I did not know how to build a computer either, it dont have to take you as long to build a compter as it took me.
I planned my it out for over a year befor I put my first one together.
My first build was not all new parts the Motherboard, CPU, Memory, Case, all the rest came from a Gateway computer I upgraded.
So I had a good Video Card, OK Sound Card, cheap 5.1 speaker system, CD writer, CD rom, Floppy Drive, Power Supply, HD.
I knew I could put the computer together but as far as conecting the leads from the case to the mother board. I was going to have a friend connect the leads for me the night that I had everything esle put together. My friend did not make it and I chose to do it my self.
I knew Negitive from Positive had went to school for Electronics but had a little fear, You do not know have to go to school for Electronics as long as you know Negitive from positive you can build a computer and know how to follow simple directions.
This is what I (Wendell H) did.
1) Planned my build
2) Went to costom sights and configured a computer to see what was compatible and what was not compatible.
3) First thing I bought was a case Mid size Ultra case some vendors call it full size.
4) Bought all the needed parts that I could not use from my old computer.
5) At tigerdirect for each component they had tips at the bottom off each page. Read them all.
6) Read a lot about safety procedures when building, one procedure that stuck in my head was grounding my self or tacking the static electricity out off my body.
7) Had two tables laid out all my equipment
Started my build Had the motherboard booklet was very important because nearly everything gets connected to the motherboard. Once you know the connections that are on the MB that your componet will use then you are on your way. ( I fried a motherboard once, because I forgot safety Procedures).
9) Not every case leads are the same I was told by a computer repair man in my town and that I had to costomize one lead. It was simple, one lead had to be split in half to be conected to the terminals on the MB. When I split the lead it was not a clean split so I had to buy this compound called Liquid tape.
10) The instructions told me when you boot up and you hear one beep, that told me all connection was connected correctly.
11) Had to go inside Bios and set that up to how I was going to use my computer, for instance MB had onboard sound I was using a Sound Card so I had to disable onboard sound.
12)XP was out but I did not want to use it I used ME, but I found out later when I bought Dual channel memory that I had to use it for it to be enabled.
Here is one off the links I used, there are many. I can say now it was not as bad as I though.
(I have Upgraded My first Computer until I can not upgrade it anymore).
http://www.tigerdirect.com/static/html/pcbuildingtips.html
I have built a few computers since my first one and built some for friends that just did not want to build a computer.
When I built my first I used one off the best Motherboards at that time Gigabyte had for AMD CPU. I have learned a lot from that MB, and I am glad I did. My next build wich will be soon. I have to get another motherboard that I can learn from. The Motherboard is the main part off the build, (guys that is my opinion).
I foud out over the years building is fun and very (Addictive).
Good Luck and have fun:
Wendell H