How to Build Your Own Notebook Laptop

A newly finished notebook laptop.

Building your own notebook laptop gives you total control over all of the capabilities and hardware components the computer will have. Assembling your own machine is a complicated process, but it can also be much more cost-efficient than buying a prebuilt laptop. When building a notebook computer you will start with a barebones system that already has the case, motherboard and LCD screen connected. Once your barebones system is selected, from there you choose what your system will end up like.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips screwdriver
• Bare bones notebook system
• Notebook hardware components
• Operating system install disk

Instructions

1. Find a barebones notebook system that has the screen size and specific motherboard ports you want, such as USB or Firewire ports. Check to see what processor socket the motherboard uses and acquire a corresponding processor.

2. Find out how much RAM the motherboard can use and acquire the RAM modules you want to use. Purchase a graphics card for extra graphical processing power if you don't want to use the motherboard's on-board graphics adapter.

3. Pick up a wireless network card, hard drive, and CD or DVD drive sized for a laptop. Decide which specific operating system you want and buy an installation disk.

4. Turn the barebones laptop over so that the bottom side of the case is facing you. Pull back the battery release latch and remove the battery if it was already installed in the case.

5. Remove each of the screws on the bottom side of the case and pull off all of the plastic covers that protect the internal components. Locate the RAM module ports, which will usually be on the left side of the case.

6. Insert the RAM modules into the ports at a 45 degree angle. Set the plastic cover over the RAM port and attach the screws. Check to see if there are plastic railings or a metal hard drive cage inside the hard drive port.

7. Pull the railing or cage out and attach them to the hard drive. Insert the hard drive into the open port. Set the plastic cover back over the hard drive and reattach the screws. Slide the CD or DVD drive into the port on the left side of the case. Connect the screw to hold the drive in place.

8. Set the wireless network card inside the remaining open area on the laptop case. Connect the two cables from the network card to the two corresponding ports on the motherboard. Set the plastic cover on the case and attach its screws.

9. Flip the notebook case over and open the LCD screen lid. Slide the edge of your screwdriver underneath the plastic strip under the LCD screen. Pop the strip upwards and set it aside.

10. Remove the screws holding down the keyboard and lift the keyboard off the notebook. Set the processor onto the processor socket at the right side of the motherboard. Push down the plastic clamp on the side of the processor.

11. Attach the processor's fan and heat sink assembly on top of the processing unit. Connect the assembly's screws and then connect the fan's cable to the motherboard port.

12. Insert the graphics card into the open port at the middle of the motherboard if you are using one. Attach its screw if it has one. Reassemble the keyboard and plastic strip.

13. Power on the notebook. Place the operating system install disk into the CD or DVD drive. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish building your new notebook computer.

Tips & Warnings

• If you aren't sure how much RAM or how fast a processor you need you should take a look at the minimum system requirements of any programs you want to use. Acquire hardware components that are slightly more advanced than the minimum requirements to allow for new software that will have higher requirements later.

• Prevent damage to your notebook's hardware components by grounding yourself before you start assembling the computer. You can ground yourself by momentarily touching your fingers to a metal object that is connected to the floor.

References

• Assembling a Laptop
• Do It Yourself Laptop Build