I think my computer is toast

[PallasAthena]

Well, okay. Not toast exactly. But it's at the point where I just don't know how to fix it. I'm pretty sure all it needs is a re-image, but there are some other funny things that I'm just not sure about that cropped up after I replaced the motherboard, processor, video card, and added all the new RAM a couple of years ago. I'm not horrible at hardware, but when it comes to software, I'm really not good. I'm just really afraid that I will screw up and lose everything.

At first it would give me 3 long beeps and refuse to start up. I would hit the power button again and it would come up just fine. Over the last few months, it has randomly started to shut down. Sometimes the monitor tells me that it is out of sync with something. Lately, it's been randomly shutting down a lot. Last night, it refused to start and told me that it needed to go into safe mode. It got caught in an endless safe-mode loop and just wouldn't start up. ETA: We've also been getting the blue screen o' death a lot lately, which I didn't realize until it happened a couple of weeks ago. It happened and I showed DH, and he said, "Yeah, it's been doing that a lot lately." *faint*

I'm thinking of calling the Best Buy Geek Squad for help. Is this a bad idea? My system is really non-standard, and I'm just worried that their cookie-cutter approach might not be a good idea. How do you find reputable help with fixing computer problems?

[Mad Jay]

Are your sure the fans are clean and functioning. Sounds to me like it's an overheating problem

[RivkahChaya]

I think your harddrive is dying. Do you still have your install disk for your operating system? Do you have an external HD? Do you know how to install a harddrive?

If you can install in, you can pop it in on top of the other one-- unplug the other one, to avoid accidentally reformatting it-- start the computer up, tell it to use the new HD, install the OS, then shut down, plug the old one back in, move all files (or all important files), and unplug the old one again. You can toss it, or keep it in case you somehow lose files, or find they have copied improperly, or something.

If you can't get a new HD, or will have to get someone else to install it for you, so you can't have it done right away, then use a flash drive or disks to save all important files, immediately.

If you have an external HD, install your OS on that, then save all your files, and let that function as your HD for booting if the old one fails, until you can get a new internal HD.

The above post in null and void if someone who looks at your actual computer says I am wrong.

[Alchemy]

Certainly sounds like a hardware problem.

Originally Posted by PallasAthena

At first it would give me 3 long beeps and refuse to start up.

That's your computer crying for help!

http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

I'm thinking of calling the Best Buy Geek Squad for help. Is this a bad idea?

Probably.

How do you find reputable help with fixing computer problems?

http://xkcd.com/627/

[CSGirl]

Originally Posted by Alchemy

http://xkcd.com/627/

That got passed around here at work.

PA, I agree with not using the Geek Squad unless you have to. I would see if you can find some local contractors. Is there a college near you? When I was in school some of us CS majors and Helpdesk workers would fix/upgrade/whatever computers for people in the community nearby. And we worked cheap.

[PallasAthena]

Originally Posted by Mad Jay

Are your sure the fans are clean and functioning. Sounds to me like it's an overheating problem

I thought that as well, but even after a good and thorough cleaning, it continued doing it. I've got LOTS of fans in there and the monitoring system is telling me that the temps on everything are okay. The HD is about 6 years old, but I've been asking probably way more of it than I should.

Originally Posted by RivkahChaya

I think your harddrive is dying. Do you still have your install disk for your operating system? Do you have an external HD? Do you know how to install a harddrive?

I think you may be right. When I first got the new motherboard, vc, and processor, I didn't upgrade my RAM right away. So the HD was having to work really, really hard. There was a lot of grinding going on. It's been making a lot more funny noises lately. Maybe I'll have a try with this.

If you can install in, you can pop it in on top of the other one-- unplug the other one, to avoid accidentally reformatting it-- start the computer up, tell it to use the new HD, install the OS, then shut down, plug the old one back in, move all files (or all important files), and unplug the old one again. You can toss it, or keep it in case you somehow lose files, or find they have copied improperly, or something.

If you can't get a new HD, or will have to get someone else to install it for you, so you can't have it done right away, then use a flash drive or disks to save all important files, immediately.

If you have an external HD, install your OS on that, then save all your files, and let that function as your HD for booting if the old one fails, until you can get a new internal HD.

The above post in null and void if someone who looks at your actual computer says I am wrong.

We've got an external HD so we could work with this. I'm not entirely sure that I have the discs for my OS. The OS was a gift from a long lost friend who had an extra license. I think he kept the discs.

What kind of HD should I get? A couple of years ago, my set-up was pretty smokin' hot. It was the envy of the guys who I used to game with. I can't exactly remember the specs, but I've got an ASUS motherboard A8-NE (I think), AMD 64 processor, and an ATI x1800 vc. I've no idea what my performance requirements might be for a new HD.

[PallasAthena]

Originally Posted by CSGirl

That got passed around here at work.

PA, I agree with not using the Geek Squad unless you have to. I would see if you can find some local contractors. Is there a college near you? When I was in school some of us CS majors and Helpdesk workers would fix/upgrade/whatever computers for people in the community nearby. And we worked cheap.

See, that's the kind of help I need! I've just moved away from all of my old college buddies and I don't know who to call now!

[Not_Done_Living]

three beeps at post is generally either a Video card error (such as it is not seated properly) or bad memory...
either of these could cause bsod's and would get worse over time..

[PallasAthena]

Originally Posted by Not_Done_Living

three beeps at post is generally either a Video card error (such as it is not seated properly) or bad memory...
either of these could cause bsod's and would get worse over time..

Crap. It was a new and very nice VC that I built the rest of the computer around.

See, this is why I think I need to take it somewhere. I'm afraid I'll screw it up even more.

[Alchemy]

Originally Posted by PallasAthena

I thought that as well, but even after a good and thorough cleaning, it continued doing it. I've got LOTS of fans in there and the monitoring system is telling me that the temps on everything are okay. The HD is about 6 years old, but I've been asking probably way more of it than I should.

"At first it would give me 3 long beeps and refuse to start up," tells me that your problem is not a hard drive, if I understand "refuse to start up" means no successful POST.

Check your "beep code" you will probably find your problem is a video card or RAM issue. Either one could've been improperly installed and worked loose, and either one could have a damaged circuit element that randomly fails and crashes your PC or prevents it from starting up.

I've had to remove bad RAM about three times in my life and never had to remove a bad video card, so I'm leaning more on bad RAM. A "sync. out of range" error could be a video card problem but could also be your video settings getting screwed up from improper shutdowns.

ETA:

Originally Posted by RivkahChaya

I think your harddrive is dying.

Why do you think that?

[RivkahChaya]

Originally Posted by PallasAthena

There was a lot of grinding going on. It's been making a lot more funny noises lately. Maybe I'll have a try with this.

We've got an external HD so we could work with this. I'm not entirely sure that I have the discs for my OS. The OS was a gift from a long lost friend who had an extra license. I think he kept the discs.

What kind of HD should I get? A couple of years ago, my set-up was pretty smokin' hot. It was the envy of the guys who I used to game with. I can't exactly remember the specs, but I've got an ASUS motherboard A8-NE (I think), AMD 64 processor, and an ATI x1800 vc. I've no idea what my performance requirements might be for a new HD.

When it starts making noise, that's like the squealer on your brakes; it translates to "replace harddrive NOW if you want to keep your data."

If you call a college student, he or she can probably get an OS disk at a greatly reduced price at the university bookstore. It will have NOTHING on it, not even Microsoft Office, well-- it will have IE, but nothing else; but student might be able to get that. You will need to reload all your motherboard drivers, and your videocard, ethernet card, if you don't use onboard, etc. If you don't have the motherboard disk, you may have to borrow an ethernet card with a disk to get online long enough to download the drivers for your motherboard (been there).

You will have to know whether you motherboard takes IDE or SATA, and when you buy the HD, ask for a cable, a jumper, and some screws. You, or whoever installs it will need these things. The motherboard came with a cable, but probably just one, and the old HD is using it. You would think the HD would come with a jumper and installation screws, but they don't. This is where it is very nice to go to a neighborhood, free-standing store, and not a franchise, because the same guy who sells you the drive will also be a tech, and he will know where the cables, jumpers, and screws are, and which ones you need, and that he has lots and can spare some for you. A salesperson at Best Buy who is not a tech will not know these things, and will either just tell you no, you can't have them, because it's easier for him, or he will try to get them, it will take him 45 minutes, and then they might be the wrong ones.

[PallasAthena]

Oh, my god. I'm in way over my head. There's no way I can do this on my own.

How are those mom-and-pop computer tech folks generally? There are a couple near where I live. How do I tell if they're good?

I don't even know what questions to ask. I always had my friends either do it for me or hold my hand while I did it in their basement.

[Ducky]

I don't know how you can tell if the "mom and pop" computer companies are good or not but I WOULD definitely suggest checking them out carefully.

Relative had an experience with one recently. While he was impressed with them managing to save MOST of his data.. including data from a not well known database/address book program (that he forgot to back up.. t hat was the only thing he forgot).. he didn't seem too impressed with how fast he did everything. He did buy a new system (I'm unclear as to why.. it sounds like the harddrive went kaput... I wish I had known and said to just get a new hard drive if that was the issue.. or replace whatever part). Anyway.. there were a few things that wound up being a bit messed up like his email accounts not being set correctly and I think something wrong with the IE installation too.

If you can, ask them if other customers are willing to speak with you regarding their experiences.. I don't know if there is any other way you can ask around either.

[Troberg]

If the HD is six years old, and the motherboard is as old, it may be the bad capacitor problem. Check the motherboard, and look at the capacitors (the can-like components, about 10mm high). If the end is bulging, or even has some brown oxides on it, it going bad.

Heat is also a likely culprit. Even if the sensors say everything is fine, there may be local hotspots. I'd stick a finger in the fans (don't worry, it doesn't hurt) and feel if they feel "peppy" or if they are just turning. If there's no "oompfh" in them, they will not move much air.

I'd also try to rule out the Windows installation. My suggestion would be to download the Kubuntu live CD, and boot the computer from it. You don't need to install, just play around with it and see if the same problem occurs. If not, the Windows install is bad, if it does happen, the hardware is bad.

[Alchemy]

Originally Posted by PallasAthena

How are those mom-and-pop computer tech folks generally? There are a couple near where I live. How do I tell if they're good?

Computer repair in Ventura, CA. If it were me I'd probably try ACM Computers. Odds are you'll be paying $35-70 to have someone troubleshoot hardware and another $20-50 to replace your RAM or video card.

Originally Posted by Ducky

Relative had an experience with one recently. While he was impressed with them managing to save MOST of his data.. including data from a not well known database/address book program (that he forgot to back up.. t hat was the only thing he forgot).. he didn't seem too impressed with how fast he did everything.

If your relative paid for someone to (I assume) clone his (possibly malfunctioning) hard drive onto another one, doesn't that mean your relative did not know how to do this, and therefore had no way to know how much time the job should take?

[James G]

While your latest issues may be down to something else, I can't help wonder about the more long term problems you mention, you said: "that cropped up after I replaced the motherboard, processor, video card, and added all the new RAM a couple of years ago."

Did you replace the PSU at the same time? That's a fairly significant upgrade, and if you are stuck with a stock PSU that came with your system it may not be up for the job. The manual for your processor and graphics card should give an indication of the minimum required power output, and if you are close to the rating of your PSU, or have an unbranded cheapo thing then it might be worth looking at something a bit more beefy.

[hambubba]

At this point, even in light of "recent" repairs and upgrades, it might be cheaper for you to buy a new system and transplant your video card into it. You may still be having a bad motherboard problem. I replaced one, and then had the new one fail within months.. Computer repair is going to run you about 65+ bucks per hour. The cost of a new system won't be much more than that. Give up (it's hard I know!) and get something else.

[PallasAthena]

Originally Posted by Troberg

If the HD is six years old, and the motherboard is as old, it may be the bad capacitor problem. Check the motherboard, and look at the capacitors (the can-like components, about 10mm high). If the end is bulging, or even has some brown oxides on it, it going bad.

No, the motherboard was new along with the video card. Motherboard, CPU, and video card were all new. I also added new RAM to the existing.

What's a PSU?

I know just enough to be really dangerous!

There may be an IT guy at work who does this sort of thing on the side. He may or may not be willing to look at it. We'll see...

[Eddylizard]

PSU is the power supply unit - a big sort of transformer thing in the case that steps down the mains power voltage to something the computer internals are happy with. From 110 or 220 volts AC in to 5 or 3 volts DC out on various lines to the components.

They are rated to supply a certain maximum amount of power. As components and cards advance and get more power hungry, the demands of the internals may outstrip the ability of the PSU to supply them. Then problems ensue. Larger capacity PSU's than yours may be out there.

I don't know enough to say if this is your problem.

[PallasAthena]

Hm. Could be a PSU issue. I was rebuilding from an Alienware, so it was a performance machine to begin with. The original stuff was pretty hot already. I just wanted to rebuilt in prep for Oblivion and because I wanted to be able to turn the settings of HL2 all the way up.