Becoming an enthusiast

[aliasxneo]

Hello,

Just like any hobby, sport, or collection, everyone starts off as a "noob." I have been using computers since age 10, and since then have learned to program efficiently in more than 5 languages. I've also built 2 computers. So, when it comes to computers, I'm not a complete idiot.

However, in terms of hardware I've never really dove to much into it. The computers I put together were simple cut and pastes from various suggested builds. Well, I'm tired of doing it that way and I really would like to make a hobby out of building computers, I just don't quite have the background knowledge yet.

So, my question is what's the best place/method/book to start building knowledge from? How did all you self-proclaimed guru's start off? What I would really like to focus on is understanding specs and overclocking, two points I am extremely weak in.

Any suggestions are welcomed, thanks.

P.S After searching for the past five minutes, I have no idea where this topic belongs. If this is the wrong section, please let me know, thanks.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

For me I started to work for Intel® in their channel member support team 8 years ago. I have picked up my A+ (basic computer repair), and some Windows classes but more then anything is the trainings that Intel has put together that I have taken over the years building up the knowledge base on Intel products. In the end I still read a lot trying to get my knowledge base up on non-Intel products.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[popatim]

Its not really abot training IMO. Its about taking what you know and actually being able to apply it. I have friends that went to school (ITT Tech Inst) for this and know almost as much as I do but cant keep one computer running right much less fix one. They just cant take the knowledge and 'see' how it actually works in the pc to make use of it.

I started pretty much just like this except we didn't have forums back then and internet was in its infancy. I read the help sections and technical articles of PC magazines and pretty soon I could answer users questions. Then I started helping out others when I could. Being an electronics technician back then it wasn't a big step for me to move over to the companies PC division where I quickly moved up to the Sr Tech position where I took and passed the A+ on my first try - on a dare. LoL
From there I moved to a big Company's PC support, began backing up the System Admin and when she left I was offered her position and been working Mainframe ever since.
So you see you dont need actual training unless thats what you need to make you learn. I learned from magazines and the Internet offers much more wealth of knowledge! Soak it up, ask questions that you cant figure out, and TRY things - thats the best way to learn IMO.

 

[aliasxneo]

Its not really abot training IMO. Its about taking what you know and actually being able to apply it. I have friends that went to school (ITT Tech Inst) for this and know almost as much as I do but cant keep one computer running right much less fix one. They just cant take the knowledge and 'see' how it actually works in the pc to make use of it.

I started pretty much just like this except we didn't have forums back then and internet was in its infancy. I read the help sections and technical articles of PC magazines and pretty soon I could answer users questions. Then I started helping out others when I could. Being an electronics technician back then it wasn't a big step for me to move over to the companies PC division where I quickly moved up to the Sr Tech position where I took and passed the A+ on my first try - on a dare. LoL
From there I moved to a big Company's PC support, began backing up the System Admin and when she left I was offered her position and been working Mainframe ever since.
So you see you dont need actual training unless thats what you need to make you learn. I learned from magazines and the Internet offers much more wealth of knowledge! Soak it up, ask questions that you cant figure out, and TRY things - thats the best way to learn IMO.

I agree completely, and that's how I picked up programming. I share many of the same experiences, stealing freelance programming jobs from IT Tech School graduates at age 16.

However, I'm more focused on learning what magazines, books, and articles I should focus on. Basically I'm just trying to dig out the "gold mines" of information amid the never-ending resource of the web.

 

[13thmonkey]

the thing is, is that a lot of the information is old... and thats why we have it because we did these things when they were new.

if any of us stop paying attention for a year we won't be able to answer questions on new topics. So where do you start?

Pick a 'core topic' power, thermals and noise are three good ones to start with as they are constant.
Power causes a lot of system problems, i've seen machines fade and switch off, to not switching on until 30s after you press the button, all power related (well new psus fixed them).
Thermals likewise, learn how air flows round a case, postivce/negative pressure, the symptoms of a bady fitted HSF.
Noise is something that a lot of people try to fix by making small changes, if you don't have the right foundation the small changes won't work, learn about cases, fans etc.

Once you've got these grounded then you can start to learn about whats current, it'll be easy to keep on top of once you've got basics down, and recognise that noise thermals and power are a lot easier to keep under control in a build in ivybridge than sandybridge and so much easier than in the P4 days. Hence as that new knowledge is picked up the implications of it will be understood.

Almost everything i've learnt i've do so by research for my own builds, if you research your own builds you'll be able to answer the questions, if you just ask the questions then you'll never learn.

As a jokey aside, you can either become a guru or get a life, choose guru if that is the you want to take.

 

[ourtut]

well im 14 and i teach the tech guys at my high school stuff, i have built many pc's, broken many pc's, my method is mostly on trial and error but if I have any questions or im stuck I use google and if I still can find it I make a make a thread on a forum or ask my family/ friends. so what im saying is if your young, try things and ask. if your an adult and have education as an option, go for it!

 

[ourtut]

another thing. you probably shouldn't jump into overclocking until you learn how it works and if you really need to overclock. If you do just want to try it or need to overclock it is about trial and error. there is a forum just for overclocking on this site.

 

[aliasxneo]

Any suggestions for magazines?

 

[blackhawk1928]

Hello,

Just like any hobby, sport, or collection, everyone starts off as a "noob." I have been using computers since age 10, and since then have learned to program efficiently in more than 5 languages. I've also built 2 computers. So, when it comes to computers, I'm not a complete idiot.

However, in terms of hardware I've never really dove to much into it. The computers I put together were simple cut and pastes from various suggested builds. Well, I'm tired of doing it that way and I really would like to make a hobby out of building computers, I just don't quite have the background knowledge yet.

So, my question is what's the best place/method/book to start building knowledge from? How did all you self-proclaimed guru's start off? What I would really like to focus on is understanding specs and overclocking, two points I am extremely weak in.

Any suggestions are welcomed, thanks.

P.S After searching for the past five minutes, I have no idea where this topic belongs. If this is the wrong section, please let me know, thanks.

Give me a list of all the specs and chunks of information you want to know and I'll answer as best I can.

 

[FinneousPJ]

It's not like there's some secret society. Just look around, read, learn. After that, try it in practice.