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A wierd Tech qestion

This is where you can discuss your homework, family, just about anything, make strange sounds and otherwise discuss things which are really not related to the Lancer-series. Yes that means you can discuss other games.

Post Fri Sep 24, 2004 7:35 pm

A wierd Tech qestion

Be for you start, yes it is a dell, and no its not mine.

A friend has a dell, win 2000 on it 1ghz speed 128 ram. When she goes to turn it on, it goes through the startup part, loading windows, ect. It gets to the 2000 screen and goes black and begins again. It will do this for about 20 min until it finally starts. Sometimes,it will shut down in the middle of using the internet. Note, the computer is on less than an hour when it shuts down. I have run Check disk, nothing found, Scanned the disk itself, no bad sectors found. Defragged, as it has never been defraded. It has been doing this for about 4 days. Any ideas?

Post Fri Sep 24, 2004 7:45 pm

I believe it might be hardware-related. I had the same problem. Check the temperature of the computer in the BIOS(access by hitting DEL or F1 or whatever option it shows). If it goes WAY over 60 degrees, that means your CPU heatsink and fan is screwed. You might have to replace it. It could be a virus, but I seriously doubt it. I think it's your hearsink/fan.

Post Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:00 pm

Tell your "friend" to try Mee's suggestion first and then get back to us .

Post Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:36 pm

I got to look at her computer today. Ran disk check again and Spy Sweeper, cleaned a lot off. Then, off again. It gets to the point of running its own scan at start up and out again. I can not even get it to stay up enough to do anything with it any more. It's 3 years old. I am going to get my older one together and give it to her. It, at least, is running. Bummer, ya know?

Edited by - Finalday on 9/25/2004 9:36:26 PM

Post Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:59 pm

Once computers get to that stage they are good for three things:

1) paperweight
2) Chuck them out the window and whatch them explode
3) overclock it to 8 GHz. Watch the fireworks!

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 3:41 am

change the power box.

edit: has she moved the comp to another place? possibly a place with different power settings? dropped heavy things on the thing ?

Edited by - kimk on 9/26/2004 4:42:09 AM

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 3:59 am

Mee is right about the temp thing - i had that some time back! Took the comp apart guessing what maybe causing it - and the heatsink was rammed with fluff! Out came the vac (i did take the heatsink and fan out!), and they got a damned fine cleaning. No probs after that!

So its def worth a check! Remove the side panel and you will see the CPU's heatsink with large fan stuck on top. Has it got fluff and dust in those grills?

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 11:44 am

replace heatsink/fan
check memory
set bios to defaults or fail-safe settings
boot into safe-made, and check nothing untoward in startup

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 11:51 am

May take a look at the fan, ect. But, can not start in safe mode, will not even get that far before restarting.

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 11:55 am

It's your heatsink/fan. It's either clogged with dirt, or it just plain failed. New heatsinks/fans usually cost about 10-30 USD. If you want a really good one, it'll cost you 40-50 USD.

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:47 pm

yeh it's your cpu or memory, possibly m'board, if you're certain there's no damage to the hd. All this restarting is probably screwing up Vindoze as well, so check that hardware out before you start trying to boot up again. keep trying to get to safe mode, it'll be easier to repair the s'ware damage from there.

how old is this D-hell? a few years? you know they're expected to fail after an average cycle of usage, meaning that you go out and buy another one? planned obsolescence. They (meaning branded corporate junk) all fall to bits after 3-4 years, I've observed

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:48 pm

just wondering, could it be an viruse?

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:51 pm

Had ran norton a couple days ago, before it wouldn't let anyone one it, nothing found.

Aod

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:58 pm

This is a problem with windoze 2000 (if not a heatsink issue)
because the computers at school (all 1200 of them) do this quite frequently

and it might be the De11 falling to bits

Post Sun Sep 26, 2004 2:45 pm

Could be, its at the ripe old age of 3 years.



TLR WARS : A New Dark Lord pt2

Edited by - Finalday on 9/26/2004 3:44:52 PM

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