PC Troubleshooting by Chinese Whispers -Epilogue
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So this mate of mine that was stuck with a PC trying and failing on CHKDSK on drive D: is now an owner of a box full of electronics that seems to have travelled to the land of happy Ex-PCs. After the CHKDSK failed, he tried running CHKDSK off a CD and that also got stuck. Eventually, the keyboard stopped working all of a sudden (it's a PS2 one not a USB). He tried reinstalling the OS but even that got stuck. Dell thinks there's something up with the MB. What I don't get is how this box that was sitting harmlessly on the table for months suddenly decided to stop working. Is CHKDSK such a harmful program!? Anyway, I think the takeaway message from this experience is not to run programs that you don't fully understand especially if it's going to do something to the PC's brain somewhere deep inside...
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
CHKDSK is not in any way a harmful program - it does what it says and no more. It will halt if other processes are running that use the disk sometimes, but it's usually very reliable. Before you give up, remove and reseat the RAM, then try booting again. Disconnect all internal connectors that you can reach and reconnect them. Dust will get into the damnedest places, and it only takes a little to cause an intermittent connection. I wouldn't write it off immediately without trying these steps first, unless Dell is willing to send a free MB.
Will Rogers never met me.
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So this mate of mine that was stuck with a PC trying and failing on CHKDSK on drive D: is now an owner of a box full of electronics that seems to have travelled to the land of happy Ex-PCs. After the CHKDSK failed, he tried running CHKDSK off a CD and that also got stuck. Eventually, the keyboard stopped working all of a sudden (it's a PS2 one not a USB). He tried reinstalling the OS but even that got stuck. Dell thinks there's something up with the MB. What I don't get is how this box that was sitting harmlessly on the table for months suddenly decided to stop working. Is CHKDSK such a harmful program!? Anyway, I think the takeaway message from this experience is not to run programs that you don't fully understand especially if it's going to do something to the PC's brain somewhere deep inside...
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
Correlation is not Causation[^]
Agh! Reality! My Archnemesis![^]
| FoldWithUs! | sighist | WhoIncludes - Analyzing C++ include file hierarchy -
So this mate of mine that was stuck with a PC trying and failing on CHKDSK on drive D: is now an owner of a box full of electronics that seems to have travelled to the land of happy Ex-PCs. After the CHKDSK failed, he tried running CHKDSK off a CD and that also got stuck. Eventually, the keyboard stopped working all of a sudden (it's a PS2 one not a USB). He tried reinstalling the OS but even that got stuck. Dell thinks there's something up with the MB. What I don't get is how this box that was sitting harmlessly on the table for months suddenly decided to stop working. Is CHKDSK such a harmful program!? Anyway, I think the takeaway message from this experience is not to run programs that you don't fully understand especially if it's going to do something to the PC's brain somewhere deep inside...
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
The two most common failures of a PC are Hard Drives and Power Supplies. A power supply that is starting to fail will cause all sorts of unusual failures. Check the capacitors on the mother board. I had a failed one whos caps started swelling (tops expanded upward). Did he try booting without the D drive connected?
Steve _________________ I C(++) therefore I am
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So this mate of mine that was stuck with a PC trying and failing on CHKDSK on drive D: is now an owner of a box full of electronics that seems to have travelled to the land of happy Ex-PCs. After the CHKDSK failed, he tried running CHKDSK off a CD and that also got stuck. Eventually, the keyboard stopped working all of a sudden (it's a PS2 one not a USB). He tried reinstalling the OS but even that got stuck. Dell thinks there's something up with the MB. What I don't get is how this box that was sitting harmlessly on the table for months suddenly decided to stop working. Is CHKDSK such a harmful program!? Anyway, I think the takeaway message from this experience is not to run programs that you don't fully understand especially if it's going to do something to the PC's brain somewhere deep inside...
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
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That's just sick. Our hamster did shuffle off the mortal coil and joined the choir celestial on Christmas Day.
I'm not a stalker, I just know things. Oh by the way, you're out of milk.
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
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Dell don't use hamsters, they use the less effective tofusters. Recommendation for anyone with Dell computers, Trash 'em.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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Dell don't use hamsters, they use the less effective tofusters. Recommendation for anyone with Dell computers, Trash 'em.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
Well, i've had my del laptop for about 7 years now and I still can't load up the buffer when I type, runs like a champ (on linux). Unlike my government dell (MS vista) machine which if the mostest uptodatest, fastestest piece of poo i've ever used. hangs all the time, will not even move the mouse around smoothly. It is not the hardware it is the software and your (my in this case) sysadmin moucking around in the OS and screwing it up for you. All in the name of security most likely. If it is freezing at odd moments then I'm with the previous poster check your connectors and power supply first. software hangs are usually repeatable.
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Well, i've had my del laptop for about 7 years now and I still can't load up the buffer when I type, runs like a champ (on linux). Unlike my government dell (MS vista) machine which if the mostest uptodatest, fastestest piece of poo i've ever used. hangs all the time, will not even move the mouse around smoothly. It is not the hardware it is the software and your (my in this case) sysadmin moucking around in the OS and screwing it up for you. All in the name of security most likely. If it is freezing at odd moments then I'm with the previous poster check your connectors and power supply first. software hangs are usually repeatable.
I can remember the days when, if you wanted the latest, greatest, fastest, most recent components, you would immediately think of dell. Sadly, for them, those days are long gone, together with their reputation for quality.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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So this mate of mine that was stuck with a PC trying and failing on CHKDSK on drive D: is now an owner of a box full of electronics that seems to have travelled to the land of happy Ex-PCs. After the CHKDSK failed, he tried running CHKDSK off a CD and that also got stuck. Eventually, the keyboard stopped working all of a sudden (it's a PS2 one not a USB). He tried reinstalling the OS but even that got stuck. Dell thinks there's something up with the MB. What I don't get is how this box that was sitting harmlessly on the table for months suddenly decided to stop working. Is CHKDSK such a harmful program!? Anyway, I think the takeaway message from this experience is not to run programs that you don't fully understand especially if it's going to do something to the PC's brain somewhere deep inside...
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
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I had a similar experience with the CHKDSK. It started to run one day and did not finish after 6 hours. Finally, I had to turn the machine off and re-installed everything.
TOMZ_KV
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My experience of CHKDSK is that if you run it when you know you need it, it's already too late. It should be called CHucKDiSK. Or something similar, beginning with an f...
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Dell don't use hamsters, they use the less effective tofusters. Recommendation for anyone with Dell computers, Trash 'em.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
Henry Minute wrote:
Recommendation for anyone with Dell computers, Trash 'em.
My Linux Server, CentOS 5. x64 is running on a Dell SomethingOrOther, E8400, 4GB RAM. Staying up months at a time, comes down for the compulsory blowing out with the Air Compressor or the occassional bounce when trying to install something exotic. But all in all, rock solid.
Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004