onipar
Member
Good to hear. Yeah, I was going to try for the fourth core and also try to overclock. I've never done either before, but I figure it's worth a shot.
$400 build, thoughts?
- Thread starter onipar
- Start date
Good to hear. Yeah, I was going to try for the fourth core and also try to overclock. I've never done either before, but I figure it's worth a shot.
You got it. Once everything arrives I'll build it out and take pics. I wanted to add a slide show of my building the computer to add to the desktop as part of the gift anyway, so they can see I didn't just buy them a computer.
yo that would be awesome!!! the sticky that has the step-by-step instructions doesnt have pics anymore...it would be great for newbs like myself. if you can do it, please do!
onipar
Member
A little update. My brother and I started on the build yesterday. We only had a couple hours though (and be new at this) we didn't expect to get very far. We got everything installed, but did not have time to wire or test it yet.
There were a few bumps in the road along the way. The first was unexpected: we had a lot of trouble mounting the extra fan. At first I thought it was me, but after reading some reviews of the case I purchased, I discovered it was due to poor design. The front intake mount has incorrectly sized holes for the fan, which made it impossible to mount. And then the motherboard blocks the two top mounted sections.
The only other major problem we encountered is that I installed the heatsink facing the wrong direction (fan facing up/down instead of left/right). I felt pretty stupid about that, but I guess it's an easy fix.
So up next is reinstalling the heatsink, wiring everything up, and installing the OS.
There were a few bumps in the road along the way. The first was unexpected: we had a lot of trouble mounting the extra fan. At first I thought it was me, but after reading some reviews of the case I purchased, I discovered it was due to poor design. The front intake mount has incorrectly sized holes for the fan, which made it impossible to mount. And then the motherboard blocks the two top mounted sections.
The only other major problem we encountered is that I installed the heatsink facing the wrong direction (fan facing up/down instead of left/right). I felt pretty stupid about that, but I guess it's an easy fix.
So up next is reinstalling the heatsink, wiring everything up, and installing the OS.
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Benny Boy
Active Member
:good: on the pics.
Did you buy thermal paste? Know how to reinstall? You probly do. It's important so I thought I'd ask. Route what you can behind the mb and zip ties are handy.
onipar
Member
I appreciate you making sure I know how to do it. I *think* I do. I asked in another thread to make sure. My plan is to unscrew the resistance mount, clean the thermal paste off with some isopropyl alcohol and a coffee filter, then reapply new paste and reassemble (correctly this time!)
I think I should have enough paste left in the tube that came with the heatsink.
Am I missing anything, or you have any tips?
I did want to add more pics, but I guess there's a data size limit on uploads.
Benny Boy
Active Member
Your good. I saw your other thread after this one.
At least some of the drivers on the mb disc won't be the latest. I was going to suggest you could pre load those from Gigabyte support onto a thumb drive or something then load them from there after 7.
As for the BIOS Rev., The latest is for AGESA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGESA
"Please use the latest @BIOS or FLASHSPI.EXE to reflash BIOS" FLASHSPI.EXE might be on the disc.
http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3817&dl=1#dl
At least some of the drivers on the mb disc won't be the latest. I was going to suggest you could pre load those from Gigabyte support onto a thumb drive or something then load them from there after 7.
As for the BIOS Rev., The latest is for AGESA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGESA
"Please use the latest @BIOS or FLASHSPI.EXE to reflash BIOS" FLASHSPI.EXE might be on the disc.
http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3817&dl=1#dl
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onipar
Member
Success!
Well, partial success anyway. I finished the hardware portion of the build tonight. I hooked it up to a monitor and it posted! Single beep, splash screen, then drive error (because I had no keyboard to get to BIOS).
No time to install software tonight, but at least the build is working. So happy I didn't screw something up.
The OS install will happen this weekend.
Anyone know if there's a way to get more room for uploading pics? I seem to have used my quota with the last two...
Well, partial success anyway. I finished the hardware portion of the build tonight. I hooked it up to a monitor and it posted! Single beep, splash screen, then drive error (because I had no keyboard to get to BIOS).
No time to install software tonight, but at least the build is working. So happy I didn't screw something up.
The OS install will happen this weekend.
Anyone know if there's a way to get more room for uploading pics? I seem to have used my quota with the last two...
onipar
Member
Okay, thanks. I was just using the site's upload feature, but it's capped. I'll post some more pics using the method you suggested tomorrow. Thanks!
Photobucket or Imageshack.
onipar
Member
Okay, here's a photobucket album of the work done on the build so far. No pictures of me, but I snapped a couple of my brother in action.
ALBUM
ALBUM
onipar
Member
The build is done!
I installed Ubuntu today (after first installing Windows 7 64-bit, which did not work with my 32-bit keycode). The decision was to put windows 7 on my other computer and start fresh with Ubuntu and this one. I think my parents will take to it fine.
I did some minor set up for them, and now everything is ready to wrap for Christmas. I had a great time doing this; I'll have to build my own computer next.
After they open the present, I'll probably help them do a little more setup, and eventually I'll try unlocking that 4th core and overclocking. But for now, I thought I'd leave it as is for Christmas.
Thanks again for every one helping so much.
I installed Ubuntu today (after first installing Windows 7 64-bit, which did not work with my 32-bit keycode). The decision was to put windows 7 on my other computer and start fresh with Ubuntu and this one. I think my parents will take to it fine.
I did some minor set up for them, and now everything is ready to wrap for Christmas. I had a great time doing this; I'll have to build my own computer next.
After they open the present, I'll probably help them do a little more setup, and eventually I'll try unlocking that 4th core and overclocking. But for now, I thought I'd leave it as is for Christmas.
Thanks again for every one helping so much.
onipar
Member
onipar
Member
Just a few more pics after extra cable management and during the OS installation.
Unfortunately, I didn't think to put the side panel on and take "after" shots of the completed rig. And now it's all wrapped for Christmas.
Maybe I'll post some shots once my parents open it and get it set up.
Unfortunately, I didn't think to put the side panel on and take "after" shots of the completed rig. And now it's all wrapped for Christmas.
Maybe I'll post some shots once my parents open it and get it set up.