building a system

[scottie924]

I have never built a computer myself and I am just wondering how well the documentation is. Is it pretty easy to do? or is it just plug everything together and turn it on? I just really don't want to try to do it and have it not work out. I know to make sure that they are all compatable which is easy but installing it all and installing Windows, I want to make sure it is simple or well documented. I guess I'm most scared about having the right power supply, and what to do the first time I turn it on. Thanks for the help.

 

[blacktop89]

well, it depends on your knowledge of the actual components. if you know about the actual comonents it shouldn't be exremely difficult for you. as long as you know where the processor, RAM, video card, etc... go, then you should be ok! most of the stuff is generally very well documented. i have an Asus MB and it well documented. as far as the power supply goes, i'd get one rated at least 350W.

once you get everything put together, just turn the computer on, stick in your OS disc and the on screen instructions will guide you the rest of the way!

 

[GameGURU]

http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/ --You might try here to see step by step how to do it. The CPU and the mobo should come with manuals that say how to do everything with the CPU and IDE, Fans, Heatsinks, Bios, PSU etc. Get some good documentation or go to some websites on how to put pc's together. I have done it a couple of times and now i need no help doing it. It is pretty straight foward.

 

[zerozero]

There is always a first time. As I keep telling people I work with, the trick is to take your time. You said that you already checked with compatibility now do some research on putting it together. There are plenty of sites (including manufaturer's sites) which will give you detailed instructions and pictures as to how to do it. If this is your first build, try to get somebody with a little knowhow, if you can't, look at your old system and see how it is built up.

Make sure you are in a safe electrostatic free environment (ground yourself by touching the kitchen sink and the case). Your mother board should be on a static free hard place, static bag in which it comes works great.

Install everything you can on your MOBO before installing your MOBO in your case (Memory, CPU, heatsink and fan).

Install your MOBO in your case and use all the little spacers they give you to give it rigidity when you install the other parts.

Study your MOBO diagram carefully. The LED's wires will have different locations depending on the make and model for example.

Install your video card, CD/DVD, hard drive and PS.

I usually install only the strict minimum first (PS' CPU, memory and video card) and boot up to see if it goes through the POST (Power On Self-Test). If not, listen carefully for beeps. They might tell you what is wrong (e.g. 2 beeps might mean bad memory).

If there is a problem, check for proper connection if not, carry on with HDD, CD/DVD.
Enter BIOS and make sure that the boot select order is either your floppy for boot disk or your CD for bootable CD (such as XP) before the HDD.

Follow the instructions and you're done.

Try not to get any OEM pieces as they often lack cables and such. Go with retail (boxed items vs bubble wrapped items).

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[scottie924]

I took a class last year that delt with the components and such. So I know the parts very well, I would say. we just never got to the part about what to do after you get the parts and put it together and how to install the OS and all that. We might have touched on it, but not much more and never did hands on. So I would say I know a lot about the components and stuff but I just like to be sure of something before I start. I will check sites for help too. So once I get everything together, or the bare things, and turn it on, what should it do after the POST? Then after I get everything put together but before I install any OS, when I turn it on, what should it do? I just want to know things like that.

 

[slvrstang]

If you have no OS installed and the OS cd not in the tray at boot it will probably say "No operating system detected, please insert proper disk to continue"

then just pop in the OS disk, and reboot.

 

[blacktop89]

if you install the bare things, turn it on and the POST completes, it will do nothing. if POST is successful it might give you an error saying 'boot disk faliure' or something along those lines. this is o.k! once this happens just turn off the computer, put your OS disc in and follow the installation instructions. once the OS installs, the computer will most likely restart and everything should be working at this point.