Building your own Computer!

[AssembleThis]

Hi everyone!

Since we all use the world wide web and a computer to communicate with each other, it makes sense to me to have a thread about repairing or building or upgrading or programming your own computer.
Anyone, I mean anyone can do it these days. Manufacturers have spent over 40 years improving things so it's not like having to learn DOS or knowing how to program your BIOS.
You buy some basis parts you put them together, and everything is color coded now, you power up insert an Operating System disk in the disk drive and your on your way. And the prices wow have they come down, over 40 years ago 16megs of RAM was over $450. Motherboards where archaic compared to what you can get now. You'd have about 20 wire jumpers that all had to be placed in the right configuration.
Anyways nowadays you can build a $2500 computer for about $1000. And if you buy just 1 component a month it doesn't hurt the finances.
If there is any interest in this let me know, I can help.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[Going2Hell]

I remember all of that, I spent years learning all that crap and keeping up to date on the fun stuff. Now any kid can build a computer and not understand a thing about what it does. I do have to admit, Arduino and the like should be the wave of the future. Build your own Tablet with enhanced graphics and display. Custom expanded memory set. It's like Erector but way beyond better.

In all, I wouldn't mind this thread. At the very least, it'll help spread the word on how it used too be! When the newer computers get hit by a "superbug" they may need to know this again.

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi Going2HellI

Thanks for the help. Yes it makes sense to me to have a thread like this. If your forced to use a friends computer or go to the library because your computer is down, at least you'll know like minded people who are willing to help might give you the answers you need to get your own computer back up and running again. No one likes the thought of having to call a technician who's probably going to charge you at least $50 just to look at it or tell you, "it will be a couple of weeks before we can get to it". If you can work on a motorized bike, you can work on your own computer with a little help.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[crassius]

were someone to have time & energy to do something for this board, I believe that a good concatenation of the more helpful posts into a compendium of knowledge that was easily readable and to the point on diff areas here - would be more helpful than yet another 'puter how to - the number of those existing already is only one figure, but that figure has at least 6 digits

but, as my Thai GF would say to 2door; "up to you"

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi crassius!

Thanks for the input. Um do you ever read your own posts? Simple to understand, precise, and a bunch of other things I can think of, your post is not? Sorry just playing with you. But when I read your post it reminds me of a teacher in college, who was more interested in showing the class how smart he was than actually teaching. No disrespect intended just an observation. Anyone else notice this? You have been drinking haven't you?

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi crassius!

Think about this a little. When your computer fails to work and you really want to get online what is the one thing you have a lot of? The answer is "Time"!
Now you could go to a friends house or the library and as you say, there are thousands, tens of thousands of web sites about building computers. But which would you feel more comfortable in, a web site you don't know or a forum you like, trust and feel relaxed in and know you'll get help without cost or obligation? Seems to me the latter would be the answer. I know if I couldn't do it myself it would be nice if I could ask people who have already helped me with other things of my interest to help me with getting my computer working again. We all take them for granted but when they fail on us, we all get that gut feeling of helplessness. Even I still do and I've been building them for over 40 years. Just think about it.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[crassius]

personally, I prefer sifting advice from a great number of different, tho unknown, experts to getting it from folks that I know who may have only one view on the matter

I did , in fact, once ask here 'bout *nix, but you can see how helpful that was(n't).

 

[The_Aleman]

Yeah I agree with you, crassius. Getting PC advice in this forum is kind of silly IMHO. There are dozens of forums better-suited for that!

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi The_Aleman!

Hm, 1 for 2 against, not looking good. No problem, guess you have to be in the situation before you feel a need for it. I just brought it up because one of my computers went down because of a corrupted file that I couldn't remove or repair. I was so happy it wasn't my main computer that I do business, web searches and forums with.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Building up my own computer is something I've done from my very first computer, - an IBM 8088, - right through to the dual core machines I've got now. Most of the time I've purchased parts from computer recyclers or second hand from our local on-line auction site and has proved to be a really good way to build up a system very cheaply.
My daughter who is now living with me studied computer science at university and works from home doing software development. Between us we've built up a home network based around an IBM dual Xeon server and work stations constructed from ex-corporate computer parts purchased from computer recycling companies. If you know what you're looking for there are very good bargains to be had. As an example our IBM server in full working order complete with six scsi hard drives was purchased for the princely sum of $NZ35.00.
Most of what I know about building computer systems I learned from specialist technical books because I tend to be old fashioned that way. My daughter mostly hunts down technical information via the internet and is a member of several professional level forums where computer systems and programming languages are discussed at a level which is far too rarefied and esoteric for me. From my own internet searches on computer trouble shooting I can tell you that an awful lot of rubbish gets posted on some of the 'help' forums which must cause a lot of frustration for anyone who is trying to fix their own system and isn't any kind of expert.
Putting together your own computer is a lot of fun though and as a former keen computer gamer I would get a great deal of satisfaction from building a machine up to run the latest game I might've just purchased.

 

[KCvale]

Hi crassius!

Think about this a little. When your computer fails to work and you really want to get online what is the one thing you have a lot of? The answer is "Time"!

I'm a desktop guy that has built his own desktop from parts since there was such a thing as 'IBM Compatible' aftermarket parts and made a living doing it for a couple decades as Elite Computers.

I need some new hardware and software as I never did quite recover from the shop fire a couple years back with my office stuff and all could salvage was this http://vales.com/elite/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1642

The complete parts stats are in that link above.
I don't do cases, I have all the desk room I need and can get to everything with ease.

I can continue to use the SATA data drives but everything else needs updated including Windows and MS Office, and it's time for a couple flat screen monitors as these old backup 26" CRT's have about killed my eyes.

So, with $1,500 what part's would you buy I can get from Fry's Electronics around the corner to make a fast dual screen Windows desktop geared to web, pics, and business and not games?

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi Intrepid Wheelwoman!

Cool story. Your a former gamer? If you haven't tried a game for a while I can steer you to a game with great graphics, story lines and if you have a computer and internet access your good to go. The game cost nothing to play, software is free. It's called Aion. I love the game, when I can't sleep I usually play it as I'm not into TV. Oh it's pronounced ION the A is silent. They have 4 servers and gamers from all over the world play it. They list computer requirements to play it as well. Check that before you download k.

http://na.aiononline.com/en/

That's the sight I use to load the game on my computers. They have others, just go to aiononline and pick a server closest to your home. It's a 3D game with flying and magic and all kinds of things, too many to explain. Oh the game is about 20gigs or more if I'm remembering right. So it takes a while to download. If you decide to try it and run into any problems PM me I'll walk you through it.
Oh, they use an email address to verify, your who you say you are. Security.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi KCVale!

I'm going to make a post based on what I would buy to build a new computer.

Motherboard go with a Gygabyte. My last three builds have been with them and I have had no problems, they range from 1 to 3 years old. If this style doesn't fit your needs simply look on this web site for 1 that does.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128705

CPU Intel core I7 are extremely reliable. Which ever you decide to get make sure it has a "K" in it's identification. These can be overclocked, the one's with just numbers can't, last I checked. Oh and that it matches the motherboard. Such as, 1150 motherboard, 1150 CPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117369

Hard Drive, if your an intense gamer an SSD might be what you want. 256gig or better. But for a work or standard desktop a one terabyte standard drive will do.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236625

Ram Before buying ram, check motherboard specs to make sure they are compatible. Now here's the tricky part with ram, even though it's not listed it may still work. Sometimes you need to go into BIOS and tell the motherboard "Heay this is 2600 not 1600", I have had no problems with GSkill and Gygabyte compatibility. Both of theses can be overclocked. You can buy better GSkill ram for this motherboard but the price is still high for this type, 3200 and over. This is what I'd get to get me rolling.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231568
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231589

Power Supply I personally prefer EVGA but the second one is not bad to shave a few dollars off your build.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438013
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182188

Graphics Card A great card at a very good price. For gamers, upgrade here. My last 2 draphics cards are EVGA, zero problems.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487024

Operating System
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416808

Case The last 2 cases I bought, very happy with them.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

DVD Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136268

A killer system. Which would make my mouth water if I could buy it lol. Of coarse you can get the price a lot lower or a lot higher. Decide what you need, always scroll down and look at specs, check reviews, with a grain of salt lol. I have made many many purchases with this company and I have no hesitation to steer others to it. Assemble your build before registering. If there is a problem you can call Newegg and get help right away. If something needs to be RMA'd they set it up and almost always provide a shipping label at no cost to you. Once your system is working and your jumping for joy, wait a week then register every single part. This is very important, some manufacturers will not warranty a part that isn't registered.

Hope this helps.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi KCvale!

About the MS Office, personally I wouldn't upgrade that, but if you want to. This is what I purchased, but they have it for single computer use.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...116856&cm_re=ms_office-_-32-116-856-_-Product

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi KCvale!

You didn't say what kind of dual screen your using. If you decide to upgrade I recommend Toshiba 1080P 32inch LCD T.V., no joke. My last two builds, that's what I'm using and they are so nice. Mine are with the black cabinet guess they changed the design for 2014. This one is a little better than what I purchased. And yes I bought them from Neweeg. With an EVGA card they are awesome. I have mine hooked up with DVI but they have the HDMI inputs as well. Confirm with a call about the specs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5E61T39409

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Hi KCvale!

About the MS Office, personally I wouldn't upgrade that, but if you want to. This is what I purchased, but they have it for single computer use.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...116856&cm_re=ms_office-_-32-116-856-_-Product

Dave
AssembleThis

I use Open Office and have done so for years; - it won't cost you anything.

For running a dual monitor setup I can recommend the PCI-e Nividia Quadro. I was lucky enough to get a job lot bundle of eight of them plus cables for $NZ10.00 from a computer recycler. 17 inch LCD monitors can be had for about $NZ5-$NZ15 depending on model and just recently I was able to buy a beautiful LCD Hi-res Westinghouse monitor for just $NZ2.00, but that was more about luck than anything else.

My advice for computer system building is don't buy new unless you really have too. Let other folk buy the latest brand new gadgets and bleeding edge e-tech and instead buy second hand tech that's one or two steps behind the latest and hottest thing. Ex corporate enterprise quality tech is dirt cheap at most computer recyclers. There are two companies I always buy from because experience has taught me that when they say something they're selling has been tested and is working it really is. Their prices are also better than some of the other recycling companies that I've checked out. It really does pay to look around and compare prices and specs before buying from a recycler and sometimes it's cheaper to buy a whole working computer of the right spec less monitor and keyboard than it is to buy a single component that might be found inside the case.

 

[KCvale]

The complete parts stats for my current build are here:
http://vales.com/elite/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1642

I can continue to use the SATA data drives but everything else needs updated including Windows and MS Office, and it's time for a couple flat screen monitors as these old backup 26" CRT's have about killed my eyes.

So, with $1,500 what part's would you buy I can get from Fry's Electronics around the corner to make a fast dual screen Windows desktop geared to web, pics, and business and not games?

I thought I'd see what you know and could do AssembleThis, I give your upgrade assessment of my machine an Epic Fail.

You didn't look at what I already have and could re-use.

You posted up a useless NewEgg ad with links, no total price, and suggested crappy 1080P TV's for new video?
My ancient CRT monitors have better resolution than that.
I shoot pics at 4000x3000 and don't view anything below 1180x1024.

Perhaps you might want to take the time to actually be useful the next time you offer to help someone with a PC and take their knowledge into account before you just post up newegg parts ad's as response.

Or not, it makes no diff to me as I am more than capable of picking my own parts and have them sitting at will-call down the Street at Fry's the same day.

InterpedGal, I live in the 7th largest city in America and after 20 years of donating my leftovers I know what ends up in the recycle places.

This will most likely be my last build and I want 10 years out of it so I won't be buying used.
PC parts are dirt cheap new now, I'll figure out what I want and score some deals ;-}

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi Intrepid Wheelwoman!

That is so nice that you have those options. Unfortunately here in the USA people don't see the wisdom of resourcing as you do in NZ. Here you have limited options.

Retail Store = Pretty packaging which adds nothing to the item but adds a lot of cost to the buyer, used to entice weaker minds.
Outlets = That buy in bulk that sell retail, but you have to buy in bulk to save.
WWW = A risky way to get computer components, unless you personally know the business or it has recourse such as Ebay, Amazon, Pay Pal. I've built many computers and the best for me is Newegg.
Warehouses = That sell OEM - no pretty packaging, designed for those willing and able to assemble what they need from components.
Pawn Shops = That sell over priced stuff of which much is stolen and resold.
Schools, Universities = and the like that sell their old items when they replace old items. Which isn't a bad way to get things, unfortunately students in the USA are not kind to things they didn't pay for themselves.
CraigsList and the like. = where you buy from another person, usually as is, sometimes you get a good deal this way. Requires luck.
Good Will, Salvation Army = A great place to get an item, but you have to be lucky in these places. A case of being at the right place at the right time.
Dumpsters, Junk Yards, etc, etc. = Where items are tossed in a large heap, condition - broken - good luck with this.
Yard Sales - Where a family lays their stuff out on a table for sale in front of their home. Not a bad way to get a computer but again luck involved.
Gifts = A present from someone who loves you and wants to help. The best ever, way to get a computer.
Brick and Motor establishments that would hold such items in the USA just don't exist, at least not in my area of the country.
So basically here in the USA if you want a good computer you buy it already assemble in a box retail - you pay a business to build it for you - you build it yourself, which is the best and cheapest way to get a state of the art computer, which you can upgrade and or repair if it go's down. Really would be nice if we could put together a decent computer as you have, but the mindset of Americans is just not there yet. Here it's buy it, use it, toss it out when done, then bury it. If you live in a nice area. If you don't there are some people who go with, steal it, use it, when done, toss it out the window. lolol! Sad but true in some places.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[AssembleThis]

Hi KCvale!

Sorry about missing that part about the 26inch monitors. I was so involved in putting together links for a new computer I raced over your post. But as I said I prefer Toshiba LCD TV's for monitors. You get a much better picture, it's much larger for the dollar spent and you can watch a movie if you get tired of working. I even use mine for gaming with no problems, with all gaming stats set on high. Like I said though I would recommend that seller and those companies. But as to the exact component decide based on your budget. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Dave
AssembleThis

 

[Lungcookie]

Newegg is the only place I shop for parts, good deals, free shipping on a ton of goodies, and they have an 'open box' section with mark downs.

Of the 10+ PC's I have built over the last 20 years.
The best/most stable are MSI Boards with Intel processors, MSI graphics cards, Western digital hard drives, Samsung SSD and monitors.
They get easier all the time.
I will never use AMD again.

Best advice for anyone with a PC... BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP your hard drive. Clone or copy at least once a month more depending on use.