"The Build"...ITS DONE!! THANK YOU ALL!!

**PRIEST** · 01-18-10, 11:56 PM

Ok...so I get all the parts on 1-14-2010. And I open up the case and its broken...FML.

I get a replaced case in the mail today 1-18-2010.

I pull out the mother board, put in the processor, put on the heatsink...go to put in the ram and read the manual as to which slots they need to go into. My manual says DDR2 RAM...I was told to get DDR3 RAM...So not only does my RAM not match my motherboard also my processor is AM3 and this is a AM2 board!!!!! FML!!!!!!!!

I am not blaming anyone because I could not have picked it out but I cant believe nobody else saw that

Sooooo....I lost $20 for sending it back because it was a combo buy...I have to pay $9 shipping to send it back and now had to pay $8 for new heatsink grease because the stuff that came on the fan is not ruined because I already used it.

I ordered the correct motherboard tonight.

NOT A GOOD START!!!!!!!!!

**Potemkine** · 01-19-10, 12:06 AM

ummm....in which thread did you discuss your potential build?

Sucks though

**space.cowboy** · 01-19-10, 12:21 AM

Looks like the motherboard is supposed to support the AM3 socket. It it definitely DDR2 though. Looks like an oopsy by somebody. (And here is the original thread ffr)

http://www.texasteamplayers.com/index.php?topic=78006.0

Yeah... that sucks. Hopefully it will turn out well though.

**draco7891** · 01-19-10, 12:26 AM

AM3 processors fit into AM2 motherboards, and will use DDR2 memory just fine (they have both DDR2 and DDR3 memory controllers). The reverse (AM2 proc in an AM3 mobo) does not work.

I guess it's a bit late now, but it should be easier to RMA just the memory rather than the mobo.

Draco

**HeavyG** · 01-19-10, 12:41 AM

This is a lesson to be learned for any PC builder. Do your research on components before buying. Sometimes I do weeks and weeks of research, comparing motherboards, CPUs, graphics cards... no setup is going to be perfect, but finding one that will perform the best within your budget is what is important.

In this case, you overlooked the motherboard, probably because you were psyched about the combo deal. No biggie, but in the future make sure you are doing your homework before putting in those credit card digits.

Also, forums are great, but remember, the last say is always yours, so listening to idiots like myself may not be in your best interest as they are not going to spend the cash on the system... you are.

I hope things start to get better. Next time, try posting links to all of the components instead of just listing them. It is hard for us forum geeks to quickly give an opinion if we have to look up everything for you. If you do the work ahead of time, you can eliminate a lot of work for the possible hundreds of people that come across this thread and want to provide some input.

**PRIEST** · 01-19-10, 01:10 AM

Everything was posted with links...I just gave too much trust into what others said...This will be my first build and I dint know anything about AM3 and DDR2/3 at the time...but this will be about a $45 lesson for me to do more research and not trust everything to someone else.

**GReYVee** · 01-19-10, 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by HeavyG

This is a lesson to be learned for any PC builder. Do your research on components before buying. Sometimes I do weeks and weeks of research, comparing motherboards, CPUs, graphics cards... no setup is going to be perfect, but finding one that will perform the best within your budget is what is important.

In this case, you overlooked the motherboard, probably because you were psyched about the combo deal. No biggie, but in the future make sure you are doing your homework before putting in those credit card digits.

Also, forums are great, but remember, the last say is always yours, so listening to idiots like myself may not be in your best interest as they are not going to spend the cash on the system... you are.

I hope things start to get better. Next time, try posting links to all of the components instead of just listing them. It is hard for us forum geeks to quickly give an opinion if we have to look up everything for you. If you do the work ahead of time, you can eliminate a lot of work for the possible hundreds of people that come across this thread and want to provide some input.

+5

Learn sockets, learn FSB, learn motherboard capabilities, Especially learn case dimensions and PSU capacity. Compare prices after you know what you are doing.

IF you do not know how to match components do not do your own build until you do.

Sympathy

Edit: Empathy rather, never done this myself. Been around PCs too long to fuck up this much

**K0nTANK3Rous** · 01-19-10, 08:35 AM

definitely not flaming you here at all. As GreyVee and Heavy stated, learn your stuff, there is gobs of fantastic information here but it's like anything else in life, the knowledge/information is useless unless you know how to apply it. PC's are not difficult at all, but it does require you to get up to speed on all the intricacies and different components and what each of them do. A change in one thing, could drastically make a difference in 2 or 3 different components and what you should purchase or how you configure. hope it all works out for you, don't get discouraged!! Suck this one up and learn from it.

**PRIEST** · 01-21-10, 11:04 AM

So I just go m new motherboard and put it in before I head off to work. But...I cant seem to find an extra spot for the fans on the top of my case to plug in??

Case: Lancool pc-k62
Motherboard: ASUS m4a77td

I am off to work but will be home around 10pm to get back at it! Thanks!

-PRIEST (mike)

**Mcstrange** · 01-21-10, 11:41 AM

Ha, I made that same mistake a few months back for the Kids school PC. I upgraded to AM3 and a fancy pants DDR3 Mobo but ordered a big old mess of DDR2 ram.

I felt like a dumbass of the highest order, and was not allowed to live it down until the Fedex man arrived a few days later with the correct ram bits...

All the number are quite confusing and it does take a special eye to make sure everything lines up properly. Ive been building PCs for over 15 years now and can completely understand a goof up like this. Too bad it cost you a few extra dollars.