So, my computer is dead.

[Mike]

My trusty PC has apparently bit the dust after only 2 and a half years. The other day, I go to turn it on, and only the power light and fans go on. It doesn't sound like the hard drive comes on. I should probably say that it's an HP desktop with an nvidia 8800GT and 4gb of ram running Windows 7. The 8800 GT that I have is the biggest card that would possibly fit inside my case. It doesn't have room for any of those dual-slot cards.

I try a bunch of times, and nothing. I left it unplugged for a couple days and tried it again today. The only thing that was plugged in was the power cord. It started, so I plugged everything back in. It booted all the way into Windows, and everything seemed to work. Except for the keyboard. I tried plugging in my brother's keyboard, nothing. So I try to reboot. Same deal as before, just the power light comes on and nothing else. I take it to Best Buy, guy says it's probably the motherboard, says I can try to change that little watch battery thing on the mobo. I do, but no dice. Still doesn't start.

So now I'm shopping for a new pc. It seems like HP and Dell only make PCs with craptastic video cards even though you can upgrade the hdd, ram, and processor like crazy. Unless you go to Voodoo or Alienware and spend a bazillion dollars.


Basically, I want to still be able to play Crysis without breaking the bank. All the new video cards worth anything seem like they're dual-slot, will they even work with/fit in a somewhat standard new desktop? Should I just pull my 8800 and keep using that in a new PC? Need halp!

[Brooklyn Luckfield]

That sucks Mike. I'd love to help but I'm no computer Wiz. It's hard to get a solid PC without paying an ass load these days (gaming PC wise).

[Mike]

I have a feeling that my video card slowly sucked the life out of my system. I never upgraded the power source, and I probably should have. It also had been acting weird for a while. The card reader crapped out like a year ago. The internal wifi died this summer, and sometimes the computer and the monitor would randomly not talk to one another. There was enough dust to build a cat out of, I'm pretty sure that wasn't helping, too.

Anyway, I think I narrowed the search down. It's either an Alienware Aurora, or an XPS 9100. The Aurora is basically the cheapest Alienware there is. 3.0 ghz, 4 gigs ram, 500gb hd, nvidia GTX460.

The XPS looks like the most baller non-Alienware pc that they have. It has a 2.8ghz, a terabyte of hd, 8 gigs ram, and ati 5870.

They cost basically the same ($1300) and the XPS actually is on sale for like $400 off. I think I just need to think about it for a bit before I decide between one of them. The Aurora has liquid cooling, which while awesome also freaks me out a little. Water + electronics = scary. I don't think a computer REALLY needs a water pump and a radiator like my damn car.

[Brooklyn Luckfield]

lol liquid cooling on a PC? Yeah, that would make me a bit uneasy as well.

[Mike]

I read a bunch of reviews and ended up getting the Alienware. Should ship in a week or so.

[Brooklyn Luckfield]

Very nice Indeed.

[Wingnut]

Liquid cooling on your PC sounds like one of those Tim Taylor solutions to the problem. Going beyond a bigger fan and into the realm of absurdity. Be sure and let us know just how that works when you get it.

[The Final Negotiator]

Mike, sorry to hear about the old PC... May have been the power supply... Oh well, it sounds like the old hard drive is OK, so at least you have "stuff" to transfer over to your awesome new PC... Good hunting...

lol liquid cooling on a PC? Yeah, that would make me a bit uneasy as well.

No, thanks to the automotive style tubing and hose clamps, it's quite dry. And thanks to the fact that there's only a fan or fan(s) on the radiator (if any), and an aquarium pump (basically) pumping the cooling fluid, it's also quietly dry. However, if your used to the usual fan drone (mine has a 120 mm PS, 80mm inlet, 80mm outlet, stock AMD AM2, and better-than-stock GF 7600GT fans), it might make you a little uneasy. However, it's time-tested, effective, and remarkably quiet cooling technology...

Liquid cooling on your PC sounds like one of those Tim Taylor solutions to the problem. Going beyond a bigger fan and into the realm of absurdity. Be sure and let us know just how that works when you get it.

This was not really a "more power" solution as much as a "more computing power" solution. Brought to you by the overclockers community... After designing larger (and noisier) CPU fans, and adding an absurd number of case fans (and noise) to cool down the increasingly warmer cutting edge CPU's, this became the most efficient and compact cooling solution when running CPU's beyond spec. Plus, they run eerily silent...

[Mike]

I got the Alienware one. It's pretty awesome, but it is HUGE. I'm not kidding, this thing weighs like 70 pounds. And it's practically silent. And it runs Crysis with everything maxed out.

[The Final Negotiator]

I got the Alienware one. It's pretty awesome, but it is HUGE. I'm not kidding, this thing weighs like 70 pounds. And it's practically silent. And it runs Crysis with everything maxed out.

That IS awesome, Mike. Huge is not a bad thing. My case, an FK-603 (ATX, 3 ext 5.25", 2 ext 3.5", 1 hidden 3.5", 7 slots) is big, and despite the outside plastic cladding, also heavy, due to the metal subframe (and probably the good stuff I put in it... ). However, not even close to the weight of my slightly-used DELL badged 17" Sony Trini. Big cases usually make upgrades/repairs a snap. I don't know if mine would run still run new games maxed, due to the 3.8Ghz AM2/1.5GB-DDR2/7600GT (2007 tech.)...

Water-cooled, man... It's the way to go. I've got dual 80mm's on the inlet & outlet, 120mm on PS, AMD Athlon64 AM2 stock fan, a 7600GT fan (huge - probably not stock), and ~60mm mobo chipset fan, and it's a somewhat noisy set up (even with the cool 'n quiet drivers installed). Not jet engine sounding, but probably noisier than your configuration. Looks sturdy, durable, and fun...

On a side note: Death can be a funny thing... My MP3 player "died" a month ago after charging, or at least I thought it did. No power up, and the buttons were unresponsive... I just plugged it into a USB today...It started up, and started charging... Y'know, sometimes you can know alot about technology, and still be
surprised. Gremlins maybe? Anyhow, good choice and good hunting...

[EyeOfPain]

I've had that same problem a few times with my Zen. There should be a pinhole on there somewhere that'll reset the device.

[The Final Negotiator]

Nah, mines just an inexpensive RCA Opal. They rig the factory reset though the Power/Menu button. While it's off, click the Power/Menu to turn on the player, or click and hold the Power/Menu button 10 seconds for the factory reset. Also, I was being too hasty in my conclusion: it isn't really completely fixed.

It charged up and I unplugged it to use. It wouldn't switch on, but it worked through USB again, so I was able to backup the stuff I should have backed up in the first place. (Whew! I lucked out...) Then I did the recommended firmware upgrade. All the data got blown away, and I restored the data from the backup. Tried and failed again to switch it on, and a factory reset didn't resolve it either. That's when I decided to charge it up again using Mrs. Negotiator's USB-to-wall charger. Instantly, it booted up and displayed the main menu. That's when it hit me - it was the battery. It's not holding charge. I think I may have charged it with improper equipment.

I actually pryed open the player (carefully), and got the battery number, but it seems like almost no one carries it, and RCA wouldn't sell me one. So, I did what anyone else would do: improvise. I got a LiPo external USB battery from Walmart for $20, charged it, and hooked it to my player. So, now it works again.

[EyeOfPain]

Batteries not holding a charge are definitely an electronic annoyance. At least you were able to find a fix, sort of.