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Thread: desperately needed computer help

  1. #1
    Oy Vey! Red in Chicago's Avatar
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    desperately needed computer help

    I've got an HP PC that's about 8 years old. No real problems until the other day. I went to check email and nothing was working. The clock was still showing time from about 8 hours prior. I couldn't get the mouse to acknowledge, tried to power off PC, but nothing. I ended up unplugging it for a few minutes then turned it back on. Still nothing. The only thing that happens is that the fan seems to run very high.

    Is the computer fried? I've got lots of pictures that I would hate to lose. Also, with regards to email. I have a comcast email account tied to this PC. I thought that by logging into comcast.net, I would be able to have access to my folders and / or old emails, but the only thing I seem to be able to access are emails going forward.

    Is this a "Geek Squad" task, since I'm completely retarded when it comes to computers? Someone please help!!

    Thanks


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  3. #2
    Member hebroncougar's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    If I could tell you what to do, I would. If it is fried, there's a pretty decent chance you could have the stuff on the hard drive put into another computer, or at least the contents transferred. I'd highly recommend hard copy backups, or upload them all to a website that will store them like snapfish if you can get them to come back up.

  4. #3
    breath westofyou's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    so it won't boot windows?

    If so let me know and we can try and check the thing by opening in SAFE mode (start it up prior to windows opening hit the F10 button) it should display a menu to choose SAFE Mode opening

  5. #4
    We are the angry mob cincyinco's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    As far as your email not being on Comcast.net, if you previously used a program like outlook express for your email, or other 3rd party emaio client.. Well you probably used the pop3 protocal and downloaded your email OFF of the server... So it was all stored locally on your computer's hard drive if this was the case.. This you only are messages from the time this happened going forward.

    If its a problem with the OS its probably fixable. If its a fried hard drive, you might be at a loss. Your message is vaugue, unfortunately. Whatever happens, keep your hard drive. You can pull information from it if its not bad, and in some cases, even if it is.. This is assuming worst case scenario where you need a replacement.

    Former Comcast high speed internet tech here, so I may be able to help a bit.
    "I hate to advocate chemicals, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone... But they've always worked for me."

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  6. #5
    Pitter Patter TRF's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    If the PC won't boot into safe mode, it's likely toast. You probably can get most of your files off the hard drive though.
    Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.

  7. #6
    Member JaxRed's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    Chances are this is NOT a hard drive. If so, you should by a new computer. (Dude it was 8 years old. That's like 150 in computer years).

    Then you pick up a external drive enclosure ($39) and put your old hard drive in there and get your stuff off.
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  8. #7
    breath westofyou's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    (Dude it was 8 years old. That's like 150 in computer years).
    I have 2 laptops older than that, windows will degrade over time for sure... that's why I took them and slapped Ubuntu on them. They run dandy with that OS.

  9. #8
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    Sounds like your hard drive is probably ok, and as others have said, you should be able to get your pictures, etc. back off of it even if the rest of the computer is fried. What exactly DOES happen when you turn the computer on now? Absolutely nothing? Blank screen? Windows loads but is frozen? The BIOS loads but Windows doesn't? Knowing this will help to diagnose what's broken.
    On a side note, if the hard drive is 8 years old, you REALLY REALLY REALLY need to make copies of your important files onto a new hard drive or some other medium.

  10. #9
    Oy Vey! Red in Chicago's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    Quote Originally Posted by westofyou View Post
    so it won't boot windows?

    If so let me know and we can try and check the thing by opening in SAFE mode (start it up prior to windows opening hit the F10 button) it should display a menu to choose SAFE Mode opening
    It won't boot anything. It's basically a black screen, since it doesn't acknowledge the monitor. The monitor just shows no signal and then goes to sleep. Everything is plugged in correctly.

    Quote Originally Posted by cincyinco View Post
    As far as your email not being on Comcast.net, if you previously used a program like outlook express for your email, or other 3rd party emaio client.. Well you probably used the pop3 protocal and downloaded your email OFF of the server... So it was all stored locally on your computer's hard drive if this was the case.. This you only are messages from the time this happened going forward.

    Former Comcast high speed internet tech here, so I may be able to help a bit.
    Thanks for the tip on the emails. I believe I had the pop3 that you referenced above.

    Quote Originally Posted by TylerScottDavis View Post
    Sounds like your hard drive is probably ok, and as others have said, you should be able to get your pictures, etc. back off of it even if the rest of the computer is fried. What exactly DOES happen when you turn the computer on now? Absolutely nothing? Blank screen? Windows loads but is frozen? The BIOS loads but Windows doesn't? Knowing this will help to diagnose what's broken.
    On a side note, if the hard drive is 8 years old, you REALLY REALLY REALLY need to make copies of your important files onto a new hard drive or some other medium.
    I've kept the pc off for a day now, and when I power it up, I basically get nothing. The monitor (no signal), keyboard and mouse are not acknowledged. The only thing that happens, is that the fan on the pc is very loud and seems to be running very fast. I tried the F10 thing, but since the monitor doesn't show a signal, I can't see anything happening. The fan speed and noise level did not change.

  11. #10
    The Lineups stink. KronoRed's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    Sounds like the power supply,CPU or motherboard has called it quits, the good news is your hard drive is most likely just fine.

    New computer time
    Go Gators!

  12. #11
    KungFu Fighter AtomicDumpling's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    It could be the video card too, but since it is an HP it probably does not have a separate video card and the graphics processor is built into the motherboard.

    It might also be the hard drive, but probably not. Since you are not getting anything on the monitor even early in the boot sequence (before the hard drive is accessed) it almost has to be the motherboard.

    So the bad news is you will need a new computer. The good news is the data on your hard drive is probably recoverable.

  13. #12
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    Quote Originally Posted by AtomicDumpling View Post
    It could be the video card too, but since it is an HP it probably does not have a separate video card and the graphics processor is built into the motherboard.

    It might also be the hard drive, but probably not. Since you are not getting anything on the monitor even early in the boot sequence (before the hard drive is accessed) it almost has to be the motherboard.

    So the bad news is you will need a new computer. The good news is the data on your hard drive is probably recoverable.
    What he said

  14. #13
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    Quote Originally Posted by westofyou View Post
    I have 2 laptops older than that, windows will degrade over time for sure... that's why I took them and slapped Ubuntu on them. They run dandy with that OS.
    I generally just back up my stuff and fdisk my computer once a year just to start over fresh and get things back to running smoothly. I tend to take good care of my stuff, but like you said, windows breaks down over time with installs, uninstalls, registry issues etc...

  15. #14
    We are the angry mob cincyinco's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    Just like cars, you do maintenance on your computer..

    Its always a good idea to defrag a couple of times a year, its good to back up your data, properly ininstall software you don't need, etc...
    "I hate to advocate chemicals, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone... But they've always worked for me."

    -Hunter S. Thompson

  16. #15
    Member hebroncougar's Avatar
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    Re: desperately needed computer help

    A great program for defragging is JKDefrag, it's free online. Especially if you are running vista, it's very fast compared to the crappy defragger that comes with Vista.


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