Topic: My Computer Dropped Dead

[Nick DiMola]

Today I go to sit down and use my computer (3 YO Alienware laptop), and everything is just peachy, when out of the blue the screen starts flickering and freaking out. Eventually the computer just freezes. I turn it off, go to turn it back on, and it boots. Now I'm waiting to see the BIOS loading screen pop up and nothing happens, processor light is not flickering as it should be when the computer boots so I turn it off. After a few tries I eventually get it up and running again, and after a few minutes of use it does the same thing. After trying all day I'm guessing that the video card must be shot, which would suck. The video card is directly soldered to the motherboard, which also has my RAM and processor directly soldered to it. So the whole core of the computer would be screwed just because of the video card. I'm hoping that maybe it isn't my video card and it's something else, anybody here have any idea what the problem may be?

If the computer is a goner I guess I will be dropping about $1200 for a decent iMac, which isn't too bad but if I don't have to spend it I won't.

[ShyGuy]

Hook it up to an external monitor to verify. check to make sure your fans haven't died and the laptop isn't overheating.  

[Nick DiMola]

Yeah checked all that already, no dice. First thing I do when I have laptop issues is clean the fans. I actually always have my computer hooked up to an external monitor so when the issue happened the screen went nuts on there too. My first guess/hope was definitely overheating but I turned off the computer for a couple of hours before I tried doing anything with it.

I jus tested again this morning and the screen did its crazy thing when the BIOS was loading, which makes me believe even further that it is the video card. Well I do appreciate the help ShyGuy, maybe after some more testing I'll expose a different issue.

[Nick DiMola]

Well after extensive testing it became very obvious the problem was in fact the video card. So I went for the iMac and I must say I am extremely pleased with the purchase. Very solid computer that most definitely gets the job done and also looks sexy on my desk :-P

Specs:

2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo
1 GB RAM ( 2 x 512 MB)
ATI Radeon X1600
160 GB HDD
Superdrive (Dual Layer DVD Burner + CD Burner)
Airport Extreme Wireless
Bluetooth
17" Screen
Apple Front Row Remote Control, Mighty Mouse and Keyboard

Plus it came with a free HP Printer/Scanner/Copier. All in all I'm extremely happy with the purchase especially at $1200 when all was said and done.

[Ceric]

Just a warning on the Front Row.  I'm my friends MacBook.  When he starts it it will proceed to eat up 99% of his processor.  He's are Mac admin here on campus but he hasn't found a solution.  If you find that happening try killing Front Row.  Also all my Mac friends seem to prefer Parallels over doing Boot Camp.  I hear the Mighty mouse isn't that great because there is no good way to clean the trackball.

Good system though.  

[Athrun Zala]

THAT for $1200???

T_T

[wandering]

I, too, must weep for PC users who don't get that much bang for their buck.

[Karl Castaneda #2]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
Just a warning on the Front Row.  I'm my friends MacBook.  When he starts it it will proceed to eat up 99% of his processor.  He's are Mac admin here on campus but he hasn't found a solution.  If you find that happening try killing Front Row.  Also all my Mac friends seem to prefer Parallels over doing Boot Camp.  I hear the Mighty mouse isn't that great because there is no good way to clean the trackball.

Good system though.

Really? I have a MacBook and I haven't encountered that problem - is it the 1.83 Ghz MacBook or the 2.0 Ghz MacBook? It probably wouldn't make much of, if any, difference, but that's the only reason I can think of.

[Ceric]

Yeah.  It just started happening on his.  He's hoping that they fix it on the next point release.  Though his has had more then it's fair share of problems already.  I'm kinda disappointed but, he did buy one near release that might be part of it.  First run bugs and all that.

Actually I just talked with him it's a MacBook Pro 2Ghz.  It was easier when the names where more unique.

[Athrun Zala]

Quote
Originally posted by: wandering
I, too, must weep for PC users who don't get that much bang for their buck.

actually, the weeping came from the fact that this is what I can get for that much...

[wandering]

So.....it wasn't a 'macs are too expensive' post? Oh.

[Athrun Zala]

Quote
Originally posted by: wandering
So.....it wasn't a 'macs are too expensive' post? Oh.

well, they are....as you have like, sell your soul to buy a mac here.....

seems like that post actually goes either way....interesting....

[Nick DiMola]

Well as far as I'm concerned the iMac was totally worth every dollar I spent. It's a beautiful machine and it works without a hitch. My love of my G4 iBook really convinced me to go Mac rather than PC. I picked out the iMac because it was pretty much the best Mac I could get for the cheapest price. I probably could've grabbed a decent Dell for half the price but the quality difference is enormous and I hate Windows with every ounce of my being so it's nice to not have to bother with it anymore (except for gaming with Bootcamp and various apps with Parallels). I suggest anyone who may be looking for a new computer who hasn't tried Mac out yet to look into the iMac (or some other Mac) for their next machine.

[oohhboy]

I am running an iMac of 1998-1999 vintage (Gumdrop). Outside of a hard drive failure the machine has cause me no trouble since. I have even done some soldering iron style oveclocking with it.

When I do get a new computer it will be a PC, but it would be running OSX with XP on the side for games or I keep my current mac just for the web.