My Daughter has a computer start up problem. She has to push the start button two to five times before it starts. Other than that it's working fine and can be on for hours with no problem. Told her just to leave it on all the time but ever since a friend of hers had a house fire that was determined to have started from the computer she won't leave it on when she isn't there.
Maybe it's as simple as just replacing the start button but wanted to hear from the experts on here which I am not. Thank you, Dave
Or not.
Think.....'virus' ...
Those old 21" Monitors were going for ~$1200 at one point. So I could understand some people's reluctance to pitch them, as they really should. At the shop we generally refer to them as "Boat Anchors"
Jafo she ran a full scan with her virus program and nothing found. It was the first thing I did. Also ran a full scan with Malwarebytes and ccleaner.
anything else I can run?
davebax, the only other one to try BUT it is more for when you know that there IS a virus, but can NOT remove it is combofix from www.bleepingcomputer.com,
the age of the computer suggests to me that it could be the powersupply having reached the end of life (they seem to average about 10% of capacity loss per year) and I typically have to replace them about every 3 to 4 years for my customers, but I did get one to 7 years (a thermaltake 430w on a duron 900 file server for a network) and several capacitors in the supply were ready to pop.
harpo
Online malware scanners:
http://www.technobuzz.net/10-best-free-online-virus-and-malware-scanners/
And.... they're free.
Thank you guys
Dave...if it's simply taking 20-30 mins to boot...but booting all the same...just check there's not something set to 'do' "on boot" ...eg defrag/scandisk/etc.
It's not unknown that a LCD screen won't show VGA info you might otherwise see saying 'scandisk 15% completed/whatever. Instead it all looks blank save for the drive light flickering....for ages...
Un-plug anything USB. Throw a 'read only' disc in the optical drive and cold boot it.
...... does sound like the ole Windows circle jerk, doesn't it?
Wait a sec here, Dave, after she presses the power button, how long does it take until shes sees anything at all on the screen? When she turns it on, do the fans and everything kick in and you can hear them and see other lights flicker, then 20-30 minutes later you get video? Or is it 20-30 minutes later that you hear fans and stuff and it then boots?
Hopefully it's not that.....that'd be just plain spooky.
Pretty sure it's the former ...and that's bound to be 'something' trying to DO something....eventually finishing...or error-ing out and finishing...
Tom, I didn't ask that question. Will aks today as soon as I can get ahold of her and will post later.
Maybe it's that famous BIOS error code I often quote.....
Keyboard not found. Press F1 to continue.
Kids hate to be "grounded" by their parents......
My next step. However she is 42 so I think she may just say to me, "yea right"
UPDATE:
Later yesterday I had many calls to my Daughter. Had her send me the text file of all her running programs using ccleaner. Told her what to disable and there were many. Had her uninstall several programs the kids had on there and some used java. Yes had her disable that. Had her run ccleaner and it took an hour to get rid of everything there was so much junk on there. Told her to run defrag. While defrag was running she was doing something on the Internet. She moved a bit in the chair and didn't kick but just taped her computer case which is near her feet. The computer shut off. She pushed the start button and it started right up like it should.
Start to think it may have a loose wire in it. However the defrag was running so maybe it shout down during that. Either way when she started it again it started right up. Haven't heard from her this morning but she may not even have time to turn it on as she has to go to work. All I can say for sure is no one would believe what was running at start up.
So if the tap was because something was loose such as a wire or something else is there a specific area for me to look at?
First place? The psu and the socket wiring... maybe something loose there.
Second place? The seating of the cpu... bring some of the silver stuff the Wiz recommends.
Third place? You'll find out when you take it apart... bring a cold soldering iron with you.
Fourth place? Get the vacuum cleaner (or air blower) ready in the driveway (there's bound to be dust bunnies/elephants as well): Probably not the reason causing crap to happen (yet).
As for the kids? Strong password protect the logon. NEVER let anyone have an admin account on that box except you and your daughter (and password protect them with different passwords - you write them down), but teach her to use a guest account. No installation privileges for the "Guest Accounts".
All the crap she had on the computer caused the slow start up. That's probably solved to a large extent, but do those online viral/malware scans in the links I left you... there are bound to be tons.
Actually....
First place.....every wire going in/out of the case itself....even BEFORE you open it...
Sheesh. Give 'em a green jacket and... - OT, but congrats on the win.
Yes...all very well...except golf isn't a sport.
It's an opportunity to shuffle off this mortal coil...in the great outdoors, nothing more....
Got a book suggestion for ya, Jafo - Golf in the Kingdom by Michael Murphy. Guy was founder of the Esalen Institute in Big Sur back in the 60's.
Greatest book ever written. JMO, of course.
Neither is car/motorcycle racing, but people still call it sport.
Starkers...maintain a heart-rate of 180 for 2 hours and declare yourself NOT an athlete.....whilst enduring 6G loading....
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