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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Photography Equipment => Computer Hardware => Topic started by: LSD72 on August 02, 2011, 20:11

Title: I think she is dying
Post by: LSD72 on August 02, 2011, 20:11
Looks like I am going to have to break down and buy a new computer.

The other day lightning caused a quick outage and I think it surged into the computer. If I reboot, when it comes to the logon screen... beeps repeatedly and very fast. After I log on, cannot move any desktop icons. Photoshop will not load any photos into it but Lightroom and (just installed to test) GIMP will load up normally. Wiped out PS and then the re installs fail.

Got some other little annoying things happening.

I think it is time to put my old hand built workhorse to rest now. 8 years old and been through many changes and virus wars. Time to move into more modern equipment. sigh  :'(
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: jbarber873 on August 02, 2011, 21:26
   Beeps on startup can be as simple as poorly seated ram. Check to make sure everything is tight. You could also do  clean install of OS and see if that helps. Disconnect all peripherals. All the usual suspects :)
   On the other hand, computers are cheaper and better than ever...
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: LSD72 on August 02, 2011, 22:53
We are just going to go shopping tomorrow for a new bundle. I just dont know widows 7 64 bit stuff. Currently on XP. Get rid of the 17" CRT Monitor and hit a new 20" Widescreen.

I am going to try to network them together for easier transfer of programs and info if they can talk to each other easy.

Biggest thing I have to look up now is if I can transfer all my Firefox Passwords somehow.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: LSD72 on August 02, 2011, 23:12
I was debating on getting a laptop but I just don't think that would work for me with editing photos and a bunch of typing.. small screen and small keyboard. Plus it would be easier to add things into a desktop like more ram and another hard drive.

Kinda looking at a specific one that should be loads better than my current if it was running correctly. A Intel Dual Core 3.2, 3 gigs ram and a 1 Terrabyte HD.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: traveler1116 on August 03, 2011, 00:48
look at techbargains.com got my hp for 300 dollars less than listed.  they have hp and dell coupons for 25-30% off all the time.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: Microbius on August 03, 2011, 03:34
Any chance of more descriptive thread titles?
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: Difydave on August 03, 2011, 08:49
Get Mozbackuphttp://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/ (http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/)for making backups of Firefox and Thunderbird settings and restoring them.
You won't regret getting Win 7 64. Much better and more stable than XP.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: Colette on August 03, 2011, 09:23
Don't try to reinstall your OS!
When there is a memory defect reinstall will fail.

Data can also be backupped attaching the harddisk from your old computer to the new one.
Can also be done via USB.

Most of your data can be found in C:\Documents and Settings\........(.......=your user name).
For new harddisks are big enough these days: copy simply all your data from your old HD into a separate map on your new one.
When you miss something it can always be found in that map later. You can throw away the map after a few months.
Very good for simple copying is the small program Unstoppable Copier. Works very well.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: click_click on August 03, 2011, 10:25
We are just going to go shopping tomorrow for a new bundle. I just dont know widows 7 64 bit stuff. Currently on XP. Get rid of the 17" CRT Monitor and hit a new 20" Widescreen.

I am going to try to network them together for easier transfer of programs and info if they can talk to each other easy.

Biggest thing I have to look up now is if I can transfer all my Firefox Passwords somehow.

There is a Firefox Addon to export/import all passwords:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/password-exporter/

I don't know where you are located but here in the US you can get great deals @ DELL Outlet. I got 2 systems from them before and had no major issues.
Saved more than 30% compared to the same system brand new from their own site. I always combine outlet purchases with coupons that they post on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/DellOutlet

Of course there might not be coupons available now when you need a new system urgently. Just my 2 cents.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: LSD72 on August 03, 2011, 11:29
We got the one I was looking at for right at $400. Just got to unbox and then try to set up the network for information passing. 1 terrabyte HD... yea.. gonna partition that...lol.

Thanks for the Firefox info.

I might just try to do a reinstall after everything is transferred. That way I have a spare machine to run certain programs while the main in is in use.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: click_click on August 03, 2011, 11:52
We got the one I was looking at for right at $400. Just got to unbox and then try to set up the network for information passing. 1 terrabyte HD... yea.. gonna partition that...lol.

Thanks for the Firefox info.

I might just try to do a reinstall after everything is transferred. That way I have a spare machine to run certain programs while the main in is in use.

If you dump the old computer you might as well try and see if the old computer's hard drive is still ok and use that as the new OS hard drive.
Then you can use the new computer's 1TB hard drive as a secondary hard drive for back up and you don't have to partition it.

So if the old one fails at some point you just have to replace it with a new cheap small hard drive instead of risking losing a partitioned HD.

Again, just my 2 cents.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: Snufkin on August 03, 2011, 12:09
  Beeps on startup can be as simple as poorly seated ram.

Jbarber is right. Each mainboard has several possible sequences of those beeps. If you consulted the mainboard manual, you could find out what those beeps meant. Some problems can be rectified. Loose RAM is one of possible causes.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: LSD72 on August 03, 2011, 14:56
  Beeps on startup can be as simple as poorly seated ram.

Jbarber is right. Each mainboard has several possible sequences of those beeps. If you consulted the mainboard manual, you could find out what those beeps meant. Some problems can be rectified. Loose RAM is one of possible causes.

Oh I know. Old time Comptia A+ Certified. I know Windows 2000 and Xp. I just dont have the book from 8 years ago...lol. I could look it up on the internet but maybe later. Just got the 2 puters talking to each other now and I am transferring files now.

The Old one has top of the line parts if you go back to when I built it. If it does not take to a new clean OS install, the Secondary HD I will save. Same for the DVD Writer. I am keeping the Thermaltake Xaser fan and controls for the heck of it. Power supply will not fit the new microtower though...hmmm.

Anybody still use the small floppy drive...lol. It is still good too.

It is going to take me a while just to get all the programs and docs and pdf's and so on....I want to keep on the new one. Then I got to get used to the feel of Win 7.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: sharpshot on August 03, 2011, 15:02
I use a UPS (Uninterruptible power supply).  It didn't cost much but allows me to carry on working if there's a power cut and it prevents damage to my computer from electrical fluctuations.  It doesn't happen very often but it's worth having when it does.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: donding on August 03, 2011, 16:11
Looks like I am going to have to break down and buy a new computer.

The other day lightning caused a quick outage and I think it surged into the computer. If I reboot, when it comes to the logon screen... beeps repeatedly and very fast. After I log on, cannot move any desktop icons. Photoshop will not load any photos into it but Lightroom and (just installed to test) GIMP will load up normally. Wiped out PS and then the re installs fail.

Got some other little annoying things happening.

I think it is time to put my old hand built workhorse to rest now. 8 years old and been through many changes and virus wars. Time to move into more modern equipment. sigh  :'(

Sounds like what happened to mine last year...only mine wouldn't even come on period. It fried the cable modem so more than likely came through that. I think it fried the motherboard. I built it back in 05 and when I started checking to see how much it would cost to build another...it wasn't that much more expensive to buy a new one....then I took out my hard drive out of the other for my second HD.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: LSD72 on August 04, 2011, 18:34
Hey... this is kinda nice.. bigger, brighter and in widescreen...lol  Man does 7 have a different feel than XP. Got all my info transferred. Now for the days of installing programs.  :o
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: donding on August 04, 2011, 18:59
Hey... this is kinda nice.. bigger, brighter and in widescreen...lol  Man does 7 have a different feel than XP. Got all my info transferred. Now for the days of installing programs.  :o

It took me awhile to get use to it. Didn't like it at first but now I'm used to it and if I had to go back to XP I probably wouldn't remember how to do half of it.
Title: Re: I think she is dying
Post by: rubyroo on August 05, 2011, 05:02
It took me awhile to get use to it. Didn't like it at first but now I'm used to it and if I had to go back to XP I probably wouldn't remember how to do half of it.

Ditto