help my computer is DEAD

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada

Playing a game last night, screen goes black. C+A+D does nothing. Shut it off with power button. Turned it back on, hard drive whirs but will not boot. One beep about every 4 seconds. HP tech support says it's at "end of life". Wouldn't help because no warranty. suggest I by a new one, can't afford one!!!!

Bought July 04. Shouldn't a computer last longer than 5 years?

Any suggestions????

hooNos · Joined: Mar 22, 2004 Posts: 301

Have you tried checking the motherboard battery and the power supply? Without having more particular information on the computer and operating system, it's hard to give you suggestions. But checking the fans (both CPU & power supply, as well as trying a motherboard replacement battery (lest expensive choice and can cause a computer to fail to boot), that's the best I can offer. Hope it helps you some. Wink

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

HP, like other PC makers, rate their products for an average life expectancy of 4+ years. Some units make it and some don't.

CMOS battery life is also about four years, some make it and some don't.

I have an HP computer here that apparently died. The owner bought a new computer and gave me the old (dead) one for parts.

I removed the almost dead CMOS battery. Later, I stuck in a new battery and the dead computer came back to life, WOW! Who would of thunk it?

I also had to clean out several years accumulation of DIRT in the CPU heatsink and in the PSU.

Once cleaned and revived, with a new CMOS Battery, the little HP ran like new again.

The same repair technique may just work for you, Wenbo, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg either. It's sure worth a try.

By the way, the battery is a "CR-2032" coin type battery, available at most drug stores and Radio Shack stores, for under $3.00.

Good Luck and Happy Mother's Day, Very Happy

The Doctor Cool

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada

Thanks for the info. It's fixed!!!!! YEAH!!!!! only cost me 50$. so am not unhappy about that.

It apparently overheated, I think. I guess the Power supply was full of dirt, even though I had cleaned it recently. The fellow took the heat sink apart & cleaned all that out and regreased it, or whatever you do to them. LOL

Fixed the bios so now it will recognized my 2g's of ram that the mother board will take but HP wouldn't. A lot faster than it was. He checked the battery and it is still really good.

Thanks so much for the info. I really appreciate this forum, I have learned so much from the folks here.

I do have one small problem. When I open the Add/Remove programs most of the programs do not have the change/uninstall option available anymore. Any idea what he did and how I can fix it?

Thanks

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

He deleted your "Setup.log" files.

Without them, you can't uninstall any installed programs.

You have to just delete the program(s) manually. I find that a lot.

If you use "Disk Cleanup" to keep the junk off of your PC, make sure you DO NOT put a check next to "Setup Logs".
Yes.....I learned that, the hard way. Crying or Very sad

Doc

wenbo · Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 367 Location: Ontario, Canada