pc going crazy - is it dying?

starlite_2

Over the weekend our pc has randomly started emitting an 'alarm' type noise all of a sudden a very low pitched contionous beep type noise

The only way to stop it is to restart.

it also keeps having trouble recognising hardware, such as the speakers, modem etc

Occasionally we get the 'blue screen of death'

Any ideas whats going on? Please don't trll me it's dying as we can't affortd a new one....

Browntoa

sounds like motherboard or bios problems (biso battery not the end of the world.....motherboard....more expensive !! )

I take it you have scanned for viruses + spyware ??

starlite_2

oh yes..do that every week..and have a big bad firewall too.

i'm thinking motherboard as it's only the stuff plugged into it that gives us grief..the usb mouse and webcam are fine..
(am i revealing my techy clulessness here! hehee)

hmm..what to do..our friend just gve us a 500gb harddrive he has no need for that is brand new..might ask him to swap it for a new motherbord..lol

mr_fishbulb

Mine sometimes had a problem with overheating. The alarm could be it's heating up too much.

Try running it with the side off the case for a few days so cool are can blow over everything. And then see if it still beeps. Remeber though not to let anything touch any of the bits inside whilst it is on.

starlite_2

thanks,
but we have got 3 fans in there so I'm sure that can't be the problem.


is it worth calling out a p.c tech or would they chrge a fortune?

skiddy2k

have you installed new hardware into your PC.. if yes, remove it then try to use the PC.

check your BIOS settings (at startup, click "del") for warning alarms when the PC reaches a certain temperature. set the alarm temperature at 35C. if your alarm temp's too low, it'l keep going off for no reason

banger9365

how old is the motherboard and have you ever cleaned the in sides ,
if it's old replace the battery for a good one because it may look fine ,work fine put mite be a little low and they cost pence ,
cleaning the inside stops heat retension and gives you a better aire flow seen you have 3 fans they can move a lot of dust that cloggs up the heatsink and things like that..
it mite be a faulty hdd you can get them you now, thinking about the blue screen

starlite_2

thanks..so we may have overdone it with the fans!? lol


yes we quite often hoover the insides to get rid of dust. motherboard is ancient..we need a new pc tbh. we have let our friend mess with and add bits to this one..perhaps misguidedly as we've hd no end of trouble since.

electron_3

starlite wrote:

thanks..so we may have overdone it with the fans!? lol


yes we quite often hoover the insides to get rid of dust. motherboard is ancient..we need a new pc tbh. we have let our friend mess with and add bits to this one..perhaps misguidedly as we've hd no end of trouble since.

Never ever use a vacuum as that will cause a build up of static and can fry components, what you need is a soft brush and a can of compressed air.

starlite_2

its a specific vaccum for p.cs..can it really cuse such problems?! (shocked!)

electron_3

starlite wrote:

its a specific vaccum for p.cs..can it really cuse such problems?! (shocked!)

A specific vaccum for a PC Ive never seen one of those I will say that anything with a motor that spins at high speed and creates a static charge such as a hoover will never go near my PC especially when stood on a carpet shuffling about and generating static that way aswell.

I just like to be cautious thats all.

Plus a can of air and a soft brush is a more delicate but acurrate procedure
and I use a blusher brush as thats really soft, then just give a blow out
this is also handy for cleaning the back of CRT monitors.