Oh do I know what you're going through.
My first venture into upgrading a computer was back in the Win 95 era when I
decided to install a new sound card I had just bought. After hours of
frustration, I scooped the whole thing into my car - the case was still open
with the card sticking half way out - and brought it to my nearest Best Buy.
Of course, the tech took exactly 5 seconds to pop it into place, which only
made me feel more embarrased.
Since then I've come very far. Let me give you some tips:
1. Follow the installation instructions exactly. If you need more help,
check on the manufacturer's web site, where they'll often have big color
illustrations of what you need to do. (I lived for these.)
2. Make sure you're orienting the card the right way - the notches in the
card should line up exactly with the notches in the slot.
3. Only handle the card by the edges, and never by the gold colored pins on
the bottom.
4. Once the gold colored pins are exactly lined up with the slot, start
pressing on the card from the top. If you press firmly enough, you'll feel
the card move into place. Sometimes it helps to press on one side of the
card, then the other side.
5. To get an idea of how the finished project should look, examine the other
cards already installed in your computer.
6. Take your time. Once you get the feel for doing it right, it gets much
easier.
