The first step for the $0 PC is actually sourcing the parts for no cost. For this, I ended up being contacted by PCSimplicity. They were doing a trash run and were throwing out a lot of used or broken components, the perfect opportunity for me. I came into the shop and salvaged several parts that were going to be thrown out. This, along with some spare, old computer parts I had lying around my house is how I got all the parts for the computer completely free. From there, I researched and logged which parts I ended up getting and testing the best parts to use in the final build. Below is a working Google Docs of my notes that contains the parts I got: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aihWCM9E2W8mcctzGP2SDoJwfbRyBqScmJACgNWaB3U/edit?usp=sharing. It is important to note that the 2 parts that I couldn’t get were a case and storage.

Now that I had nearly all the parts I needed it was time to actually construct the computer. A major thing I had to keep in mind was ensuring the parts were actually compatible with one another, though with how many options I had this didn’t end up being a huge problem. The first step I did when actually building the computer was ensuring that all the parts would work together and start. To do this, I ended up setting up a rudimentary build on the floor of my room. This was done with no case and no storage, but when it successfully turned on, I knew the main components worked. Now, I had to figure out how to get the case and storage. For the case, I opted to create a makeshift cardboard case, cutting out slits for the component openings. For storage, I went into the shop itself to use one of their storage components as well as to improve my build. At the shop, we were able to optimize and finish up the build as well as get it to run windows. By the end of this week, we have shown that it is possible to build a PC from scratch without spending a dime and successfully created A $0 PC.