The pandemic altered the course of my life in a way I never would have imagined. Although I lost many things, the pandemic also gave way to a new world of pastimes, hobbies, and dreams. As I was a middle schooler in distance learning with a superfluous amount of leisure time, I started watching more and more YouTube. I watched a variety of topics ranging from math, science, and games. However, of the topics I watched, I especially started getting into tech-related content such as reviews and unboxings but most importantly, computer-building videos. Ever since I started watching those videos, the seed of building my own computer was implanted in my mind. Although distant and far-fetched, I knew that one day the time would be right; and so I waited…
During the summer following my sophomore year, in 2024, I took a course in the city of Los Angeles. As it was summer, I once again spent hours a day watching whatever YouTube’s algorithm would recommend to me. Many times it was once again related to PCs and building computers. After having watched enough videos, I decided it was finally time. With the permission and help of my parents alongside some savings I’d procured over the past few years, I started the search for what would become my PC. After returning from class each day, I’d spend my idle time on https://pcpartpicker.com/ finding parts for my PC and trying out various combinations to fit my needs. I had fixed some computers in the past but never a task as daunting as building one from scratch. A few weeks of research culminated with https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FyqkYN. After seeing a sale on BestBuy, I switched to Intel’s i9 13900. Unbeknownst to me, Intel’s higher-end 13th and 14th-generation processors had been going through mass instability issues and crashing. As soon as I found this out, we immediately returned the CPU and I decided to design a system around AMD’s AM5 socket processors. After another week of consolidating parts, I waited. Throughout the next 2 weeks, I patiently stalked the market awaiting sales such as Prime Day. By the last week of July, all the parts required to boot it up had arrived. The final few days before returning home were filled with heaps of anticipation and anxiety. In my free time, I consumed as many videos and articles as I could pertaining to computers.Â
I returned home the first week of August. Despite what I had watched and learned, no number of videos or articles could have prepared me for this task at hand. As all the parts were entirely unique to my build, there were no concrete instructions or tutorials to base off
I began, surprisingly, with the power supply. As static friction is everywhere, when building a computer or working with electronics, it is recommended to ground oneself. Throughout the build, I would consistently make contact with the plugged-in power supply to discharge any ion buildup to prevent any accidental release of static electricity into a component. Following this preliminary step, I began with the motherboard. Unpackaging my CPU, I placed it into the socket on my motherboard. That’s when I encountered my very first, arguably trivial, dilemma. Although quite elementary for an experienced builder, I had no idea how much thermal paste to apply when installing my CPU cooler. Although there was no upper limit, installing too much could overflow onto the motherboard and end up in less-than-ideal places creating a mess. After much more research, I settled on an amount and continued progressing through my build. Following the CPU and cooler, I installed the memory and connected the power supply. With all the necessary components installed, I decided to perform a test boot to ensure its functionality. Anxiety coursed through my veins. I had plugged in all necessary components, yet there was some part of me that feared that I had missed something or glossed over an important detail. After a final inspection, I hoped for the best and shorted the two power pins.
My monitor’s LCD flickered to life, displaying the bios and the MSI logo. Content with my progress as a newbie, I progressed onwards. The second phase was to install all the various components in their proper places in the case. I had to ensure that all the cables were properly seated and connected to the right header Accidently plugging something in the wrong place could spell out disaster; The cables also could not interfere with the fans or else they would get caught, potentially leading to larger problems. Aside from a few hiccups involving types of screws, I was able to progress. My most prominent issue during this phase of the build was figuring out the correct header for each wire; there was a large number of wires, especially with the 4 fans and cooler in addition to all the other components. The motherboard’s manual turned into a map, guiding me where everything went. After fully assembling the build and plugging in the wires, I booted the system up once more before calling it a night.
I returned early the next day to the site of my build, equipped with a flash drive carrying Windows 11. I began the process of installing the OS and updating its corresponding drivers. During one of the updates, the screen suddenly lost all life. I didn’t bat an eye as the computer had frequently cycled between power states when updating. After an hour of idleness had passed, worry started to build up within me. I tried restarting the PC to no avail. Instead, I was met with every PC builder’s worst nightmare: bios warning LEDs. My specific case indicated a fault within either the memory or CPU. I spend the rest of the day dismantling and reassembling the computer piece by piece. Nevertheless, no matter how many times I did, it just wouldn’t start up again; I slept that night with a weary heart crushed by an empty dream.
The following day, my father, to whom I owe much gratitude and love in retrospect, went out of his way to many different stores in search of a motherboard that would fit my build. My mother, after consoling me the previous night had also ordered a replacement CPU. When looking back, the motherboard I had received from Amazon displayed many signs of previous usage and wear. For instance, the peelable plastics had already been removed; one such was between the SSD heatsink and the m.2 slot. While building, the motherboard manual instructed me to remove the plastic although there was none. I was confused as to why I couldn’t find it. However, my inexperience resulted in me glossing over an obvious sign. With the new parts in my hand and a revitalized morale, I pursued onward.
It required many more hours of tinkering and assembling but for the final time, I latched on the side panel. As I was pushing the button, I recalled the experiences and trouble that had led me up to this point. I had expected a challenge but nothing quite similar to the rollercoaster of exhilaration and shocking defeat that I experienced. A sense of relief passed over me as the monitor flickered to life displaying the new bios of the system. I had built my own computer and fulfilled the dream that I yearned for so many years ago. Although there were some kinks to work out, The computer, in and of itself, worked perfectly.
Throughout the course of the build, I learned that everything will have climaxes and low points. Building has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. It began with Legos and progressed to assembling and repairing devices. And now, it has blossomed into this love for building computers. All of these journeys have ups and downs. There have been segments I’ve sped through and others that I’ve thought were impossible. This project, especially, has just proved that even in the most difficult times, there is light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully not a CPU error light, and a way to progress. The amalgamation of all these moments has resulted in my story of how I made my dream come true. And quite frankly, there's also some part of me that wishes to continue doing this and building more and more with this hobby I’ve serendipitously fallen in love with.
P.S. Here is my final parts list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rrgYvj
