Traxless
Premium
join:2005-02-16
USA
 ·AT&T Southwest
 ·Cbeyond
| Can I Build a Computer?
Still on the fence as to whether I can build my own new computer or buy from Envision. Over the years, I've replaced one (1) power supply, many video cards, updated CPU's, replaced HDs, installed second HDs, replaced CDs and DVDs, updated and matched RAM, and replaced network and modem cards. I've reformatted many HDs and re-installed Win9x & WinXP many times on our office computers. I've never installed a MOBO or tried to connect or re-connect ribbons or wires from scratch.
I'm looking for a middle of the road computer. I don't play high end games or even push the machine to it's limit. I might watch a DVD movie from time to time if I had a computer that could do that. I like to edit my digital pictures and make those digital "movies" with background music.
So that is my first question ... what do you think my chances are for successfully building a computer?
If I decide to build, I'd like to go with:
- AMD 64 X2 3800+ or 4200+ (Socket AM2) based mostly on this forum's guidance. This processor will give me plenty of computer for years to come and leaves the door open for upgrades.
- Antec case with a power supply. Sonata II seems to be a good choice based on quality and price. And I don't have to struggle with a power supply decision.
Once I get past this point, I would need some guidance on RAM (manufacturer, speed, size), video card, HD manufacturer, and a DVD/CD r/w combination. I think that the MOBO has a built-in sound connection, but not built-in video?
I'd wait until Christmas to ask my wife for a 19" LCD to replace my Dell 17" CRT. Probably install XP Home because it's less expensive than the XP Pro. My crap speakers (8 years old) may have to do for a bit longer.
If I tackle this build-a-computer goal, have I missed something on the components?
Thanks again for any guidance. |
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mikehd
What day is it?
Premium
join:2000-07-11
Lebanon, OR
clubs:
·CenturyLink
1 edit | I think you're ready. I had far less experience when I did my first PC build.
FIRST: ESD protection!!! (But you know this).
The biggest danger when installing a mobo is to get the standoffs in the right spots. A misplaced standoff can result in shorting to the case which will cause you to question your original decision to build your own pc...
Attaching 40pin IDE cables is usually straightforward, just take care to press the connectors together in fashion to not bend over pins. If you do, the needle nose pliers are your friend.
Connecting the case to the mobo can be tricky if you have large hands and if the connector panel diagram in the mobo manual is rotated relative to how you're viewing the mobo itself. For large hands, the needle nose pliers or larger tweezers are helpful. Be sure you have the connector diagram in the same orientation as your mobo to ensure you're connecting the correct front panel switch to the correct mobo header connector. Also, if connecting front panel USB and audio follow the mobo pinouts exactly. You will likely have to change a jumper to enable front panel audio (and this will likely disable rear panel audio). This will be mobo dependent.
The SonataII is an excellent case. However, look at the total power demand of all your components to see if the PSU will be up to the task. Insufficient current on the +12V, +5V, and +3.3V rails can cause issues with stability.
If you want best performance and system flexibility, don't go for integrated video.
Integrated sound will likely be adequate. I would buy better speakers before an add-on sound card.
RAM: many good vendors out there. Crucial has always treated me well. Look for lifetime warranty.
Video card: depends on your budget and intent.
HDD: Seagate has 5 year warranty, quiet and fast.
Optical Drive: Might as well get a DVD+/-R, RW drive as it will burn CDs as well. I think that the majors are all about the same (NEC, Benq, Sony). Don't bother with lightscribe (expensive media, slow label burn rate).
How's that for a start? I need another cuppa coffee! 
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Bob Anderson
join:2001-05-05
Ottawa, ON | reply to Traxless
Sure you can build a computer. I did my first build last Nov. at the age of 59 and with less than good eyesight.
My only assembly experience up to that time was swapping RAM and video cards.
-Bob |
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Traxless
Premium
join:2005-02-16
USA
·AT&T Southwest
·Cbeyond
| I'm 60 years in 2 weeks ... so this might be my special gift to myself. I didn't know what ESD meant, so I did a quick search. Electrostatic discharge. So I will read about those precautions.
That MOBO with all those connections is the part that gives me some chills. But my nerves have settled with these posts. Thank you much. |
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Traxless
Premium
join:2005-02-16
USA
·AT&T Southwest
·Cbeyond
1 edit |  reply to mikehd
said by mikehd  :I think you're ready. I had far less experience when I did my first PC build. FIRST: ESD protection!!! (But you know this). The biggest danger when installing a mobo is to get the standoffs in the right spots. A misplaced standoff can result in shorting to the case which will cause you to question your original decision to build your own pc... Question ... are the standoff's the plastic mounting pins? Second question. Do the MOBO's usually have a detailed diagram showing the location of the various connections? |
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tahoejeff
join:2001-07-01
Wisconsin Dells, WI
clubs:
2 edits | reply to Traxless
you can do it. if at any time you are in doubt about something, post here, and we'll walk you through it. do you have a digital camera? a picture really is worth a...well, you know.
edit-yes, most mobo manuals will clearly identify every connector. the problem is, the case connectors are sometimes cryptic. but if you're getting a brand name case you should be ok.
have you chosen a mobo yet? we don't really know your price range. the mobo will determine the ram needs.
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The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | reply to Traxless
Anyone can do it anymore- it is essentially plug and play and the manuals for major board makers have great maps for the connectors but they are generally made so you can't put them in wrong (unless you force the issue and break it)... |
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dangme
join:2001-09-15
San Francisco, CA
1 edit | reply to Traxless
traxless,
I'm in the process of building my own machine. Things went well until it came time to turn it on. The lights and fan would start up, but crap out after a second or two.
I checked everything I could think of: connectors, seating of the heatsink and other components.
I was at wit's end, so I called a local repair shop.
It turned out I had bought an ancient graphics card, since like you, my graphics needs were modest. The card was so ancient, in fact, that it used an AGP socket, and stupid me, I plopped it into my PCI Express slot.
My 2 cents: check and double check that the components you buy are compatible with your system. Then, if during the build you run into problems, seek help here. If your problems persist, go to a trustworthy repair shop.
The repair shop was also able to figure out that one of the two DDR2 sticks I installed was bad. It probably would have taken me a lot of time and frustration before I was able to figure this out.
I'm on pins and needles to find out if I inflicted permanent damage on my mobo by forcing the AGP card in it. We'll find out in a little while when we put a compatible graphics card in and turn it on.
Good luck. |
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Traxless
Premium
join:2005-02-16
USA
·AT&T Southwest
·Cbeyond
| reply to tahoejeff
said by tahoejeff :Most mobo manuals will clearly identify every connector. The problem is, the case connectors are sometimes cryptic, but if you're getting a brand name case you should be ok. Have you chosen a mobo yet? we don't really know your price range. the mobo will determine the ram needs. I would want to buy a Antec case with a power supply. Sonata II seems to be a good choice based on quality and price. And I don't have to struggle with a power supply decision.
The MOBO is still something that I need to study. The forum on Tom's hardware site has sometimes recommended the Asus M2N-E with audio. I think it will take DDR2-533RAM (533). But it is still days away from the MOBO decision.
I am very grateful for the guidance and especially the encourage to give this project a try. Thank you forum! |
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elios
join:2005-11-15
Springfield, MO
 ·Mediacom
| toms isnt the greatest site
www.anandtech.com is better as is www.hardocp.com
imo get DDR2667 ATLEST or better yet 800
533 is very slow for DDR2
as for mobo that depends on what CPU imo any of the nForce 5x0 based mobos are great for newer CPUs |
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Mark910
Premium
join:2002-04-21
Dayton, OH
clubs:
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to Traxless
I too have learned how to build my own computers , strictly from the information in these great forums.
The scariest part of the whole project is THE FIRST TIME YOU START THE NEW COMPUTER. What a great feeling when it works!!!!!!!
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~ If everything seems to be going well,you have obviously overlooked something. ~ GO Team Discovery.»Team Discovery HELP find the CURE! |
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elios
join:2005-11-15
Springfield, MO
·Mediacom
| said by Mark910 : I too have learned how to build my own computers , strictly from the information in these great forums. The scariest part of the whole project is THE FIRST TIME YOU START THE NEW COMPUTER. What a great feeling when it works!!!!!!! built my first PC when i was 12 half my family bet it wouldn't start the first try and it DID lol
i think i surprised every one |
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JimmySask
join:2004-06-24
Regina, SK
| reply to Traxless
#1 - Given what you said you have already done, you absolutely CAN build your computer. There is only a few odds and ends that you haven't done yet that are involved with a new build, most of which involves plugging in connectors that only fit one way.
#2 - Your hardware choices - I have used the Sonata II case for 3 separate builds now. I have not encountered a single thing to complain about with it, and intend to use it again in the future. As far as guidance for other choices - what will it be used for?
My own personal build, 3 months old now:
Antec Sonata II case (comes w/ 450W PSU)
Asus A8N-E Motherboard (if I remember the model number correctly)
2x1 GB OCZ PC3200 DDR RAM
Nvidia 7600GT video card
Seagate 250 GB SATAII HDD
LG DVD drive
I also picked up a $30 set of Creative Labs 2.1 (Model SBS350) for my machine. They are not spectacular, as they are low power (30W ???) but they continually amaze me for the price tag. I've heard $150 speakers that sound worse.
I really like the SATA/SATAII drives, regardless of the performance benefits, simply because it makes keeping the cabling neat much easier. |
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Ryan
Premium
join:2001-03-03
Attleboro, MA
| reply to Traxless
The only difficult part of building a computer was choosing the right parts and the actual heatsink installation. With the old socket A chips there was no heatspreader and on top of that the heatsinks were a pain to get on. I never did it but using too much force would sometimes crack the fragile cores. Now with socket 754 and 939 and the heatspreaders and better heatsink clamps its an easy task. Also remember the arctic silver |
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marti
Color outside the lines
Premium,MVM
join:2001-12-14
Houston, TX
clubs:
| reply to Traxless
I built my first computer this year, with lots of help on what to buy and had a techie buddy here during the actual "putting the puzzle together." I hate hardware but have learned to love it a little. Before I did the build it yourself route, I also added things and upgraded things on my old seven-year old Dell, which is still running.
My next build will be more of me doing the work, but I think I will invite a techie friend over to do the standoffs.
You will know that you are a computer geekette (me) or computer geek when you wake up and the motherboard manual is still in your bed because you fell asleep reading it.
I am still under 60 years old, but I am not that many years away from that age. I am also 100% female and would rather bring my computer system to the point that I can't boot because I messed with the software and then figure out how to get it back, than mess with hardware.
If I can learn to love hardware, you can. Go for it!
--
Team Discovery |
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Gem
Premium
join:2005-09-10
·CableOne
1 edit | reply to Traxless
Based on what you have done already, building a new computer will be a piece of cake. Here are some different thoughts from those posted previously:
1) Are you a gamer? If so, then go without integrated video.
If not, integrated video may work just fine for you and lower your cost.
2) Consider an Intel board and the new Core2Duo CPU with a motherboard to match. The base model is supposed to be fast, quiet, cooler, and relatively inexpensive.
3) Whatever CPU you decide upon, chose that first. Then get a compatible motherboard. Then decide upon the ram.
4) With regard to the ram, consider not only the speed, but also the CAS latency - lower is better. Be sure the ram is compatible with the CPU and the motherboard.
5) a recommended site from which to buy that has adequate tutorials is Newegg.com.
6) If you are retired and have time to read about it first, an excellent test is by a writer name Mueller. Check his 17th edition out on Amazon:
Upgrading and Repairing PCs (17th Edition) (Hardcover)
by Scott Mueller
»www.amazon.com/gp/product/078973···&s=books
7) The Antec case and PSU should be a good choice. I just bought one today.
Good luck, have fun, take your time and take it slow the first time around.
P.S. The standoffs are metal. Usually look like little brass posts. They hold the motherboard tray up off the side of the case. They need to all match up with the mounting holes in the motherboard, with no extra ones poking the motherboard where there are not mounting holes - those can cause short-outs. |
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Tom517
join:2006-07-13
Greenville, SC | Plus, to add to all that excellent advice, even when the standoffs are nylon, there is usually at least one brass one that is used to ground the system board to prevent "noise". (Not noise that you hear, but noise as in data crosstalk.) |
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whymeintrouble
Premium
join:2001-06-20
Woodridge, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to Traxless
Re: Can I Build a Computer?
I would say yes, but here are the things I do to make sure I have everything I need :
1. make a list of all the components you already have and plan to move to the next computer (if none it will be a short list )
2. make a list of everything you will need :
a. fans are always a forgetful option
b. rounded cables - if budget is real tight forget about this.
c. Motherboard, CPU/HSF(retail packaged processors include HSF), case, psu, Memory, Video card, sound card, DVD-ROM(optional), DVD burner, HD(s), Floppy drive(again, optional), card reader, PCI modem, legit copy of WinXP, and anything else I'm forgetting
3. check list above one more time.
4. post list on this site, and ask if you are fogetting anything for a complete build. you will probably get a lot of people saying 'if you spend more you can get xxxxx', but just say thanks but no thanks.
5. check any additional recommendations from step 4.
6. check around the web to make sure that the mobo you choose and the ram you choose doesn't have any compatibility problems. you can also check the manufacturers recommendations as well.
7. buy your stuff.
8. once everything is bought DO NOT LOOK FOR OTHER PRICING! most likely you will just drive yourself crazy
9. set out a day where you can have at least 6 hours just you and the computer chilin. now, I say 6hrs because sometimes things don't go smooth. my last build took me almost 2hrs. that is because in the stupid Antec P180 series, the damn PSU was so tight I had to move the fan that was there to make everything work, and let me tell you, it is a tight fit!
10. enjoy your new beast!
so many of us forget that part of the reason to build a computer is for the sheer enjoyment of saying 'I built this!'. now it may have similiar specs to what you can buy in the stores now-a-days, but this is your baby. you put your sweat into it(hopefully no blood or tears).
One last thing, come here if you have any questions, most of the stuff should go together fairly easily. the AM2 socket was tougher than my 939 build, but I usually use aftermarket heatsinks which usually make it a little easier.
couple last things , as mentioned before ESD, static is bad. whether you do it the old fashioned way, grounding yourself on the side of the case before reaching for a part, or using a strap make sure you are careful. straps are like $5-$9 or so, and are worth the investment. When it comes to push that power button for the first time, make sure you have the case at or near eye level with the door/cover off and one hand on the power cord in case you need to pull it. you want to verify that everything (especially fans) are plugged in and functioning properly. if for some reason you push the button and no fans start up , yank that power cord without a second thought. That may save your processor from toasting itself.
one last thing, I was by my local best buy tonight and saw they have the LG super DVD burner there for $39.99 plus tax. that is a full retail version of that drive and comes with a bit of software to start your new machine out with. should be a real good deal, as I don't think you will find much cheaper. plus it has Lightscribe if you would ever like to try out that feature, go to »www.lightscribe.com for more info |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm
·Mediacom
·FrontierNet Intern..
| reply to Traxless
I Still get surprised when they fire up for the first time, Surprised that i actually did it right
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Shut up you little potlicker, or I'll throw you in the microwave! --Reese Bobby |
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