Computer "RIP"

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Mof, Jun 11, 2008.

  1. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    Funny thing happened to me yesterday. I arrived home and as i pulled up to my house I noticed a box down my allyway upon investigation i found a PC no mouse monitor or keyboard.first thing i thought someone stashed it there so i took it indoors. it wasnt new and i supect the dentist next door through it away.
    So I pluged it in and nothing, to me its screeming PSU but what other damage has it done, so before i start to attemt to bring it back to life should i be checking anything else first, will pull out my PC tec book later to take of the psu.:eek:
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  2. tripwire45
    Honorary Member

    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Open up the box and have a look inside. Look for obvious damage to the cables and components. If the power supply blew, it could have fried all of the motherboard circuitry which means "bye-bye" PC. You could also have a bad CPU. It's possible that the power supply is fine and (this would be stupid, but it happens) cable connecting it to the motherboard came lose or is damaged.

    It depends on how savvy the the person who threw it away was (and if they disposed of a PC in such a manner, they probably aren't). Sometimes a simple fault will cause a PC not to start. The owner thinks it's shot and tosses it.

    Oh...see if they left the hard drive inside. If they did, they're in idiot. If you get the thing running again and it did belong to the dentist, see how much confidential patient information is stored on the hard drive (and if you have a sense of honor, you'll return the hard drive to the dentist and explain the situation).
     
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  3. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    I'd echo trip's comments.

    Because unknown electrical equipment can be a hazard I'd use a PSU tester at the very least before connecting the rest of it up.

    Harry.
     
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  4. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    Oh...see if they left the hard drive inside. If they did, they're in idiot. If you get the thing running again and it did belong to the dentist, see how much confidential patient information is stored on the hard drive (and if you have a sense of honor, you'll return the hard drive to the dentist and explain the situation).[/QUOTE]

    I have already open the panels an yes they have left the hard drive in also dvd writer floppy drive and ram they have taken something out prob network card and of course i would return the hard drive if there is sensitive material on it. but for sheer stupidity i would charge for a new harddrive.
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  5. TimoftheC

    TimoftheC Kilobyte Poster

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    Erm, hate to be a spoil sport or anything Mof, but are you absolutely certain that the box was abandoned? There is such an offence as Theft by Finding after all.
     
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  6. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    No i cant be sure but the computer is not working, but if i do get it working i will let the dentist know, infact I will anyway just incase they left it there to pick up at a later time, Im just seeing it as aproject that has fallen into my lap but your right I should check and will.
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  7. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    Ive removed the old psu its 300w atx switch power supply can i take the psu out of another computer as long as it is atx 300w or above an try it in the said computer.
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  8. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Depends on the connections. The ATX 'standard' has had a lot of changes over the last few years. The main one is whether the mobo connector is 20 pin or 24. But other supplementary connectors have come and gone.

    Harry.
     
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  9. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    its a 20 pin connector
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  10. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    Hi got new power suply still nothing but have noticed green led light on the motherboard is on swapped back the power suply to old one same green light is on but in both fan not turning any idears
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  11. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Likely a dead mobo.
     
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  12. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    well it will be good practice to change that then, mabe up grade the whloe thing:(
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  13. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    It was the power suply, machine has booted up and everything is ok
    it is the dentist next door computer and i will let them know its fixed
    i have been very stupid and im not going to admit my mistake as you would proberley ban me alltogether
    but there was a very good reason why the pc didnt come to life when i put the new power suply in as my son pointed it out to me:oops:

    problem now is booting up to floppy failure 40 my fault as i have put the ribbons back incorrect but to dark tonight to sort out.:rolleyes:
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  14. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Don't worry about not putting the power supply into the mobo, lots of people will have done that before.

    do you not have lights?
     
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  15. TimoftheC

    TimoftheC Kilobyte Poster

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    wow, if they were banning peeps for making stupid and embarrassing computers errors, I'd have gone a long time ago - and I suspect the same is true for a lot of us on here, even the senior ones :biggrin
     
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  16. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    No I plug the power supply it was more stupid than that realy stupid.:oops:

    sorry what lights are we on about, PC was working till i tampered with the ribbons now it fails at floppy will try later. was busy in Brighton over the weekend.

    Or do you mean lights on on but no bodies in
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  17. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    you said it was too dark to carry on working, thats why I said did you not have lights :)

    Maybe you had the ribbon cable correct, its maybe the fact that the cable is faulty and needs replacing.

    If the floppy light was always on then the cable was in backwards if it just wasn't working I would suspect the cable is knackered.
     
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  18. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    Oh those lights thought you ment led lights on the pc :blinkLOL:D
    ill check the floppy light see if its always on, but i took the ribbon off to get to the other little pin think (tec Term) on the left hand side of the floppy drive as it kept comming off.
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  19. Mof

    Mof Megabyte Poster

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    Hi again floppy led light is always on but ribbon dosnt seem to go on the other way
    have disabled floppy in cmos now it cant see a hard drive
     
    WIP: C++ and A+
  20. GiddyG

    GiddyG Terabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Umm... floppy light always on normally does mean that the cable is the wrong way round. There should be a pink/red stripe at one side of the floppy drive cable. Is that on the same side of the floppy drive as pin1? And are you sure there is no floppy disk in the floppy disk drive?

    Also, are you sure you only disabled the floppy drive in the BIOS?
     

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