Upgrading your computer, installing parts yourself. Yay or nay? ( help)

[Mikztsu]

copy/paste from my lj

Someone who knows about computers, could you help a bit? So, I'm pondering buying a new motherboard, graphic card, processor and a FAN, because this one makes noise. Or it's the motherboard that causes the fan working inproperly.

So, I guess it's not difficult to put these pieces together, inside my comp? Also, I guess I'll have to re-install Windows, right? And Windows installing is all ready to go after you've installed these parts? This all, because I wouldn't want to wait many days and PAY for it, when they do these things in the store. I'll buy this stuff today or tomorrow.

Anything else I should think of?

[metCloud]

Graphics card is pretty simple, but mother board and processer are a pain for me. there easy to put in but i get confused when it comes to going into the bios and setting the new stuff up. I really cant recommend what to do because i dont know how experienced you are. I would just get a store to do it... that way it will get done right the first time.

btw: could you give your comp. specs so I know what you are working with

[Flying Mullet]

If you do go the do-it-yourself route, make sure that you get a motherboard that supports your hardware, including memory. Also, think about what you might want your computer to do in the future. You might have to pay a bit more for a motherboard that supports up to 2 gigs of RAM vs. 1.5 gigs, but it might be worth it for you, even if you don't have that much memory now.

[Mikztsu]

Yeah, I know I need a motherboard that supports sd-ram. And I just want a computer that won't freeze, give me blue screens all the time, and wouldn't make awful noise. Plus some performance will be nice, as I still have my old 500mhz computer from the year 2000.

metcloud - I don't actually know the specs yet, as I go to buy parts tomorrow. :P If I can't do it myself, then I'll go and have it done.

By the way, the fan will come with CPU, right?

[Endless]

Originally posted by Mikztsu
Yeah, I know I need a motherboard that supports sd-ram. And I just want a computer that won't freeze, give me blue screens all the time, and wouldn't make awful noise. Plus some performance will be nice, as I still have my old 500mhz computer from the year 2000.

metcloud - I don't actually know the specs yet, as I go to buy parts tomorrow. :P If I can't do it myself, then I'll go and have it done.

By the way, the fan will come with CPU, right?

SD-RAM = old. xD I don't know if you'll find one that takes it.
For the freeze/bsod problems, windows is the weak link, not the computer. Well, mostly not the computer.
Sometimes the CPU comes with a fan and the thermic paste, sometimes it doesn't. Just check with the seller.

[Mikztsu]

They have motherboards for sd-ram, I asked.

[Burtsplurt]

But if you plan on upgrading your processor, you'll struggle to find a motherboard that takes a new processor and old RAM. If you don't plan on upgrading your processor, then I'm not sure if there's much point in getting a new motherboard (unless you can't fit any more RAM on your current motherboard).

... I think. It's been a while since I was actually up to date on that kind of thing!

[Dr Unne]

Master Vivi is right, your problem is likely not a hardware problem. A faster computer running Windows will just manage to crash faster and more efficiently. SDRAM is ancient, yeah. DDR RAM is probably what you want. I've never built a computer from scratch, and honestly I doubt I'd try it. There's too much stuff to worry about. One little mistake and you can fry a couple hundred dollars worth of hardware. My cousin, for example, is a big fan of frying motherboards and burning processors due to not knowing what he's doing. I'd rather pay a few hundred dollars more and know I'm getting something that someone who knows what they're doing has built, and something that is guaranteed to have all its hardware be nice and compatible.

[Peegee]

What you should do is buy a 'bare bone' system and get all the stuff added on (400 Watt power supply, sound/vid card, hard drive, cd drive, ram, etc). They'll install the bare bone system for you, thus eliminating the motherboard installation (I can install the board, not the chip). The rest is just a matter of using a screwdriver and not pressing too hard

[Mikztsu]

Oh, I just decided to screw it all, and today I bought a WHOLE NEW computer. One of those ready packages. I think it was an okay deal.

They'll bring it to my apartment tomorrow. =]

[Peegee]

Well anyway, this is the order I learned to install 'hardware' (random misc peripherals excluded):

-RAM
-Hard drive
-CD drives
-power supply
-2ndary/multiple fans
-mobo

The motherboard was last because for the longest time I thought that it was difficult to install. Notice that I didn't include 'processor', because I think it typically should be installed by a professional. Anyway, the point is that everything in the computer should be easy to install, so I have no idea why you would resort to a packaged computer. Hope you got a good deal though. I think a good price nowadays is about a grand? (but would lack a lot of things ) *shrug*