A beginner guide to simple upgrades?

I am hardware challenged. Would love to build a system, but first need a good guide to basic stuff like changing HD, upgrading RAM, and putting in a new DVD drive.

Any particularly good links?

 

Before doing anything, get yourself an anti static wrist strap.
Be sure to work on a clean hard table, suitably static free - a simple antistatic mat can be made by using anti static bags, that you can stick together (thats how I made my first one, before having a proper anti static sheet)
There are a few good guides on the web, but it is relatively simple, as long as you obey the anti static rules at all times with all computer parts.
This is pretty good, but we warn that any site away from majorgeeks may not be as safe as majorgeeks dor spyware etc:
http://techreport.com/articles.x/13671/1

 

Man I am glad you warned me about the anti static situation. I never, would have even thought about that. I plan to work on the kitchen table, which is a wooden one. Am looking forward to doing some things to my "project" computer.

 

When you get the mother board, just shout and I can point you in the right direction for a RAM upgrade...

 

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=148993&highlight=misco

 

I really appreciate everyone's help and advice. At this point I have the motherboard, and once I get a HD in place, then I may or may not need more RAM. First I need to see if it is slow or if it is ok. It has 1 gb of RAM right now.
What I don't understand is what hyperthreading means. This is what Dell claims -- saying this model uses Hyperthreading technology. Can't tell if that is just marketing lingo or if it really means something. Opened the case last night and vacuumed out dust, etc. but really quite clean to start with.
This is something I am looking at mostly as a "project" machine, but hopefully it will not need too much. Now am looking for a super cheap monitor just to see what it is doing with software. May look on eBay.

 

Super link. Thanks much.

I first thought I was going to do this to save money. Well, I am already realizing iit is not to save money, but what I did not originally intend was to actually have fun. Will take this slowly, as budget allows, but now this will be something I will llook at as a side hobby, but really want to learn from this as well.