Computer A-Go-Go. (Comic Delays)

[Amber Williams]

Long Story Short: My computer isn't working.  And unless I do a few triple hoops over my husbands computer, odds are this means the comic will be late.

Short Story Long:  I went to sit down at my computer, I pushed the button, I heard the fans start...then stop and turn off.  I try again...same story.  It's like the thing stops before it gets to that familiar *beep*.  I've called a friend up and he said it sounds like the power supply went bleh.  No biggie...except its 6PM and so pretty much all shops around here are closed.

Mason is off at work so I can't have him look at it till 3AM.  I dont know enough about computers to do more an evaluation of "I push button, fans go on for couple seconds, fans go off"    So I'm kind of stuck at the moment.

I know it's one of those situations where I shouldn't have to apologize since I have no control over it...but still...I'm sorry peeps.  I was just getting back on track and had put up auctions...and now this happens and I prolly look like a dumbass.  Luckily from what a friend said, if its the power supply that only means I have to drop down $50....which is a lot better than having to scramble to salvage hard drives like the last time my computer went "RAWR"

But still...not a happy Amber.
I'll prolly get Dmoon to update the site letting people know whats going on.  In the meantime, I'm going to work ahead and get Abel's Story inked so when I do get my computer back and running I can at least get to colouring and catching up right away.

Sorry again.

[Kenji]

Heh. Yeah, just slip back into fan filler mode for a day or two. Nothing spectacular that a trip to Best Buy or something won't fix. Like you said, at least it's nowhere near as bad as last time..

[Zedd]

Well that blows..Well better get fanfare of fan comics!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Given it hasn't really lasted that long, I'd personally push for a slightly gruntier PSU than one would expect to need.

Excess power is always useful - and the PSU will only draw what it needs, so it's not like it'll push the power bills up or anything. A 850W PSU will draw the same, almost, as a 550W PSU, when they're attached to the same motherboard and disks. The only difference is, when you push, the 850 will be able to cope easier.

Which means it should last longer. Should.

Those numbers are only indicative, though. I'd add 100W to what you had, and aim for that, give or take 50W. So if you had a 550W, I'd go looking for a 600-700W.

Just my 2p. :-]

[Amber Williams]

I have no clue what you said Mr.  Box...but it sounds expensive.

So far its looking to possibly be:
Power Supply
Motherboard
Graphics Card

Right now I'm leaving my comp unplugged for a couple hours to see if that helps.

Since the fans do at least try to start, it might be the motherboard.
On the other hand, according to my friend, when either the power supply or motherboard go...they tend to go in smoke and burny smell...which hasnt happened in the slightest.

I get the feeling unless it starts up in an hour or so...its going to be up to the repair peeps I go to tomorrow to figure it out.

[xHaZxMaTx]

I had a short on my motherboard once, similar thing happened.  Could be the power supply, I wouldn't know, I've never had one fail.  And I doubt it's the video card, unless it's causing a short somewhere else in the computer, since I've been able to successfully boot my computer without a graphics card.

[Tapewolf]

I have no clue what you said Mr.  Box...but it sounds expensive.

PSU = Power Supply Unit.

I hope it is, because if you replace the motherboard, Windows will destroy itself in the belief that you're trying to pirate it.  For the PSU, it shouldn't be able to tell that it's been swapped out.

[xHaZxMaTx]

I hope it is, because if you replace the motherboard, Windows will might destroy itself in the belief that you're trying to pirate it.

I've swapped out a motherboard and processor without having to reinstall any software.

[Alondro]

I have no clue what you said Mr.  Box...but it sounds expensive.

PSU = Power Supply Unit.

I hope it is, because if you replace the motherboard, Windows will destroy itself in the belief that you're trying to pirate it.  For the PSU, it shouldn't be able to tell that it's been swapped out.

There are ways around that.  I had a laptop die at my old job, the techies swapped everything they could save onto a new laptop with no trouble.

Of course, I haven't the foggiest notion of how.   

[Valynth]

I'll go get the chicken.  In the mean time, practice waving over your computer.

[Tapewolf]

I hope it is, because if you replace the motherboard, Windows will might destroy itself in the belief that you're trying to pirate it.  For the PSU, it shouldn't be able to tell that it's been swapped out.

I've swapped out a motherboard and processor without having to reinstall any software.

In that cause I would suggest you are either running Linux, or some bootleg version of Windows XP without the activation checks and hardware locks.

I don't know about Windows 2000.  That might work.  With Windows 95 and 98 they simply crashed because they were using the wrong chipset drivers.
With XP, the license is bound to the BIOS checksum, the hard disk serial number and various other things and the software is wired to self-destruct or at best gives you three days to re-register.  Even if you somehow manage to bypass that, you've technically invalidated the license and your copy of Windows is no longer legal...

[xHaZxMaTx]

Oh well, just as long as it works.

[Tezkat]

Those numbers are only indicative, though. I'd add 100W to what you had, and aim for that, give or take 50W. So if you had a 550W, I'd go looking for a 600-700W.

Just my 2p. :-]

Meh... those high-powered gamer PSUs have gone into the ridiculous range. I've got a Core 2 Duo with an 8800GTX and lots of trimmings that doesn't draw that kind of wattage when overclocked and running benchmark suites. Most PCs won't even break 200W during regular usage. There's no need to give into the marketing hype and shell out the bucks for tons of power you won't need.

If the power supply does need replacing, however, I do recommend going with a good brand instead of the el cheapo generics. The small premium will easily pay for itself in greater longevity and energy efficiency. Personally, I rather like the Seasonic PSUs (and their OEM stuff like Corsair's HX series), but that's mainly because they're cool and quiet.

I have no clue what you said Mr.  Box...but it sounds expensive.

So far its looking to possibly be:
Power Supply
Motherboard
Graphics Card

Right now I'm leaving my comp unplugged for a couple hours to see if that helps.

Since the fans do at least try to start, it might be the motherboard.
On the other hand, according to my friend, when either the power supply or motherboard go...they tend to go in smoke and burny smell...which hasnt happened in the slightest.

I get the feeling unless it starts up in an hour or so...its going to be up to the repair peeps I go to tomorrow to figure it out.

I've had a number of motherboards go on me, and they displayed symptoms similar to what you described, with no fiery burning to be seen (or smelled ).

In that cause I would suggest you are either running Linux, or some bootleg version of Windows XP without the activation checks and hardware locks.

I don't know about Windows 2000.  That might work.  With Windows 95 and 98 they simply crashed because they were using the wrong chipset drivers.
With XP, the license is bound to the BIOS checksum, the hard disk serial number and various other things and the software is wired to self-destruct or at best gives you three days to re-register.  Even if you somehow manage to bypass that, you've technically invalidated the license and your copy of Windows is no longer legal...

Hmm... when I did the hardware switchy thing on one of my XP boxes, Windows reactivated itself without problems, but I had to call up Microsoft to reauthorize my copy of Office. The worst case scenario involves being on hold with some Microsoft tech for an hour and getting a new activation code after explaining to them that yes, you do have a legal copy of the software that's only installed on one machine, and would they kindly make it stop bugging you about licenses and activation.

[Naldru]

It used to be the power supply units failed spectacularly (smelly smoke, etc.), but I believe that the newer units (the last ten to fifteen years) tend to shut down before they reach that point.  (The same thing applied to the power supplies in CRT monitors.  The CRT monitors had high-voltage power supplies and could be really spectacular.)

With regard to the gruntier PSU, what he was saying was that if you have to replace the power supply, replace it with one with a slightly higher power rating.  It shouldn't much of a difference in price and a lot of the PC's sold today (especially the no-name brands) tend to use the smallest power supply that they think they can get away with.  I definitely agree with Tezkat about getting a brand-name power supply.

I also wanted to mention the following points.

Consider the possibility that it might be the fan itself that is having problems.

Make sure that nothing is blocking the air flow through the computer.  I'm not sure where the vents (inlet and outlet) are on your computer, but make sure that they are clear.  It couldn't hurt aiming an electric fan at the computer.

If there are empty spaces in the back where cards have been removed, try placing the blank plates in place where the card was.  This can improve air flow.

[Zedd]

Well I do hope it all adds up

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I have no clue what you said Mr.  Box...but it sounds expensive.

Nah. PSU == power supply, as TW mentioned.

It's late, and I've had a long day, so I'm probably slipping into hypergeek mode. :-/ Sorry about that. Basically, I'm suggesting spending ~60-75 $ instead of $50. No more than that - anything more is just overkill, and, frankly, I don't think you need it.

Just ask Mason.

Meh... those high-powered gamer PSUs have gone into the ridiculous range. I've got a Core 2 Duo with an 8800GTX and lots of trimmings that doesn't draw that kind of wattage when overclocked and running benchmark suites. Most PCs won't even break 200W during regular usage. There's no need to give into the marketing hype and shell out the bucks for tons of power you won't need.

I said "if". I also said "100W more than you have", not heaps more. But I grant that that might have slipped by in the flood of geekery (see above)

It's been a long time since I went looking at hardware - my own personal heavy-workload desktop is an athlon 1400+, which I've had for, I think, about 3 years now. :-]

[Netrogo]

She doesn't need to spend that much. This is Southern Ontario, she can get a good psu for $50. Less if she grabs it used.

[Tezkat]

Consider the possibility that it might be the fan itself that is having problems.

Make sure that nothing is blocking the air flow through the computer.  I'm not sure where the vents (inlet and outlet) are on your computer, but make sure that they are clear.  It couldn't hurt aiming an electric fan at the computer.

If there are empty spaces in the back where cards have been removed, try placing the blank plates in place where the card was.  This can improve air flow.

Even though I don't think that's the problem here (a problem fan would tend to cause failures during usage as the box overheats, rather than at boot--unless there's some kind of fan controller override), it's a really good idea to make sure that your system is well ventilated.

Good Airflow = Less Heat = Longer Lasting PC

It's late, and I've had a long day, so I'm probably slipping into hypergeek mode. :-/ Sorry about that. Basically, I'm suggesting spending ~60-75 $ instead of $50. No more than that - anything more is just overkill, and, frankly, I don't think you need it.

[snip]

I said "if". I also said "100W more than you have", not heaps more. But I grant that that might have slipped by in the flood of geekery (see above)

There tends to be a fairly significant jump in the price of PSUs above 350W or so--that's around where the division between regular users and power-mad enthusiasts lies. So crossing that gap could mean going from about C$50 to C$100 and up, especially since a lot of places don't bother to stock anything between el cheapo and enthusiast models. And then the prices ramp up after that, mostly for wattage that you aren't going to use.

Amber probably wouldn't even need 400W, but that's unfortunately where the decent name brand PSUs usually start simply because the twits over in marketing determined that it's fun and profitable to play the "mine is bigger than yours" game.

She doesn't need to spend that much. This is Southern Ontario, she can get a good psu for $50. Less if she grabs it used.

Does that include GST and PST?

[Fuyudenki]

Actually, Tezkat, I've had computers flat-out refuse to start(very, very similar to what Mrs. Williams is experiencing now) because the power supply wasn't delivering enough oomph.  350 Watts simply will not cut it these days, unless you get a severely stripped-down system.  I reccomend 450-550 Watts for a gamer rig.  Probably the lower end if she only plans on drawing the comic.

Tapewolf, there's a third option to add to your list: he was working with a home-built computer.  When you buy a Windows XP regular install, it doesn't have the hardware locks that store-bought PCs come with, so you can swap out whatever you want, and Windows won't care.  Of course, I've experienced some odd glitching when I change out major system components, and usually end up reinstalling Windows, anyway, but not because Windows has freaked out on me.

My reccomendation when dealing with computers is: always go homebrew.  If you can build it yourself, you can get it cheaper and better than most people.  If you can't build it yourself, find a friend who can.  My dad and I both build computers for friends and family for only the cost of parts, plus a (very) minor labor fee.(something like $10-20 out of $500 for parts)

Anyway, yeah, I hope it's the PSU, because that's by far the easiest and cheapest of the three possibilities to fix.  Mainboard would be hardest, but I suspect CPU would be more expensive.  From the symptoms, I severely doubt it's a heat problem.(the type which could be fixed by some computer rest time)

[Damaris]

Okay, we're cutting you techies off when we get to page two.  I know you all like dissecting this stuff, but that's what the computer problems thread is for.  Be stated there.

Darkmoon is working on something to put up tonight- I'm sure everyone will find it at least a little amusing.

[Azlan]

It would appear that someone let out the magic smoke again.

[Damaris]

We keep trying to tell her that it won't let her see the tinfoil princess again, but she just won't listen.

[Cvstos]

Odds are it isn't the graphics card.  If it was then the machine would most likely stay on and beep a lot.  Therefore, it's probably the motherboard or PSU, and I'd say it's more likely to be the PSU.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Amber probably wouldn't even need 400W, but that's unfortunately where the decent name brand PSUs usually start simply because the twits over in marketing determined that it's fun and profitable to play the "mine is bigger than yours" game.

Indeed, although if I remember correctly, she's on a dual-CPU rig with gobs of ram, so...

[Amber Williams]

Well right now I'm letting mah pc baby sit on a table with the case open and unplugged.  Also gonna air-blast parts though it really isnt extreme dusty.  Well...its dusty...but you know what I mean. 

In a few hours I'll probably plug her back in and try turning on to see which fans are the ones that are running...since that might help clue in to what the problem is...maybe. I dunno.

Worst comes to worst, I can prolly rig my scanner to Mason's computer and try colouring off of this.  But I figure I'll wait and see what Friday's assessment brings.  If its going to need to be in repair for a few days, then I'll work something on Masons.

Either way I'm not too too worried.  From what it sounds, the hard drive should be safe and sound. The only aggravating aspect is the possibility of plunking down $300 or so to repair.  Especially since I'm currently saving to afford driving and car bills.  Really the worst part is just that cosmic "HAW HA" as I feel really lame doing a drive and then suddenly this hits me left field.

[Turnsky]

Odds are it isn't the graphics card.  If it was then the machine would most likely stay on and beep a lot.  Therefore, it's probably the motherboard or PSU, and I'd say it's more likely to be the PSU.

hopefully it is just the power supply, motherboards are a pain to replace, really.

[nikename2]

Yeah this sounds awfully familiar to a problem I had with my desktop a few years back. That computer's PSU went on it too, when I pulled it out of the case the back panel of it was a tinted to a nice burnt color heh. Llearch is right in getting a more capable PSU. The previous one that I had that burned out was 350W, the new one I got is 650W and its been running smooth ever since. Of course the reason it probably burned out was because I was adding additional PCI cards for wireless capability and a RAID array on to it. 

If it isn't the PSU then I suppose its possible the heatsink on your processor isn't latched on properly causing it to overheat.

[GabrielsThoughts]

I-mow is annoying Once the fragles destroy he they will suck out down the dozer sticks

[Cvstos]

Well, if it's the PSU it shouldn't be that expensive to replace.  You can get a cheap one for $60 USD, and a really awesome one for $170. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002

That's a Corsair model that's gotten great customer reviews.  620W, $150 after rebate, SLI certified.  That should be enough to easily power even Amber's fairly fast machine with juice to spare.

There are, of course, others available. 

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=58&name=Power-Supplies

Motherboards can be tricky.  If you replace it with the exact same model there won't be a problem but anything too different can force a Windows reinstall. 

The lesson, of course, is to always back up your stuff!

[e_voyager]

we understand amber. some things these things happen and i for one hate it when  i come home and some one has screwed up my system again.. Your filler was funny