Korean Job Discussion Forums

[quadra87]

Ok... so my boss set me up with an old PC that was kicking around the office. Nothing spectacular (P-3), but good for what I need it for (especially considering that it was free).

Anyways, I got it home, got the internet hooked up, used it for three weeks, and now trouble.

Three days ago it froze. When I restart it, nothing loads, and instead I get a series of high pitched beeps from the machine with a black screen.

By boss has phoned a service guy who is coming to check it out, but the guy said it sounds like somethings wrong with the CPU, and if it needs to be replaced I'm looking at aroung 300,000 won for a new part.

As I don't know all that much about the hardware end of computers, can someone tell me if this sounds right? If this is the problem and it does cost this much, is it worth it? As I said, nothing particularily impressive about the computer... I think 10 gig hard drive, cd-player, so-so video and sound card. The service guy hasn't come yet (not till Thurs.), just looking for any advice to help me prepare for the grand event.
Thanx

[Falstaff]

It sounds like either a fried CPU or motherboard to me. It's not that expensive to get set up with a new system. If you've got a good monitor, that's a lot of the expense right there. But yeah, usually beeping is a bad sign.

[peppermint]

If you tell us more about the beeps, we can get a better idea of what's wrong. Worst case scenario, I bought a brand new system a couple of months ago for under 500,000.

[quadra87]

Not that much more to say about the beeps... computer froze, tried to restart, black screen, every 5 seconds or so my computer goes beeeep, I turn it off.

I had the techie guy who does work in my office check it out, he fiddled with all the conections, said he thought it was cpu or motherboard, told my boss, and he said that he would call the service center.

Service center guy is coming on Thursday morning (just going to check it out... won't do anything expensive or major without my OK), so i will know more then.

One of my friends just told me that if it is the cpu, I can get a new one from the electronics market for about 120,000-150,000 and that it is fairly easy to install. Does this sound right?

[Demophobe]

Yep....but you should just dump it and buy new.

www.danawa.co.kr

Look here for new parts, but there is a thriving used-parts market in Yongsan, where you could build a similar system dirt cheap....way less than even a cheap new one, if you want to go with a basically disposable computer.

[agraham]

The number of beeps is important. It can help narrow down the problem.
Check out http://www.amptron.com/html/bios.beepcodes.html

Before I give up on a computer or pay a dime, I would pull out every component and reseat it. Blow in the sockets to get any dust out. Careful not to get any moisture in there! Try that. Make sure all the fans are spinning. If it doesn't work, take out the cards and the memory and polish the contacts with a pencil eraser. A slightly gritty eraser like the ones on yellow pencils works best Make sure to clean it first on some white paper.

Don't worry if you haven't done this stuff before.. it's easy. Just don't force anything. Memory usually has a little lever you push and then swing it away and out. The CPU often has a lever too. If the CPU is glued to a big metal heatsink dont try to seperate them. If the heatsink is fastened to the board in some way or has a fan that's plugged into the motherboard you might want to forget about pulling out the CPU. Boards come out by pulling straight up - there's usually a screw that holds them down near the back of the box.

[Demophobe]

Don't try to meddle with the CPU. If there is any problem with a CPU, it's cooked, not a "seating" problem. Very difficult for them to "unseat"...P3s have no heatspreader...only a glass covering over the core. If that get's cracked (which happens easily with a shake or jolt when transporting without removing the heatsink), then it's game over.

I agree that removing and re-inserting the memory and cards is an option, but fiddling with the CPU in an old system where it's probably fused to the heatsink is foolish for a novice to do on their own. Unless of course, they have a new one with a heatsink that has the thermal pad still on it. Thermal grease needs some care and knowledge before lathering it on. A quick google will find you all you need.

It's possible that something got rattled during the move. Good call agraham, save the CPU bit.

[quadra87]

Thanks to everybody for their advice.

My boss has assured me that the service guy is just going to look at it tomorrow... won't do anything that costs anything without telling me how much and getting my approval. Apparently my boss buys most of his computer gear from this company, so hopefully they'll be extra nice to me. Anyways, I'll see what he says.

Double kudos to barrybrown for the pm and phonecall...if the service guy wants to much, I will bring you my pc this weekend

[agraham]

Yeah, these days CPUs are locked in those ZIF sockets, so they can't really unseat. But (showing my age here) my Amiga 500's CPU would tend to work itself out of the socket after a few hundred heating-and-cooling cycles. I opened it up and pushed it down many times before I realized I could drop the computer flat onto the desk from about two feet up to reseat it.

So yeah Quadra.. I agree: forget about messing with the CPU in any way (just look at it to make sure the CPU cooling fan is spinning).

[Thunndarr]

Don't forget to check and make sure the video cable is securely fastened. You never know.

[Demophobe]

If uit were the video cabe, there would be no error beeps, just the monitor displaying a "no video signal" message.

agraham...showing your age? I once had my Commodore 64 fall of of my bike when carting it to a buddies place! It worked fine.

[the saint]

[Thunndarr]

[Demophobe]

"Bad idea"? Not really, but a touch wasteful as it won't be the problem.

[quadra87]

Nothing like having your post turn into a spirited debate about about things you don't understand

The guy came by my place this morning, and it turns out there is some thing wrong with my video card. He took my computer away, will bring it back tomorrow with a new card, all for a grand total of 60,000 won. As a bonus, my boss offered to pay half, as he was the one who got me the computer.

Nothing like simple and cheap solutions to seemingly complicated problems

Again... thanks for everyone's help.