Geek Errors and Brain Blisters

[Third EYe]

For about a month now I have been having severe computer problems. Started with a virus that I knew was there, but couldn't get any anti virus software to detect. I decided to do some surgery inside my registery files.

OOOOOOOPS!


Yeah, big crash. I repaired that, and just as I did, AgentSun posted something about her USB mouse going nuts. That night I decided to start backing up my files in DVD. it took me a week and 9 DVDs.

The following is not for the squeemish. (ok, it has nothing to do with that, but I'm trying to be dramatic) A few seconds after I finished my last backup DVD the hard drive went "click click" and my screen went black. My drive died.

No biggie, I go to Microcenter and get a brandy new 160gig Samsung for 89 bucks, check the website, they may have some more. I go to install it, and something weird happens, like it keeps pausing in the begining of formatting the drive. I work at this for a couple of days, then give up. I order another piece of memory. Takes 3 days. In the meantime I take my memory stick and try it in my wife's computer, it's dead. New memory arrives and I install it. Same thing.

At this point there is only one option. Take every single component and cable and disconnect them from the motherboard. I do that, cause it was the only option.

I look at every little area of the mother board. It didn't take long, I found the problem, I somehow blew one of the memory banks. Tiny little blast marks. So I go back to Microcenter and get a motherboard.

Last night I'm installing this new motherboard and get everything all set and put power to it and BOOOM it works!!!

I'm excited. Then BANG! my power supply is fried.

What are the frelling odds?

Anyway, I got another one of those, power supplies and I'm back and running on my main system which is barely recognizable.

I had been using my wife's computer, and I have a few other slower ones in the house that work. So i was never without a computer.

There's much more to the story, like my anger, and frustration and just trying to figure out why so many things were dying all at once.

For those of you who don't know, not every piece of memory you purchase is compatible with your motherboard, the same goes for your processor. I kept wondering if the companies I purchased my components from had done me wrong. So far it looks like they did ok, and it was all just a goof.

Crap

[AgentSun]

eeeek! poor you, third eye! i'd be in the corner crying if things like that ever happened to my computer.

[scaperbuddy]

I keep having a problem with a non responding program not shutting down when I turn off the computer it happens every several days then i have to run check disk and correct errors to fix it. that is frustrating and not a big problem like yours but I know how you feel when you want to know what the heck is wrong with the darn pc.

I've heard that about things not being compatible.

[BlackThorn]

Third Eye, is it a comp you built yourself or one you purchased pre-made? Just asking because the pre-made ones tend to do that, I've noticed. They have a shelf life, and then everything starts dying in short span of time. (probably how the makers keep making money.)

[grinner]

I have had a computer that I built 10 years ago, running Win98, that has never had a serious crash. My Mac has never crashed... but my WinXP crashes about once a month. All three were homemade, but I have never had a hardware failure... other than a fire inside the computer when a fan burnt out.

[AgentSun]

my winxp has been fairly reliable...the only time it crashes is when the fan overheats and the computer shuts down to save energy. that hasn't happened since i got a cooling pad.

[Third EYe]

The only computers I have that "store bought" were given to me, and I hardly ever use them. I build all my computers myself, mostly because of warranty and price.

[BlackThorn]

The only computers I have that "store bought" were given to me, and I hardly ever use them. I build all my computers myself, mostly because of warranty and price.

:aok: Best way to do it! Way cheaper, and you actually know how to deal with problems as they arise instead of having to rely on a service technician.

Guess you just had a bad string of luck then. :hug:

The only problem I've ever had with the desktop I built was the first vid card fried (one of the easiest things to replace) and the first monitor died, but then, the monitor was something left over from an old HP system that had systematically died before I built this thing. Haven't had any problems with WinXP on it. Of course, it's an AMD system, and in my experience, AMDs run XP a lot more stable than Pentiums. Cheaper too, but needs a big assed processor fan for the extra heat.

Now for a bigger hard drive, as the puny 40 gig I started this thing on just isn't big enough for all the vid work I want to do.

[Third EYe]

i learned how to build my first computer cause I was poor. My brother gave me a 486 DXII and it was so slow i was yearning for my Vic20. he told me that i should just research the internet for prices and he'd help me with my selection. He is a senior tech, but then he was just starting out.

I got on Pricewatch and started looking. Purchased all the components and i was amazed at how simple it was to put together.

It's fun. i started a business after that, building custom PCs for people. I built 27 computers in one year and not one of them was the same as the next. I loved it. I don't do it anymore cause I moved and never started up again.

The really fun part now is building dream machines on paper. Picking out parts regardless of the price. It's easy to build a computer for just over 22 grand.

[Lord Loser]

The really fun part now is building dream machines on paper. Picking out parts regardless of the price. It's easy to build a computer for just over 22 grand.That cheap?

[BlackThorn]

I know! It's scary how easy it all is to build one! I pretty much did the same thing when building mine. Checked out what I needed, compared for the best prices, saw how simple it was to put it all together, and boom, had myself a shiny new computer. And for less than half the price it would have cost to buy a similar one from one of the "stores."

I agree on plotting dream machines. :drool: What I could do with a few spare grand, and that's not even going into the best of the best. :love:

[Third EYe]

That cheap?


I'm frugal

[Zantar]

I think he means "dream" computer. As in the best possible parts.