| Forum Home | ||||
| Press F1 | ||||
| Thread ID: 62789 | 2005-10-19 10:24:00 | Checking for faults on older computers. | katharinem (3459) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 397686 | 2005-10-19 10:24:00 | What is the best way to check that preloved computers have no major faults? Have the opportunity to buy ex-school computers at a very low cost oer item. The intention is that they will be used for working with Paintshop, Painter, games perhaps, and Wins 98, Microsoft Office. They will not be connected to the internet. I know that formatting the hard drive makes sense but I'm not sure how to do it. Any help/advice will be appreciated. | katharinem (3459) | ||
| 397687 | 2005-10-19 10:37:00 | I use the diagnostic tests on the ultimate boot cd (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/) . Specifically, I'd look for: 1) Bad RAM - memtest86 2) Bad Hard Drives - e.g. Seagate Tools for Seagate Drives 3) CPU Burn In test And take the case off to chase away the dust bunnies and make sure the fans are working properly. The school is probably meant to electrically test them as well. Installing an operating system is a good final test - if the hardware is faulty it will quickly be evident. For monitors - turn them on and make sure the picture isn't dim or fuzzy. Look out for odd buzzing noises. |
gibler (49) | ||
| 397688 | 2005-10-20 07:27:00 | If they are from a school, etc Check The sockets? at the back of the machine, as i know at tech people took great delight in disconnecting and reconnecting mice, keyboards monitors etc, while it normally only wrecked the mice & keyboards plugs ocasionally the sockets would end up stuffed or loose/poor connection The Cd drives - once again at tech half the drives in one lab were faulty or temperamental - i guess the only way to test is a put a cd in I don't know if you are getting keyboards and mice with the comps but check they plug in properly and watch out for bent pins and buggered balls as they tend to be the 2 main problems Cheers |
Morgenmuffel (187) | ||
| 397689 | 2005-10-20 07:33:00 | check floppy drive, 12 year olds love shoving crap up there... | Prescott (11) | ||
| 397690 | 2005-10-20 08:00:00 | OK you have to bear with me coz I've had a few glasses of grapejuice coz Thurs is the end of the week for me but give them a thorough cleanup with CCleaner(find it) remove all screensavers, go thru Add/Remove progs anything you dont recognize look it up if you still dont like it chuck it. Basicaly get to know what is on your comp versus what you want on your comp and biff the difference. Go thru the FAQs at this site in regard to Basic Maintenance and also Spyware/ Adware/Crudware the FAQs are exemplary . After that post back and I at least will be happy to help (and I am only one of the floor sweepers here.) (But don't underestimate my recomendations coz of that.) :D...m |
mark c (247) | ||
| 397691 | 2005-10-20 08:23:00 | ok have 2 watch sex and the city now bak ltr | mark c (247) | ||
| 397692 | 2005-10-20 08:27:00 | Format them. Install Windows. Run Burnin test for a halfhour, if they dont fall over then your good to go... Though you mention Photoshop?, does that mean your going to purchase multiple copies of a $1200 app to run on $200 comps? |
Metla (12) | ||
| 397693 | 2005-10-20 08:34:00 | Paintshop, not Photoshop. | somebody (208) | ||
| 397694 | 2005-10-23 00:22:00 | Metla -thanks for your advice. I already have PHOTOSHOP 7 and PAINTER 7 and please don't nag me about pirated copies and free loaders - they are totally legitimate. | katharinem (3459) | ||
| 1 | |||||