Building a PC

[jmlogue]

Well, i've always wanted to build a computer for myself but i never really looked into realizing the dream. I know basic stuff about computers, and i was wondering if you guys could give me some sites that could help teach me what i need to know to build a computer.

Thanks

[Knightslugger]

Buy the best there is

Everything else is "this goes here and not there because it doesn't fit" type of work.  When people tell me they built a computer, I'm so not impressed; a blind-folded autistic monkey could do it.

[lg_alucard]

The hard part is plugging in all the wires from the case, other than that it's usually color/shape coded.  Just make sure all the sockets/plugs go together on all the pieces you buy. 

[Knightslugger]

and really, it's not that hard.  kinda like plugging in a USB device; only goes one way and in one slot.

[jmlogue]

Wow, this sounds a lot easier than i thought it would be. Any thoughts on where to start?

[Knightslugger]

Start with the case.

[lg_alucard]

Make sure if you get an mATX case you get an mATX board

[MacZealot]

The only remotely difficult thing about building/taking apart a PC is not losing the screws. If they get lost, you have a problem.

[Knightslugger]

true.

[jmlogue]

OK, so what all am i going t need. (yes, i know all the obvious stuff but  don't want to miss anything)

Also, any suggestions as to where to buy everything?

[Shmi]

newegg.com for one.

[Makdaam]

Basic parts of an IBM compatible PC nowadays (2006):
-a case
-a power supply of sufficient power (check power ratings of the components listed below)
-a supply cord (the one from the socket in your wall to the PC) is NOT included by default... atleast I never found it in any box

-a processor (AMD rocks when it comes to power/price, Intel is better for laptops - Mobile versions eat less current) do NOT look at the frequency... frequncy is not a measure of computing power it might be a measure of consumed power... (check some comparison charts in the net... or some benchmark results on tuning sites - they usually add results for untuned CPUs too)
-some RAM (DDR or DDR2? I wouldn´t suggest the expensive rambus if there are any left on the battlefield)
-a main board (aka. mother board) that fits the case and has a socket for the above mentioned processor and RAM of the chosen type
-a cooling system for the processor (the mobo´s chipsets usually have their fans/radiators already glued on), you have to be sure it will get rid of enough thermal power (check how much in your processor specs or just see/ask if it will be ok for a processor a step higher than yours, or yours but tuned a bit)

-a graphics card (some mobo´s have some cheap cards integrated... they´re ok for office work but not for gaming, take one with an ATI or nVidia chipset, 2 years ago I´d recommend ATI but I heard their support and drivers sucks today)
-a monitor (if you pick a digital one - ie. non-CRT - make sure your graphics card has a DVI plug and the monitor has a DVI plug)
-a wire to connect the monitor is usually included... but check to be sure
-sometimes a cooling system for the graphics unit is needed... but most of the cards Ie seen had something there already

-a hard disk (well you can have a PC without one, but it´s more comfortable to have one), they come in 3 flavours: ATA/IDE, SATA or SCSI (ATA/IDE is the most common one, make sure your mobo has an ATA/IDE socket - or the one you choose, I suggest not even looking at SCSI drives, unless you need PBs of capacity)
-an optical drive (DVD-RW? just make sure it supports all the writable DVD formats: DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R DL, DVD+R DL and so on...)
-floppies are useless nowadays so let´s just skip that point
-tapes/wires to connect the drives (an 80-wire ATA tape for the ATA HD and one for your DVD, or a SATA wire for a SATA HD)

-integrated sound is ok for gaming and ok for watching movies... unless you´re building a home theatre system.
-buy good speakers/headphones (creative´s suck, logitech´s are average... I´d look around in non-PC related shops for good and cheap speakers)

-mouse & keyboard - pick whatever you want, a built-in HUB in your keyboard saves you an USB socket

TIPS:
- remember about compatibility! check if your graphics card will fit on the mainboard of your choice or vice-versa.
- never ever run the system without cooling mounted properly
- the cooling system for your CPU goes on the processor! - Ie seen a construction with a cooling system mounted against the wall of a case
- not all screws are necessary, but it might fall apart if there is not enough of them
- do not hot-plug anything inside the case... it could be done in the old times... and not everything today might stand it
- keep it clean - dust IS your enemy
- make an airduct for cooling... remember that air should come in the front... go near the CPU and exit through the power supply
- tie your wires together if possible.... bend the tapes gently to make as much free space as possible

That´s all I can remember at the moment

[Darkshine]

I thought so too (thing about floppies being useless) but they really do come in handy. In case you fuck up when partioning your drive and make the worng one active, its very very useful to have one.

[jmlogue]

Wow, cool. Well, i didnt understand every single word there but that sounds like exactly what i was asking for!

So, it seems like once i have everything layed out infront of me it will be pretty obvious where everything goes?

Lol, i'm going to have to find out what a lot of these abreviated words stand for....

[Keizuki]

I thought so too (thing about floppies being useless) but they really do come in handy. In case you fuck up when partioning your drive and make the worng one active, its very very useful to have one.

Note - Window's IS VERY crap at sorting out yur HD in a crash. Ie fdisk/diskpart. Your better off using a live CD of some linux distro, since that CAN ACTUALLY partition your hd and all that jazz, plus its free!
If ur gonna install windows use nliteos to make a custom xp install disk with PROPER AND WORKING RAID/SATA drivers coz that's how windows fucked up installing on my machine. Using nliteos means you don't need a floppy drive for extra xp install drivers (F6 and all that) since nliteos will overwrite the defaults ones or add to them and then create an ISO which u can write to a CD and use like a normal XP install disk.

Building a PC isn't as difficult as it seems so long as you ground urself u'll be okay and follow the instructions 100%.

Edit:

If you plan to have one of those 9in1 card readers install it AFTER you install Window's otherwise Window's see's that first (well it did in my case probably coz it was on the IDE bus). So it renamed the C drive to I. Which isn't good since it screwed itself over. Windows MUST BE INSTALLED ONTO C!