What if I screw up???

If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if it
doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad or
incorrectly connected, etc.?

Thanks....

Bob

On 8/8/2010 23:38, wrote:
If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if it
doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad or
incorrectly connected, etc.?

Best way out is to find a friend who knows about DIY PC!

--
@~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
/( _ )\ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.35
^ ^ 23:52:01 up 2 days 7:20 0 users load average: 1.07 1.13 1.10
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On 8/8/2010 23:56, Man-wai Chang wrote:
On 8/8/2010 23:38, wrote:
If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if it
doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad or
incorrectly connected, etc.?

Best way out is to find a friend who knows about DIY PC!


.... and do your homework by google-ing "how to build your own pc"

--
@~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
/( _ )\ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.35
^ ^ 23:57:02 up 2 days 7:25 0 users load average: 1.23 1.17 1.11
�借貸! ��騙! ��交! �打交! �打劫! �自殺! 請考慮綜� (CSSA):
http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_...sub_addressesa

PeoplesChoice Chicago.net wrote:

If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if
it doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad
or incorrectly connected, etc.?

If you are trying to save money, forget it. If you want to build
your own computer because you want to be able to troubleshoot it
and you want a computer that is finely customized to your needs,
you can start by buying a new or used computer that can be
upgraded, and go from there.

When you put the pieces together, you should start with the bare
necessities. The case, the mainboard/motherboard, the power
supply, the CPU, one stick of memory, the monitor, and then see if
that gets you into the BIOS. I usually put everything together,
but if a difficult problem arises, I hunker down and do it the
that way. That is how you troubleshoot a build. Also, having a
different computer with access to the Internet is a good idea.
Also, you should have spare parts that you can swap. That one is a
good reason to start with a used or new computer that can be
customized.

After upgrading/building your own for a while, you end up with
lots more spare parts (especially connectors) then you need. That
helps take care of troubleshooting.

wrote:
If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if it
doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad or
incorrectly connected, etc.?

Thanks....

Bob

Get educated.

--
LSMFT

I look outside this morning and everything was in 3D!

On Sun, 08 Aug 2010 10:38:05 -0500, wrote:

If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if it
doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad or
incorrectly connected, etc.?

Thanks....

Bob

Bob,

First, you have to know "a little" before starting out on such a
project, at a minimum, where to go to get help. I've built up
computers since the 70's when building your own meant soldering chips
to a circuit board, and altho it's lots easier now, the computers are
also much more sophisticated. You can get a lot of help by asking
questions in this newsgroup, and there are specific usenet groups for
specific components, but again, you need to understand a bit so you
will know what to ask, and where to ask it.

(by the way, my first computer monitor (a kit) didn't work, but the
kit supplier had a policy of troubleshooting it, so off it went and
for about $30 came back working. I doubt that such a service exists
anywhere now.)
--
Charlie Hoffpauir

Everything is what it is because it got that way....D'Arcy Thompson

On Aug 8, 11:38*am, wrote:
If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if it
doesn't work? *How would I determine which component is bad or
incorrectly connected, etc.?

Thanks....

Bob

"Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."

-- Bob Day
http://bobday.vze.com

wrote:
If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if it
doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad or
incorrectly connected, etc.?

Thanks....

Bob

Any shop that claims to "fix computers", can assemble a computer and
install an OS on it. The might even charge more for installing an OS,
then they might for simple assembly. Phone around and see what deals
they're willing to offer.

On my first computer, assembly was $100.00 above retail price of the
components. The shop assembled the system and installed Windows for
that price. I understand some shops now, want more than that, just to
do an OS install. And an OS install isn't going to be that bad a thing
to manage.

In think, in all the builds I've done, I had one bad motherboard, and
it was bad not because a component was defective, but rather, in
my opinion, that no chipset from the company making the chipsets,
could have worked properly. The chipset simply was not "at speed"
tested by the manufacturer, meaning each chipset shipped
"came with a prayer that it would function". There wouldn't be
much point returning that for warranty work, because the next one
would be crap also. I bought a different brand to replace it.

You can control the source of the various components you buy. For
hard drives, I buy them locally, and I've never had a bad one
when I buy from that shop. The idea is, to avoid Internet sellers
who don't package hard drives properly. The local shop I buy at,
receives them in the original shipping case, which provides
adequate protection. Just throwing a drive into an oversized cardboard
box, with a bit of bubble wrap or peanuts, is not a good way to ship.

Even the drives that ship with a plastic shell around them, are
better protected than a cardboard box full of peanuts. I've bought a
couple drives packaged this way, and they were OK as well. I'm still
using the drives I got this way (but mine don't happen to be Fujitsu -
as far as I know, Fujitsu doesn't make drives any more).

http://www.futureshop.ca/multimedia/...9/10099566.jpg

Most of the drives I buy now, don't have any protection around the outside,
except for the anti-static bag. The local shop I get them from, buys them
by the case for resale, and by just handing me the drive over the counter
(counter pickup), it saves UPS bouncing it around their truck.

Most other components are going to be packaged well enough, they
can be shipped safely.

Just don't do something dumb, like order enough computer components to build
your computer, and then order an Uninterruptable Power Supply (heavy batteries)
in the same order. If you order things that "behave like a brick", they slosh
around in the shipping box and crush the other hardware. So use some common
sense - if the components have relatively small masses, there will be
less chance of shipping damage. (Many Uninterruptable Power Supplies,
arrive damaged even when shipped by themselves. The corner of the
device will be seen poking out through the side of the box. On some
of them, the metal housing is crushed. When I bought my UPS, I got it locally,
and inspected all the boxes. I selected the box that was beat up the
least, because all the boxes were damaged to one extent or another.
It's hard to find one in mint condition, even when new.)

Paul

On 8/8/2010 11:07 AM, John Doe wrote:
PeoplesChoice Chicago.net wrote:

If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have if
it doesn't work? How would I determine which component is bad
or incorrectly connected, etc.?

If you are trying to save money, forget it. If you want to build
your own computer because you want to be able to troubleshoot it
and you want a computer that is finely customized to your needs,
you can start by buying a new or used computer that can be
upgraded, and go from there.

When you put the pieces together, you should start with the bare
necessities. The case, the mainboard/motherboard, the power
supply, the CPU, one stick of memory, the monitor, and then see if
that gets you into the BIOS. I usually put everything together,
but if a difficult problem arises, I hunker down and do it the
that way. That is how you troubleshoot a build. Also, having a
different computer with access to the Internet is a good idea.
Also, you should have spare parts that you can swap. That one is a
good reason to start with a used or new computer that can be
customized.

After upgrading/building your own for a while, you end up with
lots more spare parts (especially connectors) then you need. That
helps take care of troubleshooting.
IMO bad idea

--

Rick Holbrook
Fargo, ND
N 46°53'251"
W 096°48'279"


Remember the USS Liberty
http://www.ussliberty.org/

Reply to: fholbrook(at)cableone.net

Rick fholbrook nospam.cableone.net wrote:

John Doe wrote:
PeoplesChoice Chicago.net wrote:

If I decide to build my own computer, what recourse do I have
if it doesn't work? How would I determine which component is
bad or incorrectly connected, etc.?

If you are trying to save money, forget it. If you want to
build your own computer because you want to be able to
troubleshoot it and you want a computer that is finely
customized to your needs, you can start by buying a new or used
computer that can be upgraded, and go from there.

When you put the pieces together, you should start with the
bare necessities. The case, the mainboard/motherboard, the
power supply, the CPU, one stick of memory, the monitor, and
then see if that gets you into the BIOS. I usually put
everything together, but if a difficult problem arises, I
hunker down and do it the that way. That is how you
troubleshoot a build. Also, having a different computer with
access to the Internet is a good idea. Also, you should have
spare parts that you can swap. That one is a good reason to
start with a used or new computer that can be customized.

After upgrading/building your own for a while, you end up with
lots more spare parts (especially connectors) then you need.
That helps take care of troubleshooting.

IMO bad idea

****turd?
--
















--

Rick Holbrook
Fargo, ND
N 46ø53'251"
W 096ø48'279"


Remember the USS Liberty
http://www.ussliberty.org/

Reply to: fholbrook(at)cableone.net








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