The Experience of Building an Own Computer 1

Ever wanted to build an own computer with components of your choosing? I wanted to and did.

How did I come to want to build an own computer

So since I am anyway interested in anything surrounding computers I was already keen on the idea to build an own gaming computer. But the real spark was when I had a learning module during my apprenticeship as an application developer where I had to make a list of components I would use to build an own computer. While I'm sure that the list would not have led to a working computer, since I didn't check if all the components were compatible with each other, it was the first time I really had to plan to build an own computer.

My first experience of tinkering with computers

Since I got interested in tinkering with computers and wanted to upgrade the graphics card of my computer I used the opportunity to build an own computer with the components of my working one. Since the case was too small for a good gaming graphics card I also bought a new case and while I was at it a new main board.

Once all of the components arrived I opened my working computer and began to take out each component one after the other. While I did this some doubts began to form in my mind, since this was the only computer which was able to actually run games with good performance. I was afraid that I could accidentally break one of my components or that the end result would not work at all or even explode into my face (not likely to actually happen though).

I then began the rebuilding of the computer by attaching the main board, with the processor and cooler already there, to the case. Then one by one I inserted the components into the computer. And at the end I used the manual of the main board to figure out how to connect the cables in the computer. And with this my computer was rebuilt with a new graphics card! During the building I was surprised since you sometimes had to use quite a bit of force while screwing components onto the case or pushing them into the main board.

The booting of my (almost) new computer

So then the time had come to startup my rebuilt computer. Honestly I didn't know what I had to expect when I pressed the power button but I was excited to finally start up a computer which I had tinkered with. And the result was *drum roll* NOTHING HAPPENED!

Yes, the computer didn't start up at all. I thought I had broken my computer. So I opened it again and also checked some things and found out that the power adapter was not strong enough for the main board with LEDs and the graphics card also with LEDs. So I had to order a stronger one. But the stronger one I ordered was already broken so I had to refund it and get another one but sinceChristmas was around the corner I had to wait until after Christmas and new years to get it. I was disappointed that my new computer didn't work and that I had to use my laptop with the strength of a potato during the winter break as gaming laptop. I think I played the whole winter break long only Clicker Heroes (<- very depressing indeed).

Once I got the component screwed onto the case and connected to the main board and graphics card, I then tried to start it up again this time full of anticipation and hope that it would start up this time. And this time it actually started up and worked (although the graphics driver wasn't installed yet so the graphics looked absolutely horrible). I was delighted and relieved that it worked.

Conclusion

I hope that I ignited the spark in others to want to try to build their own computers aswell. If there are some tips I could give it's that you probably shouldn't do what I did and instead of taking apart your working computer you should either just build a new computer from scratch (with maybe using some components like graphics card or RAM if compatible) or to just switch a component in the old computer to make sure that the old computer would still work even if the new one would not work.

However the rebuilding of my computer was just the beginning later on I would even build a computer from scratch! But more on this in the second part coming tomorrow ;).

Usefull links

Clicker Heroes (free game for when you only have a potato computer to play games with)