Getting a new gaming PC, what do I do after the assembly?

[MAC709]

Lucky for me, my older brother who lives away starting building a gaming rig and abandoned it half ways through. It is technically finished, but some parts need upgrading. So this my plan so far.

1. Get his PC and boot it up to see if its working (it already has XP installed)

Here is my first problem. I don't think he can remember his password to the administrative account, and I think he lost the installation CD's, so how do I get administrative access?

2. Open it up and give it a new video card and hard drive, then add a new monitor, keyboard and mouse.

3. Get it hooked up to the internet.

4. uh...now what, do I update drivers or something, help me out please.

 

[gators1223]

1. use knoppix and over write the admin password, plendy of easy guides on the internet to do this
2. how much are you willing to spend?
3. do this first
4. deal with drivers only if something doesn't work or to add capability, otherwise GAME

 

[pcgamer12]

reinstall xp

 

[joelg88]

reinstall xp

He lost the XP disc

 

[MAC709]

Yeah I just remembered I have a bootable floppy that will tell me the password. I just picked out all of the upgrades I'm getting, that wasn't very hard. I'll try to get internet hooked up first, but I don't really think it matters what order I do step 2 and 3 in.

Now onto the drivers. Aren't there windows updates and stuff that I'm supposed to get, plus doen't updating drivers make you computer run faster? Someone please give me the rundown on this whole drivers thing.

 

[arson94]

Drivers can improve performance via speed or just supportabillity/compatibility. I'd install all Windows updates starting with SP3. I've been using SP3 for a while now with no problems at all. Some people b!tch about some problems they have had but I have had none. Then I would find the most updated drivers for everything in the system. Of course, this will be much easier with access to the internet. I wouldn't connect it to the internet though until it has at least SP2. Once it has SP2, connect it to the internet and download/install SP3 and all updates after that.

 

[1971Rhino]

Drivers are basically the piece of software that tells a particular piece of hardware how to function with the other components in your rig.

When a piece of hardware hits the streets it seems like the drivers are the last thing that's written before the box is plastic wrapped for shipping. You buy the hardware install the driver and it works for a bit then blam it locks up for whatever reason. People give feedback or sometimes the problems are discovered by the manufacturer. The problems are "fixed" then everyone has to download the latest version of the driver for better performance and compatibility. Wash rinse and repeat until they get it right, or the next generation of hardware is released with all new drivers, and issues.

 

[modode]

If he didn't get around to installing the MB drivers, you should do that first (hopefully he/you still have the motherboard driver CD).

Installing the MB drivers should allow you to access the internet, then you can enable autoupdate and let Windows do it's thing and update itself.

Then install your videocard drivers from CD or download them from the nvidia or ati website.

Finally, if you have any other hardware (like a card-reader, sound card, etc) that requires drivers, install those.

You're done. Don't forget to install and antivirus/firewall program.

 

[gators1223]

if he got around to installing xp he probably got around to installing initial drivers, like mobo and gpu etc

 

[MAC709]

Thanks, so once I get the internet I'll install all the drivers and windows updates. So how do I find drivers for my hardware anyways, just type the product name in Google?

 

[arson94]

Visit the page of the Manufacturer. For Nvidia cards, go to nvidia.com; for ATI cards, go to ati.com; for belkin cards go to belkin.com; etc... you may have to search google for the manufacturer's home website, but they will have the drivers at their own sites. You'll need the model of each part though. For chipset drivers, you'll visit the manufacturer of the chipset. You'll go to AMD, Intel, or Nvidia websites probably. Windows updates will also find updated drives for lots of hardware.