Computer on the deathbed - What shall i get next??

PROGRESS UPDATE:

Well, been trying the different motherboard/processor:

Firstly, the new motherboard waits for the switch to be pressed before it powers up so thats a bonus. Still, no display.

I then used a replacement CPU and still the same results.

I am yet to try some different ram as i cant get my hands on any at the mo. I have 2 sticks anyway and have been trying with each of them separatley.

SO, im a bit stuck for ideas now.

Im tempted to splash all my xmas cash on a motherboard bundle but im not convinced that thats the problem.

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Peat, when you said it powers up as soon as you plug it in, do you mean as soon as you switch the psu on from the back of the computer? so it switches on before you press the switch on the front?

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael

no, as soon as i insert the power into the psu. There is no switch on the back of mine.


I spoke to a guy today who has told mne to go back the last time i got any sort of response. Which was when i had the orig cpu/motherboard combo. When i try and start it without ram inserted it beeps repeatidly at me. This he says suggests that the cpu is working and its running the very basic diagnostic checks.

I am back at this stage now and it still does the same. So do i deduce that my cpu is ok? all i have plugged in is cpu/ram/power and im using the onboard gfx port now.

On screen, when i switch it on, it says 'going to sleep' then the status light on the monitor goes amber.

This is my current situation, pretty much where i was when i started.

Quite a riddle.

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yeah when i fiddled about with my ram, i started it without the ram being inserted properly and it just kept beeping.

and it's weird how your psu doesn't have an on/off switch.

and also during startup while i had my resetting problem, the led on the monitor would also go amber, as if the pc was sleeping, then it would go green, even thought the computer hadn't actually reset at the time, it was just starting up.

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael

well, i have recovered all my IMPORTANT documents onto the family computer, what happens to all the porn in in the hands of god - Have fun with it big man

With that in mind im so much more relaxed about the situation. However, a time is gonna come (soon) when im gonna NEED a working machine. I was looking on pcspecialist.co.uk and i can get myself a machine considerably better than what ive got for 500 squid. This at the mo is my last resort, i would rather spend a lot less on fixing mine.

Anyhoo, im starting to think that the problem is probably really small and annoying. Gonna try resesting the BIOS with this jumper business. Probably a stab in the dark but worth a try nevertheless.

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Yo

The situation is grave. I tried the final combination of processor and motherboard that i have and still nothing, worse yet, my cpu and motherboard no longer recognises that there is no ram inserted. No beeps.

Is it time to call it a day?

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Peat's humble compaq - Rest In Peace

SO, moving on.....

Anyone ever bought a computer from the DELL refurbed online outlet?

[outlet.dell.com]

and using an online discount voucher i could make quite a saving...

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Just one question, have you tried another PSU?

EDIT: Just read from the first page that you actually have. Shouldn't be posting without reading the thread properly!


My photo gallery: [viltzu86.deviantart.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2006 05:59PM by villej.

My dad got a laptop from the reburbished line and it was excellent - not one single problem whatsoever.

Came practically brand new, except it was reburbished, which meant it looked and had the same appeal as a new laptop.


Jenson drives it like he owns it; Lewis drives it like he stole it

Yeah, Dell's are normally pretty solid, even the cheap ones - you can certainly save quite a bit on the budget models over building one yourself (mainly due to the current price of RAM).

Just make sure you get one that's got a decent dedicated graphics card in it, or at least has the right slots to enable you to put your own in. Dells aren't gaming machines aside from the XPS systems, so you normally have to beef that area up if you intend gaming on it.

None of the systems in that link look particularly good value for money mind - I think you can get a better system new from the actual Dell site.

I've just specced up a full C2D system with 2GB of RAM for less than all of the towers on the Dell Outlet site in the 2 pages in the link you supplied. It only lists onboard video without the option to upgrade it in the customising bit - there's nothing to suggest you couldn't do it yourself though (though I refuse to take responsibility if the required slots don't exist on the motherboard, or the PSU is too weak to power it).

Unless you've spied something in the outlet that I never looked for, then a new Dell would be better value...

//edit: yeah, navigating through the Outlet there's many in the home section (rather than the business your link pointed too

Still nothing that screams good value for a gamer though.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2006 07:09PM by gav.

ive been looking at a few barebones PC's at novatech, is anything built using AGP these days? I wanna try and use as much of my stuff as poss.

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I bought a barebones Novatech one a while back, it had AGP. Was socket A, amd sempron. Good machine I suppose.

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She says brief things, her love’s a pony
My love’s subliminal

[www.novatech.co.uk]

This is pretty simular to my old machine. I dont get why the processor is marked as a Sempron 3000 when the clockspeed is 1.8ghz???

Its the only one with AGP i can find unfortunatley.

I would love to get something like this: [www.pcspecialist.co.uk]

but i dont think i can really afford it.

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Peat Wrote:
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> This is pretty simular to my old machine. I dont
> get why the processor is marked as a Sempron 3000
> when the clockspeed is 1.8ghz???

It's the way things are now. Clockspeed means nothing (Intel have just gone from making 3.6GHz processors to faster ones starting at 1.8GHz). The 3000 is a reference to the expected speed when Semprons arrived - it was supposedly the equivalent of the old P4 at 3.0GHz. Can't vouch for that myself, but that P4 is rather archaic now - 3 generations old. The socket A Semprons are 4 generations old, and the socket 754 3 generations too.

so its roughly a 3ghz cpu?

This is a near identical spec but with intel bits and bobs.

What would you recommend? Pentium 4 3.ghz or sempron 3000?

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2006 09:10PM by Peat.

P4 (so long as it's not a Prescott - not that there's an easy way of telling unless they specifically mention which type of P4 it is). And I assume you meant to attach a link there, but forgot?

Think of the Sempron as a stripped down, slower version of the Athlon 64. Some were based on Athlon XPs though, which are yet a generation further lower.

Basically, no matter what you get, it's going to be very old. I'd seriously consider finding the monies do replace the full box (keeping monitors and such if you wish). It's generally a given that if some thing's failed, the bits you will keep will fail in the not too distant future. PC components generally don't like to have live in different houses, and switching old parts from one box to another doesn't often happen without some short-term issues, and usually with long-term.

Keep an eye in the January sales - the respectable brands (Mesh, Dell, Evesham etc) will invariably have some nice juicy offers, most of which will likely come with a free Vista upgrade.

Dell do some brilliant bargains, they really do. I can also vouch for Mesh, as my dad got their most basic one a couple years back, 500 quid, very good. Bit loud, mind.

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She says brief things, her love’s a pony
My love’s subliminal

This is the P4 system: [www.novatech.co.uk]


gav Wrote:
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> Basically, no matter what you get, it's going to
> be very old. I'd seriously consider finding the
> monies do replace the full box

I do have the money, but am unwilling to part with it.
I do really want a better system as its about time i upgraded anyway.
[www.pcspecialist.co.uk]

£550 for all that is rather good i suppose, and is probably a better investment.

>Vista upgrade.

Is Vista all that? Is it going to take over, i dont want to be caught in a Windows ME like situation that i was a few years back.(sudders with fear)

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Ok, i have been thinking it over. I WILL open my wallet. It just makes sense!

So, the contenders:


[www.meshcomputers.com]

and

[www.pcspecialist.co.uk]


Im liking the PCSPECIALISTS one at the mo. I can get that for £480 without XP installed as i already have it on my existing machine. I dont however have the discs for it. Can i download the installer and stick it on a CD?

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2006 10:29PM by Peat.

The PCSpecialists links aren't working for me. I assume it's cookie-based, in which case you'll just have to tell me which model and what changes you've made.

That Mesh looks good - consider a C2D alternative if it's not much more though. Also, that graphics is pretty pants, obviously as it's onboard. I wouldn't worry about it now, but if when you get it you find it's just not up to the job in games, you may want to slide a dedicated card in there.

Also if you don't want a monitor you can save yourself £100 by using your old one. The one included appears to be a HannsG one (branded Mesh), which are extremely good value for money. Up to you though.

Also Mesh have a support section in the Hexus.net forums. If you want to ask the guys any questions they'll be happy to answer them (not sure about right now in the festive period though). Bear in mind that forum section is littered with problems, but don't let that put you off - it just shows the popularity of the systems, and you'll always get 50x more posts regarding problems than you with giving praise. [forums.hexus.net].

Without knowing anything of PCSpecialist, I'd heavily back Mesh between the 2. Regarding the PCS one without XP - if the XP you have is an OEM version (IE it came with a PC), then you won't be able to transfer it. It's for 1 PC only, and you'll be breaking the law by putting it on the new one. The Retail version of XP is transferable though. If you're lucky you'll be able to call MS and tell them that your existing PC broke and the motherboard had to be fixed (which isn't too far from the truth, and chances are they'll give you a shiny new code... you won't get into trouble if they don't though - just say you'll buy a new license instead).

As for Vista - the OS itself is great. What's not so great is the lack of support from 3rd parties (drivers mainly, particularly for external parts such as printers and scanners). Support will ramp up significantly in January, but there'll always be companies who refuse to make shiny new drivers. The safe bet is XP though if you just want less fuss.