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Refurb PC

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24

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  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    edited 30 January 2013 at 4:00AM
    the wrist strap is to prevent static damage, to ram in particular. The undischarged capacitors will probably be holding charge and keeping the board live, not the cmos battery, removing the power lead and switching on should discharge them.

    cleaning ram is unlikely to make any difference, and is more likely to cause more problems, it works in safe mode, which points to software, so backup first, then lookup how to create windows discs and factory restore your particular model, assuming the previous owner hasn't wiped the data
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
  • UsernameAlreadyExists
    UsernameAlreadyExists Posts: 1,194 Forumite
    edited 30 January 2013 at 4:02AM
    You are a Geek ;)

    Edit: agreed on cleaning the RAM being pointless, I suggested he cleaned the video card :P
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    You are a Geek ;)

    Edit: agreed on cleaning the RAM being pointless, I suggested he cleaned the video card :P

    Have to disagree here. Cleaning RAM contacts can be of use, especially for a second owner PC.
    Perhaps the OP can also run the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool.

    Miroslav, what Operating System is in use on the HP? XP Home or Pro or some flavour of Vista?
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,129 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    OP, if it doesn't freeze in Safe Mode, then it's not going to be a PSU issue.
    Freezing in any mode is not indicative of a failing PSU anyway. A failing PSU will usually result in a failure to complete POST, and so it won't boot to the Windows desktop.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Splott
    Splott Posts: 225 Forumite
    You are a Geek ;)

    Edit: agreed on cleaning the RAM being pointless, I suggested he cleaned the video card :P

    No it isn't pointless. Over time because the metal on the pins of the RAM and the contacts of the socket it plugs into are dissimilar metals, corrosion builds up on the surface.

    Taking the RAM out and cleaning both the contacts on the RAM and in the slot with a fibreglass pen sorts a lot of problems with machines typically 4+ years old.
  • LucianH
    LucianH Posts: 445 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Give the contacts a bit of a scratch/wipe, ...
    I would never recommend scratching contacts (specifically since many will be gold plated). Just clean/degrease (spot of meths). The only time you may need some form of abrasive is if its a bare copper (or similar) contact where it may tarnish. In that case use a very fine abrasive and make sure you clean it well afterwards to get rid of any metal deposits.
    Never let it get you down... unless it really is as bad as it seems.
  • Miroslav
    Miroslav Posts: 6,193 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks everyone.

    I managed to get the graphics card out and clean it this morning (had to rush off to bed last night). I've only just switched it on for the first time, so too early to say it isn't going to stick.

    I will keep attempting to backup what I can.

    I have run the memory diagnostics tool - no errors.

    This PC is running Windows Vista Home Premium.

    So, it's unlikely to be PSU....any reasons why one monitor that's donkeys years old will run better than a much newer monitor? Although it still sticks.

    I've uninstalled software that i've put on since just before it started sticking....nothing changed.

    If I do a system restore - it has 1 choice that was saved before this started going wrong, would I lose files (photo's etc)?
  • Lum
    Lum Posts: 6,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    It's possible that the graphics card is faulty or overheating... does the graphics card fan (if it has one) still turn?

    Since the other monitor is running at 640x480 rather than 1440x900 maybe the card is doing less work and thus not overheating so quickly.

    I take it you don't have a spare graphics card lying around?
  • Miroslav
    Miroslav Posts: 6,193 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 30 January 2013 at 3:25PM
    Lum wrote: »
    It's possible that the graphics card is faulty or overheating... does the graphics card fan (if it has one) still turn?

    Since the other monitor is running at 640x480 rather than 1440x900 maybe the card is doing less work and thus not overheating so quickly.

    I take it you don't have a spare graphics card lying around?

    It does have one and I have cleaned it. Nvidia Geforce 7300le

    I do have another one - MSI - trying to find a pic of it as can't find booklet. It doesn't have a fan.

    EDIT found booklet - it says it has a fan connector, but not a fan.

    ATI Radeon HD5450 series

    Says I need a 400w or better power supply - I only have 300w

    1g DDR2 memory, 512mb DDR3 memory, 256 DDR3 memory

    Connections look different as well on the outside - has HDMI which my current one doesn't. It's ok though I think, as it has different size brackets to choose from.

    And my screen just turnd purple!
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    Miroslav wrote: »
    It does have one and I have cleaned it. Nvidia Geforce 7300le

    I do have another one - MSI - trying to find a pic of it as can't find booklet. It doesn't have a fan.

    EDIT found booklet - it says it has a fan connector, but not a fan.

    ATI Radeon HD5450 series

    Says I need a 400w or better power supply - I only have 300w

    1g DDR2 memory, 512mb DDR3 memory, 256 DDR3 memory

    Connections look different as well on the outside - has HDMI which my current one doesn't. It's ok though I think, as it has different size brackets to choose from.

    And my screen just turnd purple!

    The new card will work, as long as it will fit in the PCI Express slot. Try it.

    I'll send you the Vista DVD if you need it.
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