I hate computers

[Murminator]

Ok tonight my computer was off I push the start button the fans come on of 5 seconds and it shuts off I push it again same thing, push the reset button then push the on button again fans start up run longer 15-20secs mouse and keyboard light up screen dead shuts down again. Then I smell something funny turn on the light and the room is full of smoke and it has a nasty stink like ozenol just nasty. Swear a bunch and take everything apart look inside to see if something melted or hot nothin (case still had smoke inside) pluged it back in sounds good put it together fire it up and here I am. WTF anyone else ever had this? what should I do? I thought maybe it was the power supply now idunno any Idears?

[Ruth]

Well when I used to drink what I would have done is go and grab a double shot of Tequila or two and then fix it. I have not noticed any different results in my computor fixing skills since I quit drinking so no advise here - just sympathy cause computors are stupid!

[Gizmo]

Murray, Its your power supply.

[Matt]

You let the magic blue smoke out? Man, that's it. No computer can function without it's magic smoke.

I'm voting with the power supply for two reasons: 1) it sounds a lot like the right symptoms; and 2) it is a cheap and easy fix.

Good luck.

[Petcrazy]

I vote on hating computers
I've hated this piece of crap dell computer from hell that I bought a few months ago. That's right, it's pretty darn spanking new...
It never worked from the get go, but of course, that's my fault...not theirs.
-sigh-
So I had some computer dudes try to fix it...meh it works better but the wireless internet card is messed up that they sent with the computer...so the thing hardly ever works right, and it's completely incompatible with my linksys...one of the most popular routers out there.
Idiots...

So now I have to get a new one since they refuse to even CONSIDER that the card may be defective or just incompatible (which it is) or that they sent me a crappy computer (since it never worked right from the start).

Suffice to say, it's tempermental, and for two days now it won't connect wirelessly even though nothing has been changed on the computer.
Right now I have it wired through another computer to work.

I hate it...really I do.

Well...I have a linksys card I bought on it's way...so hopefully that'll fix the problem before I take a hammer to this royal piece of...well...I don't even think I need to complete that sentence.

[Zerandise]

it is possible that its the power supply. It is also possible that its your cpu fan. Most motherboards now days have an auto shut off if the cpu reaches a high temp (wich takes seconds with a newer CPU) or if the fan is not spinning fast enough. Its a nice little failsafe.

could also be your ram (memory)

[GobiGurl]

Hi there,

Murray, I can tell you 100% for sure, your problem is your power supply.
If you plan to replace it, be aware of how many watts you have now, can't go under and some can't go over.


A router, is a router is a router.... drivers are most likely your problem. (Ok, you bought a Dell, that was the first problem.) Propriatory pcs are a pain in the _ _ _ . You can't work on them or your warranty is invalid. But one thing with dell, their warranty is good. Scream loud and long enough, or simply chuck it out the window and they'll rectify the problem.

Drivers are available at www.driverguide.com

Logon name is: Drivers
Password : All

Sort by name, ie. Linksys + model #

Dell drivers only available at Dell of course

Check for network card updates as well. same thing, name of nic card and model #. If you can't find them there, they're usually on the manufacturers website under support.

Before trying the next step, make sure your router works properly by taking it out of the picture. Plug your computer thru the network line coming from the wall directly into the computer first.
Reboot and check for connectivity. If it works, you know you need an updated router driver.

If it doesn't work...

Then.... I would start completely from scratch: Uninstall the nic card, unplug the router, reboot, plug the router back in and it will prompt you on restart that it has found new hardware and wants new drivers. If you found one from the driverguide site, and saved it to your hard drive, tell it the path and file to find it in.

Check for connectivity, if you have none,
click on start, run, cmd (windows 2000 or xp) 98 is command
type in: ipconfig /release
then: ipconfig /renew

But you've probably done all that already so throw it out the !@#$%^& window if it doesn't work and they'll give you your money back, lol...

Or..... take a great big magnet and place it on the top of the pc, it will suck all the information out of the hard drive, basically wipe it clean and you call with shock and horror and say "I don't know what happened, I just know it doesn't work" OR you hire me to fix it, lol, lol , lol......

[blood_hound]

Send it back to dell and ask for your money back

[GobiGurl]

Ya, or that too....

Too much information?