Yay My Internet Is Working Again!!

[LOUISEH]

Hi guys. Long time no type!!!

After a long long long long time of having no internet, I can now say that I am back online and here to interfear and critisize once again

[emmab]

LOL. Good to have you back. I thought you had been awfully quiet. ;)

[m8internet]

My current computer has been switched on since January 2005
I can only remember switching it off about 3 times

I was away for one night, so switched it off on Thursday
On my return on Friday and it wouldn't switch back on
After about an hour of checking the tower I suspect the motherboard has failed!

As a result I am currently using my laptop until I can get three quotes in for my desktop computer to be repaired
I could take a chance and replace the motherboard myself, but I don't have the tools to check and make sure

It's the first computer hardware failure I have had since since about 1986

[emmab]

That's mad ! I only have to look at a compter and manage to break it or delete something I shouldn't have

[m8internet]

I've been using computers since about 1984
I hear all these horror stories about failed and broken home computers
One thing that has become clear over the years is that for the amount of time that a business computer is on, the failure rate is very low
I therefore decided with my previous computer that it should be left on 24 hours a day
That computer lasted 5 years, and was only replaced due to its unsuitability with internet access

[retailworld]

I always build my own PCs by hand, using the best combination of products at the given time. I use mine for about 4 hours daily, with an occasional run through the night. Have never had any real problems, didgy hard drive about 2 years ago, but was fixed within a couple of days.

[m8internet]

I use my computer between 4 and 6 hours each day, and about 15 to 18 hours each day at weekends and days off
The computer is also used to relay eMail
It is therefore more cost effective for me to leave it on 24 hours a day

I have always renewed or replaced the computer when there is a 10 fold increase in processor speed, or roughly every five years
Previous computers have been desktop packages, but most recently they have been separates

My current computer is a HP Pavilion photosmart 2.93GHz
At the time of purchase it was cutting edge, and even now it is hard to beat!

I've now got one quote in for a repair, at £104.00, with a turnaround time of 2 days
Given the motherboard alone is £55.00, or £85.00 direct from HP, that quote doesn't look that bad!

[m8internet]

The repair agent had my computer for a week, returned it on Saturday
Sadly, they were unable to repair it
The motherboard uses a HP BIOS which is also incorporated in to the Hard Drive
The agent had planned to simply replace the motherboard, but noticed the above problem when trying to source a BIOS
However, replacements are no longer available

It's very clever from the manufacturers point of view, as it means the computer can only use their main components
However, this is not so good a few years later when the manufacturer no longer makes those parts
In effect the entire computer has to be disposed of, as it is cheaper to get a new one than repair the existing one

However, thankfully I have some technical knowledge
I also sourced a replacement motherboard, from a similar model, on ebay and after checking with HP in the USA the existing BIOS chip can indeed be transferred to the replacement motherboard
It's been a long month without a computer and had I known all this in advance I would already have bought the required parts

[tristanj]

Just in time that I joined here, hopefully you are still here and your computer is still running. I'm now a jabberbox here, I hope I'm not the only one who is online here. :(