Shut down your operating system as you normally do. On the back of your computer, locate the power switch and turn it off, as shown above. Some computers don’t have a power switch on the back. If you don’t find one, skip to the next step. Most of what’s plugged in can be gently pulled out as you’d expect, like HDMI cables, speakers, and USB devices, but other things have a different release mechanism. An Ethernet cable (pictured above) has a small, plastic clip that must be pressed inward as you pull, else it could break off in the process. Older video cables like VGA and DVI have their own screws, though they might not be screwed in, anyway, depending on how it was attached in the first place. Set them aside, or unscrew them as far as you can if this case doesn’t have fully removable screws. You’ll need to use them to secure the side panels to the case again when you’re through working inside your computer. Sometimes the panel can simply be lifted off, while other times it may be attached to the case in a slide-lock manner. No matter the mechanism, you should be able to easily jar it loose.
