The (near) death of a computer...

Once again, I am quite happy that I decided to make a DVD copy of everything on my hard drive, as this one made a horrid whirring noise, then stopped working. Didn't lose any data this time, but it was the main drive with the OS on it, and thus dies the comp. Luckily, however, the mini-netbook has an external DVD drive, and I can retrieve my work to it for now, but no scanning of anything, as the scanner needs a paralel port to work, and the tablet needs a serial port (yeah, really old school here).

So, as I scrounge for a new or slightly used EIDE hard drive (all the new ones sold these days are SATA), things are gonna be slow.

If I didn't have so many other more important things to pay for, I might be able to afford at least a nominal used computer, but alas, no....

Viewed:	12 times
Added:	12 years, 7 months ago 05 Sep 2011 19:33 CEST

6 Comments on this Journal

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phyrexfirestorm

12 years, 7 months ago

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If you need a 2.5" 38-pin IDE, I have a notebook drive I can send. If it's a desktop, though, I can't help u. as far as the serial/parallel port issue, you can buy an adapter that will allow them to be used on USB or whatnot. They have adapters for everything nowadays! (Am running my laptop through a CRT tv, using a D-15 to RCA adapter)

MichaelHiggs

12 years, 7 months ago

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@ phyrexfirestorm

yeah, it's a desktop machine, and an old one at that. I need to stick with something that is running WinXP so all my old drivers still work, otherwise I'd have to replace the scanner and tablet too.

phyrexfirestorm

12 years, 7 months ago

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@ MichaelHiggs

well, From personal experience, you can use any newer computer to run XP. You just have to go into the BIOS and force IDE mode. in this setting, any SATA drive will work. XP cant use a SATA for some reason, but forcing IDE compliance will make it work. The other option is to use the new machins as it is, and run XP in a virtualmachine environment. Both work quite well, but forced IDE mode has a limit: Machines designed for a newer OS dont usually have drivers for XP. Still, both setups can get you what you need.

LupineAssassin

12 years, 7 months ago

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O_O *hugs* I really hope you invest in a new computer soon. Be sure you always have an easily-accessible backup copy of everything you have. The laptop I'm using had a corrupt C drive this time last year, so I had to install a special program to rescue all my trapped files. Took over 14 hours but I was able to salvage everything I saved. I currently save everything to an external HD; I don't want to overload this laptop again. I really need to get a new laptop myself; I'm still debating whether my next one should be a Mac.

MichaelHiggs

12 years, 7 months ago

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@ LupineAssassin

Well, I just spent $450 on new tires for the car, plus paying off lots of old credit cards I had to run up when I was unemployed last year, so they're all maxed out and demanding cash. I do see that Micro Center has lots of IBM's that are refurbs with warrantes for about $200 that'll do everything I need.

Micah

12 years, 7 months ago

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*hugs* hope you get on your feet soon lil guy. *sets him in her lap and groom licks his ear* It sucks when your PC dies at least you have something more your size a mini lap top *winks*

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