11 Things Most Builders Forget - Documentation
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Documentation
Do you know exactly what is in your computer right now? Do you know the model number and firmware revision of your sound card? Probably not. You probably don't know where the driver discs and manuals for all the components are, either.
Dutifully recording all the details of the system as you build it up, as well as placing all the documentation and software discs in a common binder will save you time and effort in the long run. Want to check for the latest drivers? Grab the binder and look up the part number. That beats having to crack the case open and pull the card, which may or may not have the part number openly stamped on it. Want to put Linux on the computer? You have the part numbers handy so you can determine if and how the components will work with the OS.
Remember those receipts you’re supposed to be holding onto? Now you know where they are when it’s time to return something under warranty.
This goes for that software you have loaded, as well. You might need to put all those CDs into a case, but where are the registration keys and serial numbers? What are the settings you spent so much time perfecting?
Likewise any passwords you may have. Yes, you aren’t supposed to write down your passwords, however, if you are like me, you have fifty billion passwords for stuff and I know I tend to forget, particularly if I don’t use them on a regular basis. So I’ve compromised and placed all my passwords into a secure PDA file. With one master password, I can access the whole lot of them. What’s more, since I have them recorded someplace secure, I feel no need to use simple, easy to remember (and thus easy to break) passwords for stuff. I can use the random password generator built into the app I use on the PDA, and I use a different password for everything.
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