How to Build a Custom Computer

Just a note before you start reading this guide, it contains links to other sites. Also, it's a guide for a school project and the actual link is http://www.yohohosite.com/palooza/

The Guide to Building a Custom Computer
By Joey Undis

Welcome to my guide on building your own custom computer!
One thing you should know before you start this is that it takes about 1-3 weeks to get parts delivered from an online shop so if you have already ordered the parts and OS, skip to part III.

Key
[!]............Note this part and remember it!!! You will need to know this in the future
[?]............You may have some questions on this step so visit the contact page if you get stuck
[//]...........This is a optional thing you can do that is not required
[C]............This is a point where you choose what you think will work best for you

HDD............Hard Drive
PC.............Personal Computer
Open-Source....It allows you to edit the code if you know how.

Part I.
Choosing your Parts!
There are 3 main places you can look for computer parts:
Newegg(Online only)
Microcenter(Online and Stores)
A To Z in Computers(Online only)
I prefer Newegg since it's cheap but Microcenter has stores all over.
[!][?]You need to order the following for a working computer: A case, a mother board, a processor, a power supply unit([//]Some cases come with them), a mouse, a keyboard, a video card([//]Some mother boards have them built in), a sound card(See video card note), sticks of memory, a monitor([//]Can use certain LCD TVs if they have a VGA port), operating system([//]Can use Linux, see Part II, Pro-Source.), HDD, and (a) [//]CD, DVD, Blu-ray drive(s)[//].
[!]Click here for a parts guide[!]

Part II.
Choosing the right OS

OS Choices!
There are many choices for a operating system but they all fall into categories and sub categories:
>Command Line OS
>GUI OS

Command Line Operating Systems!
You can go with a command line system, ADVANCED USERS ONLY!!!!!, and the choices have waned with the rise of GUI Operating Systems:
>UNIX
>MS-Dos
>Linux Command Line
This is an area that I am not very familiar with so I won't be talking about how to install this in the guide.

Graphical User Interface Operating Systems!
The GUI operating system is what most people are familiar with these days, Windows and Mac OS X are GUI operating systems, the choices are:
>Linux(Free, Open Source, can work on weak/old parts)
>Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME(Can work on weak/old parts, costs $25-$50)
>Windows XP(Requires atleast semi-decent parts, costs $100-$200)
>Windows Vista([!]Requires newer parts[!], costs $100-$400)
>Dual Boot(Look at Part II. Dual Booting)

Pro-Source(Linux)
Linux is the free operating system, it can run on pretty much any system, and it has replicas of most mainstream Windows programs.
 >It cannot run Windows programs without the use of Wine(Free) or Crossover($50-$100).
>It cannot run most games very well due to problems with video card drivers
Old Windows(95,98,2000,ME)
These are cheap to get and run windows programs but as new programs come out, the compatibility with the "Old Windows" dwindles.
>Can't run most new programs.
>Costs $25-$50
>Hard to obtain a legal copy(eBay is a good source)
Windows XP
This is the median, most programs still support XP but games are starting to move to Vista and DirectX10.
>Costs $100-$200
>Middle Windows System
Windows Vista
This is the high end windows choice released in 2006. It can use all the new programs and games but old programs and games from the "Old Windows" sometimes have trouble running.
>Costs $100-$400
>High End PCs ONLY!!!
>Can't play some old games and can't use some old programs.

Dual Booting
Warning: Attempting this can crash your PC so when installing your first OS, don't use up all HDD space or you need another HDD
Dual Booting is more prominent than ever, it can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
Dual Booting means you use 2 operating systems on the same computer. For example, the demonstration computer at Project Palooza was dual-booting Windows Vista and a hacked edition of Mac OS X on a Windows-Based PC. You can dual boot any operating system as long as you have 2 HDDs or 2 partitions on your HDD. Click here to learn how to dual boot Vista with XP.

Part III.
Building!!

By now you should have all your parts selected and the operating system on a disc, either a real windows disc or a burned/real linux disc.
If you do not have these parts or operating system(s) you want, please refer to Part I and Part II.

Step 1.
>Take your case out of it's box and remove the side plate(usually on the left side if you are facing the front of the case).
>Remove your mother board and its manual from the mother board box.
>Read the manual and make sure you understand where the screws go in placing your mother board in the case(Please refer to your case manual if you get stuck).
>Screw down the mother board with the screws that came with it or the case.
>You now have to plug in all the odds and ends as stated in the case manual, into the right ports on the mother board(These are things like headphone outlets on the front of the case or usb/firewire ports on the front/top of the case).

Step 2.
[C][!]If your case came preinstalled with a power supply unit[!]
>Take the power supply units' 22-pin or 24-pin(which ever your mother board supports) cord and plug it into the slot on the mother board.
[C][!]If you had to buy a power supply unit seperatly[!]
>Remove the PSU from its box and place it securely into the case.
>Screw it down using the screw provided in either the PSU or case box.
>Take the power supply units' 22-pin or 24-pin(which ever your mother board supports) cord and plug it into the slot on the mother board.

Step 3.
>Remove your processor from its box and open the processor latch on your mother board.
>Carefully place the processor in the slot making sure it's in the right position and direction.
>Shut the latch on the processor, securing it in place.
>Take the fan that came with your processor and apply the silver thermal compound to the bottom of it(usually in a very small tube in the processor box).
>Put the fan onto the processor making sure the power cord is near the fan power input on your mother board.
>Plug the fan power cord into the fan power input slot.
>Place the memory sticks into their slots on the mother board.

Step 4.
[C][//]If you have a built-in video card, please skip this step.
>Remove the video/graphics card from its box.
>[!]Place it in the slot that is stated on the box:
>>[C]Either:
>>>AGP
>>>PCI Express x2
>>>PCI
>>>PCI Express x16
>[//]If it comes with an extra power cord, plug it into one of the IDE power slots on your power supply unit(See manual).

Step 5.
[C][//]If you have a built-in sound card, please skip this step.
>Remove the sound card from its box.
>[!]Place it in the PCI slot on your mother board unless stated other wise in the sound card manual

Step 6.
>[//]Plug your CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drive(s) in according to what it says in the manuals.
>Plug your HDD in according to the manuals of you HDD and your mother board.

Step 7.
>Plug the monitor into the VGA or DVI port on your PC.
>Plug both the monitor and power supply unit into a power outlet.
>Turn on the monitor. >Turn on the computer. >If it doesn't work, disassemble and redo the steps making sure to read all the manuals!!!
>>If it doesn't work and you've tried re-doing already, click here for contact info.
>If it does work, congratualations!!! You have just done all the hard stuff.

Step 8.
>Plug in your keyboard and mouse into the usb or PS/2 ports.
>Plug in your speakers, mic, and any other accesories.
>Turn it on and put your OS disc in the computer.
>>If Windows Vista, click here.
>>If Windows XP, click here.
>>If Ubuntu(Linux), click here.
>>If anything else, please refer to the manual(Windows), or the website you got it from.

Step 9.
>If everything went well...
You have just built your first custom computer!!!
>If not, refer to step 6.


I hope this guide helped you and you saved some money, even if it was a hassle to build this.
If you need any assistance further in this, please contact me using myContact Page or PM me.
-Joey Undis.

This guide is copyright © 2008 Joey Undis. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or selling of this guide will result in a fine and possibly jail.

 

Your retarded, this is for guides which you have created yourself. Stop trying to get credit for someone else's work.

 

oh. im so sar.

 

Make your own guides.

 

And this guide sucks. You can't just pick computer parts up, you'll fry them, you need an anti-static wrist band.

 

1. I made this guide myself
2. Who the hell is that AKA_Stoney guy?
3. You technically don't need an anti-static wristband or even to ground yourself it's just highly suggested. I never grounded myself once during my building process and I'm typing this on my custom computer.

 

Doesnt really matter who fucking wrote it...

Im a computer turd and for me this looks like it gives the basics.
I think if I am interested in detail I could look it up - but these are the basic prinicpals and I thank you for sharing that with us.



(although Google is still my friend)

 

wow, alot of words, you need a few more pictures i like pictures
Buy u got a prety good base going

 

nissan this is ripped...

lol should be closed...

 

thanks atleast u tried

 

agreed, Ripz0r'd

Ripped

+ its confusing as hell

1/10

 

1. According to the post you didn't.
2. Ehm, that can speak for itself
3. You want to build a computer without grounding yourself?, go ahead and wreck your parts. You don't even relise half the time that you have done something to them, decreasing performance, etc, etc.

You don't need a wristband, you just hold on to a metal pole or something that is on the ground like a metal bed post, or a stand, etc, etc

Should be deleted tbh, first of all its not your'es. 2nd of all if you go by this guide you will not suceed its not as easy as just placing parts together and thirdly, you phail.

 

i hope you know that ripping guides could get you banned from sythe.org would appologise and closed the thread if i were you.