Dead Desktop ? Cause

Very interesting David. I would think the computer would POST, maybe give a prompt to go into setup, like they sometimes do when you reset the CMOS. Will keep that trick in mind for the future!:cool

My main PC died on me last week. I gave it a good dust cleaning, hooked up a hard drive I was trying to format at work, and poof, fans turn for a little bit, then it goes off. Now, I work on printers, computers and such a lot at work, so the last thing I want to do is fook around with my own PC! I have 'important emails (FaceBook notifications) and games to play!

I was thinking mobo, RAM, all that stuff. Took a break, took the dog for a walk, and it hit me, most common thing to cause this is the PSU. And sure enough, my less than a year old OCZ PSU had tanked. Hooked up an older one, and it has been good as used ever since.

Will remember that battery replacement trick, certainly a whole lot easier than swapping out a bunch of parts. And easy to test with a meter if you don't have a battery on hand.

And, if you reset your CMOS or change the battery, make sure you hit Save and Exit in the BIOS, not Exit when reseting the date/time... Or you may have problems going to some websites like Google, and then waste a couple of hours trying to find the browser hijack you 'think' you have. Don't ask me how I know about that. :-D

 

ok boys an girls, pull in ur toes but this should go in the desktop help form???
just wondering...

 

I recently had to re-install the drivers for my Lexmark printer after repairing Windows 7. I have done this in the past with no problems. I followed the on-screen instructions word for word. When I connected the USB cable, the mouse pointer froze. I unplugged the mouse and plugged it back in - no luck. Tried the other USB ports (back and front of tower case), nothing. I tried the USB modem and memory sticks - no USB device is working.

Then I restarted - nothing, restarted and selected Windows XP - nothing, restarted and set the BIOS to defaults - nothing, loaded a bootable Ubuntu CD, restarted - nothing, ejected the CD, restarted, managed to open Device Manager using the arrow keys, and it shows no problems.

As this is my only PC and I don't access forums with my smartphone, I phoned an "expert" at a PC retailer that was recommended by a friend. First I was told it's a virus, then Ubuntu doesn't need Windows (that's why I loaded the CD! :confused), and finally I need a new motherboard... and CPU because the socket has changed. I said thank you and goodbye.

I opened the tower case, removed and checked the CMOS battery - 3.14V. While at it, I carefully vacumed the inside of the tower case. I put the battery back, closed the case, and reconnected the cables.

I pressed the power button, the PC started, and everything was back to normal! :celebrate :drink

This experience has helped me help MajorGeeks members (and who knows how many visitors). And it taught me setting the BIOS to default settings and removing/replacing the battery are not the same. :major

 

ok,ok i'll let 'em slide this time !.....lol

 

Thanks, was getting ready to try to dodge the ban hammer! :-D:-D

 

I will see your kitten, and raise you a cat, and a joke.

:-D

 

Hey David, this was from a few years ago. A friend who owns a panel shop calls me up and says the office pc is making a really bad smell. I ask what sort of smell? He says that it is hard to say but it makes the office girl feel sick. The computer is still working though so what did I think?
My first thought proved to be correct.
The first thing I said was "There can't be too much wrong and I am sure when I take off the side it will be something obvious!"

This is what I found



You know I was right -D roflmao

 

Yeah at the panel shop that dust is in everything. It comes from when they dry sand filler and when they rub back the panels prior to undercoating. In later years they had to put in an extraction fan with a big filter as the new neighbours complained the dust was getting into their food products.
Was a very smelly job pulling Mickey's hind quarters out of the fan blades coz he went to pieces
BTW I had to change the image file name as it had the panel shop name on the original file LOL

Yeah I don't like roaches either and they are hard to kill and if you squash them there is all the yellow goo ........ ewww gross

In 2003 or 2004, I found a tower pc full of red back spiders that were very big and very angry about me disturbing them. Red backs are the same as black widows but have a red stripe on their abdomen and they are very poisonous. I also have a pic somewhere of a mouse crushed to death in the tractor feed rollers of an old Epson dot matrix printer.....when I took off the cover only his tail and one back leg were visible ewww rolleyes

Getting off the subject (but that is what I do LOL) then there was the embarrassment of me taking my almost brand new Panasonic mid drive VHS recorder back to Panasonic under warranty to be told when I went to pick it up that it wasn't going to be covered because they removed three hot wheels cars, a sticky lolly and half a piece of toast covered with peanut butter. I didn't pull off the cover prior because there is an anti tamper warranty seal that if broken voids warranty so that trip cost me $150 One of the joys of parenthood that we have a good laugh about now but I remember being pretty angry at the time :-D