I've built from the ground up twice. Every time somthing goes wrong we spend like 3 weeks figuring out if it's overheating, crappy wiring, faulty parts, updating drivers, reading manuals, phone conversations with 4 different manufacturers. Waiting for new parts to come in the mail.
It gets pretty tiring. I figure with the hours put in building and repairing, I might be losing money. Especially with software costs ... oy veh.
Any tips? or anyone in the same boat?
2007-10-04 03:53:32 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
Not problems anymore, We got them running and sold them to grandmothers that won't push them. But the first time, it was with an AMD build and a week after we got everything updated it just started snapping off and coming back with errors. I was really careful to ground before I touched anything and I just couldn't figure it out. A month later me and my bud figured out after much toil that I'd put the LED case fans in backward. No manual for that .. hesus!
I use fair quality stuff, Abit isn't a stellar front runner company but it's responsive. kingston memory and an nvidia. I thought that's pretty conservative buying.
What OS do you builders use. I find keeping up with Microsoft licenses a headache.
2007-10-04 04:09:40 · update #1
Dear Mailbox Congregation:
I found out over the years that if you are planning to build a PC just to save money .. then .. invariably you will do anything BUT save money.
Unless you can cannibalize some parts from existing computers or buy used parts from surplus store.. but then again you are not building a new computer.. you are building a recycled computer.. Follow me?
Computers have gotten so inexpensive over the years that it not longer pays to build you own.
Plus when you buy those computer kits.. they usually include just enough that you have to return to buy other things. such as.
CPU, Hard Drive, DVD/RW, Memory etc. When you add that all up you are paying close to $800 dollars and you still don't have a half decent computer. For these kits often come with very standard motherboard and components.
In conclusion, unless you want to learn and do it for the fun of it and for bragging rights.... Don't build buy it. Plus worth case scenario you get a 1 year manufacturer's warranty with the one bought on the store. Same can not be said about the build one. Plus consider the return trips to exchange parts in case then don't work. I once returned 4 times because they added used parts to the kit. Besides being frustrated. I lost a lot of time and money.
Consider this also, these kits don't come with the software. You will need to either load a free linux copy or shell out $250 (estimate) dollars to buy the latest Microsoft Operating system.
Plus my wife always seem to think that the ones bought at the store are better, for no reason at all... which I beg to differ because one positive aspect when you build you own is.. your build PC is customade. in other words, you don't put in anything that you don't need like annoying useless applications that comes with the OEM version on the retail stores. So Weigh your pros and cons. And stick with your decision. :>)
Good Luck!
Cesar
2007-10-04 04:09:09 · answer #1 · answered by CesarMCSE 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've build quite a few PCs (I guess around 20)... I had very few faulty parts so far. I usually do update drivers, BIOS and operating system and it takes way less time than 3 weeks :)
Building a low-end PC usually doesn't make sense cause you can get one prebuilt with legit operating system and usually quiet cooling solution for the same or less price, besides you save time, money and get customer support for at least a year. I usually build something some higher performance. The prices for pre-build factory overclocked stuff are really outrageous.
2007-10-04 04:02:38 · answer #2 · answered by Aleks 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i've got geared up a working laptop or pc earlier. I did each and all the analyze and ordered each and all the aspects and on the beginning up i theory i became saving an astonishing volume of money.....however the reality became that when I had ordered each and every thing and placed it at the same time myself it had value me purely as much as paying for a sparkling pc from the shop. My suggestion is to no longer make the blunders of questioning that construction a working laptop or pc is low-value. purchase a low-value computing device....in case you seem in the Sunday advertisements you will discover low-value new laptops beginning at 3 hundred dollars. Now thats low-value!
2016-10-10 07:18:23 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly.. even for people who have been doing this years on end, putting a computer together will never go right the first time you fire it up, you will always have to correct or update something. Because of the fact your always dealing with different products that have different instructions.
If you can name me off some of the problems your having, I can help you out.
2007-10-04 03:59:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never had many troubles building PCs (and I've built a lot). Be sure to get the correct parts and get good quality parts. Be sure to hook everything up correctly as well or else you will screw it up. Any trouble that I have had has been resolved quickly...this goes along with getting quality parts, the manufacturer will honor the part warranty and quickly ship out another one.
2007-10-04 03:58:17 · answer #5 · answered by Yoi_55 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've built from the ground up successfully several times on the first try. You can't go too cheap on parts it one thing. If you do you will be kicking yourself for it. I think it is a lot cheaper and you know whats in it as supposed to the mystery machines you buy from the store.
2007-10-04 04:02:03 · answer #6 · answered by Steve P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not in the same boat but my friend suffered the same fate.
dude!he made money instead by making games and jained umm.. polyphony.
2007-10-04 03:58:15 · answer #7 · answered by rex 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋