Hi Everyone! I am hoping somewhere out there can help me with the odd problems my computer is having.
To (hopefully) make a long story short, here's some background. I have a year-old Gateway computer that is under extended warranty at Bset Buy. (I know... you can make fun of me later!)
My computer has begun locking up on me for no apparent reason. When this happens, my monitor gets all garbled. No motion. Just static garbledness. This happens sometimes while in Windows, sometimes at bootup, sometimes in the BIOS settings. Wherever it wants! There's no rhyme or reason as far as I can tell. Sometimes it happens when I'm pushing the processor, but other times not a single thing is running.
Here are some pics of what I'm seeing on the monitor -- also included is a pic of my CPU temps at a lockup. Doesn't seem to be an overheating issue, right?
Computer - a photoset on Flickr
When it locks up, it's COMPLETELY locked up. I can't do a thing other than open and close my CD/DVD drives. I have to do a manual power shutdown. Sometimes, after powering up again, I can't even get a bootup screen to come up. Power's running through, CD/DVD drives are powered, but nothing else.
I've already brought it the Geek Squad like 5 times. First they tried to tell me my OS was corrupt and tried to charge me $130 to install Windows -- screw that! Finally, they shipped it away for a week and told me a new mobo was installed, which I'm starting to doubt.
But before I go back screaming and yelling, I would love a REAL expert opinion.
Any help is GREATLY appreciated -- and if more info is needed, just ask!
Thank you all!
--Shane
To (hopefully) make a long story short, here's some background. I have a year-old Gateway computer that is under extended warranty at Bset Buy. (I know... you can make fun of me later!)
My computer has begun locking up on me for no apparent reason. When this happens, my monitor gets all garbled. No motion. Just static garbledness. This happens sometimes while in Windows, sometimes at bootup, sometimes in the BIOS settings. Wherever it wants! There's no rhyme or reason as far as I can tell. Sometimes it happens when I'm pushing the processor, but other times not a single thing is running.
Here are some pics of what I'm seeing on the monitor -- also included is a pic of my CPU temps at a lockup. Doesn't seem to be an overheating issue, right?
Computer - a photoset on Flickr
When it locks up, it's COMPLETELY locked up. I can't do a thing other than open and close my CD/DVD drives. I have to do a manual power shutdown. Sometimes, after powering up again, I can't even get a bootup screen to come up. Power's running through, CD/DVD drives are powered, but nothing else.
I've already brought it the Geek Squad like 5 times. First they tried to tell me my OS was corrupt and tried to charge me $130 to install Windows -- screw that! Finally, they shipped it away for a week and told me a new mobo was installed, which I'm starting to doubt.
But before I go back screaming and yelling, I would love a REAL expert opinion.
Any help is GREATLY appreciated -- and if more info is needed, just ask!
Thank you all!
--Shane