A Little Knowledge (iii)

[caddyman]

Yesterday’s computer kafuffles concluded with the computer working pretty much as I think it should do: I ought, I suppose to check the bios to see that I am getting the best out of my shiny new processor, but frankly it seems to be behaving and doing all I ask of it, so on the basis that I can actually do things with the PC, including playing Warcrack, I am more than tempted to leave sleeping dogs lie. Doubtless one of my chums will tell me that I am slowly killing my machine by doing this.

My last post on the subject was potentially a little premature. Yes, the computer worked, but the heat problem hadn’t gone away, despite cleaning the heat sink on the graphics card. I switched the brute off, opened it up again and had a look at the innards for the umpteenth time. I plugged it in and booted it up with the side off and sure enough, the fan on the graphics card wasn’t moving, though it was plugged in. So, I turned the PC off, took the graphics card out and stared at it a bit. Then I shook it and then prodded the fan experimentally. It was all nice and clean following my previous ministrations and nothing obvious – either bits of tech or dust – fell out. Resigned to having to spend a further £35 to £40 on a new graphics card, I swore vehemently at it and slotted it back in place.

It clearly took note. Miraculously, the fan started working again and has continued to do so despite being switched on and off a number of times by way of test. I haven’t had the opportunity to play the game for any length of time, but I managed a good half an hour’s pootling with no problems, which suggests that it is sorted. I would manage maybe three minutes before. Fingers crossed, then.

We finished the weekend off with a trip to the West End last night to meet colonel_maxim and see the Hot Club of Cowtown - a western jazz-swing trio from New York at the 100 Club on Oxford Street. An excellent evening, though a touch more ventilation would have been nice.

Furtle even bought a couple of stickers!

Comments

[bluesman.livejournal.com]

So, did you put in the processor yourself, or did Mr Bowden Romneyfy it?

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

It was while Master romney was over on Saturday that we worked out what the problem was. Based on his advice, and having been shown where the problem was, I bought a replacement processor and installed it.

As long as you know how to take it out of its wrapper and how to use a screwdriver, it's easy enough. It's the fancy stuff, like working out why nothing bloody works for no obvious reason, and software-y stuff that needs branes!

[bluesman.livejournal.com]

It certainly is. If it were me, I'd remove the WoW yumminess and just play it on the Furtlemachine, as it clearly takes up much of your processing power.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

No, it wasn't the processing power that was the problem, it was the fact that the fan wasn't working on the graphics card, thus causing it to over heat.

I only needed the new processor because I went after the wrong fan and damaged the existing processor.

[ladkyis.livejournal.com]

Even with a hands off approach to puters mine still die. Perhaps I frighten them to death....

~ponders this possibility~

[romney.livejournal.com]

But in the end, it WAS me wot broke the very-very-bent pin off the CPU, having carefully sorted the very-bent, bent, somewhat-bent and miraculously-unbent pins.

His comfuter should now be whizzy-fast as he chose an excellent replacement CPU.

Interestingly, the major cause of a clogged fan is either ciggy-smoke or hair, and I'd understood that he'd given both up.