- Oct 9, 2002
- 28,298
- 1,235
- 136
I used to install cable modems for a local cable ISP, and I was able to make an overwhelmingly good impression on several hundred customers. Even though I no longer install cable modems, several people call me constantly to service their computers and recommend me to other people.
Recently, I got a call from a stranger who was given my phone number. His eMachines computer would lock up every time he tried to open IE. It turns out that it was choked up with spyware, causing the explorer.exe process to crash frequently and giving the appearance that the entire computer was locked up.
When he dropped off the computer with me, I took it to my apartment and plugged in a power cord. As many computers do, it powered on before I pressed the power button. I had not even connected any cords other than the power cord. I tried to force it off by holding in the power button, a low-level function that should work on any computer without a physical problem. To my dismay, it would not shut off, indicating a physical problem. The only way to get it to power down was to disconnect the power cord. I called the customer to confirm that the computer was supposed to be bootable and advised him on what I had already encountered. I told him that the next step would be to test each component in my working system. I also verified that the manufacturer's warranty was no longer valid before I took off the cover.
It was stuffed with clumps of dust as most computers that sit on the floor. I tried wiggling the memory module to see if it would make a better connection, no luck. The computer still has the same symptoms. I tested the memory in my own computer and it works. Tried it in a different slot on his computer, still no-go. I tried my Antec power supply in his system, connecting both the ATX power and the 4-pin AUX power, but it still would not boot.
I absolutely HATE transplanting AMD CPUs after some bad experiences in the past, so I was completely careful when I moved it into my system (which is also an socket-A nforce2-chipset board). I removed the existing thermal compound, cleaned the surfaces thoroughly with acetone, and properly applied high-performance Arctic Silver-5 compound. The CPU worked perfectly in my system.
The hard drive even booted up in my system without reinstalling Windows; due to the motherboards having the same chipset. I had to go through the activation process again, which was an exercise in frustration. The #$%^ing automated system hung up on me several times because there was no "hold on, dammit!" option while I was copying the product key from the eMachines chassis.
Once the activation prompt was passed, I was able to see that Windows was badly infested with loads of obvious spyware, including some particularly nasty ones that would even load in Safe Mode (apparently modifying Windows). I spent most of the day trying to consolidate/backup data from Internet Explorer + 3 different versions of Netscape, Outlook Express, and other apps/documents. All through the day, I was trying to get back in touch with the guy to let him know what had to be done before I could continue.
Already, this was an awkward situation. He handed me a computer that was booting when he disconnected it, but would not when I received it. When I finally got in touch with him after wasting most of the day, he gave the go-ahead to transplant his components from his machine into mine. I had a chassis that was only $5 after rebate, and the ATX motherboard of mine was too large to fit into the micro-ATX eMachines chassis.
After disconnecting, I properly mounted his hard drive in my chassis and moved over the two optical drives and the power supply. For some reason, my CPU was installed because I had swapped them back at some point during the day before I decided to sell him my motherboard. I swapped his CPU back in, making sure to add just a tiny speck of fresh AS5 because the heatsink had been removed and was being re-applied. The orientation was absolutely correct. I turned it on and...
...smelled ozone.
#$%^.
I already knew that I was going to come out behind after all this. I had no choice but to give him my CPU. I carefully installed my CPU this time going through the entire process again of carefully reapplying AS5 (the third time in one day, not including the disastrous partial application).
Turned it on...
...smelled ozone.
#$%^.
Now I'm REALLY upset. I have not used this motherboard since before I paid $75 to MSI to have it fixed (the analog audio output had a broken-off headphone connector in it). It was most valuable to me for the SoundStorm feature, even though it doesn't have 400FSB support. Even after I paid for the repair, MSI sent back the wrong board thinking that I wouldn't notice the absence of SoundStorm, so I had to send it back and swap it out again. After I went through such effort, it looks like I have now lost one motherboard and two CPUs. Not only that, but I have to try and explain this to the guy, who is probably going to think I wasn't competent.
This probably had nothing to do with the CPU. My guess is that the crappy eMachines power supply destroyed the motherboard and possibly the CPUs also. There is no way to tell if the CPU's are OK without another socket-A motherboard, which are not easy to find around here. Also, I'm not sure if I'm risking a good motherboard to try these possibly-damaged CPUs. I have a power supply tester, but it always shows "good" on any power supply that provides any juice at all...which doesn't tell me much.
Cliffs:
I can't win.
Recently, I got a call from a stranger who was given my phone number. His eMachines computer would lock up every time he tried to open IE. It turns out that it was choked up with spyware, causing the explorer.exe process to crash frequently and giving the appearance that the entire computer was locked up.
When he dropped off the computer with me, I took it to my apartment and plugged in a power cord. As many computers do, it powered on before I pressed the power button. I had not even connected any cords other than the power cord. I tried to force it off by holding in the power button, a low-level function that should work on any computer without a physical problem. To my dismay, it would not shut off, indicating a physical problem. The only way to get it to power down was to disconnect the power cord. I called the customer to confirm that the computer was supposed to be bootable and advised him on what I had already encountered. I told him that the next step would be to test each component in my working system. I also verified that the manufacturer's warranty was no longer valid before I took off the cover.
It was stuffed with clumps of dust as most computers that sit on the floor. I tried wiggling the memory module to see if it would make a better connection, no luck. The computer still has the same symptoms. I tested the memory in my own computer and it works. Tried it in a different slot on his computer, still no-go. I tried my Antec power supply in his system, connecting both the ATX power and the 4-pin AUX power, but it still would not boot.
I absolutely HATE transplanting AMD CPUs after some bad experiences in the past, so I was completely careful when I moved it into my system (which is also an socket-A nforce2-chipset board). I removed the existing thermal compound, cleaned the surfaces thoroughly with acetone, and properly applied high-performance Arctic Silver-5 compound. The CPU worked perfectly in my system.
The hard drive even booted up in my system without reinstalling Windows; due to the motherboards having the same chipset. I had to go through the activation process again, which was an exercise in frustration. The #$%^ing automated system hung up on me several times because there was no "hold on, dammit!" option while I was copying the product key from the eMachines chassis.
Once the activation prompt was passed, I was able to see that Windows was badly infested with loads of obvious spyware, including some particularly nasty ones that would even load in Safe Mode (apparently modifying Windows). I spent most of the day trying to consolidate/backup data from Internet Explorer + 3 different versions of Netscape, Outlook Express, and other apps/documents. All through the day, I was trying to get back in touch with the guy to let him know what had to be done before I could continue.
Already, this was an awkward situation. He handed me a computer that was booting when he disconnected it, but would not when I received it. When I finally got in touch with him after wasting most of the day, he gave the go-ahead to transplant his components from his machine into mine. I had a chassis that was only $5 after rebate, and the ATX motherboard of mine was too large to fit into the micro-ATX eMachines chassis.
After disconnecting, I properly mounted his hard drive in my chassis and moved over the two optical drives and the power supply. For some reason, my CPU was installed because I had swapped them back at some point during the day before I decided to sell him my motherboard. I swapped his CPU back in, making sure to add just a tiny speck of fresh AS5 because the heatsink had been removed and was being re-applied. The orientation was absolutely correct. I turned it on and...
...smelled ozone.
#$%^.
I already knew that I was going to come out behind after all this. I had no choice but to give him my CPU. I carefully installed my CPU this time going through the entire process again of carefully reapplying AS5 (the third time in one day, not including the disastrous partial application).
Turned it on...
...smelled ozone.
#$%^.
Now I'm REALLY upset. I have not used this motherboard since before I paid $75 to MSI to have it fixed (the analog audio output had a broken-off headphone connector in it). It was most valuable to me for the SoundStorm feature, even though it doesn't have 400FSB support. Even after I paid for the repair, MSI sent back the wrong board thinking that I wouldn't notice the absence of SoundStorm, so I had to send it back and swap it out again. After I went through such effort, it looks like I have now lost one motherboard and two CPUs. Not only that, but I have to try and explain this to the guy, who is probably going to think I wasn't competent.
This probably had nothing to do with the CPU. My guess is that the crappy eMachines power supply destroyed the motherboard and possibly the CPUs also. There is no way to tell if the CPU's are OK without another socket-A motherboard, which are not easy to find around here. Also, I'm not sure if I'm risking a good motherboard to try these possibly-damaged CPUs. I have a power supply tester, but it always shows "good" on any power supply that provides any juice at all...which doesn't tell me much.
Cliffs:
I can't win.
Which received a pithy reply of "HAHAHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAA!" from his understanding but poor friend.
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