I got my PC back from a company that handled cleanup after a house fire, but several components and cables were disconnected. I'm not sure where everything goes and would appreciate help identifying how to put the system back together safely. I included photos of the PC, the motherboard area, and the loose pins/connectors. I'm especially unsure about reinstalling the CPU and cooler and reconnecting the remaining plugs.
2 Answers
It looks like the CPU may still be attached to the cooler. Carefully separate it, clean off the old thermal paste with isopropyl alcohol, and apply fresh paste before reinstalling the cooler. When placing the CPU back into the socket, match the small triangle on the CPU with the triangle on the motherboard socket, lower it in without pressure, then secure the retention arm. After that, reinstall the cooler evenly and reconnect its fan cable to the CPU_FAN header. For the other connectors, use the motherboard manual and match labels such as CPU power, motherboard power, front-panel switches, USB, audio, storage, and case fans.
A step-by-step PC building guide or video would be the safest place to start. Compare each component and connector with the motherboard and case manuals rather than guessing, since forcing a plug into the wrong header can damage something.
Could you point me toward a beginner-friendly guide? I’d really appreciate it.