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Community weekly poll: Have you ever built your own computer?
- 3/23/06 1:20 PM
WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY
by mrcheeks - 3/24/06 7:07 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
The best part about computers is, somebody else makes them. It's like pumpkin pie filling - you buy the can instead of making it from scratch.
If I wanted to build a computer, I would need to:
1)research components on CNET (this would be ok, i could do it from work)
2)shop at Fry's. Arrgh! Scratch my eyes out!
3)futz about all weekend with components that were never meant to work together (that's why they're sold separately!)
4)troubleshoot arcane problems for the entire lifecycle of my computer.
It can be fun to assemble a custom computer. But the only reason it is difficult is because the component manufacturers abdicate all responsibility for making sure their hardware and software plays nice with others. It's too hard to fix these problems after the fact. I don't need a battle of the minds in which I pit my brainpower against the laziness of engineers around the world. My time is too valuable to me.
Not a waste of time or money!
by tombpsyco - 3/24/06 8:24 AM In reply to: WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY by mrcheeksI just bought a new MSI motherboard with a AMD Semperon 2.2ghz, Antec case, and 1gig of RAM. All purchased for under $300. Put it together with harddrivers and CD drives from my Dads old EMachine. Reloaded Windows2000 Pro and other programs, updated everything! in 3 hours. He took it home 7 weeks ago with no problems at all! No it wasn't luck. I've been building comps for over ten years, and have never had any of the problems you talk about with any comp.
Just like anything you bild for yourself, you'll appreciate it more.
Agree
by Kutusov - 3/24/06 6:39 PM In reply to: Not a waste of time or money! by tombpsycoMy computer has been with me forever as it is constantly evolving. There isn’t a single original screw left by now… And building and upgrading the thing is great fun as you learn because you have to research, you get always a better machine for less money (really, man!!) and even better, you get the machine you need. There is just one problem…. Your friends who bought already built machines will call you every time the thing has a problem :-))
BIG! Waste of time and money
by mikebellman - 3/25/06 9:00 AM In reply to: WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY by mrcheeksI certainly have the talent. But my time is important. Additionally, you can't put a price on
(1) Windows included
(2) Warranty
(3) extended warranty
(4) components GUARANTEED to work right out of the box and drivers disks INCLUDED
(5) included software
I do often MODIFY an existing computer (RAM, HDD, CD) or replace failed parts (Power supply, HDD, video etc...) *BUT* I feel that it's important to have a motherboard, CPU, Processor, drivers and Windows in an all-inclusive package. I hope I don't sound snobbish or elitist,
I just don't get a thrill from what amounts to a VERY expensive hobby which ultimately leads to building for a lot of people a time-wasting product- Games, chat, contests, posting inane replies on c|net - oh wait, I'm doing it myself. 
Not a waste of time.
by Jr252 - 3/25/06 10:23 AM In reply to: BIG! Waste of time and money by mikebellmanDispite the FUD that Microsft might throw out, all but a few peices of hardware are supported on Linux, even things like the latest motherboard chipsets. And as far as included software goes, you don't need to buy anything else if you buy one of the major Linux distributions except for maybe antivirus software or games. Everything else that Windows and Mac users pay extra for comes on the CDs or DVD that you get. Maybe you don't get a warranty, but how often do you really need to use it?From what I've experienced in the past 11 years, the warranty is usually long expired before I would have need of it. And for what it's worth, I have a 340 MB hard drive that I bought used that is still functional and it's at least 12 years old.
Driver Disk?
by Ralphdb - 3/29/06 1:01 PM In reply to: BIG! Waste of time and money by mikebellmanI don't know who you buy from but all my drivers came with the Drivers CD ready to load...
Sad
by Ralphdb - 3/29/06 12:59 PM In reply to: WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY by mrcheeksMaybe not to you, but the build I did I bought all hardware off line. Just making sure it was compatible with Windows XP .. No Problems plus my build would have cost in the Box 2500. but I built mine with 22" Monitor for $1800. You don't have to be a engineer just a Assembler...
I rebuilt my home computer.
by taantyke - 3/24/06 7:18 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
My desktop was about 5 years old and it still worked great but was getting just a little slow. Pentium 3 1 ghz with 512 mb of ram. I wanted to process home movies and it was just a bit too slow. I looked around and checked prices for a new processor and purchased an AMD 2 ghz with a new mother board and a new video card. Everything went fine until I tried to install the new motherboard in the old tower case. The mother board fit OK but the switch assembly would not work with the new motherboard so I had to purchase a new tower case also. I used all the old components - 40 gig hdd and 120 gig hdd. And then the fun began. Windows XP Pro would not boot, to make a long story short I tracked the problem down to the new video card and its drivers. I did not uninstall the old video card drivers and win XP did not like that. At the present time all is well and I do like the AMD processor. Would I do it again -yes- in a heartbeat.
Built to last.
by tombpsyco - 3/24/06 7:57 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
I've built every computer for myself except for the first one. The longest one has run, nonstop (no reboots,win2000 pro), is just over a year. The shortist time I've owned a computer was 3 weeks. I let a friend build that one. My current comp is 3 years old.
Soyo Dragon board
Duron 1.1ghz
1/2gig RAM
Xtasy 128 RAM Vid
Soundblaster Live
LG DVD Burner
Maxtor 20gig primary
Maxtor 40gig
Maxtor 80gig
I've been building comps since the 386 days. The first operating system I dealt with was DOS 4.0.
If you've never built a comp maybe you should try it, you might just what makes your comp tick.
I did build a computer, BUT
by razz84 - 3/24/06 7:58 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
Building a computer drom scratch is easy. That is, it`s easy as far as putting the parts, ribbons, memory, power supply, etc where they belong,BUT, the problem seems to come up when you get to the BIOS info, and the software installation. Being a novice, I wasn`t sure how to set up the BIOS to make everything work just right. It can be done, but little quirky things keep popping up that need to be corrected, but I can`t seem to fix. If you`re going to build one, I`d suggest you have someone that is familiar with all the little ins and outs of the registry around.
First computer: motherboard nailed to side of desk
by n0lqu - 3/24/06 8:12 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
My first IBM-compatible computer was a 286 motherboard literally nailed to the side of my desk, alongside my Amiga 1200 motherboard also nailed to the side of my desk. Power supply feeding both computers on the top of my desk, SCSI hard drive attached to both motherboards also on the top on my desk -- I was playing with both computers being able to use the same SCSI hard drive at the same time (SCSI was supposed to have that ability and I couldn't afford to buy a second hard drive). Power and ribbon cables all over the place, ISA cards just hanging without being screwed on to anything.
When I upgraded to a 386 or a 486, I started running into reliability problems so I cut an old IBM PC (8088) case to give me just the base and the backplane so I'd have a place to screw the ISA cards into and get the proper grounding and relieve the stress on the connector. Nailed that case to the side of my desk. Eventually I found a large 8x5.25'' bay tower computer case and moved everything into it (now sitting beside rather than nailed to the side) -- I found a place I could squeeze the Amiga into, and both are still in that same tower today. The two computers are no longer interconnected; ATX power supplies made sharing power supplies harder (I didn't want the PC to decide to turn the Amiga off) and hard drives got cheap enough that I moved both computers to separate IDE drives. And of course I've gone through countless motherboard and OS upgrades on the IBM side, currently running an Athlon 64 processor, 768MB RAM, and Windows 98SE. I don't believe I have ever actually reloaded an OS on this computer; it is currently DOS upgraded to Windows 3.1 upgraded to Windows 95 upgraded to Windows 98 upgraded to Windows 98SE; so I can still find the old DOS stuff around the hard drive. In a sense, this is still my original computer even though every single piece has changed over the years (except maybe the floppy drive and/or floppy drive cable) -- the changes were always one little piece here, another little piece there.
Linux is more likely my next OS upgrade rather than XP, though -- XP tries to take too much control over my computer, Microsoft keeps trying to force things I don't want like Internet Explorer and Media Player on me, and I don't like having to worry that changing out a piece of hardware will require repeated reactivations. Linux can go from so bare-bones it fits on a floppy up to as bloated and disk space wasteful as XP, but *I* get the freedom to choose which pieces I do or do not want. It's mainly the games that have kept me on 98 so far, and so far 98 has continued to run the games, even the newer ones that say XP only.
I have actually never bought a complete desktop IBM-compatible system for myself. Notebook computers, yes, non-Wintel computers, yes, my several IBM-compatable Desktops, No -- all home-brew.
Twice, but
by sharee100 - 3/24/06 8:13 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
My first build I researched thoroughly, I thought. I even bought "Building a PC for Dummies". A friend who had just finished building his first pc helped me. It took me almost a year to get everything running smoothly. I hated doing it. But I was hooked. I built another one. I rebuilt a couple of computers. That was a little easier, but there were more system conflicts. I hated doing it. But I was hooked. I'm already shopping for parts to build a new pc.
Yes I have built about six
by WilliamKazak - 3/24/06 8:17 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
The two I am currently using,I built them both.It is the only way for me to go.I have built around five others before these two.I took classes at New Horizons Computer Learning Center so I know how.
The reason I build my own is that,as a photographer,I like multiple hard drives.I have four HD's in each computer.What really convinced me was when I was reworking my first computer,a Compaq.They could have had a customer for life along with McAfee but they both blew it-big time with me.
The installation disc for the Compaq included proprietary programs.It was real difficult to do a fresh install when I had upgraded the sound and video card because the installation disc included programs for the old cards which were no longer on the computer.Also,I want the OS on a seperate disc which was not the case with Compaq.It was all bundled together on two Compaq installation discs.To top it off,the motherboard programs were on the Compaq installation disc as well.I could only upgrade the memory so far then I had to get a board which meant a new case which meant-well lets forget about Compaq now and forever.The same thing probably applies with HP and Gateway so I just build my own.
I have built or partially built my own for some time.
by richardbpor - 3/24/06 8:18 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
I have built or partially built my own for some time.
I started to build my own since the early 1990 when I discovered I was ripped off by a dealer. I purchased a 286 12mhz but I got was an over clocked 286 10mhz processor.
I usually partially build the system that is I have the motherboard assembled and tested at the shop and build the rest at home. In this way, I know the motherboard was working and configured right upon receipt. Since temping at a major firm that build CPUs, I have been building, setting up, debugging, and testing engineering motherboards all day, I have the competence to build my own system from scratch.
Does building an OS count?
by ryuko098 - 3/24/06 8:20 AM In reply to: Have you ever built your own computer? by Marc Bennett
Well, I don't yet have the $ to go about building my own system, and old PC's & parts are a little hard to come by around here, but that has long been something I would love to do.
I've done tweaks, hardware upgrades, etc. But my most prized accomplishment was converting my iBook G3 600 ("Late 2001 Dual USB") into a modern Linux machine. I got Gentoo running on it (boy was that hard!), but eventually switched to Fedora Core 4, which is easier -- I plan on switching back when I get more familiar with Linux. These experiences taught me a lot about computers -- especially the roadblocks encountered using the PPC architecture. Unlike running traditional OS's, Linux users have the mind set of being able to customize and do anything they want, thanks largely to open-source. It's wonderful!
As soon as i get the money saved up, I will begin purchasing parts for a new computer (probably with some used/refurb parts) that will hopefully retain some of the glory of an Apple machine with the flexibility of a Linux OS.
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