That is never good, and I couldn't get the attention of the processor, so I turned it off and began to reboot. Uh, not coming back on.... unplug the main cord. Plug back in..... not coming back on........ Its dead..... Get the meter...... open the case..... no voltage from the power supply!
OK, this thing is a 2001 and came with windows 2000 on it. It has a slow processor and is outdated in every way. I only paid about a hundred for it used, and had put a new hard drive in it for about 60 more. Oh, and I bought some outdated memory last summer, and that was $40. Won't be able to use that over either.
So I made a quick decision to go buy some pieces to build an new box. Lets see case for $66, and a AMD Athalon 3.1 gig dual core processor for $69. The mother board was $49, and had a Nvidia Geforce video card and a sound card on board. The memory was $40 for 2 gig, and a dvd for $21. With sales tax, I was out the door for $269.
I planned to reuse the 160 gig hard drive as it should still be good. I would have really liked to get a new Sata drive, as the DVD was a Sata, but the old one still worked, and I really cannot see using more than the 160 gig anytime soon.
So the rest of the afternoon, and some of the evening was spent assembling the new box. It didn't all fit together as I was planning, and I had to do some remodeling of the plastic parts inside the case. Nothing serious, but the cooling fan on the CPU was bigger in the wrong direction, so a little grinding wheel on the ducting fixed that.
The Wifi adapter came from the older full sized case, and had the long mount for the slot, and the new case is the short one. So, I had to do some cutting and grinding and a little new bending, but it plugged in once it was remodeled. I'm sure a new one would only have been $20, but I had the old one that worked, so I made it fit.
Late last night, after midnight, I downloaded a completely new version of Ubuntu 10.04 Long Term Stable, and reformatted the hard drive. I lost a lot of messages, and it will take me all week to get it reprogrammed like I like it. But I am up to the task.
So we are up to date with our Ubuntu machine here now, but my old flat panel monitor is looking aged now next to the new box. What are you going to do?
That's when I got it figured out that the blog didn't post, well after it was time to go to bed. So I just reposted it with an explanation on it. I was way too tired to write something else anyway!
Retired Rod
Sam brought it to my attention that I didn't say where I bought this stuff so it was purchased here in Overland Park, KS at:
Hpyertech Computers
This is a mom and pop type of store that has all the no name brand stuff for really good prices. It all comes from overseas anyway, so why pay for the Dell name?
Sure seems like a loooooooong way to go in reaching a finished product. I changed a light bulb once. Only took me 20 minutes:))
ReplyDeleteI might have missed it but did you get all that stuff from Micro Center/ I probably would have just bought a refurbished Dell at the place near me that does the Dell refurbishing, this desktop I am using was only $270 a couple of years ago Pentium 4 2.6gig, with 2 gig of ram and a DVD burner. It was a lot easier for a dummy like me to just plug it ion and put my programs in. The place is called EPC in St Peters MO, I think they have a website, I bought a Dell flatscreen lcd monitor used for $60, might check it out, don't know if they mail order if not lat me know and will can pick something up and UPS it to you. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Sam will check back, but the place where I bought this is Hypertech Computers here in Overland Park, Ks.
ReplyDeleteThe machine that failed was a refurbished Dell, and I decided to go new parts this time, as the mileage clock will start from zero for about the same price.
The machine sets here and runs 24/7 and zero clock time seemed to make sense.
Hypertech had hundreds of used Dells piled to the ceiling had I wanted to go that way!
Rod
I know this is written in English, but I still didn't understand it! You sound satisfied though. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're a lot more ambitious than I am when it comes to getting a new computer. Congrats on getting your new 'barebones' pc up and running, it sure was an economical choice. Hope it runs for years and years and years!!
ReplyDeleteI am really impressed with someone who can put a bunch of parts together into a box and make a computer out of it. My s-i-l has that talent and ability, and I admire it very much. Congratulations and I hope it serves you well for a long while.
ReplyDeleteThank God everyone is not like you. It is people like me who keep third world countries employed. In theory I guess I could build a computer but I am a little like Al in that I would probably get the discombobulator in line with the deflatulator and god knows what or whom would be injured in the explosion.
ReplyDelete