Thanks to everybody concerned with The Big Screwup. Thanks to Donovan at Wii Contests for his sensible and detailed suggestion (for those of you such as you – “Free USA Sattelite Dish” – who spam my comments, read this, then read Donovan’s comment!) , and no thanks to Rhys and Han for their suggestion of “Buy a Mac!”. That was useful. It was as useful as a chocolate teapot, it was as useful as an inflatable dartboard, it was as useful as, well, a Mac. Well, like my bowels and the US economy in the early 90′s, it’s seemingly righted itself. But not without a journey. Here’s my story, with diagrams.
Right, for the purposes of this story, I’m going to provide location and PC update.
1. Location 1 – Monday 5th November 2130
PC screws up royally with the error messages described in this post, won’t boot normally, in safe mode, or with the windows CD in it. Give up, drink, go watch fireworks.
2. Location 1 -> Location 2 – Tuesday 6th November 1030
Take computer to Location 2, explain the symptoms and they say “could be a motherboard issue, we’ll take a look at it”. Go back to work. Eat peanuts.
3. Location 2 – Tuesday 6th November 1400
Recieve phone call at Location 4 from Location 2. They have managed to make the computer boot normally and unsure of my problem. I pick up the computer and take it home.
4. Location 2 -> Location 3 – Tuesday 6th November 1800
At home, plug in computer at Location 3. 2 quick beeps followed by 8 slower ones greet me when I switch it on. Try a different plug. Still the same. Give up. Go to Location 5 (The Rhos Fynach)
5. Location 3 -> Location 2 – Wedesday 7th November 1400
Take computer back to Location 2, explaining new symptoms. They plug it in, and it works. They show me that it works, so I decide to try it at Location 4 to test out.
6. Location 4 – Wednesday 7th November 1430
Plug computer in work, get the same 2 fast beeps followed by 8 slow beeps problem, change power supply, nothing, change power supply back to old one, it works! I dance a jig.
I think this week has proved something – considering I am known as “him who’s good with computers”, I’m rubbish. It’s not that I’m terrible, it’s just that I’m good at somethings like website design, marketing, blogging, and Street Fighter 2. I’m rubbish at hardware things to be honest. I know more about musical breasts than about motherboards.
It’s just a pain when people assume that because I work with IT I am automatically brilliant at everything to do with computers. I’m not, and they go off in a huff. The arguement I use is that you wouldn’t go to your dentist and say “ooh I’ve got white spots all over my knob, can you look at it for me and let me know what you think?”. It’s the same with computer stuff, and it drives me mad, particulary with people who I go off in a huff when I can’t help them, or when people say “well fuck off you ungrateful shit” when I refuse to help them. For free. Out of problems they’ve caused themselves. I don’t care if we’re related, I’ve told you how to fix it, now fix it!
Sorry, little bit of a rant, life will get better soon, I promise!
For one I’m on the piss tonight after a friend of mine is visiting tonight as it’s half term (or something) in the University of Amsterdam. This promotes two valid positives:
- I have a friend.
- They live and study in a foreign city where you can get hookers and blow.
Now all I need is an easyjet flight, sleeping bag and an anti-clap injection, and I’m there!
Comments: 5 Comments
Rhys Wynne, the author of this blog, is a 20 something web designer from Colwyn Bay. 
Testing!
“ooh I’ve got white spots all over my knob, can you look at it for me and let me know what you think?” – If the white spots were teeth then maybe they could help.
I sent you some advice via Twitter, but it did not appear. When you twittered your computer worked in one location and not another, I said “you live in Wales, maybe computers haven’t been invented in one of those locations” I don’t know where that went… It’s lost in cyberspace.
Thanks for the link! I’m happy to help where I can.
I’m glad your computer is working now, but my experience tells me that this is a temporary “fix”. Intermittent problems of this nature are the most difficult to troubleshoot.
Those beeps you hear when it’s not working properly are BIOS diagnostic codes, so if you Google your BIOS manufacturer and “diagnostic beeps”, you might get a little more insight into the problem. Your BIOS manufacturer should be displayed on the screen as soon as you power-up the computer.
Since it’s working now, I wouldn’t mess with it any more, but if you start having trouble again, here are a couple more things to check:
Make sure your CPU fan is working and the heat sink is not covered in dust and gunk. Excessive heat can cause these kinds of stupid little problems. Check the power supply fan too and keep the case vent holes free from dust.
Make sure everything that plugs into the motherboard is connected snugly. Loose memory sticks, cards, and power plugs can act stupid too when coupled with too much heat and poor air flow.
@Donovan: I did reseat the graphics card, as the beeps pointed to it, but that was during point 6 above. Didn’t think much of it until it actually worked though.
The computer shop thought it was possibly something to do with the surge protector I plug my computer into – as that was the only thing different between the two machines (and now).
But thanks for your help!
Sounds like you are having a pretty crazy time with your computer.