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Computers have become an ubiquitous item in our lives. There are to be found everywhere. Just like any other machine, a computer also has its main energy or power source up on which it depends to work efficiently. In computer’s case this part is UPS- uninterrupted power supply. It is very important to have a good UPS to run the computer effectively. Simply imagining a scenario where the system goes blank just while you were about to pen down some important thought for your book, or pay a bill; makes us feel really annoyed. To ensure that you do not face any such distracting phase, always use a good quality UPS and look after it well.

When you shut down your computer without following the usual steps, it gives a warning that data will be lost. However, an unscheduled shut down does not give you this warning. You may lose everything you were working on. This sumps up how important UPS is for your system. A good quality UPS does cost you some money but it is worth buying. It saves your important data. Nothing can be as precious as that.

A UPS provides power to your monitor and CPU even when the electricity is no longer available. It provides adequate amount of power which lets you save your data and shut down the system properly. It also protects the system from power fluctuations. The power fluctuation can wreak havoc on your system and can even destroy it completely. Having a UPS can save you from this. UPS monitors the line voltage and activates it when it senses any change in voltage. A good quality UPS can quickly make this change.

A UPS has a number of batteries that monitor the power going to your PC. The CPU and monitor is directly plugged to the UPS which in turn is plugged to a wall outlet. The UPS gets itself charged when not in use. A UPS is an essential requirement for data centers which protect their servers and network equipment from power fluctuations. They can not afford to lose data as it will cost a lot of money to get everything repaired.

A UPS is not that expensive. In fact, its cost has dropped over the years. What matters most is the safety of your precious data. Therefore, it is better to spend some money on buying a good UPS which is the lifeline of your system.

Do you know what could beat the exciting feeling of having a new computer? Make your own PC!

Making your own computer from scratch is not only fun to do but cheaper as well. You can get to choose the parts you want to use on your PC. This gives you the control in balancing the price and the quality of your newly assembled PC.

Before we show you the steps, here are the necessary parts of the computer that you need to buy:

* Processor Cooler
* Motherboard memory
* Graphics Card
* Hard Drive
* CD or DVD Writer
* Floppy Drive
* Sound Card
* Computer Case
* Power Supply
* Monitor
* Keyboard
* Mouse

Steps in making your own PC:

Step 1
The computer case includes motherboard spacers and screws. This helps set the motherboard in the case. Mount the spacers into the corners and to the proper side holes. It should match up with the holes in your motherboard.

If the motherboard has different jack arrangements from the case’s I/O (input/output) shield, use the shield that comes with the motherboard. Mount it from the inside of the case.

Now, to install the processor, raise the lever on the side of the CPU (processor) socket. The CPU’s pins are made in a way that it is possible to put the CPU into the socket only one way. Therefore, if you are doing it right, it should easily fit.

Hold the processor down and close to the lever. Before installing the CPU cooler, put thermal compound onto the top of the CPU (on core).

Step 2
Mount the processor cooler on top of the processor. Press down lightly. Clip the heat sink to the processor socket. Attach the CPU cooler’s fan power to the motherboard’s fan header. It is usually labeled “CPU FAN 1″.

Plug in the memory module to the long sockets called DIMM’s. Unlock both tabs and push the memory straight down. The clips on the slot’s sides should close. Carefully push the motherboard against the I/O shield. Put in and tighten the motherboard screws. Do not force it.

The brown slot nearest to the processor is the AGP slot meant for the video card. Insert the video card evenly in the slot provided. Screw the card into place. Make sure that your AGP video card is placed properly.

At the corner of the motherboard, you can see two rows of pins. Connect case leads to the pins. These leads are usually labeled. Read your motherboard manual. See which label goes to which set of pins.

Step 3
Now we mount the floppy drive, CD/DVD drive and the hard drive. The motherboard usually has 2 IDE channels, each supporting 2 devices. If you install 2 IDE devices on the same cable, you will have the main to be the “master” and the other to be the “slave”.

This is the same procedure for CD/DVD drives. Look for an HDD and CD drive manual for the correct jumper settings. You should do these before you screw drives into place.

Connect hard drives to a channel different from the CD drives. Floppy controller has a socket shorter than the IDE controllers.

Make sure the side of the IDE cable that has a red colored stripe lines up with pin1.

Lastly, plug in the main ATX power cable and connect all drives with the power supply. If you have more case coolers, you may also connect them.

Now, connect your monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers to the back of the case. Put in the power cable to the power supply unit. Double-check proper installation before the first boot.

You can now show your friends your first assembled computer.

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