how do you build a computer? (good website will help)?

Answer 1

Hi there:
Your question comes up very often on the ANSWERS forum, and
there are many answers. Some are very short, some are wrong, and some provide links to other sites -- which can be too short to help, or just badly written...
Depending on your backgound in mechanical ability, and your age, and your level of patience, I would recommend different things - since I don't know anything about you, I can only advise you to use caution. I have a teeny website,
kidbots.com
about using old computers for robot controllers. Thus I have hundreds of computers. I also build new ones. There are NO RULES in putting together computers, and there are exceptions to ALL standard parts, and methods, and aspects of computing, and I have run into most of them.

All the websites I have seen that explain how to put a computer together, assume that there are only 1 or 2 different kinds of any part, or case, or card, or whatever..... not so. There is not a SINGLE website that even mentions more than one kind of motherboard standoff, and I have dozens of types, so that I wonder about how much experience the authors have. If you happen to buy one of the types that is NOT mentioned, you will be faced with trying to figure out what to do with the parts - and the instructions in the case are either NONE or very badly written ( translated from chinese ) with bad pictures....
I have dozens of blown up motherboards from thrown out computers, and I see where people have put in brand new motherboards, and put a standoff in the middle of the motherboard -- where there is no hole, and shorted the motherboard and power supply dead, blowing up both. I have new motherboards where the person attached the USB wires onto the motherboard from the front case, and had one set forwards, the other set backwards, and shorted power to ground, blowing up the power supply, and destroying the +5VSB rail motherboard chips. And so on and so on. Tiny little things can blow up a lot of money... All the websites just say " plug in the wires as marked in the manual " and half the manuals I have DONT say what the pins are !
There is VERY little written about the many, many problems one might face in just assembling a computer, with all new, expensive parts. Any computer shop will have a big pile of blown motherboards and power supplies in a corner.... you can read some of my other answers about power supplies and motherboards....

I would advise you get someone who has built a few comptuers to help you put this one together for the first time - they will point out a few things that you may have missed reading about - and catch problems in time !

Here are a few links with comments, that I scanned over, on building your own computer. Some are better than others, but none really cover all the exceptions and problems that I see others run into in building a PC....

DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Ask as many people as you can about choosing parts BEFORE you buy anything. AND... get someone there the day you put it together...

Good Luck !


http://www.buildyourowncomputer.net/learntobuild.html
Glib , no warnings about standoff holes alignment, types
no warnings about wires to front panel and USB etc.

http://www.buildyourown.org.uk/pc-building/
A bit fast, but has pictures of screws, and tells where to
use them. No mention of 12 other kinds of standoffs.
Few warnings of common problems. Mostly text. No mention
of how to position non keyed cables.


http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/How_To_Build_A_Computer
A bit glib. Few warnings. Nothing about dozens of USB, FIR SIR,
front panel wires, assumes only ONE kind of case etc.

http://dmoz.org/Computers/Hardware/FAQs,_Help,_and_Tutorials/Build_Your_Own_PC/
lists a number of barebones and parts and ideas, including below:

http://www.cheapcomputersandparts.com/how-to-build-a-computer.html
Not too bad - mentions more good points than most guides

http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/
Some good ideas - all text

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/other/144
Ok, about average,


http://www.daileyint.com/build/
Has some interesting tid bits, but a bit difficult to navigate
in an orderly manner

http://www.waterwheel.com/Build_A_PC/build_PC.htm
All text, a few tips, very short.

http://www.extremetech.com/category2/0,1695,644478,00.asp
Has tiny bits of text in amongst tons of ads, however,
it does have some very GOOD pointers if you can ignore all
the ads around the text and get through it. I would cut and
paste the text into one big HOW TO.

@@@@@@@@ high rating @@@@@@@
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/build-a-computer.htm
Not too bad, not only pictures, but actual video online.
Higher than normal rating !!!

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/Build.htm
Wow, what a lot of information. A bit of confusing ads
in the middle of the LONG text and pictures, but the
guy really has a lot to say...and LOTS of links..

http://www.motherboards.org/articlesd/how-to-guides/924_1.html
This has pictures and text in a normal assembly of
a modern computer... main site has reviews of all motherboards

http://www.buildeasypc.com/index.htm
Ok, lots of pictures, middle of the road instructions

@@@@@@@@@@@ better than normal @@@@@@@
http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/reports/article.php/3580681
Good outline, but tons of adds. Text and pictures. Some good points.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2002/09/04/building_your_own_pc/index.html
Not to bad, step by step, not only showing the parts, but
part 2 shows how to install. Fair.

http://www.mysuperpc.com/
Has a LOT of information and chat about curent technology.
Worth reading, but scattered and difficult to go from
page one to page two in a logical order..

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=283
An interesting almost blog as the guy explains common
assemblies and problems

http://www.tigerdirect.com/static/html/pcbuildingtips.html
Very short. Main website has parts for sale.

http://www.pcguide.com/byop/index.htm
Very general, a few new ideas and pointers

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/316/1/
A review of building one computer with pictures

http://www.geeks/techtips/techtip-hardware.asp
This has PDFs about many common HOW TOs and the main website has reviews
and parts. Worth a look.

Hope this gets you started !

ROBIN

Answer 2

Pretty easy really, the basic components you need are a cpu/processor, ram, motherboard, hard drive, dvd/cd drive, case, graphics and sound card and thats about it other than kb/mouse/monitor.

The hard part is making sure you buy compatible parts and if you don't know what technology is compatible then you will end up making expensive mistakes.

For example there are several different socket processors that will only fit on specific types of motherboards.

There is pci, agp and pci-e graphics cards and you need to make sure the one you choose also fits your motherboard, sound cards are generally pci unless extremely old isa format so you don't need to worry about them too much.

Ram is tricky if you don't know the different technologys...there is older sd-ram, newer ddr ram in various speeds (generaly the faster the better... but check what maximum speed the motherboard accepts and there is ddr2 for the very newest computers.

A big mistake I made as a beginner in pc building was fitting the cooling fan onto the processor without thermal paste which will cause the pc not to boot up atall and quite possibly brake your brand new £200 processor in the process. If your cpu comes with a fan (don't go for cheaper 'oem' processors) then they usually come with thermal paste already on the base of the cooler although I prefer to use the better quality and more expensive silver based paste available elsewhere.

Answer 3

Some great websites I've used in the past for BTO (Build to Order) computers are:

AscendTech.com
PortaTech.com
TigerDirect.com
And for the most current and cheapest prices on the net for computer hardware and peripherals PriceWatch.com is great!
Plus, if you do a BTO computer, the website will make sure that all the components match, by taking away items that aren't compatible as you start the building process. Have fun, and shop smart!

Answer 4

Depending on what you will use it for and your experience.....If you are a novice ,find a friend to help..Be aware ,this process can be very expensive,and a static electric shock can fry your whole motherboard like mine did.....It may be cheaper to buy one than building one,and if you buy one ,you can usually get a warranty pretty reasonable.....But Be ware of rebate deals!!!!!!Lots of people get burned EVERY DAY!!!!!

Answer 5

Build your own web site .... may be worth a look

http://www.buildyourown.org.uk/

Answer 6

http://tomshardware.co.uk/

http://www.techtutorials.net/

Answer 7

http://www.badcaps.net/
http://www.hothardware.com/index.cfm

http://www.pcw.co.uk/
http://tinyurl.com/p6395