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The New Coffee Room

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  3. Tell me about building a PC

Tell me about building a PC

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  • Doctor PhibesD Offline
    Doctor PhibesD Offline
    Doctor Phibes
    wrote on last edited by
    #88

    If you want to monkey about with build options, you can also take a look at https://www.newegg.com/tools/custom-pc-builder

    Newegg used to sell PC kits at various prices that were pretty much guaranteed to be compatible, but they seemed to have stopped doing that.

    I was only joking

    1 Reply Last reply
    • markM mark

      @jon-nyc Check out JayZ.

      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWQ0gDrqOCarmUKmppD7GQ

      He has some great videos on PC parts selection and building.

      jon-nycJ Online
      jon-nycJ Online
      jon-nyc
      wrote on last edited by
      #89

      @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

      @jon-nyc Check out JayZ.

      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWQ0gDrqOCarmUKmppD7GQ

      He has some great videos on PC parts selection and building.

      You just scared me. The home video is 'what to do when your machine doesn't boot' and he was talking about issues with how you configured BIOS etc.. How much of that stuff am I going to have to do?

      I'm now concerned I'll get the parts, attach everything, and nothing will happen when I power it on but I won't even know where to begin.

      How big a deal is it to get a home build running? And how much troubleshooting is realistically involved in a first build?

      Only non-witches get due process.

      • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
      X markM 2 Replies Last reply
      • KlausK Offline
        KlausK Offline
        Klaus
        wrote on last edited by
        #90

        Hey, if anything goes wrong you have an army of overzealous amateurs on this board eager to solve your problems... 🙂

        1 Reply Last reply
        • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

          @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

          @jon-nyc Check out JayZ.

          https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWQ0gDrqOCarmUKmppD7GQ

          He has some great videos on PC parts selection and building.

          You just scared me. The home video is 'what to do when your machine doesn't boot' and he was talking about issues with how you configured BIOS etc.. How much of that stuff am I going to have to do?

          I'm now concerned I'll get the parts, attach everything, and nothing will happen when I power it on but I won't even know where to begin.

          How big a deal is it to get a home build running? And how much troubleshooting is realistically involved in a first build?

          X Offline
          X Offline
          xenon
          wrote on last edited by
          #91

          @jon-nyc It's almost like hooking up a complicated VCR these days. Unless you get faulty parts, the thing will turn on once all the things are plugged in the right slot.

          The most complicated part is usually getting the jumpers on the motherboard right, but the diagrams are very clear.

          1 Reply Last reply
          • HoraceH Online
            HoraceH Online
            Horace
            wrote on last edited by
            #92

            I've had to do BIOS stuff in my home builds. I think I had to update the firmware on the motherboard. Overall it's worth it and probably no more trouble on average than dealing with tech support if you buy a prefab from a place that will allegedly solve your problems for you.

            Education is extremely important.

            1 Reply Last reply
            • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

              @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

              @jon-nyc Check out JayZ.

              https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWQ0gDrqOCarmUKmppD7GQ

              He has some great videos on PC parts selection and building.

              You just scared me. The home video is 'what to do when your machine doesn't boot' and he was talking about issues with how you configured BIOS etc.. How much of that stuff am I going to have to do?

              I'm now concerned I'll get the parts, attach everything, and nothing will happen when I power it on but I won't even know where to begin.

              How big a deal is it to get a home build running? And how much troubleshooting is realistically involved in a first build?

              markM Offline
              markM Offline
              mark
              wrote on last edited by
              #93

              @jon-nyc said in Tell me about building a PC:

              @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

              @jon-nyc Check out JayZ.

              https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWQ0gDrqOCarmUKmppD7GQ

              He has some great videos on PC parts selection and building.

              You just scared me. The home video is 'what to do when your machine doesn't boot' and he was talking about issues with how you configured BIOS etc.. How much of that stuff am I going to have to do?

              I'm now concerned I'll get the parts, attach everything, and nothing will happen when I power it on but I won't even know where to begin.

              How big a deal is it to get a home build running? And how much troubleshooting is realistically involved in a first build?

              Don't be scared. Look at it as a learning experience for you and your son. Most of the time everything just works. Sometimes you get a bad component and the troubleshooting and figuring it all out will make it a little more challenging but, it also makes you a better tech if something else goes wrong down the road.

              1 Reply Last reply
              • RainmanR Offline
                RainmanR Offline
                Rainman
                wrote on last edited by
                #94

                When you build your own, how do you know it's working at the high end of the expensive components? For example, it boots slow, or is slow in accessing data on one of the super-duper hard drives, or you're working with a graphics or music program, and it stalls or freezes or crashes, or just works at "meh" speed?
                I suppose there is software out there that can measure most everything, maybe it's no big deal except to figure out how to override hardware settings or something.

                I do know that in instruction manuals, the first suggestion is to check if your computer is plugged in.
                I wonder if ever there has been someone that actually realized, "oh shit, I forgot to plug it in!"

                markM 1 Reply Last reply
                • RainmanR Rainman

                  When you build your own, how do you know it's working at the high end of the expensive components? For example, it boots slow, or is slow in accessing data on one of the super-duper hard drives, or you're working with a graphics or music program, and it stalls or freezes or crashes, or just works at "meh" speed?
                  I suppose there is software out there that can measure most everything, maybe it's no big deal except to figure out how to override hardware settings or something.

                  I do know that in instruction manuals, the first suggestion is to check if your computer is plugged in.
                  I wonder if ever there has been someone that actually realized, "oh shit, I forgot to plug it in!"

                  markM Offline
                  markM Offline
                  mark
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #95

                  @Rainman There is benchmark software that will run code that is meant to stress the system. Also some monitoring tools.

                  MSI-After-Burner-GUI.jpg

                  MSI-After-Burner-CPUUsage.jpg

                  CPUID-HWMonitor.jpg

                  Tech-Power-Up-GPU-Z-1.jpg

                  Tech-Power-Up-GPU-Z-2.jpg

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • RainmanR Offline
                    RainmanR Offline
                    Rainman
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #96

                    Thanks, Mark. I figured as much.

                    My question was more towards once one or several measurements indicate something is wrong, how do you fix something?
                    On a mechanical device, it's often easy to spot what is causing the problem, and where to spray the WD-40. On a computer, that would seem to be very difficult, wondering if the problem has been resolved or whether a symptom of the problem has been tweaked to offset a higher-level cause.
                    Don't respond, I'm just being too negative based upon my own types of experiences. Even a computer, I'd whip out the old WD-40 and start spraying.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • markM Offline
                      markM Offline
                      mark
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #97

                      Took a chance and spent $210 on a Hisense 43" 4k UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

                      https://www.costco.com/hisense-43"-class---r6-series---4k-uhd-led-lcd-tv.product.100676488.html

                      Very impressive, immersive, and tack sharp. So far it has been very usable/non-fatiguing for hours of coding, browsing and gaming. The number of lines of code I can see at once is awesome. The RC Heli simulators work very well on it. Looking forward to trying the new MS Flight Sim on it after I build the new PC.

                      George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                      • markM mark

                        Took a chance and spent $210 on a Hisense 43" 4k UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

                        https://www.costco.com/hisense-43"-class---r6-series---4k-uhd-led-lcd-tv.product.100676488.html

                        Very impressive, immersive, and tack sharp. So far it has been very usable/non-fatiguing for hours of coding, browsing and gaming. The number of lines of code I can see at once is awesome. The RC Heli simulators work very well on it. Looking forward to trying the new MS Flight Sim on it after I build the new PC.

                        George KG Offline
                        George KG Offline
                        George K
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #98

                        @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

                        UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

                        Why did you decide to use that rather than a dedicated computer monitor?

                        What about I/O ?

                        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                        markM 1 Reply Last reply
                        • George KG George K

                          @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

                          UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

                          Why did you decide to use that rather than a dedicated computer monitor?

                          What about I/O ?

                          markM Offline
                          markM Offline
                          mark
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #99

                          @George-K said in Tell me about building a PC:

                          @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

                          UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

                          Why did you decide to use that rather than a dedicated computer monitor?

                          What about I/O ?

                          Price/Performance was the overriding factor. Still considering the LG 38" Ultra-Wide 3780x1600 for $1,000 computer monitor if this proves to be less than ideal over the long term as far as comfort is concerned. Right now I do not see that as problem as it is sharp as a tack and easy on the eyes.

                          I/O is not an issue. If it becomes one, I will just buy a hub.

                          George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                          • markM mark

                            @George-K said in Tell me about building a PC:

                            @mark said in Tell me about building a PC:

                            UHD Roku TV to try as a monitor.

                            Why did you decide to use that rather than a dedicated computer monitor?

                            What about I/O ?

                            Price/Performance was the overriding factor. Still considering the LG 38" Ultra-Wide 3780x1600 for $1,000 computer monitor if this proves to be less than ideal over the long term as far as comfort is concerned. Right now I do not see that as problem as it is sharp as a tack and easy on the eyes.

                            I/O is not an issue. If it becomes one, I will just buy a hub.

                            George KG Offline
                            George KG Offline
                            George K
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #100

                            @mark so you're hooking up via HDMI for the video?

                            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                            markM 1 Reply Last reply
                            • George KG George K

                              @mark so you're hooking up via HDMI for the video?

                              markM Offline
                              markM Offline
                              mark
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #101

                              @George-K said in Tell me about building a PC:

                              @mark so you're hooking up via HDMI for the video?

                              Yes. Using an HDMI 2.0b cable rated for 4k 4096x2160 @60Hz.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • markM Offline
                                markM Offline
                                mark
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #102

                                I ended up having some issues with the 43" 4k TV. It is just too big in the vertical and I was getting a sore neck, always dragging windows into the center for comfortable viewing. Everything is very small including
                                text at 100% resolution. Because of the smallness of everything, I had to sit closer to read text. Although it was awesome to see that many lines of code at one time, without having to scroll, the viewing angle made the edges actually disappear and wrap around the edge. Overall, I wasn't happy so I got the LG 38" 3740x1600 ultra wide, curved monitor.
                                20201012-133428.jpg

                                I also hooked up my Sony, 12" subwoofer. Combined with the JBL studio monitors, it makes nice A/V experience.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • markM Offline
                                  markM Offline
                                  mark
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #103

                                  AMD Ryzen 9 5950X Overclocked to 6.35 GHz Achieving Many World Records At Launch

                                  alt text

                                  https://techplusgame.com/amd-ryzen-9-5950x-overclocked-to-6-35-ghz-breaking-world-records-at-launch/

                                  I Pre-Ordered 2 of them.

                                  Case, Motherboard and power supply was ordered for the first build.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • KlausK Offline
                                    KlausK Offline
                                    Klaus
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #104

                                    LED strips on the RAM? That must be the mullet of motherboard modding.

                                    George KG markM 2 Replies Last reply
                                    • KlausK Klaus

                                      LED strips on the RAM? That must be the mullet of motherboard modding.

                                      George KG Offline
                                      George KG Offline
                                      George K
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #105

                                      @Klaus said in Tell me about building a PC:

                                      LED strips on the RAM? That must be the mullet of motherboard modding.

                                      Coffee...everywhere this morning.

                                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      • KlausK Klaus

                                        LED strips on the RAM? That must be the mullet of motherboard modding.

                                        markM Offline
                                        markM Offline
                                        mark
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #106

                                        @Klaus said in Tell me about building a PC:

                                        LED strips on the RAM? That must be the mullet of motherboard modding.

                                        Where have you been? PC builders get crazy with the RGB lighting effects and custom liquid cooling loops.

                                        alt text

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        • markM Offline
                                          markM Offline
                                          mark
                                          wrote on last edited by mark
                                          #107

                                          Some of the fastest (affordable) Memory only comes in RGB and some of the fastest ram looks like it belongs in a jewelry case.

                                          alt text

                                          The color is user assignable to any color in the RGB color space. They can be programmed to perform rainbow color waves, ripples, etc. The entire interior of the PC becomes a light show.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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