Can anyone point me to the best online computer building step-by-step guide?

[mrdrsrow]

I am not totally helpless, but it's been 5 years since I last built, and going over to mac in those 5 years made me pctarded. All my parts have arrived and I suddenly got a little trepidation about screwing up!

[BicycleMafioso]

You don't need 'the best', you just need one that is user-friendly and mostly correct and up-to-date.
I hear Newegg has a series of videos you can use.

But it's pretty simple; Unbox things, keep yourself grounded, use motherboardstands in your case, use cablemanagement holes and follow the manuals that comes with the assorted products, laying most of the weight on the MoBo-manual.

[ispano]

Oh and no petting your cat without grounding yourself afterwards.

[BicycleMafioso]

Oh and no petting your cat without grounding yourself afterwards.

Precisely!
Also, I usually ground myself by touching the PSU, while plugged in and switched off. And case-door. Because I'm paranoid like that.
Speaking of which, one of my cats insists on helping me whenever I pop the door off. I find it adorable. He loves computers. :3

[mrdrsrow]

Haha yah the cat gets the bathroom treatment while I'm doing this . So I looked on newegg.com. No dice.. What's the most user friendly guide then?

[blackangel209]

I know I'm an idiot for this, but what exactly does "grounding" mean?

[OhpUldum]

This guide gives you a pretty good step by step with pictures.

[BicycleMafioso]

Haha yah the cat gets the bathroom treatment while I'm doing this . So I looked on newegg.com. No dice.. What's the most user friendly guide then?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIXAtNGGCw Part one of their computer-building series.
I can't really recommend any guides, as I, well, never needed them, and thus don't know what problems people would run into and them needing to know. @_@
I know I come across as elitististic here, but I never had any issue with it since doing it for the first time, and I'm sorry about that.

I also think that Linus, on NCIX.com's video-channel on youtube had some pretty good build-guides.

---------- Post added 2011-07-28 at 03:19 AM ----------

I know I'm an idiot for this, but what exactly does "grounding" mean?

Grounding means that you discharge any static load you've possibly accumulated.

Static kills electronic devices, so you don't want to discharge onto your components.

[blackangel209]

Grounding means that you discharge any static load you've possibly accumulated.

Static kills electronic devices, so you don't want to discharge onto your components.

Right, so the easiest way to do that would be?

[BicycleMafioso]

Right, so the easiest way to do that would be?

Touching something metalic everytime you've touched fabrics such as clothing, rugs, bedsheets, hair and even worse, cats.

The sidepanel of ones computer, if it's metalic, or a PSU that is plugged in, but with the power-button on the psu itself switched off. That's what I do at least. An ESD-bracelet works as well, meaning you don't have to touch anything. It's a bit redundant, but it saves you having to worry about it.
Some people also like touching the metalparts on ... well, walloutputs, I think they're called). I'm guessing you have metal-grounds in the Americas on walloutputs as well? (speaking of which, what are they called, properly in English?)

[Fuzzykins]

Touching something metalic everytime you've touched fabrics such as clothing, rugs, bedsheets, hair and even worse, cats.

Or yourself! (I'm kidding. That couldn't produce static electricity. x3)

[bigsandwich732]

There's ALOT of good step by step videos on youtube for building PC's.

[BicycleMafioso]

Or yourself! (I'm kidding. That couldn't produce static electricity. x3)

Oh, I'm absolutely electrifying. *raises eyebrow*

There's ALOT of good step by step videos on youtube for building PC's.

And a lot of bad advice as well, I'm sure.

[naadra]

Ya the Newegg "how to build a computer" parts one, two, and three on Youtube are very good. Ya remember to ground yourself or touch your case if it is metal. PLEASE do not use a magnetic screwdriver either. Magnets=not good for computers.

[mrdrsrow]

Ya the Newegg "how to build a computer" parts one, two, and three on Youtube are very good. Ya remember to ground yourself or touch your case if it is metal. PLEASE do not use a magnetic screwdriver either. Magnets=not good for computers.

those exist? I thought it was the screws that were designed to be magnetic w/ a metal screwdriver? lol

[Arisfarreach]

Newegg "How to Build a Computer" guides!

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIXAtNGGCw

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_56kyib-Ls

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxaVBsXEiok

Probably the best/most thorough guides I've seen in a while. Plus, Paul seems like a pretty cool guy.

[DarkBlade6]

This guide gives you a pretty good step by step with pictures.

Nice guide !! But omg this computer is so ugly ... pinky red , some orange, blue, white, black, its HORRIBLE!

[mrdrsrow]

Well after all that I put everything together, no problems.. and then I go to turn it on fo the first time, powers up, fans spinning.. then the dreaded POST fail.. 3 short beeps followed by 5 longer beeps.. how fucked am i? what do i do now?


this is my mobo btw: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130572

[naadra]

Look in your motherboard manual and it should tell you what is wrong by the beeps that you received, take a look at that first

[mrdrsrow]

Look in your motherboard manual and it should tell you what is wrong by the beeps that you received, take a look at that first

It doesn't. I tried looking through every page, the English ones at least