Evidently I am an idiot when it comes to computers

[Kalivos]

This is a rant.

My friend, let's call him Bob, turned 20, so his parents bought him new computer parts, and as a birthday gift, I put it together for him. This was a bad idea, as was him choosing the parts he wanted.

Now, Bob knows nothing about computer hardware. He often says "Hey, let's start a computer repair business. You're good with hardware, And I'm really good with software" which is kind of like saying "I'm really good at downloading porn!"

Anywho, he asked me for advice on what parts to get. He was on a slight budget, and was going to keep some older stuff, so I told him:
GIGABYTE GA-7N400S-L (I'm in love with it, bah.)
AMD Athlon XP 2800+
2x Corsair Value ram
Raidmax Cobra Case

Here's what he got:
GIGABYTE GA-7N400S-L
AMD Athlon XP-M 2600+
2x Corsair Value ram
Demon IV Case
CPU Heatsink/Fan

He decided to get the Mobile because he decided he wanted to overclock it really high(Get me to do it since he doesn't know how). So I set it all up. Well, issue starts after putting the motherboard in. The Mobo tray wasn't aligned right with the spots of which your sound and video cards that poke out. The IO panel was lined up right, it was just an issue with the case. So we made a slight modification and got it all the way it kind of should be. I was against this and all for sending it back or something.

Well, he was smart and didn't get any thermal paste. So we had to go to the store and get some. Alright! Computers working! Bob's mad though because the processor is only being read as 800mhz. So what does he do? Well, the only smart and logical thing to do...

He calls a repair tech who charges $50.00 an hour. The guy comes over, says the processor is incompatable with the mobo, then he removes everything from the mobo(He waited to get static-proof bags before removing the ram), removes the motherboard tray, and says I screwed it in wrong. And then he screws it back in the same exact spots, and it's the same as it was before. Then he decided to switch processors. Says the Mobile wasn't compatable with the Gigabyte mobo, and says it should be 1.8ghz. Put the mobile in my friends SoyoKT266(I think it is), and the old cpu(dunno what it was) in the new mobo. That took 3 hours. And now because of that, I am an idiot. . The Mobile overclocks to a max of 1.2ghz.
[/rant]

 

[WingsofGOD]

This is why i quit trying to be "nice" and building puters for people... Let em buy a gateway

 

[pcgamer4life]

Simple response to the idiocy of the technologically impaireD:


"Dude, you're getting a Dell."

 

[Elif Tymes]

I will gladly give people a part list, and then build it, but ONLY if they let me do what needs to be done(i.e. bios flashing if theres a mobile chip, etc)

some people, like your friend bob, aren't that bright.

 

[zexmarquies01]

If a person Calls you, has you help pick out parts, then has you build them a pc for them...then they call some store that charges 50 bucks to do something small, when they could just ask you....is retarded!

When i reset my bios, My defult speed also drops to 800Mhz as well. i'm running the 2600+ on the DFI lanparty B. Not that big of a deal.

Oh well, one less person that will be asking you to constantly come over, and fix his computer at ever whim.

not that big of a loss really.

 

[tom10167]

He often says "Hey, let's start a computer repair business. You're good with hardware, And I'm really good with software" which is kind of like saying "I'm really good at downloading porn!"
[/rant]

Simply hilarious.

 

[Yuriman]

The stock voltage and stock speed of a mobile is much lower than on a desktop cpu, my 2600M also starts up at 800mhz, but I have it set to 200x12.5 @ 1.65v in bios.

 

[twEEkerAreUs]

Make new friends, don't trust friends that are illiterate with computers......Well with computers LOL. If you started up that business, it would fail in a month or less I will never understand this, people who say (I am on a budget, build me something cheap) but will end up getting tech support from Geeksquad or some other lame brain place that charges flat out disgusting rates per hour

 

[Krusty]

I had a friend with a Gigabyte motherboard and mobile 2600+ that had some problems as well. It wasn't so much that the processor started at a default 800Mhz as it was the fact that the default voltage is 1.4v. I was able to change the multiplier easy enough, but the Gigabyte BIOS only allows VCORE overclocking in percentages with a max percentage of like 10%. So the voltage could only go up to like 1.5v.

 

[Tyreal]

Make new friends, don't trust friends that are illiterate with computers......Well with computers LOL. If you started up that business, it would fail in a month or less I will never understand this, people who say (I am on a budget, build me something cheap) but will end up getting tech support from Geeksquad or some other lame brain place that charges flat out disgusting rates per hour

EXACTLY!

I had some guy ask me: "HEy Joe (thats my name), can you help me configure my new pc?". and as a computer enthusiast i love making configs, so i said sure.
configured it for him, it owned, and it was below the budget. He goes to the store, buys the stuff and get something completely different. I go: WTF? why did you get this: X product, when i said get this, Y product.
He says: "I thought this one might be better because it has more space.

It happened to be a hard drive, i chose some raptors for raid, and he end up buying 2 maxtor diamond maxs 120gb. he is looking for performance.
then i say: Why do you even ask for my help when you don't even follow my config?"
Then hes speechless, i leave, and then i tell him to go and buy a crappy alienware or dell or apple or something.

 

[Mr_Fuchs]

recommending AMDs.. YOU'RE ALL CRAZY I SAY

 

[SolidxSnake]

recommending AMDs.. YOU'RE ALL CRAZY I SAY

So true. Never reccommend an AMD to someone. I've found AMD's are harder to get working (more work setting up). Whereas Intel procs are plug-'n-play

 

[DaWiper]

So true. Never reccommend an AMD to someone. I've found AMD's are harder to get working (more work setting up). Whereas Intel procs are plug-'n-play

?????

I've been with AMD since Duron 1000 was a good cpu and I've always managed to get my systems to boot right-out-of-the-box. Meaning insert cpu, put hsf on plug in mem and power, press on switch. This even includes my current rig.
Sure A64 are a bit more work to oc, but thats the fun of it.

I always tell people to get amd over intel. Mostly because of the price/performance ratio. Most people (not counting the forum members) only browse the web, send a couple of mails and install a bunch of spyware infested crap. You don't need a expensive p4 to do that. A cheap low-end amd will do that just fine.

 

[Mr_Fuchs]

i dont know about what hes saying about it being easier to plug in.. both pop the cpu in the socket.. but as far as stable overclocks, and exagerated clock speeds call the blue men!

 

[Enablingwolf]

I have been building my own computers for a bit of time now.


I never heard this about AMD bieng less plug and play then Intel. Or harder to setup. Even Intel has its own quirks to get the BIOS setup to the users needs. That part is based on the board maker not the CPU itself.

Some of the lower end boards have very basic BIOS setups. As you get into the enthuseits lines, the BIOS become more feature laden.

From an overclockers POV. Intel(an actual Intel board) makes a crappy overclocking board.

 

[Mr_Fuchs]

intel on an intel chipset on an suss board makes for extreme overclocking... i dont know what the HELL he was talking about easier to setup though

 

[buckbadly]

Sounds like a good reason to go out and get yourself one of these

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/frustrations/388b/

I found this necessary after someone at work went out and bought XP and wanted me to install it on their machine...which was running an old 1 Ghz Amd proc, 10G HD, and a 8 Meg vid card. I warned em it prolly wouldn't look or run very good...if at all,they wanted it on anyways. Well...now I.... "Don't really know as much about computers as he says" Go figure

 

[Fr3@k3r]

If you want to get back at someone for being an ******* than just let them buy a prebuilt pc!

 

[twEEkerAreUs]

So true. Never reccommend an AMD to someone. I've found AMD's are harder to get working (more work setting up). Whereas Intel procs are plug-'n-play

I can't tell if you're being serious or not. Maybe my sarcasm meter is a bit off today?

 

[Tyreal]

If you want to get back at someone for being an ******* than just let them buy a prebuilt pc!

Hahaha... Thats revenge enough! If someone bought me a prebuilt pc i'd probably sell it off and build my own with the money.