The tools necessary are fairly minimal - A Philips screwdriver, needle-nose pliers and perhaps some electrician's tape. Before you actually open the case, you should unplug the power supply from the wall and make sure you are properly grounded. Static electricity, even from your body, can seriously damage the components inside the computer if you are not careful. The best way to ground yourself is to use a wrist strap that is connected to the case chassis, but you can achieve the same result by touching the chassis each time before handling a component.

Once you are ready, open the case and get ready to spend about an hour or two under the hood…

Look closely at the new motherboard - top and bottom - to make sure there are no obvious problems. Examine all sockets, slots and pins to make sure there are no broken or bent parts and that all locking tabs are functioning, such as those that hold on the CPU fan and memory modules.

A new motherboard package should include at least three items: A users' manual and/or quick reference card, a set of cables and a driver/utility disk or CD. The users' manual contains all of the configuration information in case of questions about installation or setup. You may find that the only hardcopy documentation is a quick reference card that has only the necessary info to install the basic components, with the full manual included on the accompanying CD.

Each cable or wire that is connected to the old board should be identified for proper reconnection to the new motherboard. Be sure to note where the floppy and hard drive cables, the wires for the front panel lights and switches of the case, and the power connector are located.