Gandalph Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Asus TA-210 Midi Tower, (Black with silver front trim)450 Watt Power supply,Asus A85N-E ATX Motherboard,1GB Kingston PC3200 RAM, (Motherboard takes 4GB Max)Seagate Barracuda 200GB HDD,Asus 16X CD and DVD +/- RW Re-writer,AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Socket 939,Geforce 7600GS PCI-E Graphics Card,Logitech Classic keyboard (Black),Logitech optical Wheel-mouse (Black),Time taken to build from scratch one hour 40 minutes and it's running like a dream. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expertec Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 ^Well done that man! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Looks a good spec - have never had the courage to do a self build. Not sure whether the bits and bobs come with detailed instructions.Also is there a significant cost saving compared to buying off one of the big vendors like Evesham, Mesh, Dell etc. My last computer was built by a small local computer dealer who did a good job - but there was no real cost saving compared with Mesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Looks a good spec - have never had the courage to do a self build. Not sure whether the bits and bobs come with detailed instructions.Also is there a significant cost saving compared to buying off one of the big vendors like Evesham, Mesh, Dell etc. My last computer was built by a small local computer dealer who did a good job - but there was no real cost saving compared with Mesh.I bought the parts from various different shops. Total cost £189.00. I have seen a machine on the net at Silicon.com which is the same spec bar the hard drive, there's is 250 GB and the cost is £649.00. This is the fifth machine I have built and believe me it's the fastest easiest build I've ever done Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Well done. How do you know what goes where? Are there instructions? Does it fire up right away after the build without messing about with Bios settings etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Well done. How do you know what goes where? Are there instructions? Does it fire up right away after the build without messing about with Bios settings etc?There is a book comes with the mother board with full instructions on jumpers BIOS settings and so on. The only thing I had to do really was check the jumper setting were correct for what I was fitting. Fit the power supply to the case and motherboard, fit the CPU and heat sink and fan, slot in the graphics card and fire it up and make sure the BIOS setting was set to boot from the CDROM drive. Power it down and fit the HDD, put in the CD/DVD unit and put in the XP disc and powered it back up and the rest is history. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I am sorely tempted but very scared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I am sorely tempted but very scared. Don't be scared as there is nothing to be scared of. Everything inside a computer basically only fits into one place. You can't go wrong really. The only thing to watch out for is make sure you plug the IDE cables into the right sockets, the motherboard book tells you which is which. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 The hardest bit is the software, the building is simple unless you like to tweak things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I've assembled hundreds of computers - note my careful use of the word "assembled" rather than "built".A first time putting a computer together is a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle in which you have loads of clues as to which bit goes where, mainly from previous knowledge and the motherboard manual. The previous knowledge comes from having looked inside your current or previous machines - they're all built pretty much on the same lines.There are lots of advantages in building your own not least having in it exactly what you want to have in it and not what some megalith company thinks you ought to have in it. This is the reason my son has me build the machines for his graphics business.There's nothing quite like the sense of satisfaction you get when you power up for the first time and the BIOS screen comes up.I would suggest that anyone who knows how to handle a screwdriver is capable of assembling a PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I've assembled hundreds of computers - note my careful use of the word "assembled" rather than "built".A first time putting a computer together is a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle in which you have loads of clues as to which bit goes where, mainly from previous knowledge and the motherboard manual. The previous knowledge comes from having looked inside your current or previous machines - they're all built pretty much on the same lines.There are lots of advantages in building your own not least having in it exactly what you want to have in it and not what some megalith company thinks you ought to have in it. This is the reason my son has me build the machines for his graphics business.There's nothing quite like the sense of satisfaction you get when you power up for the first time and the BIOS screen comes up.I would suggest that anyone who knows how to handle a screwdriver is capable of assembling a PC.Quite agree pops, the self-satisfaction when the machine bursts into life and does what you intended it to do is very satisfying. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I'll give this a lot of thought, but it ceratinly won't happen tomorrow morning. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I'll give this a lot of thought, but it certainly won't happen tomorrow morning. :)I would give it some serious thought if you are intending to get a better spec PC. I have saved in the region of £400.00 by doing it myself, and the job satisfaction is a wonderful feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan2273 Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 With processor prices dropping like a stone, cheap hard drives and memory, there has never been a better time to build your own.The only problem I came across in the last eighteen months was when I installed my first sata drive and suddenly realised I had not put a floppy drive in the computer.And guess what, the sata drivers were on a floppy.:)With the motherboards now, most have the sata drivers already installed.The first time you build one yourself and it boots up first time, it is a great feeling, even when you build more you still get a feeling of satisfaction when it works first time.When they dont you have various forums where friendly people will help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I'll give this a lot of thought, but it certainly won't happen tomorrow morning. :)I would give it some serious thought if you are intending to get a better spec PC. I have saved in the region of £400.00 by doing it myself, and the job satisfaction is a wonderful feeling.I am really happy with my present PC. If I do build one it will simply be as something to do which is a challenge. It could be an interesting project for a couple of dark winter days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Let me know if you want a hand with it when you decide to go for it. I'll nip down in the car. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I would suggest that anyone who knows how to handle a screwdriver is capable of assembling a PC.I've often being tempted to attempt it but due to the way that the old Socket A processors were fitted (with the very real chance that you can chip the CPU core if you aren't careful), this is the main thing that has put me off.Apparently with the newer 64 bit processors, these come with a metal case which encloses the CPU which makes them more resilient and also allows for more efficient cooling (I think).p.s. I can't think of the proper name for the metal case that houses the processor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 p.s. I can't think of the proper name for the metal case that houses the processor?Easy, hiow about, 'That metal case that houses the processor'PS. Where does all this stuff come in like 'Flashing the Bios' etc? It's jargon like this that has me beaten before I even think about starting to think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 PS. Where does all this stuff come in like 'Flashing the Bios' etc? It's jargon like this that has me beaten before I even think about starting to think about it.Flashing the BIOS means simply upgrading the BIOS which I have only had need to do the once but you need to be careful in case something goes wrong.Fortunately on my motherboard, it has a dual BIOS feature so in the event of something going wrong, I still have the backup to fall back on.I have also upgraded my routers firmware on a couple of occasions with no problems which is a similar thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan2273 Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Andsome this will tell you nearly everything about building,and putting an OS on it .I have never had the need to flash a BIOS and have been building computers for about 7 years.The link.http://www.buildyourown.org.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 I've never flashed a BIOS either.If you see a motherboard for sale that needs a BIOS flash before you've even got it home, look for a different one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 Andsome this will tell you nearly everything about building,and putting an OS on it .I have never had the need to flash a BIOS and have been building computers for about 7 years.The link.http://www.buildyourown.org.uk/Extremely useful thanks. That is now in My Favourites. for possible future use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 Asus TA-210 Midi Tower, (Black with silver front trim)450 Watt Power supply,Asus A85N-E ATX Motherboard,1GB Kingston PC3200 RAM, (Motherboard takes 4GB Max)Seagate Barracuda 200GB HDD,Asus 16X CD and DVD +/- RW Re-writer,AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Socket 939,Geforce 7600GS PCI-E Graphics Card,Logitech Classic keyboard (Black),Logitech optical Wheel-mouse (Black),Time taken to build from scratch one hour 40 minutes and it's running like a dream. :DI was out most of yesterday and missed this. It takes me half of that time to find my way into all the packaging and get the right page in the multilingual Motherboard manual. Well done. Next time I want one building I shall head for the borders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 I have never had the need to flash a BIOS and have been building computers for about 7 years.I've never flashed a BIOS either.I had no option as running the mass release BIOS version (F5) caused my PC to be unstable as the BIOS didn't 'officially' support my Barton CPU and so I upgraded to F11 which solved the stability issue with my AMD Athlon XP 3000+.IMHO it isn't as rare as all that as if so why would motherboard manufacturers release BIOS updates and newer drivers if there was no point or people never used them?From my understanding, a PC is designed to be upgradeable in contrast to consoles for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoood Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 Apparently with the newer 64 bit processors, these come with a metal case which encloses the CPU which makes them more resilient and also allows for more efficient cooling (I think).p.s. I can't think of the proper name for the metal case that houses the processor?CW, I know the top of it is called the IHS; integrated heat spreader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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