How long does it take you to build a computer?

[Tech Explorer]

This is really a two-part question:

1) From the time you decide to do it, how long does it take for you to put a computer together to the point it's operational, fully or otherwise?

2) How long did it take for you to learn how to build your first computer?

For the first question, if the answer is it depends, then a range would be satisfactory.

Note: please move this thread to the hardware section.

 

[strollin]

1) It might take a couple of weeks for me to decide on and collect all the components. Once I have the components, the actual build time is quick 1-2 hours at most.

2) It didn't take any time for me to "learn" how to build my first computer. In 1985, I went to a Computer Show, bought all the components then came home and assembled them. Didn't need to learn anything first.

 

[SmogHog]

Got hooked on PCs starting with puchasing a Tandy from Radio Shack back in 80

Getting the OS,drivers,software and utilities in correctly probably is the most time consuming for me starting with the Intel f6flpy RST at the add driver screen of a Windows 7 installation.

I've custom built hundred of desktop units since the mid 90s for myself and others plus quite a few notebook setups.

Keeping up with all the driver releases is a job in itself.

I try each new one released.

IMO most issues are caused by bad drivers or bad driver installation.

Naturally,your mileage may vary.

 

[Der-PC-Mann]

1) From the time you decide to do it, how long does it take for you to put a computer together to the point it's operational, fully or otherwise?

IDK, I've yet to be in a situation where all the parts were there... hold on... I built my dad one a while back... that was simple as, since it wasn't a heck of a lot of bells and whistles, such as fancy fans, extra GPUs, etc, and that took me something like an hour, or maybe less. As for my current one, the actual build time probably totaled around 1-3 hours, because I'm sort of a perfectionist and worry about things, so I was fairly meticulous with what I was doing, and took my time; I also was having to learn some new things, since I had never previously dealt with some component types, such as PCI-E.

2) How long did it take for you to learn how to build your first computer?

No clue, was many years ago, and these things happened in stages. I didn't from scratch (I had built many, but not from "scratch", as I often avoided CPUs/heatsinks) build my own PC until about a year ago, and this was a slow process, because I needed to order the parts individually as and when funds became available. I had previously done plenty of things relating to hardware, so I was by NO means a newbie to hardware stuff. Oh, actually.. hold on.. when I was about 17 or so, I took apart and reassembled a PC for the first time, but the only thing I didn't interfere with, was the CPU and heatsink. Aaaah, the innocent days.

 

[OhSnapWord]

It usually takes me 2-3 hours to build a computer. I like to take my time with cable management.

 

[starik]

It took me 2 weeks from knowing nothing about computers to having built one. One week of learning, one week of waiting for parts, and one night of building. All done casually in free time after work. It's very easy and kind of fun