Any Computer Nerdy Girlies out there???

Skidomblat · Joined: 24 Sep 2004 Posts: 39 Location: Philly

Ladies,

I have had such bad luck with my computer. Last summer, my PC crashed so I replaced the hard drive. The same thing happened again last week and so I replaced the hard drive again and now I am getting the same error messages that I received before replacing the drive. What am I doing wrong and what it is wrong with my computer? Do I replace the entire Tower? Is my motherboard sick??? What is the motherboard anyway???

I really wish I knew more about this stuff!!!

Skidomblat · Joined: 24 Sep 2004 Posts: 39 Location: Philly

Yeah, I guess that was kind of vague - sorry.

Ok, well, one day last year my computer started making a grinding noise...then, a few days later it just wouldn't boot. I called Dell, spent many hours on the phone with them, they basically told me that it was time to get a new hard drive. So I did.

I have had no problems until now. Last week, my computer started freezing up a whole lot.

I called Dell, they told me to wipe my system clean and start fresh.

When I tried to reinstall Windows I could not because of a specific error message (I don't have it written down) :(

So I bought ANOTHER new hard drive. installed it… installed Windows... fine... used it for about 2 hours and then it started freezing up and it started giving me the same error message as before, on the old hard drive.

I know I may be a bit difficult to follow here, but basically I keep having the same problem with 3 different hard drives... does this sound like a physical motherboard error?

kindarana · Joined: 22 Aug 2004 Posts: 767 Location: down by the bay

How old is your Dell? I know back when I got mine (1998) they were a good bit sturdier than the more recent ones... if you're still under your Dell service contract you should *totally* call them back and make them fix it for you. Firstly because you paid for it and secondly so they know this issue exists in case it happens to other people.

Try reinstalling, see if you get an error again and write it down! Even if it doesn't make sense to you it might to some of us and the Dell dudes.

If HD #1 was making bad noises, that's definitely a problem with the physical drive. But if HDs #2 and #3 were just Windows installation problems, you might have something else going on. When people start freezing up a lot it might be a sign of a virus or spyware so that's probably why Dell had you reinstall, but that's really just my guess, and I haven't used my Dell in years even though I've also worked helping people with theirs, so take it with that grain of salt.

Naomi

Skidomblat · Joined: 24 Sep 2004 Posts: 39 Location: Philly

I tried reinstalling several times... is it possible for a virus or spyware to infect a motherboard?

Skidomblat · Joined: 24 Sep 2004 Posts: 39 Location: Philly

Hard drive #2 was unable to reinstall Windows. I tried several times... I would get the error message (which I will get for you tonight - sorry) and then it would freeze up.

On hard drive #3 I was able to install Windows. But when I started loading Photoshop I received the same error message as above.