# Building your own PC?



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Right now been busy building my own PC? Anyone else here share that hobby too?


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I do it, too, but it's not a hobby; it's a tedious, but necessary, task that saves me money.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I think it should save money and give you exactly what you want but I am almost clueless about it.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

It's a lot like Lego. You snap the parts together, then connect the wires.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Yes, I haven't bought a pre-built PC for many years. The one I'm using now I built about 5 years ago and, apart from upgrading the graphics card and memory, it's still going strong on Windows XP.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Set it up with a smaller solid state drive (SSD), say 125 GB, for the OS and add a traditional hard drive for mass storage. The SSD will load stuff instantly.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I have been building my own computers for nearly 2 years now that I figured it out. It isn't too hard and saves a ton of money. I get my CPU/motherboard mostly from eBay to save me and use parts which are typically 2 generations back.

I am using for my main desktop a Fractal Design Define R4.

Also I am a member over at overclock.net which is pretty awesome in terms of getting tips for helping me figure out specs on computers. I still have yet to learn how to install the CPU and do overclocking but pretty everything else has been rather straightforward.

And I never plan to buy a Mac until perhaps it's the Mac Mini.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

AMD E-350 processor is awful... even Ubuntu Linux. Using this case right now.










Even though I dislike Intel, I am going to replace this shebang with an Ivybridge Intel i5 processor/mobo soon.


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## fjf (Nov 4, 2014)

Albert7 said:


> I have been building my own computers for nearly 2 years now that I figured it out. It isn't too hard and saves a ton of money. I get my CPU/motherboard mostly from eBay to save me and use parts which are typically 2 generations back.
> 
> I am using for my main desktop a Fractal Design Define R4.
> 
> ...


Take a look here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Back in the day, when I could still see to solder components to the motherboard, I built 3 PCs. One of them actually functioned.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I used to build my own PCs in the days that it was an economic necessity for me. Just like tinker toys. I'm not sure there's much of a price advantage any more.

Still, it's good to be able to easily replace failing components -- video cards with fans are a repeating issue for me. My son had a hard disk failure on his nice Apple notebook and the replacement (from Apple) cost twice as much as my whole computer!


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

The good old days. I remember having to install a scanner interface card where you also had to select the IRQ for the scanner by switching jumpers on the motherboard and then editing the ini file to tell the scanner which IRQ to use. Much like like setting up a soundblaster card.

Nowadays, you just things in and they work! Where's the fun in that?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Ah yes. IRQ conflicts. Sometimes hard to find. It was complicated by the fact that many cards could be set for only two or maybe three IRQs and with several cards it might be logically impossible to find a combination that would work!

In those days, before Windows, every major program might come with its own video and printer drivers. I won't even get into the problems that caused...


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

My husband does computer work for a living. He's built all
My computers for he since I was 18.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

KenOC said:


> In those days, before Windows, every major program might come with its own video and printer drivers. I won't even get into the problems that caused...


And that was if you were lucky. I remember having to set up drivers for a new printer on Wordstar - using DDT to write into the file yet!


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## Clara (Jul 24, 2015)

Taggart said:


> And that was if you were lucky. I remember having to set up drivers for a new printer on Wordstar - using DDT to write into the file yet!


I built my first computer when I was 11 I will be 16 this year). If I recall correctly the PC was running Windows 98 at first and then Windows 2000 and eventually Windows XP came along.

I am not old enough have had lived through and expedience the times Taggart and Ken have mentioned. Things were obviously very different back in the days when home computing was in it's infancy and still dare is say "niche". Likely due to the level of knowledge one had to have to operate the computer. This requirement has been removed or at least greatly removed.

However I have dabbled with Unix well BSD and Linux which offer a Command-Line installer which is my preferred method of getting things done.

Although things have moved on quite considerably and the Linux Repos for most major distrobutions are quite comprehensive when I first installed Linux (circa 2000 - 2001) it was quite hard to get drivers for most of my hardware and you had know how to work with Linux to get things to run.

Although not identical it sounds somewhat similar to your printer driver scenario although I may be wrong.

I currently use Windows 8.1 (soon to be Windows 10) and Arch Linux on my PC. I also use Mac OS X 10.9 "Mavericks" on my laptop and Mac Pro. I also have a mini-PC that runs Open BSD.

I've in the middle of building a new computer just now. It will be my first overclocked system and I'm am in looking forward to it. I've had to raise the money myself though so it has taken me a long time. I'm holding out for a Geforce GTX Titan Z. :devil:

Clara


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

My eldest has built a couple of his "gaming" computers 
High spec, liquid cooled, overclocked
This got me interested in computers
I don't build them, however, I won't run Windows (tm) or Apple (tm) OS on them
I play with different Linux distros and enjoy, playing under the hood.


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## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I don't do it to save money but to get what I want and the possibility of upgrading everything. It has to be said if it hasn't PC Part picker is awesome if you're new and even if you're not.


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## georgedelorean (Aug 18, 2017)

Haven't done this yet for myself, though I've helped others with theirs.


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