I was encouraged to post a sticky with computer-building resources, including my computer-building guide (linked below). The hardware in the guide is old but the core knowledge is mostly there. Post or PM me if you have suggestions or see something that needs fixing.
Optional stuff
Computer-building guides
Here's a guide that crimson117 mentioned is pretty good: http://www.corsair.com/systembuild/reports.aspx But do they include snack breaks...?
vailr suggested this video tutorial: http://computershopper.com/sho...t_our_video_tutorial_o
My old guide is linked up below. The hardware's out of date. The defensive security info, however, is very current.
- I have a parts kit picked out, but I want some input from The Collective! Post a new topic in General Hardware, list your proposed rig in detail, and ask for some input.
- I'm a noOb and I want help picking out my parts kit! Go to General Hardware and post a new topic, or check out the existing ones to get some ideas. The General Hardware crew is great at helping you pick out parts kits. If you ask for help choosing a parts kit, give them this information:
- your budget
- what items you need the budget to cover (see lists below)
- any particular specs you've already decided upon (e.g. a certain CPU or GPU, or a certain amount of RAM)
- what types of uses you want to use the computer for (e.g. gaming, office/student work, video editing, HTPC, or whatever)
- Power supply
- Case
- Motherboard
- CPU
- Heatsink/fan for the CPU
- Memory
- Primary hard drive
- Primary optical drive
- Video card (unless you?re using onboard video)
- Monitor(s) ? see xtknight?s LCD thread
- Mouse/keyboard
- Operating System
- Snacks
Optional stuff
- Additional hard drive(s)
- Additional optical drive(s)
- Memory-card reader
- External hard drive
- USB flash drive
- Audio card
- Video-capture card and/or TV-tuner card
- Speakers
- Headphones
- Printer
- Scanner
- Graphics tablet
- Uninterruptible Power Supply and/or surge supressor
- Pizza
Computer-building guides
Here's a guide that crimson117 mentioned is pretty good: http://www.corsair.com/systembuild/reports.aspx But do they include snack breaks...?
vailr suggested this video tutorial: http://computershopper.com/sho...t_our_video_tutorial_o
My old guide is linked up below. The hardware's out of date. The defensive security info, however, is very current.
- Start introduction, tools, blah blah
- Case prep 1 mandatory snacks, opening case, installing drives in external bays
- Case prep 2 installing motherboard standoffs & I/O shield
- Data & power cables noOb primer on data & power cables
- Serial ATA stuff info on Serial ATA, with infamous role-playing segment. Revised to cover AHCI, maybe still needs some work.
- General motherboard/CPU info general overview of CPUs and memory installation
- Socket A CPU installation (AthlonXP, Duron, old Semprons) nearly-worthless info on SocketA installation
- AMD Socket 939 CPU installation Similar enough to Socket AM2 for most purposes
- Intel Socket 478 CPU installation Another has-been
- Intel LGA775 CPU installation Basically a link to Intel's info
- Testing & installing the motherboard assembly Benchtesting the core components, then installing them
- Installing the hard drive
- Final connections Getting the internals connected in preparation for liftoff
- Security during Windows Setup Vista versus XP, preventing worms from auto-infecting the system
- Best practices for long-haul security make the bad guys cry :evil:
- how a non-Administrator account helps security best. security. countermeasure. EVAR.
- making stoOpid software work with a non-Admin account
- Resources Drivers, utilities, software, online virus scanners, rootkit scanners, spyware removal
- Visual glossary Pics with some basic stuff labelled for noObs
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