Steps that I
used to build my pc
- Read the recommended documents
- Search for the best-price-offered
webstore
- Buy the components
- Install the exhuast
fan
- Get familiar
with your drive cables
- Install FDD
- Install DVD
- Install HDD
- Install heatsink
suport assembly
- Prepare the
punchout access ports
- Prepare to
install the motherboard in the case
- Install motherboard
on standoffs and tighten screws
- Install memory
on the motherboard
- Install the
AGP graphics card
- Install floppy
drive cable
- Install the primary and scondary IDE cables
- Clear the airflow by rerouting cables
- Place the heatsink clip in the heatsink fins
- Install the fan power cable
- Slide the processor module into the guides
- Lock the processor module
- Install the heatsink support clip
- Install the keyboard and mouse cables
- Install the monitor cable
- Verify the 115/230 setting
- Install the power cable
- Check the BIOS settings
- Partition and load the operation system
|
Step 1. Read the
recommended documents
Before you are going to buy the computer components for the AMD-K7,
I recommended you should read the following documents.
- Recommended Motherboards
- Thermal Solutions - Heatsinks
- Recommended Power Supplies
- Recommended PC
Cases
- Recommended
Peripherals
- The AMD Athlon
Building Guide FAQ
Other than these, I encourage you to read the documents regarding the motherboard you
have selected to use with Athlon processor. This will guide you to correctly choose
other components(memory, video card, harddrive, etc) that are compatible with your
motherboard and processor.
If you are still interested in further details regarding the AMD-K7 processor, please click here.
Step 2. Search for the best-price-offered webstore
For you who plan to buy the components at your local store, please skip to step 4.
To find out which store provide you the best price for the computer components you
desired to purchase, I suggest you to use the price-comparison services, by visiting the
website listed below.
| Service |
Feature |
Assessment |
| www.pricescan.com |
Good search tools, finds lots of sites, lists lowest prices first |
recommended |
| www.shopper.com |
Easy to use, well-organized product category, finds lots of sites |
recommended |
| www.killerapp.com |
Good search tools, dumb name, nice services |
recommended |
| jango.excite.com |
Runs searches in real time for up-to-date prices, finds few sites, dont
come up with the low price |
doubtful |
| www.pricewatch.com |
Lists only advertisers, crude search tools, finds few sites |
doubtful |
| www.dealtime.com |
Good search tools, finds very few sites |
doubtful |
Step 3. Buy the components.
After you decided what and where to buy, you are ready to purchase now. The next
things you have to concern while buying from the webstore are the additional sales tax and
shipping fee. Here I will give you a few tips of purchasing online:
- Even though some webstore provides you the best price, they may add much higher tax
and shipping fee than the others. Your total amount of payment, in turn, would
probably become higher than the others.
- Try to purchase all of what you want in one time and at one store, to save your
shipping fee. In some case, you might find that you can save $10 of shipping fee
if you buy a product only $3 higher at the webstore you are going to buy together another
product. Certainly, it is more expensive to buy 2 stuffs seperately at the different
stores.
- Check and keep the manfacturer part number of each product. Sometimes the
webstore tell you the similar names of a product, yet their part numbers are slightly
different. This tip will protect you from purchasing the wrong stuff.
So far, you know what you should know and are ready to purchase now, go prepare your
credit card or debit card and start shopping!!!
Here is a list of the components I decided to take. Follow the links to see their
pictures and additional info.
| Item |
Image |
Model(part
#) |
Reseller |
Ordered
on |
Shipped
on |
Price |
| Core
Components |
| Processor |
|
AMD-K7-600MHZ
128K L1 CACHE 200MHZ FSB SLOTA W/3D-NOW & MMX(AMD-K7600BOXU) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/16/99 |
443.95 |
| Motherboard |
|
FIC-VIA686A
SNGL SLOTA UP TO 768MB ATX 5PCI 1ISA AGP 200MHZ AMD K (SD-11) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/09/99 |
145.95 |
| Case |
|
ANTEC-ATX
FULL TOWER CASE 10BAY BEIGE 300W POWER SUPPLY (KS180+PP303X) |
Pcwonders.com |
11/19/99 |
11/24/99 |
89.89 |
| Memory |
|
Generic-128MB
16x64 PC100 Non-Parity Unbuf DIMM 3.3V SDRAM 8ns (168-PC100-X64-128M) |
Accessmicro.com |
11/23/99 |
12/03/99 |
140.95 |
| VGA Card |
|
ATI-RAGE
FURY AGP 32MB 128BIT TV OUT/BUILT IN HARDWARE DVD (100-416045) |
Onsale.com |
11/23/99 |
11/24/99 |
116.99 |
| Floopy Drive |
|
HI-VAL-3.5IN
1.44MB PC BEIGE FLOPPY DRIVE (ING055-R) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/09/99 |
15.9 |
| DVD Drive |
|
Toshiba-6.0X
DVD-ROM 32X CDROM EIDE 8.0 MB BARE DR BROWN BOX SGL NO RETURN (SD-M1212-S) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/30/99 |
67.95 |
| Harddrive |
|
WesternDigital-13.60GB
EIDE ULTRA-ATA/66 5400RPM 9.5MS 3.5LP CAVIAR (WD136AA) ($30 rebate) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/17/99 |
119.95 |
| Keyboard |
|
KeyTronic-E05366BTOPS2-C
104-KEY KEYBOARD WIN95 PS/2 CONNECTOR (E05366BTOPS2-C) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/09/99 |
4.95 |
| Mouse |
|
Logitech-FIRST
MOUSE+ WHEEL 3-BUTTON PS2/SERIAL (911428-0403) |
Pcwonders.com |
11/19/99 |
11/24/99 |
12.89 |
| Monitor |
|
17IN/16.0V
25MM 1280X1024 66HZ (E773 TCO99) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/09/99 |
248.95 |
| 9cm Fan (x2) |
|
Antec-FAN KIT 3.7IN BRUSHLESS-DC FOR FT
& MID (LARGE FAN) |
Onsale.com |
12/09/99
|
12/10/99
|
13.98
|
| Optional
Components |
| Sound card |
|
CreativesLab-SOUNDBLASTER
LIVE! MP3+ CT4760 CREATE/ORGANIZE AUDIO/MP3 FILES PCI (5047601000) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/09/99 |
73.95 |
| Printer |
|
OKIDATA-OKIPAGE 8W LED 8PPM 600DPI 120V
(62413701) |
Pcwonders.com |
10/16/99 |
10/19/99 |
219.89 |
| Speaker |
|
Logitech-SOUNDMAN X2 MULTIMEDIA SPEAKER
SYSTEM W/ SUBWOOFER AND MP3 AUDIO |
Buy.com |
10/31/99 |
11/02/99 |
68.95 |
| Scanner |
|
MICROTEK
SLIMSCAN C6 PC FLATBED 600X1200 DPI 36-BIT COLOR W/SW (1108-03-460002)($20
rebate) |
Pcwonders.com |
11/19/99 |
11/24/99 |
65.95 |
| Modem card |
|
US.Robotics 56K Winmodem PCI(5699) |
Compusa.com |
02/06/00 |
02/06/00 |
54.24 |
| Network Kit |
|
Netgear-SB104NA EN 10B-T HUB INCLUDES
2-FA310TX 10/100 PCI ENET ADAPTERS |
Buy.com |
12/09/99 |
12/28/99 |
56.99 |
| Headset |
|
Midiland-M-802
HEADPHONE (HM802) |
Buy.com |
11/07/99 |
11/10/99 |
2.95
|
|
|
Sub-total |
|
|
|
1993.32 |
|
|
Shipping
+ Handling |
|
|
|
97.93 |
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
2091.25 |
|
