Judith ([info]headgardener) wrote,
@ 2004-09-04 07:49:00
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Help! Geek aid appeal: PC makeover urgently needed
Is there anyone out there in London area who'd be interested in bringing my antique computer -- dating back to the Dark Ages of ooh, 1998-9 and running on Windows 98 -- kicking and screaming into the 21st century? JN, who knows more about this sort of thing than me, says it needs more Ram -- though I can't see how to fit in a large woolly beastie that goes baa. It needs security stuff too -- but loading up a firewall has made its screen go all funny. Wah! Help!

(Am willing to pay actual money. Just as long as you can explain in broad terms what's needed and what buttons I press to make it work, and can sort it out for me -- but won't insist on explaining the doubtless fascinating technical details. Contact me at jehanna at greennet dot apc dot org? Or at Plokta this evening.)

Yrs, Luddite of Tottenham

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[info]purpletigron
2004-09-04 12:22 am UTC (link)
My London-based geek doesn't feel sufficiently competant for this challenge... good luck at Plokta!

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[info]the_gardener
2004-09-04 03:10 am UTC (link)
made its screen go all funny

This is a software problem, which will need a software engineer to fix, not more RAM. (As I said to you, unless you spell out exactly what's wrong you won't get the help you need.) Viz: Windows has substituted Safe Mode for Normal Mode, which vastly enlarges each pixel and thus giganticises the text, making it difficult to read. Anyone know the cure?

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[info]bohemiancoast
2004-09-04 05:33 am UTC (link)
It's done safe mode because it thinks there's something wrong; it may be possible to tinker around with the setup and then get it to boot properly in normal mode, or it may not. It could be any of all manner of things and you will indeed need to persuade someone to come over and tinker with it. I used to be very good at this sort of thing, but I've rather lost my skill at it since getting Macs. Have you installed any new software or hardware recently?

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[info]the_gardener
2004-09-04 09:08 am UTC (link)
Installed new software, yes -- a ZoneAlarm firewall (at my suggestion, because our latest phone bill contained a string of calls to a number we've never seen before). But the problems began later, when she was downloading SpyBot: the monitor screen went dark (normal power-saving activity) but couldn't be brought back to life. The only way out was a warm reboot....which is presumably what brought on the Safe Mode behaviour.

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[info]bohemiancoast
2004-09-05 12:08 am UTC (link)
I take it you've rebooted again since then? A proper, turn the computer off, wait 30 seconds, turn back on, reboot?

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[info]bloodnok
2004-09-04 09:14 pm UTC (link)
I'd give it a shot if I wasn't based up in this heathen land.

I'd guess that said box could be made to tick along quite nicely as is if your demands aren't too punitive (say some browsing, email, some office work), otherwise any heavy upgrades will result in a new machine. Even that shouldn't be too bad if you recycle as much as possible. But you really need to talk to somebody that can look at it.

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A Plea
[info]bohemiancoast
2004-09-05 12:09 am UTC (link)
If you decide that the solution is substantial new parts and a rebuild, please give me the opportunity to try and indoctrinate you into the Cult of Mac before you spend any money.

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