posted
Well she just called me and her computer took a dump. Her monitor isn't working and she hooked up another one and it isn't working either so it's probably the hard drive. She has someone coming to look at it and she's hoping it will be fixed within the next few days.
She just wanted me to let you all know so you didn't think she just disappeared!
Crossing my fingers for you Mel that it isn't expensive and it can be fixed!
She's gonna go without her computer, like we all probably would.
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posted
Glad she let you know, cause I would have been missing her!!! Hope it's fixed soon!
bbbbbbbbb Some hearts, like evening primroses, open more beautifully in the shadows of life. Shirley's Secret Room Posts: 9518 | From: Cincinnati Ohio | Registered: Nov 2006
| Logged: 71.72.204.28
posted
Thanks for letting us know loz! I sure hope she gets it fixed soon!
bbbbbbbbb All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. Posts: 5156 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Mar 2006
| Logged: 63.225.148.86
posted
Oh that is not good. Hopefully it will get fixed fast!!! Thanks for letting us know Loz.
bbbbbbbbb We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Posts: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Logged: 66.235.45.83
quote:Originally posted by afgreyparrot: I would go absolutely crazy...
Mel...please don't go crazy!
Didn't you get my message, Cindy, I've gone crazy! WHHHHHHHAAAAAHHHHHHH
I went to my daughter's house and I'm using her computer, she thinks I'm ridiculous.
The computer guy called and explained in length the problem I'm having. At the time my computer was built there was a guy who stole the "recipe" for making capacitors for my particular motherboard. Apparently, the "recipe" he stole was an older,failed "recipe" for capacitors. So, a bunch of these defective capacitors were let out on the market and now they are failing. My caps are all bulging and leaking. The solutions for my problem is to either send out my motherboard for rebuilding, which could take weeks and end up being very costly and then I would also have to repurchase windows or looking for a new computer. So , I'm looking.......
The good news is that all my info is still in the hardrive and he suggested getting a USB kit which I can hook up to the new computer and it will be like having an external hardrive with all my info on it and I can go back and forth between the two hardrives and have extra storage space. Does that make sense? I think I get it.....
Bottom line, I need to start looking for a new computer, but I still have my own monitor so either just the tower or the whole package????? Not sure, I gotta look around.....
posted
It's normally cheaper to just replace the motherboard. It sounds to me like the person fixing your computer just wants to charge you a bunch of money. The only time I have ever seen capacitors leaking is when you have had a voltage surge. This whole story sounds strange to me. (Just because you have a surge protector doesn't mean you safe from surges,)
Also you might not have to buy Windows again, if you are using Win 2000 it is not a problem to reinstall, if you are using Win XP, Microsoft will allow you to reinstall it again, you just have to call them and they tell you what to do.
bbbbbbbbb One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie. Posts: 1077 | From: Haskell Oklahoma Zone 6b | Registered: Feb 2005
| Logged: 75.104.70.34
posted
That's exactly what I was kinda thinkin'...
Hubby says to fix a mother board, you have to send it to the head company that made it, it's not just an item you can fix at home, even if you know how to fix them...
And also, like Pat said, it's cheaper to buy them new...
posted
Weezie and Pat, I'm sure if my story sounds a little strange then it's the way I described it. I don't know a whole lot about how my computer runs, but the guy I brought it to is a trusted friend and he repairs computers for a living. He is going to show me the bulging capacitors when I pick up the hardrive.
Pat, I'm surprised you haven't heard of this problem, I did a simple google search and found a ton of info and all of it backed up what my guy told me. It is a major widespread problem that many computer manufacterers have not admitted to. If my friend wanted to make a bunch of money off of me , we would be going the repair route instead of buying new. I was mistaken that I would have to buy XP, but actually what he said was that I would have to re-install it and I assumed that meant buying it. After your comments I asked him about it and he explained.
The reason we have decided to go with a new computer is that he knows how much I rely on my computer, communicating with my friends and family and sending the MB out to be repaired will take far too long for me. I am excited too about getting the new Windows OS, Vista.
For now, I've borrowed a friends laptop , which I'm finding a pain to use but I'm grateful for it. I'm having trouble getting used to no mouse.
posted
The Vista from what I have heard is a very large headache... You have to like ask their permission to reinstall things, and if you reinstalled it *say like a monitor* to it, you can only do it once..
(and like you, Mel, I may be repeating this in the wrong words, or non~computer words' I should be, but it's like you have to ask permission to do things to your own computer.. and if a part fails, you can't just replace it any more on that working system..)
Mel, also,
quote: I don't know a whole lot about how my computer runs, but the guy I brought it to is a trusted friend and he repairs computers for a living.
I know we just wanted to make sure you didn't get taken for, cause there's alot of un~scrupulous people out there that will take someone *or can cause they have the knowledge and the average "JOE/JANE" doesn't* to the cleaners and back again because they DON"T know a whole lot about computers or how they run or work..
bbbbbbbbb Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Thanks Weezie, I have heard good and bad about Vista. It's like anything else in the computer world, some people will like it and some people won't . I've tried other operating systems and I get the most ease and enjoyment using the Windows systems.
I couldn't stand Firefox for a browser, but I understand that other people swear by it and love using it.
Yeah, my computer language is not always (alright rarely) correct , but I know what I like.
Believe me, I appreciate all your advice and will consider everything and weigh it out with everything else I read and hear. Thank you , it can get pretty confusing
posted
Vista has a LOT of DRM stuff (Digital Right Management), if you try to watch DVD's that have been copied, it may nit let you.
Their are also numerous other issues with it, it phones home a lot, and it is a BIG resource hog.
Moat reviews of it are negative.
bbbbbbbbb One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie. Posts: 1077 | From: Haskell Oklahoma Zone 6b | Registered: Feb 2005
| Logged: 75.104.70.34
quote:Originally posted by Amigatec: Vista has a LOT of DRM stuff (Digital Right Management), if you try to watch DVD's that have been copied, it may nit let you.
That's right.. Say you buy yourself a cd and you want to make a copy of it, to play so the original doesn't get scratched.. It won't let you watch it..
quote:Originally posted by Amigatec: Their are also numerous other issues with it, it phones home a lot, and it is a BIG resource hog.
As I understand it, it takes 1 gig of memory to even run the program thingie
quote:Originally posted by Amigatec: Moat reviews of it are negative.
It's like Big Daddy watching over you sorta...
bbbbbbbbb Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Thanks for recent postings. I didn't want to intervene in case you thought that it was none of my darn business as a limey. But I consider you people my friends now and I don't like to see my friends being taken for a long ride with no ticket. (Even friends I have never met - lol).
I spent 30 years of my life, not only working with web sites for industry but also, developing software, building desktops and repairing laptops. And quite honestly Mel, you are being fed a rather large male cow. Exploding capacitors my eye, because the wrong bloke stole the recipe . That is a complete nonsense. Next point. You don't ever repair motherboards. With a computer, you don't repair any board - you replace it. Repair of a board is sooo expensive in labor, just throw it away and put in a new one. Mel, get a second opinion as soon as you can.
The remaining (and unrelated point is Vista. It is well known that every time an operating system (OS) gets properly cleaned up, Mr Gates will launch another one that is going to be bug ridden until at least release 5. Then he can sell you loads of upgrades (OK some are free but the major ones aren't). I've worked in Redmond (yes they do employ foreigners with the right Ph.D.) and even the staff know that that is policy. Vista will be good one day, but my advice (and I know a lot more about this than I do about gardening) is to leave it alone for a couple of years. Stay with XP (preferably professional) for now, and let MS debug Vista before you pay for it.
bbbbbbbbb I am told that one day my brain will grow and grow. I'm looking forward to being a half wit. Posts: 138 | From: Scarborough. U.K. | Registered: Feb 2007
| Logged: 88.107.103.49
posted
Drat, it's a pity I don't live close to you... I could maybe fix the computer up, I fixed a computer once with a straw (Dust was preventing the graphics card from reaching the computer)
posted
Yep... my thoughts exactly...for what Webwise said..
Same on the mother board thing webwise said, my husband said to get a new one... ~~~>to repair those, only the manufacturer can do that.. And it is very costly and a new mother board is cheaper..
bbbbbbbbb Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
And people wonder why I dumped Windows and run Linux.
Linux isn't for everybody, but I don't have to reboot and it is as solid as a rock.
bbbbbbbbb One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie. Posts: 1077 | From: Haskell Oklahoma Zone 6b | Registered: Feb 2005
| Logged: 75.104.70.34
posted
ok, i have to weigh in on this one. first, i'm with just buying a new mother board, because it is the fastest, cheapest way to get you going again.
second, i'm with postponing vista until at least release 3, same reasons as mentioned. i like xp, but prefer the protections that firefox offer as standard. at work, firefox is actually preferred.
third, motherboards are repaired all the time for a reasonable price, BUT i wouldn't do it. and capacitors do leak/bulge/fail. i'm only sure of that because dh works in the electronics field and his training was what is called "to component level" meaning he is qualified to repair motherboards. the other kind of electronics training is "board level" which means you learn how to make sure what ever board (video card, etc) is working, but not how to fix them if they aren't. only how to swap them out.
there is a lot more to it than that, and most companies do not go component level anymore unless it is a VERY expensive motherboard (like those found in aircraft). but it can be done.
now, in the meantime, with whatever decision you make, i'm glad you have a computer to hold you!
Logged: 72.10.71.111
posted
Thank you , Jiffy, I too am grateful for this laptop to see me through.
Would it make a difference if I had told you all that the computer in question cost me $250 3 0r 4 years ago at Walmart??? I will look into it more about replacing the MB...........
posted
not really to me. when you get a new motherboard, it will be faster and have more options, but the outcome is the same. if i were going to replace a computer, at this point, i'd do just the motherboard.
now, if i had money in the bank, and didn't have a wedding to fund, and a trip to ca, and 2 kids in college... well, you get the drift...
Logged: 72.10.71.111
posted
One thing to remember is that not all PC's are upgradable. Some use special Motherboards and are not the same.
I ran into this recently on a Dell I was upgrading, the MB had some special connectors on it and the plug for the power supply was wired differently. I wound up replacing the MB, case, and Power Supply.
Also Weezie noted that with Vista you have to ask permission to install things. This is a good idea, but the way Microsoft wrote this, is not a good way to do it. You should never install things with full Admin rights, with Vista you are running in a user account, but when you install things it gives you full Admin rights, so the whole process is worthless.
Same way with the Windows Firewall. MS just turns everything on, and really doesn't block anything that is going out. So if you have a Trojan on your PC, the Windows Firewall will let it phone home.
MS just can not get things right.
bbbbbbbbb One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie. Posts: 1077 | From: Haskell Oklahoma Zone 6b | Registered: Feb 2005
| Logged: 75.104.70.34
posted
Well Mel... I'm sorry about the troubles but if it makes you feel any better, BooBoo died recently after only 17 months (actually I worked him to death). I got the new "state of the art" Dell Dimension 9200 with "state of the art" MS Vista and all the bells and whistles last week..... ($$$$$)
Thor died today... he experienced severe display tremors, then, after "shutting down" for nearly an hour, he went comatose on me. RIP, poor Thor, you !@#$%^!!
Whatever you do DO NOT get a system with Vista! Posts: 11227 | From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
| Logged: 69.33.97.176
posted
Oh man Bill, Dan just got one of those systems for one of his customers. I know he is working with it now but have not really looked at it much myself. I love my XP though and will keep it until it dies a slow and miserable death. I need more memory!
bbbbbbbbb We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Posts: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Logged: 66.235.45.83
posted
Bill, sorry to hear that happened, what was the cause of Thor's untimely demise?? Do you know yet? Did it have to do with the OS or was it something electrical??
posted
As an aside Pat, I like your Mordor spoof signature but didn't get the full joke until you said you were running Linux. I run it on my server (OK I chicken out and use a Windows client) but I agree. For technical excellence it far outstrips Windows.
bbbbbbbbb I am told that one day my brain will grow and grow. I'm looking forward to being a half wit. Posts: 138 | From: Scarborough. U.K. | Registered: Feb 2007
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![[kissies]](graemlins/kissies.gif)
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without her computer, like we all probably would. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? 
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WHHHHHHHAAAAAHHHHHHH![[dunno]](graemlins/dunno.gif)
So , I'm looking.......
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($$$$$)![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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