Dad the computer is making a funny noise...

[TN_Mike]

Have you ever heard that or something similar?

Well I did Saturday afternoon. I had just gotten back from running a errand and my son said those words to me as I walked in from the garage. Less that 10 minutes later, my computer was DEAD. HDD still spins up, but no video out to the monitor, and as far as I can tell, nothing else.

So, went and got myself a new e-machine today at BestBuy for $230. Just the tower, I have everything else.

This is just a quick post to let everyone know that I am still around, but I will be a little busy for the next couple of days trying to set this new machine up and trying to recover as much data as possible from the old computer's hard drive. Email address book, bookmarks for Firefox and such. And any pictures I had not yet burned to my external hard drive.

A speeding ticket on my Birthday, first in 20 plus years, then the computer dies...what next. I have surgery on my right knee Thursday, I wonder what might go wrong with that?

November is not shaping up well!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[BeefyBeefo]

Nothing like this ever happens at a good time. Can you just hook up the HD from the old computer to the new one? That's a good deal, I've heard some good things about e-machines. Especially for the price. I've had 3 knee surgeries, so I know all about that. Good luck with it!

-Jeff-

[Chooie]

You need a nice shiny XD to take the edge off... lol! It's ok man; you know how it is - feast or famine.

[retsupt99]

Don't waste your money on lottery tickets this month...

Hopefully, December will be a better month for you!

[Sergeant Mac]

This is going to sound weird, but trust me:

Remove the hard drive from the old computer, put it in a ziplock bag, and stick it in the freezer overnight.

Then take it out, reinstall it, and fire up the computer while it's still ice cold. Sometimes, if you do that, it'll work long enough for you to copy your data over. It's worked for me before.

Edit: oops! just saw that the problem WASN'T necessarily the hard drive.

[Miggy]

Get yourself an external enclosure. It costs under $30 at any decent computer store. It will allow you to use your old hard drive in the new computer as an external drive. That way you'll be able to recover your data without too much trouble. When you are done (and make sure first you recovered everything) reformat the old hard drive and Presto! you have an external hard drive to save stuff.

[TN_Mike]

Thanks for the tip Sarge. But yeah, I don't think the problem is the hard drive.

I got the whole story right before the kids went to bed. Seems 2 of them were rough housing and knocked the tower of the old computer with the chair. I think they may have broken the VGA connector on the computer or just messed up something else on the mother board. The video "card" is not a plug in card on the old Gateway. It was intigrated into the mother board.

So, if that was it, this thing was on its last legs anyway. It was going to happen sooner or later. Better later but, we can't always pick with things will go belly up. Just like with cars, dishwashers, TV's, and any item that costs money to replace, they often break right when you don't have the $$ to replace them.

Get yourself an external enclosure. It costs under $30 at any decent computer store. It will allow you to use your old hard drive in the new computer as an external drive. That way you'll be able to recover your data without too much trouble. When you are done (and make sure first you recovered everything) reformat the old hard drive and Presto! you have an external hard drive to save stuff.

I looked at those at BestBuy when we bought the computer but the cheapest one they had was $60. So I will look around for a less expensive one. Any suggestions on what stores check for them? Circuit City? They are going belly up themselves, maybe I could get a good deal on one. Come to think of it, I should have checked there for the computer.....

[AEA]

My gateway Desktop Nvida Video Chip on Motherboard died as well.
By the time I got it opened up to have a look, i touched it lightly and it was still smoking hot after being powered down for 10 minutes! Imagine how hot it was while working?

Anyway, luckly I had my laptop and everything already backed up on it.
No more desktops for me.....Laptop only (lower power consumption) and external HDD for backup using Acronis True Image.

[Chooie]

Mike,

I assume the old computer is already unplugged. It sounds like something isn't seated properly... If you're comfortable doing it, try reseating the memory, riser/expansion cards, and all the cables from the power supply to the motherboard. Also check your CPU heatsink and make sure it is snapped/screwed in completely - it is possible, however unlikely, that if it came loose from the roughhousing it may have chipped or peeled part of the core off.

Just a few thoughts... if all else fails, do what others have suggested and get an external drive housing, and use the case for shotgun/riflee target practice.

As far as the enclosure goes...

Use this link for an older, IDE hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=&srchInDesc=

Alternately, if it is a newer, SATA hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=&srchInDesc=

Thanks for the tip Sarge. But yeah, I don't think the problem is the hard drive.

I got the whole story right before the kids went to bed. Seems 2 of them were rough housing and knocked the tower of the old computer with the chair. I think they may have broken the VGA connector on the computer or just messed up something else on the mother board. The video "card" is not a plug in card on the old Gateway. It was intigrated into the mother board.

So, if that was it, this thing was on its last legs anyway. It was going to happen sooner or later. Better later but, we can't always pick with things will go belly up. Just like with cars, dishwashers, TV's, and any item that costs money to replace, they often break right when you don't have the $$ to replace them.



I looked at those at BestBuy when we bought the computer but the cheapest one they had was $60. So I will look around for a less expensive one. Any suggestions on what stores check for them? Circuit City? They are going belly up themselves, maybe I could get a good deal on one. Come to think of it, I should have checked there for the computer.....

[boscobeans]

Newegg

+1

I've used them for a lot of parts and they are fast and have good prices.

bosco

[JD]

If the original drive is still good, you should just be able to slave it as long as the new box has the cabling in place, just change the jumper setting and install it in the new machine.

[Paco]

If you have a Fry's Electronics nearby you can get anything you need to bring it back. But I warn you, DO NOT go alone. At Fry's you will need an accountability partner or you'll come out broke!

[JD]

If you have a Fry's Electronics nearby you can get anything you need to bring it back. But I warn you, DO NOT go alone. At Fry's you will need an accountability partner or you'll come out broke!

I really, really miss Fry's, unfortunately I don't think there's one east of the Mississippi.

[ccw9mm]

I really, really miss Fry's, unfortunately I don't think there's one east of the Mississippi.

Frys.com works pretty well. While not all of the best deals are on there, it's decent.

[Yoda]

Fry's good deals are only the ones in their flyer, the un-advertised items are regular price as most other places. Best Buy is not a good place to go either they charge 15% restock if you take something back and don't even think about a gift card from them.

Newegg and TigerDirect are the best options for cost, but new complete machines are cheaper than building one on your own.