Well, I didn’t actually get to write some of those informative articles that I had hoped for, but maybe this post will help those of you looking for a great first PC build. To start out, here are the components that I picked up for this case:
- MSI P6N SLI Platinum Motherboard (Uses the Nvidia 650i SLI Chipset)
- Open Box model, so only includes motherboard, so no backplate, cables, Driver CD, or manual. Can get software and manual from MSI website. Another risk on open box models is that you may get a non-functioning item. Go retail if the savings is not worth the hassle. I did not have any problems with my open-box item.
- Intel E6600 Core 2 Duo Processor
- 2 GB of Patriot DD800 Memory PDC22G6400LLK
- Currently running at stock speeds: 4-4-4-12 @ 2.2V, per manufacturer recommendations.
- Manually set timings and voltage in BIOS setup.
- EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS 320 MB Video Card
- OCZ GameXStream OCZ700 Power Supply
- Probably overkill for my setup, but has plenty of power for an SLI setup if you require it.
- Blue Orb II CPU Cooler with Arctic Silver thermal compound
- Cooler Master Centurion Case
- Plextor PX-716A DVD Burner (transferred from old system)
- Western Digital SATA drive (transferred from old system)
- Dell 19 inch LCD monitor (transferred from old system)
Since I purchased these components over a several month period, not including components left over from my old machine, I waited until my motherboard was purchased to finally assemble the system. I have to say that assembling the system was a snap. There really weren’t any unexpected problems, which is what you can usually expect when building systems without any mods. One note, be careful when using the Blue Orb, as it is a bigger fan (120 mm) than it appears on shopping sites. It was a perfect fit on my MSI board without any mods, even though the fan gets close to the Northbridge cooler.
Again, do ample research before building your first system. These systems can potentially cost a lot of money. The installation process usually follows these steps:
- IMPORTANT: Discharge any static charge that you may have built-up on yourself by touching a grounded metal object or by using an anti-static strap if you want to be as safe as possible. Electro-static discharge can and will damage computer components.
- If you bought your power supply and case separately, install the power supply to the back of your case by using the included screws.
- Depending on your CPU cooler, you may have to install the mounting brackets before securing the motherboard to the case. Follow the instructions for doing so.
- Follow the instructions for attaching the standoffs for your motherboard into the ATX case. Secure the motherboard to those standoffs by using the included screws.
- Secure your CPU heatsink to the provided mounting bracket.
- Attach ATX and CPU power cables to the motherboard (do not plug in PC to wall outlet, wait until final step). Refer to your motherboard manual if you are unsure of the cable configuration.
- Connect any fan cables (CPU, Case) to the fan connections on the motherboard.
- Connect case features (power switch, LEDs, speaker, front-panel audio, USB, IEEE 1394) to your motherboard. Refer to motherboard manual and case manual to ensure compatibility. Do not assume that USB and IEEE 1394 front-panel ports will be compatible with your board.
- Install RAM, expansion cards (Video, Sound), Hard Drives, CD/DVD drives.
- Double-check connections, plug in any remaining cables and then power up your system. If all is well, you should see your BIOS startup screen.
- Load optimized or fail-safe defaults (depending on how lucky you are feeling) and manually set other BIOS settings (memory timings for example) that might be required. For the most part, loading defaults will be enough to make your system bootable.
- Load your favorite operating system, such as Windows XP or a flavor of Linux (I like Ubuntu and Fedora, but there are a ton out there) and continue on from there.
While there are a lot of basic steps on this list, sometimes it is a good idea to keep them handy while you are building your rig. Again, do a lot of research if you are building a system for the first time. While this list goes through the steps of putting together a system, there are always small details that need to be ironed out. After I received my components, it took about an hour or two to assemble and power up my system. Your times will vary (I tend to take my time). If you are interested in getting into system building, I suggest that you check out some of the tech links that I have posted.
If you have any questions about this article, feel free to leave a comment. Not sure where I will be going next on the PC Building series, but I will definitely take suggestions…