MR

My parents' computer is having a meltdown. The thing is about 8 yrs. old and was slow already but ran fine otherwise.
The other day she turned it on and she said it took literally a few hours to come on. I told her to leave it on rather than turn it off and on all the time if it took long to boot up. Everything was fine until their power flickered yesterday for a nano second. Of course the computer went off. Now she can't get it to come back on. She said the light on the front blinks kind of unsteadily and it's amber. Nothing shows on the monitor, the modem lights are all functioning and the printer/copier works fine. I told her she probably needed a new one anyway but I'd like to know if this can be fixed easily so save her some $.

Any suggestions?

If it's 8 years old, it's almost certainly not worth fixing. You can get a cheap new CPU for a mere few hundred bucks these days.

Ehwmatt wrote:If it's 8 years old, it's almost certainly not worth fixing. You can get a cheap new CPU for a mere few hundred bucks these days.

That's what I told Mama. I told her to start shopping around and that for no more than they use it for (email and minimal internet to look something up) they wouldn't have to spend much.

Before you go out and spend money on a new computer, buy a power supply for them. You can get one at Newegg.com for about $30.00 for an inexpensive one, and they won't have to learn a new operating system and have to do a full setup for emails, web browsers, favorite links and so forth. In all honesty, it is pretty easy to do the install of the new power supply, but if you don't feel comfortable, take it it Best Buy and have them check it out and give you a estimate, usually they do this for free.

Rich the Easy Guy

sounds like a power supply problem as well. they are super easy to fix.

Suzanne wrote:

Ehwmatt wrote:If it's 8 years old, it's almost certainly not worth fixing. You can get a cheap new CPU for a mere few hundred bucks these days.

That's what I told Mama. I told her to start shopping around and that for no more than they use it for (email and minimal internet to look something up) they wouldn't have to spend much.

No they won't have to spend much at all. These days you can get a PC without all kinds of bells and whistles and perfect for minimal use (email, net and games) for FAR less than what it would take to fix/upgrade the 8 year old monster they're running now.

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

Suzanne wrote:

Ehwmatt wrote:If it's 8 years old, it's almost certainly not worth fixing. You can get a cheap new CPU for a mere few hundred bucks these days.

That's what I told Mama. I told her to start shopping around and that for no more than they use it for (email and minimal internet to look something up) they wouldn't have to spend much.

No they won't have to spend much at all. These days you can get a PC without all kinds of bells and whistles and perfect for minimal use (email, net and games) for FAR less than what it would take to fix/upgrade the 8 year old monster they're running now.

While I agree that PCs have come way down in cost (I build high end custom PCs for Gaming) they are still at least around $300.00 and then there is learning the newer software and getting everything setup on the new PC that can be a bigger hassle that it is worth. A person or persons who use the computer for mostly email, general surfing would be better suited in fixing their existing computer than taking on a new one.

Rich the Bigger Guy

Ehwmatt wrote:You can get a cheap new CPU for a mere few hundred bucks these days.

Not only that, you can get a new computer for a few hundred bucks too.

(a CPU is just the processor)

MrsPerry wrote:sounds like a power supply problem as well. they are super easy to fix.

That would be it, and by the description of the problem, I'm guessing it to be a Dell OptiPlex or Dimension. At that age I'd strongly recommend replacing the entire PC.

Before you buy anything or dumpster it, try unplugging it from the wall for an hour and then try booting it again. A power supply can become triggered by a power outage. Unplugging it and allowing it to dissipate any electricity can untrigger the power supply.

Sarah wrote:

Ehwmatt wrote:You can get a cheap new CPU for a mere few hundred bucks these days.

Not only that, you can get a new computer for a few hundred bucks too.

(a CPU is just the processor)

My CPU is a neural net processor... a learning computer

You can get generic power supplies on evilbay for under $20. Just type in the make and model number along with the words "power supply" and then filter the results to the Buy It Now's with lowest price plus shipping. Then on the left on the results, scroll down and find a seller in the USa so you're not waiting 5 weeks for something from China to arrive.

Some of the Dell power supplies are slightly proprietary though (at least in fit). Best to match it up if it's going to be replaced, or make sure to get one you can return if you have any problems.