BuildOrBuy Group Network
[ www.buildorbuy.org | www.buildorbuy.net ] 

Sam McJunkin's PC Build Debrief (Lessons Learned): 

Subject: Build Debrief
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2001 
From: Sam McJunkin <smcj@hal-pc.org> To contact, remove: '_NoSpam_' before sending email.

Greetings,

A few of the many things that I learned from my 1st build: 

1. It's okay to have your # 2 Phillips screwdriver magnetized.  
   

2. Have a pencil available to mark installation spots for MB stand-off screws. 
   
3. Power up on a simple keyboard and a simple PS/2 mouse. 
   
4. "Dumbing down" is a good idea - minimum of peripherals installed on power up.  
   
5. It helps to have another PC logged on to the Internet immediately adjacent to the PC under construction. 
   
6. Download drivers prior to Build Session and place on a CD, or in the instance of an OEM Hard Drive - on a boot up floppy. 
   
7. Have several blank floppies available to obtain drivers from the Internet, if necessary, (from the PC already logged on), and to create an Emergency Repair Disk.
   
8. If you're going to pre-mount Hard Drives & CD-DVD & CD-RW, you need to make sure that ribbon cables will reach the Motherboard, and you might as well set jumpers for "Master" & "Slave".

Sam McJunkin, P.E.

1. Words Of Wisdom From Sam McJunkin #2: buildorbuy.pps.
2. Sam McJunkin's PC Witticisms: Version1.
3. Components