<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:small">Steve,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:small">How can you say that you do not like "aesthetics" when you have a blue Linux Journal Tux Tile proudly stuck on the front of your computer?<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:small">md<br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Feb 3, 2023 at 12:42 AM Steve Litt via Ale <<a href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Leam Hall via Ale said on Sat, 7 Jan 2023 14:44:36 -0600<br>
<br>
<br>
>Back in early December I started the "Back to the new desktop<br>
>question". That's not really the full story though, I had started the<br>
>same conversation back in August of 2020. There was probably another<br>
>time or two as well, I tend to come up with the idea to build a<br>
>desktop, and then chicken out. Partly because I think in money<br>
>scarcity, partly because things have changed so much and I learn<br>
>slowly.<br>
><br>
>This time I came close to backing out again, and then someone from the<br>
>list asked if I'd be interested in a slightly used motherboard, CPU,<br>
>and RAM. My assumption was that even a decent used price would be more<br>
>than my brain wanted to pay. Turns out the asking price was "pay for a<br>
>box, and shipping". If not for such a generous offer, I would have<br>
>probably backed out and stayed with my Dell from Goodwill.<br>
<br>
Great news! That person is really nice.<br>
<br>
This gives you an opportunity. Once your new computer is running the<br>
way you like it, I'd recommend you take the covers off your Goodwill<br>
Dell, look around. Shine a flashlight in there. Vacuum or blow out<br>
the dust. Run it without the cover. Start disconnecting and reconnecting<br>
things, and running it each time to make sure nothing got screwed up.<br>
<br>
Now, remove the mobo, motherboard and power supply from the case. You<br>
may or may not be able to leave the daughtercards attached to the mobo,<br>
and you'll for sure have to disconnect the power supply from the mobo.<br>
Run the computer on a static proof mat, or at least an insulated<br>
surface covered with a newspaper or paper towels. There's a real<br>
feeling of liberation running a computer with no case. It<br>
seems a little less magical when you see the components<br>
without the obfuscation of the case.<br>
<br>
Disconnect the hard disk(s) and notice the monitor count memory and<br>
then stop. If you don't see it count memory, disable "fast boot" and<br>
try again. Reconnect the hard disk and boot with no RAM, and see what<br>
happens (I don't know what would happen).<br>
<br>
Use some form of electronics lubricant when reconnecting everything.<br>
See this page: <a href="http://troubleshooters.com/tpromag/200310/200310.htm" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://troubleshooters.com/tpromag/200310/200310.htm</a> .<br>
<br>
When you're done fooling around with it, put it back together, and if<br>
it doesn't work, troubleshoot.<br>
<br>
If you haven't assembled a computer before, assembling a computer is a<br>
life-altering experience. It's always tense building a computer because<br>
of the money involved, but the first time is truly white-knuckle. You<br>
have the advantage of doing it with an old beater computer that if you<br>
destroy it is no big deal.<br>
<br>
The first computer I built was a $700 cheapo (but $700 in 1993 was a<br>
heck of a lot of money). I built it on my dining room table, very<br>
slowly and deliberately. It worked. I had been a programmer for over 10<br>
years at the time, but the hardware still intimidated me, until I built<br>
that one. Since then I've built many, many more. By building my own<br>
computer I fulfill MY priorities:<br>
<br>
1) Lots of RAM<br>
<br>
2) Optical drive (getting rare these days)<br>
<br>
3) Radeon video (nVidia is Linux hostile)<br>
<br>
4) AMD processor<br>
<br>
5) Quality mobo<br>
<br>
6) Enough room in the case for my big hands to perform maintenance<br>
<br>
7) I don't care a flying flamingo about "sleek", "pretty", "beautiful",<br>
multicolor blinking lights, or any other aesthetic property. This is<br>
a work tool, not a piece of art. The following is a link to a photo<br>
of one of my computers:<br>
<a href="http://troubleshooters.com/lpm/200610/dual_celeron.jpg" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://troubleshooters.com/lpm/200610/dual_celeron.jpg</a> . Besides<br>
this, I also<br>
<br>
<br>
SteveT<br>
<br>
Steve Litt <br>
Autumn 2022 featured book: Thriving in Tough Times<br>
<a href="http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore/thrive.htm" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore/thrive.htm</a><br>
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</blockquote></div>