Where can I find a guide that explains every thing I could even need to know about building a computer?

[Christian Gilbert]

From what each line of numbers and letters mean, to how to tell if something is compatibly or not. I need a reference guide that will allow me to figure out the answers to my question's on my own.

 

[boosted1g]

What you are asking for is exceptionally vague, we can point you to a few guides to cover the basics, but a one-stop source for everything you are asking likely does not exist and if it did it would be 300 pages

For compatibility there is website called www.pcpartpicker.com. Price out your parts on that and it will tell you if something is compatible.

I would start with these guides:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/build-your-own-pc,2601.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/274745-31-step-step-guide-building

There is also tons of youtube videos out there for how to assemble

 

[avenseth12]

Please watch this guy's video - he is the best. He also has videos on how to install and setup Windows, 7 and 8 - they are helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zOYdNEHDQo

 

[The Original Ralph]

From what each line of numbers and letters mean, to how to tell if something is compatibly or not. I need a reference guide that will allow me to figure out the answers to my question's on my own.

what the other posters have suggested plus - on the manufacturer's site of the motherboard you choose there should be a page showing their "qualified vendors list" - on Asus's web, that page is linked in the support page linked at each motherboard, so it's kind of like following the breadcrumbs. The most important compatibility would be confirming the memory boards are on the mfgr's list for that motherboard - that's one item i don't think pcpartspicker does but i haven't checked that.

What boosted1g said about that manual could easily run 300 pages is pretty much on the money, but if you want a short rough outline from a newbie that just built his first computer at 65 yrs old, start with deciding what capability you want, (ie are you planning to do gaming, or video editing or graphics design) and how much "future proofing" you feel you need. Then choose the CPU that meets those needs - i do a lot of video editing and wanted a cpu with 4 cores and hyperthreading, so i went with the i7-4790 (locked) cpu. As that's a LGA 1150 socket, that kept me limited to motherboards with a LGA 1150 socket, but there are tons of those.

Then i decided i needed 6 sata ports so i'd have ample ports for hard drives, optical drives etc. I wanted to build a compact computer so i went with a micro-atx board, which is a little smaller than a ATX or full size board. I ended up with an ASUS Z97M-Plus motherboard as it was a) fairly reasonably priced ($136 at the time), b) had six sata ports and c) asus has a good rep for customer svc and assistance

i made sure the memory i chose was compatible from their QVL list (qualified vendor list) and from there studied tons of computer cases till i found the one i thought i wanted. I've since found the small form factor cases limit the cooling in a computer system (after buying one). I'm not about to order a different larger computer case.

but hopefully you get the idea, start with your needs and decide a cpu, and go from there

also, just reading the threads here helped a lot in terms of filling in "blank" spots in my computer literacy

fwiw