[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Hi Ron (RKinner) Hope you had a good Thanksgiving weekend. I was supposed to get in last night but got in this morning & I've got work so tonight I work on the computer. Would you suggest I go through each item one by one and reboot to find the culprit? Let me know. Thanks again so very much Ron! Just wanted to give you a heads up. I just don't want this to be closed & I want to be safe & keep you updated. Hopefully my report tonight will be positive.

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Yes tho it will go faster if you do 1/2 of the items each time.

[RKinner]

Yes tho it will go faster if you do 1/2 of the items each time.

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Bad news, so far in regular mode I can't get msconfig. I can't even start>search. And when I boot it in safe mode with networking I have no internet. The computer is super slow in both safe and regular mode, although I can get msconfig in safe mode. I don't know, I'm starting to think this computer is a lost cause & will lose everything on it. :'( I don't know what to do. Feeling major discouraged right now.

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Well msconfig finally popped up after a billion years. Let's see what I can do.

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Hi Ron (RKinner) I'm still working on the computer. It takes hours just for msconfig to show up. So this process will take some time. The computer is super slow in both regular and safe mode. And the computer still has no internet access either way.

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Hi Ŕon (RKinner) I've got bad news. The computer has been trying to boot for days. I'm still letting it try. I'm feeling very discouraged. :'(

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Also, strange noises are coming from the tower. :'(

[RKinner]

strange noises?

beeps?

clicks?

whirrs?

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Hi Ron (RKinner)

I don't know how to describe the noises. But it wasn't beeping or anything electronic. It sounded strange. I decided that since the computer is slow and taking hours and even days to do things and making strange noises I'm gonna let the computer rest for a day or two and then try to do the msconfig process again. It's so discouraging. :'( My work schedule also makes it hard to work on it too. But we'll keep trying Ron. I hope a system restore or something that will make me lose the files on the computer isn't needed.

Ron just a question. If we remove the drive (in order to not lose the files) before we try a system restore is that possible? A friend said also to do a wipe, whatever that is, might help but that's the unclear option. We want to save the files and browser bookmarks etc. What are the options if I'm unable to get the computer going again to connect to the Internet?

Thanks so much Ron!

[RKinner]

There are usually only about four or five moving parts in a PC that might make noise.

CPU Fan

Hard drive

Power Supply Fan

CD/DVD drive

Some units have a fan on the video card and others may have a second chassis cooling fan


Best to open it up and see if you can determine the source of the noise. If it's the hard drive then your data is probably not long for this world. IF it's the CPU fan your CPU can be getting too hot and is likely to fail but it will slow down first to try to protect itself. If the power supply fan is failing the power supply will usually just shut down when it gets too hot. While you have it open, clean out the dust.

A Windows System Restore does not lose data. A restore to factory does (done from before windows boots). If the PC fails but the drive is good, the drive can be removed and put on a USB - SATA adapter. Something like this one:
http://www.amazon.co.../ref=pd_cp_pc_2

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Hi Ron (RKinner)

I'm going out of town for a week for work. I'm going to borrow some tools to open the computer up and see what's causing the noise. Sorry for the lag in updates. Work got pretty hectic this week in preparation for this upcoming week out of town. Please don't close this. You might not hear from me until I come back. I can't really do anything until I get back because the computer's at home. Next weekend I'll need your help in identifying what is making the noise. Also how I might clean out the dust. I'm pretty sure it's dusty in there coz I can see it from outside.

Anyways Ron I want to thank you again! I can't wait until we both resolve this.

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Hi Ron (RKinner) I wasn't able to get to working on the computer this weekend & I'll be leaving for the Holidays. Thanks for your patience. Please don't close this until we have this resolved. I apologize for my schedule & things that come up.

I was able to open the computer and it's dusty and dirty as heck in there. Perhaps that's a contributing factor to the computer's problems. How do I clean and remove all that so as to not damage anything? Also, how do I know what's causing the strange noises?

Thanks Ron!

[RKinner]

Just leave it plugged in when you clean it. This keeps a ground on it so it's less likely to have static problems. I just use a vacuum cleaner hose and a small brush ( a small paint brush is usually enough but I've also used an old toothbrush to clean the fins on the heatsink when it is really dirty) for most PCs tho I have had some where I need to unscrew the 4 screws that held the fan to the heatsink to clean the heatsink so you might need a small Phillips screwdriver. (Do not remove the heatsink by mistake. If it comes off by mistake you have to clean the CPU and heatsink surfaces and replace the thermal paste. I use the kit from Arctic Silver 5 http://www.amazon.co.../ref=pd_cp_pc_0 )

[ThanksGeeksForHelping]

Hi Ron (RKinner) Hope your Holidays are going good and everything is as you want it.

Just got home from my Christmas vacation. I'm back home for tonight and then I'll leave in the morning for my New Year's vacation. I won't be back until the 10th of January. I will work on the computer that weekend. Just checking in to make sure this isn't closed. Again please keep this open until we have this resolved.

I want to wish the GeeksToGo community Happy Holidays & A Very Happy New Year, most especially those volunteers who help us all out for free, and most especially RKinner for helping me out. May all your wishes come true and may you all be happy and loved.