ResearchFixing Your Own Computer - Part 2
Problem: Your computer beeps many times or erratically when you switch it on.
It may or may not start. This is the motherboard's built-in mini-system reporting a problem. The system is called the "BIOS", and when you switch it on the first thing it does is perform a "POST" which stands for "Power-On Self-Test". A single, quick beep indicates that everything is normal and functioning. A series of two or more beeps, sometimes sounding like a Morse code series, indicate a problem, but these are diagnostic codes that vary between brands and models. Interpreting the beeps is usually a job for the computer store, but the most common cause that you can check yourself is that a component is unplugged. So, inside and out, check that everything is securely plugged in. If it still beeps a trouble signal, you might want to look at the screen and check if it's printing out some kind of error to help explain the problem. Lacking that, get on a working computer and search only for "POST beep codes". The problem may be something as simple as a bad floppy boot disk or a dead BIOS battery.
Problem: The hard drive makes a lot of noise.
We're talking about a loud grinding or scraping sound, something that you usually don't hear. This is a sign that your hard drive has had it, and you'd better get your data off the disk fast if you want to keep it, then you should replace it. Some strategies for quickly backing up data for the home user are copying the drive contents to a second hard drive (all IDE ribbon cables have at least two connectors for running two drives), archiving your files and storing them on a USB thumb drive, or uploading them online to a free file storage website online if you can get an account with one. Once you're ready to replace the drive, they can be changed in exactly the same way as the CD-ROM, by disconnecting the IDE ribbon and power-box plug and replacing with a similar part. Hard drives are ridiculously cheap these days; a 20-Gigabyte drive will run $30 to $50 and even a 100G drive will only be around $150.
Problem: the BIOS asks to have it's settings restored at every boot or the clock never stays set.
All this is is a dead motherboard battery. Look for a round, silver disk about the size of a dime on the motherboard. This is a battery that runs the motherboard's own little BIOS system when the machine is powered down, and among other things keeps the internal clock running from one session to the next. Usually this will be held in with a little clip. Carefully remove the battery and replace it; this is a few dollars at the most. Put the replacement in so it's the same way as the last one and start the machine, resetting your BIOS and clock for the last time for awhile!
Problem: Your computer runs fine until your start a large game or a screensaver, then it slows to a crawl and becomes unresponsive.
This is especially true when handling 3D graphics or anything having to do with "OpenGL". Your video card is either bad or outdated. Most consumer computers are poorly set up to handle large 3D graphic applications. The video card is the one your monitor plugs into in one of the slots on the back of the computer - if your monitor plugs straight into the motherboard, you do not *have* a video card! Replacing the video card is a matter of removing one screw and pulling it out of the slot - ask for the upgrade at the computer store and be prepared to spend up to a few hundred dollars. It helps, when buying a new computer, to specify that you will be using it for heavy gaming. The sales staff will then be all too happy to sell you their top-of-the-line machine complete with the hottest video card on the market, which, if you play a lot of immersive 3D games with high-quality graphics, you are used to paying for!
Some final notes: As with any electric appliance, turn it off and unplug it before putting your hands inside it. Avoid damaging all the delicate soldered parts. Unplug wires by grasping the plug-in part, and not just by yanking on the wires. Don't be determined to fix every problem yourself, and it never hurts to call the computer store for advice. Call a small mom-and-pop store that sells parts first and ask for their opinion before you ask a nation-wide retail chain; because all the big chain store will usually tell you is "bring it and two hundred dollars in and we'll diagnose it". I don't want to mention names, but there's a department store chain with a "squad" service which I would rather set my computer on fire than take to them, due to their record, prices, and the horror stories of rip-offs you may find all over the Internet. Try searching for your problem online. And for the dedicated, the latest edition of Que publishing's "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" will be money well-spent.