never built a computer and want to learn

88Jonsson

88Jonsson

Member
hello all I have some stupid questions for you guys. I have never built a computer before and I want to learn how. I'm not looking to have a working computer I have an old junker that I just want to take it apart and reassemble it just to see that i can do it because, you can't break something thats already broken. I don't want to end up spending a lot of money on parts for a crazy machine then screw it up.

1. when it comes to buying parts for computers how do i determine what parts I need in general i know cpu mobo ect ect but say i want certain specs I see you guys ask each other if this pc is perfect and list the parts. How do you determine that its the right part?

I'm going to try and put it simpler say you have to get your car repaired the tech is only by parts for you make and model car. so how am i goin know that it fits with the computer.

everything runs off the mobo so as long as everything fits the mobo im good right?

and if so how do I know it will fit?

any advice is appreciated.
 
It s mostly about the motherboard, most common ones are compatible with ddr2 ram and that s the biggest difference. Usually when you buy a motherboard it tells you what processors it is compatible with. graphics cards should be compatible with any newer mobos. other thing is that your powerbox has to have enough power to supply your whole computer with eletricity.

add/correct if im wrong

and u ll need a set of screw drivers for the screws... that s all, honestly it s not that hard, i built my first computer when i was 12.
 
choose a cpu, the cpu will tell you which mobo's you need, mobo will tell you what ram you need. People here can help in all respects. The stikies are dated but great.

For cpu's it is either Intel or AMD. Intel is faster, AMD has more heart keke.
 
Looks like someone needs help! :) OK, so first of all there's the parts... I'll list them:


  • Processor (often referred to as "CPU") - This is the brain of the computer to put it simply. The brands you will be looking at are Intel and AMD, AMD is less expensive, but the high end AMD CPUs aren't as good as the high-end Intel CPUs. If you want a low end rig I'd recommend going with AMD.


  • Motherboard (sometimes referred to as "mobo" or "mainboard") - This is the main circuit board that all the other parts attach to.


  • Power Supply (usually referred to as "PSU") - This feeds power to all the parts. The main connector (which typically has 24 pins) plugs into the motherboard to power the CPU, GPU (graphics processing unit), fans, and other things that plug directly into the motherboard. Other cables attached to the PSU are used to power things like DVD drives, hard drives, etc, etc.


  • Random access memory(commonly called "RAM", or just "memory") - software randomly uses this memory to run. These are chips that plug into the motherboard.


  • Graphics Processing Unit (Commonly abbreviated "GPU") - Used to render graphics. Sometimes these are built into the motherboard, but often people buy better GPUs for gaming and such... built in GPUs are called integrated graphics and the non-built-in ones are called graphics cards. They plug into the motherboard.


  • Hard drive (commonly called "HD" or "HDD") - This is where all your data is stored, this includes operating systems (like Windows), pictures, videos, documents, and such... basically, everything that's on your computer.


  • Optical disk drive (or "ODD") - This is the drive that reads CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs.


  • Case - Everything screws into the case... what you need to know is that there are different form factors. The most common ones are ATX and MicroATX... make sure you get a case, PSU, and mobo with the same form factor and you'll be good to go. :)

Backwoods166 said:
For cpu's it is either Intel or AMD. Intel is faster, AMD has more heart keke.
Click to expand...

No, there's a bit more to it than that actually... some AMD CPUs are faster than some Intel CPUs while other Intel CPUs are faster than other AMD CPUs.

Btw, never buy a Celeron CPU, in fact, you probably shouldn't get anything anything single core... AMD makes good dual-core CPUs and Intel makes good quad-cores. :) The best current-day desktop CPU you can get is the Intel i7, the worst being the Intel Celeron.

If you want a decent cheap CPU go with one of the AMD 64 X2s, cheaper still are the AMD Semprons, but I wouldn't recommend those... they are better than the Intel Celerons though. :)


Order your parts from Newegg... that's what most everyone in the US and Canada seems to be doing, I've had very good experience with them. Have fun! :)
 
88Jonsson said:
1. when it comes to buying parts for computers how do i determine what parts I need in general i know cpu mobo ect ect but say i want certain specs I see you guys ask each other if this pc is perfect and list the parts. How do you determine that its the right part?

I'm going to try and put it simpler say you have to get your car repaired the tech is only by parts for you make and model car. so how am i goin know that it fits with the computer.

everything runs off the mobo so as long as everything fits the mobo im good right?

and if so how do I know it will fit?
Click to expand...

Well, it really just comes from experience... a gaming rig is gonna need very different specs than something used just for browsing the web.

Okay, so there's several different things you have to make sure are compatible, first the CPU socket. So if you're going AMD you will need to get an AM2+ mobo for an AM2+ CPU, but if you get an AM2 CPU, all you'll need is an AM2 mobo (an AM2 CPU works on an AM2+ mobo, but an AM2+ CPU won't work on an AM2 mobo.) With Intel, I believe the most popular socket is LGA775, so you'll need an LGA775 mobo to use an LGA775 CPU.

The next thing is the form factor... I explained that in my above post.

Then there's RAM... 240 pin DDR2 is the most common right now, but DDR3 came out fairly recently, so it's better. DDR2 RAM works with two channels (so you will need two identical sticks to work), but DDR3 uses three channels, so you will need three identical sticks.

Finally there's the power supply... I'd recommend getting a 20+4 pin power supply as it'll work with both 20 pin and 24 pin motherboards... 24 pin mobos are much more common.


Of course there's also things like you'll need your mobo to have SATA ports if you want to use a SATA hard drive, and you'll need the right PCI slot for a certain graphics card.

Also, I would recommend a minimum of 400 Watts for a PSU, but if you want a decent graphics card you'll want at least 500 Watts. Also, some CPUs take more power than others, so you have to take power into consideration as well.
 
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A screw driver is about all you need.
One thing to consider is what the computer will be used for (ex gaming, school work, music)
And how much your looking to spend.
That will help you choose what parts are best for you.
 
^like it is said above, just a screwdriver, most of the time, and Make sure your parts are compatible :)
 
holly shit, i learned so much in this thread. good job Irishwhistle.

Good luck on your build. Just stick around the forums a few weeks. Search and read some threads, make sure they're not too outdated. Then hit up newegg.. enjoy.
 
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