Oh CRAP

Post by **TRON.dll** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:39 pm

Okay, listen closely.

My crap computer, the one with the 568Mhrtz processor or whatever, I think it just died.

I put it into sleep mode. I remembered that I was gonna put some files on my SD card, so I took it out of sleep mode. Normally, when I take the thing outta sleep mode by moving the mouse, it goes back to the Windows XP startup screen without a sweat. The computer just starts running again.

This time was different.

I shook the mouse. The computer sounded like it was starting up. The HP logo (it's an HP machine) pops up. This ONLY happens when it's starting up. Then, the most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my years of computing ever since the CMOS battery died in my Windows 3.1 computer popped up on the screen:

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

W T F H A P P E N E D.

I haven't pressed anything, I'm just waiting for a response from you guys. Please don't tell me my hard drive reformatted itself.

Post by **win3k** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:53 am

It sounds like the main hard drive (is there only one hard drive on the machine?) has either died, or is terminally ill. On odd occasions, I have seen machines fail in this way, only to then work just fine for a further year or more. Your mileage may vary.

On the grounds that the disk is probably going to die, I would look to retrieving as much data from it as possible (mount it as a secondary disk in another machine, rather than using it as the main (overworked) boot disk).

Good luck

win3k

Post by **TRON.dll** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:45 am

Thanks. Qix over at Tron-Sector says that the hard drive may be losing it's magnetism. I agree with him, but because the exhaust fan is broken, some of the components may have melted, like an Xbox 360...

Post by **xistence** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:00 am

Your fan is broken? Might be that your HD has physical error on the surface. In some cases you can exclude those sector while formating the HD, but i won't recommend that.
It could also be that you MBR (MasterBootRecord) was damaged by some chance.

Post by **TRON.dll** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:23 am

Yeah, fan's broken.

It's been off for about an hour now. I'm gonna turn it back on and try and copy as much data from the "my documents" folders as possible. Hopefully it won't die on me.

Post by **SweatyPyro** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:28 am

An alternative to a fan is another fan. If possible, trying popping off the case and just take a fan, plugged into some outlet or operated by batteries, blowing cool air graciously into your PC. I'm assuming your PC isn't sensitive to be knocked over by a small brush of wind, and that doesn't somehow blow over your entire system.

Post by **TRON.dll** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:13 am

Nah, I don't think it'll be a problem anymore.

I've copied all neccesary files to a jump drive. We're going to start looking for new computers sometime today or tommorow.

Anyone know where I can get a new computer (computer only - no monitor/keyboard/etc.) that can play Portal for a low price?

If the computer I get is compatible with BF2, then I'll have to be sure to join you guys online, that is, IF I get a new computer...

Post by **SweatyPyro** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:50 pm

Umm, consider buying Day of Defeat Source via Steam.

Tron, I might mention my machine itself is some 3 - 4 years old. However, it's 2.3 Ghz processor, and relatively (But not truly) new ATI 9550 graphics card runs Spore: CC, DoD:S, BF2, and is supposed to be able to run Portal.

So if you get something above those standards for a low price, don't question why.

Post by **TRON.dll** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:57 pm

I'm currently looking at an Aspire AM1640-U1401A computer with Vista Home Premium (not like), a 1.8 GHz processor (like), 1024 MB of RAM (like), a 250 GB Hard Drive (like), and a NVIDIA GeForce 7050 Video Chipset (like), which TronFAQ told me over at TS should be able to run Portal (like). It's $300 at Micro Center, and it's $260 at Circuit City after "InstantOff", so I'm not sure if I'd end up paying more at Circuit City or Micro Center.

YouTube · Post by **TronFAQ** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:38 pm

Let's put it this way. Will that Acer Aspire play Portal? Yes.

Will it play it well? Not likely.

At $260 that system might be a decent deal, but I still think you could do better.

Post by **TRON.dll** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:08 pm

First off, when you say "not well", do you mean smoothly at low settings, or a slow, jumpy framerate no matter what. I can live with low settings, I can't live with a slow and/or jumpy framerate.

The two systems I mentioned over at TS were just ones that seemed pretty good and appropriately priced. Here's everything I found (except the Aspire I mentioned):

$530 - ThinkCentre A61 9120-AAU
OS: XP Professional
Processor: 2.3 GHz
RAM: 1024 MB
HD: 160 GB
Video: ATi Radeon X1250 Video Chipset
---
$500 - PowerSpec B651
OS: Vista Business
Processor: 2.2 GHz
RAM: 2048 MB
HD: 250 GB
VideoL Intel graphics media accelerator 950 video chipset
---
$500 - PowerSpec V311
OS: Vista Home Premium
Processor: 2.2 GHz
RAM: 2048 MB
HD: 320 GB
Video: Intel graphics media accelerator 950 video chipset
---
$450 - Inpiron 530411M
OS: Vista Home Premium
Processor: 2.2 GHz
RAM: 2048 MB
HD: 250 GB
Video: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X-3100 video chipset
---
$400 - Inspiron 530-104M
OS: XP Professional
Processor: 2.6 GHz
RAM: 1024 MB
HD: 250 GB
Video: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X-3100 video chipset
---
$420 - Presario SR5510F
OS: Vista Home Premium
Processor: 2.6 GHz
RAM: 2048 MB
HD: 500 GB
Video: NVIDIA GeForce 6150 SE Video chipset
---
$380 - Veriton M410-UD4201P
OS: XP Professional
Processor: 2.2 GHz
RAM: 1025 MB
HD: 160 GB
Video: ATi Radeon X1200 video chipset
---
$500 - Inspiron 530-107M
OS: XP Professional
Processor: 2.2 Ghz
RAM: 2048 MB
HD: 320 GB
Video: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 video chipset
----------
That's all I found that seemed to fit in our price range. If I made any serious typos, post here and I'll go back in and correct 'em ASAP.

Post by **Daddyo** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:22 pm

I recommend upgrading to this little jewel:

It can go a full 16K I believe, and the block text b&w graphics are pristine & razor sharp. You won't skip a frame with this baby.

You can find them on ebay for the low low price of $149.95, only pennies a day, what a deal!

Post by **TRON.dll** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:25 pm

Yeah, I could pwn me some n00bs in BF2 at a blistering .000253 FPS with that sucker!

If only BF2 were on 5 1/4 inch floppy.. lol

Post by **Daddyo** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:26 pm

I'll have to figure out how long it would take to load BF2 on a cassette tape.

Post by **TRON.dll** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:47 am

Daddyo wrote:I'll have to figure out how long it would take to load BF2 on a cassette tape.

lol, casset tapes ftw.

TronFAQ, could you please elaborate on what you meant when you said that Portal would "not work well" on the $300 Aspire?