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Best Computer Building Guides

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xeodragon

Member
Hey guys, I'll be building my computer within the next few weeks. I need some advice on what guide to use. This will be my first time building one. I want one that's up to date with alot of pictures and explanations. Thanks!

Here are the specs:

AMD A64 3000+ Venice
EPoX EP-9NPA+ Ultra
Antec Lifestyle Sonata
BFG Tech 6600GT OC
Corsair Value 1GB
WD Caviar SE 80GB
NEC ND-3540A
Logitech X-530
Logitech LX700
Sony 1.44MB
Linksys WRT54G
 
Originally posted by: w00t
Originally posted by: wafflesandsyrup
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Oh my god that site is annoying...

Some good tips, however I personally never bother booting the system outside of the case and am not as concerned with ESD as the author is but it never hurts to be overcautious I guess.
 
Originally posted by: xeodragon
This site doesn't seem to mention how to install video cards?
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It's on the Benchtest page, here ya go 🙂
Oh my god that site is annoying...
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Is it too much of the snack-break schtick, or something else? I'm open to constructive criticism 🙂
Some good tips, however I personally never bother booting the system outside of the case and am not as concerned with ESD as the author is but it never hurts to be overcautious I guess.
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The ESD emphasis and the benchtesting page were the result of feedback from Forum members when I first began working on the site. Because the target audience is first-time builders, not experienced builders like yourself, it seemed like a good idea to cover the basic knowledge.
 
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Originally posted by: xeodragon
This site doesn't seem to mention how to install video cards?
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It's on the Benchtest page, here ya go 🙂
Oh my god that site is annoying...
Click to expand...
Is it too much of the snack-break schtick, or something else? I'm open to constructive criticism 🙂
Some good tips, however I personally never bother booting the system outside of the case and am not as concerned with ESD as the author is but it never hurts to be overcautious I guess.
Click to expand...
The ESD emphasis and the benchtesting page were the result of feedback from Forum members when I first began working on the site. Because the target audience is first-time builders, not experienced builders like yourself, it seemed like a good idea to cover the basic knowledge.
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this is the person who wrote the guide.

 
good component selection 🙂 welcome to the boards. we can all help you out, just ask here if you are not sure before you do something 🙂 good luck, it is not that hard 🙂
 
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Is it too much of the snack-break schtick, or something else? I'm open to constructive criticism 🙂
The ESD emphasis and the benchtesting page were the result of feedback from Forum members when I first began working on the site. Because the target audience is first-time builders, not experienced builders like yourself, it seemed like a good idea to cover the basic knowledge.
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Hey Mech, didn't mean it was "annoying" in a bad sense 🙂 just the term "concept break" got really annoying after...well the first time it was used 🙂 I think if you omitted the whole "concept break" and "back to the action" headers/intros it would be much easier to read. Maybe instead of including all of the info on the main page incorporate "would you like to know more" links to go off onto the side topics?

Also I don't know if I necessarily agree with the criticisms of SATA over IDE, if anything I have bent and accidentially broken more ide pins than I can keep track of when a cable just doesn't want to come off easily and or you are working in a tight case...while SATA cables are smaller and use plastic heads I personally find installing the cables to be far simpler than IDEs, plus as you noted there are obvious beneifts to the thin small cable from a cooling standpoint.

The snail and the cheeta thing was to use a bostonian term, "wicked annoying" 🙂 but then again I am a minimalist and prefer manuals/guides to be direct and to the point so I guess it depends on the typical reader of the guide.

Overall a great guide though...

In reading through again I noticed your note on front USB ports and various cases...I recently ran into that with my new Epox board and my Lian Li case...I was too lazy to verify the pinout was the same and just plugged it in 🙂 luckily for me it turned out to be the same ...

 
Next time I update stuff I'll take your feedback into account and make some changes 🙂 Another suggestion I got was to add some back to top links here and there.
 
mechBgon, I thought your guide was extremely helpful for explaining topics that many on this forum sometimes assume are common knowledge.

While I have built a number of systems, the fact that I have gotten them up and running is usually because I manage to find a helpful online guide to walk me through the steps.

Your discussion on SATA was extremely helpful, as I have yet to build a system with a SATA drive, and I actually have a topic on the forum now debating whether or not to go SATA on my new system...your guide may have intimidated me into sticking with IDE 😀
 
The hardware manuals that come with your computer are very good (for the most part). They are usually very noobie-friendly, have many pictures, and don't skimp on details. The guides that the previous members have mentioned are probably good too.

Don't hestitate to ask questions here on the Anandtech forums if you're in a bind or need some clarification on something!

Good luck!
 
Also I don't know if I necessarily agree with the criticisms of SATA over IDE, if anything I have bent and accidentially broken more ide pins than I can keep track of when a cable just doesn't want to come off easily and or you are working in a tight case...while SATA cables are smaller and use plastic heads I personally find installing the cables to be far simpler than IDEs, plus as you noted there are obvious beneifts to the thin small cable from a cooling standpoint.
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I agree...I've never had problems with SATA connectors breaking on drives or on the mainbaord. The only issue I've had with SATA was with a setup that I purchased very shortly after the introduction of SATA...the cables/connectors didn't have any sort of retention system, and would come loose at the drop of a hat (and this was exacerbated by the fact that I was running two SATA drives in RAID-0). On all the drives I've used recently however the connectors/cables have been much better.

I do however also agree with the part of the criticism about it sometimes being more complicated to install Windows on a SATA volume, although most boards now make this easy...and c'mon, SATA really isn't appreciably more expensive than PATA anymore.
 
Originally posted by: Some1ne
and c'mon, SATA really isn't appreciably more expensive than PATA anymore.
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For some reason I omitted this from my response last night, but I did have it typed up and ready to post...I couldn't find the part where SATA was mentioned as being expensive..then again who knows when the latest revision of this document was drafted.
 
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