Strap on the wrist-grounding device and wear it at all times. This prevents static electricity from building up while handling delicate computer parts. Remove the protective plastic cover from the CPU housing, where the Core 2 processor plugs in. Lift the cover and connect the processor. Line up the pins carefully and don't force it into place. After the CPU snaps in, close the cover and secure the locking lever.
Connect the heat sink and fan assembly, pushing the four pins into the holes on the motherboard. Push the locking pin mechanism to firmly hold the heat sink in place. Consult instructions included with the fan and motherboard for further details specific to the brand of each component.
Snap in the DDR2 RAM sticks into the slots. Consult motherboard instructions for specifications on which slot to fill first. Your computer dealer can suggest the best brands of RAM for the motherboard you have chosen. RAM is very important on a DAW machine, so this is not the best place to trade-off on performance for price. Get the best you can afford.
Attach power supply cables from the power supply unit, or PSU, to the motherboard. Depending on the motherboard, there will be a series of 12-pin connectors or one connector with 20 wires. Consult the instructions that came with your motherboard for the detailed connection pattern.
Install the hard drives, connecting one end of the serial ATA (SATA) data cables to the motherboard and the other end to the hard drive. Also install the DVD-WR drive using the IDE plug, a wide gray ribbon-like connector. Consult motherboard instructions for connecting the power switch, LED, HD LED and reset switches. Finally, connect the power connector to the hard drive and close up the computer casing when you are satisfied all the connections are correct.