Building your own computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter whitneyl
  • Start date Start date
I'm sorry, Flasherly but I stopped trying to read your posts
a while ago. Google's translation services don't yet offer a
Flasherly unobfuscator. Too much effort is required. I have
trouble with outsourced tech support, also.
 
Paul said:
As an example, let's pretend to buy a Dell computer, then put a
better processor in it. Does Dell have a web page telling you
what processors fit ?
Click to expand...

Last time I checked, they have a good website full of information
about each of the computers they sell, including significant
technical information. More than what you get from a component
manufacturer or retailer.
Dell might use a BTX design, with a single combo fan/cooler,
Click to expand...

I'm sure he could tell.
The custom design, can function as a "lock-in" of the customer.

Lots of people will have modified their Dells, but it's a lot
harder depending on the situation. Can you upgrade a Dell
motherboard BIOS ? Does it have settings to adjust the memory
timing parameters of that new memory you bought. The memory that
needs 2.1V to meet timing ?

So yes, on the face of it, pre-built systems have the ability to
be upgraded, but the devil is in the details.
Click to expand...

They have a variety of types, probably some more easy to upgrade
than others.
If you want the absolute best, you can buy an Alienware, with
the hottest hardware available for purchase in it. But you'll
also be handing them $1000 profit right off the top, for the
privilege. (Price versus material cost.)
Click to expand...

Right, if he has the money. Apparently Dell sells them.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/desktops.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn
There's no getting around it - like a lot of things in life, it
has a certain "market efficiency". There's no "something for
nothing". It's a matter of how important this is to you, as to
what approach you use.

I like a prebuilt system, because I can buy an operating system
package with the right attributes. If the OS is nice enough,
that it might be worth reinstalling, I can buy a "retail"
version. If the OS isn't that wonderful,
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that everybody knows what to expect after a
Windows OS has been out for a while. Microsoft has a big
following, whether their followers like it or not.
I can buy an "OEM" version, which can't be transfered from
machine to machine. But that's better than the "Dell approach",
where the OS is a dead loss as soon as you get it.
Click to expand...

A dead loss?

I would remove all of the garbage software that they junk into it.
I would find out in a big hurry how workable their included
version of Windows is. From what I can see, if they include a
restore CD, that has Windows without the bloatware. I have been
able to work my neighbors Dell computer easily enough. I'm sure
some models are more upgradable than others.

At some time in the past, Dell sold Linux desktop PCs.

As for calling Dell... If the original poster doesn't know enough
to be able to use a prebuilt system, he definitely shouldn't be
planning to build his own.

Besides upgradability, most critical to me would be the ability to
backup the system using Macrium Reflect. Now that I have a cheap
750 GB secondary hard drive, making copies of the 32 GB Windows
partition/drive is pretty much limitless.
--
 
If you want the absolute best, you can buy an Alienware

* Internal "theater" Lighting
* Over 25 billion possible system lighting combinations with AlienFX

For the man with everything...
 
I'm sorry, Flasherly but I stopped trying to read your posts
a while ago. Google's translation services don't yet offer a
Flasherly unobfuscator. Too much effort is required. I have
trouble with outsourced tech support, also.
Click to expand...

Can't say the same, but perhaps that wouldn't be so strange a
provision were I first to admit the notion of cloning aliases lacks a
certain appeal to causality.
 
If I considered Dell, I would look at their small-business computers.
Click to expand...

Ack!

The one I built this morning is a Farmer in the Dell knock-off. I
bought the board, a Gigabyte, based on knowing that Gigabyte has a
fair to middling reputation (need I not further mention cheapamento).
Wish I'd swung a Gigabyte, one with solid-state capacitors, instead
now. Ended up doing some research on my board, and, at the time, it
was engineered by Gigabyte for Dell's answer to corporate server
needs. At that time, as I did mention cheap. Couple that with having
sat on a shelf awhile before I built it. Nothing major, it's still
newly packaged in the original box, after all ... so what's a year or
two storage between builds. This. Bam, right off the bat, first time
fired up, I go to do some binary transfers in its native (DOS) mode
and it's slower than dogshit. My transfer rates on two ASUS boards
are x4 faster, ditto anything native on DOS USB support or DVD
writes. How do I know this? . . .because it's a no-brainer Gigabyte/
Dell board, with practically nothing adjustable about it, meant to go
went right away into a rebadged DELL, self-contained to fire up for
DELL(tm) corporate server reality. Once, and that's only once, did it
misfire and reveal its fault by transferring files in the DOS
environment the way they should be. And then it was impressive, very,
faster than both ASUS boards. What a letdown of a friggin' tease.
For the time it'll be a server of multimedia, where I otherwise don't
rely on a fair amount DOS binary transfers. Thankfully, I've got
another ASUS MB in tiptop shape, no surprise there, and won't have to
rely on the Gigabyte.

Although it's purely my own personal prejudice, there was only one
computer made that consistently never skimped -- and that was ol'
Heavey Iron, Big Blue, pay-thru-the-nose IBM. The rest are
"accessorised" on the outside to hide shit-cutting corners that makes
up profits on an inside build. Chalk one up to advertnauseum and
never really having bought a computer. I got lucky early on and got
to hang with a bunch of electronics repairmen -- they play the game a
little differently from an inside perspective, depending on their
"contacts" -- some of which I learned, aside from being taught
basically to assemble from day one.
 
It's a heck of a lot easier than it used to be.  You can't beat the price
on a low-end purchased system, but that's not what you want.
Depending upon how you define "high-end" and "state-of-the-art,"
and your specific needs, it could be as simple as screwing a few things
into a case and connecting a few wires.  Windows 7 practically installs
itself.  You can pick a case that *you* like.


You seem reasonably intelligent.  You don't write incredibly long,
often nonsensical non-sentences like Flasherly.  The fact that you
are even considering it is a virtual guarantee of success!  There are
lots of knowledgeable people here who would be happy to help with
parts selection and warn of possible pitfalls.

So... gaming?  Video encoding? Overclocking?  AMD or Intel?  Budget?
Click to expand...

Good Advice. By State of the Art and Superfast, I simply mean i want
a machine that will last a long time without the need to buy another
machine in few years. I like the idea of a Solid State Drive for
quick boot up of the OS, but only HP seems to offer that option, and I
think it's overpriced, especially when if you choose the SSD, they
don't give you the free HDD Upgrade. I also want to get the most
memory I can afford,( HDD, Main Memory and Video Memory), and I want
USB 3.0, ESata, and HDMI Connectors. I'm not a Gamer, but I do want
the best machine I can afford (speed and capabilities), because I
don't know what I'm going to want to do with the machine in the
future. Right now, I do a lot of Downloading and Burning Movies and
Music. I also do a lot of Powerpoint, Word Processing, and
Spreadsheet Manipulation. In the future, I may dabble a bit in Video
Editing, but I really don't do much of that now. I do quite a bit of
Database Manipulation using ACT and Outlook, but I may need to run
Lotus Notes in the future (due to work related requirements). I've
replaced a HDD Previously, and I've installed a CD/DVD Burner in the
past, so I've got a little experience under the hood. My big concerns
with building my own system are: 1.) How to get help if something
isn't working like expected. 2.) Warranty Issues. 3.) Compatibility
of selected components 4.) Time (I'm a little impatient, so if the
build is going to be time consuming, I won't be a happy camper). I
do like a challenge, but I think in the interest of time, I'm just
going to go with an off the shelf customizable system from HP, Dell or
Perhaps Lenovo. HP seems to offer the most customizable options, but
Dell is a close second. No one offers exactly the combination of
components and software I want at a somewhat reasonable price.

Thanks for your comments.
 
Some of the larger computer supply establishments here will quote on and
build a computer to your own specifications. You do the research and
work out what components are the best for your. Any pricing
differential, + or -, is offset by the fact that the entire unit is
warranted by the builder. It can be a hassle haggling over warrantable
items if you build up the computer yourself.

The only computer I built from scratch was a Q6600 Quadcore machine a
few years back, early 2008 if I recall correctly. The only component
that has died has been the NVidia GS8500 video card and it was well out
of warranty. I recently upgraded the RAM to 8 Gig and added a new Video
card. I might add, I have only just begun using the machine seriously as
it was way overkill for my needs. Now that I'm tinkering with virtual
machines, it's getting a bit of use but it still isn't my primary
computer. The trap therefore is that you can end up with a computer that
suits your desires but not your needs. You see, "state of the art" and
"superfast" are way overkill for the needs of nearly all save extreme
gamers. Since I'm not a gamer of note, a dual core Pentium and a 6 year
old G5 PowerMac Dual Processor serve 99% of my needs. The Dual Core
Pentium is capable of running virtual machines but the Quad does it so
much better!  ;-)
Click to expand...

Hi Krpsis,

Thanks for your comments. I don't really know of any "good"
independent houses that can build up a system for me. I'm probably
going to buy a customizable system from HP, Dell or Lenovo. If I was
retired, and had a lot of time to kill, I would probably take on the
challenge of building my own system. Right now, I don't think I would
have the patience to do it myself, although the idea is intriguing.

Larry
 
whitneyl said:
Good Advice. By State of the Art and Superfast, I simply mean i want
a machine that will last a long time without the need to buy another
machine in few years. I like the idea of a Solid State Drive for
quick boot up of the OS, but only HP seems to offer that option, and I
think it's overpriced, especially when if you choose the SSD, they
don't give you the free HDD Upgrade. I also want to get the most
memory I can afford,( HDD, Main Memory and Video Memory), and I
want USB 3.0, ESata, and HDMI Connectors.
Click to expand...

I don't have a SSD. I have a Samsung F3 for my system drive. Nothing
I run takes that long to load, and I have 8 GB of memory, so I just leave
everything running and use Sleep. Another Internet Explorer window?
It just snaps open.
I'm not a Gamer, but I do want the best machine I can afford (speed
and capabilities), because I don't know what I'm going to want to do
with the machine in the future. Right now, I do a lot of Downloading
and Burning Movies and Music. I also do a lot of Powerpoint, Word
Processing, and Spreadsheet Manipulation. In the future, I may
dabble a bit in Video Editing, but I really don't do much of that now.
I do quite a bit of Database Manipulation using ACT and Outlook,
but I may need to run Lotus Notes in the future (due to work related
requirements). I've replaced a HDD Previously, and I've installed a
CD/DVD Burner in the past, so I've got a little experience under the
hood. My big concerns with building my own system are:
Click to expand...
1.) How to get help if something isn't working like expected.
2.) Warranty Issues. 3.) Compatibility of selected components
4.) Time (I'm a little impatient, so if the build is going to be time
consuming, I won't be a happy camper).
Click to expand...

How about an assembled and tested CPU, Motherboard, and Memory
combo from Mwave, Axiontech, or similar?

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch.asp?scriteria=BA47494
Axiontech also offers an assembly and testing service.

http://www.axiontech.com/subcat.php?cat=SERVICES&sub1=ASSEMBLY

Try the Z68 Sandy Bridge graphics-- some motherboards have an HDMI
output. If inadequate, the ATI HD 5770 / 6770 sure runs cool and quiet.
 
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