Alienware

[Slamz]

put the CPU in the correct corner, or damage the pins and negate warranty

CPU only goes in one way. Even if you fail to line up the corners, just don't beat it with a hammer and you're fine.

put the ram in backwards and break it, damage motherboard in process

RAM these days only goes in one way. You'd have to be blind and again with the hammer.

break out the magnifier glasses and tweezers to hook up the case wires to mobo

This is the hardest part but these days most mobos come with those little...clip...things... all the wires go on it in clearly marked locations and then it goes on the motherboard, again, only one way.

forget to plug extra power into video card and watch it overheat

I've done this before, but at least with that card (nVidia) it just didn't give me any video at all until I plugged in the extra power.

get too much thermal grease on CPU and watch it drip onto MOBO and ruin both
get too little termal grease on CPU and watch it overheat/burnup on first power up

If you're buying a new Intel, there's no work to do here, because they'll come with thermal grease set on the heatsink already, ready for install. Not sure about AMD.


10 years ago you could easily fuck up an install. Had to really read the directions, which were usually none too clear.

These days you basically just have to not be a buffoon, and make sure everything is plugged in before you turn it on.

I think the last bit of hardware I screwed up was a 5.25" floppy drive.