PC Building

I have long been a big fan of building my own computers. It's a great way to make sure you get a system configured precisely for your needs, and is nearly always cheaper (usually substantially cheaper) than a pre-built system of similar specs and quality. It's by far the best bang for the buck when buying a computer.

It is also (usually) a fun project, and not nearly as complicated as some might expect. It's largely a matter of gathering the right parts, and plugging them in.

Which isn't to say it's always easy. Troubleshooting after the build can be a pain if something isn't working quite right. One thing motherboard manufacturers haven't really made big strides in is useful feedback about WHY a system isn't booting up. Beep codes and the like are a blunt tool at best. With today's technology, it would seem possible, and fairly cheap, to embed a small speaker and a give some spoken feedback, like "I can't find a video card' or "your processor is not functioning". If a greeting card can talk, why not a motherboard?

The other occasionally tricky part of building a system is making sure the parts are all compatible. This is most often an issue when it comes to processor and motherboard combinations. There are a vast number of processor models available, in a number of different form factors (slot types). None of it is terribly intuitive - and it's getting worse.

I am in the midst of a build for my father in-law. I ordered an Intel motherboard, and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. I thought I had been fairly careful to make sure the motherboard and processor would work together - the motherboard supports Core 2 Duo processors, was the right slot type, etc. Of course, I somehow missed a detail somewhere, and after getting everything assembled, it wouldn't boot - I couldn't even get any beep codes.

Sure enough, after a trip through Intel's compatibility tool on their web site, the processor doesn't work with the motherboard. WTF? I now realize the one spec I missed that didn't match up - the processor front side bus speed. Otherwise, there is no intuitive indication that these parts don't mesh.

So, now I have to decide which piece to send back to NewEgg for a swap. Counter-intuitively, the same speed processor with the slower front side bus speed is actually more than $100 more expensive, and I don't want to drop down the speed too much. So, I can swap the motherboard instead, and, it seems, maybe even save some money, but it's much more disassembly to do - it's virtually like tearing down the whole system and starting over. It only takes an hour or so, but still...

I do wish Intel would come up with a naming scheme that person can comprehend without reading every line of specs and messing with a configuration chart to figure out. Is it really THAT hard? Bah.

Anyway, time to browse NewEgg and figure out my next move. I was hoping to have this thing built before the weekend, and with NewEgg's astonishingly fast shipping (really, if you need computer stuff, buy it from them, always. They simply rock. Cheap and fast.) I may be able to pull it off.