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.
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)
I never built and I read the guide, and to be honest I was confused in some parts.
It's probably easier to understand with all the parts in front of you though.
The explanation of power and data cables was the most confusing to me. Maybe because it went into explaining the stuff and not so much step by step plugging in.
It's the easiest (and that's good) guide I've seen so far though.
__________________ Heatware | Old x2 Rig
E8400 @ 3.6GHz * F7P HSF * 4x2GB Patriot Viper * Abit IP35-E * MSI 8800GT 512 OC * Sonata III I made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it short. - Blaise Pascal
Thanks, I added it to the OP along with another minor revision
Quote:
The explanation of power and data cables was the most confusing to me. Maybe because it went into explaining the stuff and not so much step by step plugging in.
Sorry about that, I might go back and work on it a bit.
10/10 on the guide (although greasy fingers do not go well with shiny metal parts). I'll be using this on my soon-to-be-finished comp
__________________ Opportunities for abuse are what keep us going!
AnandTech Immoderator
Love is a sensation, caused by a temptation, to feel penetration. A guy sticks his location in a girl's destination, to increase the population for the next generation. Did you get my explanation, or do you need a demonstration?
The explanation of power and data cables was the most confusing to me. Maybe because it went into explaining the stuff and not so much step by step plugging in.
Sorry about that, I might go back and work on it a bit.
Thanks everyone :beer:
Don't be sorry, I just wanted to mention it as a true noob of PC building.
Also might be nice if you could explain grounding and stuff in a little more detail. Believe it or not, I don't even know what the term "grounding" means... something about electricity and damaging your parts right? No need to go into why this stuff happens, but would be nice to know simply and exactly how to prevent any of this. And where to get a wrist strap.
So...what happened to Anand's Buyer's Guides? It's been a few years since I built my last rig, but I thought Anand used to have monthly updates on how to build high-end, middle, and low-end systems. The latest one I see on the website is from May 2007 for High-end systems, and April 2007 for low-end and middle systems.
I'm finally thinking about building a new mid-end system, cannabilizing as many current parts as I can.
~~~ Computer-building resource thread ~~~
but the core knowledge is mostly there. Post or PM me if you have suggestions or see something that needs fixing. 
nice job. hopefully this will somewhat reduce all the unnecessary threads titles "build me a computer" and so on. nice job again!
I need to update it for Kaspersky Antivirus 7. The free "AOL Kaspersky" is no longer available 
