BTEC Award in Computer Engineering Level 2

[Rincewind]

Dont the parts slot into place? Not a lot of rewiring to do. I'd be no good though I'm all fingers and fumbs not a hands person.

[Salieri]

Dont the parts slot into place? Not a lot of rewiring to do. I'd be no good though I'm all fingers and fumbs not a hands person.

Yes they do, looks pretty straightforward to be honest. (I did the free introductory course on that website I found which covers the first unit on PC assembly).

[Fox92]

I was wondering about that as well as repairing P.C's. I presume you can 'build' a decent computer for a fair amount cheaper than shop bought ones. I have no idea on profit margins as I don't know (yet) what individual parts cost.

Lots of research needed methinks.

I think research is a must if you are trying to sell.

I've just got my dipoma in IT, and I'd love to build computers and sell them on eBay. But, from what I have seen, it looks hard to make a profit. I'm sure people who are in the business can go into detail abit more, but I when I added up the totals of buying all the hardware (and software), it came to a hell of alot and making a profit seemed very hard.

But, you must be able to as so many people sell their custom built desktops on eBay.

I need a little help, but I'd love to do it.

[Fox92]

If you need some help, look at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Upgrades-Handbook-2011-MagBook/dp/1907232427/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1316629804&sr=8-2 it is a fantastic help. I have last years edition to help me with my course but as I finished and now understand, I did not bother purchasing the 2011 edition.

[Salieri]

If you need some help, look at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Upgrades-Handbook-2011-MagBook/dp/1907232427/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1316629804&sr=8-2 it is a fantastic help. I have last years edition to help me with my course but as I finished and now understand, I did not bother purchasing the 2011 edition.

That looks very interesting, cheers. And good luck with whatever you decide to do with your diploma.

[Rincewind]

I'm doing an IT course at one of the learning centres. I was assuming it was just wordpressing and file sorting. Only doing level 1 or 2. I can switch a PC on so know the basics.

[Fox92]

That looks very interesting, cheers. And good luck with whatever you decide to do with your diploma.

Thanks, and good luck with your career change.

[JadeFalcon]

also a note of information ontop of what others have said about buying one and taking it apart....

1. you will need an ESD strap these can easily be ordered from Ebay or from Maplins. Your body carries an average of 30000 volts of static electricity and if you touch components you run the risk of dumping this through and destroying sensitive IC chips (integrated circuits) i.e RAM / Processor and other such types of components. you see how a lightbulb works.. thats usually 240 volts through a wire.. well you imagine 30000V though wires that are thinner than the human hair, the wires in IC's are usually measured on the Nanometer scale.

Ground straps will dump this through to earth instead of elsewhere

2. if you plan on taking off the heatsink and fan assembly from the CPU then you will need some Heat Transfer Compound to replace the old stuff. this goes between the heatsink and the cpu and helps the heat from the cpu transfer to the heatsink

[DB11]

also a note of information ontop of what others have said about buying one and taking it apart....

1. you will need an ESD strap these can easily be ordered from Ebay or from Maplins. Your body carries an average of 30000 volts of static electricity and if you touch components you run the risk of dumping this through and destroying sensitive IC chips (integrated circuits) i.e RAM / Processor and other such types of components. you see how a lightbulb works.. thats usually 240 volts through a wire.. well you imagine 30000V though wires that are thinner than the human hair, the wires in IC's are usually measured on the Nanometer scale.

Ground straps will dump this through to earth instead of elsewhere

2. if you plan on taking off the heatsink and fan assembly from the CPU then you will need some Heat Transfer Compound to replace the old stuff. this goes between the heatsink and the cpu and helps the heat from the cpu transfer to the heatsink

You don't need a strap. I've never used one.

[Fox92]

You don't need a strap. I've never used one.

Same. I know you are told to have them but I touch the side of the base unit.

Want to upgrade my CPU soon which I have never done before, and I did think to buy one for that particular upgrade.

[JadeFalcon]

probably not worked to class 3 military grade assembly standards then i guess, i used to build process control systems for oil rigs and nuclear power stations, that stuff cannot afford to fail

yes you can get away without one but for the risk of blowing a £200+ cpu for the sake of a £5 strap then you go ahead

set somebody down the right direction before they start rather than them blow something up and have to explain shit later

[Salieri]

So, do I need a strap-on or not?

[JadeFalcon]

i personally do advise using one, as any course you do in the future will tell you to use one aswell

[Salieri]

i personally do advise using one, as any course you do in the future will tell you to use one aswell

Ok cheers.

[Fox92]

So, do I need a strap-on or not?

Got to admit, I would get one if I could be bothered to walk into town. I don't use one, but I'm not going to argue with the post about working on military systems because I'm not going to win as I only upgrade my desktop

[JadeFalcon]

if you know how to handle boards and have experience with them then you CAN get away without one, but it is best practice.

if i dont have my strap to hand then i can always easily ground myself to something like a radiator pipe or some other such item, but the thing with that is you have to remember that when you get up and walk away, to ground yourself when you get back.

always good to get the basics right first time rather than forget to ground yourself and touch a board trace that leads to an important IC, this especially goes for ram sticks as the boards are so small plus they have contacts along one edge. its very easy to hit a trace with your finger and run the risk of dumping your static through it to a chip.

then for instance you have the CPU itself, you will do very well if you dont actually touch a pin on one of those.

i'll put money on it that when you were a school kid, doing the static electricity and shocking your friends, remember that electricity can arc with enough voltage so you dont actually have to touch something, aslong as the thing your near is earthed and you have enough voltage it will arc over.

the cpu below is roughly 1.5" to 2" across

[JadeFalcon]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-static-Wristband-Wrist-Strap-Band-ESD-Discharge-/130578491133?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e6715a6fd

that will be all you need

[Salieri]

Thanks mate. They're cheap to buy and like you say, if you don't use one you can cause a lot of damage so probably worth getting one.

[JadeFalcon]

thing i also learned while working where i have done is that static may not damage the whole of the chip, only a part of it that may only be used at certain times, so may look like it works untill it needs the area that is damaged then poot

just do a google image search for "inside integrated circuit" and "esd damage" will give you an idea of how small things are inside there and what kind of damage can be done