Computer broke

[ewx]

My computer's been hanging, usually overnight, on some of the hotter days lately. The usual pattern is that it then won't start up again for several hours (presumably still cooling down). Yesterday it hung again in the afternoon. I tried replacing the thermal transfer pad between the CPU and heatsink with some silver-based heat transfer goop that Mobbsy lent me, but now it won't start up at all. If it's been off for a while then the group of four LEDs that count up through the boot get either to five or six, after that they stick at zero for a while. I don't know that the CPU is permanently damaged, but it's rather looking that way.

I might try applying the heat transfer stuff again, in case it was too thin or badly distributed the first time; or buy the cheapest compatible CPU and try with that; or just take the whole thing back to WOC and ask them how much to fix it. Decisions, decisions. I'd try the first but I'm getting really fed up of fiddling around inside computers.

Comments

[simonb.livejournal.com]

*smile*

I have to admit that for a decent local PC shop (i.e. not Cambridge Con Artists) WOC have very competive prices, even when compared to online PC suppliers.

When my monitor finally gives out (which it will soon from the looks of things) I'll be getting a nice TFT screen from them as they are only £10-20 more expensive than the online places I normally buy from... and with TFT screens where dead pixels et al are a problem, its highly useful to have someone local to talk to :) When I get around to getting a laptop I'll get from WOC for the same reason.