How to build a computer in five minutes

Accelerated-time video of a computer upgrade (motherboard, cpu, RAM).
Not too instructional, didn't have enough time to do it that way.

Parts being replaced:
-1.8 GHz AMD Sempron 3100+
-1.5GB PC3200 DDR RAM
-Gigabyte Socket 754 Mobo

New Parts:
-2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400
-4GB PQI PC8500 DDR2
-Gigabyte P45-DSR3 Mobo

Everything else (case, fans, drives, power supply, vid card) was reused.

Some tips for those who maybe haven't done too much system building:
-Anti-static measures are a good idea, especially in the winter or in dry areas. At the least, ground yourself on something unpainted and metal regularly, and don't wear something like a sweater that's likely to collect a charge. Consider an anti-static strap, they're cheap and easy.

-If your case has screw-in mainboard standoffs, count to make sure that the number of standoffs matches the number of screws you you put in to attach the board. This helps ensure that there isn't a rogue standoff stuck under your board shorting things out.

-The stock Intel heatsink/fan isn't the best design ever, and it's a good idea to make sure the cable around the heatsink for the fan isn't going to be caught in the fan. Probably a good idea to check that again every time the computer is moved.
The stock heatsink also relies primarily on pressure to make good contact with the CPU heatspreader, so getting it attached to the board requires a good bit of physical force, on each of the four pins, and the board may appear warped in that area afterward. Strange as it might seem, this is normal. Plenty of alternative heatsinks out there if that makes you nervous, though some may do the same thing. What you can see I do in the video to help with getting the heatsink attached was to place the board on a layer of foam so that the heatsink pins would be able to get through the holes without flexing the board too much.

This was the first Intel build I've done with entirely new parts in a while, so it took a little longer than usual, hence the time acceleration. Probably wouldn't have needed to speed it up if it was a Socket A board swap :)

Music:
"Sidology Episode 1"
and
"Multiball"
by Machinae Supremacy
http://machinaesupremacy.com/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• computer
• upgrade
• Intel
• quadcore
• install
• motherboard

[ibmman85]

Have switched to a modular power supply since.

Yes, I could have built it much faster but I was working with parts that had cost more than any other system I've built (and my first Intel build since the Pentium 3) so I wanted to be a little more careful than usual. If it was a complete rebuild of a Socket A system, I could probably do it in 5 not-sped-up minutes haha.

All cables are nicely tied up and routed now.

Both songs are from the Machinae Supremacy web release tracks.

[ibmman85]

Memory controllers supporting dual-channel can logically use the installed memory as if it were installed in two different banks, and thus can theoretically nearly double memory bandwidth. Like parallel processing, but for memory access.

[ConorUtTutela]

why didn't you install your RAM in dual-channel? :S

[ibmman85]

I changed it right after that.

[cotton509]

one prob to many cables blocking air flow do cable managment

[ibmman85]

It's been much cleaned up since then, which was necessitated by adding a 4-drive 2TB RAID 5 array... lots of twist-ties now (the black cable wrap would look nicer of course but I don't think it's worth the cost for this system). 7 hard drives now!

[gokuss4neo]

Wow, he's so quick, it almost looks as if the video was sped up! =P

[phoneyz12]

dude it looks like a nuke of cables went off in your case

[coolmarshall]

The power unit can be extracted too.

[Saffire192]

this is fast forwarded and on top of that not 5 minutes

[fuckconsolegaming]

is it just me or does that case look similar to the inside of a vaccum bag?

[brraap125]

how do i fix a computer fan ????

[trickmytruck32]

one question whats dual-channel mean i know a little bit about computers

[negerauto123]

can i have your old parts? :P

[Cqub3]

its like putting new organs in a new person

[craker3833]

how long did that really take you?