Post the Third: The Computer Saga
The computer saga started a little over two weeks ago, when my laptop started crashing. Bluescreen. It had been getting laggy a lot, so I did a backup and restore. Got some speed back, but the crashing kept on going. So off to Beast Buy it went. They found some sneaky virus type things, cleared it out, said it was fine. It wasn't.
I got it home and it started up with the crashing again. Back to BB. It wouldn't crash there. They suggested making notes on the error messages and what I was doing when it crashed. I took it home and did that. Back the next day, when a different guy ignored the notes on the errors and insisted on having the restore disks (something no one else had mentioned). After much irritation, it went back with the restore disks.
While we were in Wisconsin, they called, and said that under a stress test and also checking normal activity, it wouldn't crash. So they'd done nothing. Wednesday, we talked to someone when they weren't busy. Got them to do the restore anyway.
Meanwhile, we talked about upgrading me, and decided to go for that. Did some research. Went out tonight to buy the new machine (which is currently being set up) and pick up the old one. They said it was fine. It's still not. Crashed on me within half an hour.
It can't be software. I didn't install anything yet. Talking to promethean, it could be either a heat issue or the network, maybe? I'm letting it cool off now (using Jim's comp at the moment), and I'm going to test it out when not networked to see what happens.
Any other suggestions as to what's wrong with it? I'm willing to sink a bit more money into the beastie to have it as a backup machine. Not a LOT, but some. I do have a pic on my camera of the bluescreen, though I'm trying to avoid downloading things to Jim's comp if I can help it. I think I could download just a pic without installing the camera software, though, if that would help someone with the diagnosis. Or wait 'til I pick up the new comp and install the camera software on that one.
I got it home and it started up with the crashing again. Back to BB. It wouldn't crash there. They suggested making notes on the error messages and what I was doing when it crashed. I took it home and did that. Back the next day, when a different guy ignored the notes on the errors and insisted on having the restore disks (something no one else had mentioned). After much irritation, it went back with the restore disks.
While we were in Wisconsin, they called, and said that under a stress test and also checking normal activity, it wouldn't crash. So they'd done nothing. Wednesday, we talked to someone when they weren't busy. Got them to do the restore anyway.
Meanwhile, we talked about upgrading me, and decided to go for that. Did some research. Went out tonight to buy the new machine (which is currently being set up) and pick up the old one. They said it was fine. It's still not. Crashed on me within half an hour.
It can't be software. I didn't install anything yet. Talking to promethean, it could be either a heat issue or the network, maybe? I'm letting it cool off now (using Jim's comp at the moment), and I'm going to test it out when not networked to see what happens.
Any other suggestions as to what's wrong with it? I'm willing to sink a bit more money into the beastie to have it as a backup machine. Not a LOT, but some. I do have a pic on my camera of the bluescreen, though I'm trying to avoid downloading things to Jim's comp if I can help it. I think I could download just a pic without installing the camera software, though, if that would help someone with the diagnosis. Or wait 'til I pick up the new comp and install the camera software on that one.