My PC is a refurbished tower I picked up from work. They were going to recycle it and I figured that I could fix it up and score a cheap, decent PC. I've had it for about 2 months now and the problems with it have been steadily increasing.
Specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo
80 GB HD
2X2gb Dual Channel DDR2 RAM
(I don't have the MoBo specs, I'll check that when I get home tonight)
2 fans, one on the side, on CPU fan (no front fan)
The only modifications I've made were initially removing the CPU fan to determine the processor (an Intel Core 2 Duo), then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it. I also installed 2X2gb DDR2 RAM. After a number of times where it overheated, and refused to start (see below) I removed and re-installed the CPU fan, this time with a slightly bigger dab of thermal paste.
The first problem that I noticed with it was that occasionally when I powered it on it would start off, then abruptly shut off (this after I'd removed the CPU fan, then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it on my processor). I'd immediately try to boot it up again and would hear four tones, alternating High-Low-High-Low, and would receive a message one my screen that my PC had shut down due to a "thermal overheating event" (I don't immediately have the exact wording). I'd hit enter and Windows would start.
The second problem was that occasionally when watching video or using Photoshop my screen would go black for a few seconds, then come back on with a note about the "display driver failing" - only it referred to a driver for Vista, not Windows 7 (even though i had initially installed Windows 7 via a boot disk). My roomie attempted to solve this problem for me by booting my PC into safe mode and uniinstalling that driver, and reinstalling a Windows 7 driver found online. This seemed to work for a few days until I started gettign the message again.
THe third problem was that after such "black outs" I started seeing what appeared to be dead pixels in the margins of chrome, and pink squares on video I'd watch. This was annoying, but I could ignore it as long as my screen didn't black out. That all changed when I started getting regular BSODs after the black out, and instructions to launch Startup repair (which takes forever).
Now, my PC will apparently start (in that it sounds like it's turning on). but my monitor does nto detect a signal. At this point I've ready to cut my losses, but I'm not sure whether I should drop more money on a fan or abandon this project altogether. I can open it up and provide any add'l info needed when ig et home tonight.
Muchas Gracias to anyone who can give me some insight!
Specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo
80 GB HD
2X2gb Dual Channel DDR2 RAM
(I don't have the MoBo specs, I'll check that when I get home tonight)
2 fans, one on the side, on CPU fan (no front fan)
The only modifications I've made were initially removing the CPU fan to determine the processor (an Intel Core 2 Duo), then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it. I also installed 2X2gb DDR2 RAM. After a number of times where it overheated, and refused to start (see below) I removed and re-installed the CPU fan, this time with a slightly bigger dab of thermal paste.
The first problem that I noticed with it was that occasionally when I powered it on it would start off, then abruptly shut off (this after I'd removed the CPU fan, then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it on my processor). I'd immediately try to boot it up again and would hear four tones, alternating High-Low-High-Low, and would receive a message one my screen that my PC had shut down due to a "thermal overheating event" (I don't immediately have the exact wording). I'd hit enter and Windows would start.
The second problem was that occasionally when watching video or using Photoshop my screen would go black for a few seconds, then come back on with a note about the "display driver failing" - only it referred to a driver for Vista, not Windows 7 (even though i had initially installed Windows 7 via a boot disk). My roomie attempted to solve this problem for me by booting my PC into safe mode and uniinstalling that driver, and reinstalling a Windows 7 driver found online. This seemed to work for a few days until I started gettign the message again.
THe third problem was that after such "black outs" I started seeing what appeared to be dead pixels in the margins of chrome, and pink squares on video I'd watch. This was annoying, but I could ignore it as long as my screen didn't black out. That all changed when I started getting regular BSODs after the black out, and instructions to launch Startup repair (which takes forever).
Now, my PC will apparently start (in that it sounds like it's turning on). but my monitor does nto detect a signal. At this point I've ready to cut my losses, but I'm not sure whether I should drop more money on a fan or abandon this project altogether. I can open it up and provide any add'l info needed when ig et home tonight.
Muchas Gracias to anyone who can give me some insight!