BODMAS

[catgate]

During the first few maths lessons, after going to grammar school, our maths teacher introduced us to the arithmetic giant BODMAS, without whose help we could get our 'sums' wrong. (Brackets, Of, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction).

I was wondering if there was a similar preferred order in which additions should be made to a computer after installing the basic OS. I know Plug and Play is supposed to take care of much of this but I still wonder about the ad hoc addition of subsequent components.

Any views?

[Belatucadrus]

brackets, of

tsk tsk

Brackets off,

:flowers:

On the assumption that all main components have been added, my only real procedural note is Anti virus first and as many restore points as you want.

With a note to yank everything but one stick of RAM and VGA card if the installation fails and then add PCI cards etc. one at a time until every thing's hunky dory.

[catgate]

brackets, of

tsk tsk

Brackets off,

:flowers:

tsk, tsk indeed. Still, it's now over 60 years ago. Mind you, even in those far off days, I could spell 'off' as 'of', even without a keyboard. :paperbag1:

:censored:

With a note to yank everything but one stick of RAM and VGA card if the installation fails and then add PCI cards etc. one at a time until every thing's hunky dory.

This is the part where I wonder if there is a correct sequence. I have never seen anything about one, but there are some very experienced people on here, who may just have learned the hard way.

[Belatucadrus]

Not aware of any specific sequence, just been advised that in the case of failure to boot correctly strip the system down as far as possible and slowly add the parts, starting with RAM until you identify the problem area.

Fingers crossed beyond setting the jumpers wrong on an old MOBO, I've not had any significant hardware issues thus far, nothing that a quick trawl through the BIOS didn't fix.

[rong]

When I do mine everything is plugged in and then start up, then pray to myself, it usually works. Then security and internet, then as needed. I build my own PC's.

[catgate]

Up until now I had been of the crossed fingers and joss stick brigade, and had not had much problem. Today I fitted a Matrox all singing all dancing graphics card, and it had a double outlet. When I fired, up prior to loading the drivers for it, the screen remained blank. I then began to wonder about this sequence business. Then I realised the existing graphics control was built in to the mother board, after which I came here and asked the question.

Following that I did what I should have done in the first place. I uninstalled Acrobat and reinstalled it, because initially it would not let me read the installation .pdf on the CD.

I then found that when running only one monitor a specific outlet (which is marked) should be used. Sod law, being what it is, had caused me to couple up to the wrong one. :ranting:

I am still interested in the sequence business nevertheless.

[rong]

Your still on 98 aren't you this makes it a lot harder. This is the main reason I went to XP. I had problems with my printer sound card and CD drives all wanting to use the same (is it irq) or whatever so I had to think about the sequence.

[scuzzman]

No, there's no specific sequence for installation of hardware, just to reassure everybody :P