bigmacbear (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bigmacbear) wrote2006-10-21 05:04 pm
bigmacbear) wrote2006-10-21 05:04 pm
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Ailing computer -- any suggestions?
Being a Unix sysadmin unfortunately hasn't given me "mad skillz" in troubleshooting Wintel PC issues, especially those which I suspect have a hardware component. But I have my suspicions, and perhaps someone who's done more of this than I have might want to chime in.
About a month and a half ago, my main PC began freezing solid, to the point that I had to hit the "programmer's switch" (hardware reset) to recover it. This would happen typically once every time I turned the computer on, maybe 10 or 15 minutes into the session, and once I reset the computer it would be good for several hours.
More recently, the "programmer's switch" hasn't worked either and I've had to lean on the power switch for several seconds to get the power supply to shut off. On the next power cycle the computer would usually Just Work.
But yet more recently the system has failed to boot on the first try and I've had to repeatedly apply both the programmer's switch and the power switch to get the computer restarted. Today it took at least six tries to recover from the initial freeze.
Oh, and the manufacturer is a local mom-and-pop shop in Rochester. So if I'm to fix this thing it looks like I'll have to do so myself. I'd just as soon not have to pay to have this system recycled so soon after buying it (it's about a year and a half old), and if nothing else I'd like to have a working system for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gmjambear to use in his upcoming skills-building exercises.
My first suspicion is the power supply, because that was the cause the last time I had a computer fail to boot. Anyone who does this day in and day out have another opinion, like is the problem more likely to be in the motherboard or the case itself?
Luckily, I live about a half mile from the only Fry's outlet in Western Washington so if no one else has a clue I could always ask someone there. But due to other commitments I probably won't make it to Fry's until next weekend, and my system's going downhill fast.
Any advice will be appreciated.
About a month and a half ago, my main PC began freezing solid, to the point that I had to hit the "programmer's switch" (hardware reset) to recover it. This would happen typically once every time I turned the computer on, maybe 10 or 15 minutes into the session, and once I reset the computer it would be good for several hours.
More recently, the "programmer's switch" hasn't worked either and I've had to lean on the power switch for several seconds to get the power supply to shut off. On the next power cycle the computer would usually Just Work.
But yet more recently the system has failed to boot on the first try and I've had to repeatedly apply both the programmer's switch and the power switch to get the computer restarted. Today it took at least six tries to recover from the initial freeze.
Oh, and the manufacturer is a local mom-and-pop shop in Rochester. So if I'm to fix this thing it looks like I'll have to do so myself. I'd just as soon not have to pay to have this system recycled so soon after buying it (it's about a year and a half old), and if nothing else I'd like to have a working system for
gmjambear to use in his upcoming skills-building exercises.My first suspicion is the power supply, because that was the cause the last time I had a computer fail to boot. Anyone who does this day in and day out have another opinion, like is the problem more likely to be in the motherboard or the case itself?
Luckily, I live about a half mile from the only Fry's outlet in Western Washington so if no one else has a clue I could always ask someone there. But due to other commitments I probably won't make it to Fry's until next weekend, and my system's going downhill fast.
Any advice will be appreciated.
no subject
Our standard procedure at work for client workstations reboots:
1. Remove the cover from the case. Check that all the fans are running, especially the cpu fan. If the CPU fan is doing anything other than running perfectly, shut off the computer until you replace it.
2. If nothing appears wrong, leave the cover off to see if it improves the interval between reboots. If so, you probably have an intermittant fan problem, or a heat sink that's coming loose from the CPU. Or dust/pet hair. If the inside is dusty, you may need to blow off with canned air.
3. If not heat, then check memory. Right click on My Computer and choose 'Properties'. Check again in 3 or 4 hours and again close to the time it normally resets. If you've have less, your memory is possibly going.
4. If you have more than one memory stick, then when it's just frozen, remove the upper half (the slots should be numbered) and check if the problem persists. Your computer will be extremely slow. After a while, shut down and trade the memory in the lower numbered slots. If no change, replace the memory.
5. At this point, it's probably a mother board or some loose wiring.