Seem to be developing major computer issues....posting tonight in ''safe mode". Spent half the day trying to figure out what the problem is. Laptop runs fine for hours or minutes then the display goes haywire and I have to shut down or it shuts down by itself. Also having trouble tricking it into finding network access to the internet. Maybe this is the universe telling be to suck it up and get back to work on things in the real world.
241 night at the Starlighight...they have been having issues (don't we all) with their swamp cooling system. This is an industrial sized portable unit they borrowed from my buddies Doug and Kat...we got all caught up at the bar tonight. Several visits coming up so I gotta get going early and start clearing the grounds and prep for the next assault on the greenhouse.
18 comments:
Bummer about the computer, John. Hope you got your backups current. Sounds like imminent hardware failure :(
seem to have backed everything up just in time...
looking forward to seeing the progress on the next phase of construction on the greenhouse!
Just like Pierre duPont when designed and built "Longwood Gardens"
A building for the ages!
John
Are you conditioning your power going into the unit? As in a APC Battery Backup? I assume you checked the Battery output ... have you checked the charger output? Graphic Adapters are unforgiving and will act weird when the power input is not just right. I had a laptop that would not recharge on a generator but worked fine on standard house line. My son tells me it was most likely poor wave lengths. I never did get the laptop to recharge from the generator..... good luck You lightening show the other day may have gotten to you .... Electrostatics could have come in the front door. Check your grounds!
Hope you can figure it out!
Sounds like the dying song of aging hardware, assuming you've had it for a while. I'm not a hardware expert but it sounds like your laptop's battery may be on its last legs, it's one of the most common hardware issues with laptops. (though 2L84Me may be onto something with the finer details of the power supply)
I'd look into replacing battery if you haven't already. (if you can find one available for yours)
I am wondering about your computer fan or dust in your machine...if you don't blow out the dust now and then, it can sure get hot and burn up parts.
Just to add to comments here, also there are some pretty nasty viruses out there right now.
You may have to take one to the computer doctor and have it checked out, if not both.
Hey JW...my pc was doing the EXACT same thing the past 2 weeks! I opened it up and took a blow dryer to blow out all the dust and dog fur. The fan on the graphics card was covered! Hardly no air going through any of the fans inside lol. After that it's been running fine again. It's pretty dusty there....
JW
The ladies are right! Over heating will cause that too! It is worth checking their theory out as well. I guess I was ASSuming you were on top of the house cleaning. Is your Desktop OK?
Sheesh, John. My relaxed Field Lab watching (for the season)is over if you're going back to work on that greenhouse roof. I worry about you out there all alone in that heat, with no one to know if you fall. Please keep the camera trained on where you are working.
But who would we call if one of us saw you fall?
If the graphics are going crazy, it can be two things.
1. Video chipset is running hot due to dried up heat sink compound, or dust, or animal hair, or whatever. As the ladies say, dust it out and it may fare okay.
2. Video chipset has overheated or just plain failed like most things made in China do, usually right after the warranty period has lapsed.
If your computer is a laptop, there is little that can be done apart from replacing the motherboard. This can be costly if talking to the manufacturer. Ebay might help you save some money there as most laptop motherboards are proprietary and one off for each model.
If it's a desktop computer and the video card is dying, replace it cheaply. If it's using onboard video then you'll need to either replace the motherboard, which means you may have to replace the memory and CPU if it's too old, as the new motherboard may not take the old CPU and memory.
Or you can add a video card to the empty AGP or PCI-e slot and use that to have a functioning display.
Either way, it sucks when your computer goes kaput.
I have an HP laptop that is doing the "suddenly die" routine these days. It's nearly five years old and has had heavy use, so I think it is merely on its last legs.
If you replace it, some of the laptops with ultra low voltage CPUs don't use cooling fans--and thus don't suck in as much dust and debris that can indeed cause overheating. I'll be buying an ASUS machine with that configuration when I get back to the States for a visit next month, in fact.
There are also some "net top" machines that don't have or need cooling fans. These work with a standard monitor.
Good luck!
David
My suggestion, get rid of windows
http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major
I'd be happy to send a Linux thumb drive. You can run it right from the drive and bypass your hard drive if that helps. Maybe keep it as a spare running a friendly version of linux if you want:)
my email is nycjeff1@yahoo.com
My vote also goes to overheating video hardware, likely due to dust build up. I've had that happen a few times.
Good luck, John. I love what you're doing out there!
I have to agree with most of the comments JW..My first thing would be clean it out real good!!!, unplug it first of course and take your time with a grounded to frame dust brush, and then Canned Air. It sure sounds like an overheating issue.
Good luck with it. and glad you got a back up already.
My suggestion: take the plunge and buy a mac. you will not regret it. it runs like you always wanted a computer to run. no bullshit, just quality hardware and software far superior than anything i've ever used that is PC based. i've had a mac for three years now. never used virus software. never had to. i can't imagine ever going back to a pc.
EZRA,,thanks, I never thought about using a blow dryer. I would just bet JW doesn't have one...teehee
I also have to agree with the heat issue. And dont give in to the whole mac/pc stuff. I have one of each and have the same overheating problem, I am building off grid in Joshua Tree. As far as the battery back up 2l4bme is talk about. That is a great idea. I think i my just might do the same. Beings I am running the same HF kit and battery set you are running.
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