1st Time Building

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If you have a friend capable of doing it, I'd reccomend either getting them to do it (while you help) or getting them to explain what to do to you (while they help).
Just be sure they really know what they're doing, I learned from my father a fair while ago, on a good old 8086 (clone :)), but I've heard horror stories of people pretending to know what they're doing and doing some fair damage - screwdriver chipping core die... Enough said :p
 
That could hurt more than help though too. I had a friend "help" me when I first built this one, and he said he knew everything he was doing because he had built several computers. Apparently, he wasn't familiar with the newer technology, and instead of just admitting that, he tried to act like he knew what was going on anyway. My computer would not start at all and I got a beep code saying something is wrong with the video. After a long time of trying to figure out what was wrong, I called another friend who knew about as much as me at the time (so we would both want to double check everything) and we took the computer apart, and reassembled it. Turns out the first friend plugged in the front side USB into the wrong spot. Smooth...
 
Exactly what I meant, Wayniac, Exactly.
I dunno what it is with modern computers, I've met so many people who are die hard adamant about things that are so obviously wrong with a little thought.
Then there are those who treat a single website as the bible, and forget that on forums, like this, anyone can post anything they want to, within reason.
There's a scary thought.
 
Great Loader said:
Then there are those who treat a single website as the bible, and forget that on forums, like this, anyone can post anything they want to, within reason.
There's a scary thought.
Exactly. That is why when I am going to do something, I generally look for advice from the "Ultra Techies" and "Monster Techies" just because if they were screwing with people, I think the Mods would kick them off (I don't ignore the others though). Also, I make sure more than one person agrees with what is going on before I do it too.

I think one of the best things you could do would be to get with a friend who knows little about computer hardware and work together with them to figure it all out with the instruction manuals and whatnot. This is good for two reasons. (1) Your friend isn't set in his/her ways and will actually pay attention and make sure that what you two are doing is okay, and (2) just that... you'll both make sure that what you're doing is okay. There are some confusing parts in manuals sometimes, and when somebody else is there with you, you can get another view on it and reason it out to see what it all means. If you get stuck big time, then you can always CALL somebody and explain over the phone what you need, but it isn't always the best to have a computer-know-it-all friend help you out, because they don't like to admit when they're wrong. Besides, you'll learn more this way too.
 
Hahaha - I like the "Computer-know-it-all-friend" part :)
It seems we share the same opinion.

The manuals are certainly the most safe way to do it (if you can't in reality trust anyone, however, you'll only find THAT out after it's too late) but remember that they are often translated poorly at best, so if something you read sounds funny, check it out online, or with a friend first.

Although I was always fairly advanced with computer use, it didn't help protect me from other "computer-know-it-alls" who I would have expected to know more than me about the types of computer I was dealing with from essentially "testing" my equipment because they didn't in fact, know what they were doing. It can be a harsh wakeup call when computers are so easy to use, now. Fixing them is what's gotten harder :D
 
Yes, manuals can get confusing, which is why I said it is good to sometimes have a friend with you who knows just as little, so you can both interpret and reason it out together.

Just be safe, and don't do anything unless you're PRETTY sure about it. The only reason I say that is because with building computers, I find that people are never ABSOLUTELY sure on their first build... not even the know-it-alls.
 
Wayniac said:
Exactly. That is why when I am going to do something, I generally look for advice from the "Ultra Techies" and "Monster Techies" just because if they were screwing with people, I think the Mods would kick them off (I don't ignore the others though). Also, I make sure more than one person agrees with what is going on before I do it too.

I know man, thats precisely what I'm doing now. So thanx for all the support and tips. I'll make sure to correct any misunderstanding i have with the manual and to have a "semi-know-it-all" friend to help out. Oh and btw, does a manual just come free from new egg or something that explaines every facet of building a computer or does each and every part have an individual manual?
 
The motherboard manual should explain everything physical, as everything needs to be plugged into it, it'll explain how.
Good luck and enjoy - It's great to watch a new system run for the first time :)
 
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