My PC Problems

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 12:43 pm

I am using an inherited computor, over the past couple of weeks it would just do funny things.

It started by normal text becoming gobbledegook, symbols and such like, and the PC needing to be switched off and on to reboot.

Or all of a sudden the cursor would disappear, you could work out where it should be, by the change as the invisible thing passed over an object.

At other times the screen just went blank although the PC was still up and running.

The clever people over at Mint Forums told me the PC was 9 years old and was probably knackered, so try and install smaller type Operating system......so I have had a spell with Linux Lite, Puppy, Magiae, Antix, and PCLinuxOS LXDE.......whose website was up and down during the spell I was using it.......not a good sign.

I settled on perservering with PCLinux, but today it wouldn't work from boot, just hanging ..............like me first thing in the morning.............looks alright, but not a lot happening.

So as a desperate last measure, I took the thing apart, vacuumed, brushed and poked the cooling fans clean of all the fluff and stuff, put it back together and put Mint back on it.......at least I can get Thunderbird working for my emails.

And so far, fingers crossed.............no problem.

I wish I was more clever

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 1:53 pm

Bruv;1433153 wrote: I am using an inherited computor, over the past couple of weeks it would just do funny things.

It started by normal text becoming gobbledegook, symbols and such like, and the PC needing to be switched off and on to reboot.

Or all of a sudden the cursor would disappear, you could work out where it should be, by the change as the invisible thing passed over an object.

At other times the screen just went blank although the PC was still up and running.

The clever people over at Mint Forums told me the PC was 9 years old and was probably knackered, so try and install smaller type Operating system......so I have had a spell with Linux Lite, Puppy, Magiae, Antix, and PCLinuxOS LXDE.......whose website was up and down during the spell I was using it.......not a good sign.

I settled on perservering with PCLinux, but today it wouldn't work from boot, just hanging ..............like me first thing in the morning.............looks alright, but not a lot happening.

So as a desperate last measure, I took the thing apart, vacuumed, brushed and poked the cooling fans clean of all the fluff and stuff, put it back together and put Mint back on it.......at least I can get Thunderbird working for my emails.

And so far, fingers crossed.............no problem.

I wish I was more clever

If it's nine years old and you haven't upgraded it in that time you almost certainly need to replace the memory - whatever hte operating system.

What's the make and model and I'll advise.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 2:18 pm

See, even you are getting technical.

The front says Sony Vaio ?

Mint System information tells me the Processor is..... 2x Intel(R) Pentium (R) 4 CPU 3.00 GHz

With Memory of 508MB with 274MB used

And I have Linux Mint 14 Nadia on the go at the mo.

I had tried to Nuke it with Dariks DBan but it wouldn't have it. I am not too technical, have a lot of patience, but no depth of understanding about the inner workings.

The PC was laying about so I am trying stuff on it.......I thought I was getting a new one some time ago, but..........there is a new one on the horizon, if the wife agrees.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 2:24 pm

Bruv;1433167 wrote: See, even you are getting technical.

The front says Sony Vaio ?

Mint System information tells me the Processor is..... 2x Intel(R) Pentium (R) 4 CPU 3.00 GHz

With Memory of 508MB with 274MB used

And I have Linux Mint 14 Nadia on the go at the mo.

I had tried to Nuke it with Dariks DBan but it wouldn't have it. I am not too technical, have a lot of patience, but no depth of understanding about the inner workings.

The PC was laying about so I am trying stuff on it.......I thought I was getting a new one some time ago, but..........there is a new one on the horizon, if the wife agrees.

Could you look on the back for a model number? It would certainly help.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 2:29 pm

You just wanted me to kneel and puff and stuff........

It's a Sony PCV-2246 according to the label.

It's OK I am alright now......

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 2:48 pm

Bruv;1433172 wrote: You just wanted me to kneel and puff and stuff........

It's a Sony PCV-2246 according to the label.

It's OK I am alright now......

It looks like it takes PC2700 DIMM memory and will happily take 2GB as 2x1GB cards.

The 1/2 GB you have installed is totally inadiquate and will continue to cause problems - upgrade to 2GB and it should last a good few years yet.

Cost will be between £15 and £20.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 3:11 pm

Bloody marvelous..........thank you Bryn you are a gentleman and a geek............and I say that in a nice way.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 6:38 am

I've got basically the same model Vaio. Had it for years.

Quite functional. I added a Graphics card and, as Bryn suggested to you, updated the memory to 2GB and it was adequate for playing games and some picture editing.

Now, it entertains the great grandkids.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:27 am

Today it has twice booted up, then died on me.

Switching off and on at the plug has got me back here.

I shall be on Ebay tonight armed with that information..........no holding me now.

johnmont · Post by **johnmont** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:38 am

Bruv;1433230 wrote: Today it has twice booted up, then died on me.

Switching off and on at the plug has got me back here.

I shall be on Ebay tonight armed with that information..........no holding me now.don't be such a tightwad. Go buy a new one ,you can get a new CPU for less than $300.Your computer seems to be:-5 more trouble than its worth.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:55 am

johnmont;1433233 wrote: don't be such a tightwad. Go buy a new one ,you can get a new CPU for less than $300.Your computer seems to be:-5 more trouble than its worth.

Wanna send me some cash ?

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:09 am

johnmont;1433233 wrote: don't be such a tightwad. Go buy a new one ,you can get a new CPU for less than $300.Your computer seems to be:-5 more trouble than its worth.

Putting a new CPU into a machine like that would be a waste of time. Replacing the motherboard would be an option but, this side of the pond, you're talking well more than $300.

Money no object option is to buy a new system but remember, we pay pound for dollar over here on computer equipment.

johnmont · Post by **johnmont** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 1:37 pm

Bruv;1433240 wrote: Wanna send me some cash ?Sorry, I wasn't aware that you were from England. What do you think of American health care?What kind of cell phone deals do you have over there.

:-3

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:04 pm

johnmont;1433269 wrote: Sorry, I wasn't aware that you were from England. What do you think of American health care?What kind of cell phone deals do you have over there.

:-3

WHAT ?????

Does American health care exist ?

As a seperate entity I mean, as in 'Health Care', rather than Money making venture........

Cell phones?????

This was about my poor PC........

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:05 pm

It exists Bruv. Just don't come cheap.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:06 pm

AnneBoleyn;1433294 wrote: It exists Bruv. Just don't come cheap.

I was hinting at that Annie.......can I call you Annie?

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:06 pm

Bruv;1433295 wrote: I was hinting at that Annie.......can I call you Annie?

If you must!

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:10 pm

AnneBoleyn;1433296 wrote: If you must!

Better than Oy You ?

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:14 pm

Bruv;1433298 wrote: Better than Oy You ?

Absolutely better.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:18 pm

I have just purchased my new memory, should be here in a couple of days.

Me and johnmount are going halves on the price......he's such a nice guy.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:23 pm

Bruv;1433301 wrote:

Me and johnmount are going halves on the price......he's such a nice guy.

He's a prince. His real name is johnmountbatten.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Aug 10, 2013 12:20 pm

Bryn .....hey Bryn.....help please.

I got my Memory delivered today, stuck it in, booted up and...................nothing, I mean nothing, even the mouse didn't light up.

Took it out and I am on here now without the memory fitted.

Now.......I don't know too much, but I was careful to get the right one......I think.

This is the one I got.....eBay's very own

I would have gone to Novatech, but when I ordered it the online chat wasn't available and I was excited and wanted to get it as soon as possible.

Please tell me I probably fitted it wrong, and to try again.......please.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Sat Aug 10, 2013 12:39 pm

Bruv;1433460 wrote: Bryn .....hey Bryn.....help please.

I got my Memory delivered today, stuck it in, booted up and...................nothing, I mean nothing, even the mouse didn't light up.

Took it out and I am on here now without the memory fitted.

Now.......I don't know too much, but I was careful to get the right one......I think.

This is the one I got.....eBay's very own

I would have gone to Novatech, but when I ordered it the online chat wasn't available and I was excited and wanted to get it as soon as possible.

Please tell me I probably fitted it wrong, and to try again.......please.

The spec given is :-

RAM

Installed Size 512.0 MB / 2.0 GB (max)

Technology DDR SDRAM

Memory Speed 333.0 MHz

Memory Specification Compliance PC2700

Form Factor DIMM 184-pin

Which matches what you have bought but the big warning on the Dr. Memory page about the high density compatability problems worries me.

Personally, I've never run into the issue and I've installed lots of PC2700 memory over the years but it does say not compatible with HP.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Aug 10, 2013 1:27 pm

I have studied the warning .....now, must admit didn't notice it before.

I shall have to contact them and see what they can do.

Thanks so much for your help.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Nov 13, 2013 3:17 pm

My PC has been erratic for some time, even after fitting that extra memory.

It would work fine for a week, then it would loose it, hang or the fonts would go all hyroglyphical sort of. After restarting it would work fine.

Recently it has gotten worse.........but I am well chuffed..... I think I have solved it.

During my problem solving excursions into the workings of the PC, when I was adding the memory, I tampered with the CPU and the fan bit, heat exchange, I found out later, just to see how it went together mind......I put it straight back as it was.

Anyway it has worried me ever since, seeing as how I disturbed the..... *cough*....."Thermal compound"

I obtained some off Ebay and today pulled the PC apart and re-applied the gear, after cleaning the affected parts.

Since then I have started and restarted..........just to test if the problem is solved.........and I think it is.

Keeping my fingers crossed.......wish me well.

Týr · Post by **Týr** » Wed Nov 13, 2013 3:36 pm

There are two things can hang a computer the way you describe, one is excess heat on the processor and the other is a faded power supply unit - that metal cage you plug the mains lead into. If you've skimmed some new compound beneath the cooler block then that could well have bought you a renewed machine. We shall hold our breath and hope.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Nov 13, 2013 4:03 pm

And what is more.........I worked it out myself, well chuffed I am and thank you.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:39 pm

I am on the reserve PC now..................the one that I fixed has now gone to the place PC's go to when they have had enough.

It started playing up yesterday again, first it just closed down erratically, was OK for a while then did it again.

So I thought, it must need the goop changing like I did last time (although my reasoning mind told me not)

Took it apart pulled the bit out, cleaned it, glooped it and replaced it.....................wrongly I now believe.

Now it wont even start up.

Think I put it together wrong and blew a gasket or something.....................oh well.

Týr · Post by **Týr** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 2:06 pm

They're buggers, desktops. They have fans that clog up and heat pouring off them like a nun on a whiskey tasting weekend.

Is all your data safe, before you think any further?

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 2:12 pm

My Data safe?

What data.......................yes......most of it.

I don't 'do' much on the PC that matters to be honest.

I have set up email and such like on the Windows PC already from memory