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[PyroDesu]

Not that I know of. I'm the one in the room where it is, anything I should look out for on it?

[LordSlowpoke]

might be something software-shaped

i recommend you get yourself one of these devices and check if there's a specific address corresponding to the web use spike

if there is, you can probably track down the application responsible

if isn't, it's probably hardware but i can't be 100% sure

[Sappho]

Quick Update on the overheating machine: The computer guy for the office has it now. We opened it up and started it and discovered that the fan isn't working properly. It's not broken; he says it's a software management problem and he's not sure how to fix it. He's trying to find some information now, but I thought I'd pop in and just check and see whether any of you are around and have any idea how to fix this. The thermal paste is definitely fine, he checked that. The problem is that the fan doesn't turn on. The fan isn't broken; it turns on when we start the computer, but then quickly switches off once Windows is loaded. He did some diagnostics and there are some errors about a piece of hardware not being able to start (though that could be any number of the defective pieces this computer shipped with, including the trackpad and some aspects of the wifi card).

Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions would be most welcome. Meanwhile, I'll try to convince the senior editor that I should start doing a monthly video game review for our YouTube channel, and that I'll need a new computer to do it... Maybe she'll agree to pay for part of it...

Thanks guys! Hopefully this ordeal is finally drawing to a close.

[Sinistar]

Oooooooh-keeeeeeey...Remember troubles I had with my drive?

So today I got back my DVD drive that I sent to repairs as it also seemed to have broke down just a month ago. So guess what, after month of not hearing absolutely anything from them, I get it back and they say "It's working fine. No problem detected". Huh? I connect it to computer, start-up and no grinding noise I heard a month ago, it plays CD's just fine and everything seems fine. Gundammit?

But it get's better.

Yesterday, my problematic SSHD decided it either won't let my computer boot or it will take ages to boot and then work just as slowly and with a lot of clicking sounds so long as it is connected.
So after connecting DVD drive I decide to see how the SSHD is handling this.

Bullshit, everything works just gundammn fine gunndammit.

I copy last few essential folders on backup drive I bought few days ago without any problems (and at about 3x the usual speed). I think maybe it's that SSD part of hybrid drive to "blame" for this? So I run Steam, which sent my computer to a clicking-time standstill last time I did that. Fine, fine, fine. Run a game. Fine. Run a game I didn't run in a long time. Fine. Run a CPU intensive game I didn't run in a while. GUESS WHAT. FIIIIINEEEEEE.

All the while I get the messages about windows defender and search index service shutting down over the span of few minutes. And a day before that, various "Could not read from referenced memory" messages connected either to ATI's CCC (?), winlogon.exe (!) or Avira's Systray (!!!).

And all I did today with SSHD was connect it with a different power cable and different SATA port&cable. But DVD is connected with the same ones drive was yesterday yet it works fine.

I am now severely confused. Is this some sort of a virus? Failing mobo SATA ports/cables??


Sappho:  forgot if you mentioned that already, sorry, but is this fan on a GPU? Because in that cause maybe there's some GPU's manufacturer software that can help? If not, maybe SpeedFan can help? I didn't fiddle much with it, but there does seem to be "advanced fan control" option... But that's mostly just me shooting in the dark, if this is connected to some hardware issue as you say, I have no freakin idea what to do, sorry. 

[MaximumZero]

-snip-

The very first thing that I would recommend is Speedfan. Fairly simple and straightforward, and free.

[Sappho]

So. This guy just spent about an hour doing research, tinkering around, and trying everything. He did install Speedfan. Didn't help. Finally, he called me in and tried to explain in his broken English: this computer is just fucked. It's a known issue with this model now, and people have been trying for years to fix it, and failing every time. There's nothing wrong with any part of the hardware: the system just won't tell the fan to turn on. And there's no way around it. He said people have tried everything, including installing a new BIOS and replacing bits of the hardware, but nothing works.

Dell. It's going to be a new curse word for me.

I suppose the fact that the thing is meant not to be opened is a clear sign that Dell never expected people to put these machines to any real use. We're not supposed to keep it long enough to replace the battery or clean out the fans. People who knew what they were doing returned the computers immediately (unless they were trapped in another country like me), and people who didn't know what they were doing would never realize there was a problem to begin with.

So now it comes down to surviving until I can afford a new machine. I'll cross my fingers and hope that I can get the company to pay for part of it, or at least to give me an advance on some of my future salaries so that I don't have to wait as long.

While I'm here, I'd like to ask you all for an expert opinion. I've learned some hard lessons with this piece of garbage, but I still don't know the first thing about hardware. What do you all think of this machine? I should be able to afford it relatively soon (2, maybe 3 months) and it looks like a good one to me.

http://www.alza.cz/EN/acer-aspire-tc-603-d455101.htm

There's also this one, which is quite a bit more expensive. Is it worth waiting an extra month to buy, or will I be fine for games with the other one? I do want a *good* gaming PC, but it doesn't have to be absolutely top of the line. If it will run Skyrim and Minecraft with good graphics options, then I'll be satisfied.

http://www.alza.cz/EN/asus-g10ac-d1637826.htm

There are some really good prices on Dell machines with good hardware, but I think I've learned my lesson about those bastards.

Thanks a lot, guys!

[gimlet]

If it was me (and I didn't care about voiding the warranty), I'd probably just solder the damn fan to the 12V input to the mobo, leave it always on, screw "fan control".   Oooh that could be a drag if it didn't shut off with the computer and it would suck to add another switch - maybe hook up to the SATA power connector or something - depending on how it's wired you might be able to do that without any soldering or physical mod except maybe to the fan (stick a "sata extension cable" between the existing one and the hard drive, modify that to attach the fan.    Another ghetto way would be to use the 5v off a usb port, at least it would run at half speed (I presume it's a 12V fan like most). 

One reason I HATE laptops, if the tiniest thing breaks or doesn't work right, you're screwed.  In a desktop there's an assload of power connectors and options to add fans and improve cooling.  Even switching cases is pretty easy and damn decent cases can be had for $50 - try doing ANYTHING for $50 with a laptop :p

[Sappho]

Yes, well, I'm buying a new computer as soon as possible. If I knew what I was doing with hardware, I wouldn't be having these problems to begin with.

Any thoughts on the two models I posted? Is the cheaper one good enough, or do I need to wait an extra month to afford the more expensive one?

[PyroDesu]

I know that I cannot recommend Acer - thought that was a laptop, but it started failing pretty bad right around the time the warranty was coming around.

If you're going desktop, I can recommend building it, if you can source parts where you are. Otherwise, ASUS is good.

[LordSlowpoke]

all i know about laptops is that thinkpads are pretty great

[MaximumZero]

I wonder what it would cost to build a PC and ship it to Sappho. Hmm...

Also: Acer is crap, generally. Steer clear. ASUS parts are mostly amazing, and I haven't seen a ton of issues with their PCs.

[LordSlowpoke]

guesstimates fed into ups say 800 bucks

most of that is tax

vOv

[Sappho]

What about Acer makes them no good? I'm getting a desktop, not a laptop. I'm not going to build one. I would have to pay someone to do it, and the last time I tried that, I got mismatched parts and failures and all kinds of problems. I know that computer experts can build a much better computer than you can buy from a manufacturer, but I don't know what I'm doing and I don't have anyone I trust who can do it for me. I'm just going to buy one from the store.

The ASUS is a lot more expensive than the Acer. Can anyone give me any specifics on what makes them better? On why it's worth waiting an extra month with the overheating laptop of death?

EDIT: What about this one? http://www.alza.cz/EN/asus-cm6431-cz005s-d616967.htm

[LordSlowpoke]

trust me - prebuilts usually come with horrible quality stuff that is just conveniently not mentioned to increase the shop's/builder's margin (or both)

you usually get too much ram, or a cpu that's far more powerful than the gpu, or a case that's got shit-tier airflow, or a psu that will blow a week past warranty

if you can help it, don't do it

the guy who helped you with your laptop should know enough to build you a pc for a small fee, and again while i have no idea how czechian prices work it should be less than what a shop would slap onto the bill for that

thing is - you have to buy the parts yourself, else you run into the same problem as the first line, guy'll try to make mad dollops off of you

[Sappho]

I'm not building a computer. I don't have anyone trustworthy to build me a computer. I tried to build one once, bumped something while putting it together, and the motherboard fried the first time I hit the power switch. I'm not building one. I'm buying one from the store.

The one I just linked is an ASUS, similar in price to the Acer I linked before. It looks quite good to me. I'm here, asking you guys who are more knowledgeable about hardware than me, if it looks like a good computer or not. That's all I need to know.

I am aware that custom built computers can be much better than store-bought ones. They can also be piles of shit with no warranty. I'm quite pleased that you would build one rather than buy one. That's wonderful. Good for you. There is nothing you can say that will change my mind, unless you want to hand deliver me a custom-built one within the next two months.

I am not building a computer. I am buying one. I know that often the prebuilt ones are not great. That's why I'm asking for your opinions before I buy one. These are my options. Is the cheaper ASUS good enough to run current games with decent graphical options, or do I need to wait a month to save up for the more expensive one? That is my only question.

Thank you.

EDIT: Here's a convenient link comparing the two options side by side. Is the more expensive one really worth it? http://www.alza.cz/EN/porovnani.htm?c=TA226m3;TA226i5e;