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- Purchasing a PC or Building Your Own
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- Some guidelines to use when purchasing a PC
- How to prepare for assembling a PC yourself
- How to assemble a PC from separately purchased parts
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- Consider upgrading if cost of the upgrade does not exceed half the value
of current system
- Don’t upgrade a computer system older than five years
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- Buy a brand-name PC
- Buy a clone
- Buy parts and assemble a PC yourself (personally designed clone)
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- Identify the intended purpose
- Define the functionality needed
- Define hardware and software needed to meet the functionality
- Decide on your budget
- If a clone will meet your needs, do you want to assemble it yourself?
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- Brand-name
- Costs more than a clone
- Generally provides better after-sales service and additional support
- May be more proprietary, making upgrading and repairing more difficult
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- Choose operating system first
- Choose application software
- Functionality
- Compatibility
- Training
- Documentation
- Upgrade policies
- Popularity
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- Most important criteria:
- Compatibility
- Functionality
- Consider motherboard first
- Other considerations (eg, PnP, modem selection, power supply)
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- What hardware and software are included?
- Warranty and return or exchange policy?
- On-site or local service available?
- ACPI and Energy Star compliant?
- What software preinstalled?
- What documentation provided?
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- Manufacturer’s Web site maintained?
- Motherboard allow for expansion of RAM?
- What expansion slots are not being used?
- Can features be disabled?
- How much does it cost?
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- High-priced to middle-range PCs offer more:
- Network capability
- Expandability
- Support
- Prior testing
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- Knowledge gain
- Complete control over every part
- Availability of documentation and original software disks
- Personal satisfaction
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- Takes time
- High likelihood of encountering problems
- No overall warranty on assembled product
- Possibility of selecting components that are incompatible
- Need access to an experience technician or technical service center
- Probably won’t save money
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- Selecting each component requires reviewing your functionality,
compatibility, and budget needs
- Select motherboard first, then CPU and RAM (all from same local dealer,
if possible)
- Select the case and accompanying power supply
- Select hard drive and other drives
- Select video card and other peripherals (mouse, keyboard, monitor)
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- Prepare a work area that is well lit and uncluttered
- Read all documentation and plan entire assembly
- Get questions answered before you begin
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- Verify that you have all the parts
- Prepare the computer case
- Install case fans and I/O shield
- Remove plates covering drive bays and install spacers
- Install drives
- Determine proper configuration settings for motherboard; set jumpers and
DIP switches
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- Install CPU and CPU fan
- Install RAM on the motherboard
- Install motherboard and attach cabling
- Install video card
- Plug computer in; attach monitor, keyboard, and mouse
- Boot the computer, check CMOS settings, and verify operation
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- Set IDE jumpers on each IDE drive in the system
- Install CD-ROM drive
- Install hard drive
- Install floppy drive
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- Guidelines for purchasing a new PC
- After-sales service and support are most important criteria
- Reasons for building a PC from parts
- Knowledge gain
- Complete control over every part
- Availability of documentation and original software disks
- Personal satisfaction
- Procedures for building a PC from parts
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