Don't skimp on the power supply. That doesn't mean you have to buy
lots of watts or something expensive; just avoid junk. www.JonnyGuru.com
can tell you what's good and what's junk, and generally, anything made
by Fortron-Source is good, but you may be able to find bargains from
Thermaltake (GamePower) and Antec (EarthWatts, Basiq, and Trio -- all
by Seasonic, but not SmartPower or TruePower). I believe OCZ gets its
PSUs from Fortron-Source. All Corsairs seem to be first-rate.
Take precautions against static electricity because it's easy to zap
something even if you don't notice a spark. Work barefoot and in
short sleeves, and if possible, cover your whole work area with pink
anti-static bubble plastic or foam sheet. Avoid plastic tables, which
generate lots of static, although formica isn't too bad..
Do not install all the hardware and turn on the power. Instead first
assemble just a barebones system so you can see that the hardware is
working, and then install one more piece at a time and test before
installing more.. This way you'll blow up less hardware if there's a
problem and will have an easier time pinpointing any problem..
Barebones means motherboard, power supply, graphics card (if mobo
doesn't have built-in graphics), keyboard, on/off button, reset
button, one memory module, CPU, and CPU cooler. If that works, then
install a floppy drive or CD or DVD drive so you can run a memory
diagnostic (www.memtest86.com, www.memtest.org, www.goldmemory.cz) for
a several hours. This is especially important because even most major
brand memory is now made of chips not marked with the actual chip
maker's full part number, and that includes even major brands, like
Kingston, Corsair, OCZ, Mushkin, and Patriot. Basically, if your
memory modules aren't by Crucial or Samsung, don't trust them without
very thorough testing.
In message <cqednT6Qw6SCTbXVnZ2dnUVZ_sbinZ2d@comcast.com> "JR Weiss"
<jrweiss98155remove@remove.comcast.net> wrote:
>"DaveW" <radiation@nuclear.org> wrote...
>> You get very good training first. It is not easy.
>
>Homebuilding a PC is NOT rocket science! Anyone with a modicum of common sense
>and familiarity with electronics and computers can do it.
True. And on behalf of everyone working in the computer repair
industry, god bless those that try it for themselves the first time.
> but you may be able to find bargains from
> Thermaltake (GamePower) and Antec (EarthWatts, Basiq, and Trio -- all
> by Seasonic, but not SmartPower or TruePower).
class_a wrote:
> larry moe 'n curly wrote:
>
> > but you may be able to find bargains from
> > Thermaltake (GamePower) and Antec (EarthWatts, Basiq, and Trio -- all
> > by Seasonic, but not SmartPower or TruePower).
>
> What about NeoPower from Antec?
The current ones seem to be by Seasonic, as this HardOCP.com photo
indicates:
The older NeoPowers were by Channel Well Technology, an undesirable
manufacturer because they use those Fuhjyyu capacitors I mentioned.
OTOH the NeoPower HE series was always made by Seasonic (if you find a
used one, be sure it's revision A3 or later -- earlier versions didn't
work right with some motherboards in power-saving modes).
larry moe 'n curly wrote:
>
> class_a wrote:
>> larry moe 'n curly wrote:
>>
>>> but you may be able to find bargains from
>>> Thermaltake (GamePower) and Antec (EarthWatts, Basiq, and Trio -- all
>>> by Seasonic, but not SmartPower or TruePower).
>> What about NeoPower from Antec?
>
> The current ones seem to be by Seasonic, as this HardOCP.com photo
> indicates:
>
> http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/images...EGug_3_6_l.jpg
>
> The older NeoPowers were by Channel Well Technology, an undesirable
> manufacturer because they use those Fuhjyyu capacitors I mentioned.
> OTOH the NeoPower HE series was always made by Seasonic (if you find a
> used one, be sure it's revision A3 or later -- earlier versions didn't
> work right with some motherboards in power-saving modes).
Whew, you had me worried A couple of weeks ago I put a NeoPower "NEO
HE550" in my new computer so based on your comment it should be a
Seasonic and one of the good ones.
"DevilsPGD" <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net> wrote in message
news:avkh24ln18rpb75vln5tfh6hf2ktdkp49i@4ax.com...
> In message <cqednT6Qw6SCTbXVnZ2dnUVZ_sbinZ2d@comcast.com> "JR Weiss"
> <jrweiss98155remove@remove.comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>"DaveW" <radiation@nuclear.org> wrote...
>>> You get very good training first. It is not easy.
>>
>>Homebuilding a PC is NOT rocket science! Anyone with a modicum of common
>>sense
>>and familiarity with electronics and computers can do it.
>
> True. And on behalf of everyone working in the computer repair
> industry, god bless those that try it for themselves the first time.
Oh come on. It's like an 8-piece jigsaw puzzle. If you can read a
motherboard user's manual, you can build a computer. The Hard parts are
component selection and OS/drivers install. Screw up the component
selection in particular and you will have no end of headaches. But that's
what newsgroups like this are for. When you think you know what you want,
post your selections here so that we can tell you that your power supply
isn't compatible, or whatever.
I simply suggest that anyone who wants to build a computer have a complete
WORKING computer with Internet access handy, one from which NO parts will be
"borrowed" to build the new one. -Dave
In message <g0bqee$1em$1@registered.motzarella.org> "Dave"
<noway@nohow.not> wrote:
>
>"DevilsPGD" <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net> wrote in message
>news:avkh24ln18rpb75vln5tfh6hf2ktdkp49i@4ax.com.. .
>> In message <cqednT6Qw6SCTbXVnZ2dnUVZ_sbinZ2d@comcast.com> "JR Weiss"
>> <jrweiss98155remove@remove.comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>>"DaveW" <radiation@nuclear.org> wrote...
>>>> You get very good training first. It is not easy.
>>>
>>>Homebuilding a PC is NOT rocket science! Anyone with a modicum of common
>>>sense
>>>and familiarity with electronics and computers can do it.
>>
>> True. And on behalf of everyone working in the computer repair
>> industry, god bless those that try it for themselves the first time.
>
>Oh come on. It's like an 8-piece jigsaw puzzle. If you can read a
>motherboard user's manual, you can build a computer. The Hard parts are
>component selection and OS/drivers install. Screw up the component
>selection in particular and you will have no end of headaches. But that's
>what newsgroups like this are for. When you think you know what you want,
>post your selections here so that we can tell you that your power supply
>isn't compatible, or whatever.
I include component selection, and at least to some extent the OS/driver
install as part of a build.
The more challenging part seems to more or less come from experience;
picking the components that are more likely or less likely to play
nicely despite being compatible as judged by the specifications.
Picking the drivers that will layer nicely and not break each other's
configurations can be fun too -- There was a good deal of time where
configuring a Microsoft keyboard and a Logitech mouse on the same system
took a bit of juggling if you wanted all of the extra features of both.
Luckily today the problem is less of an issue then it was in the past,
although perhaps my view is slanted since I swore off VIA chipsets and
AMD CPUs entirely and standardized on one motherboard manufacturer.
(nothing against AMD CPUs, I just ended up with one board after another
that was a PITA during my AMD experiment in the 939 x2 days. It was
always something, one brand of RAM wasn't friendly, SATA/300 drives
wouldn't work because the chipset wouldn't fall negotiate a fallback to
/150, onboard SATA/RAID conflicted with a IDE RAID add-in card,
annoyances like that)
I also can't count the number of times I've walked into a friend's house
to diagnose a brand new build that won't boot and solved it in based on
subtle things that are difficult to explain over the phone or internet.
Identifying if a hard drive is spinning up listening isn't hard if you
have a tuned ear, but I can't imagine how to explain the difference
between a hard drive and a noisy or poorly mounted fan over the phone or
usenet.
Of course, learning is part of the fun.
>I simply suggest that anyone who wants to build a computer have a complete
>WORKING computer with Internet access handy, one from which NO parts will be
>"borrowed" to build the new one. -Dave
Oh most definitely. I've built more machines then I can count and I
wouldn't dream of doing it without an internet connection available,
even if only to pull BIOS and driver updates.
Luckily that is why god invented laptops and EVDO cards.
On May 12, 7:45*pm, DevilsPGD <spam_narf_s...@crazyhat.net> wrote:
> In message <cqednT6Qw6SCTbXVnZ2dnUVZ_sbin...@comcast.com> "JR Weiss"
>
> <jrweiss98155rem...@remove.comcast.net> wrote:
> >"DaveW" <radiat...@nuclear.org> wrote...
> >> You get very good training first. *It is not easy.
>
> >Homebuilding a PC is NOT rocket science! *Anyone with a modicum of common sense
> >and familiarity with electronics and computers can do it.
>
> True. *And on behalf of everyone working in the computer repair
> industry, god bless those that try it for themselves the first time.
LOL
But it really is easy. It's like Plug and Play, as long as you aren't
wearing socks or stroking your cat while you build it.
Put memory and CPU onto MB.
Put MB into case.
Put PSU into case.
Put HDD into case.
Put DVD RW into case.
But GPU onto MB.
Connect everything.
Put lid of case back on.
Voila.
>>> You get very good training first. It is not easy.
>>> Homebuilding a PC is NOT rocket science! Anyone with a modicum of common sense
>>> and familiarity with electronics and computers can do it.
>> True. And on behalf of everyone working in the computer repair
>> industry, god bless those that try it for themselves the first time.
>
> LOL
>
> But it really is easy. It's like Plug and Play, as long as you aren't
> wearing socks or stroking your cat while you build it.
>
You can buy anti-static wristbands for a couple of quid which wrap around your
wrist and onnect via a cable to the PC case. This should obviate any risk of
static damage to PC components as you build the system. Well worth it for the
money IMO.
>>>> You get very good training first. It is not easy.
>>>> Homebuilding a PC is NOT rocket science! Anyone with a modicum of common sense
>>>> and familiarity with electronics and computers can do it.
>>> True. And on behalf of everyone working in the computer repair
>>> industry, god bless those that try it for themselves the first time.
>>
>> LOL
>>
>> But it really is easy. It's like Plug and Play, as long as you aren't
>> wearing socks or stroking your cat while you build it.
>>
>
>
>You can buy anti-static wristbands for a couple of quid which wrap around your
>wrist and onnect via a cable to the PC case. This should obviate any risk of
>static damage to PC components as you build the system. Well worth it for the
>money IMO.
And the perfect place to attach that anti static device is around your
neck.
Those cute little wristbands are one of the most useless things that anyone
could purchase.
Re: how do i build a computer 
A couple of weeks ago I put a NeoPower "NEO 
Linear Mode
