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how to computer: computer hardware info - updated 11/22/10, now with capitals!


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I seriously don't know anyone who's ever had a problem with stock cooling who wasn't overclocking, but even so I didn't say to cut the cooling section entirely. It's just I don't see the point of including exotic solutions like phase change and oil induction or even liquid, considering your target layperson audience is never, ever going to need it. You say an overclocking section wouldn't be useful because only 25 people on this site do it...how many people do you think have their computer in a fishtank filled with oil?

it's a faq, man, it's supposed to have esoteric information. OCing ISN'T esoteric, that's the point. besides, this is all about hardware: things you put into your computer. OCing is a tweak: it's not something you go and buy.

Blue123, i'm going to mention negative vs. positive pressure, and i'll mention aircans then.

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pdf file.

current revision: section 2 done, i skipped 1 for the moment. i'm going to do that last, probably. the link's in the first post as well.

edit: already found a mistake in TDP - it's not the max power it'd draw, it's the max heat that needs to be moved out. whoops! oh well, i'll fix it with the next update.

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No caps for sentences starters? For shame. Oh, a little typo (search for "thing nanometer-sized"). I think you were meaning "think nanometer-sized"). Skulltrain? Did you mean Skulltrail? Also, it might be worth it to say what a die is, as you reference putting two cores on it, but not what it is. "intel’s core 2 duo, the laptop varieties of Celeron dual-core, Pentium D, and amd’s athlon 64 x2 and laptop-based turion 64 x2 processors without even flinching." I think you missed something of the meaning "beat single core out of the water without even flinching." "is basically an compilation." "since the e8400 si a dual-core"

I don't know if you care about typos, but if you do, here are some I found. Good read by the way. Looking forward to other sections.

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i intend to type this just as anything else that i type - no caps. i just turned off the grammar/spell check in word, and intended to turn it back on before i finished...yeah that didn't happen.

you caught all of those right. this is what i get for 'printing' the file really late at night =)

thanks for reading, man. i'll go back and check this up before i move on.

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Not a problem. It's enjoyable not reading stuff trying to be professional (humor != professional tone). Hell, for my final paper for English this semester I wrote in a very conversational tone and the professor said at the end that it was very refreshing.

I look forward to more, and I'll probably read it all.

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there's way too much professional crap out there for this stuff - that's the problem. people need something explained in a simple, easy-to-understand format that'll allow them to make their own decisions.

of course, i do interject my own opinions on subjects (pcie x1 is useless, as i mention repeatedly), but that's because they're pretty broadly accepted.

also, since we're on the topic of grammar, here's two to use the edit button for :< (i'm understanding more and more why larry loves that smiley)

I don't know if you care about typos, but if you, here are some I found....at the end that is was very refreshing.
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there's way too much professional crap out there for this stuff - that's the problem. people need something explained in a simple, easy-to-understand format that'll allow them to make their own decisions.

Indeed.

also, since we're on the topic of grammar, here's two to use the edit button for :< (i'm understanding more and more why larry loves that smiley)

Bah :< Everyone makes typos.

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  • 4 weeks later...

All I really want to know right now is how to make my 3-pin connector CPU fan stop running at maximum speed 24/7. The mainboard seems unable to control it by any other means than PWM, and if I put the CPU fan cable on a fan connector on the mainboard other than the one intended for CPU fans, I might be able to control it to a degree but still not have it automatically adjust its speed according to CPU temperature. I'd like some input on this (and not just "get a 4-pin cpu fan").

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Yes, well, the other fans on my motherboard are also 3-pinned, but on 3-pinned connectors, and they can be controlled by the motherboard anyway. I forget if it's about voltage or amperage control... And according to the manufacturer of the cpu fan "most" motherboards are capable of controlling fan speed without a 4th pin (although I'll have to agree I think they're lazy not to make their cpu fan 4 pinned for greater compability). I just recently read about this one guy who had a 4-pinned cpu fan but a 3-pinned connector on his motherboard, i.e. the opposite of what I have. Weird, ain't it?

Anyway, I noticed this subject is in that long list of yours so I guess it'll be covered soon enough. There was something I didn't see in that list but I forgot what it was so I'm gonna have to post again when I remember. Looks like there'll be plenty of time for that though.

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I'm back...with typos and stuff. Another interesting read; I gotta say I enjoy reading your stuff.

Anyway, onto any problems I noticed: In the section for PS/2, you didn't give it a header (it just says 3.2.8.3 and goes to the next line). Oh, and what a comparison from firewire to usb spreading like [...]. You never mention what IEEE 1394 is in the section. In talking about the surround sound RCA plugs, the center/subwoofer color is orange, and the rear speakers are black (you reversed them). "but lack high-end features

like a BIOS that works and more than your basic i/o options." Do you mean something like "like a BIOS that does more than basic I/O options"? "jetway sells models than all of the other companies who sell itx combined" Do you mean that they seel more models? Also, what is an itx board? You mention it a couple times.

Good read. A thought to go in the intro somewhere: an explanation of kilo-(bit/byte/hertz), mega-, and giga-, at least that mega is 1000x bigger than a kilo-, a giga is 1000x that of a mega-, and (for hard drives only at this point) that tera- is 1000x that of a giga-. If you do have this somewhere, forgive me, as I didn't read section 2 again.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Basically the layman's glossary of terms for all things mainstream computing?

Might be good to denote that it's PC-centric unless you plan on having Mac-specific proprietisms discussed. Many terms and concepts pollinate both PC and Mac camps, but unless the differences are stated, it could be confusing.

I started a comprehensive rundown of 64-bit OS's including memory limitations and practical uses on my site, but it's a bit of a mess. Needs an overhaul and proper organization, as well as updating.

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  • 4 weeks later...

i updated it. you've got cpu, motherboard, and graphics cards completely done now. as a whole, i've cleaned up a few things, and i proofread the first part of the cpu stuff. so, you've got 2.1-4.6.1, and i've edited a few things so i need to update the OP.

comments? there's a lot of stuff in the gfx section, and since i'm not much of an ati guy i don't really know a ton about those cards.

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  • 3 weeks later...

updated. up to section 6 - so, you've got cpu, mobo, graphics, sound card, and POWER SUPPLIES (gawd, that took forEVER). so, 2.1-6.6 is done.

sorry this has taken so long. PSUs were by far the longest section in the tutorial mainly because while i knew most of the terminology, i really went in and made sure i could explain it to a dumbass before i actually wrote it down. there's a LOT of info in there that needs idiot-proofing (in terms of reading), so go right ahead.

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so, 7's done but i haven't uploaded it yet. i know a LOT about hard drives i didn't realize i knew.

i'm on memory, which will take a while. i know the basics, but i honestly don't know jack about timing or system-specific memories. and i know next to nothing about dual- and triple-channel besides that it speeds up transfer of data.

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