I think now ive decided on my motherboard, processor, and video card:
EVGA 9800 GTX
XFX 750i motherboard
Intel Core 2 duo 2.8 ghz
I can build my system but i can’t buy my system because its mine…
What do you mean??
Go to Toms Hardware for a lot of useful info.
Sounds like a great summer project. Speaking from experience:
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While doing just about anything to the PC have it unplugged. Not just off. I burned up a Pentium 4 2.4GHz processor once because I plugged in the motherboard power connector while the PC was off but still plugged in.
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Certain components must go in and out in order depending upon the case. For example it may be difficult to get to the RAM without removing a disk drive.
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Before touching “green” stuff, make sure to touch the case (metal) first. This will make sure that any static charges in your body are released onto a grounded surface. I have never had issues with static but everyone and their mother seems to obsess over it.
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Pins are easally bent. be careful but know that some connectors require a fair amount of force to make them mate. Just line them up and push (please no jokes).
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Things will go wrong with hardware. You will turn on a machine and find it crash or find that a hard drive isn’t being recognized correctly. Don’t worry. use logic and diagnostics to find what you did wrong. 99% of the time the hardware is fine just not plugged in exactly the right way (or jumper settings wrong, etc).
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If something went bad (really bad) the best signifier is your nose. A mentor on our team has an expression: “all electronics run on magic smoke; when the smoke leaves, the device stops working.” This “smoke” isn’t usually as visible as you’d think but you can smell it. It has a very distinct smell that equals dead, never ever going to work again, hardware.
Can’t think of any more, other people are welcome to add to the list.
-Cody
basicxman submitted an article to Servo Magazine for the Appetizer Column. It was printed in the JUN-2008 issue. He was 13 years old.
I would ask him what he needed to do to get it submitted…
(See Thread, SERVO Magazine)