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~ Hey newbies ~ Never built a computer before...? : )

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Originally posted by: mechBgon
Got thorin's input added! 🙂 The screwdriver has been replaced with a power-button plug, and there's a photo of the socket-driver approach now.
Click to expand...
Cool! I'll read over it again in a fews days when I have more time to take in all the details. I just skimmed through it the other day while I was at work.

I was thinking (there were a number of things I didn't recall seeing....I apologize if I simply missed them):
1) You could add a section on tools (maybe this is already there and I missed it).
2) You could cover topics that people always ask about like magnatized screw drivers and grounding straps. (I know you did mention grounding/static/straps at one point)
3) For your toolkit I'd suggest a old dead phone card or a dead interac card (bank client card) so that you aren't killing a CC that's still in use.
4) There was a place where you mentioned mobo stand offs. I haven't seen them in a while but there are also those platic or nylon type that snap in to the mobo and slide in to the mobo tray (know what I mean? .... I'll try and dig up a pic)
5) I recall you mentioning case screws and thumb screws but I don't remember any particulars on drive/floppy/isa/pci/agp card/fan etc screws (made me think of this page: http://www.bunkermentality.net/sg02.html )

6) Application/removal of thermal grease? (Pads vs grease)

7) Cleaning your sys? (It gets dusty in there, and finger prints on your monitor suck)

8) A link to Adrian's BIOS optimization guide?
9) A link to XP Services 411?
10) Brief details on scan disk and defrag?
11) Suggestions on making a Ghost of their initial stable install?
12) Linkage to Ad-Aware and some free Anti-Vir prog?

13) MBM, SpeedFan, Samurize, Trillian, Miranda, GIMP, etc...... Not sure if linkage to any/all of those is appropriate or not. But it's always nice to encourage people not to pirate and point them to good non-bloated open source stuff or freeware.

Thorin
 
Ok I've done a thorough reding and come up with a few more points.

1) On the first page when you put the CDROM in did you have to bend out one of the metal blanks in the case? You didn't mention it.
2) On page 2 you could really use a better shot of the standoffs. I can barely see what's between your finders or which ways it's pointed.
3) Also with the standoffs and mobo tray. Alot of mobo trays have their screw holes marked for atx/micro atx so you know which holes to use for which FF of mobo.
4) You also don't mention whether you just put them in finger tight or actually use a nut driver. (hough I do see a nut driver in one pic)
5) When you start talking about the CPU/HSF and heat etc you may want to link to that famous article at THG with the burning CPU videos.
6) After putting the cpu/HSF in place you tell them to plugin the HS Fan but don't tell them how to find the header for the fan on the mobo. (I know that seems basic but some people refuse to RTFM. )
7) You have closeups of RAM installation but no full mobo pics or pics that differentiate the RAM slots from PCI/AGP. (Though that 'should' be obvious as well)
8) For floppy drive installation you don't mention the red stripe going to pin on both the mobo and drive. (That'll require some closeups). You may also want to mention that the floppy access light will stay on if the data cable is backwards.

Thorin
 

Mech,

This looks real good to me. You could put all other kinds of stuff in there, but the point is, it's a building guide. And it covers that very well😀. You helped me alot with my first build. I'd pimp this guide out to anyone..... Nicely done.
 
Hi,
One more important edit! make note that MANY cpu's may have slightly bent pins straight out of the box. If the cpu LITERALLY does not drop in the socket then check REAL close for a bent pin. Staighten the pin even more carefully checking from sevral different angles.

Don
 
Thank you so much for this guide, now i really want to buy a computer (even tho i don't need one) just to put it together 🙂 ! It was interesting and very informative, keep up the good work!
 
Originally posted by: Cawchy87
Thank you so much for this guide, now i really want to buy a computer (even tho i don't need one) just to put it together 🙂 !
Click to expand...
Wow, so those subliminal messages do work :Q

Thanks for the props and additional feedback, everyone... I'll see about using it to fine-tune the guide a bit more, maybe tomorrow evening. 😎 There's a fine line I don't want to cross, where I include so much information that the n00bs get 😕 and decide it's scary. But I don't want to gloss over the important stuff either.
 
Maybe add a section about changing boot order in the bios to boot from the CD? Many motherboards will stop after finding an unpartitoned c: disk and never make it to the optical drive. I don't know if you would consider it assembly, but it is hardware related and it always confuses many first time builders.
 
Originally posted by: styrafoam
Maybe add a section about changing boot order in the bios to boot from the CD? Many motherboards will stop after finding an unpartitoned c: disk and never make it to the optical drive. I don't know if you would consider it assembly, but it is hardware related and it always confuses many first time builders.
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Ahhh, good idea. I'll see about capturing some BIOS photos to help illustrate it when I'm down at work 😎
 
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Originally posted by: Cawchy87
Thank you so much for this guide, now i really want to buy a computer (even tho i don't need one) just to put it together 🙂 !
Click to expand...
Wow, so those subliminal messages do work :Q

Thanks for the props and additional feedback, everyone... I'll see about using it to fine-tune the guide a bit more, maybe tomorrow evening. 😎 There's a fine line I don't want to cross, where I include so much information that the n00bs get 😕 and decide it's scary. But I don't want to gloss over the important stuff either.
Click to expand...
Good point. For a noob guide it's definately good to avoid information overload.

Thorin
 
Again, good job MechB. I just linked it in a DV forum for some who were discussing building a Vegas NLE machine.

Good selection on the Brisk there. I was at first disappointed that it was not Jolt, but I figured that it would have made the processor insertion harder with your hands quivering. 🙂 Nah, maybe Jolt is a programmer thing anyway (when you can find it.)

:beer:
 
Originally posted by: thraxes
Very nice... When is this thing going to be an official FAQ?
Click to expand...
Thanks 😀 I dunno either about the FAQ. That's fine, because I'm going back and trying to improve the quality of the photos, adding some new photos, and incorporating some more of the feedbacks I got from you guys.

If I make all the "big" photos about 550 pixels wide or less, then they would fit the FAQ-page layout without any drudgework on AndyHui's part, so I suppose I should do that while I'm at it, in case they want to FAQ it. Probably they'd have to chain five or six FAQs together... introduction, caseprep 1, caseprep 2, mobo prep, benchtest, hookup 1, hookup 2.
 
Bah. I've been on "Vacation" so I haven't been able to put in my feefback until now 😛
You need to remove that analogue audio cable for the optical drive.
Even windows 98 supported DAE and no one building a system today (or even 5 years ago) should ever use that useless analogue cable.
 
Excellent and detailed stuff 🙂. Keep up the good work and do update it regularly.

a suggestion though: you could explain a few basic CMOS setup options, like loading the setup defaults, detecting IDE drives, etc. Many n00bs get stuck in the bios too 🙂

And why did you use a Maxtor instead of a Barracuda IV? 😛
 
Whew... two days' worth of update work is now uploaded 😛 Newbies, start your engines! 🙂
 
Looks real professional now 🙂

A page with a pic guide for installing a p4 might be a welcome addition...
 
Originally posted by: Abhi
Looks real professional now 🙂

A page with a pic guide for installing a p4 might be a welcome addition...
Click to expand...
I would consider having a Pentium4 installation page too, but I don't have any Pentium4's available to photograph 😱 At least their heatsinks are a bit more user-friendly and cannot be installed backwards 🙂
 
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