Author Topic: The hardest part of home-building a PC...? (Read 1081 times)

Dux · « **on:** February 14, 2007, 12:45:47 PM »

As a non-PC-windows-geek, the innards of a PC have always seemed a bit of a mystery to me. However, over the years, I've managed to do enough basic mods successfully... swap out HDs, hardware upgrades, software tweaks, etc.... that I now find myself confident enough to actually consider home-building someday, maybe my next PC.

So... from the viewpoint of the hardcore techno-geek (you all) who have done this several times over... what is the hardest part of building your own? Which part do you dread, and why?

Skuzzy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2007, 12:50:15 PM »

Connecting all the little plugs to the front panel stuff of the case is what I dread the most. It's just time consuming and sometimes the manuals have the +/- reversed for the LED's.

Sometimes the power LED plug has 3 pins, and the motherboard only has 2, so you have to jury rig that.

Everything else is a cakewalk.

Airscrew · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2007, 12:56:06 PM »

its a toss up for me, hooking up all those little wires because my eyesight sucks at little things OR installing the processor. I've probably built about 10-15 pc's since 92 and I still agonize on the processor install, it always feels like I'm about to snap it in half.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2007, 12:58:26 PM »

Wait until you install an Intel LGA-775. I have blown one CPU in my day and it was a Pentium 4, Socket 478. But nothing will rattle your cage more than that first installation of an LGA-775. Of course, my first installation of an LGA-775 CPU was a Core 2 Duo X6800E CPU.

Then the HSF is also fun. After you do one though, it is pretty easy.

I have a total of six LGA-775 installations under my belt now.

Krusty · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:14:09 PM »

You found LGA 775 installation hard skuzzy? I thought it was the easiest thing, ever! I've done a few of them at this point in time.

Hardest part for me is working with the Arctic Silver to get the HSF properly seated and mounted without ruining anything else in the process (Arctic Silver conducts electricty, so you can't get any on anything).

The front panel can be tricky too, I agree with skuzzy on that.

I really hate it when they put the 4-pin +12v in a REALLY bad spot. It's nearly impossible to get it in place with HSF installed and/or unplug it if you need to later. I also hate having to find the chassis mounts for fan power, figuring out which should go to which fan, which sould use the 4-pin molex adapter, and all that. Mobos don't include enough chassis fan plugs!

TinmanX · « **Reply #5 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:15:07 PM »

I remember the first PC I built, the case arrived and didn't include those spacer screws that keep the motherboard away from the case and as it was my first build, I didn't know any better and just screwed the M-B straight on to the case.

Click - whirr - frazzle

I always keep a good stock of spacers now.

Other than that, I'm with Scuzzy on the hooking up of the front panel. Especially for some reason the mic and headphone sockets even though I never use them.

Krusty · « **Reply #6 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:17:06 PM »

I just wish Creative Labs would make a header on their cards for that damn front panel plug. Only my motherboards have had them so far. I can't plug it into my Audigy.

Dux · « **Reply #7 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:21:32 PM »

Because all that front panel stuff requires soldering? That I can do.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:33:59 PM »

Only time you have to solder is when the plug and pin pattern do not match. And then you only really need to solder if you are really anal about getting all the LED's to work right.

Krusty, the LGA-775 installation is not hard, per se. My first time with it was installing an expensive CPU. So I was a bit nervous as I had never done an LGA-775 install. It was not hard, just nerve racking. hehe.

Reschke · « **Reply #9 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:44:12 PM »

FRONT PANEL! Without a doubt my latest build was the hardest. I couldn't make any sense out of the directions for hooking up the front panel. My mobo book was completely off base with what the booklet with my case called for and pins were not in a block but rather individual hook ups. That too me the better part of 4 hours to finally get straightened out.

Roscoroo · « **Reply #10 on:** February 14, 2007, 02:07:31 PM »

what i hate the most is the heavy sprung single catch spring on the Heatsink . one slip there and its all over ... coming off can be just as bad . but ive learned to use needle nose plyers and sometimes a flat head to pry it away .

ive broken 2 of those center tabs on the socket.

for the front panel wires if there in a split/ 3 post or outta whack ... a small scribe or screwdriver can pry up the locking clip on the connector , then it can be pulled out and swaped to another .

the most aggravating thing can be when a MB grounds out and wont fire until ya float it or loosen it up .

other then that its pritty easy to put together a pc .

Now the real fun part is jumping the traces on a CPU to increase its L2 cache or onlocking it for overclocking .

SkyChimp03 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 14, 2007, 02:22:15 PM »

lol.... I agree with skuzzy. When i built my new computer i screwed up connecting my led/power button wires.. I nearly cried after it wouldn't turn on! Anyways i went back to check manual redid wired and worked like a charm.

republic · « **Reply #12 on:** February 14, 2007, 02:53:17 PM »

Remember the force required to put a heatsink on an AMD socket A? I bloodied many a knuckle fooling with those stupid things...

JCLerch · « **Reply #13 on:** February 14, 2007, 03:01:55 PM »

I find the hardest part of home building a PC is figuring out what parts to buy.

Once all the parts show up at the door step, everything is simple from there on out

DAVENRINO · « **Reply #14 on:** February 14, 2007, 03:10:26 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by JCLerch
I find the hardest part of home building a PC is figuring out what parts to buy.

Once all the parts show up at the door step, everything is simple from there on out

I totally agree - takes a bit of research regarding compatability. After that it is usually the front panel connectors and Artic Silver/heatsink. The front panel connectors on my current board/case (Antec 900 Gamer) are the easiest I have ever done. Only took about three minutes.