Tech Support Forum - View Single Post - My computer is making my life miserable... please help me. You can save me...

sybaritic · 11-11-2008, 06:06 PM

It's a long story, but I'm desperate. I would be ever grateful to anyone who can help.
I'll try to summarize.

Original configuration: Unkown motherboard (that had SATA, 2 slots for video card, handled up to 16ga RAM and loads of other stuff) 2Ga RAM DIMM2, 250GA HD, and a lower-end Nvida

My computer went on the fritz, it wouldn't turn on. I bought a new power supply, but that wasn't it.

I gave the comp to the tech guy for my parent's firm, against my judgment.
He had it for a zillion years (okay, like a month)

He "fixed" it. He said I had damaged the motherboard and the RAM, and he looked heaven and earth to find a motherboard that would take my CPU. He comes back with a motherboard that DOESN'T EVEN HAVE SATA, so he had to BUY a 80ga IDE HD. My old one is now on an external through USB (*breathing in and out*). Plus, the MB is DIMM, so he bought 2 512's. So now I have 1ga and two RAM sticks that really should be used as chopsticks.

I burst into tears. Literally. I cried for a while.

My initial feeling was that these were parts he had lying around. He charged my parents six times what the parts cost (my bro and I looked it up). Due to diplomatic relations, they paid the guy and I thought we were rid of him.

So, I turn the computer on and it boots fast, but when I try to install AutoCad (I'm an ARCH student) it gives me some Net framework2.0 error and sometimes reboots spontaneously. (I tried to install it like 5 times) I download all XP updates, download NetFramework 2.0 again. Cool off for a couple of days.

Today, I turned it back on after some heavy meditation, and decide to try to install 3d Studio Max. It installs fine............ and then I open it. And the computer reboots. I know it's not the program, because I've been running it, and it was doing it before I installed this.

And the questions:

The only original components are the powersupply, the disk drive and the video card. Can a video card cause spontaneous reboots?
Is it the shitty MB/Processor/RAM he put in?
Am I a horrible person for knowing a little bit but not being able to fix my own computer? Do normal people cry over computers? (guessing no)
Should I be throwing out my MB/Processor and RAM and buying a new one...?
If so, how do I know which ones to buy? How do I know which processor goes with which motherboard?

11-11-2008, 06:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
sybaritic Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 7 OS: XP SP3	My computer is making my life miserable... please help me. You can save me... It's a long story, but I'm desperate. I would be ever grateful to anyone who can help. I'll try to summarize. Original configuration: Unkown motherboard (that had SATA, 2 slots for video card, handled up to 16ga RAM and loads of other stuff) 2Ga RAM DIMM2, 250GA HD, and a lower-end Nvida My computer went on the fritz, it wouldn't turn on. I bought a new power supply, but that wasn't it. I gave the comp to the tech guy for my parent's firm, against my judgment. He had it for a zillion years (okay, like a month) He "fixed" it. He said I had damaged the motherboard and the RAM, and he looked heaven and earth to find a motherboard that would take my CPU. He comes back with a motherboard that DOESN'T EVEN HAVE SATA, so he had to BUY a 80ga IDE HD. My old one is now on an external through USB (breathing in and out). Plus, the MB is DIMM, so he bought 2 512's. So now I have 1ga and two RAM sticks that really should be used as chopsticks. I burst into tears. Literally. I cried for a while. My initial feeling was that these were parts he had lying around. He charged my parents six times what the parts cost (my bro and I looked it up). Due to diplomatic relations, they paid the guy and I thought we were rid of him. So, I turn the computer on and it boots fast, but when I try to install AutoCad (I'm an ARCH student) it gives me some Net framework2.0 error and sometimes reboots spontaneously. (I tried to install it like 5 times) I download all XP updates, download NetFramework 2.0 again. Cool off for a couple of days. Today, I turned it back on after some heavy meditation, and decide to try to install 3d Studio Max. It installs fine............ and then I open it. And the computer reboots. I know it's not the program, because I've been running it, and it was doing it before I installed this. And the questions: The only original components are the powersupply, the disk drive and the video card. Can a video card cause spontaneous reboots? Is it the shitty MB/Processor/RAM he put in? Am I a horrible person for knowing a little bit but not being able to fix my own computer? Do normal people cry over computers? (guessing no) Should I be throwing out my MB/Processor and RAM and buying a new one...? If so, how do I know which ones to buy? How do I know which processor goes with which motherboard?