Looks like you’re in my area, what computer store did you use? I live in Tysons Corner.
Pretty much, yes. Personally, I found changing the oil in my own car for the first time more intimidating. The level of difficulty is about the same, except you don’t have to lift your car. The difficult part comes in getting the most out of your money and hardware, and trouble shooting if something does go wrong. Trouble shooting will require you to either know what you are doing, or have a handy source of information and help to guide you… not unlike the SDMB 
The BIOS essentially a base level OS. It boots up your motherboard checks on the components attached to it, assigns ports of communication, sets voltage and frequency levels, etc. It typically resides in a ROM chip on your motherboard. Flashing the BIOS is updating it with a new version. Almost like updating the firmware on your xbox 360.
First you have to put on your approved shaman feather hat and learn the incantations of the ancient druids then…
I kid. A basic overclock is simple. You essentially increase the speed at which certain components “speak” to each other. This in turn raises the clock or number of operations/requests a CPU, GPU or memory can handle, thereby increasing performance.
This is done in the BIOS where you specify particular values for your front side bus, your CPU, RAM, etc. It can be a little more complicated when you are really pushing things, but the above is what is done on a very basic level.
Try Ars Technica and Tom’s hardware. Also, you have the SDMB, I know I’d be happy to answer specific questions, and so would a lot of others on here.
Microcenter, which is much closer to you than it is to me (Woodbridge), but well worth the trips. It was very nice to just be able to hand them a shot mobo and grab another one.
masterofnone, don’t worry about overclocking. The last thing you want to be doing is monkeying around with values in your BIOS unless you absolutely have to (and even then, if you’re a newbie, you want someone to walk you through it). One of the great things about building your own system is that you can save money you’d otherwise spend on a brand name system, and spend it elsewhere, like the chip or graphics card. Get a good chip and/or grahpics card with enough juice to do the things you want to do, and you won’t have to get into the overclocking business.
Missed the edit window.
ETA: To correct my earlier post, it was that the BIOS was not compatible with the e6750 CPU chipset, not Vista. For my complete horror story, you can read my review of the mobo, which details most of the problems I had in building the comp here.
I started assembling PCs while working for my brother in '88. He and another guy had a store on Walter Reed & 16th at the time.
Sure is! I’ve purchased motherboards, CPUs, cases, external hard drive enclosers, USB hubs, etc. there.
I’ve built several PCs in my time including my current water-cooled machine (that was an interesting new twist for me). They have all been rock solid and performed like champs. I built for top-notch performance (without going crazy) and for ~$1500 built a system that bought from the likes of Alienware or Falcon Northwest (the only PC manufacturers who really provide anything comparable) saved ~$1000 doing it.
Each machine four years later was still chugging along fine (usually I do a vid card upgrade every two years…I’m a gamer) and often better than most new computers even then.
I definitely have the skills to build PCs though so while not without its hiccups I managed fine. It would take the better part of my Sunday to complete (4-5 hours…water cooled one took me 7+ hours).
I disagree with some other posters. If you are building your own rig then build for quality/speed. If you are just slapping in bargain parts you will not save much money over buying a mediocre Dell or something.
Note often the devil is in the details. It’s usually the little things that get you.
With the above in mind:
[ul]
[li] Reasearch, research, research! The vast majority of your job is researching in detail every component you want in the machine. Case, PSU, mobo, memory, CPU, video card, sound card, hard drives, fans, heat sinks, CD/DVD drives/burners and so on. This can be quite time consuming but really makes a difference. Read reviews from geek sites and forum posters at geek sites (skip reviews at sites that sell you the thing and places like CNet).[/li][li] Do NOT skimp on a cheap power supply unit (PSU)! The PSU is usually overlooked as an unimportant piece of a PC. It isn’t and especially is not with quality components and a healthy financial investment present in the rest of the PC. Not only do you need to be sure the PSU can handle the load of all your components (variable depending on what you all have…note things like “SLI Ready” if you think you might ever plop a second video card in). A reputable PSU is worth their price premium. (Corsair is what I use…there are other good ones out there besides that though.)[/li][li] Pay attention to the Motherboard (mobo)! Asus, MSI, Gigabyte are among the ones worth looking at. There is a lot to choose from, a lot of fiddly differences and what you get depends on what other components you are buying (e.g. what processor, how much memory, how fast the memory is and so on). A well performing and stable mobo is crucial. It is the bedrock on which everything else is built.[/li][li] Fast memory is worth it. Pay particular attention to the timings of the memory (in particular CAS Latency). It can be pricey but worth it IMO. Particularly for games. Avoid “bargain” memory like the plague. Go with Crucial or Corsair (a few other good ones besides those too).[/li][li] Fast hard drives are worth it. It may seem one is as good as another and most people buy for capacity and cheap price. They are nowhere near being created equal and there are dramatic differences in different drives. Read reviews on these! Just because a manufacturer posts good looking numbers in no way guarantees performance. I use the Western Digital Raptor drives which are freaking wonderful. WD knows it too though and charges through the nose for them so unless you must have the very best there are other good drives to be had.[/li][li] Do not ignore cooling. If you machine is vanilla then standard heat sinks that come with your CPU/GPU can be fine. If you are building a race horse system then cooling can become a real issue. Look at better heat sinks for both the CPU and GPU (video card). Also remember case cooling (fans in the rest of the case). Again read reviews. You want to move as much air as possible with the fans and also want quiet* fans. These tend to be at odds with each other (more air moved, louder it is). Still, with some work you can find quiet fans that are performers.[/li]
Also, buy Arctic Silver thermal paste. It is worth it (technically it is pricey compared to other thermal paste but still only talking like $5). Really on this one.
[li] Speaking of the case above do not be unconcerned about the case. There are very big differences from one case to the next. Aesthetics is a big part for most people or cheap price. A good case though will make you much happier. They have better cooling properties (heat “zones”, more holes for case fans, the case itself dissipates heat) as well as better access to the inside. Again, lots and lots to choose from. Good but pricey cases can be had from the likes of Lian Li as a basis for comparison.[/li][/ul]
Hope that helps!
A couple other notes in favor of DIY:
Store bought machines tend to scrimp on the “little numbers”. They’ll proudly display processor speed and disk size, but on the numbers that most people don’t look at, they tend to go cheap. Factors such as bus speeds, cache sizes, and disk seek times can make a big difference in the performance of your machine.
Also, YMMV, but I hate the pile of pre-loaded software that comes on store bought machines. Usually they also come with system restore disks rather than just straight up OS install media. I definitely prefer the feeling of having a clean new machine to begin installing the software I want on to it rather than getting a store bought machine and having to try to clean out the crap they put on there.
And one tip: compare prices between the on-line retailers and a local computer shop. There are a few components that you can get competitively locally. Buy a few parts locally, and pick them up the day before you start putting your new machine together. That way, if you hit a roadblock, you can bring your machine in and be recognized as that new customer that’s just getting into the hobby, as opposed to some guy who doesn’t buy anything locally but comes to the store when he has problems. This could easily save you from paying $60-$75 to have the local tech run diagnostics on your box.
Thanks Kinthalis! It was your post with a link to Tom’s Hardware $500 Gaming PC Build in the Fallout 3 thread that got me started thinking about this again. Right now I don’t have the cash to do it, but your response made me a little less hesitant to try it when I do. I’m a handy guy, but this is a whole different language to me. Though I’m learning - the only thing that I have no clue what you were talking about is the front side bus (Isn’t that where I wired all the neutrals and grounds in my electrical pannel when I wired my house? ;))
I’ll definitely revisist everyone’s advice in this thread when/if I get around to building one. Now, back to your regularly scheduled OP…
A “bus” in a PC is the physical connection that carries data between PC components. The Front Side Bus is the connection between the CPU and the Northbridge (Memory Controller chip and yes, there is a Southbridge too connecting the peripherals [hard drive, expansion cards, etc] to the CPU). Speeding the FSB up speeds up communication between the CPU and memory. Since this is a prime factor in overall PC speed it is a perfect target for overclocking to improve system performance.
Note not all mobos will allow you to fiddle with the FSB clock. Computers like Dell never seem to have that option because they do not want to support people screwing things up in there. Enthusiast boards can give you a bewildering array of choices to manage this and other performance factors in the PC.
So I just got back from a little visit with Microcenter. I showed Alfie my list of stuff I priced on Newegg, and he steered me away from Intel to AMD. I think he was trying to get the price down so Microcenter looked good next to Newegg; he admitted that he could not match their price on most merchandise.
So how about an AMD 8450 tri-core at $99 instead of the E8500 at $189? He also recommended an AMD mobo with on-board video at $110 which he said he got good gaming performance with on his own machine.
Why is it cheaper? Are there any drawbacks to the performance or reliability of AMD? Or is it just a matter of a reduced selection of compatible harware? Or what?
Just for the record the lineup I am considering at the moment is:
Case: Raidmax Smilodon ATX-612WEB $75
less $20 rebate
Mobo: DFI Lanparty DK P35-T2RS LGA775 $140
(recommended by **Senior Beef**)
Video: EVGA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB $125
PSU: Undecided, 400-500W, assume $50
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16GHz $190
Memory: Corsair 4G (2 x 2G) DDR2-800 $55
less $30 rebate
Disk: Western Digital 640G $75
Optical: LG 22X DVD±R DVD w/Lightscribe SATA $25
OS: Vista Home Premium 64-bit $100
Total cost: $777 plus tax & shipping
This is almost the same as the Dell XPS 630 (same CPU, NVIDIA card based on 9800 GT) which sells for $1224.
AMD cannot currently compete with intel in the price/performance ratio. So although I have been a loyal AMD customer for many years, I’d have to absolutely say that you should ignore them for now at least (and possibly for the foreseeable future) in the CPU department. Their latest Video card card releases have been great, however the Nvidia Card you’ve got selected is a great one in terms of price/performance.
The lineup looks fine. Try and look for a good 80% efficiency for your PSU. Other than that, it’s bitching really. Sign up for Steam and join the SDMB Steam gamer group 
Oooh, I got a cookie for you too, if you’re interested I got an extra copy of Crysis Warhead I got as part of a bundle a few months back. It’s yours if you want it.
If you’re into rebates, tigerdirect currently has a 9800GT for $100 after rebate.
link
ETA: If you don’t want to actually build the computer, there may be places where you can order all the parts and have them build it. I paid monarchcomputer $50 to put my system together. They went out of business though.
I ordered a pile of parts from Newegg last night and expect delivery next week.
I will probably start a new thread in MPSIMS or put a page on my web site to report progress.
Thanks to all of those who have provided advice and encouragement. And don’t go away, I’ll need you again soon…
Feel free to continue to post replies to this thread! Thanks again.
When I assemble the computer, do I really nee to go all-out and buy anti-static gloves and mats, and a ground strap? Or, can I just be careful and not run around on a carpet, and handle hings by the edges?
Also, should I install the processor and memory before or after I put the motherboard in the case?
In my experience, a ground strap should be sufficient (provided you avoid shuffling around on the carpet or similar activities).
Definitely install as much as you can on the MB before putting it in the case. The heatsink in particular is a major pain to negotiate in close quarters.
A grounding strap never hurts, but as long as you have a clear surface, that’s all you really need. You can get away without a strap by regularly - like every time you’re about to handle a new component - touching some grounded metal object, like a radiator. But it’s a hassle and grounding straps are very cheap.
As long as you keep yourself grounded at the same level as the case, you should be ok. Always touch the case first, before you put in a part.
Are you somewhere with low humidity? A $2 can of Static Guard sprayed around the workstation will dissipate any charge. Even the wrist straps are only a couple of bucks, if you feel that will bring you piece of mind.
I have been building computers since the late 70’s, and have never used any of that stuff, except the last build I did. I used the spray stuff for that one, but only because I am making a DIY video on how to build a computer.
The fact is, I have never had any part fail due to static discharge, that I know of. Of course if you are back east in the dry winter air, and scuffle across the carpet in your wool socks… Here in SoCal we almost always have some humidity.
I finished my build about a month ago, and am very happy with it so far. It’s not my first build, but a lot of stuff has changed since the last one so I was a bit nervous about it. But everything went absolutely fine, and I got a great machine for far less than I would have buying a pre-built system.
Some advice and comments:
Research the hell out of it. In my case, I was following an Ars Technica guide, but decided to customize it a bit. I started a thread about it, and got some great advice. For example, I didn’t really think too much about the power supply until Stealth Potato brought it up in my thread. I went with his recommendation for a Corsair 750TX PSU, and am glad I did.
**Combo up. ** I wound up buying everything except the graphics card through newegg, as they had a lot of combo deals and rebate offers. For example, buying this CPU and that mobo gets you $30 off on the pair, buying these memory chips got me a $20 mail in rebate, etc. I also checked neweggs customer reviews for anything I was considering purchasing, these offer some great information from people that have actually purchased the items. In the case of the mobo, I decided to go with a different board after some people complained about issues with the board I was looking at. In fact, most Gigabyte mobo’s seemed to have issues, which is why I went with an ASUS.
**Don’t neglect your PSU. ** A lot of power supplies bundled with computer cases are underpowered. Even if you’re not planning on going SLI/Crossfire, the higher end gfx cards today need a lot of juice.
**Plan for upgrades. ** When I installed Fallout 3, the game checked out my system settings and autodetected to “ultra high detail”. So I’m at the top of the line right now. However, my PSU and motherboard can handle a 2nd graphics card if I decide to throw one in later. I can also put in a quad core CPU, my mobo will support it.
**Read the manuals. ** I checked out all the manuals thoroughly before I took anything out of the static bags. Made sure I read and understood ALL the steps before I touched anything.
Keep the old comp running until your build is finished If you do run into problems, you can use your old PC to troubleshoot over the internet.
Case: Raidmax Smilodoron
Mobo: Asus P5q Pro
CPU: Intel E7200
Mem: 2x Corsair DDR2 P800
Graphics: Radeon 4870
Power Supply: Corsair 750TX
OS: Windows XP Pro
HD: Western Digital Caviar 80gb
DVD: Sony DVD R+/-
Heatsink: stock CPU fan that came with the CPU, will upgrade after Christmas, possibly to a Zalman 9700NT
Had some minor issues with the placement of the HD basket in the case, it sorta bumps into the graphics card. And there’s only 1 HD basket (but 2 floppies 
what’s up with that?), so I couldn’t put it anywhere else. Other than this, everything went super smooth and runs great!
If you’re hesitating because you might run into problems: this is a possibility whether your system is self built, pre built, barebones, whatever. Following a guide such as those available from Ars Technica or Toms hardware will eliminate or minimize compatibility issues, and it’s pretty easy to get technical support from those sites, or even the good ol SDMB. I haven’t had a lot of experience returning stuff 
but I did change my mind on the original motherboard after it was purchased, and newegg let me send it back without any questions.
[quote=“Whack-a-Mole, post:26, topic:472436”]
[li] Do NOT skimp on a cheap power supply unit (PSU)! The PSU is usually overlooked as an unimportant piece of a PC. It isn’t and especially is not with quality components and a healthy financial investment present in the rest of the PC. Not only do you need to be sure the PSU can handle the load of all your components (variable depending on what you all have…note things like “SLI Ready” if you think you might ever plop a second video card in). A reputable PSU is worth their price premium. (Corsair is what I use…there are other good ones out there besides that though.)[/li][/QUOTE]
I will toss in another vote for a quality power supply, I picked up a nice 500w years ago that was high end at the time, its now powering its 3rd build since then with zero problems. you dont need to go all out but dont skimp, a few bucks on a good psu is money well spent. when the damn things go bad they dont always fail completely so your pc may run fine until you do something that spikes power demand or you ad another component down the road and cant figure out why you keep crashing…next to ram a semi faulty psu is probably the most irritating thing to pin down because they can be so damn random.