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Check your jumpers before screwing in harddrives and CDROMs.

Either that or invest in a nice pair of hemostats.

Don't freak out when something doesn't work. Check your connections because its probably a small mistake that can be easily fixed.

This is always my problem. If everything doesn't work on the first try, I go NUTS, post in every forum possible, and then do a good amount of kicking something. Always go back through and check everything before posting a problem.

If you're still frustrated, put it down for a while. Take a break and maybe pick it up the next day. Your head will be clear, and most of your frustrations will be gone.

Standoffs

Install standoffs between the motherboard and the case, if required. Standoffs are metal or plastic separators which keep motherboard circuits from shorting out if they touch the metal case. Standoffs are usually included with the case. Failure to use standoffs can lead to complete failure of the motherboard or other components such as the power supply unit or video card.

I also agree with this. I have had a short quite a few times when not going slow and missing an extra screw.

If you have to use force to plug in a connector, STOP! and look again to see if have the wrong orientation, ie., you have have the connector turned upside down (usually on HDD ribbon cables).

I would read up as much as one could possibly read up on a subject, like installing a motherboard, or building a system as possible. Really helps out when you find out more info.

Keep the inside of your system clean. Use zip ties to tie cables together, and use velcro or metal clips to hide wires on the top, front, back and bottom of the case.

1) Don't cheap out on parts for your computer. Sometimes spending the extra $10 or $20 to get a good brand name part instead of a generic part can make the difference between that part lasting 5 years or 5 months. Good resources for reviewing your parts are www.anandtech.com and www.tomshardware.com.

Also, pay attention to warrenties and OEM / retail status. Sometimes, getting the OEM version of a part will save you $5 or so, but you will get stuck with a warentee of only 90 days or a year where the retail version can get you 3, 4, or even 5 years of warentee coverage. It's worth the extra $5!

2) If possible, buy your CPU and motherboard as a combo. Installing a CPU and heatsink is one of the most difficult and potentially disastrous parts of putting a computer together. Save yourself the headache, and buy the parts already put together.

3) If you put everything together and the computer doesn't work, unplug everything from the motherboard and take out all PCI and/or AGP cards. Put in once piece at a time and test the system. i.e. - plug in the video card, turn on the system. If it works, plug in the hard drive, and test it. Then plug in the optical drives, test it. Etc. This way you will know exactly which part is causing the malfunction and you can deal with it.

I built a system not too long ago and it would not boot... turns out that my modem was really old and the BIOS on my motherboard did not know what to do with it, so it was causing the system to hang. I never would have thought of such a thing, and the only way I solved the problem was using the method above. It works!

keep some band-aids around. Cheap cases can be pretty sharp and I have some battle scars from building computers

Heh. You and me both.

Although nearly impossible if it's your first built, having extra screws and jumpers around really helps. Those buggers have legs.

Look around and get some free parts. checkout craigs list. even if its old pentium boards with 133 proc. Its all the same when building a new system.

Look around and get some free parts. checkout craigs list. even if its old pentium boards with 133 proc. Its all the same when building a new system.
Err, not if you can't use anything. Trust me, I've picked up MANY old machines, most of it is unusable stuff from the Pentium 1 era.

If it is your first build, open up a well built completed system carefully and look around in there with a flashlight for a bit. Take a look at the cable routing, look at what different connectors look like, where things are connected, etc. This helped me a lot on my first build when I didn't know where stuff plugged in, what stuff looked like, etc.

Also, as stated above...get some zipties and keep the cables clean in there. It will help with airflow and make things easier to access.

if u are building one, please WEAR a anti-static glove, it may seem dumb, but it works...

also, this may be a no brainer, but be delicate with the parts, computer hard drives werent made to be dropped or accidently stepped on, if u are 1.2 way making a pc, put the parts back in the bag, dont leave them around on the floor

also dont loose the screws and be careful as to not overtighten

Zen and the art of computer assembly

Carefully unpack all boxes and check that all pieces are there
Cover workspace with a clean white towel
Look at it, yes looook- take a few deep breaths and clear your mind
Visualize the finished result
Study each part – know where it will go
Assembling a hobbyist computer is a relaxing pastime, if you feel you must force things and panic and rant you are missing the point entirely.
Remember it is never the computer that is stupid but are you a sentient being?
Remember the rule of thumb, if you have to use more than thumb pressure it doesn’t go in like that.
Do not try to read between the lines of the manual, for there is nothing written thereupon.
Google is your friend- uses it wisely and often. Much time one has merely to enter a part number.
Support thy programmers- BUY your soft-ware do not expect support for stolen goods, many free alternatives exist.

Err, not if you can't use anything. Trust me, I've picked up MANY old machines, most of it is unusable stuff from the Pentium 1 era.

I had a pent 1 133 and 166 that today still works. A friend jsut got a bunch of free pentium I stuff from craigslist and it works. I learned windows 2000 server on a 133. So if its free grab it, worst case you ahve to throw it out. I wouldnt be buying new parts jsut to learn.

Support thy programmers- BUY your soft-ware do not expect support for stolen goods, many free alternatives exist.

1st try gettin the computer together :D www.openoffice.org

1st try gettin the computer together :D www.openoffice.org
I've heard of more than a few people using a pirated copy of Windows, and then assuming the numerous problems they encountered were to blame on the hardware. Only to find out that a new, legal OS solved the problem.

I've heard of more than a few people using a pirated copy of Windows, and then assuming the numerous problems they encountered were to blame on the hardware. Only to find out that a new, legal OS solved the problem.

i agree,y someone i know had a non legal copy of xp home, he couldnt do certain things and no amount of cd keys would work, in the end he went and just bought a copy, and it worked like a charm... also when dling software, Windows Genuine Check will tell if u have a illegal copy, n if u do, it wont let u isntall the update/etc.

i agree,y someone i know had a non legal copy of xp home, he couldnt do certain things and no amount of cd keys would work, in the end he went and just bought a copy, and it worked like a charm... also when dling software, Windows Genuine Check will tell if u have a illegal copy, n if u do, it wont let u isntall the update/etc.

You can install updates by using automatic update :look:

Maybe it's just me, but, when building your computer, set aside a nice long block of time. Building a computer, to me, is like building anything else. I like to do it nice and slowly, to get it just right. I never build anything within a restrictive amount of time, because I tend to make mistakes, or just mess up the fun in building something.

I blame this on Legos. I would spend hours just meticulously building things :bounce:

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The most dangerous part is putting the heatsink on the cpu. I reccommend doing it out of the case as I once had in at a bad angle because of the case and the screwdriver slipped out of the hook on the fan and i chipped my mobo.

More importantly don't smudge the paste or try to get rid of it. Make sure the thermal paste comes in contact with the cpu as there is sometimes a little piece of plastic over it. If you accidentally remove the paste I find that a plastic bag is good for smudging it around over the contact area again.

As for thermal paste, I like to use Arctic Silver 5, although there're many alternatives. If you use Arctic Silver, you only need a very small amount. First apply a tiny amount of paste to both the processor and heat sink, and spread it around with your finger through a plastic sandwich baggy. Then wipe it off with a clean cloth. This fills in any microscopic holes or channels in either material. Then apply a pea sized amount (not too much!) to the center of the chip and install the hsf over it. But be careful, don't remove the hsf once it's placed on top! Doing so disturbs the continuity of the thermal paste and results in air bubbles when you reapply it. Air is an insulator, which would retain heat. Heat is the arch enemy of the processor. If you must remove the hsf, wipe off the thermal paste and start over.

If this really is your very first time, maybe you can opt for the oem thermal paste, which is easier to install. It's usually pre-applied to the hsf, so all you need to do is install it. But be careful, the same theory applies if you need to remove it. You'll need to clean it off and reapply new thermal paste to it, or else you'll be stuck with evil air bubbles.

When installing a HS, ALWAYS remove the stuff on the base and get a good thermal paste. Arctic Silver is said to be the best around. I always just wipe it down and buff the surface until it's pretty shiny. Then, I take a bit of thermal paste and apply it to the bottom of the heat sink as well as the top of the processor. Using a long pointed object (such as the edge of a blister pack, a knife or any other such item) I spread the paste around and try to make sure the coating is thin, smooth and even.

The thermal paste is meant to fill cracks in the surface, also to make consistent contact should the metal on the processor or heatsink be slightly warped.

When it comes to your case, there are a few items to look into.
-Material
-Weight
-Ventilation
-Size

First of all, Material. THe highest quality cases are typically made of Aluminum. Examples include Lian-Li. ALuminum is light and durable.

Steel is not necessarily of lesser quality, just heavier for the same hardness. Examples include chieftec cases that Alienware used to use and Antec currently rebrands now. These cases maybe weigh about 5-10 lbs more, but they will be exceptionally sturdy and resistant to denting.

Cheap cases use SECC and SGCC metal. A form of steel that is certainly not as good as normal steel. SECC stands for Steel, Electrogalvanized, Cold-Rolled, Coil. Not sure what SGCC stands for. These cases will be light, but also flimsy. This may be good choice for a computer being used out of the way, such as a TV center, closet server/router or a lesser used computer. However, if this is your main computer and certainly if you place it on the floor, this case most certainly will not stand the test of time, especially if you kick it.

Weight may be a concern with most people. Currently, my case weighs about 40 lbs. This may not mean that much, but when I cart my computer to and from home, or I'm moving frequently (since I'm a student) it makes me wish I spent a little more and bought an aluminum case.

Ventilation is very important. Make sure you look at how the insides of a computer case are oriented. Make sure there are places for fans to stay and places for cables to go. Typically, one would like to have 2 80mm fans on both the front and back each, or a 120mm on both the front and back.

Size: Be sure that the case can hold all the stuff you want it to hold. This includes the motherboard, the optical and hard drives and PCI slots.

When installing a HS, ALWAYS remove the stuff on the base and get a good thermal paste. Arctic Silver is said to be the best around. I always just wipe it down and buff the surface until it's pretty shiny. Then, I take a bit of thermal paste and apply it to the bottom of the heat sink as well as the top of the processor. Using a long pointed object (such as the edge of a blister pack, a knife or any other such item) I spread the paste around and try to make sure the coating is thin, smooth and even.

The thermal paste is meant to fill cracks in the surface, also to make consistent contact should the metal on the processor or heatsink be slightly warped.


While I agree with you, it's also important to note that using a better thermal paste often voids warrantees, particularly AMDs. So if you value the 3 year warrantee your Athlon comes with, you should use the paste preapplied on you HSF.

Also, you're applying your thermal paste all wrong. By spreading the paste around and applying it to both the processor and heat sink, you're inviting the possibility of tiny air pockets when you put them together. The better way, and the recommended way from Arctic Silver manufacturers themselves, is to simply apply a pea sized, round glob of paste to the center of the hsf. When you install the hsf over it it will spread evenly and thinly. It won't reach the far corners of the heat spreader on your processor, but it's not supposed to. Remember that the heat spreader is only just that, a heat spreader. It doesn't inherently need to be kept cool. The important piece of hardware is the core underneath, the surface area of which is far smaller than the heat spreader. It's positioned in the center of the heat spreader. If you look at pictures of properly installed arctic silver with the hsf removed, you'll notice that it manifests itself in a cirlce the diameter being length of a side of the heat spreader, without reaching the corners of the heat spreader.

I think The Raddish pretty much mopped the floor on installing the heatsink on a cpu with this post

http://forums.slickdeals.net/t14075.html? :thumbsup:

Here are several videos that demomstrate the installation of AMD CPU's, and heat sink/fans. Although this is courtesy of AMD, the concepts and techniques also apply to Intel hardware:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_869_4348%5E6678,00.html

if u are building one, please WEAR a anti-static glove, it may seem dumb, but it works...

If you can't afford one or are too lazy to get one, make sure you touch the metal parts of the computer case to get rid of static that might have built up in your body.

And don't drag your feet across the carpet when you're working...

Keep the inside of your system clean. Use zip ties to tie cables together, and use velcro or metal clips to hide wires on the top, front, back and bottom of the case.

Furthermore, get the rounded ide cables as they look much cleaner and they'll allow better airflow than the standard flat cables. SVC always has good prices on these too: http://store.yahoo.com/svcompucycle/clearance.html

Remember, if you get the cool neon cables, your hard drive speed will double! :P

And don't drag your feet across the carpet when you're working...Damnit. There's nothing I like more than building a computer on a rolling metal cart in my wool socks on some nice shag.

Damnit. There's nothing I like more than building a computer on a rolling metal cart in my wool socks on some nice shag.

I myself prefer to rub balloons on myself while pettting my cat.

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Bean recommended both of these sites for me, they seemed to have great info:

PSU Wattage Calculator (http://www.extreme.outervision.com)
Recommended PSU List (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=792566)

For power supplies, my only reccomendation is that you make sure the power supply is compatible with your motherboard. Don't get a 24 pin p/s with a 20 pin mobo, or vice versa. Often the p/s is included with the case, so make sure you pay attention to that detail when purchasing your case.

My stages for installation are the following:
1) Install all hard drives and optical drives into the case. This is easier BEFORE you put the mobo in the case, as there is more space to work in.
2) Install mobo in case (preferably with p/s already purchased installed). If the p/s is not already installed, then make sure you do this before putting the mobo in the case, as someone already mentioned. The best place to do it is with the mobo on top of the static bag inside the box it came in.
3) Plug all hard drives and optical drives into the motherboard, and plug power cables into the drives from the power supply.
4) Install PCI/AGP cards.
5) Plug in power supply and cross your fingers!

I've not used a SATA hard drive, so I can't give any personal experience, but I hear they are great. I will, however, reccomend getting a small, fast drive to use as a system drive (40 gigs max) and then purchasing a second larger hard drive to use for storage. This will speed up your system significantly, because your O/S and programs have a much smaller area to search when accessing files (which is 5,000,000 times per second).

I have never ghosted a system. When I build a new system I like to start from scratch so the system is as clean and fresh as possible. This maximizes speed by ensuring that the system has as little junk on it as possible.

When it comes to cases, I am not particularly loyal to any brand, but I can reccomend www.mwave.com as a merchant. They have a great selection and good prices.

I already gave my advice on testing a new system... please refer to my post on page 1 (http://forums.slickdeals.net/showpost.php?p=1692952&postcount=9).

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.


The red stripe on the cables goes towards the power.
(This used to be a die-hard rule until SATA)

If the floppy light stays on all the time, your cable needs to be turned over.


When things don't work the first time, and reseating everything doesn't help... Try just booting with only the video card, then add additional cards back after you see it work. (Power off first, but that should be a "duh")

Computers really are easier than people want you to believe... But then again, if you realize how easy building/upgrading a system is, they won't make any money.

BEFORE you buy your parts you should always have a friend who is more computer knowledgable than yourself, check for compatibility. Too often I run into people who want to build their own system but have incompatible mobos, cpus, video cards, etc.

Use the right tool for the job. If you use a screwdriver of an improper size, you can slip off the heat sink clips and damage your motherboard.

Anyway, back on subject...

Don't skimp on the motherboard. I see so many people buy all the best components and the cheapest MB they can find. Your MB connects all your components - if you get one that's slow or inferior, the best parts in the world won't speed it up.

Anyway, back on subject...

Don't skimp on the motherboard. I see so many people buy all the best components and the cheapest MB they can find. Your MB connects all your components - if you get one that's slow or inferior, the best parts in the world won't speed it up.

On a similar note, it may be worthwhile to buy a motherboard that has the capacity for upgrading (e.g. getting one with a PCI-E slot). You may not plan on using some features now, but a couple years down the road when something dies, you can replace it with something better.

Maybe we should list some things to look for in a motherboard, since many amateurs probably can't tell the difference between them other than price. A very important differtiator is the chipset. An SiS chipset is inferior to an nVidia chipset. There are also several different chipsets within brands. Do your research and target a chipset or 2 that you'd like to have, and then look at motherboards that have them. Other things to look for in a motherboard is size. If your building a full sized system, almost anything will fit physically. But keep an eye on how many slots you need (pci, pci-e, etc). You might also want to leave 1 or 2 free for future upgrades. Also, I'd make sure I got a board with 4 RAM slots, some of the smaller ones only have 2.

If you're building a small form factor, there're some more things to look for. You need a smaller motherboard, sometimes mini or microATX. These boards also usually have less RAM slots and sometimes even fewer IDE channels (1 as opposed to 2 or 3). This limits your ability to have more than 1 hard drive and 1 optical drive.

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Any suggestions on memory, like minimum/maximum MB, speed, other tech specs, manufacturer?

I'd say the average user would need at least 512 MB, but not more than 1 GB of RAM. Go with the highest bus speed your mobo can support and that you can afford. Extra RAM definitely won't hurt though, if you can pick it up cheap and have the banks for it on your mobo

I'd say the average user would need at least 512 MB, but not more than 1 GB of RAM. Go with the highest bus speed your mobo can support and that you can afford. Extra RAM definitely won't hurt though, if you can pick it up cheap and have the banks for it on your mobo

If the person is not going to be using the computer for anything more intensive than word processing, internet and reading, they can get away with 256 megs easily.

If the person is not going to be using the computer for anything more intensive than word processing, internet and reading, they can get away with 256 megs easily.
Browsers use a lot of RAM, major difference when using XP. 512MB should be recommended.

Browsers use a lot of RAM, major difference when using XP. 512MB should be recommended.

A lot of Dells still come with 256 megs of ram. They run just fine.

As of right now I'd say 512mb is the minimum you should go with. Even simple web browsing will use more since they'll always use more advanced graphics and whatnot. You'll get by on 256 for now, but 512 is somewhat future proof for even budget machines. The budget Dells come with 512 now...

A lot of Dells still come with 256 megs of ram. They run just fine.
Please do not start this again, just because a dell comes with 256MB does not dictate any sort of evidence. As I stated RECOMMENDED 512MB as I've seen firefox take 100MB's or more for several web pages. Sure you can run 256MB or even a Celeron 500Mhz machine with XP but the more RAM the better.

Please do not start this again, just because a dell comes with 256MB does not dictate any sort of evidence. As I stated RECOMMENDED 512MB as I've seen firefox take 100MB's or more for several web pages. Sure you can run 256MB or even a Celeron 500Mhz machine with XP but the more RAM the better.

I've also sigged your quote because frankly, it was stupid.

My older computer was an Athlon 1.333 Ghz T-Bird with 256 megs of PC133 ram. It ran fine with XP and all sorts of programs (Firefox, IE, Winamp, MPC, etc). And to be fair, you started it by contradicting me.

I'm not saying 256 megs is a recommended amount, but it certainly is a minimum amount. There is a difference here.

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Also with regard to RAM, if you have money to burn on it, sometimes it's better to spend it on better RAM, rather than more. For example, if you're looking at like 2 gigs of DDR333 with CAS 3, maybe you should be looking at 1 gig of DDR400 with a CAS 2 or 2.5 for almost the same price. Since you're unlikely to be using 2 gigs of RAM, you'd notice more performance from less, but faster RAM. Some of this may seem like gibberish, but basically in terms of frequency, bigger is bettter. (i.e. DDR400 is better than DDR333). Also, frequency is sometimes seens as PC2700 or PC3200. PC2700 and DDR333 are one and the same, as is PC3200 and DDR400. On the flip side however, latencies, and also timings, are better whn the numbers are LOWER. So CAS 2 is better than CAS 3. Sometimes you'll even see full timings ratings when you're shopping for RAM, such as x-x-x-x. Lower numbers are better, i.e. 2-2-2-5 is way better than 3-3-5-7. So if you've ever seen a 512mb kit that's more expensive than a 1 gig kit, look at some of these numbers and it may make some sense.

In my opinion, you should be looking for more RAM up until you get to 1 gig, then start looking for faster RAM. So if you're buying 512 mb of RAM and you have some extra cash, invest it in another 512. If you're buying 1 gig of RAM and have some extra money, invest it in faster RAM.

here are some tips...which we had like 2 months ago...where that thread went who knows???

DONTS:
have usb device plugged in while installing OS, it will give you an error for XP

put too much arctic silver on cpu

forget to use the brass stands!

buy a cheapy power supply (read reviews on newegg or something)

buy a cheap motherboard (i hate biostar..there are others constantly in the lower price ranges). they work..but usually do not have features that you will want later down the line

DO'S:
shop for deals on slickdeals

read motherboard manual

download latest drivers for video card/mobo/bios

use SATA vs IDE (some people argue its the same, I dont think so-when loading games i notice faster with SATA) CHECK AND RECHECK your hard drives setting (master/slave) if you use IDE

go AMD... more bang for your buck. Intel is totally homosexual. :lmao: j/k

make sure your case has front usb/audio...it helps A LOT if you play games

make sure you have a good HEATSINK. stock ones do the job but there are many better ones out there. NO need to spend 50 bux, but look around and read reviews

put naked pictures of girls on your pc case...it makes it faster

practice your micro (uber skills are necessary for gamez....LAWLLL)

DONTS:
have usb device plugged in while installing OS, it will give you an error for XP

I always have my USB devices plugged in while installing windows, including my USB mouse, USB hub and card reader. None of them interfered with an XP install.

I always have my USB devices plugged in while installing windows, including my USB mouse, USB hub and card reader. None of them interfered with an XP install.

Having a USB card reader instaled when loading OS may result in your primary drive letter not being c:

Stickied! :) (Or Stuck? :P)

make sure you have a good HEATSINK. stock ones do the job but there are many better ones out there. NO need to spend 50 bux, but look around and read reviews



Careful recommending something like this. While I agree that better thermal paste and aftermarket hsf's are better, always note that these things void your warrantee for Processors. If you buy an AMD processor in box, you get a 3 year warrantee. Newbie builders may be in their best interest taking advantage of this, rather than risk running into problems from improperly installed aftermarket products that void your warrantee. If you're not going to be doing anything processor intensive, such as gaming or anything graphic intensive, the stock HSF is good enough. Especially if you're using AMD, their HSF is quite good. Not as good as top aftermarket models, but good nonetheless.

Careful recommending something like this. While I agree that better thermal paste and aftermarket hsf's are better, always note that these things void your warrantee for Processors. If you buy an AMD processor in box, you get a 3 year warrantee. Newbie builders may be in their best interest taking advantage of this, rather than risk running into problems from improperly installed aftermarket products that void your warrantee. If you're not going to be doing anything processor intensive, such as gaming or anything graphic intensive, the stock HSF is good enough. Especially if you're using AMD, their HSF is quite good. Not as good as top aftermarket models, but good nonetheless.


I would agree with you regarding the warranty for past installations being that the heatsink was such a bitch to put on...But now its very easy to do.

I would agree with you regarding the warranty for past installations being that the heatsink was such a bitch to put on...But now its very easy to do.
they are called STANDOFFS and don't ever forget them, especially when you buy a new 7800GT with a brand new system and don't use them. Follow directions when applying cpu "grease" a small drop on the CPU is recommended by AS.

Power supplies - Go with quality, not price. Seasonic is the best and quietest as rated by Tomshardware.

Heat sinks - Get a Zalman copper one. Better to not cheap out on this.

Thermal paste - I don't think it matters whether you use premium or generic.

Case ventilation - This is as much about noise as cooling imho. Getting a good case is the key to this being successful. Having a top fan or two and larger fans (120mm) is the most efficient way to keep noise and heat to a minimum.

What to look for in a quality case and why case quality can be important - A mobo tray can be very handy. I cannot stand installing mobos. It's so hard to grab the little screws! Otherwise, just make certain that it has good cooling capability and enough space for the # of HDs you might want. Always have a couple extra slots just in case. You might also consider the option of the hot-swappable HDs.... I like a case window, but I hate lights and other useless crap that can go wrong. I also don't like excessively fancy fan controllers as they are just irritating to look at.

Install everything all at once or piecemeal? I install everything at once and if something doesn't work I go back and check everything out, piece by piece. Most mobos I've had have diagnostic lights at their rear and it's easy to diagnose most problems by looking at those.

Sizing and selecting a hard drive (IDE vs SATA) - not expert on this. Dunno?

Ghost the new system? - I don't even know what this means? :(

Power supplies - Go with quality, not price. Seasonic is the best and quietest as rated by Tomshardware.
Opinion, many other great manufacturers; Enermax, PCP&P, OCZ..

Heat sinks - Get a Zalman copper one. Better to not cheap out on this.
Doesn't really matter unless you OC or care for noise level.
Zalman that outperforms cheap water cooling (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zalman/CNPS-9500LED/)


Thermal paste - I don't think it matters whether you use premium or generic.
Difference is ~1C stock, 3-5C on OC.
Zalman with TIP vs. AS5 (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zalman/CNPS-9500LED/5)

Case ventilation - This is as much about noise as cooling imho. Getting a good case is the key to this being successful. Having a top fan or two and larger fans (120mm) is the most efficient way to keep noise and heat to a minimum.
Look for cases that hold 92 or even 120mm fans, for much more quieter operation and increased airflow, remember exaust fans are the ones you will most likely hear. Also consider PSU fan size(s)

What to look for in a quality case and why case quality can be important - A mobo tray can be very handy. I cannot stand installing mobos. It's so hard to grab the little screws! Otherwise, just make certain that it has good cooling capability and enough space for the # of HDs you might want. Always have a couple extra slots just in case. You might also consider the option of the hot-swappable HDs.... I like a case window, but I hate lights and other useless crap that can go wrong. I also don't like excessively fancy fan controllers as they are just irritating to look at.
Yes so many lights, fancy fan controllers are ugly, Lian Li are top quality.

Install everything all at once or piecemeal? I install everything at once and if something doesn't work I go back and check everything out, piece by piece. Most mobos I've had have diagnostic lights at their rear and it's easy to diagnose most problems by looking at those.
Learn your BIOS beep codes.

Sizing and selecting a hard drive (IDE vs SATA) - not expert on this. Dunno?
Many threads on optimal windows partition size, search for threads, my choice of 2:
1) 1 partition/HD perferably size depends on need, 80GB for gaming, or how many games + mods you have.
2) 1st Partition 2-4GB's(windows install + preference for apps) 2nd Partition 80GB+ for games and apps. There is a registry change to allow all programs to install on D: or whatever drive for default.
Remember having your page file on a different HD, preferably a different channel, will help boost your performance, especially when loading and unloading high memory usage programs/games.

Ghost the new system? - I don't even know what this means? :(Clean install, backup all programs and games if needed. Using an old install is problematic especially when switching a lot of hardware.

Learn your BIOS beep codes.
Just in case (http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm)...

For building an AMD system, check out DriverHeaven's complete guide:

http://www.driverheaven.net/guides/amdsystem/

They know what they're talking about.

I'd like to attempt to make a useable computer, by using parts from some junk computers. I know nothing about computers, and I think that if I tore some apart I'd be better off just using older computers, then spending the money on parts. Anybody have a suggestion for a good website or ebook that will show(pictures included), and walk me through putting a computer together. I found PC mechanic, but the CD costs $25. I know I can get free computers through freecycle.com, but what kind of computers should I request? Any help is appreciated. I advance searched this subject, but everything I typed in concerned advanced tech stuff. That is why I picked this thread, because it is focused on beginners. Thanks.

I'd like to attempt to make a useable computer, by using parts from some junk computers. I know nothing about computers, and I think that if I tore some apart I'd be better off just using older computers, then spending the money on parts. Anybody have a suggestion for a good website or ebook that will show(pictures included), and walk me through putting a computer together. I found PC mechanic, but the CD costs $25. I know I can get free computers through freecycle.com, but what kind of computers should I request? Any help is appreciated. I advance searched this subject, but everything I typed in concerned advanced tech stuff. That is why I picked this thread, because it is focused on beginners. Thanks.

Found this on google. Looks to be good, explaining things, with nice step-by-step pics too:

http://www.mysuperpc.com/build/pc_parts_list.shtml

You might have to adapt the instructions a little to suit your components since they are older (possibly PC100 RAM instead of PC3200 - but you still open the tabs on either side and line up the notches - the notches are just in different places), but it should be very similar.

The big problem you might have is compatibility though. Before you start building, find the model numbers on your parts (especially mobo, RAM, HD, video card) and google them to get their specs. You should then be able to determine if they will be compatible. I would leave the CPU with whatever mobo you use, so you won't have to deal with seating it and the heatsink and all that crap.

When it comes to your case, there are a few items to look into.
-Material
-Weight
-Ventilation
-Size

First of all, Material. THe highest quality cases are typically made of Aluminum. Examples include Lian-Li. ALuminum is light and durable.

Steel is not necessarily of lesser quality, just heavier for the same hardness. Examples include chieftec cases that Alienware used to use and Antec currently rebrands now. These cases maybe weigh about 5-10 lbs more, but they will be exceptionally sturdy and resistant to denting.

Cheap cases use SECC and SGCC metal. A form of steel that is certainly not as good as normal steel. SECC stands for Steel, Electrogalvanized, Cold-Rolled, Coil. Not sure what SGCC stands for. These cases will be light, but also flimsy. This may be good choice for a computer being used out of the way, such as a TV center, closet server/router or a lesser used computer. However, if this is your main computer and certainly if you place it on the floor, this case most certainly will not stand the test of time, especially if you kick it.FYI:
SECC is Electrolytic zinc-coated steel sheet
SGCC is Hot-dip zinc-coated steel sheet
The former being more resistant to rust.

Delete

I came across this useful article (http://www.networkcomputing.com/channels/personaltechnology/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198001460), titled "Build a Budget Gaming PC". Hopefully it will help fellow computer builders out. :cool:

I'm including the introductory paragraphs of the article. Follow that link to read the rest.

Offer value-minded gamers an affordable but solid system today that can be upgraded tomorrow. Here's how.

Mar 16, 2007 - By Chuck Miller
Courtesy of TechBuilder.org

RECIPE

When it comes to PC performance, gamers are a power-hungry breed. But with high-performance rigs commanding a $3,500 to $5,000 investment, today's gamers with limited resources are in a tough position, especially with the arrival of software hogs like Vista and DirectX 10.

System builders can help. White-box builders can offer clients a value-added investment focusing on the right Vista- and DirectX 10-compatible components, leaving performance-enhancing upgrades for later.

In this recipe, I'll guide you in making choices on components that will ease the transition to Microsoft's new OS and the improved gaming experience it will eventually offer. The result is a capable game rig (sans monitor and speakers) that will cost you less than $2,000 while still satisfying your gamer clients both today and—via simple and cost-effective upgrades—tomorrow.

To meet this goal, you will need to invest in a quality case, power supply, motherboard and video card. That way, you put the lion's share of capital into components that don't require near-term replacement. A faster processor, additional hard drives, quality audio card and second SLI-capable video card can be added later to enhance the user's game experience.

...

Here's (http://www.networkcomputing.com/article/printFullArticle.jhtml?articleID=198001460) a printer-friendly link.

Here's (http://www.unixreview.com/documents/s=10124/ur0703g/) a book review for Building the Perfect PC. For serious computer builders, it appears to be a good read based on what the reviewer says.

Reviewed by Cameron Laird

Building the Perfect PC
Robert Bruce Thompson, Barbara Fritchman Thompson
O'Reilly, Second Edition, 2006
ISBN: 0-596-52686-5
422 pages, $29.95

An easy step by step guide for beginners.

Biggest thing people! ... when installing components DO NOT do so on a rug. Find a place where no static shock can occur like the kitchen table on a tile or plastic floor of some kind. You and your components should not be sitting on a carpeted surface.
Second biggest thing! ... when installing each component make sure some part of you is touching the case while inserting you components or just get a static wrist guard and ground that to the case with the clip. Keeping in constant touch with the case is sometimes easier so go with what you want but do it.

1A. Another thing is to make sure you have plenty of overhead lighting and also use a flashlight. It can get pretty dark in certain parts of the case. credit to beowulf7
1B. Find a large area to lay out your components and have enough elbow room to insert everything and double check from all four sides of the case. With enough room to lay the case down on it's side without congestion with tools.
2. Put case on a table and all tools in a nice organized manner next to the case.
3. First thing, install PSU if not all in case. Do this because if you put the mobo in first and you slip with the PSU you can bet it will stomp on some capacitors or silicon.
4. Install hard disk drive(s) (HDDs) and all bay slotted drives now (others include CD ROM, Floppies, Fan controllers ect...)
5. install mobo (hook in cables from the PSU, then HDDs, then bay slotted drives)
6. install CPU fan/heatsink combo (if necessary and/or not using water cooling) then hook in cables to mobo and from PSU
7. install GPU (do not force, it goes in easy) then hook in power cables if necessary
8. install RAM (they are the hardest to seat properly so take your time)
9. install any and all PCI add-ons (soundcards, SCSI controllers, ethernet cards ect....) and hook in power cables and secure to case.
10. Now plug in all external wires (monitor, ethernet, keyboard, mouse, speakers ect...)


Double check all screws and seatings of components then try to fire it up. Took me an extra hour on my first build because I had the power button wired on the mobo backwards but I digress. Follow all manual instructions to the T and you will be fine.

StrokerAce out!

Thanks for taking initiative in creating this guide, but this statement exemplifies your computer abilities:
Took me an extra hour on my first build because I had the power button wired on the mobo backwards but I digress.
You can't connect the power button wire backwards. All the power button does is bridges a connection for a moment to power on the power supply. The wire can be oriented in any way. LED's (power LED, HDD LED) need to be oriented in the right way. Not the power button wire.

Thanks for taking initiative in creating this guide, but this statement exemplifies your computer abilities:

You can't connect the power button wire backwards. All the power button does is bridges a connection for a moment to power on the power supply. The wire can be oriented in any way. LED's (power LED, HDD LED) need to be oriented in the right way. Not the power button wire.

I'm sure he meant he had the LEDs hooked up the wrong way. Although, it's pretty simple to get those right, as they're usually listed in the MOBO manual, with exact location and it basically holds your hand through installation.

In most cases with aftermarket coolers, you have to install the cpu, the heatsink, then you can install your mobo to the case

Thanks for taking initiative in creating this guide, but this statement exemplifies your computer abilities:

You can't connect the power button wire backwards. All the power button does is bridges a connection for a moment to power on the power supply. The wire can be oriented in any way. LED's (power LED, HDD LED) need to be oriented in the right way. Not the power button wire.


awww, you are so cute for responding. like I said it was my first build and the wire from my Thermaltake Armor 8000 power button to the ASUS A8N-SLI mobo was indeed backwards. I always hate busting your bubble but it must be done.

Let's use the Wiki for this, folks. :)

StrokerAce - Why do you waste your time with these lame guides? There are already MUCH better guides on the internet for this sort of thing.

Let's use the Wiki for this, folks. :)Which Wiki? I don't see one in this thread.

StrokerAce - Why do you waste your time with these lame guides? There are already MUCH better guides on the internet for this sort of thing.

because I love the abuse I get here. reminds me of my childhood.

StrokerAce - Why do you waste your time with these lame guides? There are already MUCH better guides on the internet for this sort of thing.
That really wasn't necessary.

Which Wiki? I don't see one in this thread.
Then create it!! :)

Agreed the comment was not necessary because StrokerAce seems to be making a concerted effort to help out here. Sorry he is feeling stepped on -- he seems to be sincere and knowledgeable.

Creating a Wiki might be a good idea.

Best advice I have for this thread is that I agree 100% with the advice to buy a GOOD power supply as described in post 62 by bean. Getting a FAR PSU or a "cheap" and unreliable one does nothing but put your system components at risk. See the sticky at the top of the tech support forum concerning PSU's and get something from the recommended list. Thank you Aluvus for that sticky!

An easy step by step guide for beginners.

Biggest thing people! ... when installing components DO NOT do so on a rug. Find a place where no static shock can occur like the kitchen table on a tile or plastic floor of some kind. You and your components should not be sitting on a carpeted surface.
Second biggest thing! ... when installing each component make sure some part of you is touching the case while inserting you components or just get a static wrist guard and ground that to the case with the clip. Keeping in constant touch with the case is sometimes easier so go with what you want but do it.

1. Find a large area to lay out your components and have enough elbow room to insert everything and double check from all four sides of the case. With enough room to lay the case down on it's side without congestion with tools.
2. Put case on a table and all tools in a nice organized manner next to the case.
3. First thing, install PSU if not all in case. Do this because if you put the mobo in first and you slip with the PSU you can bet it will stomp on some capacitors or silicon.
4. Install hard disk drive(s) (HDDs) and all bay slotted drives now (others include CD ROM, Floppies, Fan controllers ect...)
5. install mobo (hook in cables from the PSU, then HDDs, then bay slotted drives)
6. install CPU fan/heatsink combo (if necessary and/or not using water cooling) then hook in cables to mobo and from PSU
7. install GPU (do not force, it goes in easy) then hook in power cables if necessary
8. install RAM (they are the hardest to seat properly so take your time)
9. install any and all PCI add-ons (soundcards, SCSI controllers, ethernet cards ect....) and hook in power cables and secure to case.
10. Now plug in all external wires (monitor, ethernet, keyboard, mouse, speakers ect...)


Double check all screws and seatings of components then try to fire it up. Took me an extra hour on my first build because I had the power button wired on the mobo backwards but I digress. Follow all manual instructions to the T and you will be fine.

StrokerAce out!

Nice write-up. Rep. pts. for you. Another thing I learned is to make sure you have plenty of overhead lighting and also use a flashlight. It can get pretty dark in certain parts of the case.

If you want to use the hard-drive from your old system on your new build, here is a slick way.
Why might you want to do this?
1. You want to stick with XP on your old rig, instead of Vista being dished out with most new PCs.
2. You don't want to re-install all the programs that you had on your old rig, and reprogram all the settings.
3. You were happy with the software environment on your old rig, and it was stable; you wanted the new mobo just to speed up the hardware.

The trick is using a utility Microsoft puts in for system administrators to roll-out a software platform across a company: sysprep.exe
Click the Windows Start key, choose "Run..." and type in "sysprep"
A folder should pop open, where the sysprep application resides.
Double-click on sysprep, and the System Preparation tool will pop up.

Choose "System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)"
and click on the "Generalize" box, so there is a check mark in the box.
In the Shutdown Options, choose "Shutdown".

What this does is resets the operating system on your drive to be set in a mode that is independent of the hardware-- ie no drivers, etc. Once the system shuts down, you can disconnect the hard-drive from your old rig, and pop it into the new computer..
When you turn on your new computer, Windows will search for and install default drivers for the new configuration you have. After Windows has done its best to install drivers that it thinks are the right fit for all your new hardware, you can install any new drivers from the driver CD that came with your new motherboard.
You will need to re-activate Windows on this new system though.

In this way, all the applications, data, settings, etc you had on your old rig should run seamlessly on your new rig.
As always, before you attempt any brain surgery of this sort, make complete image backups, etc so that you can always go back to what you had if anything goes wrong.

Finally, if you upgraded your hard drive too, you can use the software that came with it (Seagate ships DiscWizard with its HDs) to clone your old drive onto the new HD.

I used this procedure to move my hard drive from an old P4 system, on which I had Vista Ultimate running, along with a ton of applications that would have been a real pain to re-install, onto a new Compaq SR5010NX (from last months BB/ OD $200 AR deal).
It feels like I am on my old computer, except that the hardware is a lot faster and up to date.

Potential problems with this is that it is not a clean installation; if you have had software issues on your old rig, you will inherit those. Also if you bought a new computer which did not ship with the Operating System on its own CD/ DVD, you will not be able to install the new operating system that came with your PC. But it seems most people want to hold onto their XP, so that may be desirable.

The biggest advantage, for me, is that I did not have to re-install all my software all over again; didn't have to putz around with software settings, didn't have to import/ export favorites (or use Windows Easy transfer).

I built my first computer this summer, and the biggest thing for me was to have my old computer up and running IRC with some big nerds on the other end of the internet ready to answer questions. That and I took it REAL slow and careful.

I back the idea of building a wiki. If we can get the format it like the "build your own amd/intel thread", would be awesome.
http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=553826&highlight=computer+components