NRR: My computer died

Dell makes crap. Sorry. Get a new iMac. They're awesome.

How did you post to letsrun.com then? 0/10

I'm on my work computer, using someone else's wireless connection. The carcass of my computer is in the other room. Thanks for your concern.

dead machine = new computer and a mildly lighter wallet.

Build a computer with components from newegg.com and use linux sabayon for the os.

When you hit the power and you see lights, is there any sound? Hard drives? Processor? It could be a couple things but I'd switch out the video card first, then the memory, processor and motherboard, probably in that order. Post back up what you find out,

So I finally brought my computer into work for our computer guru to look at. He opens it up, takes all of the cards out of their slots and hits the on button. It sounds like it is booting up, but of course we can't see anything. Next he puts the video card back in and it boots up fine. He then puts the other two cards back in and it boots up fine. The equivalent of wiggling some cables and it looks to be all better. Glad I didn't just go out and buy a new computer.

I hope it still works when I get home.

Turn it off and on. If that fails make sure its all plugged in. Repeat the first step. Should now work

Why didn't you do this in the first place? Dumbass.

You will find that to be one of the most basic principles of computer-related advice on the LetsRun message boards: if it is emphasized with profanity and/or hyperbole (like our articulate friend in the first quote), you can be fairly certain that it's wrong.

CrapDetector wrote:

Dell makes crap. Sorry. Get a new iMac. They're awesome.

mcgato wrote:

Glad I didn't just go out and buy a new computer.

The computer guru was on vacation for a few days. I never thought that taking the boards out and putting them back in would fix the problem. Nobody here suggested that I do that.

My mom has a Dell desktop of roughly the same age and it had a similar problem just last week. No boot at all, it would just power on and the monitor would show nothing but a blinking cursor on a blank screen. Hers has four little amber/green diagnostic LEDs on the back of the box that told me it was a memory problem, and sure enough one of the modules was bad.

If you've got those LEDs (they should be all green under normal conditions) that will give you a good place to start if something else goes wrong. I looked the meanings up in the manual, but I'm sure you could find that information online too if you don't have your manual any more.

It's karma, from the gummy bears.

mcgato wrote:

The computer guru was on vacation for a few days. I never thought that taking the boards out and putting them back in would fix the problem. Nobody here suggested that I do that.

We all figured you had already done that.

It's true . Ted Kennedy, Dominick Dunne,and now your computer. Freaky.