Things you wish you knew the first time?

[astryker]

Hey experts,

Just curious... What did you encounter when you built your first (or subsequent) systems that you wish you knew about before you started? I'm looking for stories about everything from buying components to putting them together to OCing, if that's what you're into. Tricks of the trade that online reviews and manuals won't tell you.

I'm planning on putting together a budget gaming build in the next couple of months and hope to use this information to avoid unnecessary surprises. Much obliged!

 

[krnmastersgt]

I find it easier if you listed components you think look good, then post it all here with links for members to review/critique. I'm usually here since I have far too much free time to burn and always willing to help with a build. Budget + usable components from before is usually all I need to put a quick system together.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

One that bit me was not checking for pin 1 on the case connectors. I'd assumed the labels on the connectors indicated which way they connected. Had a frustrating time figuring out why a recent build wouldn't boot.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

The most helpful single trick I've learned

Assemble mobo,ram,CPU,HSF,GPU, power supply and monitor outside the case on a flat surface to make sure it boot's to bios. This approch has several benifiets
1. Eliminates case grounding as a possible problem
2. Eliminates case wiring as a possible problem
3. Makes it easy to troubleshoot connections and/or swap test components if you can't boot
4. Easy access to reseat critical component during troubleshooting.

Once it's assembled and booting in a "test bench" environment, then it's simply a matter of mounting in the case with proper stand-off's and insulation and making the case front panel connections. Then if it doesn't work you know your dealing with case wiring or grounding issues.


The two worst nighmare build's when I first started was one that I improperly installed the stand-offs and it was grounding to the case (took a week and a trip to a local computer place to resolve). The other was one I worked on for several days until I discovered by accident that the front panel On/off wire was broken from the switch. Both of these would have been resolved quickly if I had already learned the above technique

 

[DSF]

Warranty/Rebate tips:

- Some companies (especially video card companies) require you to register your card within 30 days of purchase by entering the serial number and date of purchase on their website. If you don't do this you're not eligible for customer support.

- If you're filing mail-in rebates, be careful. Install the part and make sure it works before removing the proof of purchase to mail it in. Some vendors won't accept returns for items where you've already cut out the proof of purchase. At the very least they'll probably charge you a fee for taking it back.

- Keep legible copies of every single thing you send for a rebate. Some rebate clearing houses are on the up-and-up, but some will take every chance they can to avoid mailing you a check.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
The most helpful single trick I've learned

Assemble mobo,ram,CPU,HSF,GPU, power supply and monitor outside the case on a flat surface to make sure it boot's to bios. This approch has several benifiets
1. Eliminates case grounding as a possible problem
2. Eliminates case wiring as a possible problem
3. Makes it easy to troubleshoot connections and/or swap test components if you can't boot
4. Easy access to reseat critical component during troubleshooting.

Once it's assembled and booting in a "test bench" environment, then it's simply a matter of mounting in the case with proper stand-off's and insulation and making the case front panel connections. Then if it doesn't work you know your dealing with case wiring or grounding issues.

QFT. Always do a bench test before you put it in the case. Can save a lot of frustration and time.

Also before you build, go online and check for the latest chipset drivers, video drivers, etc. Can't always trust what comes on the CD with a mobo or vc.

 

[BW86]

as said above - always bench test before putting everything in the case.

 

[Eeqmcsq]

Things I wish I or my friends wish we had known:

1. What motherboard stands were for. My friend and I fried a motherboard because we screwed the motherboard directly to the screw holes of his case. The part where the motherboard shorted with the case caused a blackened char in his case and on the motherboard. Lesson learned, the hard way.

2. That power supplies have changed over the years. Another friend tried to upgrade his computer with a new motherboard and CPU. This was his first time trying this on his own. He discovered the hard way that newer motherboards require an extra power connector, the P4 connector. His old power supply didn't have it. Luckily for him, my old computer's PSU had been dying, so I had replaced it with a new one that included a P4 connector, so I was able to swap that out with his.

3. That too much force = bad. That same friend then tried to insert an SATA power connector to his SATA hard drive. For some reason, this particular connector had a hard time fitting in. He pushed so hard, he snapped the plastic on the connector. Fortunately, the power supply had another SATA power connector, which fit easily and snuggly, so all was well there.

4. To check for integrated video on the motherboard or else buy a video card. When I asked that same friend to hook up his system to my keyboard, mouse, and monitor, we discovered that his motherboard did NOT have integrated video. Whoops. Fortunately for him, I had a spare PCI video card lying around, so we were able to move on and test his setup.

5. Not having enough fan connectors on the motherboard to match the case. The case that I had bought came with 2 x 80mm fans, 1 front, 1 back. Each fan had a 3-pin power connector. At the time I bought my motherboard, I didn't know it had only 1 case fan connector, so I could not use the front fan connector. Back then, I had no experience with case fans or power connectors, so all I could do was leave the front fan disconnected. When I finally got around to learning all about case fans and connectors several years later (*cough* last month *cough*), I discovered there was an adapter that could connect the 3-pin to a 4-pin molex adapter. I got one, and now both my fans in my 5 year old computer runs. Now when I shop for motherboards and cases, I check to see how many fans a case can hold and how many fan connectors are on the motherboard.

6. Cases: Those annoying 5.25 bays that have that CD button that sits in front of your CD-ROM. Having a front door that your CD tray will bang into when it ejects.

7. Classics: Putting the floppy or IDE cables backwards. Master/slave jumper missettings for IDE.

A great place to read war stories is the reviews on newegg.com. That's how I discovered that you can put two 80mm fans in the APEX MI-008 mini-ITX case using the side vent holes. I was skeptical at first, but when I tried it, the screw holes for both fans lined up perfectly to the vent holes! I would never have thought to try that.