Puter Broken - Need Advice

BMPregler · 07-03-2007, 18:36

Took my wife's HP to the Geek Squad at best buy today. They said he thinks it's the mother board. Won't get past the blue HP screen. Makes a knocking sound, USB ports on the back don't work. He said it is $75 to ship it in for repair and repair could cost $250 - $350.
I am looking for some advice on what to do. I don't know crap about computers.

The thing is 2 years old. Should I get it fixed or buy a new one. If you suggest get a new one what do you recommend? She uses it mainly for surfing and may do some photoshopping and some home video editing.

Thanks

IndyGunFreak · 07-03-2007, 18:47

Quote:

Originally posted by BMPregler
Took my wife's HP to the Geek Squad at best buy today. They said he thinks it's the mother board. Won't get past the blue HP screen. Makes a knocking sound, USB ports on the back don't work. He said it is $75 to ship it in for repair and repair could cost $250 - $350.
I am looking for some advice on what to do. I don't know crap about computers.

The thing is 2 years old. Should I get it fixed or buy a new one. If you suggest get a new one what do you recommend? She uses it mainly for surfing and may do some photoshopping and some home video editing.

Thanks

$350 to install a motherboard! Man, and to think the times I've done that for friends and not charged them a dime...lol. If person installing doesn't have their head up their posterior, it shouldn't take more than 20-30min, an hour if you really stretch it.

I'd probably get a new one(Dell Refurb, given the use it has)

IGF

NetNinja · 07-03-2007, 19:46

If it's a Dell you can order one from Old stock. There were some problems with some of the capacitors on the Motherbioards and were dying after 2 years.
You can install it yourself.

srhoades · 07-03-2007, 22:04

Motherboards don't make knocking sounds, dead hard drives do.

IndyGunFreak · 07-04-2007, 07:44

I completely missed that part(guess my eyes were popping over the price)..

Doesn't really *sound* like a motherboard problem

It can also be a manfunctioning power supply(not sending enough juice to the hard drive).. I've had that problem before.

You have 1, maybe 2, hopefully not 3 issues(MB, HD, Powersupply). I guess the question is, if by chance you get past 1 problem, to find another, do you want to put the money in to fix another, and if you get past 2, do you want to fix 3?

I'd backup all my data and start preparing to replace it.

DaScotsman · 07-04-2007, 07:49

79.9% probability it's the HDD.
20.0% probability it's the CPU Fan.

PM incoming...

IndyGunFreak · 07-04-2007, 07:54

Quote:

Originally posted by DaScotsman
79.9% probability it's the HDD.
20.0% probability it's the CPU Fan.

PM incoming...

an the .1?

IGF

FastZ · 07-05-2007, 20:31

I'd buy a new one. Dell has decent "puters" for around the same price you'd be paying to get the old one fixed. Keep the old one, maybe you could get it fixed later on and then you'd have two computers. But to get one fixed for the price that you could get a new one, I'd say just get the new one.

lens · 07-05-2007, 22:42

Best bet: Sunday paper's ads at one of the computer or office supply stores. Figure LESS than $500 for a new computer after any rebates. It'll serve you well for at least a few years and then rinse and repeat when they go bad. Computers are throw-away commodities these days. Not worth the cost of labor to repair them.

denfoote · 07-06-2007, 18:59

I learned the expensive hard way that when the computer goes it's best to take it out into the desert and aim for the hard drive!!

Kinda like putting an old horse out of it's misery.