Best Computer Advice Ever
 

Best computer advice ever: IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

So yes, I tried to update the BIOS of my Asus A7V8X-X (rarely, it would just hang when booting Windows, or at least that was my excuse for messing with it). I've done it once before, and the update went smoothly. This time, it froze while updating, and I rebooted. And guess what, it went through POST but didn't boot. So I tried to do an update to the previous version, and the update froze again. After restarting this time, all I would see is a black screen. So I RMAd the board to Newegg (I didn't get it yet, but I know the RMA went through). I put the RAM and video card in electrostatic bags, but the CPU (an Athlon 2500+) went into a ziploc bag. I cleaned the heatsink and the CPU with 70% isopropyl alcohol. When I get a definite ship date for my board, I'm going to CompUSA to buy Arctic Silver 3 (Ceramique isn't available there, which sucks, because supposedly it's safer, and I don't have time to wait for delivery). So, even though I haven't tried anything yet, I'm worried that my CPU was electrostatically damaged due to the ziploc storage and/or my handling (I'm paranoid like that) and that I might kill it with the AS3, which is slightly electrically conductive and capacitative. I'm also worried about crushing the CPU when installing the heatsink. Now I have to go to my aunt's every time I want to use a computer, which is to say, every day for a few hours.

To reiterate the moral, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

If anyone has experienced a similar situation (messing around with your computer, causing failure) please share. Make me feel better. Or tell me that it's very rare for a CPU to be damaged. Also, feel free to call me an idiot.

Any Arctic Silver 3 application tips?

Second best advice in computers...

backup

backup

backup




Now if I could get all of my family and friends to remember both of these, I could enjoy a peaceful life.

Hehe, the day before this happened, I updated my CD-RW backup of AIM convo logs and school stuff. And regardless, this is also stored on a second hard drive, which should stay intact even if I have to reinstall Windows 2000. Every needed program is safely burned, too. So at least I'm not 100% stupid, eh?

One thing ya need to remember: that Barton has a 7-day warranty with NewEgg and a 1-year warranty with AMD I believe. Applying Arctic Silver 3 DOES void the warranty with AMD. I hear it works great, but if your CPU does fuck up for some reason, AMD WILL test it for Arctic Silver 3. If it has any residue on it, they won't take it back. :(

Oh, and one more thing: when putting the heatsink fan on the processor, use a flathead screwdriver. It's the best method. Make sure you have a motherboard riser close to the socket, so when you do have to put the HSF on, it has more support. I actually stuff thick pieces of paper under the motherboard at the socket when putting it on...they tend to bend a lot. I guess they have to be damn secure and making contact with the entire core or it doesn't work well, but holy hell! It freaks me out putting the HSF on sometimes.

-Lasereth

I agree, if it anit broken dont fix it. Best program ever "go-back". Just go back to when your computer was ok. LOL yet i still fail to install that program.

" IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT"

agreed. I have learned this... many times :D

About the backup, I strongly recommend getting a program called Norton Ghost. It'll make an image of your drive whenever you want. If something goes wrong, you can just load up that image that you previously made and everything will go back to normal like it was before. So convenient since you don't have to spend hours reinstalling all your programs again. A great life saver.

This is why I do not fuck around with my mobo bios.

Shorted my new(er) motherboard when I was randomly changing cases to a smaller midsize from my tower. What a mistake :/

How did that happen? I plan on switching cases soon, I'm going to make sure I have the nerdy anti-static wristband on at all times while doing it.

anti-static wristbands can save you a lot of trouble, all u hear is a little zap, and ur gone

I've been messing with the insides of computers for 3+ years, and I've never had a part damaged by static electricity. I started using one of those wristbands a few months ago.

By the way, how common is it for a CPU to be damaged by static electricity?

I took my Barton in and out of a few different computers without using anti-static measure and it was fine. I atually sold it to a friend, and he took it to his house in a plastic bag, and tried it in three computers there with no anti-static measures either. It's still working great, overclocked by 400 MHz with a regular CPU fan. :) I'm not saying be careless, but it's not incredibly easy to fuck one with static...you have to really nuke it. Just lay it on an anti-static bag, or something wooden until you need it.

-Lasereth

Just ground yourself before you touch anything, you should be fine. Touch some large metal object, or the PSU of the box, you should be fine.

Yeah, too many boneheads think they need to use half a tube of compound to keep thier cpu cool. Is Artic Silver that good? ive been using nothing more than Radioshack compound for 4-5 years now. It doesnt break so im not gonna fix it:p

One of my clients received some great advice from the people she bought her laptop from "Format your computer." She didn't know what a format was and did what they said, files, gone. They wouldn't tell her how to access the hidden partition to use the scripted install of the OS so I helped her out. She threatened the people she bought the computer off with legal action (since she lost important files due to the company's ignorant staff) and they've now given her a laptop several times better than the one she purchased and transfered all her files across, she also now has free tech support for life.

Don't use too much, that shit is messy as hell, and it will get EVERYWHERE!
~Crack

Ahhhhh Gigabyte Dual BIOS.

Somehow, I just feel safer screwing around.

wait

does newegg ROCK? i know that seems to be the consensus for almost 75% of ALL reviews on that site. good God, they overuse that terminology. Even if the shit doesn't work, newegg almost always ROCKS.