Computer Problems

[addicted2dvd]

Well... that shows you the kind of luck that I have. Yesterday evening I was out and we were hit with an unexpected storm. I belive my computer if fried. I am going to see what I can do with it today... but I have a feeling it is toasted.

I can use my brother's computer... but not nearly as often. So I will probably only be able to get on once or twice a day till I either get my computer fixed or am able to get a new one. Being someone that is on a tight budget it could take several months before I have my own computer again. Worst case.... I will slowly buy parts over the next several months and my brother and I will build my own computer. That is something I always wanted to do... so here may be my chance. But at a HUGE downside... I will not be able to buy many dvds at all for a while... maybe one here and there type thing... but that is about it.

I will be on here as I can... updating you with the things I watch. But may only be once or twice a day.

Wish me luck!

[DJ Doena]

Sorry to hear that. Maybe you can salvage parts from your old computer?

[RossRoy]

What is the problem? Maybe only the power supply is fried and needs replacing.

[Touti]

What is the problem? Maybe only the power supply is fried and needs replacing.

That's exactly what I was going to write.  Most power supplies even have a fuse or a breaker in them.  Sometimes you have to open it, sometimes it's accessible from the outside.

If absolutely nothing happens when you turn it on then the power supply isn't working.  If the power supply appears to be working (lights inside it, fan spinning etc) then the next in line would be the motherboard.

If the motherboard fried then there's a chance that your video card, sound cards (if they weren't onboard ones) and any other cards you have could be dead as well but that's a far stretch.

Also, one very stupid question but was computer connected directly in the wall or on a power bar, did you verify that you have power in that outlet and, if using one, that your power bar is still working ?

[addicted2dvd]

Brother took a look at it first thing this morning... apparently nothing was fried. It was trying to start up... but I kept getting a blue screen with a system error on it. Brother seemed to have gotten it back somehow.. but I have no sound and am getting some error messages at start-up. He said I probably just need to put the disc in for the sound card and find any missing dll files. He was able to repair  whatever type of damage was done without loosing any of my info.

So computer still not right... but I do have net access again!   

Put me through a (possibly) unnecessary scare. But we will see if I can get the sound back... and what will happen the next time I reboot my computer! 

BTW... I do have the computer plugged into a surge protector.

[RossRoy]

Good to hear read! 

[Achim]

Thumbs up to your brother!

I will be on here as I can... updating you with the things I watch. But may only be once or twice a day.

This made me

Only twice a day...

[addicted2dvd]

Not as simple as originally thought... it seems I was actually hit with a hacker. Where he came from I have no idea... but shortly after that above message I got hit again pretty hard. I am doing my best to clear things up. Hopefully I won't have to wipe my hard drive clean and start over.

[Najemikon]

If your brother is as handy as he sounds, whip the drive out and connect it as slave to another PC. Delete every temporary file then hit it with anti-virus and Spybot. Then put it back in your PC, boot in Safe Mode and un-install every program you don't need. And I mean every one.

Even if that doesn't work, when it's connected in another PC you have the opportunity to backup all the essential data then you can reinstall with peace of mind.

You refer to the hacker as "he". Chances are it is an "it". A random bot trying to find weaknesses, maybe reporting them, but I doubt you have been or ever will be attacked by a real hacker.

[addicted2dvd]

Thanks Jon... But too late. I am not very patient. I done wiped my hard drive clean.  So starting all over again on my programs  It is a shame that my last DVD Profiles backup was last week! 

[Najemikon]

Thanks Jon... But too late. I am not very patient. I done wiped my hard drive clean.  So starting all over again on my programs  It is a shame that my last DVD Profiles backup was last week! 

I have problems with users like you every damn day! Pete, there is almost always a way back and a way to backup except in the most extreme cases of software corruption.

[addicted2dvd]

OK... quick browser question for you all... all the sudden I can not get to this page... or Amazon.com with firefox. But yet I can get to both easily with IE. Firefox just looks like it is trying to go there... but never moves off the page you are on... nothing even comes across the status bar.

Any ideas?

[addicted2dvd]

OK... I seem to be getting here fine with firefox now too. must have just been a glitch or something.

[addicted2dvd]

Looks like I was wrong... still having problems with both browsers and some sites. Whether I try Firefox or IE I can't seem to go to...

- Here
- Amazon
- google
and who knows where else.

I am actually here now through the browser built into Microsoft Money of all things! 

[DJ Doena]

what happens if you open a command shell (via Start -> Run -> cmd) and enter the following

ping dvdcollectorsonline.com

tracert dvdcollectorsonline.com

?