I have the worst luck with computer parts. It's been years since I've been able to buy one or more computer parts and not have to return at least one of them.

Because my motherboard is acting up again, I decided to buy a new one. While I was at the store, I bought a 512 MB stick of memory (only $68 -- I remember when a 1 MB stick cost over $200), a 1.4 GHz CPU, a chipset fan, and two wheel mice (one for me and one for Karen).

They gave me wheelless mice. The chipset fan doesn't fit onto the motherboard, because there's a pair of capacitors too close to the chips. Even though the motherboard specs say that it takes 512 MB sticks, the manual says it can only handle 256 MB (or smaller) sticks. And to add insult to injury, the motherboard itself is shot. Plugged everything in, turned on the power switch, and... nothing. Plugged the power supply into the old motherboard: it works. Plugged it into the new motherboard: nothing. Triple-checked every single jumper; everything's set up correctly. Looks like it's back to the store again, to return everything except the smegging CPU. Come to think of it, I'd better bring it with me and have them test it. With my luck, it'll be bad too.

File this under S for Stupid: The motherboard's manual is in PDF format on a CD-ROM that came with the motherboard. Good thing I had a second computer available so I could read the "troubleshooting" section in the manual, eh?