PC Building Workshop: Part I: Planning & Design

1. PC Building Workshop:Part I: Planning & Design Presented by The University of Lethbridge, Department of New Media & IT Department

2. Overview Session I • Why build your own computer? • The Components that make up a PC • Anatomy of a PC Build • Choosing the correct components • Different Operating Systems (OSs) available • Q & A • Session II (sample builds, sourcing & purchasing components)

3. Why build your own computer? • You then have more control over your system and can build a PC specific to your needs • It can be very cost effective (short- and long-term) • Self-sufficiency with respect to support, repairs, and upgrades • An educational experience & provides useful skills (which can be shared with friends and family) • Nerdy enjoyment 

4. PC Components • Computers are assembled from a number of different, interchangeable components • The compatibility of components is probably the biggest issue you will face • Some components are better geared for different types of users & needs • Common and currently-available components will be discussed

5. Power Supply Unit (PSU) • Converts outlet power • Choose a higher quality PSU • Make sure you have enough wattage (largely dependent upon CPU and graphics card(s))

6. Central Processing Unit (CPU) • Sometimes referred to as “the Brain” • Make sure socket type matches motherboard • Different architectures available • 32bit or 64bit (64 is becoming the standard) • Two main manufacturers, AMD and Intel • Use stock fan or CPU heatsink / liquid cooling)

7. Motherboard (mobo) • Main circuit board • Goes by different names (main board, system board, bread board, ‘mobo’) • Will support only specific components • This is especially true for CPU, RAM • This will be the foundation for many decisions for your system (size, slots, etc.) • Ensure the external ports match your needs: • USB (2.0 or 3.0), eSATA, Firewire, audio jacks • Back ports and front headers (for case I/O ports)

8. Motherboard (cont.) • Integrated (onboard) graphics is available (does not require a dedicated (discrete) graphics card) • Different sizes are available:

9. Mobo (cont.)

10. The Computer Case • Size & functionality are important considerations… not to mention aesthetics • Needs to accommodate motherboard size and optical drive & hard drive needs • Various front I/O ports are available • Consideration should be given to cooling and fans/vents... space and airflow are important to consider

11. Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) • Storage device… for long-term storage • Storage of operating system and data • Traditional (magnetic) or SSD • Different connections available • i.e. SATA, IDE, SCSI • Each have different capabilities

12. Random Access Memory (RAM) • Retains information while the computer is on (similar to short-term memory) • Many different sizes & types of RAM • Must be compatible with mobo • Most common type of RAM shipping currently is DDR3

13. Optical Drives • Different forms and capabilities (CD/DVD/BD); DVD-RW most common • Different connectors available (must be compatible with mobo) • SATA (data and power) connection most common

14. Graphics Card • Process graphical data (for output, physics) • Capture cards, TV tuner cards and other specialized graphics cards are available • PCIx connection slot (mobo) most common • Different capabilities from different cards • GPUs, clock speed, bandwidth, etc • Two main chipsets – nVidia and ATI/AMD • Make sure your mobo supports the card(s) you intend to use (this also pertains to upgrading to a new graphics card)

15. Using Two Graphics Cards • SLI or CrossFire must be supported by your mobo • If using SLI/CrossFire it’s best to identical cards (using cards with the same graphics chipset but different brands is usually OK) • Different outputs available: • Svideo, VGA, DVI, DVI-D, HDMI

16. Other components • Soundcards • If you are processing a lot of audio, this could be a good idea (takes pressure off CPU) • Monitor(s), touchscreen • Keyboard • Mouse, tablet, etc. • Printers • Speakers (stereo, 5.1, 7.1… needs to be supported by mobo or sound card) • Etc.

17. Tools, Equipment and Tips • #2 sized Philips screwdriver • Needle-nose pliers • Anti-static wristband (VERY IMPORTANT!) • Large, level and non-conductive workspace (avoid dust/pets or areas with carpets) • Handy but not completely necessary tools: • Electrical tape, nylon ties, hands free flashlight, extra working computer (with internet connection), compressed air, sandpaper, thermal paste

18. Safety precautions (for components and for yourself) • Static electricity is not your friend • Never remove components while the computer is on • Never cut off/snap off the grounding pin • Watch out for sharp edges inside the case • Do not dismantle PSU, monitors or anything that may retain an electrical charge

19. Operating System (OS) • There are various operating systems out there that are used for different purposes • It comes down to skill level and functionality • Some popular OSs include: Windows, Linux-based, and Mac OS • There are many other choices available • It is possible to dual boot with two different OSs (or use a virtual machine to run one OS within another)

20. Microsoft Windows • Several different variants (Windows 7) • The most widely-used OS out there (87% market share globally) • Good for office work, casual computing, workstations, gaming and for novice users (but security can become an issue) • Supports a lot of hardware • Supports different CPU architectures • Has some shortcomings when it comes to security

21. Linux-based OS • Open source, so it’s free… derived from UNIX • Many different variants (typically called distributions) • Community support available • Thus it supports more processor types than you could imagine • Sometimes the state of the art hardware isn’t immediately supported (without a lot of hacking) • Ubuntu, Linux Mint are suitable for casual users • Tends to be stable, fast, customizable and secure.

22. Berkeley Standard Distribution (BSD) • Derivative of UNIX • Free • Less user-friendly and could require a bit more knowledge • Can be very secure • Not as many variants • Most common FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, DragonFly BSD

23. Mac OS • Current version is OS X • Derived from BSD • Designed to run on Apple proprietary hardware • But… one can build a ‘hackintosh’ by installing OS X onto specific (but non-Apple) hardware… • But doing so would break the license agreement for OS X… and would therefore be considered to be illegal

24. Other Operating Systems • There are hundreds of different kinds of Linux-based ‘distros’ out there • There are even other operating systems available: • Plan9, inferno, Solaris, 9grid are some interesting options • A lot of “other” OSs tend to be UNIX based

25. Choosing the Right OS • The choice of an OS isn’t always an easy one; select based on what you want to do with the computer and convenience • i.e. a simple office/web PC could easily use a Linux-based OS (one designed for casual users) unless Windows and MS Office is absolutely a requirement • i.e. Gaming is better supported by Windows • Choose a 64-bit OS build if you plan on using more than 4GB of RAM. • Choose the OS that will most easily work with your hardware and software needs

26. Potential PC Builds • General Purpose PC (web browsing, light office, etc.): • Not that demanding, you don’t need ‘top of the line’ for a lot of your components • Spend the money on what will benefit your experience • Typically budget in this order: Monitor, case, PSU, mouse, keyboard, motherboard, CPU • OS: Windows or Linux-based • Server: • Needs to be reliable in multiple ways • Commonly you’ll want dual PSU, server grade CPU, lots of RAM, RAID 5 controller, fast HDDs, 100/1000 network card could be a good idea • OS flexibility • Do not necessarily need a monitor (or even keyboard/mouse)

27. Potential PC Builds (Cont.) • Office Work • Typically you want a better processor and more RAM • Integrated graphics or mid-level dedicated graphics card • Consider a reliable PSU, higher end case, 64-bit OS (if more than 4GB RAM is needed) • Workstation • Typically, a high-end or very high-end desktop • High-end CPU, high-end graphics card(s), lots of RAM • Useful for people doing CAD, intensive 3D work, HD video editing, etc.

28. Potential PC Builds (Cont.) • Gaming Rig • Not necessary since consoles exist… Just joking. • Mid- to high-end CPU, high-end graphics card(s) and a lot of RAM • Sound cards sometimes are useful as it can then handle digital sound processing – and frees up the CPU for other tasks • Depending upon the type of gaming, a mid-level or high-level graphics card would be necessary (two for very graphically demanding games) • Plan for future expansion/upgrading • A powerful and reliable PSU is necessary to support all the components • Windows-based OS • High-end components will generate lots of heat… a large case and fans are critical for good airflow and cooling (liquid cooling is an option)

29. Potential PC Builds (Cont.) • Video Editing • The most important component with video editing tends to be the hard disks. Consider going with 10,000 RPM drives if possible. SCSI is a great option if you can afford it. • Mid- to high-end CPU and graphics card(s) are useful, especially for encoding video • Specialized capture cards are available (consider a dedicated, high-speed drive for capture) • Try to purchase as much RAM as you possibly can • If transferring a lot of data from video equipment, look for good external connectors on your motherboard and case

30. Researching Components • When planning and designing your computer, research everything thoroughly (this saves time and money) • Budget accordingly… sometimes it may take time to build a computer • Don’t be afraid to ask questions in forums • Search engines are your friends… • as are (some) user comments on online retail websites • Check for component compatibility and reliability • Technology is ever-changing, there will always be new components, Operating Systems and software packages emerging, this is why it’s fun 

31. Q & A • Questions? • Thank you for coming! • Look for Part II (Assembly) in the Fall of 2012 • Suggestions and comments are welcome • Kris Caldwell • David Clearwater • Matthew Fulton