Building a Vista PC Other Vista Discussions Discuss Building a Vista PC in the Windows Vista forums; I am looking for suggestions to help those of us who like the thrill of building a PC, or even for those who would like to learn the basis of ...

[felix8406]

I am looking for suggestions to help those of us who like the thrill of building a PC, or even for those who would like to learn the basis of building one. If possible, would like to keep this thread to building a Vista PC...from the basic requirements to a machine that rocks.
To begin I would like to suggest getting a quality PC case. Many people building or upgrading a PC, go out and get a top-notch motherboard, CPU, Ram, etc. and then try to squezee all tese hardware on the first case they can get their hands on...one they got from a friend or from an older PC.

Here are my suggestions:

1. Don't choose the case just by its outside appearance. You must make sure that it has a functinal-quality interior.
2. More Power: The power supply is one of the most critical part of a PC case. If you are serious about bilding your PC and want reliable performance, you must choose a reliable power supply. Reliability is probably more important than wattage. To make sure you get a reliable power supply get one from a brand name company. As for wattage, a 350-400 wattage power supply should be sufficient for most systems.
3. It's hot in here. Do not rely solely on your power supply cooling fan. Get a high quality case cooling fan. Altough a fan with neon lights might look cool, it might not be enough to maintaing your system cool, especially if it's a cheap one....and don't forget about noise. Failure to maintain your system cool, can result in stability problems and the longevity of your system will suffer. Debating where and how many case fans to install depends on whom you ask. I prefer installing one on the front to suck air in, and one on the rear to suck air out.
4. Is it crowded. Make sure you get a case that has a lot of room inside. This will allow you easy access for you to install your hardware and do upgrades when necessary. Also, stay away from cases with sharp edges...that shouldn't be too difficult as most manufactures are doing a great job at removing sharp edges.

[felix8406]

Another thing u need to be concern about when selecting ur case is whether or not ur motherboard is compatible with ur case, or vice-versa. Here is the info u may need to know about “form factor”:
The AT form factor motherboard used to be popular a few years back, but is no longer manufactured. U might be able to install an AT motherboard in ATX cases, but getting an ATX motherboard to fit in an AT case can difficult. In addition, an AT power supply will not work with an ATX motherboard.
The majority of motherboards nowadays are ATX or a combination. You can easily tell the difference in between the AT and ATX motherboards, as the latter has many more onboard ports, e.g. PS2 mouse connector.
Most server cases support E-ATX and Full ATX motherboards. Note that a case that supports E-ATX and Full ATX motherboard can accept ATX motherboard as well.
The MicroATX / FlexAT are the most common for building smaller systems. FlexATX are usually smaller than the MicroATX. You cannot install an ATX motherboard in a MicroATX case, but a MicroATX motherboard will fit in an ATX case.
Mini-ITX is a very small form factor. A Mini-ITX motherboard can be installed in MicroATX and FlexATX. However, the Mini-ITX case will only accept Mini-ITX motherboard.
So as u can see, ur selection of motherboard and case combo might seen confusing for the beginner, but id doesn’t have to be. Stick with an ATX form factor case and motherboard and you’ll never go wrong for years to come. Happy computing!

[felix8406]

So u r still with me in wanting to build ur PC. Also, u might be anxious to start; there are still a few things you may want to consider before selecting the computer case.
1. Make sure you pick a case with an appealing design; after all this is ur Vista PC. Cases come in different styles and functions. The majority of cases have slid out side panels, but there are others where the side and top are one single piece. Also, while I preferred slid out tray to install my motherboard, other people might preferred a large/roomy case where the motherboard can be installed directly inside the case. This will be ur personal choice…ask around and get some opinions.
2. Do u want to use ur old case? If you have an old case, over two years old, ur best bet is to keep that PC as a backup or try to sell it, and get u a new case if u can afford it. U can get a nice functional and quality case for a low price and will get the advantage of getting a newer power supply with it…the life of a power supply diminishes as it gets older.
3. Case construction has changed within the last few years. Although steel and plastic used to be the norm, aluminum cases have become popular. Aluminum cases cost more than steel cases, but are lighter and come in a more modern look.
4. You must also consider noise level. The less expensive the case, typically, the more noise it’s going to resonate from the moving components. There are basically five moving components inside your computer: hard drive, CD-Rom/DVD, case fan, CPU fan and power supply fan, but there could be others as well. Cooling fans are contributors for the most noise resonating from your computer; it’s important you choose reliable and quite fans. The mounting mechanism of your motherboard is another big factor. Some cases allow for the motherboard to snap right in, while others require mounting screws. I preferred the latter as the screws will help minimize vibrations. And make sure the hard drive mounting frame is solid, and that everything that mounts inside you case is tight and secure. Happy computing!

P.S. I'm sure we have excellent computer repair people on this forum, ur suggestions and post are welcome. Also, if you have a question, please ask here.

[felix8406]

As I mentioned on a previous post, the power supply is one of the most important component of ur PC, and usually the most ignore. A bad power supply can cause system problems, and if it’s dead, ur computer is dead. When getting a power supply, u most make sure it matches ur motherboard and that it fit ur case. Matching ur motherboard shouldn’t be difficult; u r building a PC with an ATX motherboard form factor, so ur power supply must be an ATX form factor as well.
Although power (watt) is important, is not as important as reliability. Reliability depends on the quality and not on the amount of wattage. An inexpensive power supply rated at 500 watts, might actually produce less power than a high quality 300 watts power supply. So also a 300-400 watts power supply should be sufficient for ur system, make sure it is of high quality.
Here are some tips on making sure u get a high quality power supply:
1. Named-brand. When possible, stick with a named-brad. It might cost more, but it has gone through more testing and constructed of better quality components.
2. Packaging. U can tell a lot by how the product is packed. If the packaging is of poor quality, the product inside the packaging could be of poor quality as well.
3. Weight. Compare the weight of different power supplies. Usually the heavier the power supply, the better the quality. A heavier power supply is constructed out of better material, have bigger transformers, larger heat sinks, superior capacitors, thicker wires and more connectors available.
4. Do not get a used power supply if u want ur PC to last. A used power supply might sound like a bargain at first, but u may find urself shopping for a new one three or four months down the road.
5. Finally, decide whether u want a power supply with regular wires, or one with modular cables. Modular cables gives u the advantage of adding and/or deleting cables as needed. The cables are round and more aerodynamic, which will help to get cooling air to ur PC components with less obstruction. They are also much easier to connect and to secure. Happy computer!

[felix8406]

Did u select ur new case and power supply? Well then, let’s now start deciding what u want ur new machine to do. First keep in mind that we r building a Vista PC, so we must begin by examining Vista requirements. This should be easy enough, just asked Microsoft. Microsoft lists two easy requirements:
A Windows Vista Capable PC includes at least: A modern processor (at least 800MHz), 512 MB of system memory and a graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable. These are the minimum requirements to get Vista going, but the going will be slow.

For a faster computing experience, Microsoft suggest a Windows Vista Premium Ready PC includes at least: 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor, 1 GB of system memory, Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum), Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel, 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space, DVD-ROM Drive, Audio output capability and Internet access capability. This will get Vista going much faster and ur computing experience will be more productive and enjoyable.
Most PCs in the market, with the exception of the 1GB memory (most come with 512MB) will meet these requirements.

However, when building a PC, you may want to think ahead two or three years from now. Technology is changing very rapidly and what’s good enough for today may not be good enough for tomorrow. Not to mention that u may need more hard drive space, a better graphics card, etc. to run some applications and programs.

U still have plenty of time before Vista is out as a final product, so take ur time and start shopping around. First make a list of the hardware you’ll need, then decide the maximum you r willing to spend. For the most part, get the best and most u can afford so u won’t to do constant upgrades later on. Do however, shop around and compare. Here’s a starter list:

1. Motherboard
2. CPU/Fan
3. Graphics Card
4. Memory
5. DVD Burner
6. RAM (Random Access Memory
7. Monitor
8. Keyboard/Mouse
9. Hard Drive
10. Computer Speakers
11. Surge suppressor

We’ll discuss each item on detail later on, and more than likely, add a few more items u may need to build ur dream Vista machine.