Refurb PC

Miroslav

I'm on the lookout for a refurbished PC due to lack of funds in being able to buy a new one. This is meant to be as a second PC, although my first is playing me up big style, too much to even ask for help.

I want everything I need on it - PSU, DVD-RW, Ram, Windows etc etc but i'm unsure who to buy from.

I have found Microdream who look good - has anybody had some success with them? - I have just done a quick search on here and found one or two posters satisfied.

Dell OptiPlex 745 Core 2 Duo E6300

Upgrade to 3gb Ram
DVD RW
Downgrade Windows 7 Pro to Home Premium
Add Wifi/Wireless Adapter
12 months RTB WARRANTY

It doesn't say PSU included but it must be!

£181

I'm having no luck with PC's at the moment.

closed

playing up how

Miroslav

Constantly freezes - within seconds of getting into windows.

Had suggestions it's the PSU (300w), or graphics, but I can't replace them as I don't know how.

I've stopped using one monitor and i'm now using another much older one and it's better, but it still freezes.

Tried updating drivers, but they are all up to date, run all the scans and nothing found, hard drive is fine after tests, memory is fine.

It just appears to not be able to do much - i've had the PC freeze when trying to burn a DVD - as soon as the DVD tries to burn, the monitor freezes - the PC still does something, tries to burn the DVD, but nothing burns.

I've checked all leads, cleaned inside.

I don't have windows disc as it came pre-installed by previous owner (family).

It can stick as soon as windows loads, when I try and open a browser or my documents - anything.

For some reason, this old monitor - it freezes less - maybe 6 or 7 times tonight, but the newer monitor, which actually came with the machine (HP) it won't let me do anything - literally 20 restarts an hour.

closed

does it freeze in safe mode

does it have a means of creating windows, or a factory restore partition

psu replacement is 4 screws and a few pushes of plugs, graphics card replacement is one screw and a push, but you should rule out software before assuming it's hardware

can't see how a monitor can cause a freeze, unless you have some odd drivers problem

Miroslav

closed wrote: »

does it freeze in safe mode

does it have a means of creating windows, or a factory restore partition

psu replacement is 4 screws and a few pushes of plugs, graphics card replacement is one screw and a push, but you should rule out software before assuming it's hardware

can't see how a monitor can cause a freeze, unless you have some odd drivers problem

No, it doesn't freeze in safe mode.

It has a recovery partition on the drive. It has PC Doctor 5 which I have run and everything is fine although on the short self test it hands at 99% before eventually getting to 100%.

It is strange how this old monitor is working much better, although it does freeze still.

UsernameAlreadyExists

Try removing, cleaning and reseating the graphics card (assumining it's not onboard). I've never know a monitor to cause a PC to freeze ... but you've said a different monitor cause it to freeze less. So, by much older, is it a lower resolution?
Also, did it work before and has started to play up recently?

Lum

Wipe and reinstall before wasting your money on a new PC. That recovery partition should sort you out, you just need to figure out how to access it. It's usually some key combination pressed just after turning the PC on.

Just make sure to copy any irreplaceable files you have (photos etc.) onto an external drive or CD first, and after reinstalling, make sure your PC is fully updated and is running a good antivirus (i.e. not McAfee) before you plug that external drive back in again.

Miroslav

UsernameAlreadyExists wrote: »

Try removing, cleaning and reseating the graphics card (assumining it's not onboard). I've never know a monitor to cause a PC to freeze ... but you've said a different monitor cause it to freeze less. So, by much older, is it a lower resolution?
Also, did it work before and has started to play up recently?

I know nothing about this sort of thing, but it''s a NVIDIA GE Force 7300 LE???

I'd imagine it was a lower resolution - I don't know how to check this one, but the other monitor said recommended settings 1440x900 or similar and was set at 640x480 or similar and I couldn't change it.

We only got the PC from a family member on 7th January as our ever older PC packed up. I added RAM and it was working fine until a few days ago when it started playing up. I removed the RAM, just incase, but even without it in, it kept freezing. Last 3 days has been a nightmare.

Lum wrote: »

Wipe and reinstall before wasting your money on a new PC. That recovery partition should sort you out, you just need to figure out how to access it. It's usually some key combination pressed just after turning the PC on.

Just make sure to copy any irreplaceable files you have (photos etc.) onto an external drive or CD first, and after reinstalling, make sure your PC is fully updated and is running a good antivirus (i.e. not McAfee) before you plug that external drive back in again.

Can I reinstall without a CD? I run Avast free antivirus.

UsernameAlreadyExists

errr seriously? ... if you can open the PC and install RAM, and then open it again to take it back out again ... you can do the same with the video card.

It's the PCB that the monitor is connected to via the cable. It'll be sticking out at 90 degrees from the main (biggest) PCB (the motherboard).

Remove the screw from the top of the slot, take it out completely, blow the dust off it (if it has a fan on it blow all the crap out from there too). Give the contacts a bit of a scratch/wipe, and then poke it back in again. and reconnect.

Does it ever make a lot of fan noise (i.e. overheating?)

Miroslav

UsernameAlreadyExists wrote: »

errr seriously? ... if you can open the PC and install RAM, and then open it again to take it back out again ... you can do the same with the video card.

It's the PCB that the monitor is connected to via the cable. It'll be sticking out at 90 degrees from the main (biggest) PCB (the motherboard).

Remove the screw from the top of the slot, take it out completely, blow the dust off it (if it has a fan on it blow all the crap out from there too). Give the contacts a bit of a scratch/wipe, and then poke it back in again. and reconnect.

Does it ever make a lot of fan noise (i.e. overheating?)

Ha, I was scared of Ram once too - I was just reading up on cleaning it and have to be careful to ground myself.

I can see it, i'll give it a go.

The fan is quiet. I have CPUID HWmonitor and all temperatures seem to be fine with what I researched that they should be.

UsernameAlreadyExists

I've read about "grounding" myself too, and in 20 odd years of tinkering with my own PCs, never have. Technically the motherboard is "live" because it has a battery on it (to retain the CMOS clock and settings). All the geeks would recommend you have an earth strap on your wrist with a coiled cable connected to the board. as I've said, I've never done this and would treat it with little or no respect. It a sodding computer ... and is nothing special requiring "specialist" and "professional" handling. Give the components a thwack to shake off the dust, clean them up from the huge amount of crap and dead spiders it'll have sucked into the case over the years and give it another go.
It's a PC ... and I'd be suprised if any single part of it came close to £181, but if you choose that route, it'll cost you alot in time rebuilding it.