What are the warning signs that any PC needs to be replaced?

YES. Janet, probly just a virus, but if you don't know how to fix these things yourself, which I am assuming you don't or your wouldn't be asking, consider that you will need to pay someone else to do it. Parts and labor, just like a car. Then you will have the hassle of taking it in, being without, picking it up. The minimum I would do is call around and get an estimate for time and cost. Then decide if it's worth it. In some cities, for electronics you have to pay a fee to the garbage company or take it to a special location.

Try turning off Windows System Restore if you have it, and have it enabled. I had to do this despite having relatively few programs and applications loaded on my hard drive because my computer kept crashing and programs were failing to work while warning me of critical system errors via Windows' blue screens of death. Obviously Windows was caching more than it could handle even though I thought I had enough free RAM. I'd also regularly defragment the hard drive, delete cookies, and clear out temporarily saved files in Windows Media Player and other Windows applications for general maintenance purposes.

There are several very good diagnostic programs on the market.I use Fix-It Utilities 7 by Avanquest USA. The PC Doctor franchises use another which has a picture of a tool set on the CD Box Cover. Its name escapes me now. These applications run the hardware thru a rigorous set of tests. I believe that there is also some diagnostic freeware. Some menufacturers have online live chat sessions where they can take control of your computer and run diagnostics. In short, I would try some of these approaches before giving up.

Good luck!

There are none. There are signs that the hard drive needs to be defragged, but none that it is going to fail, which it will. There are signs that you need to clean up the registry, but none that the CPU is in trouble - which it seldom is. There are signs that you may have a memory problem, but you need to run tests for that which most don't and seldom does memory fail. Best bet, quit relying on PCs that have exceeded their warranty and make sure, especially with laptops if you intend to extend their use beyond the warranty, to return them to the manufacturer for a full service check up right at the end of the warranty period.

Hi Janet,

None of the things you mentioned are a warning sign to upgrade your PC. They are, however, a warning sign to re-install Windows from scratch.

Re-installing Windows on your PC will require some planning and preparation though. Firstly, use a program like Belarc Advisor ( http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html ) to audit your PC - and print (or write) out all information on your PCs Processor, Motherboard, Graphics and sound peripherals etc. You're going to need to download drivers for anything you don't have an install disk for. This can be drivers for Graphics cards, USB2 drivers right through to motherboard chipsets and printers etc... Make sure you have the lot! Don't forget to jot down the Windows Key by the way for when you re-install.

Think carefully about what needs backing up and do so - don't back up software installed on your PC, except install files if you don't have them saved elsewhere, but do back up your data if you want to keep it. External Drives are always best for this but you could use DVDs or CDs or even USB Thumb drives depending on how much stuff you have in your "My Documents" folder. Also a good idea to back up the entire "C:\Documents and Settings\[your username]\Application Data" folder as this contains important files relating to how your installed applications are configured.

Next, before you go formatting your drive, think very carefully about what software you will install - what you need. Think minimalist. For example, no need to install Microsoft Office 2000, Openoffice, Wordperfect Office and Abiword. Or no need to have Firefox, Opera, Maxathon, Mozilla suite etc when IE7 will do. Make decisions about what you will use and only install that.

Lastly, you would benefit greatly from a tweaking application to speed things up even further such as Tune Up Utilities ( http://www.tune-up.com/ ), or follow tips like these ( http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,117422-page,1/article.html )to speed things up.

So, once your prepared, go for it. Install Windows XP fresh and watch it fly! (at least for a while). Good luck.

All the symptons you list are signs that you have not done your PC 'house cleaning' properly &/or not practiced safe hex.

The one & only time you _need_ to upgrade is when your old PC either cannot run the software you need to use or it runs the software very slowly & that is the only time.

On the other hand if you want to upgrade & need an excuse then they are useful.

Here are the selected submissions grouped in one post. Read through them and place your votes in the newsletter poll.


Answer:

Signs computer needs replacement

None of the examples you gave are absolute signs that a computer has reached the end of its life and needs to be replace, but rather that it needs some loving care and maintenance. Actually a few of these symptoms might be easily corrected by running a chkdsk /r from the recovery console, performing a virus scan or performing a system restore from safe mode. However, you always run the risk of losing your data whenever you start working on your computer, so backups are always mandatory. A computer is no different than your car, it needs routine maintenance. Thus, the more you drive it or surf the Internet, the more often you need to perform some maintenance. In my experience the number one cause of computer problems has been forgetting to renew antivirus software or ignoring security software expiration warnings. The answer to your question has more to do with your ability to work on your own computer. If you don?t have the time, interest or ability to maintain your own computer, then any of these symptoms could signal the end. I say this because the cost to hire someone to repair your computer, depending on who you call, could add up very quickly to nearly the cost of a new computer. Many of the problems you mentioned above could be and are most likely due to some form of virus, spyware, malware or Windows corruption and could be fixed with a few free programs, some updates and a couple of hours of your time. Probably the worst case scenario would be that your hard drive has or is starting to fail and needs to be replaced. If you replaced the hard drive yourself and reinstall Windows, you might be out $100 for the drive. If you had this work performed at a local repair shop, it could cost you $300 or more. If the computer, when it was working, met your needs and still does, then repairing it may make sense. But you should keep in mind that even though you may have paid $2000 or more for that old clunker, a new computer can be had for as little as $500 today.

I find the most common reasons people dump their old computer are:

? They just want a new one ? Many people just simply want a new computer even though their old one is working just fine. Maybe they want something a little faster or maybe want to make the switch from a desktop to a laptop. Or they just want to be the first on the block to have the latest technology.

? No longer meets their needs ? This could be for any reason including the need for more power to run more advanced games or maybe wanting to tackle something new like video editing.

? Repair Cost too High ? Something has gone wrong and the estimated repair cost is fairly high. If the computer is 3 or 4 years old, it may make more sense to just replace the whole thing.

? Complete Failure ? Something major has happened such as dropping a laptop or a lightning strike has taken out a motherboard.

Computer hardware today is actually very reliable and rarely fails with maybe the exception of the Hard Drives. There are actually very few moving parts inside a modern computer. You have the Hard Drive, the DVD or CD drive(s) and a couple of fans. Everything else is electronic and unless you have a lightening strike or let them overheat, electronic components should last many years (10 or more). Here is a list of possible hardware failures as well as typical cost of the hardware (not including labor):

1. Hard Drives ? $60-$200 - This is the most common type of failure. Hard drives typically last about 5 years for Desktop computers and about 3-4 years for laptops, but can fail at any time. It is actually surprising that they last as long as they do, spinning at speeds of up to 10,000 RPM.

2. Fans ? $9-$29 - I don?t usually see too many fans that have actually stopped working, however they can start making a lot of noise as the bearings or bushings get worn or the blades starts hitting the side of the fan shroud.

3. DVD/CD Drives ? $39-$69 - I don?t know if it is just a coincidence or they are not being made as well as they use to, but I am seeing a lot of failed DVD Drives this year.

4. Power Supplies - $30-$70 ? Many power supplies fail due to a power surge or lightening strike. Dust blocked vents can also lead to overheating related failures.

5. Motherboard/System Board Failure - $100-$300 ? Unless the computer is still under warranty, this kind of failure is usually not worth repairing.

6. Processor Failure ? $100-$500 ? Rare - I can think off only a few processor failures that I have run into and most of them where on homebuilt PC?s where the heat sinks were not installed properly.

Aside from the somewhat rare hardware failures I just mentioned, most all computer problems are software related. Assuming that you have backups of your data (you do have a backup, right?), the best way to completely resurrect and breath new life into a computer that is plagued by multiple problems and cannot be easily repaired with a simple virus or spyware scan, is to wipe it clean and start over by reinstalling the operating system. It is not to say that individual problems can not be isolated and repaired, but there becomes a point where nothing beats a complete cleaning and starting from scratch. And if you are experiencing all or many of the problems you listed above, this is probably the best way to go. There are several methods to perform a reinstall of Windows depending on your make and model computer:

1. Original Windows Installation CD?s ? This would be a Microsoft Windows CD and probably some driver CD?s from the manufacturer.

2. Recovery CD?s that came with your computer ? Some computers come with a set of recovery or restoration CD?s that will allow you to reset the computer back to the way it was the first day that you brought it home.

3. Recovery CD?S that you created ? Many new computers will prompt you to create your own set of recovery CD?s or DVD?s shortly after you set up your new computer.

4. Recovery Partition ? This is a separate recovery partition that the manufacturer placed on your hard drive. It is normally accessed by hit a key combination such as F10 or F11 while the computer starts. Check your computers manual or website for specific information for your exact computer.

5. Image File ? If you really planned ahead, you might have an image file that you can restore from. This image contains an exact duplicate of your hard drive at a specific point in time. You would have had to use some program such as Norton Ghost or Acronis Drive Image to get this image but it is a real time saver.

In most all cases, you will have to reinstall all of the software, printers and other items that you use as well as copy your data back to My Documents, favorites and email from your backups. This can be a big job for the faint of heart, especially if you did not plan ahead for this process. But you would have to do much of the same to set up a new computer as well.

Personally, I usually perform this process on every computer I own about once per year or two. It is the perfect time to do some real spring cleaning and remove some old email, dump programs that I no longer use and just start fresh.

Dana
Wayland Computer
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=242840&messageID=2462056#2462056

Submitted by: waytron

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Answer:

When to replace your computer?

While all the scenarios you envisioned could indicate that it is time to begin researching new computers they aren't necessarily an exact answer to your question. And truth be told, there is really no direct answer to your question beyond the simple, "Maybe."

Does your computer do everything you need it to do? Take away any of the "problems" you mention and answer the simple question of whether it still performs the functions you need out of a computer. Now add to that how old is your computer, and what operating system is it running? Keep in mind that just because your computer is 5 years old doesn't qualify it to the boneyard. The only person who can really answer your question is in fact you, and to help you come up with that answer let's talk about your options.

First if your computer is doing any (or heaven forbid ALL) of those conditions you mention then quite possible it is time to replace it. However, just one of those or another similar type of problem could possibly be remedied rather inexpensively (compared to replacing the system). Wanting to always open in safe mode could be any of quite a few different problems and the biggest issue is how to figure out what part of your computer is causing the trouble.

1) A bad power supply ($50-$75 generally) could make your system do all kinds of wacked out things. It might cause it to crash unexpectedly, never truly start up, or it might even get most of the way into windows and then suddenly freeze. I generally suspect the power supply when someone tells me about a multitude of problems (like your system is doing all those things you mentioned and not just one of them) as it will cause different things to happen at different times.

2) Failing hard drives ($50-$75)could show itself as corrupt data, the system wanting to boot into safe mode, random system freezes, or even the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). Now while all of these sound similar to the problems of a failing power supply the differences are there, but unfortunately unless you are a computer tech, you might not pick up on them. There are diagnostic tools you can run against your hard drive, but that would be a discussion for another day.

3) The RAM (memory) in your system has "gone bad" (about $100). While this is a less likely scenario it can happen and will again cause all sorts of different responses. As with the hard drives there are diagnostic tools to use to test your system memory.

4) Video card isn't working ($60). This is one of the easier items to detect as you will SEE what it is doing. When a video card fails it generally is fairly evident as your display will no longer show anything, or the text becomes all garbled.

5) Motherboard or CPU is beginning to fail ($200+). This one would most likely be a definite death sentence unless the system was less than a year or so old. However, this could be one of the toughest items for the casual user to determine as bad so it isn't too easy to make this call.

6) No bad hardware, just a tired old operating system (Free - maybe). Windows is a bit of a fickle operating system and over time it tends to deteriorate just from normal use. Installing and removing programs leaves traces of old software that can build up to quite a nasty mess. If you are diligent about backing up your data (you ARE right?!?!) then you could put in the disk that came with your computer and "wipe" it clean. If you have a name brand system (Dell, Compaq, Gateway, etc) then most of those have disks (you may have had to burn them yourself) that will restore the system to exactly the way it was when you first brought it home. BEWARE though that these disks do NOTHING to save your data, if you put the disk in and just run it without making sure you have everything copied off your system that you need, then you WILL lose your data.

Now, most of the prices I mentioned above are all just generalities, the true costs of any of those items could be much higher or lower, but overall I think you should be able to find suitable replacements in those ranges. Add to that the potential cost of having a tech do the work for you if you aren't comfortable digging around in your computer (any 1 of those items could bring labor costs of close to $200 from some repair shops plus the cost of the parts).

The bottom line is what do you want from your computer. Were you wishing (when it was still working "OK") that it was a little faster, or that it had this or that feature? If so then you probably want to look at something new. If it was handling all the tasks you wanted from it then maybe getting it repaired is a better alternative. Just as there are many possibilities to why your computer is doing something wrong, there are multiple factors into deciding to just replace the whole thing.

Hope that gives you a little guidance in making a decision. Just remember that somewhere around 70% (that number is made up by me, but if anything I would expect it to be low) of the computers out there are NOT utilized to their full potential and most 5 year old computers are still way more than capable of doing what most people need from them. Just like with a car, they need a little maintenance from time to time as they won't run indefinitely when ignored. Doing some routing servicing could get you several more years out of what you already have.

Greg Hicks

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=242840&messageID=2459076#2459076

Submitted by: gwhicks

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Answer:

Janet: Re: Warning signs that a computer needs to be replace

I think it?s important to distinguish between signs that a computer needs to be replaced and signs that the computer is in need of repair. And when considering repair, we should distinguish between hardware repair and software repair (e.g. repairing or perhaps, ultimately, reinstalling the operating system (Windows)). Clearly a computer exhibiting any of the symptoms that you describe ... much less all of them ... is in need of some serious attention, but not necessarily replacement.

Pretty much anything that goes wrong with a computer can be fixed; it can ALWAYS be made "as good as it was when it was new". Almost all of the symptoms that you listed could be caused by either hardware failures or a corrupted operating system. If you brought the computer to me, the first thing I?d want to know is what is the vintage of the system and what components does it have, because assuming that I?m not working for free out of friendship, if you bring me a Pentium II or Pentium III system (or anything earlier, or anything that originally came with an operating system earlier than Windows XP), I?m probably going to tell you right up front that while I can fix it, indeed while I can make it ?as good as it was when it was new?, and while the cost may not even be all that high (say $75 to $150), it?s not worth putting even that money into what is now in computer terms a really vintage system. In fact, I?d probably give you that advice even for a very early Pentium 4 system (say made between 2000 and about 2002, with a clock speed under 2GHz). I?d only suggest putting repair efforts into something more recent than about a 2002 vintage Pentium 4 with a clock speed over about 2GHz.

Assuming that you are still game for a repair, I?d run a good memory diagnostic [Memtest or Memtest86] first, because bad memory can cause a multitude of problem, including all of the problems that you describe, and it?s relatively easy and inexpensive to diagnose and fix.

Once we got past that point, and in the absence of signs of other obvious hardware failure, I?d be inclined to reinstall the operating system (Windows), because even if a corrupted operating system hadn?t been the initial problem, if you are seeing this type and variety of problems, it?s an odds-on certainty that the copy of Windows currently on the hard drive has become corrupted and needs reinstallation. A corrupted operating system can cause all of these problems, but it can be either the cause or just an effect, in which case the actual cause could be hardware failure of any kind as well as virus?, malware (?adware?) and so on.

The act of completely reinstalling an operating system is actually a fairly good stress test for a PC, and by the time a complete reinstallation of the operating system is done (including installing your other software and fully updating everything), a good technician will have a very good feel for whether or not the system is ?stable? or needs additional diagnostic work to find additional hardware problems. [After memory, the most likely cause of hardware problems in an older PC is often the power supply.]

If the computer is not so old as to be inherently incapable of meeting your needs, the only real indication that it actually needs to be replaced as opposed to fixed would be a failing motherboard, which, in a sense, ?is? the computer. Short of that (and even motherboards can be replaced), nearly everything can be repaired, and the computer could be made as good as it was when it was new.

Very often, however, the only thing a computer needs to be ?as good as it was when it was new? is a reinstallation of Windows, followed by installation of your applications software and transfer of your data. While this is ?just software?, it?s time consuming (hours to as much as several days, depending on how much software, data and settings are involved and need to be transferred), and if you are paying for it to be done, there will be a real cost for labor, if not for actual parts. On the other hand, if you buy a brand new computer, it won?t have your software, settings or data on it either, and you may still be looking at a significant effort to get it to a point where it is loaded with your software and data and connecting to your internet provider and E-Mail. So even total replacement of your old computer with a new computer doesn?t immediately end or cap your computer issues. You still need to get your software, data and settings transferred and applied to the new computer.

I hope that this is helpful,

Sincerely,
Barry Watzman

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=242840&messageID=2459083#2459083

Submitted by: Watzman

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Answer:

Replace... or Maintain?

Being "in the business" of computer consulting, I'm asked this question a lot. Here's the "Reader's Digest" version of my typical answer:

Business PC:
Expect to replace your PC's every two (2) to three (3) years. If you can justify holding onto a computer longer than that, fine. Businesses do well doing what they do best, not worrying about old computers breaking.

Personal PC:
A decent computer should last at least three (3) years. You can get more usage from it, if you maintain it properly, and don't require newer, faster hardware. Expect to upgrade or replace some components after the three year mark. if you're good about maintenance, you should get five (5) years or more of use out of a computer; again, assuming that newer, faster hardware isn't required, and that you haven't had any major hardware failures.

Maintenance:
ALL computers need to be maintained, business or personal. You can get by with what comes with your computer to do your maintenance, but if you want easier, better, and automatic maintenance done, you'll have to spend some money.

Keep in mind that most Broadband providers offer bundled software for free or minimal extra monthly charge. The bundles typically include Spyware, AntiVirus and other software.

Run the following in order when you have performance issues:

#1) Viruses
Every computer needs AntiVirus protection, and most computers come with some sort of virus protection. McAfee and Norton have long been the leaders in the field, but as of late, I've been recommending other AntiVirus software:
- AVG AntiVirus FREE Personal (not for business use)
- Trend Micro AntiVirus

#2) Spyware, Adware, Malware
This is the #1 reason I've seen a computer run slow, generate errors, or not run at all. Here's a few great FREE adware programs you can use:
- SpyBot
- AdWare Personal (not for business use)


#3) Clean It Up!
There's a very handy software title called CCleaner that does an excellent job of finding and deleting the junk files on your computer.
- CCleaner

#4) Fragmentation
Over time, your hard drive's files become fragmented, meaning that each file is broken into 16 kb fragments, and those fragments are scattered all over the hard drive, making file retrieval like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, with one BIG add-on: The 500 pieces of your file are mixed-up with thousands of other files' fragments! Run a Defragmenter at least once a month:
- Windows Defragmenter (free with Windows)
- Norton SpeedDisk (part of Norton Utilities or SystemWorks)
- DiskKeeper (set it and forget it features)

There you go. You can find most of these software programs on cNet's www.Download.com.

After maintaining your computer for a few years, the time still comes when it's best to just get a new one. Don't buy the cheapest one you can find; try to go up a level or two. The "pricepoint" systems are typically very difficult to upgrade or replace parts on later.

I hope this helps you!
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Submitted by: bkspeck

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Answer:

Not so fast on replacing the computer

You need to see what is causing it. It could be hardware problems, but is more likely infection (Malware or virus).

Step 1 should be to let the BIOS run a bunch of hardware checks. When you start the machine, the screen should tell you to press some key to enter the BIOS. This is usually F1 or Enter or Delete. Be careful what you change. You want to look at the "Startup" or "Boot" page and look for running tests; it is likely disabled. You enable it and let it boot. It will run memory and disk and heat checks. This will likely tell you if you have serious hardware problems. A lot of people skip this step, but the risk is that you run chkdsk and the like and end up ruining your hard disk (due to moving bad data around).

Step 2 is to run chkdsk. Let it do a full scan. To do this, bring up windows explorer (or My Computer). Click right on the C: drive and select properties. Click on tools and then "Check Now...". Select both check boxes and then press Start. It will tell you it has to reboot to do this. That is fine. This will find if it is a disk error somewhere. If there are problems (e.g. bad sectors), it may be fixable (it marks them as bad and stops using them). If not fixable, then you need to replace the hard disk, and that may be the time to change computers.

Step 3 is to look for viruses and malware. This is the most likely cause. Depending on how bad the infection, you may have trouble getting tools installed to fix it. You can use two free tools to help quickly check for common viruses and malware. One is from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
You run this and it tells you if you have an infection. It will not fix it, but the 1st step is to find if you have one. Then run the McAfee Stinger detection program:
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

If these find something, you know what tool to use to fix it (you can usually use the Microsoft Defender program or buy or demo an anti-virus application from a major vendor or a lower cost one). You may also want to download and install "HiJackThis", which helps others help you fix your problem (it says what is running and hidden). It is from:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php

Step 4 if nothing was found is to see if you you can clean up your system and registry. This rarely just happens. But, if so, CCleaner is a place to start. It allows you to clean your registry. It tends to show suspect applications and DLLs and "hooks" (programs that are started when you use Explorer). It can be downloaded from:
http://www.ccleaner.com/

After that, you should be finding more stability. Note that if possible, it is best to run these steps with your computer off the network (cable unplugged or radio off). This tends to thwart a lot of malware (many are using your computer to do things on the internet) and so give you a chance to get things cleaned up.

Best of luck.

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Submitted by: Paul Kimelman

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Answer:

Consider Needs vs. Outlook--Be No More than 3 years Behind

I am of the belief that a desktop PC owner should never be more than three years behind in terms of software and hardware. It really boils down to what your needs are and what you expect your computer to do. If, for instance, you want to have the latest connection to the best technology, really living on the cutting edge, then, you should always be on the lookout to offload as much of your material as possible--such as on a Book Drive (250 gigabytes and higher) and to make backup copies of your data. Think about removable hard disks, maybe SCSI drives may prove useful, and certainly an IOMEGA ZIP disk would help you to save and move data. You should make certain that your computer system has the highest amount of random access memory available, and, if you could possibly afford it, a graphics card allowing the highest refresh rate. This combination of features pretty much assures that you would enjoy your computer system.

One of the things I'm facing is that you try to avoid saving too much data (including applications) onto your system. Use only the applications you need and try to make backup copies. Digital photographs take up a lot of hard disk space, so it makes sense to try to share them, and then ship them onto external storage media so that they are readily accessible.

But if your goals are not as ambitious, and you're more or less just using your computer to write letters or assignments, maybe collect digital pictures, you still should make backup copies, and try to keep as little data on your system as possible in order that you can enjoy your computer system while allowing it to perform your tasks at top speed. You might want to invest in blank CDs so that you can offload data and digital pictures on them. A typical blank CD goes up to 650 Megabytes of storage, so it is really a good investment to buy blank CDs for at least storage purposes. If you really are into downloading music onto your desktop system, my might consider storing this music onto DVDs, so, if your system does not come with a DVD writer, you might want to invest in that area. DVDs typically store at least 1 gigabyte of data, which is a good thing for storing images and sound.

To me, the move to a new system is only required when your system is so obsolete that you could not effectively perform an upgrade without spending the same money for parts that would be better spent on a new system. You could buy an inexpensive computer from a good manufacturer, such as Hewlett-Packard/Compaq for as little as $300 if you buy it on sale. This brings up another very good and important point: if you must buy a new computer, buy it from a good-quality manufacturer, and, in my view, this brings to mind H-P, Compaq, IBM, Gateway. These are reputable companies because they invest time, money and energy into developing systems that would stand the test of time, and prove, time and time again, capable of handling whatever data requirements you bring them, within reason. I have worked on IBM and H-P equipment for many years, and I wholeheartedly endorse both products. The original equipment manufacturers of computer hardware really develop top-notch, industry-standard equipment. And with all of the competition between manufacturers, the customer stands to gain a lot of technology for very little money. Of course, if have deep pockets, you might want to spend upward of $1,000 or more to really get a computer with all of the bells and whistles you might possibly want, but you must always go back to this question: what do I expect a computer to do? Then, do your research, and determine whether, in fact, you really need a new computer, or maybe spend a little bit of money to improve your current desktop system.

I would be remisce if I did not mention that in an effort to protect your computer system, to invest in antivirus, anti-spam, and other security software -- including, but not limited to, downloads of updates from Microsoft and other reputable software manufacturing companies with an eye out for protecting your system from malware.

I know that this is a long answer, but if you read it, you will find it worthwhile considering. If all you want is a quick recommendation, always stick with what you need your computer to do and determine whether your computer can do it without investment, with minor investment, or with major investment. Focus on what you need your computer to do, and then you can obtain the things required to gear up your computer. DO NOT REPLACE YOUR COMPUTER UNLESS, and UNTIL YOUR COMPUTER CAN NO LONGER HANDLE YOUR NEEDS SUCCESSFULLY. I have a backup computer system at home that is at least 8 years old, so the cost of bringing that system up to par would be greater than if I went outside and spent $300 on a brand new H-P or IBM system.

That's my advice for what it's worth. Sorry it took so many words to answer your question.

Best wishes.

Dave


http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=242840&messageID=2459220#2459220


Submitted by: MOSFET2288

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Answer:

hudgybear

First let me say, Wow!! I sure hope all of these problems did not happen to you all at once. Any problem can be cause for concern but is it time to toss in the towel??

Well let's start by taking a deep breath... ah that's better. Now let's answer each question.

1)My computer says open in safe mode? Safe mode is just that a
safe way for your computer to start up.

Every Microsoft Windows operating system has a registry. Your system registry holds the keys to the information on your computer. How it starts, works and etc. When a flie or entry in your system registry gets corrupted. Your computer uses safe mode to start without causing itself any further harm. A registry file can get corrupted by many things the most common of which is installing software that has a problem whether it be files that are incompatible, corrupted or contain a virus. Once you have started your computer in safe mode you can then correct the problem by using a registry program or remove the possible corrupted software or restoring it to a safe point.

2) The computer when started never gets to the desktop screen??

Here is where the safe mode comes in handy. Start your PC and immediately on startup start tapping your F8 key. You should see a black screen with white writing....This is the safe mode screen. Use your arrow keys to select Last Known Good Configuration and press Enter. You should be returned to your desktop screen.

3)The computer won't print??

This could be many things I would try: a) Check all your cables make sure they are plugged in snuggly, check that you installed the printer software which contains your printer driver and that the is up to date b) try turning both the computer and printer off. Then turn just the computer on and while it is loading turn on the printer. Sometimes the computer just needs to be reminded of its printer c)Try uninstalling your printer, remove the existing software and disconnect your printer, then reinstalling the printer hardware and software.

4) My computer corrupts my Microsoft documents when I save them??

The most common causes of corruption are bad sectors on storage media, lost clusters, cross linked files, malfunctioning antivirus software, viruses, and system crashes, human error. Possible cures;

? Reboot the machine and try to open the file again. Simple, I know, but how often have you seen a reboot clear up a problem?

? Run Scandisk.

? Open the file on a different machine, to test your file and your means of saving.

? Copy the file locally if you're on a network; do the reverse if the file is local. In my experience, some files that for one reason or another failed to open on network drives opened fine after I copied them locally.

? Reboot in safe mode.


5) Can I give my computer CPR??

Well in a manner yes you can.

This is what your "system restore" is for. It is like CPR that brings your computer back to life or to its original state when everything was running correctly. You can find "system restore" on your computer two ways;

Here are the two ways to access System Restore

If your machine has been good to you, then get it clean or let dust and tar destroy the heat sinks,screens, and fans[ Fry Baby]....Slow- then DEFRAG or UPGRADE the RAM or ANOTHER Hard Drive... want the newest operating system? Check the spec.s of that to what ya got ! Computer Technowledgy/Operating systems are doubling in power EXPODENTIALLY since th 40's LOL

Even then, it could probably be fixed.
First, as many have said, you have to decide if the computer works fine for you when it works. If so, go to Step 2.

2. Determine how much you would spend to fix it.
3. Get an estimate.

If you cannot fix it yourself, from what I know you're looking at a minimum of a couple hundred dollars at most shops.

If you can fix it, and know how to use the Internet, and have access to it through another computer, you can usually figure it out.

Of course, if it is a motherboard problem, is it worth the hassle of pulling it all apart to replace that.

I won't bother restating what everyone else has said about the individual components being easily replaced. With a car, for example, it is likely that for most people, if it needs a new transmission or engine, it would be time to consider a new one. For a computer, it is more "would there be greater benefits to replacing it than fixing it."

From what the symptoms describe, before replacing the pc I would recommend reinstalling the operating system. First be sure you have a back-up of all important information. This should have already been done, I recommend at least monthly. If the OS installs your system is basically OK. You may still get some random errors from memory faults, these will mostly show up as program or data faults.
Other than that it depends on what you do with your present system, and what you intend to do with a new system. There are times when replacing some devices require software/drivers that call for a newer OS. This may mean more disk or ram capacity.

Smoke. When I see or smell smoke coming from a PC... I usually think it best to consider a replacement.
Now... more seriously... folks need to dust out their PC's. I do mine about every 2 months. Honestly... it is disgusting when someone asks me to fix a PC and they have never in 5 years opened it up to blast out the dust. I don't enjoy getting a face full of dead skin cells and old-people dander.

My favorite trick for when the drive or operating system starts getting flaky, is to get a new hard drive, pull the old one out, install a fresh and shiny new OS on the new disc, patch, patch, patch, then flip the jumper on the old drive to "slave" and simply go back and shop around for all your previously inaccessible data.
You can live happily like this, OR.. once you are satisfied that you have all the data you thought you'd lost, then format the old drive and you have massive amounts of storage. As a precaution, you might want to get a few disc stress-testing programs to do some tests on the old disc. The manufacturers often have special programs available for free that let you run very in-depth hardware tests on their drives.
Another old trick on a disc that is most definitely failing is to stick the olkd drive in a ZipLock bag and place it in the freezer. Yup. But this will only grant you a short while to plug it back in and prey it lasts long enough to run in, scoop your data and save it somewhere else. Once the drive warms up and/or get condensation build-up... you are back to the ZipLock bag.

I have been building desktop PC from scratch for my family for at years and usually I replace my family member PC when the PC is too slow for their needs. Recently, my family member wants notebooks. Since I can't build a notebook from scratch so I usually shop around for a notebook with the best screen. Most desktops are upgradable by installing more RAM, a bigger or faster harddrive or even replacing the motherboard and CPU. As far as warning signs, I would determine if your current PC is slow because of a software problem first (i.e. virus, clutter, operating system has not been defragged, etc). I usually partition my hard drive into a C drive for the operating system and a D drive for my data using Partition Magic by Symantic. I then backup my C drive by saving an image file of my C drive using Ghost by Symantic and storing the image file on my D drive. If my operating system is slow or affected my a virus, I simply replace it with my backup image file. This restores the operating system to the day that I created the image file of my operating system. It is important to store all your data files on another partition and not on the same partition as your operating system. I usually replaces my motherboard and CPU when there is a sale and upgrading is fairly inexpensive. In any case, the biggest warning sign is when I want to install new software and the new software specify that my PC is out of date and not compatible.

This isn't a specific answer to your question, but it is a blog I wrote about my old computer. I got it from my sister who had gotten it from my father. He had gotten it for work, and was the first laptop ever in our family. When I got it, it was getting OLD...
It was, in fact seven years old. I believe it was something close to top of the line when my father got it, but seven years down the road?

Well, read the following and see for yourself how this played out for me:

I get more and more amazed at what I can actually do with this old hunk-a-junk laptop. Running XP on it, I could barely do anything. Hell, starting Word took a few minutes (literally) and going online with it? I could acces my e-mail though, but that was pretty much the extent of it.

Now, after having installed Ubuntu Linux on this system, I can do almost anything I want.
Watching a movie-file? Sure. I just have to remember that there are limitations to what this machine can do, so I put up with the video skipping about once ever one-two minutes.

Listening to music/CDs? Sure. No problem whatsoever. There's even easy-to-get programs to catalogue and tag all my files. Never found that for Windows.

Going online? Easy. It's not as fast loading pages with Opera on this machine as the P3 I have, but this laptop is alot more portable, so I put up with that. The difference isn't really that big. I can actually watch streaming videos on this old thing. Again, with the expectation of it not being perfect. I tend to use YouTube to see how well it's going, and it skips about somewhat. More than locally stored files, but that's to be expected. The sound of the movies are always without problems though.

I can edit pictures on this computer. I am not very good at this, but the Gimp-program that comes with Ubuntu, along with some example-files, shows how versatile the program is. I can also make photo-calendars, organize the pictures from my cell-phone or digital camera with F-Spot.

I use Gaim as my Instant Messengers. It can connect to any major messenger service on the Web: AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, IRC, Gadu-Gadu, Groupwise, Sametime, Jabber and Simple. It can't do Skype though, but lo and behold! This piece of junk can do even that! I just installed it, entered my Skype-name and I was up and running. No problems whatsoever. I just had to scroll down a bit to get the Linux-version on the website.

A full office-suite, free of charge that comes bundled with Ubuntu. It's got what Microsoft Office got: Databases, Spreadsheet, Presenter and word-processor. It's also got an equivalent of Outlook. I can't use this though. Don't have an e-mail adress to use with this.

Firefox comes by default, and it's hard to remove, since it wants to take the desktop with it, but it doesn't bother me. I use Opera and I am happy with that.

Basically, all that's going to change, come the new laptop, is that what I am already doing now, will be done on a better machine. I will be able to watch movies without them skipping. I will be able to look for some games to play. Loading pages will go a bit faster. The resolution will be higher. Currently it's at 800x600 on this piece of crap.

I shouldn't be too hard on it though. It's really doing its best, and it's doing it quite well. I just have to remember that it won't be enough for all I want. As opposed to what I need. For that, it's definitely adequate. But, needs and desires are two entirely different things.

Basically, I haven't tweaked Ubuntu much on this computer. Practically not at all. What I wish this computer had had though: A better batttery. The one currently in here, lasts about 30 minutes if I am lucky. So, that's one thing I NEED, that's going to improve with the new laptop I know I'm going to get come late February when I celebrate my birthday.

To any who has read this: If you have an old laptop lying around, not being used anymore, and need another computer, check what you need the new computer for. If it's nothing more than what I have just described, you may want to look into installing Linux on it. I run Ubuntu, and I love it. If you wish to try it, their website is: www.ubuntu.com

One truly nice thing about Ubuntu is that you can choose how to acquire it. You can download any of many different CD-images, depending on what computer you have, how old it is, how much RAM you have, etc. Or, you can order Live CDs. CDs that show you the operating system without installing it. Meaning you can get to know the operating system intimately well before making alterations to your computer. The best part? You won't pay a dime. Download and burn it yourself, or be patient and order a Live CD, it's all the same. You pay nothing. Well, you have to pay for your connection to the web, but that's a given, right?

But, there are plenty of other Linux versions out there. Some are for the gamers, some are for the purists of FOSS (Free Open Source Software), some are for large enterprises, some are for people without a computer of their own, but who wishes to use Linux on the computer they borrow, only a USB-stick required. Go to www.distrowatch.com for near-complete list of Linux versions. They keep an unofficial list of most popular, and they also have a whole lot of versions/distributions (distro for short) with descriptions on what they are designed for.

Point being: Don't spend money on a new computer before you have tried reviving an old one with Linux. Remember, I practically never use my P3 anymore except for watching full-length movies like X-Men 3, Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail, and so on. Remember, I do all my computing from a seven year old laptop.

[/blog entry]

The P3 talked about was a five-year old server my mother's boyfriend gave me, as his company (which he owns) was upgrading. A big, ugly, noisy, heavy, cumbersome piece of equipment.

This laptop has since been sold. In Norwegian currency, I expected to get about 150-250 for it. Put it on an online auction site for ten days, and was I amazed at this laptop again! I got 650 for it!

One other thing to say about this laptop which I noticed wasn't in my original blog: I connect to the Net with a cable modem. The laptop didn't have a network card, only one USB 1.1 port. When running XP, I had to install drivers to make the modem work. In Ubuntu, I just plugged it in, told the OS what the connection was for, and that's it. 30 seconds later I had a Net-connection. As opposed to XP where it took me ten minutes.

I also connected a whole lot of things to this: Cell phone, external harddrives, card readers, printers, external DVD writer, wireless mouse, etc. All worked perfectly without installing anything, or if I needed to install some drivers, they were usually available from a single site. No need to look for them.

OK, back to topic of this question of yours: If you know how to use the programs of Windows, but don't mess around with any settings, give Linux a go. As I said in the original blog, there are hundreds of several "flavors", or versions of it out there. But the ones that seem the easiest to use for prior Windows users are Ubuntu and Linspire or Freespire. The two latter are actually dedicated to making it as stable as Linux can be, and as user-friendly as Windows.

This advise is best suited for a computer older than two-three years that you wish you could hang on to a bit longer, simply because it basically meets your needs, if not your wants. You want more RAM because it's slow? Linux utilises the RAM better. Want more space on your harddrive? A Windows-installation alone is about 2 Gb. Then comes all the other programs such as media players, graphic programs, office programs, e-mail programs, browsers, etc. Ubuntu Linux, which I use, is slightly less than 2 Gb, with all those installations already on the computer.

You have any questions regarding problems? Good luck trying to reach a live person at Microsoft. I looked at their help-page. It took me thirty minutes to find the site where they offered live support. And they wanted a lot of money for it. Three e-mails was gonna cost me 900 Norwegian Kroner. Thirty minutes on the phone? 1500.
At least with Ubuntu, you can log on to their forum, and literally thousands of live persons are there to help you. They do give support for other Linux versions too, but their main issue is Ubuntu.

I agree with what I have read from the newsletter: It doesn't seem, from your information, like you have hardware problems, but software problems. If you're going to do a clean install (wipe the harddrive and install Windows from scratch) anyway, download a Live CD, or order one (Ubuntu ships free of any charge, even postage), and have a look at Linux. As you can read in the blog, I just gave a seven-year old laptop life for at least two more years by doing just that.

In my opinion, a PC needs to be replaced when you have tried all the comments and suggestion made throughout this whole thread, and done a cost-analysis of what it will take to repair the hardware vs buying a new computer, or if you want to switch from a desktop to a laptop. If the latter is your main reason to replace a PC, don't throw the old one out the window. It may still be useful for backing up data or doing some writing, or act as a firewall, router, network/file server (if you have wireless network and several computers in a family). When a computer is so old, that getting new parts for it becomes a genuine hassle of searching the Net for suppliers for several hours, and it won't work without those parts, it's ready for retirement.

But, as others have said, even old computers may be useful for their parts, or to someone else. Don't throw it in the bin before you have checked if someone might take it off your hands and do minor refurbishment on it for some community effort to get the less-fortunate ones computer training and experience.

That's my two cents. (Or may this be a full dollar's worth?)

Christian

We have a retail computer store for 21 years. My wife is the book keeper and she uses a 386 with 64K of ram, 3 Gig hard drive, an orange screen and no windows or mouse. No really! She does not like change, I guess that is why she has put up with me for 33 years.
If your computer is working and lets say it is over 500 MHZ and you don't play games but you do the normal word processing, spread sheets and go to the Internet. Save your money and put it in wideband Internet service. I would rather have a 500MHZ system on Cable than a 3 or 4 GIG computer on 56K dial up! I use 1.0 GIG computers at my work stations hooked to cable.

Take your money and learn how to erase your hard drive and start over. Keep all documents and photos on an external drive. 75% of our customers come in complaining their system is too slow, it has slowed down. The computers are crystal time based, I have ran across one in 21 years that has slowed down about 10%. The Internet fills your computer full of junk. It takes us 14 different programs and about 3 hours to clean a computer. Eraseing it is cheaper and a better way to go.

Besides if you go buy a new computer today you will have to have VISTA more than likely. Good luck with compatibility.

A computer is what I like to call "Murphey's Law bait", as there are so many things that could possibly go wrong, both on the side of hardware and software.

Having computers makes life a little easier, but if you are a custom rig builder like I am, you quickly find that each and every system has it's own personality and temperament, even when compatibility is kept in mind 100% of the time. Some parts fail easily, some require the additional strength of better parts to reduce "bottlenecking" of performance, and some have higher power requirements than others. Ultimately, when I look at a computer, I see a city that relies on different areas to keep things going.

Another main part of the computer, as I mentioned above, is the software, namely, the Operating System. This vital piece of software is what keeps the city moving in harmony: directing traffic, controlling what recourses are more important than others for specific operations, and organizing the information. If the operating system undergoes changes over the years, the harmony of the city is disrupted and there are traffic jams (system halts or Stop Errors [blue screen of death]), collapse of recourses (RAM or hard drives don't respond properly due to data corruption), and worse-case scenario, total destruction (files from the operating system being removed by viruses or the user, causing the entire system to fail or not respond).

There are usually ways around software problems, like reinstalling Windows or using the repair console to rebuild the boot sector by using your Windows XP disk or the manufacturer's recovery disk along with a possible recovery partition on the hard drive. Software can be reinstalled and the hard drive reformatted, known as a Clean Install, and can actually then improve the system's performance. You must understand that over the years, the operating system itself undergoes changes whether you realize it or not, mainly due to updates, other software, registry key changes, disk fragmentation, and harmful software such as viruses and spyware. your problems with data corruption and such could be a sign that your system could use a Clean Install.

On to the hardware aspect. As stated above, the "city" that is a computer also must have functioning hardware to keep things flowing smoothly. Physically (hardware such as RAM, the motherboard, the hard drives, and power supply), hardware needs to be in good condition in order for the harmony to stay in place. Bad RAM, a failing hard drive, a warped motherboard, or an over-volting power supply all can lead to system instability and eventually failure. Electricity has to flow unhindered in order to keep things peaceful.

A warped motherboard with aged "bus lines" that carry the electricity can cause data corruption within the RAM and from the RAM to the Processor and can corrupt data carried from one component to another. There can also be a loss of performance is the electricity isn't carried from one component to another in a swift manner. Aged and heat-strained copper can in fact slow the flow of electrons, and since each component is dependent on the other to either send or receive electricity, the wait time increases between components and causes an overall drop in performance. Heat is the killer of electronics, so the use of case fans is crucial to keeping the city alive. Dust control is also paramount in keeping the system cool. Dust acts as an insulator, and since your computer is likely in a house, there will inevitably be dust. If dust builds up on the motherboard, the fans, the heat sink on the CPU, and inside the power supply, the heat can build up and stay there, and eventually overheat the system. Heat warps plastic, and since the motherboard is plastic, it can be dramatically affected by to much heat. Keep a can of Air Duster in your desk, and about once a month, blast off the dust from the fans, the motherboard, from inside the power supply, and from all heat sinks.

General hardware failure can occur, causing the system to not respond at all. Such failures can consist of a faulty piece of equipment from the manufacturer, the power supply becomes faulty and fries your other components, water damage/circuit shortage, physical impact, corrosion, electromagnetic motor failure, and fire damage. These are extreme cases, where more often than not there is human error involved and can be prevented. Other cases, due to "wear and tear", cannot be avoided. Electromagnetic motors of a small size, for instance, are prone to failure quite easily. Most people have to replace their fans before they have to replace their main hardware components, but other have been lucky and the fans outlast the system.

Some tips for preventing failure, corruption, and data loss:

*Always backup important data to either CDs, DVDs, external hard drives, or whatever means you have for backing-up data.

*Be vigilant in keeping your computer free of viruses and spyware. Use at least 2 programs for each, as one anti-virus or anti-spyware program may detect malicious programs that the other can't, and keep them updated. Scan for viruses and spyware daily.

*Don't leave yourself open to attackers. Make your your router AND your computer have a firewall active.

*Keep the computer away from potential accidents. Use a surge protector. Belkin has a lifetime warranty on some of their more high-end surge protectors, and the warranty states that if the computer is damaged due to a surge while using their surge protector, they will replace your entire computer. Check with Belkin to be sure that this warranty still exists, but I'm sure it does. Also keep food, drink, pets, and children away from the computer. Keep the computer off the carpet, but if you must keep it on the floor, use an elevated surface to keep the machine off the carpet. Carpets are dust-magnets, and your computer will suck in quite a bit of dust over a period of time. Carpets also act as an insulator, which could lead to heat issues.

*Once a year reinstall Windows. This keeps the operating system clean, and boosts performance. You don't have to do a Clean Install, but reinstalling just the operating itself keeps things harmonious. You can do so by using your operating system disk and running a repair job of the operating system itself.

*Don't leave the computer running all the time. Give it a chance to cool down once in a while. For every 3 hours of hard use (intense gaming, video-watching, video/audio editing, etc.), shut it down for 1/2 hour, and if you use the computer lightly (not gaming or running large programs that tax the processor), then make sure to turn it off at night. The use of Hibernate can be used instead of shutting it down, but this can only be done if you have a bunch of free space on your hard drive. If you have at least the amount of free space on your hard drive that there is RAM, you can use Hibernate.

*Defragment your hard drive when needed. This makes it easier for data to be accessed from the hard drive and improves overall system performance.

*Keep an eye out for signs of failure (system crashes, blue screen of death, system "hangs" or freezes), and as soon as this starts to occur, take your little city to a computer repair shop and have them take a look.


Your computer does not have to be replaced entirely if failure occurs, as the individual component that has failed can be replaced. Only in the case of a total loss due to an extreme circumstance does the computer really need to be replaced. Some replace their computers for other reasons not involving failure, as some like to keep "ahead of the game" with technology and computer parts, and others just plain get sick of their machine quickly and want a new one, either for the need for a faster machine or for bragging rights with their friends. There are many reasons for replacing a computer (I've heard of people replacing their machine just because they got tired of how it looks), but as I said, it does not actually have to be replaced unless total failure has occurred.

Keep your little city happy, and it will serve you to the best of it's ability.

Happy computing,

Andrew

Dear Janet,
The warning signs vary. As a consultant, i would ask you first if the computer is functioning and runs as designed, and does it still do what you want? If your answer is yes then my answer is NO you do not need a new system regardless of how old. Remember slower and reliable is better than fast and unstable. If your answer was no then Yes of course a replacement machine is in your future.

If the computer has failures that are beyond replacing a hard drive, or some peripheral device and doing a fresh Operating System install, then yes it may be time. If the failures are software related, then your computer may not need replacement, but a full system refresh/re-install.

Now to answer each question directly. Warning signs do not just appear or give you evidence there is something wrong, unless it becomes very obvious, and even then in most cases, parts can be replaced. Safe mode is not necessarily a concern, nor does it mean that your system has failed. When a safe mode comes up, shutdown after the system has fully booted and restart the system. When a computer cycles and does not settle to the desktop, usually means there is a hard drive problem that may be fixable with one or two simple commands executed from a bootable system CD. Printing and document issues does not mean your computer has failed. It may mean though that there is a software problem. Most computers that seem to be replaced can be fixed and rehabilitated by upgrading or replacing components, thus the grave yard is unnecessary. The only time you need to move up to a new PC is when you decide it is not worth putting any more money into an older machine, and the idea of having a new machine is what you want.

So do you think you still need a new computer?

randy

Don't second guess your-self.
You'll "back-up" and pare-down
that programs file but still...
When your "older" drive gets noticably weeker,or
you're drooling for the bargains
calling out to your dreams,(speed)
the opportunity might exist for the old drive
to become "storage" for the faster, sleeker model.
(with your name on it)
I chanced upon this (zen)opportunity when
I offered to repair my daughter's xpHome-Ed.
The replacement parts $$$ were virtually
every thingy BUT the drive.
(yes, the connector cables were fine,
usb-s, etc in the trivial,
"pennies-into-dollars-catagory")
So The Tech says,
"The 29$ exam fee, could turn into
a mere 60$ & tx IF ...
I wanted to Mount the Drive in my xpProTower,
He'd noticed in my store histories..."
i truely heard that, msBoot sound.(zen)
Go to a "real" store, that 30-60-90 day " "
warranty could come in handy-tweekiness.
I use CompU*|*A
"My" Tech thinks. -outside, inside,
under & over the box.
Generational Sequence- more than just for movies.
BonChance mLb m4)