Dead computer. Argh!

[brooksmoses]

The motherboard on my main home computer seems to have stopped working, rather suddenly. I moved the computer over about a foot while it was running (a no-no, I know, but I was quite gentle with it!) and it locked up, and when I tried to reboot it, it did the thing where the fans and drives spin up and nothing else happens. I did all the usual "replace all the parts" diagnostics, and still no go.

I am as yet undecided as to whether I shall try to buy a used PIII-capable motherboard that takes PC-133 ECC memory and has an ISA slot for my beloved old USRobotics modem, whether I shall buy a new motherboard and CPU and memory and modem. The computer was quite fast enough for my needs as it was, so I have no real desire to upgrade, but buying a used motherboard on short notice is a pain.

Suggestions for what's the current hot item in low-power low-noise relatively-inexpensive reliable motherboard/CPU combos would be much appreciated. I use this for typing and for having zillions of browser windows open, not for games.

Comments

[julesjones]

If you wish to borrow a PIII box for a few weeks, I have one sitting here looking rather forlorn, waiting until someone obtains a circular tuit and manages to connect it into our LAN. (It's my old machine, and ultimately going to be a big data dump and Place To Put New Bits, and I'm about to push off on an extended trip, so *I'm* not going to be doing anything with it.)

[brooksmoses]

Thanks muchly -- that does sound like it could be helpful, particularly if I wait for epi_lj to ship his spare motherboard to me. Would you mind if I put my own drives and stuff in it while I was borrowing it?

[julesjones]

No problem -- just don't kill *my* hard drive, because I probably still haven't copied everything off it. :-) Do you want to come round sometime today to pick it up?

It's currently got two hard drives installed, so we're going to have to pull one of them anyway tomake room for yours. If you have working hard drives the easiest thing might be to pull both my drives and put yours in.

[brooksmoses]

Hmm. I found a replacement identical motherboard on Craigslist this afternoon (though I had to buy a whole computer to get it), so I'm going to try to get that working. I thought it was working once I replaced the motherboard, and then it crashed again, and I'm not sure if the problem was just the heat sink being mispositioned or something more serious.

When are you heading out for your extended trip? (That is, when do I need to decide whether or not I'd like to borrow the computer?)

[julesjones]

Tuesday afternoon, for values of "afternoon" that depend on the security theatre de jour.

[brooksmoses]

*nods* So it looks like I should make a decision today. So far as I can tell, my computer seems to be fixed and working okay now with the new motherboard, so I think I'll pass. Thanks muchly for the offer, though.

Have a good trip, and may the security theatre be not too unpleasant!

[ejalbert.livejournal.com]

I have an old Dell 800MHz PIII system that you're welcome to have for free....

[brooksmoses]

Thanks! I think I've got a replacement motherboard for this one, though, so I'll see if that works first.

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

We have such a motherboard sitting around spare we could ship to you, no charge.

(It's a dual-proc board, even.)

[brooksmoses]

Wow; that would be quite helpful. (And being a dual-proc board is particularly nice, since the old one was.) What manufacturer and model number?

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

It's a Tyan. I think the model is 1862DL or something, but I'm going from memory from years ago. Running out the door now, so I can't check, but I'll try to get back to you on this. Or you can prod okoshun about it; it's in her old system.

[brooksmoses]

Hmm. It turns out I may not need this after all -- I found a computer with an identical motherboard on Craigslist this afternoon, and hopefully I can get it working with that. (I thought I did have it working, but then it crashed again, though I have some reason to hope that was a heat-sink issue.)

Nonetheless, thank you tremendously for the offer. And I'll let you know if I do end up needing it after all.

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

No problem. As you say, let us know if you need it. (I think the model number is actually S1832DL.)