How to Make a Laptop

The first step to building a laptop involves finding the barebones notebook. A number of models of barebones may be purchased at local electronics stores or online retailers. The main factors to take into consideration when selecting a model for barebones include graphics card support, processor technology, and the screen size depending on the requirements of the user.

Barebones laptops are not wholly empty shells. They are frequently bundled with a number of built-in components which cannot be traded out like the optical drive and the motherboard. Since that is the case, the laptop builder would just simply have to assemble the rest of the computer parts like the CPU, graphics card, wireless card, memory, and hard drive. A majority of these computer components are commonly marketed as upgrades to laptops that were pre-built and are competitively priced by retailers.

Laptop assembly begins with the removal of the back panel. Refer to the assembly instructions that come with the barebones on how to remove this part. With the barebones lying on the lid part and the front towards the builder, the panel comprises the right half part of the barebones notebook. In order to remove the back panel, unscrew the four screws with the small screw icon beside them. They are the only ones that need to be removed. Make sure the fifth screw on the panel with a disc icon right next to it is not taken out. The fifth screw secures the drive DVD±RW in place. Upon removing the screws, put them inside plastic baggies so as not to lose them. Once the panel is removed, take the stock of the different sockets that you will be filling. Keep all objects and fingers off the motherboard because the processor socket is not protected and when the pins of the processor are bent, it will render the laptop useless.

Install the processor by lifting the tiny arm located beside the CPU socket. Raise the socket cover and exercise extreme caution in doing so. Carefully remove all the snap-on covers on the CPU chip so that they could be lined up in the CPU socket. Check if the CPU chip is lined up in the socket matching the notches inside the socket itself. Drop the CPU chip with care into the socket making sure that minimal effort is made at doing so. Once the chip is in place, close the cover of the socket and put the locking arm back where it used to be. Two heat sinks are present in some models of barebones. One is for the video card and the other is for the processor. The heat sink of the processor is bigger than the other one. It has four holes for screws and a plastic covering that protects the thermal paste. Remove the plastic covering without touching the thermal paste and slide the heat sink’s cooling fins beneath the fan assembly behind the notebook. Line up the screw holes with the corresponding screw holes that surround the socket of the CPU. Screw in the four black screws to keep the heat sink secure.

To avail of wireless connectivity, the Mini-PCIe slot is utilized instead of the Mini-PCIe variety. Note that the wires should be connected first before the card is slid into the slot.

Install the graphics card. Although, they are very difficult to find, most of the barebones notebooks utilize upgradeable MXM graphics cards because they are easy to install. Gamers can use the most powerful MXM card that they can find.

Set up the hard drive. In securing the metal cage of the drive, use the blue tipped screws. Drop the hard drive into place then using your thumb, push it into the connectors referred to as SATA.

Add the memory. Memory boards are the last hardware to install. Upon completing the installation of the computer hardware components, slide the back panel into place and screw securely into place. Put in the battery pack and plug into an outlet. Now, press the power button. The logo of the barebones notebook manufacturer should appear thereafter.

The installation of the drivers should complete the laptop.