Friday 13 January 2017

Building a Computer... For The Owner(-er-er)


I built my first computer today (with MrFodder's help)!

I feel like it's one of those things that every programmer is supposed to have done, but I just never felt the compulsion to actually do it (not to say I never wanted to, but it was pretty low my to-do list).

MrFodder and I have pretty much stopped giving each other gifts, as we're both at the stage where we can afford to buy whatever we want (except a $10k ice-cream machine), so instead, we buy ourselves a larger gift. This year, that gift was parts for new computers. I don't really need a new computer to play Dota 2, but my computer was starting to struggle in Fallout 4 and Prison Architect (which is one of the reasons why I stopped playing). It also really struggled when I was putting together my farewell video (which was filmed in 4K), so much so that I had to borrow the RAM from MrFodder's computer. I don't really plan on making another farewell movie soon (though I heard through the grapevine that the developer I made the James Bond video for is leaving again), but I would like to do some more casual video editing.

The process was pretty time consuming, taking nearly 3 hours. While most of it is straightforward, and just a matter of reading the instruction booklet to work out which piece goes where, working out which of the many screws you're supplied with to use where wasn't always clear. And then trying to work out how to plug in the various power cables and data cables seemed like a mini-game. I somehow managed to end up with a whole heap of thermal paste all over my fingers, I have no idea how.


However, the computer has been assembled, and it seems to be working. Just in the process of installing everything and then I'll probably move off this computer. :(

Thank you old computer, you have served me well, and we have shared many happy memories together.


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