# First computer build. And nothing blew up!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-computer-build-and-nothing-blew-up/543984>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 21, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-computer-build-and-nothing-blew-up/543984 "2010-06-21T14:52:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-computer-build-and-nothing-blew-up/543984/1 "2010-06-21T14:52:44Z")

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Which for me is quite an achievement. 😉

Thanks to all the advice in my [planning thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=541591), it was appreciated and used.

I did go with a [different case](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119161) as the one I wanted was out of stock.

This thing screams! Even with DSL, some sites were very slow to open, now they pop open without a hitch.

I like Windows 7, even the Aero stuff. Amd what I’m going to do with all this monitor space, I just don’t know. 😃

Case  
Cooler Master 335

PSU  
Corsair tX 650W

Motherboard  
Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3

CPU  
Intel i5-750

OS  
Windows 7 64-bit OEM

RAM  
Kingston 2X 4G

Drives  
SABRENT Internal card reader  
2-LG DVD/burner  
Western Digital Blue 250G  
Western Digital Blue 500G

Video Card  
Gigabyte Radeon 5770

Monitor  
Asus 23" LCD

Speakers  
Logitech S-220 2.1

Input  
Logitech Trackman and standard keyboard

56k modem(for faxing)

Blue LED fan (to prove I’m hip)

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**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-computer-build-and-nothing-blew-up/543984/2 "2010-06-21T14:56:46Z")

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Congratulations, Pat!

Although it’s always a bit exciting when there’s a mushroom cloud coming out of your computer…

It REALLY gets people’s attention when it happens in the server room!

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**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-computer-build-and-nothing-blew-up/543984/3 "2010-06-21T15:41:21Z")

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Okay. Don’t be smug. Fly out here and instruct me how to do it!

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-computer-build-and-nothing-blew-up/543984/4 "2010-06-21T15:54:09Z")

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> [@Cicero](#):
>
> Okay. Don’t be smug. Fly out here and instruct me how to do it!

This is what I used plus other research online for little details. The manuals(ha!) that come with the parts are remarkably devoid of useful information.

[Toms Hardware](http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/build-your-own-pc,2601.html)  
[The Tech Report](http://techreport.com/articles.x/13671)

Mostly be very careful when plugging in connectors that they’re in the right place. Most are keyed to go only one way.