Computer just died, can I save it??? *UPDATED**

Winjackie

Hi all,

Don't know if anyone will be able to help me due to lack of information I can give but here goes.

I have a desktop PC and unfortunately do not have any specifications for it as I bought it from a friend who builds them himself but is unfortunately incapacitated at present after having serious health problems. I was using it as normal a couple of days ago and logged off to go out. On my return I switched it back on and logged in as normal. Everything seemed normal and I clicked onto Internet Explorer and it opened my normal homepage. Then all of a sudden I got this really loud intermittent beeping (like a car alarm?) and the screen went black. The tower continued beeping until I turned it off. I tried all the usual things (unplugging all terminals at back and plugging them back in,cleaning it etc) but I still only get this beeping assoon as I turn it on (and still black screen).

I apologise for lack of info and have resigned myself to the fact that it has probably had it but any advice would be welcome.

TIA x

UPDATE:

Ok, a chap has just been and looked at my computer and has told me that my graphics card has blown. He said the card I have in there at the moment is an ATI 64?? He has quoted replacing it with a 120 which will cost around £75 (for the card) and his labour charges will be extra :eek: Could I get a graphics card cheaper than that? Also, how easy are they to replace?

TIA x

devizes18193

is there any order to the beeps like say 5 then 3 ?

Winjackie

Doesn't appear to be, it's a long beep then a silence of about 5 seconds before the next one

Little_John

Possibly over heating, that is the only normal reason for beeping after being on. Remove the side of the pc there are 2 screws on the back normally holding the side on (but all PC cases can be different) the sides usually slide back and come off. Open it up and switch the PC on and see if the fans are spinning. There will be a block sticking up from the big circuit board in there that is the CPU cooler that would be the one I expect is not spinning.

That can be replaced for about £5-£10 up to about £40 but you won't need one of those. Take a picture of it and post it if I have one spare I can send it to you.

Winjackie

I will try that, and I will try to upload a pic when my daughter gets home, I am using her laptop at the mo and not sure how to upload pics on here.

Thanks.

redux

There are different beep codes. The only time I had it, I looked it up somewhere and it turned out some memory I'd just looked at to identify for replacement had failed. I got someone with less static on their fingers to replace it.

Winjackie

These beeps are evenly spaced apart (about 5 seconds) and none are lasting longer than the other. Someone looked at it yesterday for me (who knows more about computers than me ) and advised me to go and get a new one:eek:

vale46_2

a long shot i had a similar experience and it turned out to be the large battery (like a ten pence piece) on the motherboard was flat cost £1.50 to replace from local pc shop

Winjackie

Oh thanks for that, will try it. Do you know if these batteries are universal or do I have to have one specific to my computer?

TIA x

basmic

99.999% of the time, desktop PCs have CR2032 batteries - usually a quid or two. Even so, I doubt this is your problem.

Check the CPU heatsink (or "a block sticking up from the big circuit board" as it was put earlier) - usually this is a metal block of fins, with a fan on top blowing downwards. Make sure it's not clogged up with dust - if it is, just flick out as much of the dust as you can, and use a hose attachment on your vacuum to get the dust.

Regardless of what some people will say, I have never damaged a computer with a vacuum cleaner. Just don't touch anything with the hose, and a reasonable distance from fragile looking components.

Secondly, look for your memory stick/s, and gently (but firmly) press down on them - also make sure the white tabs either side of them are pushed in, to hold onto the memory stick's notches. You can see some memory sticks and the tabs I mean in this following picture:

DCFC79

Winjackie wrote: »

Oh thanks for that, will try it. Do you know if these batteries are universal or do I have to have one specific to my computer?

TIA x

as far as i know theyre universal, when you remove the battery there would be a numbr on it so just look for the same battery with the same number on it