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Getting Help Building Your Computer

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the everyone-needs-a-little-helping-hand dept.

An anonymous reader submitted an excellent story about getting help when assembling a PC from scratch. I'm sure many readers here know how harrowing the experience can be, and will appreciate this entertaining tale of lilliputians helping in this rite of passage.

13 of 322 comments (clear)

  1. Not all that bad.... by MxTxL · · Score: 3, Informative

    The first time around is kinda tough... but if you've done it once, you can do it again easy enough. Just have to make sure to RTFM for the mobo to set your clockspeed correctly and make sure any jumpers are where they go.

    Well, that's for a home type PC... servers are a different beast, there's a lot more options.

    1. Re:Not all that bad.... by Jucius+Maximus · · Score: 5, Informative
      "The first time around is kinda tough... but if you've done it once, you can do it again easy enough. Just have to make sure to RTFM for the mobo to set your clockspeed correctly and make sure any jumpers are where they go."

      A very good point indeed. Always RTFM.

      Here are some more points for would-be computer-builders.

      - You need a thermal interface compound between the heatsink and CPU. Don't just assume you can get by without one. Some heatsinks come with wax on the bottom which is slightly better then nothing. But it you want to step up a notch, get yourself a Thermaltake or Thermalright as opposed to the silly "Cooler-Master" HS that came with your machine and some Artic Silver 3 thermal compound. If you want to go hardcore, get an Alpha 8045 HS for Athlons or a Thermalright SLK-600/800 for P4's plus AS3.

      [I fully expect 1-2 followup posts from people who cooked their CPUs by not using a thermal interface compound.]

      - Don't put one hard drive right on top of the other in 3.5" mounting slots. They generate too much heat unless you've got a fan right on top of them.

      - Always set the master/slave jumpers of CD/DVD and HDD drives BEFORE you install the drive because it is hard to access/see the jumpers when the drive is mounted in the machine. Make sure you plug in CD-Audio cables before the drive is mounted.

      - Don't immediately install the motherboard into the case. It is often easier to install the CPU + heatsink, plug in the HSF (heatsink fan power cable) plus set any jumpers and check for any cable orientations BEFORE you install the mobo. (The necessary connections may be behind the power supply after the mobo is installed.

      - Remember that in some cases, you have to flip the orientation of the data cable for the a-drive floppy and use the IDE cable that has the twisted wire in it. (You'll know it when you see it.)

      - Bundle up the wires in twist-ties and keep them out of the way so that they don't vibrate in the breeze from fans. It only takes a small touch to disrupt an HDD power cable. Some, but not all, also say that this will improve airflow. It will definitely make your case look tidier and make later work inside it more easy.

      - The first time you turn the box on, be looking at the heat sink fan and make sure it starts spinning, otherwise your CPU may come to a quick death. If it spins, immediately enter the BIOS and check the temperatures and make sure they are not insane.

      - Don't close the case when you're done setting up the system. This is because you probably forgot to do something and it's annoying to have to remove the screws again.

  2. Build Your Own - DMOZ Category by chicagothad · · Score: 5, Informative

    I am the editor for the category on DMOZ.

    http://dmoz.org/Computers/Education/Hardware/HowTo s_and_Tutorials/Build_Your_Own_PC/

    Any additional submissions would be more than welcome!

  3. Just remember kids... by cozziewozzie · · Score: 2, Informative
    Don't play with jumpers while the system is running :-) Unplug the system and ground yourself before you start. I once tried changing jumpers on a soundcard while the thing was still running (I don't know what I was thinking, I think I simply forgot it was on). There was a spark, then some more, then a puff of smoke and then the power went out.


    A few minutes and a long sigh later, I turned the computer back on and everything worked. Since then I triple check that everything's unplugged ;-)

  4. Get a nice case by AlgUSF · · Score: 5, Informative

    Spend the extra 50-60 bucks on a good case, cheap cases suck, and nothing ever lines up right (i.e. Motherboards, Cards, etc). Make sure there is plenty of room inside the case, a removable motherboard tray is nice for when you are installing the heatsink on the processor and when you are installing memory!

    --


    I want my rights back. I was actually using them when our government stole them after 9/11.
  5. More Mirrors by LeiraHoward · · Score: 5, Informative
    http://www.best-marketing-tools.com/lego/lego.html

    http://www.nothlit.com/lego/lego.html

    http://lego.dave.dk/

    http://www.osuweb.net/~ahaning/lego.html

    http://home.attbi.com/~andy0058

    http://www.chaos.lu/lego.html


    Just a few more mirrors for when this site goes down...


    Oh.. and if I am not totally mistaken, at one time there was a "letter of protest" from the "lego workers union" or something similar actually posted on Andy's home page. It is not there now, don't bother checking, but if anyone happens to have a copy and wishes to post it, go for it!

  6. Skimp on the processor.. by Frank+of+Earth · · Score: 4, Informative

    .. and hook up the video card.

    I have a 1800 Althon system with the GeForce 4200 card that runs like a top with XP.

    Although Intel would have you believe that the P4 is what makes the net "come alive", it's really your graphics card and internet connection.

    As a previous poster stated, get a good case from newegg.com

    I recently built my system, spending ~700 bucks and had no problems with any of the parts I purchased from them. As always, check the guides at tom's hardware, sharkyextreme, anandtech.com

    Good luck and remmeber not to run on the carpet before you build it together. Personally, I never had a problem with static electricity except for one time I touched the bottom of HD and fried it. Good thing it was a work computer though :-P

    --
    Live web cams
  7. Some real guides... by mbogosian · · Score: 3, Informative

    ...and for those of you who want real HOWTOs, guides, etc., to make your own Lego-man picture essay, check these out:

    here,
    here,
    here,
    here, and
    here

    --

    moto411.com
  8. They can't be here, they'll see the big board! by Romothecus · · Score: 2, Informative

    A+ for this gentlemen's reference to Dr. Strangelove .

  9. For the UK try Dabs.com or Overclockers.co.uk by ealar+dlanvuli · · Score: 5, Informative


    Well everyone else is suggesting stuff so I figure I will too. I'm looking to buy a PC in the UK sometime soon and for the past couple of months I've kept my eye on the prices. Here's my contribution:

    Dabs.com
    Tried and trusted. I've bought plenty of stuff from these guys in the past with 100% satisfaction. Their site is a little annoying but they have the widest selection of stock by far. Their prices are very good if not the best. Product information (when available) is not terribly informative so you should know what you're looking for before you arrive.

    Aria.co.uk
    Only bought a couple of things from these people and had no problems. Less stock than dabs but their prices are good. Specifically, they've got the best prices on Athlon XPs (1800 - 2100). And their CPU coolers & PSUs are cheap too. Product info on this site is poor and the design isn't much better.

    Overclockers.co.uk
    Bought one thing from here and again no problems. Not a great deal of stock but the stuff they do have is top notch (in most cases). Their prices are slightly off-par, however they've currently got the best price on some CDRWs, HDDs and sound cards. Good product info available. These guys know their stuff. Their site design leaves to be desired.

    Overclock.co.ukOverclockingstore.co.uk
    Not bought anything from here yet. Their prices are reasonable but I've not found anything I wanted cheaper here. A large selection of overclocking stuff available and a pretty poor selection of regular components. Good looking site.

    Tekheads.co.uk
    Bought stuff from here without any problems. Their site is good and prices vary. Mostly reasonable and sometimes better than dabs. They've currently got best prices on sound cards. Product info available is ok.

    Kustom.co.uk
    Nasty site but they have a selection of stuff you'll have a hard time finding elsewhere. Mainly oriented towards cases and accessories. Bought a couple of things from these guys, again, without any problems.

    Crucial.com/uk
    OK, this isn't a retail site, but Crucial sell their RAM online at price up to £30 cheaper than elsewhere. If you're looking for ECC Registered 512MB PC2100 DDR chips like me, then you'll appreciate the £119.69 price tag.

    CCLComputers.co.uk
    Not bought anything from here yet but I certainly plan to. Simplistic site but very navigable. A good selection of stock and they've got the best prices on some CDRWs, AIW Radeons and the sweet sweet Iiyama Pro 452.

    EBuyer.com
    Not bought anything from here either. Not too keen on their site but they're one of the few who offer Antec PSUs, with a reasonable price too.

    Scan.co.uk
    Found this thanks to other posts in this discussion. Have to say I'm very impressed. A tasteful cut-to-the-chase design with decent product information. I was surprised to see just how wide a selection of stock they have. Not as large as dabs but they stock some decent stuff. I was surprised to find the dual Athlon Gigabyte mobo on there. Their selection of hard drives leaves to be desired but the rest is OK. Best prices on Enermax PSUs.

    There are other sites out there too, such as Simply.co.uk, Action.com, Globaldirect.co.uk, Dcsplc.co.uk, Stuff-uk.net, Insight.com and Jungle.com but I've yet to be impressed. In particular, Jungle.com is probably worth avoiding. I've heard some horror stories.

    So to wrap things up I'd have to say that if you can build your own PC it's definately worth doing so. The pre-built systems you can get may be cheaper and may have an amazing "2GHz P4, 60GB HDD DVD, Scanner etc.. etc..", but on the inside the components will be from Happy Shopper or Value Land and you'll get about as much performance out of your system as a frightened donkey.

    However, if you're going to build your own PC you need to know exactly which components you need/want beforehand. These sites will have the stock you want but in most cases won't give you accurate or useful product information. It's a lengthy process but it's worth consulting newsgroups and/or online reviews. Storagereview.com, for example, has a leaderboard where you can get up to date on the decent and not-so-decent hard drives.

    There are countless hardware review sites out there. It's worth searching for the product comparisons. Tomshardware.com and Anandtech.com are popular sites worth a look.

    Good luck!

    a

    --
    I live in a giant bucket.
  10. heres what he was holding... by Cyno01 · · Score: 2, Informative
    useful links...

    http://www.pranxsters.com/techslate.html

    http://www.beemania.com/photos/2002-02-26_ToyPDA /default.htm

    --
    "Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
  11. Careful with that artic silver... by xphread · · Score: 2, Informative

    Although it has much better heat transfer properties (and it's price reflects this...) It's problem is that it is also electrically conductive! A work collegue used some on his new Athlon. The only problem was he slipped and got some on those little contacts (the ones you need to jumper for over clocking) - the thing didnt boot simply because he had bridged various pins! (luckily with a magnifying glass, some metholated spirits and a careful hand, the gunk was cleaned off and the processor came back to life!)

    1. Re:Careful with that artic silver... by elphkotm · · Score: 2, Informative

      The company, Arctic Silver, sells some stuff called "Arctic Alumina," which is a synthetic "white-stuff" compound. As it's made out of ceramic materials, it doesn't conduct ANY electricity. Although it has about 3x the thermal resistance, you're much less likely to cause problems by getting this stuff on any circuitry.

      --

      <Amanda`> I just went out to the parking lot in my bathrobe to exchange warez CDs.