Help a new guy absorb this new world.

[Thach]

I'm not really new to computers, since getting my Asus G75VW-BHI7N07 I've begun wanting to learn more and more about computers. I have never before attempted to learn motherboards, BIOS, basically anything that makes these suckers tic. I have been reading and reading but there are so many outlets and things that I may just be confusing myself. I guess I have always been somewhat of a novice user and never thought too much about the items that I have gotten. With this new Asus, I did some research, I knew for the most part what I was getting compared to other notebooks. I am open to any and all advice on where to go or how to learn more about the world that you all call home. After this one purchase, I am now and always will be a HUGE Asus ROG supporter and hope to do some upgrades after I have a full understanding of things.

So thanks for your time and letting me pick your brains.

[chrsplmr]

You wouldnt be the first to stumble around in here .. ask all sorts of questions .. take
seasoned ROGs to task .. ask more .. do more ... and become so addicted that they
become supreme.
ask away .. try to remember that forward does not come from questions already
answered and understood but those yet to be asked ...

btw .. have you noticed that high tech 9yr old puter ??? we cant give them away ... enjoy.c.

[HiVizMan]

Unlike many other web sites, here on ROG we are very focused on what the main point of this forum is - namely to provide assistance to folks who need an answer. In other words to help folks out. I have seen places were you get these rubbish responses, search before you post. Or google is your friend. Not here. I do not expect you to search for hours to find a solution because if you knew what to search for you would not have an issue in the first place.

So ask.


Your first question. Yes he is correct. There is no need to flash a bios unless you are trying to fix something. The risk does not out-way the reward of simply having the latest bios each time.

[chrsplmr]

HiVizMan wrote:
So ask.

Exactly. The pleasure is ours.c.

[DaemonCantor]

The most respected Tech Nut on the Forums has just given the Answer to the $10,000,000 question! BTW he is the only one here next to Praz, Area66,MarshallR, Xeromist, DarthBeavus,V2-V3, Arne Saknussem, Mason@Asus, Brian@Asus, and a couple others that I will say are the most helpful with Technical issues.

[srmojuze]

Thach wrote:
I'm not really new to computers, since getting my Asus G75VW-BHI7N07 I've begun wanting to learn more and more about computers. I have never before attempted to learn motherboards, BIOS, basically anything that makes these suckers tic. I have been reading and reading but there are so many outlets and things that I may just be confusing myself. I guess I have always been somewhat of a novice user and never thought too much about the items that I have gotten. With this new Asus, I did some research, I knew for the most part what I was getting compared to other notebooks. I am open to any and all advice on where to go or how to learn more about the world that you all call home. After this one purchase, I am now and always will be a HUGE Asus ROG supporter and hope to do some upgrades after I have a full understanding of things.

So thanks for your time and letting me pick your brains.

Basically, for me, TomsHardware and AnandTech are good places to start because they get to the nitty-gritty of things. Other sites are very good but more if you know what it is you are searching for. Enjoy 🙂

And... there is nothing like ~Overclocking~ and ~Benchmarking~ to learn more about computers. Not Twitter or Facebook LOL.

Thach wrote:
On a side note, I do have a old laptop that the battery died and the port where the cord plugs in is fried. So I guess I could always tear that sucker apart just to play around and see how its all put together. I know each manufacturer does it a little differently, but I will have a idea of how things work. I have in the past (9 years ago or more) made some updates to a desktop or two but man I have forgotten a lot that I knew back then lol.

Yes, come to think of it I have taken apart and feebly tried to put back some laptops over time. Apple iBook G4 500mhz. Try changing the hard disk on that and you'll sure as heck learn a lot, or feel like punching someone.

Also, desktops are indeed really good for easily understanding what components go where and what they do.

If you can't dumpster-dive then buy second hand parts like Intel Core 2 (yes, that is old now) and Nvidia 9000-series cards (or the AMD-ATI equivalents), some old hard disks, motherboards and so on.

Try installing custom CPU coolers, re-applying thermal paste etc.

Install Linux for a while. Again, you'll feel like punching something but you'll learn quite a bit when tons of things are going wrong and you have to figure out what the heck is happening (yes, it may have changed with Ubuntu, etc. but still...)

Suffice to say... Asus ROG laptops are a great way to learn about computers because you've got the performance there to try out demanding GPU stuff, do folding on fast i7 CPUs, and overclock FSB, RAM, CPU, GPU core, GPU mem.

That said, try to be more careful with your Asus ROG laptop and do most of your "experimenting" with cheap or second-hand desktop computer components. Fiddle with fans, PSUs, etc.

Sometimes the best way to learn is when you run Furmark on a desktop computer and your PSU blows up... 😄

Seriously though please be cautious with electrical components.

Funny how 10 years worth of experience compared to new users makes such a difference nowadays. Not something to gloat about (or I try not to) but something to appreciate.

I guess long-term effort does pay off. As much as I hate to say it more and more often my parents were right all along...!

[Thach]

Thanks for all the advice that's been given so far. This place has really turned out to be a great choice in computers to get into and a fantastic site to join. This notebook even with windows 8 has been the best I've ever owned. I have gotten used to windows 8 too and its not bad IMO. But its crazy how this is the first computer that I've owned which makes me excited to get home and jump right on just to mess around and search for more info on.

[chrsplmr]

hahhaa .. that didn't take long ... its official .. ur a ROGaddict .. it happens all the time ..
touch it .. and u want to touch it again .. amazing eh?

trust this .. ur not alone .. and never will be here.

as to the parents being right .. more and more .. u bet.
Now if we can get our kids to figure that out before
they are our age .. and their kids think they dont know
what they are talk'n bout either ... yeah..right..that will happen...hehhe.

I miss my grandfather .. but in many ways am greatful he had
not seen what I have ... c.