Installing your CPU should not be a very difficult task. Anyone who has ever played with LEGO should be able to perform this simple yet vital task.

How to go about installing your CPU is dependant on what style of CPU you are using.

Currently there are two styles of CPU.

• The socket style CPU is flat with a grid of pins that are inserted into the Motherboards CPU socket. Some popular socket style CPU's are the AMD Duron, and the Intel Celeron as well as the new AMD Thunderbird Athlons and the new Intel Pentium chips.

ORIENT THE CHIP

This involves locating Pin 1 on both the chip and the socket. This is easy to do. The chip is always marked at Pin 1. The mark may be a little dot on one corner, a slightly notched corner, or a mark at one of the pins under the chip. On the socket, there is usually a notch on one corner, or a big "1". These corners will be matched up for correct installation.

OPENT THE ZIF SOCKET

This is done by grabbing the lever on one side of the socket and opening it. Pull the lever from the closed, level position, to the open, vertical position. You may need to pull the lever out a little before it will open. Do this slowly and be sure not to force it. You don't want to break the socket. On the way up, you may experience a little more force. This is normal.

INSERT THE PROCESSOR

Bearing in mind the orientation determined in Step 1, insert the chip into the socket. With a ZIF socket, the chip should install very easily. It should almost fall into the socket with all pins lining up. If not, the socket is probably not open all the way.

CLOSING THE ZIF SOCET

Just close the lever. You will probably feel some resistance. This is normal and it should close anyway. If you really need to lean on it, check to be sure the chip is installed correctly. When down, make sure the lever snaps into place.

Now you have to install your cooling fan and Heatsink. Most often the cooling fan and Heatsink will be sold together already attached. Otherwise you will have to screw the cooling fan to the Heatsink. The Cooling fan/Heatsink assembly is attached to the CPU via a metal clip that hooks onto the CPU socket. Alternatively it can be attached by applying a Thermal compound to the Heatsink which assures that the Heatsink is in contact with all of the CPU surface area.

Slot Style Cpu's are much easier to install, especially since many of them have the heat sink and cooling fan built right into the protective casing. If that is the case with your CPU then installing it into your system is nothing more than lifting the CPU Rails that guide the CPU and sliding the CPU into the slot. The slot is keyed so your CPU cannot be inserted the wrong way. If your CPU doe not already have the Heatsink/Cooling fan installed, simply snap it onto the back of the CPU before sliding it into the CPU slot. It should be placed firmly into the slot till the top of the CPU clicks into the guide rails.