Sounds like the sort of thing it's hard to keep up.

The machines I build usually have a label with the date they were built on them, nothing more.

don't forget to tape your favorite jumper and bios settings.

Also, I still remember a lot of the detailed specs of my old computers from then, well much less so the OEM junkers I used before I went all custom 486 and after.

King_Corduroy wrote:

I just wanted to bounce this idea off you guys. I've started typing out all the specs of the computers as they are when I get them along with the price I payed and how I got it and a separate sheet to log all repairs and upgrades and taping this to the inside of my computer cases (away from anything that generates significant heat such as psu). After finding that I had lost a lot of information about my own life (pictures and faded memories barely remembered) I have started documenting my life like crazy from last year onward (Doing things like this, taking more pictures and trying to be consistent with journal entries etc). This is the latest idea of mine to combat time and preserve my own history.

Sound like a good idea?

This would require a lot of upkeep if you do upgrades constantly, but if it helps you keep track of what has been done where then I say go for it. Personally I would keep a separate notebook with all the info needed and assign an ID number on a sticker to each computer cataloged and/or upgraded (something like S5AT1003 or P2S14502), but that's just me; the important thing is to have fun while doing what you believe is best 😀

Documentation never hurts - may be better from a preservation stand-point to keep the documentation away from the physical machine though (or at least a copy of the documentation). Folks do stuff like this all the time for cars - the most recent car I bought, the guy had every maintenance receipt, record, etc back to the original window sticker. It's nothing life-changing, but it's nice to have the documentation.

obobskivich wrote:

Documentation never hurts - may be better from a preservation stand-point to keep the documentation away from the physical machine though (or at least a copy of the documentation). Folks do stuff like this all the time for cars - the most recent car I bought, the guy had every maintenance receipt, record, etc back to the original window sticker. It's nothing life-changing, but it's nice to have the documentation.

Agree, Supposed your PC gets stolen, and you want to build another PC whose specs is identical to the stolen one. If you put its specs inside the case, the the specs too, is gone with the stolen PC.

That's true, I should probably put together a binder. But I thought this would be cool for someone to find on the inside of the case after I'm dead and my computers end up in a thrift store. 😜 No I'm joking about that, but this way I can't accidentally lose the binder. I think I may do both though.

Also I don't really do a lot of upgrades, I usually set an idea in my mind and then start shaping what I've got to meet that and I do it VERY slowly because I don't have lots of cash to throw around. Usually most things are left to random though, like for instance when I bought that Packard Bell. I walked into a PC store in my home town and asked if they had any older computer laying around they would be willing to sell me, I had an idea I wanted a gateway pc to communicate to my PCjr but I had no idea what I would find or end up with. It just so happened he had two mid 90's computers laying in the basement waiting to be scrapped one was some bland no-name tower and the other was the Packard Bell I now own, as soon as I saw it I had to have it. When I was a kid I had one identical to it but it had been tossed years ago. So I briefly looked over them both and asked for a price, (but ultimately I had my heart set on the Packard) he said ten bucks and I said SOLD! 🤣 I walked away a very happy man that day, naturally I got a few odd looks as I stood in a snowbank waiting to cross the street to get to my car with the beige beast under one arm. 😜

If you're working with lots of computers and components a log is highly recommended. Put it in a physical binder, or some sort of computer database. (I use the old Palm PDA software for this.)

I kinda do it, but also not the best at keeping it updated
I have a simple spread sheet with all my hardware details such as part number, serial number, cost. That way I know roughly what its worth and know if a firmware update or whatever applies to my item without having to open the case. Motherboard revision numbers for CPU support for example.

I also have a point form build list for my PC's More so I get the correct order like certain drivers not like being installed after others.

Usually it takes 2 or 3 times actually wanting the info to actually document it though.