Poo... My Computer Won't Turn On!!!!!

[quiverfull7]

So I has a wonderfully lazy day today. DH took the kids fishing and I slept in after I got them out at 6am. This afternoon I checked my email and the kids had played a game or two after coming home and on DD had written a paper for a college class online and thankfully printed it when she saved it. The computer was stalling and not behaving very well so I updated PP3, backed up my files and turned off my computer. NOW IT WON'T TURN ON!!!!!!!!! The mother board is getting power because it has a little light on but the switch won't work. I've got like 6 hosts to contact and close catty shows for this week and a cooking show from last week. I'm SO thankful I backed up before I shut it down but I've got tons of info on that computer that I have to get off. YIKES!!!!!!! Has anyone had anything like this happen?

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

So...you sent us this post on your cell phone?

 

[quiverfull7]

HA! Nope... my DD laptop. Which I may have to download PP3 on if I can't get mine going. She won't be thrilled but she'll have to deal with it! I'm thankful at least that I have this as an option.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I hope you can get it up and running! I seem to attract computer malfunctions! My DH has recently had to replace my hard drive and my mother board...he just shakes his head because I don't really do much on my computer compaired to what he does, and he can't understand why my computer is always dying and running slow and his is working just fine.

Thank heavens you have the laptop!

 

[quiverfull7]

Yes.. I am thankful. My DH's laptop already has PP3 on it but for some reason, where you plug the cord in to charge his unit... gets too hot and melts the little piece you plug in so it won't make contact anymore so that needs help too. Maybe I have a computer spell in my fingers or something... in which case my DD won't be letting me use this too much!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

You know they recalled a lot of those battery packs because of fire hazzards- you should check online to see if DH's computer is one of the many they recalled for that very same reason. When I worked for Wells Fargo, they recalled so many computers that they just decided to give us all brand new laptops to save them the trouble of trying to figure out who really had a fire hazzard or not!

 

[lockhartkitchen]

Hard drive failure? possibly? My husband does computers. I hope your backups have been on an external device? Good luck.

 

[jenniferp417]

Sounds more like the motherboard - better chance the hard drive is ok. :crossfingers:

 

[jenniferp417]

I hope you can get it fixed soon! I'm sorry this happened!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you! When my laptop died I thought I lost everything but my DH is a computer genious :love: and he was able to get everything off of it onto his desktop until we got my new laptop.

It taught me to back up somewhere besides another place on the hard drive.

Here's hoping that your computer person can do the same for you!

 

[quiverfull7]

My PC stuff is all backed up on a flash drive so I can load it on this laptop if I have to. My email address books, tons of WORD and PDF files and GOBS of photos however... are on that hard drive and I am praying they can be retrieved.

 

[quiverfull7]

Well, the official word is the motherboard is shot as well as the power supply. Poo again! There is an outside, slight possibility... that he has a mb that MIGHT fit mine. It's the same kind so I'm holding my breath. We really can't afford a new unit but I can't be without my computer either. SO ... please say a prayer that the mb he has will fit because that would be cheaper, I think, than a whole new one. However, the labor is terribly expensive. Pray we make the right decision when the time comes. My DH's laptop also needs the mb replaced. sigh... I may need a new one as well!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

It might be cheaper to just get a new system and add your current harddrive as the second drive. It's worth asking the guy about before he runs up $400 in labor.

 

[quiverfull7]

That is exactly what we have decided to do. You are SO SMART KG!!!!
Hey... can I claim smart too then? Please!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Experience, that's all.Experience is what you get seconds after you needed it.

 

[janetupnorth]

That so IRKS me what these guys charge in labor...I should do repairs for a living, of course I'd be very busy because we only charge $20/hour or free for friends. Plus those guys often give bad advice and don't know how to test any components properly. I repaired a lady's computer for her about two years ago for $40 in labor - she was quoted $200! ...and then told me the story of how a repair guy she knew told her that her 1 year old laptop was dead (hard drive) and that she couldn't get a new one and it was trash - he took the laptop!!!!You can usually get a good replacement motherboard for about $50 and they only take about 15-20 minutes to disconnect everything and put a new one in! Power supplies are only about $30 and about the same amount of time to put in. Amazing how they charge a fortune for that too!Anyway, if I was closer, I'd fix it for you!But yes, stick the harddrive with the data in another system and upgrade if you can.

 

[janetupnorth]

Oh, I forgot to add...with a motherboard AND a power supply going at once, it sounds like you got a good power surge from somewhere. Do you have a good battery back-up/surge protector your system is on? If not, I recommend one and depending on what system you have can tell you what you need. It is well worth it.Or, if you buy a new PC (not self-build) I would recommend getting a 3-year warranty with your system. If you shop around you can get a decent warranty that doesn't TOTALLY kill your pocketbook. For a computer with tons of use or that your business relies on, it is worth it.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Q: How many computer techs does it take to change a flat tire?A: Five. Four to hold the car up and one to keep swapping until he finds the bad one.

 

[quiverfull7]

YAHOO!!!!!!!!! I'm back computing and online. I have TONS of work to do to restore everything but thankfully my PC stuff will be the easy part! Thanks EVERYONE for all your help! Please pray that the guy retrieving all my data will get it done soon and everything that I need loads back on. All my NC info and flight info etc was on there. Stupid Stupid Stupid not to have backed those up along with my PC stuff but PC makes it much easier!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Welcome back, Diane! Prayers for quick data retrieval are coming your way!

 

[kathijenkins]

Wow! Glad I read this! My DH's laptop crashed...we bought a new HD, yeah that wasn't the problem. BUT now I have a backup HD for my laptop along with my flash drive. And now a better idea what's wrong with his...God I LOVE this site!!!

 

[janetupnorth]

HD are the most common problem...motherboards or power supplies seem to be second!

 

[kathijenkins]

We're gonna take it in have them figure out which it is since it has a new HD & still won't come on. I have the old HD in a 2.5" HD enclosure w/ 2.0 USB & use it as an external back-up...if mine crashes at least I know between backup disks & removable drives I'm covered.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

 

[quiverfull7]

My scentiments exactly KG!!!!

 

[quiverfull7]

Just FYI .... most "older" printers don't run on VISTA. Sigh Mine is "older".
Enough said.
PP3 Looks okay but if anyone has any wisdom on what I may encounter PLEASE let me know.

 

[janetupnorth]

So, Diane, did you pick up a new PC already????

 

[quiverfull7]

I did! And I found the drivers to get my old printer to work. The first one I brought home did NOTHING ... so had to trot back to town and the 2nd works great. Everything is upside down on my desk and the computer is all hooked up temporarily since I wasn't sure what was going to work or not but I've got like 6 shows to close and my DD has a 4 hour test to take online so I knew I wouldn't have access so I bit the bullet. I had to pay a guy to get my info off the old hard drive. Thanks to everyone for all your help... especially Janet the computer info guru!

 

[janetupnorth]

I would have helped you even more if I was closer and had more time!!!! ...and gotten your information cheaper... But heh, all is well that ends well.

 

[quiverfull7]

Yup... and I did get a 2 year protection plan. I just can't go through this again. It will be a very cheap investment if I have another surge and I don't even know when this one happened.