Question New computer builder...help!!!

[Herkymerc]

None of the bright shiny components I ordered came with cables. How do I learn who/what/which, etc ... and where do I get them?

 

[bignastyid]

Would help to know what parts(makes and models) you ordered.

 

[ElectrO_90]

None of the bright shiny components I ordered came with cables. How do I learn who/what/which, etc ... and where do I get them?

Cables? There's not that many cables, things all fit into their slots, nothing can go in backwards unless you really force it.
But if this is your first computer build, you got a lot of reading to do.

 

[BoyDrewWonder]

I'll go out on a limb and guess you're meaning for your SSD/HDD. And yeah, they usually don't come with cables. Your motherboard should have had a couple unless you bought it refurbished. For that one, you just need SATA data cables, and you can find those anywhere.
If you mean power cables, you'd better return the power supply you got, because they ripped you off pretty badly.

 

[Herkymerc]

Sorry, I realize after reading a good deal the last few days that mine was a stoopid question...so not stupid in a way.


My component list:
Asus Prime z370-p , Intel core i7-8700k, Hyper 212 ÉVO cooler, Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2x8), WD Black 4Tb HD, Samsung VNAND SSD 850 ÉVO, 1- M.2 80mm PCle 3.x2 Optane, Seasonic + Focus 750W Pwer Supply, EVGA GEForce GTX 1080 Ti 11Gb, Roswill Gaming case, and a couple extra 120mm fans.

I am interested in RAID, have read some about the various setups, but do not know whether a RAID1 is right for me.

Being a pilot, I play several sim games, air combat, ace combat, IL-2 Sturmovik, Heroes of the Pacific, Rage (which I keep trying, but my 70+ year old fingers can’t handle), Grand Theft Auto vice city, and SkyRim (which I like but can’t quite get the hang of). I don’t do the big jet airline sims, I have done quite enough of that in reality.

I have built 3 other projects, 2 (in the ‘80’s) out of a ragtag of scrounged bits and pieces and a few pieces I had to buy. The 3rd was a nice one I built in 2008, and which lasted until a couple of months ago with minimal repairs (R&R of the HHD twice) and routine maint...

Any pointers and/or comments would be gratefully received (except about my intelligence, parentage, or my dog).

 

[Herkymerc]

Thank all 3 of you who answered, illuminating and helpful...had to stop and think...then read. Remember, I am a FNG and feel like I am stumbling over my feet here.

I used tigedirct and newgg for my last build, newgg and amasson for this one...any suggestions for someplace better?

 

[Herkymerc]

BDW,
No, the power supply is a modular and came with a bunch of power cables. Motherboard is an ASUS from neweg, new, had no cables. The HDD and SSD (amisson) came naked also, no cables. The GEForce GTX 1080 Ti came in a box (amisson), supposedly new but had been opened...no cables.

 

[Herkymerc]

I have assembled it, outside the case and laying on cardboard... as much as I can. Can I test-run it without HDD and SSD connected? I am no genius about making web searches, there is an art to it...my wife is very good at doing searches for what she is interested in...not this sadly as she doesn’t have the vocabulary.

ElectrO_90, Thanks for your reply...got me to thinking. Do you have recommendations of a place to start reading? When I start reading, I am inundated with stuff of which I have no inkling. I need something to begin, basic (but current). A good website to begin, I can go on from there.
I am aware that things are changing so fast that the mind boggles. I read a comment this morning that: the author did not understand why one would even think about putting a hard drive in a computer today. ???

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Gpus dont come with cables. The psu should have the power cables needed. You can pick up a sata data cable for pretty cheap online. The sata drives will be powered by the sata power cables that should come with the psu. Your m.2 ssd plugs into the motherboard and dosnt need any cables.
Yes you can power it on without drives, but you wont get past the bios and will likely get a "no bootable device found" error

 

[BoyDrewWonder]

You've got an unlocked motherboard/CPU. If you plan on overclocking, I'd recommend a bit bigger power supply. Not because 750 watts isn't enough, but because 850-900 will handle it more efficiently. It will make less heat in your case, so you can push a tiny bit farther, and save the life of your psu a bit.
Also, you don't mention if your psu is 80+. Would recommend replacing it if it isn't 80 plus certified

I used tigedirct and newgg for my last build, newgg and amasson for this one...any suggestions for someplace better?

pcpartpicker.com is my go to site. They show prices for most reputable stores, and give you ideas for what you might be forgetting. (Holy smokes that sounded like an ad, sorry bout that...)

 

[USAFRet]

I am interested in RAID, have read some about the various setups, but do not know whether a RAID1 is right for me.

Not really. There are much better ways of protecting your data, and recovery from a disaster.

Read here to get started:

What is your backup situation at home? What is your backup situation at home? And if you don't do that, why not? Every single day, I read multiple threads here of "How do I get my stuff back?" or "That drive had 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Be it a dead drive, dropped phone, virus, accidental deletion, formatting the wrong... forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Herkymerc]

BDW,
Thanks for the reply. Have you thought about a new career, in advertising? LOL (Sorry, just kidding)
PSU is 80+, I have thought about a mild overclock, and had wondered about heat issues but ASUS and several others have ‘assured’(I don’t know why that word always makes me nervous) everyone that this is no problem with the bits and pieces I have. I will certainly look into the 850-900 range, but it may be that they will be a bit too pricey.
Thanks for partpicker, I’ll go and have a shufty.

 

[USAFRet]

A PSU being labeled as "80+" means little. It says little about the quality of the device, and it is a self applied label.
Yours being a Seasonic Focus is good, though.

 

[Herkymerc]

Titan, Thanks for the input. Sounds like one h... of a rig. I use one 1Tb external HDD, and do it manually, once a month when I am home. I just retired from my third career (all as a pilot), so I suddenly have waay too much time on my hands.

 

[USAFRet]

And just for you...

 

[Herkymerc]

A 3-blade A model, and the se Asia war games, that brings things back! You just gotta love any caliber of mini gun, and big booms are very nice too!!! And being able to just look at something and make it disappear in a cloud of dust...that is the feeling of power.

 

[ElectrO_90]

I have assembled it, outside the case and laying on cardboard... as much as I can. Can I test-run it without HDD and SSD connected? I am no genius about making web searches, there is an art to it...my wife is very good at doing searches for what she is interested in...not this sadly as she doesn’t have the vocabulary.

ElectrO_90, Thanks for your reply...got me to thinking. Do you have recommendations of a place to start reading? When I start reading, I am inundated with stuff of which I have no inkling. I need something to begin, basic (but current). A good website to begin, I can go on from there.
I am aware that things are changing so fast that the mind boggles. I read a comment this morning that: the author did not understand why one would even think about putting a hard drive in a computer today. ???

You can start here
https://www.tomshardware.co.uk/how-to-build-a-pc,review-34608.html
Hope that helps!

 

[Herkymerc]

Hey ElectrO_90,
That does and will help, duh...like I couldn’t have looked around first. Freakin FNGs... they’re only good for boat anchors.

BDW,
I have a Seasonic 850 platinum psu coming. Thanks for the heads-up! And thanks for the direction about where to start. I’ve gone through it once and will keep doing so.

 

[Herkymerc]

So... ok the motherboard was bad. So I got a version 2 of the same motherboard. It works! Where on the forum do I find the setup routine, please?

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Setup as in installing windows or as in putting the PC together?
Windows Media creation and installation: https://www.howtogeek.com/197559/how-to-install-windows-10-on-your-pc/
Basically, you download the Windows media creation tool onto a different windows pc and then use that program to make a USB stick. Boot into that usb drive on the new pc and then you can install windows

 

[Herkymerc]

I have it together, but I took it to a shop to have it checked, and when I got it back my hard drives had been ‘numbered’ instead of lettered and they are neither accessible nor even show up in settings. “C:” (a small SSD) has the system on it and is the only one to show in settings/change where new content is saved. In “File Explorer/ThisPC/devices and drives”, “C:”is the only one to show up. In “Disk Management” ...as both “C:” and as Disk 1.
All 4 disks show as “Basic, and Online”.
Disk 0, 111.77 GB - Unallocated, Disk 2, 3726.01 GB - Unallocated, Disc 3, 465.75 GB- Unallocated. When I right click on them, they will not give me a change name command. They only give me.. (New spanned Volume/New striped volume/convert to Dynamic disk.../convert to MBR or GPT Disk/ Properties/Help).
How do I rename them and get them onboard as storage disks?