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Upgrade Your Personal Computer, Part II
The Ultimate Upgrade
Given the diversity of individual preferences, it's unlikely you'll ever find all of the features you want in a computer system, even one that has been customized by a major on line retailer. If you're the kind of person that wants it your way, you can build your own computer from scratch and save some money. Parts you'll need include a new computer case, motherboard, processor, RAM memory, hard disk drive, CD/DVD drive, floppy drive, and peripheral components. For maximum benefit from this tech note, please review component selection recommendations in my first tech note "Upgrade Your Personal Computer".
Buying Tips
Fortunately, the PC market is well defined by industry standards, which reduces your risk as far as compatibility issues are concerned. Mainstream product manufacturers are keenly aware that magazine reviews can make or break their products, so they are highly motivated to offer quality hardware at competitive prices. It's generally safest to stay with well-known brands, especially those manufacturers who have pioneered the device technology. Alternative name-brand products may perform well, but experience has shown that inexpensive hardware may lead to a problemic computer. Saving money is always good so it is recommended to settle on a specific hardware model, and then shop for the best value. Beware of prices below the norm as this may indicate refurbished merchandise, grey market warranty, or other potential problems. Shop the bottom line; that is the total delivered cost, which includes shipping, handling, and sales tax. Unless you're really paranoid, avoid add-on warranties since electronic devices usually fail immediately, in which case the base warranty should cover replacement.
Select and Purchase the Components
Start out by selecting your motherboard and processor. With the video, audio, and LAN features integrated onto the motherboard, there's not much need for a full-sized ATX board so select a micro-ATX board and go with the smaller case size. Allow $75-100 for a new case and $125-150 for the motherboard. Select as much processor speed as your budget will allow. Currently, an Intel 3.0 GHz processor can be purchased from e-tailers for around $200. Select as much random access memory as your budget will allow. For a basic system, 256 MB of RAM can be purchased for about $45. More RAM is always better, so plan on at least 512 MB for a moderate performance system. The benchmark for a high performance worksystem is 1024 MB of RAM.
Select other components: hard disk drive, CD/DVD drive, floppy disk drive, etc. When you have the option to use SATA-300 (as compared to IDE/ATA-100) then do so. This is the latest and fastest technology for hard disk drives and DVD burners. Allow $125-150 for the latest (16x) DVD burner, $125-150 for the latest (250 GB) SATA-II hard disk, and $15 for the floppy.
As opposed to placing your order for a new computer on Tuesday and receiving it on Thursday, ordering the components takes a little longer. But the joy is more spread out as well. For example, on Monday you can tell the family at dinner that my memory arrived today, then on Tuesday, the motherboard and DVD drive came in, etc. Don't forget to sprinkle in a little football or soccer so your family won't think you're too geeky.
In the early days of e-tail commerce, sales tax was never charged. However, these days collecting sales tax is increasingly common. So, if the company you're placing an order with has a physical presence in your state, they are obligated to collect sales tax.
The ultimate upgrade: a whole new computer. Intel Pentium IV motherboard (micro-ATX size), StarTech case, LCD monitor, hard disk & DVD drives, floppy drive, keyboard, and mouse.
Assembly
For those who are comfortable with reading directions and assembling electronic systems, a computer can be assembled in about 1-2 hours with just a screwdriver and small adjustable wrench. Add another 4-8 hours to load software, drivers, and updates. For a number of reasons, having an operational computer nearby will be very helpful during the assembly process. Note: the assembly process outlined below may need to be altered to better suit your particular hardware combination.
First, install the processor onto the motherboard and then install the memory modules. Take your time and follow the directions. On one computer, I broke the processor's heatsink bracket during assembly. I admit this was an operator error, but it was easily corrected since the replacement part was available on line from Intel. Seems a lot of people had the same problem, so I don't feel so bad, but take your time and don't force anything.
Temporarily hold your new motherboard to the PC case's mounting surface to ensure the holes line up. Install hex-head standoffs for all motherboard mounting holes. Motherboards usually come with a rectangular input/output shield plate that fits into the case. If necessary, remove the I/O plate that came with your case and snap the new plate into the rectangular opening. Then mount the motherboard and secure with screws.
Attach the case wires to the motherboard's connectors: power supply, on/off power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard disk drive LED, front panel USB, Firewire, audio, etc. Also attach the case fan and the processor fan connectors to the motherboard. Documentation on the motherboard's I/O connections will be found on the product's installation directions, CD, or on-line at the manufacturer's web site. The case wires have connectors that are almost always labeled so just plug them in where the documentation says they should go. The on/off and reset switches can be plugged in backwards without any problem. The power and hard disk LED's may not illuminate (or illuminate the wrong color) if they're plugged in backwards.
In addition to the power supply fan (built in) and the processor's heatsink fan, you will need at least one case fan. I recommend an exhaust fan that simply screws to the rear of the case and is controlled by the motherboard. Look for a model with RPM sensor and TX3 connector. As an alternative, you can use a thermally-regulated fan as long as it's connected to the power supply (not the motherboard). This avoids erratic fan operation caused by competition with the motherboard's thermal control circuit. Allow $6-8 for a basic case fan with RPM and TX3.
Install the hard disk and CD/DVD drives. Connect the power supply wires to these devices and the parallel ribbon (IDE) cables or serial (SATA) cables. If desired, install a floppy drive.
Only install those cards required for basic computer operation. If not integrated with the motherboard, then you will need to install the video adapter and sound cards.
Select and purchase your interface items: monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, surge-protected power strip, etc. Optional devices include UPS, scanner, printer, etc.
Operating Systems
Choose from Microsoft Windows or one of the Linux offerings. The difference is that Windows provides a high degree of compatibility with software and hardware applications. If you choose OEM versions, Microsoft Windows XP Home will cost around $100 while XP Professional will cost around $140. The difference is primarily in networking features. For a stand-alone computer, Windows XP Home is fine. For networking, XP Professional is recommended.
Linux has some great features, and if you're already familiar with this operating system then it can be an excellent choice. A nice feature of Linux is its price, available from sources on the Internet for free. Also, supported versions of Linux can be purchased from Mandriva for $110 and Red Hat for $180. However, some hardware features may not be supported in Linux. For example, Intel offers very limited Linux support for its motherboards, and peripheral manufacturers often don't support Linux. Instead, the Linux crowd develops drivers for these products. Look for a supported operating system to help ensure driver compatibility. The free Red Hat Fedora Core 4 (four-CD set) we installed on one of our development PC's came with all the drivers and application software for typical workstation operations. In addition to a nice Office suite, a number of programming, network services, and development tools were included.
I've always liked Windows 2000 Professional but its glory is fading. The latest product updates from Microsoft, including Media Player and Internet Explorer, will not be made available for Windows 2000. So, although Microsoft plans support for Windows 2000 through 2010, the product is already phasing out. Plan on purchasing Windows XP until late 2006 when Vista will be released.
Microsoft offers several licensing options for their software, including Full Retail, Upgrade, OEM, and NFR. Full retail is the most expensive option and upgrade is often not much cheaper. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) versions are usually your most cost-efficient choice. Microsoft advisors state that even purchasing a mouse qualifies for purchase of an OEM version, so a motherboard upgrade or computer built from scratch certainly qualifies. Technically, Microsoft licenses OEM software for a particular PC for life, and will not allow transfer of the license to an upgraded PC. So, read the license agreement! Avoid "Not For Resale" or NFR software as it is licensed for Demonstration/Evaluation only. The price may be 30-40% less than OEM versions, but there are ethical issues when your intended usage is a home or office workstation. Besides, Microsoft embeds license information in their software and may turn off support (e.g. on-line product updates) for their NFR versions without notice.
When assembly is complete, leave the case cover off until all cards and software have been installed. The order of installation is important, so don't install auxiliary PCI cards until the operating system and basic drivers have been installed.
The ultimate upgrade, assembled. This particular computer provides USB, Firewire, and audio ports on the front and the back. If you can do without the floppy drive, the ribbon cable goes away. SATA drives use the serial (red) cables, which take up much less space. Pictured is an Intel D945GTP motherboard with Pentium IV processor.
Operating System Installation
When you have assembled the computer and checked all connections, turn the computer on and press the key combination to enter setup mode. Write down the BIOS version, check to ensure setup reports the correct amount of RAM, and that it recognizes your hard disk and CD/DVD drives. Under Boot options, select CD for your first boot device. Insert your operating system CD and restart the computer. The operating system (OS) loader should launch. From there, follow the on-screen directions.
Note: If your hard disk or CD/DVD drive connects to the motherboard via a SCSI or Promise controller card you may need to install the controller's driver. When the OS loader prompts you to install the SCSI/Promise driver, have the device driver available.
Software installation
Before starting the software installation, ensure you have all the drivers required for the intended operating system. If your system is hanging, or misbehaving in any way, check the memory, and then check the manufacturer's web site for a BIOS update. Sometimes, a cold start is required to clear up problems. That is, shut down the computer and unplug the power for ten seconds. Other times, you may have installed an incorrect driver. If that's the case, uninstall the most recent driver, check for an updated driver, and try reinstallation. Always reboot when prompted so the system will recognize new drivers. Upon successful installation of the operating system, follow this order for installing drivers:
1. Install the motherboard drivers, available on the CD that came with the motherboard. For a menu-driven installation, check the basic options, such as INF drivers, video adapter, sound adapter, LAN adapter, etc. You may choose not to install other options, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Antivirus software, and trial software. You can download the most recent Acrobat Reader from Adobe at a later time. Most users prefer to install their own application software (e.g. antivirus, firewall, CD burner, etc.). Intel's Hardware Monitor (also known as Active Monitor) is a good option, go ahead and install this one. A good rule of thumb is to accept the defaults recommended on the installation CD.
Open Device Manager and check for bangs (!) next to any of the devices:
Control Panel > System > Hardware Tab > Device Manager
If there is a bang next to a hardware device, you may need to install the device drivers.
When this step is complete, your motherboard's video, sound, LAN, and internal hardware device drivers have been installed and should be operational. Your system is now in approximately the same state as that which a manufacturer delivers a new computer. To set up your applications, you will need to complete the following steps. Allow 4-8 hours for software installations and updates.
2. Set your monitor's resolution and color depth:
Control Panel > Display > Settings Tab
Typical setting: 1024x768, 32-bit color quality.
While on Display, select your Theme, Desktop, Screen Saver, and Appearance settings. This is a good time to calibrate your monitor using the manufacturer's gamma calibration program or an aftermarket calibration system.
If you want to turn off Windows XP's desktop cleanup wizard, select Desktop > Desktop Items > Customize Desktop. Uncheck the box for "Run Desktop Cleanup . . .". For those so inclined, there are several settings that will make Windows XP look more like Windows 2000.
3. Review the control panel icons for any other options that you may want to change. Power options, user accounts, firewall settings, etc. will usually require customization.
4. Add one hardware card at a time and install the associated drivers. Read each installation guide carefully to determine if the software is installed first, then the card, or vice versa. Where applicable, this is when you install your network interface card (NIC) for local area networking (LAN), modem, sound card, SCSI card, printer, scanner, etc.
5. Enter TCP/IP settings for networking. If you have a modem, use your service provider's setup program to connect to the Internet. First order of business is to go on-line to Windows Update Service to install their service packs and updates. (windowsupdate.microsoft.com).
Beware, without the updates your system is vulnerable, especially over a modem connection. I was once hacked after a Windows 98 install and during the Windows update over a modem. Had to pull the phone line to break the connection and ended up reloading the operating system! The second time around, I installed Zone Alarm firewall, which prevented the system from being hacked again.
6. Load your application software and copy the data files from your old system.
Conclusion
How does your computer-from-scratch compare with a new PC? A PC properly built from scratch has all the speed, power, and functionality of a comparable computer purchased from a vendor. The advantage is that you have it your way. Each component is hand-selected and you get exactly what you want. Another advantage is that you've installed the components and software, so you know your computer inside and out.
The computer system described above will cost about $1000 (without the monitor); saving $100 or more on an equivalent custom-ordered computer from sources such as Dell, Gateway, etc. Component selection is a personal choice so bottom-line price results will vary.
