Building Your Own Computer

Building Your Own Computer (Part One of a Series)

Building your own computer is easier than you might think, especially these days where parts are so cheap and easy to get.
If you can use a screw driver and read, you can build yourself a decent machine.

Taking the time to do the needed research is not hard and there is a wealth of
information at your fingertips... of that which is the internet.

I recently started to build my own computers, mostly out of frustration with OEM brand.
I've completed 2 builds and I am the most satisfied I have ever been with my computers.
I think I can help steer you in the right direction, along with many others...

Where to start:
Think about what your computing needs are and what they might be in a year or two.
Simple internet and email usage vs complex graphics and gaming.
Most people fall somewhere in between.

Making an effort to learn about various parts and compatibilities from people who have experience and those who
offer professional reviews are a needed first step.
One of the best sites to riffle through when looking for or comparing parts is New Egg.
http://www.newegg.com
They offer basic specifications with easy links to manufacturers websites all in one page. They even have a user opinion section,
allthough not entirely a professional review, opinion usefull all the same.
Even if you do not plan to purchase from Newegg they offer a good template to research
your various hardware needs with plenty of selection.
I've used them on many occasions with little pain.

Spend alot of time drifting from review sites like [H]ardOCP to internet tech forums based
on building. I won't add links as they can change quite often. A simple google can most often
steer you to where you need to be without asking a sole.
Deciding on what your basic needs are alows you to learn and evolve your ideas as you go along.

There is alot of information on the internet when it comes to physical procedure; step by step building, to
various compatibilities between hardware parts.
Specification sheets are some of your greatest tools. They are non biased. Non opinionated.
They can be found with all hardware component, most importantly the main board (motherboard).

The very first bit of advice:
1
Do all of your research, but buy all your parts nearest to the time you start your build.
...unless you get an outrageously great deal on a part...
The biggest pain in the ass to building a computer is getting a part that doesn't work and you end up having to RMA it.
If you buy it a month before you build it you may end up with something that doen't work and not be able to get a refund on it,
let alone get it back to you in a timely manor. Think and plan ahead.
2
Complex electronics can be rendered useless with simple, imperceptible
electrostatic shocks. Static electricity is one of the main causes of failures in first time builds.
Static electricity is so detrimental that one need not even feel it.

Wrist bands, electrostatic mats, and proper work environments are a must when
you have decided what parts you want and are nearing readiness to build. There is plenty
of information on the internet on how to prevent/protect from this.


Next...Choosing a Motherboard
A Work in Progress

Choosing a Motherboard, Part Two

The main board is often referred to as one of the most critical components of which to base the system around.
Your choice of motherboard will determine everything from future proofing to what graphics card(s) you can instal to what processor you can run.
In many instances they will determine whether or not you can adjust clock speeds or memory timings in the bios (overclocking).

Choosing a motherboard will also mean investigating between a myriad of memory venders depending upon your specific tastes and budget.
Not all memory is equal and not all memory is compatible.

With so many boards out there, choosing the one that best suits you can be daunting.
That's where all the research that you've been doing comes into play.
You'll already have a fairly good idea of what you want, in way of what you'll be useing your computer for.
Plan on checking out as many professinal quality reviews and user opinion as you can to find to fine tune your choices.

All of the major motherboard venders will specify exactly what processors & memory are compatible by means of their individual
product specification sheets (Spec sheets).
They usually come in a PDF format, so plan on downloading a shit load of them and constantly compare between them.
This is a good way to learn what is what and which is compatible with which. Every vender will provide them on their websites.

Look closely at schematics and component layouts;
Pay particular attention to thermal specifications of both the board and any potential choice of processor and chipset.
Newer boards may not support that floppy drive or legacy keyboard you had initially envisioned.
Most, if not all newer boards will have a 24 pin power connector as opposed to the old 20 pin.
I'd avoid anything in the way of older standards, especially if you plan to expand.

Processor slots, commonly called sockets.
You'll need to be aware that there are different sockets based on the various processors in production
today, let alone on the different processor brands.
AMD vs Intel as an example. AMD & Intel are not interchangeable on the same board.

LGA (land grid array); 775, 771, 1366 are some common socket types used on the Intel based boards.
It is fairly easy enough to determine which socket type on the board will work with a given processor you may choose.
It's all layed out for you on both product spc sheets for all processors and motherboards.
All sockets are specific and have their own instal routines which are pretty basic given you read the instruction.
Socket types


I can't stress enough that the effort you put into doing this research now, will in the end save you an ass pocket full of pain later.

COMMON BOARD TYPES
ASUS*GIGABYTE*DFI*EVGA*FOXCONN*MSI
These are amoung your more well thought of boards in terms of power users, gamers, overclockers, and professional reviewers alike.
There is an entire industry out there for the serious overclocker and game junkie, ASUS is one such notable among them.
ASUS is a very decent board manufacturer, but they also have the slowest bloody fucking wesite around when your
trying to download drivers and other shit you might need RIGHT NOW.
INTEL BOARDS
Primarily geared toward business and the kind of reliability that businesses demand.
This is not to say that they can't be anybit as usefull or powerful in gaming machines as the above are.
They are mass produced by a big industry (Intel) for an industry (businesses) on an order of magnitude greater than any of the above named.
Intel tends to have very decent customer support, along with one of the better constructed websites for browsing and driver downloads.
If your an avid overclocker, then look elsewhere as they just don't have the kinds of tasking capability built into their bios as the above do.

Intel Chipset
Encompass all those boards based on the various intel chipsets, but not necessarily manufactured by Intel.
When shopping for boards you'll find yourself, most commonly, with two choices; AMD vs INTEL base.
Many companies will manufacture both types.
Quite often the choice is a matter of taste, personal preference, and or ideology.

CHIPSETS
A chipset is a group of integrated circuits located on the mainboard designded to control communications between the processor and external devices.
The chipset plays a crucial role in determining system performance and are usually designed to work with a specific family of microprocessors.
They will influence your choice of board depending on the types of expansion, memory type, price range, and many other factors.

AMD
Encompasses all the above boards based on the AMD chip & layout with the exception of Intel, for obvious reasons.
AMD and Intel are competitor chip makers and competition is always good for your pocketbook.
most of my experience is with the Intel based processors and chipsets.
If you have some definite ideas about which processor and board design your planning on going with we need not get into it here..


STANDARDS/FORM FACTORS
This is an important concept to get a grasp on. This will guide you in way of compatibility between many components.
This will factor into every step of your build.

http://www.formfactors.org/formfactor.asp

Motherboard Form Factors:
ATX 12" x 9.6" (305mm x 244mm)
MicroATX 9.6” x 9.6” (244 x 244 mm)
FlexATX
BTX

The ATX standard is your most common standard as far as desktop computers go.
They will accomodate all your ATX cases, power supplies, etc.
Many of the very latest ATX boards will alow you to add up to three graphics cards.

The MicroATX standard is commonly used in LAN boxes and home entertainment systems.
They are smaller than the ATX standard boards and have considerable limitation as far as add-on components,
but they can be quite reliable & powerfull little computers. They are designed to fit into MircoATX cases, and some ATX cases.

You'll also find alot of micoATX machines in businesses. Businesses that don't need alot of graphics
intesive rendering or high quality sound. They always come with integrated graphics and sound.
Good for the average bussiness, they can be a very economical choice.

You'll notice that many of your microATX boards are now supporting some of the more powerfull processors.
Which makes cooling an issue, especially in your SFF PCs. Getting the right combination of case, cooling,
and cable management can be a tough build. One you'll want to plan out carefuly.

Be very carefull not to overbuild on a microATX board and case.
Heat production is something you want to be mindfull of at all times during your build.
Some OEM companies tend to overbuild their products, you could end up with thermal issues
that can drastically limit the lifespan of many components.



Next... Processors
Building a Computer, The Basics
A Work in Progress

This post has been edited by clintonesque: Apr 27 2009, 08:46 PM