Topic: Building my first computer - need help

Chromozone98 · Posted: June 16, 2013, 06:48:08 pm

Pyromanik · Reply #1 Posted: June 16, 2013, 08:14:25 pm

About as easy as plugging in USB devices.

Just don't mess up the thermal paste and make sure you're not statically charged when you do stuff.

Heaps of help on the youtubes these days if you're unsure about anything.

Lias · Reply #2 Posted: June 16, 2013, 08:40:52 pm

Quote from: Pyromanik;1527200

make sure you're not statically charged when you do stuff..

On that note:

Build your PC on a table or workbench, not on the carpet/couch/etc.
First thing to do , is install the PSU in the case, then plug the PSU in and make sure the power is on to it. The metal case of the PSU will then be grounded, and this in turn will ground the case, so every time you touch the case you'll be grounded. Then (assuming you don't have a static strap.. they are like $15 from Jaycar) touch the case before you touch any components, and where possible keep touching the case with one hand whilst working on stuff with the other. It's not perfect anti-static protection by any means, but it beats no anti static precautions by a mile, and full ESD precautions are way too pricey for home builders.

IMHO build order should be (this is experience/preference, there is no "you must do it this way" here)
PSU into Case
CPU into motherboard
RAM into motherboard
Motherboard into Case
Thermal paste onto CPU
HSF onto CPU
HDD into Case
DVD into Case
GPU into motherboard

BeNZene · Reply #3 Posted: June 16, 2013, 09:09:07 pm

A 15 year old with patience, a low-$$-per-hour-opportunity cost, and small fingers would be perfectly well suited to building a PC.

Some thoughts:
* A large table in a well lit area will save on frustration.
* Download up to date drivers and manuals in advance and at the very least spend five minutes reading the manual for the motherboard before you begin.
* Do it in a house that has another PC with internet access, so you can google solutions when something inevitably goes wrong.
* Once you have the motherboard in place, start plugging in the power and tidying up the power cords.
* Do a power on test once you have the heatsink in place and see if it will spin up the CPU and system fans. If you've stuffed something up, you'll have less to remove/troubleshoot.

O-L-W-A-G · Reply #4 Posted: June 16, 2013, 10:55:35 pm

See if you can get the Asus 7850s, they can get up to 7950 performance when OCed. Asus was lazy and just stuck a full size two slot DCII cooler on them, I have one and have gone from stock clocks of 860/1200 to 1350/1500 on my better card.

EDIT: If you can't get the first version because of the price the V2 will do fine, it just seems the first gen were able to reach higher clocks and the second gen stays cooler. There was also a slight change in the ports.

AvatarFACE · Reply #5 Posted: June 16, 2013, 11:01:39 pm

Don't lose the little screws when you are building it, put them in something so they don't roll off the table and get lost. This always happens to me when I used to fiddle around with my computers. Some good advice up there^^^

O-L-W-A-G · Reply #6 Posted: June 16, 2013, 11:03:55 pm

Get those elongated tweezers for picking up screws, extremely useful. Don't try to jam things in too hard either and end up breaking ports, there are a lot of fail pics of that.

Zarkov · Reply #7 Posted: June 16, 2013, 11:12:43 pm

Looks like bot to me.

Why you answer?

Lias · Reply #8 Posted: June 17, 2013, 12:00:41 am

Posted from NZ IP (albeit only us mods can see that) , link isn't to a spam website. Plus the post sounds like it was written by a kiwi teenager as opposed to some guy in a 3rd world country.

O-L-W-A-G · Reply #9 Posted: June 17, 2013, 05:03:56 pm

Also the 98 in his user name could be referencing to the year he was born (1998) which would line up with him being 15.

Zarkov · Reply #10 Posted: June 17, 2013, 07:38:07 pm

Why he no reply?

Him posted link, collected 10cents, maybe that why.

Keen to be proven wrong btw.

Pyromanik · Reply #11 Posted: June 17, 2013, 09:56:43 pm

Bots don't edit posts.

Chromozone98 · Reply #12 Posted: June 17, 2013, 10:16:34 pm

sorry guys, busy doing alot of assignments and totally forgot about this thread.

Chromozone98 · Reply #13 Posted: June 17, 2013, 10:18:31 pm

Quote from: O-L-W-A-G;1527248

Also the 98 in his user name could be referencing to the year he was born (1998) which would line up with him being 15.

correct

Xenolightning · Reply #14 Posted: June 17, 2013, 10:41:46 pm

You should post those questions in OP in another post, it's easier to reply to.

ExtremePC, not tooooo bad, but definitely nowhere near the best.
CPU is fine for very casual gaming
7850 is perfect, don't get a GTX650.
The CPU won't OC anyway, so no you won't need a CPU HSF

You've left out a mouse and keyboard.

You won't be able to run black ops 2 at "good" graphics and 60FPS with any rig below around the 1800 mark.

I dare say, it could be better looking at second hand parts. You'll get a lot more bang for buck.

Chromozone98 · Reply #15 Posted: June 18, 2013, 12:06:44 am

Apostrophe Spacemonkey · Reply #16 Posted: June 18, 2013, 02:58:08 pm

Quote from: Lias;1527202

First thing to do , is install the PSU in the case, then plug the PSU in and make sure the power is on to it. The metal case of the PSU will then be grounded, and this in turn will ground the case, so every time you touch the case you'll be grounded.

I've read mixed things about this. So is your advice it to have the PSU plugged in while working on the PC? And have the power at the wall on?

I usually keep it unplugged, because of the scary mains electricity, but if it's unplugged it not really earthed.

What about plugging it in the wall, but leaving the wall switch off, in that case is it still earthed?

Lias · Last Edit: June 18, 2013, 04:21:14 pm by SoK

Quote from: Spacemonkey;1527306

I've read mixed things about this. So is your advice it to have the PSU plugged in while working on the PC? And have the power at the wall on?

I usually keep it unplugged, because of the scary mains electricity, but if it's unplugged it not really earthed.

What about plugging it in the wall, but leaving the wall switch off, in that case is it still earthed?

In theory the earth pin isn't switched and its always earthed. My personal preference is to have the power on, as a way of ensuring it's plugged in and powers flowing, but it's not really necessary. Having it unplugged means you ain't grounded, and you ain't protecting shit from static.

PS: mains voltage isn't that scary. I've been zapped a fair few times (AT PSU's before ATX was around, has a physical switch at the front of the case, with 240v running through it, and it wasn't uncommon to accidentally short the switch contacts with your hand) , doesn't really hurt any worse than a good hit from a paintball or a tattoo or something.

Pyromanik · Reply #18 Posted: June 18, 2013, 06:34:40 pm

Volts for the jolts,
amps for the deaths.

Pyromanik · Reply #19 Posted: June 18, 2013, 06:35:23 pm

Volts for the jolts,
Current'll kill ya.

Emrico1 · Reply #20 Posted: June 18, 2013, 07:19:41 pm

Volts for the jolts,
Currants for the scones

The Demon Lord · Reply #21 Posted: June 18, 2013, 07:34:27 pm

Some other advice - be gently with all your pins and connectors - Bent pins aren't fun.

Read the names on the Mobo - they tell you what goes where.
double check all your cables and cords
Have a bootable OS disk ready
As someone mentioned - Drivers on a USB stick and also do it where you have Google as an option if something goes wrong.

Apart from that - should be fine - just be patient and read the manuals first.

if all really goes to poo - you can probably ply one of the members with Beer to help you out

Emrico1 · Reply #22 Posted: June 18, 2013, 08:53:20 pm

Yeah, read the motherboard manual if you haven't done it before...

Tandoori · Reply #23 Posted: June 18, 2013, 09:06:19 pm

Do you really need an optical drive?

swindle · Reply #24 Posted: June 18, 2013, 09:13:52 pm

Quote from: Tandoori;1527334

Do you really need an optical drive?

For the sake of $40 in a tower, why not.

My MPB doesn't have one and its not an issue, at least with this laptop, but yeah, things are really very quickly going the way of being totally digital.

Topic: Building my first computer - need help

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