Office Standard 2010 Key Coding Horror Building a

programming and human factors
by Jeff Atwood Creating a Laptop, Portion I
Over the subsequent handful of days, I'll be building Scott Hanselman's laptop or computer. My objective right now is more modest: construct a minimal technique that boots.

I'd like to dispel the myth that creating personal computers is risky, or in any way tough or complicated. If you can put together a LEGO kit, it is possible to set with each other a Pc from components. It can be dead simple, like snapping collectively numerous LEGO bricks. Effectively, mostly. Have you ever observed how difficult a few of individuals LEGO kits are?

Granted, building computers isn't for everybody. You will find lots of other things you may wish to do with your time, like, say, investing time together with your youngsters, or discovering a heal for cancer. That is why men and women buy pre-assembled pcs from Dell. But if you will need fine-grained control more than specifically what is inside of your Pc, should you desire a deeper understanding of how the hardware matches with each other and performs, then building a Pc is a enjoyable project to consider on. You can quickly match or beat Dell's prices typically, although developing a superior rig -- and you may discover a thing along the way, too.

Here's the full set of components we ordered, for each the part checklist. The CPU and memory boxes are not shown, unfortunately, simply because I had already opened people by the time I took this picture. Whoops!


All you need can be a number of standard tools to build this Laptop. I typically use needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, plus a modest phillips screwdriver.


Before we get going, let me share some important points I've discovered although constructing PCs:


Laptop or computer parts are surprisingly durable. They are not fragile. You don't have to baby them. So often I see men and women handle pc parts as if they're sacred, priceless relics. Even though I don't think you should play "catch" along with your new Core 2 Quad processor, it's also not going to explode into flames if you look at it the wrong way. You don't have to tiptoe around the create. Just be responsible and use common sense. I've done some appalling factors to computer hardware in my day, truly boneheaded stuff, and I think I've broken all of two or three items in the last 10 years.

The risk of static discharge is overblown. I never wear anti-static wristbands, and I've yet to electrocute any components with static electricity. Never. Not once. However, I always touch a metal surface before handing personal computer components-- and that's a good habit for you to cultivate as well.

Be patient, and don't force it. Individuals rare times I've damaged components, it really is because I rushed myself and forced some thing that I thought should fit-- despite all the warning signs. I've realized through hard experience that "maybe I want to use lots of additional force" is never the right answer when it comes to building PCs. Acquire a deep breath. Count to ten. Refer to the manual, and double-check your work.




I always construct up the motherboard first. Place the motherboard on top of the anti-static bag it came in so it can be easier to work on. Slot in the CPU and snap in the memory sticks. We're using four sticks here, so every slot is populated. However, if you're only using two sticks of memory,Office 2010 Pro Plus Key, be sure they are in the correct paired slots for dual-channel operation. Should you will need advice, the motherboard manual is really a good reference for simple installation steps.


Continue creating up the motherboard by installing the CPU cooler. I strongly recommend buying an aftermarket CPU cooler based on a heatpipe tower design, as they wildly outperform the stock Intel coolers. This particular model we chose for Scott's construct is the Scythe Mine, but I'm also a fan of the Scythe Infinity and Scythe Ninja Plus. (It is possible to see the Ninja Plus on my work rig.)

It's important to install the CPU cooler correctly, otherwise you risk frying your CPU. Refer closely to the heatsink instructions. Don't forget to place a bit of the heatsink paste (included with the cooler) on the surface of the CPU prior to installing. These larger heatsinks can be quite heavy, so be sure you've followed the installation instructions to the letter and secured it firmly to the motherboard. Check the orientation of the heatsink so the fan blows "out" if possible, e.g., towards the back of the motherboard,Office Standard 2010 Key, where the case exhaust fans usually are.


Now let's construct up the case to accept the motherboard. We chose the Antec P182 case for Scott's build. This case is unique; it can be a collaborative venture between the well-known case vendor Antec and Silent Personal computer Review, one of my favorite Computer enthusiast websites.

This is the second version of the case, which reflects a number of design tweaks about the original P180. It can be a little expensive,Office 2007 Enterprise, but the P182 oozes quality and attention to detail. It is probably the single best designed case I've ever worked on. But don't acquire my word for it; see reviews at AnandTech and SilentPCReview.


Some cases are sold with power supplies, but the higher end instances, such as the P182, typically are not. For Scott's create, we chose the Corsair HX series power supply,Office 2010 Key, which is really a rebranded and tweaked Seasonic. It can be considered one of the best quiet and efficient power supplies on the market, which is why it tops the list of recommended PSUs at SilentPCReview.

I opened the opposite side of the case to gain access to the PSU cage from both sides, installed the PSU in the cage, and threaded the power cables up through the opening in the middle.


If you have cats, like we do, you have curious cat helpers. Unfortunately, cat helpers are not all that... helpful.


Now install the backplate included with the motherboard. Every backplate is different due to the fact every motherboard is different. It really is held in by pressure; just snap it in firmly around the edges.


It's finally time to place the motherboard in the case. Clear room in the case compartment by moving any errant cables out of the best way and stowing them. Make sure the screw holes on the motherboard line up with the pre-installed screw mount standoffs in the case. In our P182, everything matched up perfectly out of the box.

Angle the motherboard down slowly and line up the ports to the backplate, then gently permit the motherboard down to rest against the standoffs. Loosely line up the motherboard screw holes to the motherboard standoffs.


Find the packet of screws included with the case, and use the appropriate screws to secure the motherboard to the case standoffs.


Now let's connect the power supply to the motherboard. You can find two power connectors on modern motherboards, so be sure you've connected them both. Don't worry, the connectors are keyed; you can't install them incorrectly and blow up your Computer. As you are able to see here, I threaded the power connectors along the back side of the motherboard platform. That's one of the many nifty little design features of the P182 case.


Before we can boot up, we want to connect the power and reset switches so they work. This component is really a little fiddly. Find the cable with the labelled power, reset, and LED connectors from the case, then refer to the motherboard manual to see where the appropriate motherboard front panel connector pins are.


Connect each front panel wire to the specific motherboard front panel pins individually. Make sure you connect them to the right location, but orientation of these connectors doesn't matter. This is where the needlenose pliers come in handy unless you have nimble (and tiny) fingers. Why this just isn't a universally standard keyed block connector by now is beyond me.


We will need some kind of video output to see if our laptop or computer can boot, so let's install a video card. Scott's not a ################ gamer, so I went for one thing midrange, a set of two NVIDIA 8600GTS cards. They're an excellent blend of performance and the latest DX10 and high-definition features, even though using relatively little power.

Don't forget to connect the 6-pin video card power connector if your video card requires it,Office Professional 2007 Key! This is often a common mistake that I've made far more than once. Our power supply has modular connectors, so I snapped in one of the two 6-pin power connectors and threaded it up to the video card.


We're ready for the moment of truth: does it boot? I attached a power cord to the power supply, hooked up a utility 15" LCD I keep around for testing, and then pressed the power button.


Success! I know "reboot and select proper boot device" doesn't look like much, but it means everything is working. We've just built a minimum Personal computer that boots up. It really is a modest step that we'll develop on tomorrow.

Getting this technique from a pile of parts to bootable state took about two hours. Like I promised -- effortless! Writing it up is taking almost as long as actually doing it. This was a slow construct for me due to the fact I was extra cautious with Scott's areas, and I was stopping to acquire frequent pictures. With some practice, it's possible to build a Laptop much much more quickly-- even in under ten minutes.