Computer Building Tips That Will Save You Time and Money
by systrough.com
March 2, 2008
Introduction
Building your own computer can be a very exciting and educational experience. However, if you are not prepared to build a computer, you will cause yourself headaches and possibly lose money in the process. By following the tips presented in this article, you will be able to purchase the correct parts and build your computer without any headaches.
Purchasing Hardware
The following tips will save you money by helping you avoid buying incompatible hardware or forgetting to buy necessary parts:
- First, make a decision about the type of processor that you want. After you decide upon a processor, choose a motherboard that supports the processor you chose.
- When choosing a motherboard, make sure that it supports the features you want. For example, if you desire to run video cards in SLI, make sure the motherboard supports SLI.
- Choose a power supply that will work with your motherboard. For example, if your board is ATX, ensure that you purchase an ATX power supply.
- Buy a power supply with enough wattage to support all of your hardware and peripherals. You can find power supply calculators on the Internet that will give you a rough idea of the amount of wattage required to run your hardware.
- Purchase RAM that is compatible with your motherboard.
- Buy a hard drive that is compatible with your motherboard.
- Choose a case in which your motherboard and other hardware will fit.
- Buy the minimum amount of case fans necessary to cool your case.
- Purchase a video card and sound card if your motherboard doesn’t already have onboard video and sound.
- Buy an operating system to run on it! Alternatively, you could download and use Linux (a free operating system)!
- Purchase some type of optical drive; you’ll need it to install your operating system!
Preparing to Build Your Computer
Make sure that you have the following items available:
- Screw drivers
- Case screws and motherboard standoffs
- Motherboard and processor manuals
Building Your Computer
Follow these tips to facilitate the building of your computer:
- Be sure that you are in a stable state of mind. You don’t want to be angry or upset when building your computer!
- Read the processor and motherboard manuals. They will show you how to install things the right way.
- Before turning your new computer on, be sure that you don’t have any loose screws on or under the motherboard. Screws in these locations could potentially short your motherboard!
- Once you make it past the BIOS POST, you can install your operating system!
Setting Up Your Computer
The following tips will help you get your new computer running smoothly:
- Install the drivers for your hardware. Your motherboard will have drivers for its chipset on a disk; you should install these drivers for maximum performance and stability.
- Update your operating system. By updating your operating system, you will make your computer more secure and stable by fixing security vulnerabilities and bugs.