How to Build a Compaq Computer

Compaq computers are not significantly better or worse than any other computer made by other retailers or even one that an average person can build. Only Compaq can truly build a Compaq computer. By definition a computer is a Compaq because that's who its manufacturer is. You can, however, make a computer just like a Compaq. You can decide beforehand how much you would like it to look like a Compaq. In the end, your computer will be another PC as it would not have been truly made by the manufacturer.

• 1

  Get a case. You can really use any case that you want, but to make it more authentic you'll want a Compaq case. Since you can't buy just a case from Compaq you can buy an old used Compaq computer from an online auction or at a yard sale or from an ad in the newspaper. Remove all of the parts that you don't want and use the case.

• 2

  Install the hardware that you want. You'll need a motherboard, CPU, CPU fan and heatsink, memory, hard drive, optical drive, video card and sound card. The motherboard goes in first and screws into the case.

• 3

  Put any cards in the card slots and screw them onto the case. Place the hard drive and optical drives in the front bays of the case and screw them onto the case structure. The CPU fits in the square CPU slot and a thin bar closes to hold it in place. Screw the fan and heatsink on top of the CPU. Push the RAM straight down into the memory slots until the side tabs click.

• 4

  Connect all of the cables. The power supply has a main cable that is wider than the rest of the cables that plug into the motherboard. There may also be a square connector that plugs into the motherboard to power the CPU. Plug power cables into the drives. Plug the data cables from the motherboard into the drives, also.

• 5

  Attach all of the case wires. There are several cables coming from the case that include power, reset, hard drive light and others that have matching pins on the motherboard in which they can be connected.

• 6

  Connect a Compaq monitor to the computer. Start the computer and insert a Windows CD in the drive. Restart the computer and let it boot into the Windows installation. Follow the onscreen instructions to install Windows, which will include accepting the license and making choices about your date and time.

• 7

  Install any additional software that you want by inserting the CDs in the drive and clicking on the program. Install any Compaq specific software if you have software from an old Compaq or if you find software on its website that is free for downloads.