Anger Wrote:hey as long as you wear an anti static wrist strap, don't force anything into places that don't fit, and make sure you find out if the part is compatible, then you can't really go wrong. generally if it doesn't fit it won't work lol. my advice get some old machines and dismantle them noting where things go, then reassemble them and test them, if it doesn't blow up then you may be ready to work on a newer machine. :P

Yeah, gotcha. I've got my brother's old computer I can mess around on.

Good for you metalgear!  Computer building/tuning is one of the most important things I ever learned!

I feel sorry for anyone who is smart enough to be a part of this forum, yet buys a dell/hp/sony/etc computer instead of build their own.

I agree with anger...take apart and clean an old computer...even removing the motherboard and cpu!  then clean it up, put it back together and install windows on it for fun.  I used to know my windows 95 and 98 key by heart because i was building my own computers then a few days/weeks later someone I knew wanted to buy a computer and i sold them my working box and I got to buy all new parts for my self!  THAT is a treat!!

I have been building my own computers since 1995 with my first self built being a dual cpu pentium pro 200mhz computer and 64mb matrox millenium dual booting windows 95/nt4.  First computer i was allowed to take apart and upgraded was a 486sx25mhz with 2mb ram.  First upgrade was a $400 8mb ram chip so i could play the FREE SHAREWARE demo of Doom!  (Wolfenstein 3d ram fine, but doom was a killer)  Then it was a $250 486sx100mhz Over drive chip :O  WOOWOOOO...then i could play descent LOL...its all about the games for me...

If you know how to use froogle/pricewatch/newegg/tigerdirect you will always price out a faster computer with better components for less than a name brand system!!  

SchmilK Wrote:Good for you metalgear!  Computer building/tuning is one of the most important things I ever learned!

I feel sorry for anyone who is smart enough to be a part of this forum, yet buys a dell/hp/sony/etc computer instead of build their own.

I agree with anger...take apart and clean an old computer...even removing the motherboard and cpu!  then clean it up, put it back together and install windows on it for fun.  I used to know my windows 95 and 98 key by heart because i was building my own computers then a few days/weeks later someone I knew wanted to buy a computer and i sold them my working box and I got to buy all new parts for my self!  THAT is a treat!!

I have been building my own computers since 1995 with my first self built being a dual cpu pentium pro 200mhz computer and 64mb matrox millenium dual booting windows 95/nt4.  First computer i was allowed to take apart and upgraded was a 486sx25mhz with 2mb ram.  First upgrade was a $400 8mb ram chip so i could play the FREE SHAREWARE demo of Doom!  (Wolfenstein 3d ram fine, but doom was a killer)  Then it was a $250 486sx100mhz Over drive chip :O  WOOWOOOO...then i could play descent LOL...its all about the games for me...

If you know how to use froogle/pricewatch/newegg/tigerdirect you will always price out a faster computer with better components for less than a name brand system!!  

Thanks for all the advice. Unfortunately, I just discovered that my brother basically butchered his old computer, so I'm SOL there. But I'm planning on installing a new CPU and graphics card on my Dell in the near future, and I have a 4 year warranty that's barely past it's first year, so I don't really have anything to worry about there.

And Newegg is a great site. They have amazing prices. I'm getting my widescreen monitor from them. Also, my aunt is going to help me buy a Macbook Pro as a graduation present this summer, and I plan on getting a bare-bones model and upgrading it myself, because the Newegg parts are quite cheap.

UncertainGod Wrote:

metalgear08 Wrote:and I have a 4 year warranty that's barely past it's first year, so I don't really have anything to worry about there.

Read your dell warranty, the second you open that case it is void.

Nope, I called support to make sure and asked them if modifying the internal contents of my computer was in warranty, and they said it's covered.

(This post was last modified: 07/02/2008 09:49 PM by Chroma.)

Oh sweet, man. PC building has also become a hobby of mine. I've built 4 so far.

well as were now onto our past my first pc was an amd 160 mhz self built by myself. my god that was a long time ago. anyway i bought it for doom and others but like others, it was mostly for the games. the only thing i don't miss about those days is the working in dos (himem etc. *shudder*)
anyway back on topic - building or repairing pc's can be profitable but your most important part will be building a client base and getting customers via word of mouth so once you have enough skill to build a machine get out there and use it and don't overcharge initially - word of moth about your good pricing will get you more buisness, then you can start charging more for each job.