Building a computer?

so i wanted to build a new computer and am planning on getting specific parts that are compatible with mac os. i know it can be done with a copy of mac os and some boot loaders. I just wanna know how hard it is to actually put the parts together in a case and get everything up and running. i have never seen the inside of a computer before. so with no experience can i do it? also what parts do i need to completely build a computer.

 

It's not too difficult. Essentially, you mount your motherboard with screws. Insert all of your components, CPU, RAM, HDD, DVD, PSU, and so on. Then you connect your cables. That's about it. If your looking for a more complete step by step guide, i'd be more then happy to help you out, just shoot me a pm, but this should suffice.

Step By Step

 

A good running list:

Motherboard (backbone of the pc and will determine what other devices will work seamlessly with it)
Processor (has to be compatible with motherboard and fast enough to do what you want.)
GPU (graphics card has to be able to handle the processing you want and needs to be geared to what you are using it for and also fit the motherboard and the pc case)
Memory (usually easy to get done just as long as it is compatible with the motherboard)
Hard Drive (pretty simple sata2 drives 7200 rpm and big)
Power Supply (has to have the right connection for the motherboard and needs to be bale to handle the other components you are running)
Case (solid and dont go cheap it shows and you will be disappointed in the noise level and cooling)

I recommend looking at:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/system-Builder-Gaming-PC,2509.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/build-own-pc,2503.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/buy-gift-radeon-5850-i5,2487.html

The first and most important thing about building a computer is what do you want to do with it.

I have several in my home right now and others i built for friends I have built gaming rigs/ media rigs/ webservers/ sharepoint servers/ torrent boxes/ kitchen database rigs/

shop http://www.newegg.com/ or http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Home.jsp

if you go off the ratings on hardware at the newegg site it is pretty hard to go wrong.

 

It's really just like a puzzle. Of course there are safety measures you need to know about, such as making sure you ground yourself or touch something metal before you touch the motherboard/etc. Google "hackintosh" or "custom hackintosh" and see what parts people are using.

What are you building the computer for? Only for mac os? Games? That and money are the determining factors on what parts you should buy.

Parts needed for a computer:

1. Motherboard
2. Processor
3. Power supply
4. Case
5. Internal Hard Drive
6. CD/DVD Player
7. Aftermarket Heatsink (only necessary in some circumstances)
8. Ram
9. Keyboard, Mouse
10. Computer Screen
11. Graphics Card (definitely highly recommended since the majority of on-board graphics are shit)
12. Rest of the parts are just accessories. Things like a blu-ray drive, sound card, another internal or external hard drive, etc.

 

does this look like a good setup for hackintosh. i was planning on following this guys guide.
http://lifehacker.com/5351485/how-to-build-a-hackintosh-with-snow-leopard-start-to-finish

i just need to figure out what to get so i can have wireless functionality.

 

All of those parts seem to be just fine. You won't need that extra network adapter though. And to get wireless you'd just need to get a wireless network card. You could also find parts that won't cost you quite as much.

~ Shoe

 

^ yeah i could find parts that are cheaper, but if im gonna build it i want it to be the best that i can afford. annnd the parts have to be kind of specific because it has to be mac os compatible. im following this guys build to a T. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t92ncAn0WU

 

As mentioned, it's like building a puzzle. Someone who has never done it before shouldn't have too much trouble. I've built 2 myself. Just take your time and read the motherboard diagram carefully to make sure everything is going at the right place.

 

Building a desktop is pretty straight forward, I've built over a dozen. My PSU just blew all of my components so I spent the last the week rebuilding it. Do some research before you purchase all the components and make sure everything is compatible with Mac OS. The components themselves aren't that complicated but sometimes you run into stupid issues that don't make any sense. For instance when you connect all the case wires for the power switch, reset switch, speaker and HDD led polarity doesn't matter on any of them EXCEPT the hdd connection. Couldn't figure out why my hard drive indicator wasn't flashing til I figured that out.

Things to make sure of:

1) Get a power supply with enough voltage AND amps to run everything you want. Some rails don't have enough juice to power high end video cards.

2) Make sure your motherboard and case form factor (ATX, MicroATX, etc.) are the same.

3) If you plan to overclock anything make sure you get enough case fans.

4) Make sure you know your way around the BIOS as you'll be using it to make sure everything is working before you install the OS.

 

I could have shut my iMac down and rebooted it 5 times in the time it took for that computer to boot (I am REALLY not exaggerating here). By the time you buy all these parts and put this thing together you can get a Mac, that is designed from the OS up rather than forced to be compatible... DUDE.

 

It's not really that. None of those parts are technically Mac compatible. You obviously have some sort of budget in mind and if it's not enough for a new iMac, then of course you'll need a hackintosh. When I said cheaper, I didn't just mean cheaper parts. I was also meaning that you could get some nicer and have a more well equipped machine.

~ Shoe

 

Exactly... just buy a Mac! You can get a nice white Macbook for a steal. The Hackintosh can be a lot of work. With each update you have to worry about breaking OS X, or wait until someone develops a patch that works. If you're a real geek it can be fun, but a real time investment. But if you just want to use OS X, then I'd purchase the real thing and just use it.

Check Craigslist, eBay, even refurbished equipment on Apple's website is available at a good deal, with the same warranty as new. My wife's iMac was a refurb, purchased in 2006 and she's still using it.

I have a Mac Pro (Dual Quad) and a 13" Macbook Pro. I support PCs, but I use Macs.

Hope this helps.

 

I'm with Alan on this. Lots of used Macs out there and they keep on working. Both my wife and daughter have Powerbooks. Both are about 5 years old now and still ticking (kinda like a timex but initially more expensive). Both were originally bought used on eBay. Another good source for a used Mac.

good luck if your trying to build a Hacamac. You probably will still need to find some broken macs out there to pilfer parts from. If it works your a hero.

 

i have a mac guys.if i wanted to get another mac i wouldnt be asking these questions. i would buy another mac, but theres nothing special about the hardware. thats why i thought that if i built a mac with PC parts i could expand later spend the same amount of money as i would on a mac pro. and be able to get inside and add hard drives or upgrade graphics cards without having to spend so much money on a mac pro.

 

"Both my wife and daughter have Powerbooks".

I love those old PowerBooks! I'm constantly amazed of how many of them I see out there still being used. They are like the Timex of the Apple laptops.

 

ok...

 

OK bud, sorry. Still craigslist or ebay has lots of used macs and PC's you can use to make that hacamac with. Me personally, I don't have that kinda skill. Probably could do it but heck don't wanna take the time. Not my kind of hobby. Ken