A Basic Guide To Building Your Own Computer

Created by: N.Curtiss January 2000.

Contents

Overview of Components

Step by Step Instructions to Assemble

Overclocking

Introduction

This is an introductory guide to building your own computer system from scratch. I hope this guide can be a help. Building a system can be fun, doesn't take that long, and isn't as hard as most people think. The best part is that you can design the system to fit your needs. 

For this guide, we are going to build an overclocked PIII 500E Coppermine system that uses the ABIT VA6 Motherboard. I chose the VA6 because it supports a 1/2 multiplier for the AGP bus and good controls over the DIMM SDRAM settings. The computer cost under $1,500 to build and was designed primarily for use as a game box, although it could certainly be used for much more.

This guide assumes that you have basic computer knowledge. You can find additional help on the web and in news groups.

Getting Started

Before you decide on the components you will need to decide on what kind of computer you want to build. Ask the following questions: How will the computer be used? How long do you plan to keep the computer? How big is my budget? By determining how the computers will be used and the budget we can narrow down our choices of components a lot faster. You'll be far more constrained on  a sub-$1,000 PC than a $3,000 dollar PC.

For all of your components I recommend purchasing brand names. Buying on the net, you can find pretty good prices for motherboards, CPUs, memory, cases, video cards and monitors. Your local computer store probably has good prices for sound cards, CD-ROMs, speakers, and modems. Often you will find these items with manufacturers rebates at local stores. On the web, it may be less expensive to buy as a bare bones package, but always buy from a reputable dealer and stay away from no-name products. When buying on-line also be aware if you're buying an OEM version or retail version. Very often you can get the OEM version for less but it may not come with everything that the retail version offers.

 

Step by Step Instructions to Assemble

Overclocking

Created by Nick Curtiss 03/15/00.