NationStates Jolt Archive

Mmkay, story...

Last night, I was restringing my guitar (I hadn't attempted to do so on this particular one before). After much frustration, I finally got it done...then, something came loose inside. And now the bridge is wobbly. After some cursing and misdirected rage, I decided to add it to the list of things I shouldn't-screw-around-with-when-I-don't-know-what-i'm-doing...and maybe get someone to fix it tomorrow. I decided to forget about the financial cost for a while, and amused myself with computer games.

When I woke up this morning, I put on the computer again...but it wouldn't boot. And then it started making *PING* sounds from the back of the case. No more boring details, but I and my infinitely more computer-savvy brother think the hard drive and power supply have decided to die at the same time. (I've only had this computer for about a month...the hard-drive should have warrantee, but the case itself doesn't.) Regardless, though, if I bring it into the computer shop, they're not going to like the fact that my version of windows is "liberated" (borrowed it from a friend), and i'll have to pay a couple of hundred dollars for an actual copy. Good thing I still have this 8 year old machine for the internet, I guess.

So, as anyone does in times of crisis such as these, I'm asking NS...What should I do? As I see it, I have several options....

1. Save up in order to pay to get both fixed regardless of cost. ($200-$500, and end up back where i started.)
2. Cut my losses and sell both in their damaged conditions (as well as all games, etc.) in order to buy a new, actually half-decent-and-not-prone-to-breakage guitar.
3. Sell the broken stuff, get a crappy new computer, and a crappy guitar.
4. Sell damaged computer and all guitar-related possessions and spend the money on something cool.
5. Sell all possessions and go on a one way trip to a foreign country to start a new life.
6. Read the Bible.
7. Invade Poland.
8. Become a Buddhist monk.
9. Purchase a very large amount of whipped cream.

Invade Poland, of course. When you have it, I think you can afford both good guitar and a decent PC.

#5. Move to Gore, New Zealand

Donate to the 'buy Shaed a pony fund'*.
Even just a few hundred dollars could provide so much joy (somuchjoy!)

Failing that, buy a better computer. And then give it to me.

*officially named "Buy Shaed some more ponies", but we figure that doesn't sound as good.

I must protest at the unfairness of this poll, it is lacking a "Nothing, as all property is theft." option.

;)

Invade Poland, of course. When you have it, I think you can afford both good guitar and a decent PC.

Hmm. Maybe. What's the GNP of Poland? $2000?

#5. Move to Gore, New Zealand

Hmm. That might be a good staging point for the invasion.

Donate to the 'buy Shaed a pony fund'*.
Even just a few hundred dollars could provide so much joy (somuchjoy!)[/SIZE]

And this would be a good army for my invasion.

Excellent. At this stage, I shall be invading Poland via. New Zealand with My Little Ponies.

I must protest at the unfairness of this poll, it is lacking a "Nothing, as all property is theft." option.

;)

That applies to everyone else except me, hypocritical commie that I am. :p

Last night, I was restringing my guitar (I hadn't attempted to do so on this particular one before). After much frustration, I finally got it done...then, something came loose inside. And now the bridge is wobbly.

If it is an electric guitar with a tremolo system then what has most probably happened here is that a spring has come lose inside. If so then fixing it is a two minute job that an arthritic chimp could carry out successfully.

When I woke up this morning, I put on the computer again...but it wouldn't boot. And then it started making *PING* sounds from the back of the case. No more boring details, but I and my infinitely more computer-savvy brother think the hard drive and power supply have decided to die at the same time.

Unliekly: if the power supply had died then the machine wouldn't be getting power to bleep with. Sounds to me like a card or a memory chip has become unseated... again a two minute job if that is the problem.

Donate to the 'buy Shaed a pony fund'*.
Even just a few hundred dollars could provide so much joy (somuchjoy!)

Failing that, buy a better computer. And then give it to me.

*officially named "Buy Shaed some more ponies", but we figure that doesn't sound as good.

Speaking of ponies, how fast is the Australian postal service?

If it is an elecctric guitar with a tremolo system then what has most probably happened here is that a spring has come lose inside. If so then fixing it is a two minute job that an arthritic chimp could carry out successfully.

You're probably right. I'll unscrew it tomorrow. It's a floating-bridge though...and it's come loose. So I might need to get it all adjusted anyway to make sure I get it back on properly without messing up anything.

Hmm. Maybe. What's the GNP of Poland? $2000?



Hmm. That might be a good staging point for the invasion.



And this would be a good army for my invasion.

Excellent. At this stage, I shall be invading Poland via. New Zealand with My Little Ponies.

No, no. You're going about this all wrong. Read the bible, then purchase some whipped cream. You'll find the correct path will suddenly become crystal clear.

What the hell is Poland via NZ going to do for your buggered guitar & PC? Whipped cream on the other hand....

Unliekly: if the power supply had died then the machine wouldn't be getting power to bleep with. Sounds to me like a card or a memory chip has become unseated... again a two minute job if that is the problem.

Not so. I opened it up and checked the cables, put the RAM in again....etc. The power supply is still working, but it is making an odd *PING* sound. It's a metallic sound, not a computer beep.

Sounds like a problem you could fix yourself, make sure your motherboard is grounded, and all connections are good. I kicked my computer in anger about a month ago, and I'd boot it up then it'd instantly power back off.. ends up I dented the case onto the motherboard, causing it to ground out the electricity, after about 15 attempts to get it to turn on, I finally found the problem and it worked. See.. it isn't that hard.. check the connections :-)

Speaking of ponies, how fast is the Australian postal service?

Shipping stuff from the USA can take well over a month...depending on whether they randomly decide to keep the parcel in quarantine for a couple of weeks. Like happened to me once, when I bought a CD from the UK. Bah.

Speaking of ponies, how fast is the Australian postal service?

It seems to work OK. Are you thinking of posting yourself out here?

Invade Poland, of course. When you have it, I think you can afford both good guitar and a decent PC.
*Nods*
Polands GDP is 1 Potato an oily rag and a shoelace(brown)

No, no. You're going about this all wrong. Read the bible, then purchase some whipped cream. You'll find the correct path will suddenly become crystal clear.

What the hell is Poland via NZ going to do for your buggered guitar & PC? Whipped cream on the other hand....

Hmm. But that involves finding a bible, and i'm too lazy. Where do you get bibles, anyway? Does K-mart sell them?

Sounds like a problem you could fix yourself, make sure your motherboard is grounded, and all connections are good. I kicked my computer in anger about a month ago, and I'd boot it up then it'd instantly power back off.. ends up I dented the case onto the motherboard, causing it to ground out the electricity, after about 15 attempts to get it to turn on, I finally found the problem and it worked. See.. it isn't that hard.. check the connections :-)

Already checked the connections and everything...the first thing I did was open it up. It loads up to a point where windows is meant to load, but I get a black screen, and it'll tell me that boot.ini is missing. I then used an "emergency recovery disk" which boots windows from a CD, but it crashes when I try to access the hard drive.

Pull the HD out. Save it. Buy a new HD, or exercise the warranty on the old one and make them give you a new one ( I recommend just buying a new one online. You can get a really massive HD for next to nothing now ). Buy a new power supply online.

Take both HDs to someone who has both the hardware and the software to salvage the data on the old one and transfer it to your new one.

Put both the new HD and the new power supply into the old PC case.

Boot up and enjoy.

EDIT: I have no idea what to do about the guitar. Sorry.

:) when in doubt, go with the whipped cream. I have found and truly believe that there is nothing so bad it cannot be made better with loads of sugar. :)

If it is an electric guitar with a tremolo system then what has most probably happened here is that a spring has come lose inside. If so then fixing it is a two minute job that an arthritic chimp could carry out successfully.
exactly - shouldn't be too pricey to fix i think. you could always look on the net to see how trems are constructed and try and fix it yourself.... risky tho :eek:


and as for the PC, if it is starting up then the PSU sounds ok - try a reinstall of windows and see if that helps (shot in the dark but u never know)

Well, when all else is going to Hell (and I ought to know), lots of sex can cheer you up.

So I guess this falls under "other", or possibly "whipped cream".

:p

Don't read the bible! You must resist!!

...On that note, buy a shitload of whipped cream.

Hmm. But that involves finding a bible, and i'm too lazy. Where do you get bibles, anyway? Does K-mart sell them?



Already checked the connections and everything...the first thing I did was open it up. It loads up to a point where windows is meant to load, but I get a black screen, and it'll tell me that boot.ini is missing. I then used an "emergency recovery disk" which boots windows from a CD, but it crashes when I try to access the hard drive.

You get them free in every hotel or motel. Also, if you wander down the Bourke St mall or outside Flinders St station, there are usually some people who'll be more than happy to unite you with a bible.

Pull the HD out. Save it. Buy a new HD, or exercise the warranty on the old one and make them give you a new one ( I recommend just buying a new one online. You can get a really massive HD for next to nothing now ). Buy a new power supply online.

Take both HDs to someone who has both the hardware and the software to salvage the data on the old one and transfer it to your new one.

Put both the new HD and the new power supply into the old PC case.

Boot up and enjoy.

EDIT: I have no idea what to do about the guitar. Sorry.
I think that voids the warranty....

Take both HDs to someone who has both the hardware and the software to salvage the data on the old one and transfer it to your new one.
yeah. put the HD into the PC you're currently using and get everything important off before doing anything else

Idea.

Get as many hotel rooms as you can afford. Search for the bibles in each room, and put them in the toilet. Remember to keep the lid down, as it makes it that much more surprising.

:D

*Nods*
Polands GDP is 1 Potato an oily rag and a shoelace(brown)

LOL :D

Pull the HD out. Save it. Buy a new HD, or exercise the warranty on the old one and make them give you a new one ( I recommend just buying a new one online. You can get a really massive HD for next to nothing now ). Buy a new power supply online.

Take both HDs to someone who has both the hardware and the software to salvage the data on the old one and transfer it to your new one.

Put both the new HD and the new power supply into the old PC case.

Boot up and enjoy.

EDIT: I have no idea what to do about the guitar. Sorry.

That would be the most logical option. But also somewhat expensive, and I don't have much money, so it'll take me a month or so. *mutter*

:) when in doubt, go with the whipped cream. I have found and truly believe that there is nothing so bad it cannot be made better with loads of sugar. :)

This is true. :D

Well, when all else is going to Hell (and I ought to know), lots of sex can cheer you up.

So I guess this falls under "other", or possibly "whipped cream".

:p

Hmm...yes, I would agree. Are you offering, sailor? ;) *nudge*

You get them free in every hotel or motel. Also, if you wander down the Bourke St mall or outside Flinders St station, there are usually some people who'll be more than happy to unite you with a bible.

Hehehehe. So true. :D

yeah. put the HD into the PC you're currently using and get everything important off before doing anything else

Can't, unfortunately. It's a S/ATA HD, and none of the other junk-PC's lying around here are compatible with it.

Idea.

Get as many hotel rooms as you can afford. Search for the bibles in each room, and put them in the toilet. Remember to keep the lid down, as it makes it that much more surprising.

:D

Heehee. :p

Can't, unfortunately. It's a S/ATA HD, and none of the other junk-PC's lying around here are compatible with it.

buggery :headbang:

Heehee. :p

You're damn right it's a good idea.

Buy the whipped cream then get nekkid and cover yourself with whipped cream. Now wander the streets calling out for someone to lick you clean.

If you're like Michael Jackson I suppose you could do it near a school...

Invading Poland always sounds like a good idea, but it never seems to work out. Therefore you should save your money and get both your guitar and computer fixed.

I think that voids the warranty....
Then make them buy a new one before you pull the old one out! :)

If it is an electric guitar with a tremolo system then what has most probably happened here is that a spring has come lose inside. If so then fixing it is a two minute job that an arthritic chimp could carry out successfully.

Your diagnosis was correct, except the bridge needed adjusting too, like I thought. I took it to the music store I take lessons at, and they fixed it up for me, only charging me $4.50 for strings that needed replacing.

The computer though...ugh. I have it back now...mostly. I took it to a computer shop, they oiled the CPU fan, fixed up the damaged system files and charged me $50. When I got home, as i suspected, it screwed up again. So I took it back, and they wanted to charge me another $50 to have a look at it. I told them in no uncertain terms what I thought about that and they changed their mind, so I only had to pay the original amount.

The problem was that a part had come loose in the hard drive, causing it to scratch the surface of the disk itself...making that squeaking sound. It should be covered under warrantee...but I won't know for certain for another couple of weeks as it's now in the mail to the Seagate factory in Thailand. I had to buy myself another hard drive in the meantime anyway. :(

Your diagnosis was correct, except the bridge needed adjusting too, like I thought. I took it to the music store I take lessons at, and they fixed it up for me, only charging me $4.50 for strings that needed replacing.

The computer though...ugh. I have it back now...mostly. I took it to a computer shop, they oiled the CPU fan, fixed up the damaged system files and charged me $50. When I got home, as i suspected, it screwed up again. So I took it back, and they wanted to charge me another $50 to have a look at it. I told them in no uncertain terms what I thought about that and they changed their mind, so I only had to pay the original amount.

The problem was that a part had come loose in the hard drive, causing it to scratch the surface of the disk itself...making that squeaking sound. It should be covered under warrantee...but I won't know for certain for another couple of weeks as it's now in the mail to the Seagate factory in Thailand. I had to buy myself another hard drive in the meantime anyway. :(
aw that sucks - you still lost all your files and saves? bummer dude :(

but, hey, at least you didn't have to pay out a shitload of money for a new PC or anything.... or invade Poland for that matter ;)

aw that sucks - you still lost all your files and saves? bummer dude :(

but, hey, at least you didn't have to pay out a shitload of money for a new PC or anything.... or invade Poland for that matter ;)

Lost everything, but yeah, you're right. I might as well use the opportunity to upgrade the RAM and stuff considering I expected to pay out a bit more.

But mark my words, Poland is still going to pay for this injustice in some way or another. :p

Lost everything, but yeah, you're right. I might as well use the opportunity to upgrade the RAM and stuff considering I expected to pay out a bit more.

But mark my words, Poland is still going to pay for this injustice in some way or another. :p
yeah, damn those scheming australian-PC hating Poles! damn them all to hell! :mad:

Invading Poland is the most likely answer. If you control Poland, you can do all that stuff a hundred times over.

Even read the Bible. *nods*

A Bible Reading Budhist Monk. Nice.

Lost everything

I think I speak for everyone when I say: Fuck all.

If it's making a ping sound, check the fan on the power supply. Is it possible something fell into the intake and is blocking it from moving properly?

Pray to Jesus.

My dad bought me one at the pc-fair because his went kaput the day before! Oh how generous, the heavenly father do love me :)

I am always looking for an excuse to invade Poland. Two nights ago, I had a good day at www.playlemonland.com so I decided to invade Poland. Almost made it to Warsaw disguised as the late pope with half the population following.

If it's making a ping sound, check the fan on the power supply. Is it possible something fell into the intake and is blocking it from moving properly?

It's all cleared up; it was actually something inside the hard drive that was doing it.

I think I speak for everyone when I say: Fuck all.

Hey, I had essays on there and stuff yet to be handed in. "Fuck all" is a major pain in the arse.

Poland is the only option. When you have invaded you can plunder.

You guys of course know why his computer failed, right? It's a machine running WINDOWS! Buying a machine running windows is like shooting yourself in the foot. I would reccomend that you either go but a Mac Mini ($500, and you can use your old monitor) or get a new hard drive and then download the Linux operating system onto your comp off the internet.

Microsoft :gundge:

My old crappy AMD K6-2, 64Mb RAM, 2GB HDD - power supply blew up finally.
There's an AMD Athlon64 3000+, 1024Mb RAM, 160GB beast in it's place now.

If it's the hard drive, you get *CLICK*, *CLACK* or *CLUNK* sounds.
*PING* sounds are unusual .

It's all cleared up; it was actually something inside the hard drive that was doing it.



Hey, I had essays on there and stuff yet to be handed in. "Fuck all" is a major pain in the arse.

It's good to see that the problem's been found...

...And that sucks completely. Wow.

There's an AMD Athlon64 3000+, 1024Mb RAM, 160GB beast in it's place now.

Whoa...that's exactly what I have.

If it's the hard drive, you get *CLICK*, *CLACK* or *CLUNK* sounds.
*PING* sounds are unusual .

It went from a ping to a high pitched squeal, as the part scratched the surface.

Cows You guys of course know why his computer failed, right? It's a machine running WINDOWS! Buying a machine running windows is like shooting yourself in the foot. I would reccomend that you either go but a Mac Mini ($500, and you can use your old monitor) or get a new hard drive and then download the Linux operating system onto your comp off the internet.

UGH!

Yes, windows was responsible for a part coming loose in the hard drive. Wow, windows is awesome. It has discovered the power of telekinesis! all hail microshaft!

And this is primarily a games box. Linux and Macintosh are useless to me.