PC Building Advice

[RickW4]

Hi guys, I'm planning to build my own pc soon since the old rig is more than a decade old. I'm planning to have everything up to date since I don't really buy PC's for short term use. I heard that there's been a massive shortage in the PC parts industry? Is now still a good time. It's a family computer and my son told me he wanted the latest NVIDIA cards, but they're outrageously expensive. Any suggestions?

 

[Delmer]

This is the last place I'd ask that question. I only read this because I thought you were going to be talking about fair trade organic passive solar straw bale construction

 

[Birken Vogt]

I have been known to build computers, in the past. The one I am typing on is Win7, like 10 years old and still works fine, no viruses, not scared either.

We have been having terrible trouble getting new product for our business because of chip shortage stuff so it probably is worse in computers.

The most confusing thing I have come across is the names of the processors and such never change. They are trying to make it harder to understand I think. Years ago it was a 286, then a 386, then a 486, you knew what you were getting. Now it's all gibberish.

 

[lantraxco]

Pick up one of the Dell refurbs off Amazon, inexpensive and ready to run. I just bought one with a SSD drive for the windows 10 Pro and I think a 2TB hard disk, 16Gb ram, etc. Drop another 16Gb in it, swap in the video card you like and don't look back. I don't see any real advantage to paying big bucks for specs and name brands, then doing the labor yourself anymore. YMMV

 

[skyking1]

Pretty much what he said. You get the win 10 license, and you can pick a model that has a decent enough upgrade path. There's no point in shooting the moon unless you really are an over the top gamer and if you're running a 10-year-old machine I'd have to call BS on that!

 

[Birken Vogt]

Just looked in the root directory, setup log and a couple directories from 3/23/11 about 12pm that day.

 

[kshansen]

Well my Dell's birth day according to the sticker on it was 04/17/08, dang I forgot to buy it a present 3 days ago!

Trying to decide if I should just swap in a new SSD which many say will speed up an old computer, I can get one for under $50 at the local Staples.

Looks like my other option would be something like Lantraxco mentions, at maybe 10 times the price, but as I have about 1/2 of the space on a 250Gb drive still free I find it hard to see where a 2 TB drive would do anything more that let me save way too much junk and make it hard to remember where I put it!

 

[Birken Vogt]

I have a much newer computer at work and it came with a platter drive. I was not real happy with how slow it was for brand new, replaced it with an SSD and saw no noticeable improvement. I tried to replace the drive on this home computer but there was some problem with copying the files and OS over so I eventually gave up and the SSD is gathering dust now.

 

[hvy 1ton]

Retail graphics card prices are so ridiculous at the moment that it's generally not worth building over buying a prebuilt system right now. I say that as someone that hasn't bought a computer in 20 years.

 

[Tinkerer]

It is nice to build your own pc.
But with the lack of availability of components and the stupid high prices for them if you do find them, it is way cheaper to buy a decent pc and upgrade it. If you can find what you will need.
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I tried to replace the drive on this home computer but there was some problem with copying the files and OS over so I eventually gave up and the SSD is gathering dust now.

I have cloned ssd drives with the entire OS and all the files from disk drive PC"s several times.
It is very easy to do with the correct cable and software.
The original drive can be kept as a permanent back-up in case of a catastrophic event in the new ssd drive.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I successfully cloned on the other computer but not this one. Some minor glitch kept it from completing. Which is par for the course on drive cloning I would say. Eventually I decided I would rather be working or doing something else so that's why the drive has sat there 2 or 3 years now. With a thick coating of dust.

 

[RickW4]

Thanks guys! Yes, I think going for pre-built ones would cost a whole lot less than building it part by part nowadays.

 

[RickW4]

I have been known to build computers, in the past. The one I am typing on is Win7, like 10 years old and still works fine, no viruses, not scared either.

We have been having terrible trouble getting new product for our business because of chip shortage stuff so it probably is worse in computers.

The most confusing thing I have come across is the names of the processors and such never change. They are trying to make it harder to understand I think. Years ago it was a 286, then a 386, then a 486, you knew what you were getting. Now it's all gibberish.

You didn't get the free Win7 to Win10 update? or was that Win7 to Win8 I don't remember

 

[Birken Vogt]

I can't stand Win10 and I'm glad I didn't update.

 

[Tinkerer]

I installed a free Windows 10 update blocker in all three of my older PC's.

I also hated windows 10 in my newest (stupid expensive) laptop.
But, there is a free software available called Windows Classic Shell.
It makes Windows 10 look very much like Windows 7.
I now like Win 10 very much and actually prefer it.
http://classicshell.net/

 

[Tinkerer]

Birken Vogt,
Did you happen to save all your files and programs to a thumb drive/or hard-drive, then delete/uninstall every thing except the registered OS on that pc before you tried to clone it ?
Sometimes a program or some other piece of software will prevent the cloning from completion.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I don't remember. I figure this setup is close to end of life anyway so I am not going to waste more time on it. Kind of like throwing new tracks on a clapped out dozer.

 

[uffex]

Good day folks
I'm of the belief that the software / hardware industry is somewhat of a fast buck industry. The policy has been to convince users that an upgrade will solve slow glitchy computers, my experience has found upgrading will produce a small gain which is soon lost in the space of time. I ask why you need to invest in a new operating system on a periodic basis, may be Gates needs it for that house payments. Is it not possible to update instead of replace, or was that operating system so bad in the first edition.
There has been a change by many software outfits recently that you subscribe on an annual basis instead of buying outright, some are downright misleading with "an update is available click here" when you do it will not activate until you pay up.
Before going down that many bucks route, try installing Linux Mint or Zorin magic real improvement.
Keep smiling
Uffex

 

[aighead]

I'm late to this thread but I also, back in the day (mid-to late 1990's to early 2000's) would build my own. I think it's still possible and can probably save you a little money if you keep up with the latest trends in processors and RAM and all that junk but I didn't have the interest in keeping up and it all got away from me. Nowadays, for no hassle, you can get a pretty decent laptop, that'll even play games ok, for a thousand bucks. I wouldn't bother with the craziest newest video cards either, unless you are making money with your system (youtube/twitch gaming and getting paid or like CAD drawing or video editing). Get a video card that is a step or two above minimal requirements for VR gaming and you'd be good to go. Mine is a laptop with about the minimal requirements for VR and it runs everything pretty well.

I'm a big fan of the SSDs, if for no other reason than booting times. It's amazing how quickly my pc boots. I have a lot of games on my pc that also load incredibly quickly, with the SSD, and now they are relatively cheap and easy to install. I have probably 5 SSD hard drives just sitting around that have become backups for photos and the like. A laptop sized SSD and a harddrive enclosure, for about 8 bucks, plugged into USB3 is pretty sweet, when it's needed.

 

[uffex]

Good day
I agree with the comments made by airhead SSD drives are a cheap way to try a new operating system by just replacing the drive can reap really good results. Current machine runs three cards and five Operating systems assembled in the main using discarded PC's .
Kind regards
Uffex