Operation Delta

When I reseated the ribbon cables when I was having my CD-ROM problem, they were tight in the slots, I was afraid I'd break them, the pins.

Well, I just found my jar of change, so I guess I'll throw in another two cents! Every time I build a computer for a family member or friend etc. I always ask the same question. "Do you have more time than money?"
If money is no object, then build the biggest, fastest Frankenstein you can! If you find you have more time than cash, then cutting edge components should be scratched from your shopping list.
As was mentioned in an earlier post, you should have a good idea of what this computer is to be used for. If its going to be a general purpose/family type of machine, you can get a good idea for the minimum specs for hardware by going to a good software store. Find the various software packages you intend to use or purchase during the next year and look for the manufacturer's minimum recommendations on the side of the box. These recommendations identify any special requirements needed to run the software. They may include: the Operating System it needs to run on, minimum CPU requirements, minimum hard drive space for installation, minimum RAM for operation, minimum CD-ROM speed and finally, the minimum video board requirements.

Queen_of_Hearts
That is why the sell cans of compressed air.
to dust things off with.

------------------
SMILE

https://discussions.virtualdr.com/ Now don't go in there and start unbending wires---some of them are supposed to be bent. When replacing cables, etc. you just have to take care when seating them; it's fairly easy to end up bending the little pins and forcing two of them into the same hole on the connector cable. As for dust, get yourself one of those doo-dad computer vacuums at your local shop and clean it up in there---especially on and around all the fans (except the power supply fan---do not take that apart without some supervision--has some capacitors in there that, unless given time to discharge, could demonstrate how unfriendly electricity can be...). Do NOT use a household vacuum!! Some other guy quite a while back on the other forum confessed to doing that--sucked up half of his components---duh.....
By those "little wires", I was referring to the embedded ("etched") circuitry you see on the surface of the mobo and your cards (along with the electrical components soldered to them). Static, skin oil/acid from your fingers, dropping, smacking against a table, etc. etc. can fracture those things quite easily--hairline fractures that you can't see, but are still big enough to break the circuit. Handle with care. Now please don't freak out and get the idea (as I've said before) that you're going to need a "clean room" and surgical gowns to do all this. Just go step-by-step, be patient and handle all the parts with reasonable care.
QoH, your hard drive is located up there behind the front panel---probably looks like a silver, rectangular hockey-puck with a circuit board on the bottom--it's connected by a ribbon cable to the motherboard.
Well, it's way past bedtime for me---gotta catch my ZZZZZ's--my daughter's B'day tomorrow (she's 9...going on 15) https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
Will check back tomorrow sometime. Hope some other folks will join in with some good info.
You might also consider starting a new (Part3) thread with the first post referring back to this one with an explanation of what's going on. That way, this one doesn't get too long and take folks too long to download.
Bye for now.



[This message has been edited by bistro (edited 12-02-2000).]

uh oh ! You mean I shouldn't have used the Air Compressor ? https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

Train,
I'll get a can tomorrow. I blew it off a little bit (with my lungs) but that just kinda stirred it up.

While it's open again tomorrow I'll see if I can locate the hard drive.

Thanks guys. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

Thanks Mosaic,
Now I'll know what to look for. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

Good Morning All, Just caught up with what y'all had to say after I went to bed. I couldn't agree more Queen of Hearts. We got into just what was needed for us to understand these these little boxes better that's for sure. It is hard to believe how much ground has been covered. I am still assimilating.

Bistro mentioned keeping the thread to a manageable size. Do you think starting a new one every time we get to three pages is ok? All we have to do is open Operation Delta 2 with a short review paragraph.

I am concerned about the test on Monday - trick questions you know. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

morning https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

Yes. I think it's time to start a new thread. Better say something in this one too to end it so we don't keep geting replies on it. Might be confusing. Do we ask to have it closed ? Or maybe just leave it with a final paragraph pointing (with a link) to the new one.

Got my #2 pencils sharpened. I'll be ready.
(hope it's multiple choice https://discussions.virtualdr.com/)

sdtech,

Input from you guys is worth way more than two cents. If there was a proper value for it, and I could catch it on this end, I'd have already had enough cash to have a real "screamer" of a system, and be independently wealthy living off just the interest of the excess! https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

Disconnected in the middle of submitting this reply. Hope it goes (and just once)



[This message has been edited by Queen_of_Hearts (edited 12-02-2000).]

Queen of Hearts, I am just getting into this linking thing. How do we do it? Start a new thread and come back and put a link in here?
When we decide that then we can close it if people can still access this thread. Will put a recap in here and a prolouge in the next thread.

Queen of Hearts, I am just getting into this linking thing. How do we do it? Start a new thread and come back and put a link in here?
When we decide that then we can close it if people can still access this thread. Will put a recap in here and a prolouge in the next thread ya think?

Oops, sorry, fingers got jumbled on the keyboard.

[This message has been edited by greengoose1 (edited 12-02-2000).]

Yes start the new one and then come back to this one and put it's link.

Click on the edit button of a post with a link and see how it's done or I'll do it if you want......NO ! You need to learn ! https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

Besides, it might be on the test ! https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

[This message has been edited by Queen_of_Hearts (edited 12-02-2000).]

sdtech, Thanks for your inputs. Very briefly,
the Queen of Hearts and I decided that we didn't know enough to build a computer. We talked to the Knowledgeable Ones on VirDr and this is the result. And thankfully we have had alot of help. What we have found out is how much we did not know about hardware and sotfware. It was hard to ask questions at first 'cause a person does not always like to admit their ignorance but as the Queen of Hearts said and I quote "I Wanna Know". And by gosh Mosaic, Bistro, Train, and the list goes on and on have really got us going. I get the feeling they have forgotten more than we'll learn. And we hope what we are doing will help others also.

Queen of Hearts, Why me? I like after you better. Oh well, here I go - stiff upper lip and all that.

Ya did it ! https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
Operation Delta 2