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Polarhound
I suck at [H]F
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2003
- Messages
- 1,305
Yes, the dreaded Iᶟ ...
The only reason I am working on this computer is that it is the same one I bought for this family 3 years ago for Christmas so his 4 kids had something to use for schoolwork... and school starts back up tomorrow for them.
It is an Acer, your run of the mill basic mass produced econobox computer that was being pushed in box store package deals being pushed during the 2007 Christmas season. About a year ago, it developed the dreaded Vista endless-reboot problem, which I eventually got fixed by can't for the life of me remember how now. Apparently it has occasionally done it since, but rebooting a couple of times would usually get by it, so they never told me about the problem.
Fast forward to a month ago when I had the system to fix the all-too-common 'can't see the CD drive anymore' problem which was fixed with the usual 4 registry entries. When I gave it back, it was working fine.
(Don't worry, getting to the hardware part of things)
Apparently, when they got the computer back, it wouldn't boot at all after a couple of days, but I only found out about it today since they were out of state for a couple of weeks. I get the box, fire it up, get the "Repair/Start normally" dialog, both of which result in a lockup. Throw in the recovery cd, it locks up after loading files.
At this point, start pulling hardware, starting with one stick of generijap memory. Pull the first stick, and now it boots. Move the 2nd stick to the 1st slot, still boots. Put the 1st stick in the 2nd slot, STILL boots. Swap sticks back, still boots. Remember that computer is normally not used while on it's side (thinking possible hdd issue), put it back up, repeat all, still boots.
Upgrade memory to 2GB of Crucial I had lying around (the system originally only had 1), still boots. Gone through a half dozen boot cycles in the last half hour, still boots.
Test PS voltage, all fine.
I really don't want to see this computer on my bench again, so I ask: Is this a case where correlation could actually equal causation for once? With how intermittent it is, I'm not even sure if it's a memory slot issue, and I can't keep it for extended testing.
The only reason I am working on this computer is that it is the same one I bought for this family 3 years ago for Christmas so his 4 kids had something to use for schoolwork... and school starts back up tomorrow for them.
It is an Acer, your run of the mill basic mass produced econobox computer that was being pushed in box store package deals being pushed during the 2007 Christmas season. About a year ago, it developed the dreaded Vista endless-reboot problem, which I eventually got fixed by can't for the life of me remember how now. Apparently it has occasionally done it since, but rebooting a couple of times would usually get by it, so they never told me about the problem.
Fast forward to a month ago when I had the system to fix the all-too-common 'can't see the CD drive anymore' problem which was fixed with the usual 4 registry entries. When I gave it back, it was working fine.
(Don't worry, getting to the hardware part of things)
Apparently, when they got the computer back, it wouldn't boot at all after a couple of days, but I only found out about it today since they were out of state for a couple of weeks. I get the box, fire it up, get the "Repair/Start normally" dialog, both of which result in a lockup. Throw in the recovery cd, it locks up after loading files.
At this point, start pulling hardware, starting with one stick of generijap memory. Pull the first stick, and now it boots. Move the 2nd stick to the 1st slot, still boots. Put the 1st stick in the 2nd slot, STILL boots. Swap sticks back, still boots. Remember that computer is normally not used while on it's side (thinking possible hdd issue), put it back up, repeat all, still boots.
Upgrade memory to 2GB of Crucial I had lying around (the system originally only had 1), still boots. Gone through a half dozen boot cycles in the last half hour, still boots.
Test PS voltage, all fine.
I really don't want to see this computer on my bench again, so I ask: Is this a case where correlation could actually equal causation for once? With how intermittent it is, I'm not even sure if it's a memory slot issue, and I can't keep it for extended testing.