieving, and make sure it's the correct amount, according to the manufacturer. Also, take note of the temperatures the BIOS is reporting, and make sure they are within acceptable limits.
After your BIOS is ready to go, we're ready to start punching your system in the stomach to make sure all the components are fully functional.
Recap:
- Have motherboard manual ready. Reboot and enter BIOS.
- Configure BIOS settings to taste.
- DO NOT adjust BIOS settings for hardware out of stock specifications.
- Before exiting, check hardware voltages and temperatures, and ensure they are ok.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
If you're out of time for the day, or need a meal or some such, now is a good time to power down the system and let it sit, before we launch into the next big round of testing.
Step Six: Burn-In and Stability Testing
So we're ready to start running some tests to make sure everything is kosher. This process is known as "Burn-In", in that we put some nice heavy loads on the system to "shake it down" and make sure there are no kinks in the system, and that everything is stable. It also breaks in the new hardware, kind of like driving that first 100 miles in a new car. I recommend starting with the CPU, as it is the proverbial "heart" of the system.
Testing the CPU
To do this, you're going to want to install Prime95, and some sort of PC monitoring software, such as Everest. I linked to these back at the beginning, but in case you're lazy, here they are again:
Prime95
Everest
Everest, under it's computer/sensor selection, gives you voltage readings and temperature readings for most components in your system. Some motherboard manufacturers, such as ASUS, include custom software for monitoring your hardware as well. These will work too.
So, go ahead and install Everest and Prime95 and fire them both up. With Everest open, choose Prime95's stress test option, and start it up. It will run in a looping test until you stop it. For a thorough stress test at stock, you will want to let Prime95 run for at least four hours. If you really want to make sure everything is ok, it's even better to let Prime95 run over night, for up to 12 hours.
For the first hour or so, periodically check your temperatures and voltages in Everest. If they are well within hand, it's probably safe to leave the system alone to Prime and go get some things done - run to the grocery store, watch a movie, etc. Usually if there's a problem, it will make itself apparent in the first hour or so. We run Prime longer, however, just to be extra sure.
If Prime95 has zero errors and warnings throughout your test, congrats! Your CPU is set to go.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
We've just completed a process that was minimally four hours long. The next step will be fairly long as well - take a break here if needed.
Testing the System Memory
After the CPU has been taken care of, we'll want to test the system memory. A good tool for this is MemTest. Again, if you forgot to pick it up at the beginning, here it is again:
MemTest
This program is like Prime95 for your memory. It will test all of your memory modules in ordered fashion to ensure that it tests all the memory, and that the memory does what it is supposed to. While running, MemTest will give you a %coverage reading, denoting how close it is to completing a cycle of testing.
While in theory a 100% coverage test should mean your memory is fine, I recommend running MemTest to at least 1000% coverage, or 10 full cycles of testing. Again, if you can let the utility run over night, that's even better. Testing to 1000% coverage will take several hours, but you do not need to check in on the PC at this time. If there are any errors, MemTest will stop and alert you.
Follow MemTest's instructions - do not run any other programs while running MemTest. It should be just MemTest and Windows. Let her rip, and make your way to 1000% coverage, minimum.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
Again, we just completed a several hour process. Now's another good time to pack it in.
Testing the Video Card
Finally, after we know the System Memory is ok, let's test the graphics card and make sure nothing is wrong with it. For this, I use 3DMark03. You can get it here:
3DMark03
Running this benchmark in 10 - 20 straight runs is a pretty good stress test for your PC. At about 10 minutes per run, you're looking at about 1.5 to 3.5 hours of benchmark time here. Unfortunately, the free version of 3DMark (to my knowledge) does not allow looping, so you'll have to check in with the PC to restart the Benchmark each time.
Don't worry about the scores given - 3DMark is a pretty poor approximator of real world system performance.
3DMark doesn't give you errors if something should go wrong, so you'll want to observe your system while the benchmark is running to make sure there are no visual anomalies (weird lines, coloration, pixelation, etc. on the screen), and that the system doesn't lock up, either from heat or power issues. If either of these occur, stop testing and begin troubleshooting.
If all goes well, your GPU is ready to go!
Recap:
- Use Prime95 to Burn-In/Test CPU for a minimum of 4 hours. Use a hardware monitoring program to ensure no problems with voltages or temperatures occur.
- Use MemTest to test System Memory to a minimum of 1000% coverage. Longer is better.
- Use 3DMark to test Video Card - run benchmark at least 10 times in a row. Observe while testing for any visual corruption, lockups, etc.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
Since this stress test involves active participation on your part, you'll probably be ready for a break by now. In fact, this is a good place to stop for the day if you have the mind to do so.
Step Seven: Installing Applications, Final System Prep
Now that Windows is installed and properly configured, and we know all your hardware is sound, it's time to get down to the business of using this PC. At this point, you should install commonly used programs, system utilities, and any games or productivity software you regularly use. Also, take this opportunity to download patches and updates for these programs and bring them up to the latest versions.
Now, installing all those programs has caused a lot of fragmentation on your hard drive(s), put a lot of bloat into your temporary files, and inserted unneeded entries into your registry. If you were downloading patches and updates, you might have gotten some software you weren't looking for as well (read: spyware). After completing these installs, it's a good idea to run a full system cleanup. I recommend you do so as follows:
1) Run Windows' built-in Disk Cleanup wizard. Instruct it to do all cleanup operations EXCEPT compress old files. This should clean out your temp folders, recycle bin, etc.
2) Run a spyware scan. There are many utilities which can be used to do this, but I recommend using Ad-Aware, which can be found here:
Ad-Aware
Install it, update it to the latest definition set, and run a scan. Remove anything it identifies.
3) Run a registry cleanup. I personally use RegCleaner because it's free, but there are many utilities you can use for this purpose. Get RegCleaner here:
RegCleaner
Install it, run it, and remove the keys it identifies.
4) After all of the previous steps have been done, it's a good idea to go ahead and defragment your hard disk. It has been used significantly more in the past few days than it would during normal system usage, so it has fragmented faster than normal.
I have seen no evidence that third party defragmentation tools are significantly better than Windows' default defrag utility, so I just use it.
One last thing before you launch into your new system. You'll want to re-check all your voltages and system temps one last time to make sure they're ok. I recommend, as well, doing so with multiple programs so you can check for consistency. Some variation is to be expected - as long as all the programs are reporting in generally the same ballpark, you should be ok. Be on the lookout for things that look way out of whack. If you do find something strange, but it's only being reported by one program, the problem is most likely with the detection software, not the hardware, so I wouldn't worry about it unless you've been having trouble with that hardware. A good group of programs to use are Everest, SANDRA, and CPU-Z:
CPU-Z
SANDRA
Everest
Once you've done your system cleanup and double checked all your readings, reboot your system one last time - this will clear out anything unneccesary in your System Memory and Page File, and give Windows a nice clean start.
Recap:
- Install, patch, and configure commonly used programs.
- Run a system cleanup: Disk Cleanup, Spyware Scan, Registry Cleanup, Defragment.
- Double check your voltages and temperatures one last time, using several programs.
- Reboot
If everything has gone OK, you're now ready to start using your new PC!
Addendum: System Maintenance and Overclocking
I want to mention, before I go, that maintaining your PC is as vital to keep it functioning properly and quickly as a good clean setup is. I recommmend that you follow the system cleanup steps I mentioned above at least once a month. Twice a month is better, although you probably don't need to defrag the second time around.
I also recommend keeping an eye out for updates to Windows, Driver updates for your devices, and patches and updates for your programs.
Following this advice will ensure that your system remains healthy and responsive over the course of it's lifespan.
I also want to make a note about overclocking - many times, systems run at stock have a lot of untapped potential, which can be unlocked by overclocking the system. That is whole guide in an of itself, which is why I recommend, if you are interested, in reading Uber133tJarad, Rogue Jedi, and Ariste's excellent overclocking guide over at the Anandtech forums. Find it here:
Jarad, Rogue, Ariste's OC guide
That's all folks! I hope you found this guide helpful in some way, shape, or form, and thanks for reading!
- Insomniak
System Setup Guide
1/22/2005
Author: Insomniak
Additional Contributions: MechBGon
Version 1.1
Disclaimer: This guide is intended as a general guide to setting up a new PC from the point of first boot through the beginning of normal usage. The instructions here in are general, and should work for most systems, but as is often the case with Information Technology, I cannot guarantee that the steps of this guide will be 100% glitch free for everyone. Many of the steps herein involve placing great stress upon system components (within their manufacturer specified abilities) to ensure they are properly functioning. I take no responsibility, nor does anyone who contributes/contributed to this guide for any system damage, inconvenience, loss of life, acts of God, etc. that may occur. If you choose to use this guide, understand that you do so of your own accord and are responsible for any results of doing so.
*NOTE*A crucial portion of new system setup involves you being disconnected from the Internet for your own safety for the first half or so. If you choose to follow this guide to assist you in setting up your new system, I recommend printing off a hardcopy, or accessing it via the web on another machine. You may also copy and paste this text into a text file and access that from your hard disk.
Welcome to Insomniak's System Setup Guide.
Patent pending.
Just kidding.
I'll get right to the beef, so you can get right to enjoying your system. This guide is intended as general instruction/guidelines for setting up the software and hardware configurations of your newly assembled PC. I want to be very explicit that this guide does not include any instruction on how to build a PC, which parts to purchase, or whether AMD or Intel is better. It is intended solely to take you from first boot to final windows configuration in a manner that produces the fewest (ideally none!) headaches, allows for the easiest troubleshooting, and in the end, leaves you with peace of mind that your PC is properly set up and will work correctly.
This guide is written for those with a workable knowledge of PCs. I am assuming that since you just built your own PC, that you are familiar with hardware and how to adjust it, and are familiar with Windows and how to navigate it, install programs, etc. I am assuming that your PC was properly assembled an configured, so that hardware problems will be due mostly to defects or incompatibilities. This guide was NOT written for a completely clueless person. If you need to be taken by the hand and walked through the process step by step, this guide will be too advanced for you.
I want you to realize that I have provided these steps in a chronological order that they should be performed. Completing all the steps in this guide will likely take the average person (by which I mean adult with a day job) several days (3 to 4) to complete. Double that figure if you have children. Triple it if they are under 5 years of age. Setting up and configuring a new PC is not a simple task. I have provided notes in this guide as to when good stopping points would be, so consider those clues as to when to go to sleep, get some food, et cetera.
All I ask is that you do not rush this process. Doing it right takes a little bit longer, but it is well worth it.
With that in mind, let's begin.
Before We Begin
Did I say begin? I meant prepare to begin. Why can't anything computer related be simple?
Firstly, I want to say a few words about education. It is THE number #1 resource that can assist you the most with your PC, it's assembly, set up, and maintenance. GET INFORMED! Ask questions in forums - most of us who frequent them really do want to help. Use Google or whatever search engine you prefer, and start digging up information. Compile a healthy set of bookmarks to quality hardware review websites. These things will prove invaluable to you in the future. I would note here that I am self-taught - all my computer knowledge came from two sources: The generous education provided by others, and hard lessons learned through burning a lot of hardware up by doing something stupid. If I have to choose, I'll go with the former. To get you started, here are a few excellent hardware sites that I regularly frequent:
AnandTech
HardOCP
X-Bit Labs
Recommended Utilities
Throughout this guide, I will refer to many third-party software utilities which are very helpful in setting up and testing your system. I have compiled a list of the ones I use here. I recommend downloading these and backing them up to CD or Flash Drive in preparation for your next PC setup. Even if you aren't building a new system, many of these are handy for troubleshooting other people's machines, sort of a "software toolkit". You will need/want these:
Ad-Aware
RegCleaner
CPU-Z
SANDRA
Everest
Prime95
MemTest
3DMark03
In addition to these programs, I also recommend that you have all the drivers handy for your motherboard chipset, video card, and any PCI add-in cards you have in your system. These drivers should have been included in the packaging with the product when you purchased it. You will want all these on hand and easily accessible. Also make sure you have your Windows install disc ready. Lastly, I recommend downloading and backing up recent Windows Security Patches and Updates for the version you will be using to a CD or Flash Drive as well, to have them on hand.
Now then, if you have everything, we are really truly ready to begin (I mean it this time).
Step One: First Boot
Begin by ensuring that all connections to your PC AND WITHIN YOUR PC are fully seated and have good contact. This includes keyboard, mouse, monitor, and speakers. At this time, you don't need to bother with connecting extraneous peripherals like external hard drives and USB devices. Leave those unconnected. We'll get to them later.
IMPORTANT: For security reasons, it is best if you are not connected to the internet when first installing and configuring Windows. For this reason, leave your PC unconnected to the internet ? unplug CAT5 cables or your Cable Modem, and leave them as such until prompted to plug them in by this guide. This will prevent you from picking up something nasty before you have a chance to install security updates/firewall software.
You will want to have the side panel removed from your case, or if it's a side door, have it open, during this first boot. This is so we can make sure that everything inside your case is working properly. If you don't have the side panel off, go ahead and remove it.
Also, turn on all peripherals before powering on your system. In this case, that should be monitor and speakers, and not much else.
Now go ahead and power the system on, and make sure the POST occurs correctly. This should consist of the POST screen, a single beep from the PC speaker, and then an attempt to boot. Since you haven't installed windows yet, you should get a boot error. That's normal and expected, don't worry about it.
Test your reset button, by which I mean press it and reset the system. This time, during POST, press the appropriate key to enter BIOS setup. Once in BIOS setup, do NOT begin configuring BIOS options. We haven't gotten to that yet.
At this point, it's best to get a flashlight, and check the internals of your case. This is why I instructed you to leave your side panel off earlier - take a good look around in there, and make sure everything is working properly. Make sure all fans are spinning, that there are no warning LEDs on the motherboard (this feature is becoming more and more common), and that nothing has come loose. Make sure there are no wires touching heatsinks, as the insulation is likely to melt and cause problems later on.
If everything appears ok, then we're ready to move on. You can replace your side panel, or leave it off...it doesn't make much difference from this point on.
Recap:
- Double check all connections inside and outside of the PC.
- Remove the side panel of the case, or open the side door.
- Turn on all peripherals.
- Power on PC and check for successful POST.
- Reset PC, and enter BIOS setup.
- Leave PC in BIOS setup and inspect inside of case. Ensure all fans/hardware appear to be working properly.
Step Two: Installing Windows
If everything has gone as expected up to this point, we're ready to load the operating system, which I'm going to assume is Windows since that's what 97% of the market uses. If you're a Linux advocate, congratulations, but you're on your own.
While still in BIOS setup, go ahead and put the Windows Install CD in an optical drive. Then adjust the boot settings in your BIOS such that the optical drive is the first boot device. Go ahead and reset the system again. This time it should boot from the CD, and begin the Windows install process.
Follow the prompts to install Windows. Partition and format however you desire (I don't recommend partitions less than 4GB in size, unless you're creating a partition solely for your page file), and complete the install process. Remember, if you're using a RAID setup, you'll need to take appropriate steps (usually F6 at some point during Windows setup - it will prompt you) to install a RAID driver from CD before Windows installation can continue.
If you need a more specific guide on how to deal with installing Windows, I suggest you check out Black Viper's OS Guides page. He has a step by step guide for installing pretty much every version of Windows since ME. If you're installing something older than Windows ME, or, God help you, Windows ME itself, I STRONGLY suggest looking into an upgrade to Windows XP.
After Windows is installed, we get to the real meat of this guide.
Recap:
- While in BIOS setup, insert Windows install CD into optical drive.
- Change boot priority so that optical drive is first boot device.
- System will boot from CD. Format as needed and follow the prompts to install Windows.
Step Three: Cold Boot/Driver Installation
After Windows has successfully installed, remove the Windows Installation CD and shut your system down. After it is off, do a cold boot to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. If all went as it should, you should get a POST screen, followed by your PC booting into Windows from the Hard Disk.
Before we start doing any major configuring and such with Windows, you'll want to make sure that all your devices are properly installed. Largely, this consists of installing device drivers. As mentioned at the beginning, these drivers should have come on CDs that were included with the devices themselves - you should have some for your motherboard and video card, as well as any PCI add-in cards, such as sound cards or network cards.
I recommend starting by installing the drivers for your motherboard chipset. These usually contain drivers for fairly vital devices such as IDE, AGP, and PCI Bus controllers, as well as drivers for the motherboard itself that offer much better performance than Windows's generic drivers.
After that, I would move on to video card drivers, and then PCI add-in cards last.
When installing drivers, reboot as prompted by the install programs so that they can correctly finish their installation process.
*NOTE* In many cases, PCI add-in cards can cause problems with new hardware setups. For BEST compatibility, I recommend leaving PCI add-in cards uninstalled (that is, physically out of the system) until Windows has been completely set up and configured. This way, you can rule them out as things that may be causing problems. If you want to go ahead and deal with them at setup however, you shouldn't have any problems - in theory.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
Now that Windows and essential drivers are installed, we have reached a good stopping point. If you need to go to bed, or get something to eat, or pick the kids up from soccer practice, or whatever, now is a good time. If you're still rearing to go, read on.
Recap:
- After Windows installs, remove the installation CD and shut the system down.
- Do a cold boot to Windows.
- Install device drivers, preferably starting with motherboard and moving downward in priority.
Step Four: Getting Windows Up to Snuff
Now that Windows and the needed drivers are installed, it's time to start getting the OS ready for use. This involves changing a great many settings, depending on your needs.
Your first course of action should be to get your install internet ready. Recall that we are not connected to the Internet yet. First and foremost in this process is updating Windows with all the latest security patches and updates. Remember back at the beginning when I told you to have those patches and updates backed up on an accessible drive? This is why. Go ahead and install those patches and updates now. Follow the prompts to install, and reboot as needed.
At this point, I also recommend installing internet security software, such as a firewall of some sort. This gives you an added layer of security over top of an updated Windows, and will keep anyone malicious from gaining access to your machine. A free firewall can be gotten here:
ZoneAlarm
MechBGon suggested, and I wholeheartedly agree, that it would be a good idea to install some Anti-Virus software at this point as well. You can try Norton's TrialWare version of their Anti-Virus software, or you can download AVG, which is a free Anti-Virus software program. There are also many AV programs that can be purchased at retail, but it's recommended that you stick with a well known brand like Norton or McAffee.
Norton TrialWare
AVG AntiVirus
Once these steps are done, you can connect PC to the internet. I would like to say, as an aside though, that I do not endorse the use of Microsoft's included Internet Explorer browser. It is so riddled with gaping security holes it almost boggles the mind, and I find it a chore to use. Here are two alternative Internet Browsers that I find to be much more satisfactory:
Mozilla Firefox
Opera
Ok, now security is no longer an issue, so you can begin to configure Windows to your liking. There are a multitude of settings, customizations, menu options, registry tweaks, and more which can be enabled or disabled in Windows in order to make it a much more responsive and less bloated operating system. Rather than detail these changes here, I'm simply going to link to many of my favorite Windows Tweak/Configuration Guides, and let the reader cull what information they need from those.
TweakTown: Windows XP - From Reformat to Relax
Black Viper's Windows XP SP2 Service Config Guide
Black Viper's Windows XP SP1a Service Config
Black Viper's Windows 2000 Service Config
*NOTE* Most of these tweakguides will work for Windows 2000 as well as XP. 2000 is a very similar operating system, and in fact, XP uses large portions of 2000 code.
These guides are excellent, and refer to other excellent guides themselves as well. I personally use several of them to set up my own systems, and they are well worth the time it takes to follow them. Use the information in these guides and your own general knowledge to configure Windows the way you want it. Be aware, this process, especially when following some of those tweakguides, may take several hours. Do not start this process unless you're comfortable setting it down in the middle of things, or unless you have enough free time to get it all done in one fell swoop.
Once Windows is configured to your liking, we have one last thing to do before we start shaking down the system.
Recap:
- Install Windows Security Patches, Updates, and internet security software
- Configure Windows to taste. See provided guides for extra information.
Step Five: BIOS Configuration
For this step, you will probably want to have your motherboard manual handy. I'm an experienced DIYer when it comes to PCs, and even I ALWAYS read through a motherboard's manual every time I purchase a new one. BIOS settings are labeled differently on almost every board, and deciphering what they all mean can be a real challenge. Having your motherboard user guide handy will make the process a great deal easier.
So, with manual in hand, reboot your system, and enter the BIOS. Begin configuring the settings of the BIOS to taste. If you do not know what a setting does, and your manual does not provide any understanding of this setting, I recommend leaving it to the default setting. Also, if, after configuring your BIOS, there are any problems with the system where it was functioning before, I suggest re-entering the BIOS, resetting all options to default (there should be a BIOS menu option for this), and then configuring the settings 1 by 1, rebooting after each change. This will help you determine where the problem is.
*NOTE* At this point I STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST ADJUSTING ANY HARDWARE OUT OF STOCK SETTINGS! Do not overclock anything or adjust timings to anything more stressful on the hardware than stock settings. You want to make sure your hardware functions properly at stock and is not defective before you try to unleash any untapped potential it may have. Don't start tweaking or overclocking yet - just get the BIOS properly configured.
Before saving and exiting the BIOS, take a moment to browse over to the hardware monitoring section. Check the voltages that your hardware is recieving, and make sure it's the correct amount, according to the manufacturer. Also, take note of the temperatures the BIOS is reporting, and make sure they are within acceptable limits.
After your BIOS is ready to go, we're ready to start punching your system in the stomach to make sure all the components are fully functional.
Recap:
- Have motherboard manual ready. Reboot and enter BIOS.
- Configure BIOS settings to taste.
- DO NOT adjust BIOS settings for hardware out of stock specifications.
- Before exiting, check hardware voltages and temperatures, and ensure they are ok.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
If you're out of time for the day, or need a meal or some such, now is a good time to power down the system and let it sit, before we launch into the next big round of testing.
Step Six: Burn-In and Stability Testing
So we're ready to start running some tests to make sure everything is kosher. This process is known as "Burn-In", in that we put some nice heavy loads on the system to "shake it down" and make sure there are no kinks in the system, and that everything is stable. It also breaks in the new hardware, kind of like driving that first 100 miles in a new car. I recommend starting with the CPU, as it is the proverbial "heart" of the system.
Testing the CPU
To do this, you're going to want to install Prime95, and some sort of PC monitoring software, such as Everest. I linked to these back at the beginning, but in case you're lazy, here they are again:
Prime95
Everest
Everest, under it's computer/sensor selection, gives you voltage readings and temperature readings for most components in your system. Some motherboard manufacturers, such as ASUS, include custom software for monitoring your hardware as well. These will work too.
So, go ahead and install Everest and Prime95 and fire them both up. With Everest open, choose Prime95's stress test option, and start it up. It will run in a looping test until you stop it. For a thorough stress test at stock, you will want to let Prime95 run for at least four hours. If you really want to make sure everything is ok, it's even better to let Prime95 run over night, for up to 12 hours.
For the first hour or so, periodically check your temperatures and voltages in Everest. If they are well within hand, it's probably safe to leave the system alone to Prime and go get some things done - run to the grocery store, watch a movie, etc. Usually if there's a problem, it will make itself apparent in the first hour or so. We run Prime longer, however, just to be extra sure.
If Prime95 has zero errors and warnings throughout your test, congrats! Your CPU is set to go.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
We've just completed a process that was minimally four hours long. The next step will be fairly long as well - take a break here if needed.
Testing the System Memory
After the CPU has been taken care of, we'll want to test the system memory. A good tool for this is MemTest. Again, if you forgot to pick it up at the beginning, here it is again:
MemTest
This program is like Prime95 for your memory. It will test all of your memory modules in ordered fashion to ensure that it tests all the memory, and that the memory does what it is supposed to. While running, MemTest will give you a %coverage reading, denoting how close it is to completing a cycle of testing.
While in theory a 100% coverage test should mean your memory is fine, I recommend running MemTest to at least 1000% coverage, or 10 full cycles of testing. Again, if you can let the utility run over night, that's even better. Testing to 1000% coverage will take several hours, but you do not need to check in on the PC at this time. If there are any errors, MemTest will stop and alert you.
Follow MemTest's instructions - do not run any other programs while running MemTest. It should be just MemTest and Windows. Let her rip, and make your way to 1000% coverage, minimum.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
Again, we just completed a several hour process. Now's another good time to pack it in.
Testing the Video Card
Finally, after we know the System Memory is ok, let's test the graphics card and make sure nothing is wrong with it. For this, I use 3DMark03. You can get it here:
3DMark03
Running this benchmark in 10 - 20 straight runs is a pretty good stress test for your PC. At about 10 minutes per run, you're looking at about 1.5 to 3.5 hours of benchmark time here. Unfortunately, the free version of 3DMark (to my knowledge) does not allow looping, so you'll have to check in with the PC to restart the Benchmark each time.
Don't worry about the scores given - 3DMark is a pretty poor approximator of real world system performance.
3DMark doesn't give you errors if something should go wrong, so you'll want to observe your system while the benchmark is running to make sure there are no visual anomalies (weird lines, coloration, pixelation, etc. on the screen), and that the system doesn't lock up, either from heat or power issues. If either of these occur, stop testing and begin troubleshooting.
If all goes well, your GPU is ready to go!
Recap:
- Use Prime95 to Burn-In/Test CPU for a minimum of 4 hours. Use a hardware monitoring program to ensure no problems with voltages or temperatures occur.
- Use MemTest to test System Memory to a minimum of 1000% coverage. Longer is better.
- Use 3DMark to test Video Card - run benchmark at least 10 times in a row. Observe while testing for any visual corruption, lockups, etc.
RECOMMENDED STOPPING POINT
Since this stress test involves active participation on your part, you'll probably be ready for a break by now. In fact, this is a good place to stop for the day if you have the mind to do so.
Step Seven: Installing Applications, Final System Prep
Now that Windows is installed and properly configured, and we know all your hardware is sound, it's time to get down to the business of using this PC. At this point, you should install commonly used programs, system utilities, and any games or productivity software you regularly use. Also, take this opportunity to download patches and updates for these programs and bring them up to the latest versions.
Now, installing all those programs has caused a lot of fragmentation on your hard drive(s), put a lot of bloat into your temporary files, and inserted unneeded entries into your registry. If you were downloading patches and updates, you might have gotten some software you weren't looking for as well (read: spyware). After completing these installs, it's a good idea to run a full system cleanup. I recommend you do so as follows:
1) Run Windows' built-in Disk Cleanup wizard. Instruct it to do all cleanup operations EXCEPT compress old files. This should clean out your temp folders, recycle bin, etc.
2) Run a spyware scan. There are many utilities which can be used to do this, but I recommend using Ad-Aware, which can be found here:
Ad-Aware
Install it, update it to the latest definition set, and run a scan. Remove anything it identifies.
3) Run a registry cleanup. I personally use RegCleaner because it's free, but there are many utilities you can use for this purpose. Get RegCleaner here:
RegCleaner
Install it, run it, and remove the keys it identifies.
4) After all of the previous steps have been done, it's a good idea to go ahead and defragment your hard disk. It has been used significantly more in the past few days than it would during normal system usage, so it has fragmented faster than normal.
I have seen no evidence that third party defragmentation tools are significantly better than Windows' default defrag utility, so I just use it.
One last thing before you launch into your new system. You'll want to re-check all your voltages and system temps one last time to make sure they're ok. I recommend, as well, doing so with multiple programs so you can check for consistency. Some variation is to be expected - as long as all the programs are reporting in generally the same ballpark, you should be ok. Be on the lookout for things that look way out of whack. If you do find something strange, but it's only being reported by one program, the problem is most likely with the detection software, not the hardware, so I wouldn't worry about it unless you've been having trouble with that hardware. A good group of programs to use are Everest, SANDRA, and CPU-Z:
CPU-Z
SANDRA
Everest
Once you've done your system cleanup and double checked all your readings, reboot your system one last time - this will clear out anything unneccesary in your System Memory and Page File, and give Windows a nice clean start.
Recap:
- Install, patch, and configure commonly used programs.
- Run a system cleanup: Disk Cleanup, Spyware Scan, Registry Cleanup, Defragment.
- Double check your voltages and temperatures one last time, using several programs.
- Reboot
If everything has gone OK, you're now ready to start using your new PC!
Addendum: System Maintenance and Overclocking
I want to mention, before I go, that maintaining your PC is as vital to keep it functioning properly and quickly as a good clean setup is. I recommmend that you follow the system cleanup steps I mentioned above at least once a month. Twice a month is better, although you probably don't need to defrag the second time around.
I also recommend keeping an eye out for updates to Windows, Driver updates for your devices, and patches and updates for your programs.
Following this advice will ensure that your system remains healthy and responsive over the course of it's lifespan.
I also want to make a note about overclocking - many times, systems run at stock have a lot of untapped potential, which can be unlocked by overclocking the system. That is whole guide in an of itself, which is why I recommend, if you are interested, in reading Uber133tJarad, Rogue Jedi, and Ariste's excellent overclocking guide over at the Anandtech forums. Find it here:
Jarad, Rogue, Ariste's OC guide
That's all folks! I hope you found this guide helpful in some way, shape, or form, and thanks for reading!
- Insomniak