8.22.13 Thursday. Pissed off
Turned computer on, booted, logged in, few minutes in, hardly started - nothing running really - when it restarted by itself. It booted ok. I didn't log in but clicked "restart" instead so it can fix itself. It, again, booted ok; logged in, saw prompt re:"recovered from serious error" report - typical report when it restarts itself.
Then a few, maybe two, minutes later, it froze. Manual restart -- error, can't boot, system32 config missing, repair with os disk, etc. Manual restart again -- nada, no post: fan on, cpu light on; but no beeps, no display. Repeated off/on attempts produced same results: fan runs, no beeps, no display. No joy. (The man told me later that I shouldn't have kept turning it off/on. I'll keep that in mind next time.)
Reminds me of last year but without cmos error: October 2012 cmos battery change and hardware cleaning when we discovered the mobo's bubbled capacitors. Recommendation back then was to let it ride till it dies. If that's what's happening now then it had 10 months left in it. But I could be wrong and it's something else. All I'm sure of right now is it's a hardware issue.
I want to be able to fix this myself, I hate that I can't. I hate that there's nothing I can do about it now. I can't know anything until someone opens the case and works on it -- it's out of my hands, I keep telling myself that. I musn't get worked up.
Being it so late in the evening, asking for help will have to wait till tomorrow. I think now, actually it's been on my mind ever since -- we should've replaced parts that were going bad when we saw them, when I had the chance, when the man was here... He was already here for goodness' sake! But he knows what's what and he said to wait. Jeees...
8.23.13 Friday. Consult
He came to look at the computer. We turned it on and it posted ok -- but I wasn't relieved; I knew it was temporary. I told him about last night. He opened the case and we saw that ALL the motherboard's capacitors have bubbled tops. He said something was wet. We turned it on again -- no post: no beeps, no display; I felt vindicated. He took to the case again, pulled something out and cleaned it with an eraser. He put it back together and we turned it on -- it posted ok but no display -- the monitor cable was loose. We laughed.
A quick shutdown, power on, log-in and he said it's good for now. We discussed my options: replace just the mobo or uprade (mobo, memory, processor). Hard disk is ok so we're keeping it. We talked about it and decided to upgrade; it has been five years since the machine was put together anyway. Downside was shopping because I couldn't just go (would if i could) so we're leaving it to him. He'll take care of shopping and I'll pay him back when it's all done. He has things to do this weekend but he'll come back Monday with the goods and we'll get it set up and running then. No cash out until all's ok and done? Can't complain. He still suggested to let it run till it dies but I put my foot down -- I will not bear it longer than necessary (dreading a no-post or freeze in the middle of work) when we can already fix it now, well, in the next few days.
8.25.13 Sunday. Parts
The man said he has the computer parts we'll need to upgrade. Tomorrow's appointment is confirmed but he said he'll be early - before noon. I said ok. Friends are coming here for dinner and drinks tonight.
8.26.13 Monday. Done
When our little party broke up, it was nearly dawn. Still, I was up early for our 10 a.m. appointment. Then the man didn't arrive until noon. *Toink* If he mentioned he'd be late, I could've slept more and then, would have been better company because two hours in, I wasn't my cheerful self which I was sorry for. I could barely think, complained about being sleepy and couldn't do simple arithmetic - he probably thought I was an idiot during the last one. But he bore it, good man. After three hours, we're set! The new parts are very nice and within budget so, it's excellent overall. The machine is working well so far. I'll make it work hard in the next few days, to make sure it's handling it ok. I have one less thing to worry about now which is great. Thank you!
Turned computer on, booted, logged in, few minutes in, hardly started - nothing running really - when it restarted by itself. It booted ok. I didn't log in but clicked "restart" instead so it can fix itself. It, again, booted ok; logged in, saw prompt re:"recovered from serious error" report - typical report when it restarts itself.
Then a few, maybe two, minutes later, it froze. Manual restart -- error, can't boot, system32 config missing, repair with os disk, etc. Manual restart again -- nada, no post: fan on, cpu light on; but no beeps, no display. Repeated off/on attempts produced same results: fan runs, no beeps, no display. No joy. (The man told me later that I shouldn't have kept turning it off/on. I'll keep that in mind next time.)
Reminds me of last year but without cmos error: October 2012 cmos battery change and hardware cleaning when we discovered the mobo's bubbled capacitors. Recommendation back then was to let it ride till it dies. If that's what's happening now then it had 10 months left in it. But I could be wrong and it's something else. All I'm sure of right now is it's a hardware issue.
I want to be able to fix this myself, I hate that I can't. I hate that there's nothing I can do about it now. I can't know anything until someone opens the case and works on it -- it's out of my hands, I keep telling myself that. I musn't get worked up.
Being it so late in the evening, asking for help will have to wait till tomorrow. I think now, actually it's been on my mind ever since -- we should've replaced parts that were going bad when we saw them, when I had the chance, when the man was here... He was already here for goodness' sake! But he knows what's what and he said to wait. Jeees...
8.23.13 Friday. Consult
He came to look at the computer. We turned it on and it posted ok -- but I wasn't relieved; I knew it was temporary. I told him about last night. He opened the case and we saw that ALL the motherboard's capacitors have bubbled tops. He said something was wet. We turned it on again -- no post: no beeps, no display; I felt vindicated. He took to the case again, pulled something out and cleaned it with an eraser. He put it back together and we turned it on -- it posted ok but no display -- the monitor cable was loose. We laughed.
A quick shutdown, power on, log-in and he said it's good for now. We discussed my options: replace just the mobo or uprade (mobo, memory, processor). Hard disk is ok so we're keeping it. We talked about it and decided to upgrade; it has been five years since the machine was put together anyway. Downside was shopping because I couldn't just go (would if i could) so we're leaving it to him. He'll take care of shopping and I'll pay him back when it's all done. He has things to do this weekend but he'll come back Monday with the goods and we'll get it set up and running then. No cash out until all's ok and done? Can't complain. He still suggested to let it run till it dies but I put my foot down -- I will not bear it longer than necessary (dreading a no-post or freeze in the middle of work) when we can already fix it now, well, in the next few days.
8.25.13 Sunday. Parts
The man said he has the computer parts we'll need to upgrade. Tomorrow's appointment is confirmed but he said he'll be early - before noon. I said ok. Friends are coming here for dinner and drinks tonight.
8.26.13 Monday. Done
When our little party broke up, it was nearly dawn. Still, I was up early for our 10 a.m. appointment. Then the man didn't arrive until noon. *Toink* If he mentioned he'd be late, I could've slept more and then, would have been better company because two hours in, I wasn't my cheerful self which I was sorry for. I could barely think, complained about being sleepy and couldn't do simple arithmetic - he probably thought I was an idiot during the last one. But he bore it, good man. After three hours, we're set! The new parts are very nice and within budget so, it's excellent overall. The machine is working well so far. I'll make it work hard in the next few days, to make sure it's handling it ok. I have one less thing to worry about now which is great. Thank you!
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