Well...Having read a couple of books on building a PC. I have little knowledge of how each components work and what construct the whole PC. However, there are a lot of things I still don't know or understand. Hence, I really hope somebody, esp experts, to help me out. I am looking for a PC book or guide that shows or teaches you everything from scratch to Pro...With all the terms and definition explained in detail. The main problem is that I still don't know which component, when put together will work, or will conflict with each other. For instance, somebody just told me well, this CPU is not compatible with this mainboard or well, if you put this graphic card with this CPU together, they will create conflicts. This is what I don't understand. Hence, I really need a book with everything written in detail but no technical terms. I hope someone could help me with this.
Before you begin to build your PC you need to think of exactly what you want out of it. It is true that each CPU has a different socket and will not work with every motherboard. It is also true that not every video card will fit or work with every motherboard or processor. You will need to know what OS you are going to run. I would suggest XP Pro because Vista just has too many problems. Many people lean toward Linux which is a very stable OS, but you will have problems with many drivers. Building your own computer is the perfect thing to do if you are like many of us that build. We like to over-clock our machines to get the full potential out of the system. You will need to know how fast you want the machine to be. Is it going to be a gaming machine in which you will want high graphics, fast memory, and plenty of cache? Are you going to run the typical 32 bit OS or are you wanting to go with the 64 bit? Are you going to over-clock the machine? You will most likely want to decide on the processor that you would like to use first. After you find the processor, then you will need to decide your motherboard that is compatible with the processor. Then you will need to decide on your RAM. My suggestion is to stick with the 32 bit OS. There is a little more speed in the 64 bit, but not enough to really make that much of a difference at this time. The only advantage that the 64 bit gives you is the opportunity to run 4 gigs of RAM instead of 3. Intel has some of the best processors right now, until AMD is able to come out with something that will top what they have. I am a fan of ASUS motherboards, but there are others that are nice as well. I am also a fan of Crucial memory. But you have to remember that I OC my machines and need the higher end products. After you decide on your processor and motherboard then you will know what kind of video card slot you have available. That is when you start to shop for the video card. Here is a site that I found that will answer most of your questions about building a computer. My first build was trial and error. Actually trial, error, error, and more error!! Of course I didn't have a book to follow or a website to read over! http://www.build-your-own-computers.com/ If the site does not mention it, then I will let you know that keeping your PC cool is important. Make sure that you have both internal and external fans on the machine. Buy a case that allows for a side fan as well. They also have water cooled systems now that you can get. The problem with technology is that it is ever increasing, and that is why you have to have a good idea of what you want before you start. I hope this information helps!
