My wife is a non-believer!

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: malak
It's not brainwashing. Look at the countless threads in this forum with people who listened to your advice and did it themselves. And look, their machine doesn't boot up(#1 problem). Too many people are trying to build their own computer without knowing a thing about it. DIY is for the knowledgeable, not for everyone. I will continue to buy prebuilt, it's worth every penny to know it's all under warranty so the rare occurence I have an issue, it doesn't cost me a dime.

Damn right. Let them have thier Dells until they know WTF they are doing.

 

[Amaroque]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Damn right. Let them have thier Dells until they know WTF they are doing.

Unless you like being 24/7 tech support.

 

[compusaguy]

I wouldn't say Dell computers are for the unknowledgeable. Many people just don't want to be hassled with building a computer or want to take advantage of the unbeatable deals and quality assurance of a volume computer dealer. Many computer components are not compatible with each other despite what common sense says. You might buy an ATI video card and it just doesn't want to work with any one of the other 25 components. Buying from Dell means you don't have to worry about any compatibility issues because Dell has carefully tested their harware configurations.

 

[shoRunner]

Originally posted by: compusaguy
Dell has carefully tested their harware.

lol

 

[compusaguy]

Originally posted by: shoRunner

Originally posted by: compusaguy
Dell has carefully tested their harware.

lol

Get over yourself.

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: compusaguy
I wouldn't say Dell computers are for the unknowledgeable. Many people just don't want to be hassled with building a computer or want to take advantage of the unbeatable deals and quality assurance of a volume computer dealer. Many computer components are not compatible with each other despite what common sense says. You might buy an ATI video card and it just doesn't want to work with any one of the other 25 components. Buying from Dell means you don't have to worry about any compatibility issues because Dell has carefully tested their harware configurations.

I can build a computer in 20 minutes. That includes hot-swapping the HDD into a running machine, formatting and putting a windows install cache on the drive. I guess after like the 500th one it gets trivial. Quality assurance? Maybe ebay-like 'Guaranteed not DOA' but Dell machines are just like any other, and are prone to failure. I really don't care if my floppy cable comes with a 3-yr warranty. Any major components a DIY buys have warranty too.. so that's irrelevant. I'd rather deal with Corsair or ATi's RMA dept than Dells. I should know, I've had more than my fair share of dealing with dying Dell servers. Sure its great that they will crossship next day air, but funny thing is, the ratio of problems with Dell vs computers I built at my past places of employment would give you a 'Division by zero' error.

As for compatibility... if something's wrong it means a component is out of spec. It's usually not hard to figure what.

 

[w00t]

Tell Her it saves lots of Money she will become a beliver after that.

 

[flatblastard]

aint that the truth!...:laugh:

 

[compusaguy]

Originally posted by: ribbon13

Originally posted by: compusaguy
I wouldn't say Dell computers are for the unknowledgeable. Many people just don't want to be hassled with building a computer or want to take advantage of the unbeatable deals and quality assurance of a volume computer dealer. Many computer components are not compatible with each other despite what common sense says. You might buy an ATI video card and it just doesn't want to work with any one of the other 25 components. Buying from Dell means you don't have to worry about any compatibility issues because Dell has carefully tested their harware configurations.

I can build a computer in 20 minutes. That includes hot-swapping the HDD into a running machine, formatting and putting a windows install cache on the drive. I guess after like the 500th one it gets trivial. Quality assurance? Maybe ebay-like 'Guaranteed not DOA' but Dell machines are just like any other, and are prone to failure. I really don't care if my floppy cable comes with a 3-yr warranty. Any major components a DIY buys have warranty too.. so that's irrelevant. I'd rather deal with Corsair or ATi's RMA dept than Dells. I should know, I've had more than my fair share of dealing with dying Dell servers. Sure its great that they will crossship next day air, but funny thing is, the ratio of problems with Dell vs computers I built at my past places of employment would give you a 'Division by zero' error.

As for compatibility... if something's wrong it means a component is out of spec. It's usually not hard to figure what.

Yes but like you said, Dells are prone to failure just like any other machine. Are we to believe that because you build it, that somehow any one of the computer's components are less likely to fail than the Dell's? Come on. You can grandstand all you want. I'm sure you know much about hardware. But really, the first paragraph contains two conflicting statements.

If someone could build a computer in 20 minutes and figure out what's wrong, would there really be all these threads about why computers won't start up. Sometimes its fun to try to figure it out, but not if you're the one who spent the $$$ and possibly have to spend hours figuring out the problem and possibly weeks waiting for an RMA to complete.

 

[Streckfus]

What's going on here? I posted a similar thread a while back, and for the most part, I received nothing but honest, helpful advice...even some encouragement along the line.

Now this poor guy is being told that he's too much of a newbie to build his own system, that he should quit kidding himself and just buy a Dell. He's being told that since this is his first time, he's pretty much $#!+ out of luck. "Damn right. Let them have their Dells until they know WFT they are doing."

So did everyone in here have a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering before they built their first system? Wasn't everyone a "newbie" - to some extent - at one point or another?

I'm one payday away from buying the rest of my first build. And I'm convinced that even though computer science is not my profession and even though this is my first build that I will be able to do this. And if I have issues, I would expect that people on this thread would be able to point me in the right direction so I can get them resolved. Even if I have to take my components to a professional and have him/her build/configure the system, it will STILL end up being cheaper than buying a similar system through Dell, etc.

Anyway, just because you're a newbie doesn't necessarily mean you're a moron without the capacity to learn. And we gotta start somewhere, so why discourage that?

Good luck with your build, Nipples.

 

[jmagg]

The time spent on learning to build, and troubleshoot your own, will pay back with a lifetime of stress free computer use. You'll be relying on yourself to solve problems, not someone else. This may be frustrating in the beginning, but in the end, well worth the trip.

 

[Mystra]

Originally posted by: jmagg
The time spent on learning to build, and troubleshoot your own, will pay back with a lifetime of stress free computer use. You'll be relying on yourself to solve problems, not someone else. This may be frustrating in the beginning, but in the end, well worth the trip.

Agreed!

When I first started building my own rigs it was such a headache for me and frustrating

But has been well worth it in the end :thumbsup:

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Streckfus
What's going on here? I posted a similar thread a while back, and for the most part, I received nothing but honest, helpful advice...even some encouragement along the line.

Now this poor guy is being told that he's too much of a newbie to build his own system, that he should quit kidding himself and just buy a Dell. He's being told that since this is his first time, he's pretty much $#!+ out of luck. "Damn right. Let them have their Dells until they know WFT they are doing."

So did everyone in here have a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering before they built their first system? Wasn't everyone a "newbie" - to some extent - at one point or another?

I'm one payday away from buying the rest of my first build. And I'm convinced that even though computer science is not my profession and even though this is my first build that I will be able to do this. And if I have issues, I would expect that people on this thread would be able to point me in the right direction so I can get them resolved. Even if I have to take my components to a professional and have him/her build/configure the system, it will STILL end up being cheaper than buying a similar system through Dell, etc.

Anyway, just because you're a newbie doesn't necessarily mean you're a moron without the capacity to learn. And we gotta start somewhere, so why discourage that?

Good luck with your build, Nipples.

He has been very specific about the fact that the Mrs. ain't on-board with his thinking on this. Being married I can tell you with absolute confidence that since she has advised him to take another course, that if anything goes wrong with this build he will never live it down because she will remind him any chance she gets

Come here saying "I'm a n00b, but a good lurker with a clue. Help me build my first system" and mech's guide, and good parts lists spring up like chubs during a Victoria's Secret show Mention the wifey ain't down with it though, and I will try to help you avoid letting her keep your gonads in the freezer from now on :beer:

 

[jmagg]

He has been very specific about the fact that the Mrs. ain't on-board with his thinking on this. Being married I can tell you with absolute confidence that since she has advised him to take another course, that if anything goes wrong with this build he will never live it down because she will remind him any chance she gets

On the other side of the coin, if the build goes well, theres a good amount of "I told you so" leverage that can be gained on the dyo side. In marrige, leverage, as well as cleavage is indispensable. No guts no glory.


.

 

[imported_sphinx]

Originally posted by: Mik3y
Here's a tip...the 1st 3 letters of the alphabet are: A.....M.....D

 

[shoRunner]

Originally posted by: compusaguy

Yes but like you said, Dells are prone to failure just like any other machine. Are we to believe that because you build it, that somehow any one of the computer's components are less likely to fail than the Dell's? Come on.

well i would say yes someone else's components are less likely to fail. dell using more or less generic components vs a good quality brand like asus. buying a dell or computer out of a B&M doesn't guarantee any less problems than building one yourself...more likely than not you'll have a slower more bogged down machine from all the preloaded crap from the manufacturer. and as far as tech support, often its more harm than good, trying to not only understand what the person is saying(see outsourcing) on top of trying to fix the problem at hand. if someone wants to build there own computer all they need is a k-5 education(match the shapes, colors, and follow directions) there is nothing that complicated anymore. plus most components have a longer warranty(usually at least 3 yr vs 1)

 

[sman83]

U can always arguee about the cost but if anything messes up you will never hear the end of it..

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: ribbon13

Originally posted by: compusaguy
I wouldn't say Dell computers are for the unknowledgeable. Many people just don't want to be hassled with building a computer or want to take advantage of the unbeatable deals and quality assurance of a volume computer dealer. Many computer components are not compatible with each other despite what common sense says. You might buy an ATI video card and it just doesn't want to work with any one of the other 25 components. Buying from Dell means you don't have to worry about any compatibility issues because Dell has carefully tested their harware configurations.

I can build a computer in 20 minutes. That includes hot-swapping the HDD into a running machine, formatting and putting a windows install cache on the drive. I guess after like the 500th one it gets trivial. Quality assurance? Maybe ebay-like 'Guaranteed not DOA' but Dell machines are just like any other, and are prone to failure. I really don't care if my floppy cable comes with a 3-yr warranty. Any major components a DIY buys have warranty too.. so that's irrelevant. I'd rather deal with Corsair or ATi's RMA dept than Dells. I should know, I've had more than my fair share of dealing with dying Dell servers. Sure its great that they will crossship next day air, but funny thing is, the ratio of problems with Dell vs computers I built at my past places of employment would give you a 'Division by zero' error.

As for compatibility... if something's wrong it means a component is out of spec. It's usually not hard to figure what.

You know my Dell I got more than a couple years ago is still going strong. Prone to failure? Since when? I have had pre-built computers from just about every major brand, all have done pretty well.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I don't know if the OP is still reading this thread, but . . .

I sort of agree with the people campaigning against DIY rigs. Sort of. I built my last machine(in 2001, I'm on a 4-year upgrade cycle, ha ha) "from scratch" and had all kinds of "fun" installing the motherboard and CPU. Mostly, I was just nervous, but hell I'm no professional tech. Nothing broke, but I'm sure I put too much of that crappy thermal paste that came with the generic heatsink(think it was a Galaxy), and my poor excuse for cable management, along with poor case selection, gave me a system that was running a little too toasty until I took off the sides and front bezel of the case. Goodbye, air flow and dust protection.

What I wound up with was a very functional, loud, and ugly 1.4 ghz Thunderbird dust bunny. By jove, it worked, but it still wasn't pretty, and the case just sucked.

On the flip side, buying "pre-built" systems is bothersome in other ways. You can put a lot of money down on a system and wind up with a case that looks stupid or with a poor selection of components. Every retail outlet seems to want to lock you into a particular selection of hardware.

This time around, I went for a barebones system. I picked one from Mwave.com, but I'm sure there are other firms out there offering good deals on barebones. I got a much nicer case this time, and I got the cpu and motherboard I wanted(well, mostly, I don't think I'd have any business getting the socket 754 DFI). The only disappointing thing was their selection in RAM, but I got lucky, and the DIMM I ordered with the system was quite bad. I'm RMAing it for a refund and buying the RAM I really wanted off Newegg.

The nicest thing about the barebones bit was that the motherboard and CPU were already installed. Those two items are potentially the most sensitive components you can work with when building a PC, particularly if you've got bad hands and little/no working experience. The RAM was also pre-installed, but it was junk, so that was no help. Given the decent design on the case I got, installing the new DVDRW and harddrive was a snap. The case fans, well . . . okay, that took awhile. Bloody stupid fan screws.

In any case, unless you're a goober like me and order perfectly good case fans packaged with perfectly awful fan screws, you can take a lot of time and trouble off your build if you get the motherbuard and cpu pre-installed properly by . . . oh, I don't know, someone who earns a living doing that sort of thing. That still gives you some flexibility when picking your own PSU(you might get one with your case, but those are frequently crappy and should be replaced anyway), harddrives, CD/DVD drives, video card(s), sound card, monitor, and so forth, and so on. All that stuff is pretty easy to install, especially if you get a case that doesn't suck.

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: malak
You know my Dell I got more than a couple years ago is still going strong. Prone to failure? Since when? I have had pre-built computers from just about every major brand, all have done pretty well.

Since the beginning of time? Every computer is prone to failure. I was only singling out Dell becausse everyone here is suggesting one. What about HP? What about Gateway?

My comment on Dells is based on experience with thousands of them. You're trying to refute my comment based experience with a handful? Dell's major selling point is thier support. Like I said... server goes down, they send a replacement next day air!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
He has been very specific about the fact that the Mrs. ain't on-board with his thinking on this. Being married I can tell you with absolute confidence that since she has advised him to take another course, that if anything goes wrong with this build he will never live it down because she will remind him any chance she gets

Come here saying "I'm a n00b, but a good lurker with a clue. Help me build my first system" and mech's guide, and good parts lists spring up like chubs during a Victoria's Secret show Mention the wifey ain't down with it though, and I will try to help you avoid letting her keep your gonads in the freezer from now on :beer:

LOL. You are a very wise person, DP. :beer:

 

[akassasin]

I just put together my first computer a few weeks ago. Hit a few bumps along the way, had to send back a mobo do to incompatability issues with memory, but overall im VERY happy I decided to build my own and not buy prebuilt. Its been a fun learning experience.

I even have it over clocked by 375 mhz, prime95/memtest stable.

The one thing I've learned so far is that it might not be a good idea to buy fresh off the line hardware. Brand new stuff doesn't always have all the bugs worked out of it yet.

Other than that though it wasnt too bad. I say go for it.