Computer repair shop recommendations?

[blistermoth]

My computer is sick, I have the blue screen of death and system restore isn't working.

Does anyone have any recommendations about places to get it fixed?

Comments

[gracegiver]

the quickest and sure fire way, is to pop your winxp disk in and reboot. Let it boot to your CD drive first and then winxp will ask you if you want to repair or reformat. try repair first, and if you still have blue screen, do a format.

This is all the repair guys will do, don't pay them for what you can do.

[bona.livejournal.com]

I'll reply since she doesn't have internet access at home.

The additional problem is that the CD ROM doesn't work and hasn't for a while. I've been meaning to kick around and see if I can fix it, but let's be honest, that won't end well. If that worked, then she'd be closer to a cure.

Thanks for the first tips, got anything else ;-)

[gracegiver]

yes, just one more ...

If you can boot up to BIOS .. usually it's the delete key when the machine first starts to come up, there is usually a IDE test you can run. Scroll around and see if you can find it. That will show you if your hard drive is toasted. If it is, just go buy another one. But you'll have to buy another CD drive also, because you'll need to reinstall XP.

Oh hell, just go buy another computer! These things are disposables now. New pcs are running under $400. If her HD AND her CD drive are toasted, she needs a new computer.

I assume you've rebooted it a few times and get the same results. Sometimes you'll get blue screen when your HD is starting to fail, giving you enough warning to save what you can.

[pilgrimpriest.livejournal.com]

STOP!!!! Before you do anything deadly and potentially expensive, CHECK THE CPU COOLING FAN! This likely the main cause of the BSD and can be repaired for under $25.00 without using any system restore.

Rule of thumb: Start with the least expensive cause and work your way up...

Fr. Bob

[buckeye-hoosier.livejournal.com]

My home PC is fried as well...but that's because it's archaic.

I updated from Win95 to XP, if that gives you an idea. No DSL adapter card, 64SDRAM, no DVD drive, only two USB ports...

Might as well have a Commodore 64 for all the good it's doing me now.