How difficult is it for a newbie to build a PC?

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uluvbs

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
134
Is this a 10-hour project? A 20-hour project?

Am I better off just buying a Dell and adding in a video card and extra sticks of RAM? Are most of their desktops easily upgradable?

Thank you.
 
It's really not bad at all. As long as you're willing to put the time in the properly research the parts first, builds should go off without a hitch (assuming no DOA or anything like that). The biggest time sink for me is always getting all the settings the way I like them and had them before. The actual physical build usually doesn't take all that long depending on the ease of the case you're working in. Also, corsair has a pretty comprehensive guide from the beginning stages to overclocking which could come in handy:

http://tools.corsairmemory.com/systembuild/report.aspx?report_id=12472
 
Is it correct that, if you order all the right components, you could build a sturdy system in less than an hour?? That sounds like a ridiculously short time when I hear about having to use thermal paste and "lapping" the heatsink.

My concern is really the amount of time connecting and installing everything. Thank you.
 
uluvbs said:
Is it correct that, if you order all the right components, you could build a sturdy system in less than an hour?? That sounds like a ridiculously short time when I hear about having to use thermal paste and "lapping" the heatsink.

My concern is really the amount of time connecting and installing everything. Thank you.
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Applying the thermal paste isn't as difficult as the name implies. You just squirt a little on the cpu and stick the heatsink to it. It's actually pretty quick. Also, you really don't have to lap the heatsink. Generally speaking, the people that do that are looking to lower temperatures by a degree or two or are fixing a problem with a poorly made heatsink. It definitely happens, but unless you get a bad heatsink or a bowed chip, it's also not necessary. It will probably take you longer than an hour to get everything put together - especially if it's your first build - but it also probably won't take much more than 2 or 3 hours total to get everything plugged in. That doesn't take into account the time required for installing the OS, programs, tweaking, etc, but for just the hardware portion, I don't think an hour or two is too far off the mark.
 
If you know what you're doing, a typical build will take 30mins to assemble (not neatly). It will take another hour or so installing windows/drivers and any other apps you want.

Since its your first time, it will take you alot longer. Probably 2 hours. If you have a friend who knows what he's doing, he can help you get it done within an hour. Applying the TIM is alot easier these days with the IHS on the newer CPUs. And no, you most likely won't need to lap your heatsink.
 
uluvbs said:
Is it correct that, if you order all the right components, you could build a sturdy system in less than an hour?? That sounds like a ridiculously short time when I hear about having to use thermal paste and "lapping" the heatsink.

My concern is really the amount of time connecting and installing everything. Thank you.
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took thirty minutes building the rig in my sig, i was 15. that SupraSkylineSTI guy is a prick. its a little more complex and just saiyng hes 15 doesnt sum it up. study what you are going to do, before you do it, and you wont run in to any problems.

thermal paste is easy, just a dab on the cpu about the size of a grain of rice, and youre done :)

BTW, that 30 minute figure is with NO wire management, and before installing windows :) the most time consuming process, was making sure i had the standoffs in the right spots :p (and i invariably lost one so i had to look for it :p )

seriously, if you need any help, just PM me :) it seems like its a gigantic, looming, problematic thing, mostly because its so expensive, but its really not too hard :) almost everything can only go in one way, so there isnt much room for error :)
 
it likely took me like 10+ hours. (my case is a p180 though). I was taking my time just making sure I got it done right. It's not really difficult (I'd say the hardest part was putting the motherboard in the case), but it may be time consuming for you.
 
took me about 25mins to assemble and about 10 mins to install windows. THen i spent another 2 hours on wire mangement.
Its not to difficult.
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being guru level, i give building a computer about a 2. And the reason not a one is if you run into problems with DOA hardware :D
 
It's easy, trust me. Once you've decided to build your own, post your budget on these here forums under General Hardware and we'll help you with hardware choices.
 
In between a good mobo manual and a second computer to go online with you should have absolutely no problem at all. You will never figure it out if you don't try. I built (more so just put everything together and connected all the connectors) my own a 7yrs ago and just moved everything to a new case last month with absolutely no problems.

My motherboard is pretty well labeled and I just need to look at the markings on it to see that the cpu fan goes where the mobo says cpu fan and so on. Just read up on the basics like having a lit, clean workstation. Don't put stuff on the carpet, watch for drinks etc. Stupid mistakes and hurrying up and forcing stuff were my first mistakes.
 
To the op.. you can do it. Just take your time, don't think that you have to have it done in 20 minutes, it's not a race. Set aside an entire weekend to put your rig together if you want... and enjoy the process. I'm honestly amazed that nobody here has pointed out how much fun it can be to build your own machine, and once it's done, and you fire it up... the sense of satisfaction is.....well.....trust me, it's great.

And, if something goes wrong, understand that shit happens... but you know where to turn for help.
 
After trying to find parts etc for older dell desktops that people I know have bought I would never buy their stuff again. I usually have to format the drives anyways to get rid of the preloaded stuff so it just makes more sense to buy the parts/cases I like and do the install myself. You can buy from dell and not worry about it but here you got a chance to learn something new. Take it.
 
Building a PC is not only easy, but rewarding. You know every part inside it, you remember every step you took, and you get the enjoyment of building it yourself, rather than just plugging it in. I built my first one with my brother in 2001. The one I use now I built by myself, and I have to say... nothing could be easier. Do post again with a budget and list of things you want to do with it before you order parts though. These forums are a great place to get new suggestions.
 
I dont know if anyone else has mentioned it, or if im just crazy, but for the first few days, everything will seem to be wierd, and then it will settle down, and be a perfect little angel. on all computers i have built, this has happened :D

anyone else seem to notice that? whether you change nothing, or change things drastically, all rigs i seem to build act unstable for a few days then settle in perfectly :p
 
I think I was 14 when I built my first rig, bought with my own money *cough*

The last PC my parents bought for me was a Pentium 3 850Mhz lappy
 
Its really easy(im only 16) I was able to build the rig in my sig pretty quick the most time consuming part is the wire management supraskylinesti claims to have built his pc in 30min sure I believe him but I dont belive his wire management would of been very good,planning and research is the biggest part of building a machine.
 
My concern is really the amount of time connecting and installing everything. Thank you.
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Ok now that all the "I can build it in x with one hand tied behind my back and a small dog chewing at my ankle" is over with.

First time build for a OC machine.

Set aside an entire weekend to do a good high quality job. Start to finish.

9 am till you cant stand it any more or get tired, if tired STOP before you do something silly.

Remember you have to install the OS and drivers and your applications and tweak the overclock at least a little.

Get lapping materials, - not counted. Trip to lowes, pane of glass and wet and dry sandpaper.

Pull instructions and manuals out of packages and read ahead of time, not counted. dont unpack it all the way till ready to build.

The thing you have to really consider is how much you will learn, it can be fun if you like building or creating things, and the satisifaction of doing it yourself, even if it takes a week. Go slow and methodical, and after you build 4 or 5, you too can brag that you can put a machine together in x hours with your wife yapping at your the whole time and actually have it boot on the first try.

If the above doesnt float your boat, then get someone else to build it.
 
Omega I'm not flaming anyone. However, i am criticizing the stupid comments that have no meaningful value to the OP other than as bragging points. The OP is not interested in stroking anyone's ego. Son any of the thousands of builders here can install a computer in less than an hour but that means shit to the OP. Grow up or grow some balls and take criticism thats only intended for your comments and not to the person. In fact this was a general criticism, i had no one in particular in mind.

Second. wire management is secondary to making sure your computer runs. Whats the point of wire managing for 3 hours when you might have to troubleshoot and unplug things because something goes wrong. Any seasoned building well tell you that aesthetics comes after you benchmarked and tested your system. And omega, how hard is it to unplug and replug wires to an 'expert' who only takes 30 minutes to build the damn thing from ground up?
 
noesis said:
Omega I'm not flaming anyone. However, i am criticizing the stupid comments that have no meaningful value to the OP other than as bragging points. The OP is not interested in stroking anyone's ego. Son any of the thousands of builders here can install a computer in less than an hour but that means shit to the OP. Grow up or grow some balls and take criticism thats only intended for your comments and not to the person. In fact this was a general criticism, i had no one in particular in mind.

Second. wire management is secondary to making sure your computer runs. Whats the point of wire managing for 3 hours when you might have to troubleshoot and unplug things because something goes wrong. Any seasoned building well tell you that aesthetics comes after you benchmarked and tested your system. And omega, how hard is it to unplug and replug wires to an 'expert' who only takes 30 minutes to build the damn thing from ground up?
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A) i wasnt taking any of youre criticizm to heart, i KNOW it was a general comment, i was asking whether you included my comments in the scope of that. and now you HAVE turned it into a flame with the grow up or grow some balls comment :rolleyes:

second, wire management doesnt mean it is going to be hard to unplug ANYTHING. with how i have my wires set up, i can remove my motherboard, and RMA it, without losing the positioning of anything, and only have to remove one other PSU wire. (graphics card) and i HAD to do that to RMA it.
 
Omega you are sidetracking this thread. Go bitch somewhere else. For the last time.I AM RESPONDING TO A GENERAL COMMENT. Have some respect for the OP. This is my last response to you. Our exchange is not helping the OP so either provide constructive comments or go give your sniffles to your clergy, mommy, or spouse but this thread is not your personal sandbox.
 
0mega and noesis, take a step away and chill please. ( Consider this a warning)

As many people have said it is rewarding to build a pc yourself. It will take you time, estimates from 1 to 4 hours on your first build are realistic. Also, if you can, have a second pc going so you can post questions here as issues arrise.

The other best piece of advice that was giving in this thread, start with just the essentials. (Motherboard, CPU, memory, hard drive cd/dvd drive and vid card.) After those are installed, just add one piece of hardware at a time, and install drivers one at a time to verify that they didn't break anything.

Be patient and deliberate and I bet that it will go fairly smoothly.
 
zoobaby said:
0mega and noesis, take a step away and chill please. ( Consider this a warning)

As many people have said it is rewarding to build a pc yourself. It will take you time, estimates from 1 to 4 hours on your first build are realistic. Also, if you can, have a second pc going so you can post questions here as issues arrise.

The other best piece of advice that was giving in this thread, start with just the essentials. (Motherboard, CPU, memory, hard drive cd/dvd drive and vid card.) After those are installed, just add one piece of hardware at a time, and install drivers one at a time to verify that they didn't break anything.

Be patient and deliberate and I bet that it will go fairly smoothly.
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i was chilled, but i digress...

another thing that wasnt mentioned, or i was too stoopid to see, do NOT use the drivers off of the CD's except for the motherboard. (for the integrated NIC's, nothing else :p ) go STRAIGHT to the manufacturer's site, and get the latest drivers first thing. before even installing firefox :O

if possible, use a PCI NIC rahter than the onboard just so you dont need to install the CD drivers :p
 
If I can inject my $0.02, After putting together a couple of rigs I found it much easier to just connect everything outside of the case before installing. It's easier to troubleshoot if you have any snags during building stage. Hell I usually install windows with everything outside the case as well. Once I know for sure that it can post, load windows, and have no conflicts with hardware ect. , I remove everything from mobo but the cpu and hsf. Now you have the opportunity to install everything in the case at your leisure knowing that it works. It gives you time for wire mangement (if you're into that and if not for shame) and any case modding you might be planning and such. Good luck! :)
 
built my first rig when i was 13. It was an Athlon Xp 3000+ with 512MB DDR400 Corsair XMS Ram, and a (shitty) eVGA 6200 AGP 8X

if you really have trouble, buy books and learn like I did :D
 
I just finished building my first PC the other night. All in all it took me about 10 hours over 2 nights. It seemed intimidating at first, but the hardest thing (IMO) is the instructions that come with the components. They read like Greek instructions and made no sense to me at times. I installed the CPU and RAM on the board out of the case. Then the PSU into the case, then the motherboard and the other stuff. My motherboard didn't tell me about the little pegs that suspend the motherboard from the case, and or which screws to use. A lot of my time was trial and error, and redoing the same thing 3 times to get it right. I was most fearful with installing the CPU. To me, it seemed like I needed to use a little more pressure than "Normal". I must have sat for 40 mins taking the chip out, inspecting, reinstalling and so on till I said screw it, used gentle force and Voila, it worked! My wiring skills are on par with Helen Keller. I need to go back in and redo it so it looks nice and neat and hopefully allows for improved cooling.

Like others said, take a weekend out of your time and do it slow. Its neat to learn what goes where, and why. Im actually looking forward to redoing the wiring so I can learn a little bit more. Plus it feels great when you turn it on for the first time and it works! Good luck with your build and definately have a 2nd PC so you can go on the net and research if you get stuck.
 
Let me echo ZooBaby's comments and remind you guys of the first rule you agreed to when you registered:

(1) Absolutely NO FLAMING OR NAME CALLING. Mutual respect and civilized conversation is the required norm.
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Calling someone "stupid" or a "moron" flies in the face of this. If you don't have anything constructive to add to the OP's thread, don't post. Keep it up and we will arrange administrative attention for folks. Completely up to you.
 
When you are building a computer, you have to figure research of parts and planning into the total time, so it's definitely going to take more than a couple hours. It may only take a couple three hours to build it and load windows and drivers (assuming no DOA), but the research and planning can be much more than that.

I built the current machine I'm typing this on and have been pleased overall. It's my first Intel build in years and I have been pretty pleased with it so far. Just remember that once you build your own you start to get the "upgrade bug" about every few months:) I already want to upgrade my DS3 to a Bad Axe 2:) Oh well. Just take your time and do your research and things will go well. THis is a good forum for researching first time computer builds.
 
Lyquist said:
When you are building a computer, you have to figure research of parts and planning into the total time, so it's definitely going to take more than a couple hours. It may only take a couple three hours to build it and load windows and drivers (assuming no DOA), but the research and planning can be much more than that.
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Agreed. I built my [first] machine a little over a year ago and I spent hours upon hours researching and looking for the best quality parts to get. The building part took a while for me because it was my first time doing it and was taking my time to get it right. I used a guide and that helped me a lot. Just make sure when you do build it, that you give yourself a lot of time to work on it. You dont want to do it at like 8PM because if it takes you long to do so (it probably will) then you probably wont finish it that day and you definetly will want to take a small break every now and then. Oh and build it on a table that is high enough. I built mine on a low table... BIG mistake. After like a couple hours my back was so sore and I could barely move. Thats about all the advice I can give ya.
 
My .02 from a long time builder.

I've been a builder for over 15 years and still enjoy the thrill of it all.
What I find most challenging now is picking and choosing the best/right
parts.

At first, it can be intimidating but once you understand the major
components and how they all work together it becomes simple
and easy to do. The guides mentioned in the first few threads
are good for this. There are always guys here willing to help also.
Some of these kids here can probably do rings around my builds.
I'd say forget the clock. Give yourself a good uniterrupted time
to assemble everything like a full weekend.
Best advice I can give is be patient with yourself.

One big advantage, I don't think has been mentioned, is that you become
your own tech support when things go wrong...and they do on occasion.
Leaning to troubleshoot things saves you from the somewhat terrible
tech support that major manufactures give like Dell.

It will also makes your next build easier and more satisfying.
 
Does anyone know of any other step by step guides on building....especially using the 680i motherboard, vista, and raid drives?
 
proprehab said:
Does anyone know of any other step by step guides on building....especially using the 680i motherboard, vista, and raid drives?
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RAID is just a setting in the BIOS, the 680i is the same as every other motherboard (basically. theres ALWAYS a difference, but the install procedure is the same :p ) , and vista isnt much different than XP except for driver compatibility :p Before you buy vista, MAKE SURE all of your parts have vista certified drivers. :)
 
its going to take a while, can take 2days with breaks.

my suggestions
dont rush!!
dont make stupid mistakes like leaving stuff out in the open and dont make the mistake my freind made and put stuff on carpet.
 
If you have no PC experience, mainly troubleshooting etc. and if this is a family computer I would be weary of building a PC. The physical build is not hard, but it is the little things and not knowing how to troubleshoot can become very frustrating. Not to mention if the computer has problems your significant others will be dependent on you to fix them.

Still building a PC is a great way to get into the hobby. I waited until I was around the age of 16 (21 now) before I built a PC and had Dells before that. My inital build was pretty painless, and I only had a memory problem that a buddy and I fixed.

It pays to do research. That is about the number 1 thing I would recommend for a first time build. Also go for the minimal build and stay away from tricky things such as Raid arrays, server setups etc.
 
xnikx said:
its going to take a while, can take 2days with breaks.

my suggestions
dont rush!!
dont make stupid mistakes like leaving stuff out in the open and dont make the mistake my freind made and put stuff on carpet.
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I think this advice, and the advice from msny, are great. Its a fun project and a good learning experience worth doing at least once if you are interested. Just allow yourself a lot of time and dont get intimidated. Dont worry about the more advanced stuff (like lapping a heat sink) or more extreme, exaggerated, opinions you may see (like ONLY XYZ procedure/gear is the way to go). Most of that talk comes from folks who are deeply into it and at it for a long time, and as a result, end up arguing over minutiae.

I've been building PCs for 20 years and Ive never lapped a heatsink :D Ive also never done any more extreme wire management than my current rig (pics over in the case forum). If you buy some basic stock parts and a decent stock case that you like and take your time and be patient, you can put together a nice PC with no problems. If you find that you really enjoy it and get seriously into it, you can worry about OCing, advanced cooling, insane anal techniques, scientific parts selection and car-show quality PC interiors/lighting down the road :cool:
 
It's easy if everything actually works out of the box. It sucks when you put everything together and something unforeseen happens. That being said, things typically aren't too hard to figure out with forums such as this one with a lot of people willing to help out or just plain common sense.
 
To put everything in there takes maybe and hour, to make it look neat, add 2-3 hours more depending how cluttered it is in there.
 
Building a decent normal/average spec PC (provided there are no problems) can take anywhere from 2-3 hrs including software installation. Another great thing about building your own PC is that it exponentially increases your knowledge about your own PC and PCs in general (especially if you have to troubleshoot a problem).

*Warning* - Once you start building PC's, you won't be able to stop. Having enough is never good enough and the more you use it, the more you want out of it. The smug sense of satisfaction that crosses your face after successfully booting up your own custom rig will addict you. Now ask yourself... do you really want our obsession? ;)



 
Dark Prodigy said:
*Warning* - Once you start building PC's, you won't be able to stop. Having enough is never good enough and the more you use it, the more you want out of it. The smug sense of satisfaction that crosses your face after successfully booting up your own custom rig will addict you. Now ask yourself... do you really want our obsession? ;)



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Indeed, computers are a complete money pit. I have no idea what I spent last year...and probably for good reason. If I did, I would probably be very mad at how much I spent. I know most of what I made last year went to computers.
 
protias said:
Indeed, computers are a complete money pit. I have no idea what I spent last year...and probably for good reason. If I did, I would probably be very mad at how much I spent. I know most of what I made last year went to computers.
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That is why I follow this wisdom after many years, my $.02 again.
Buy/build as high end a machine as possbile with quality parts ect.
Say it has a full life cycle of about four years apx. give or take.
At the end of the first 2 years consider it for upgrades like
audio,video,ram ect. and make sure that they cost no more
then 1/3 the orginial cost to buy/build.

Stay away from trends and gotta have's because it's hot or so and
so already has it. That and a wife that would kill me if I wen't nuts...

This has saved me a ton of $$ and I enjoy building even more when I do it.
 
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