I hate my computer

Lt. Ketch · #1 March 6th, 2009, 11:29 AM

O.k. I've got to gripe for a minute. A while ago I saw a "luckiest and unluckiest moments" tread where people posted the best things and the worst things that ever happened to them in SP. Well, I've got an unluckiest. First, my computer.

My laptop is pushing 4 years old (practacly a dinosaur by some standards) and it's on it's last legs. Not only does the powercord have a hole in it (which is sealed with duct tape) but I've got a 1&1/2 inch wide column of pink/green pixels on the screen. I can live with those two problems. It's the constantatly overheating that gets me. And yes, that's overheating with a fan bed under the machine and the window open. Last night in the space of 2 hours it overheated 5 times! Of course when that happens I lose everything. So, here's the bad luck.

I'm moving some units across a field where I had blown up a couple of German tanks and decimated their infantry support. I've got a good set of combined arms going, but as I move my Zis-30, enroute he gets jumped by an German AT team with those bundle gernades. I start praying as I see the alert come up. Good news, he lives, doesn't even take any damage. I start moving what infantry I have with movement left in his direction trying to spot that stupid little AT team. In the end I have 2 tanks, and two whole platoons looking at my Zis-30 and they can't see a thing. I save it since it had already overheated twice up to that point) and hit the end turn. Would you believe that that Zis-30 survived 3 attacks by that AT team without a scratch! Not only that, but after eveybody else had fired at the team when it became visible, it was the Zis-30 that killed it with one "shot" of their BTM. Right afterwards, my computer overheats. I boot it back up dreading what will happen. I know I'm not going to get that lucky again. Sure enough, when I load up the game and hit end turn, the AT team beats the snot out of my little TD. Not only that, but one of my on squads misses the team and hits and damages my Zis-30! It survived the attacks (and freadly fire), but man was I ticked!

Anyway. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. If anybody else has horrible techinal experiences, lets here them. And yes, my wife and I are saving up for a new computer.

RERomine · #2 March 6th, 2009, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt. Ketch

It's the constantatly overheating that gets me. And yes, that's overheating with a fan bed under the machine and the window open. Last night in the space of 2 hours it overheated 5 times! Of course when that happens I lose everything.

Until you get a new computer, do you have some way you can get more airflow around the laptop? Maybe a small house fan that will help further diffuse the heat around it. Just set it up to blow on the laptop. Not the best solution, but can't hurt.

Lt. Ketch · #3 March 6th, 2009, 02:58 PM

Thanks for the idea. I considered that, in fact if it had gone down again I would have set the fan up. I've gotten some other tips like keeping an eye on where the power supply is. Apparently if that overheats, the computer will shut down.

hoplitis · #4 March 6th, 2009, 03:22 PM

Have you considered the fact that the game may accelerate overheating?
It certainly causes the fans on my puter to go into high gear!

Lt. Ketch · #5 March 6th, 2009, 04:28 PM

Anything that uses my graphics card accelerates overheating. Needless to say I don't play as many games as I used to.

Lt. Ketch · #6 July 9th, 2009, 12:58 PM

Last night I finally took some peoples' advice and did something about my computer. I'm excited about it and wanted to share.

For the past three months friends, opponents, and complete strangers have had to listen to me about my computer and its overheating problem. As of last night it had gotten to the point that a long artillary bombardment would overload the fans and down it would go. I was exiting my PBEM games every 5 minutes so that it would save the file. It was bad. And being the drama king that I am, I would lament loadly to anyone that had ears to hear. Everybody I ranted to would says, in one way or another, the same thing, "Clean it out and stop complaining!" My internal response was, "It's a lap top and I don't want to risk breaking it or losing any of the six jillion srews that I'll need to take out."

Last night, I had had it and as my wife and I were already in the process of finding and procuring another computer, I figured I couldn't make the machine any worse than it was. (The CD/DVD drive cover broke off last week to add to the problems it has.) Sitting down with srewdrivers, pliers, pipe cleaners and a straw (the poor man's version of canned air), I proceeded to locate and dislodge every screw I could find. I marked where they went and, in the end, got the cover off.

I kid you not when I tell you that I found a layer of dust and particles 1/8 of an inch (3.2 mm) thick located in front of the exit vent right by the proccessor. It was the accumulation of almost 5 years worth of debris from carpets, couches, tabletops and my clothing. My wife was a little grossed out about it. I got it removed with the pipe cleaners and by blowing it out into the sink. I figured that canned air is better for electorics, but there was a high probably that I wouldn't be able to get it back together the right way not to mention that my wife and I had already given it up for dead, I figured that it didn't matter if I just blew in it.

The results - I got on this morning and finished playing my turn in one game, watched my troops get hit with a leangthy bombardment (fast artillary was off) and even was able to buy the units for a second game without the fan even kicking into high gear. I'm glad that I finally cleaned the machine out, but a now a little sad that I didn't have the guts to rip my machine apart earlier.

Their, you've finally reached the end of this drawn out story. But know you know, if your laptop is overheating like mad (not likely with the new duo and quad cores, but still) clean it out. Now, I can go back to getting my butt kicked in SP again in peace.

Ketch out

Cross · #7 July 9th, 2009, 02:07 PM

I must admit, I'm real hesitant to open up and mess with my laptop. I've added extra ram, and vacuumed every visible vent, but that's about it.

With my desktop towers, I'm comfortable fooling around. I've added extra hard drives to mini-towers with only room for one. Hacksawed off parts from a heatsink to make them fit.

When the built-in fan on a graphics card fan failed, I got a small fan, plugged it into the motherboard and used velcro to hold it in place. Worked fine.

One time I was fooling around inside a tower with power turned on. A slave drive was plugged in and in my hand. I moved it within the tower, and the corner of the drive touched two prongs in a loose molex plug. The short blew the power supply, but nothing else.

I always turn the power off now.

Xrati · #8 July 11th, 2009, 11:06 AM

I was tired of shopping around for the "dream computer" that no one carried, sooooooo I made my desktop from scratch.

Best decision I ever made. It is the computer I've always wanted and I maxed it out from the start, leaving only upgrades for future projects... I've been around electronics all my life, so it was very easy for me. Now, if your inclined to work on your own desktop or laptop, just remember one thing. Plan the time to do it and take your time. ALWAYS make sure you have an ESD (Electro Static Discharge) strap

or use ESD procedures so you don't fry the little chips or processor with a static charge. Use little containers for the screws and (once more)

'take your time', mark the container for where the screws belong and you will have an enjoyable time learning to fix your own computers for general problems. Some things are still best left to the professions for repair...

Cross · #9 July 11th, 2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xrati

I was tired of shopping around for the "dream computer" that no one carried, sooooooo I made my desktop from scratch.

Best decision I ever made. It is the computer I've always wanted and I maxed it out from the start, leaving only upgrades for future projects... I've been around electronics all my life, so it was very easy for me. Now, if your inclined to work on your own desktop or laptop, just remember one thing. Plan the time to do it and take your time. ALWAYS make sure you have an ESD (Electro Static Discharge) strap

or use ESD procedures so you don't fry the little chips or processor with a static charge. Use little containers for the screws and (once more)

'take your time', mark the container for where the screws belong and you will have an enjoyable time learning to fix your own computers for general problems. Some things are still best left to the professions for repair...

Agree about building your own. Not as hard as most people think. It's mostly just a case of making sure everything you buy is compatible.

I learned the hard way

that you should buy the best (and most up to date) motherboard you can afford, don't get a cheap case, and buy a good quality power supply. The rest are just parts you can replace as funds allow.

I recommend Intel mother boards, and Corsair power supplies.

I highly recommend Newegg.com for any computer parts and reviews, plus technical help. Newegg may only be for the US or North America though, but the reviews may still be useful for people further afield.

Lt. Ketch · #10 July 13th, 2009, 11:28 AM

As mentioned I have neigther the experience or the confidence to build my own machine. I had a roommate that did, and while it worked well, it also had several issues that he was constantly trying to fix. To be honest, that turned me off a bit. My best friend, however, has got a nice job with a compture firm and while it is not my favoite brand, he can get me a machine for $400 or $500 US cheaper. I'm going to see him this weekend and get him the money. (yes, I trust this guy with my life AND my money.)