Internet availability flux

[Mara]

Well, if you hadn't notice, I haven't been around the past week or so. That's because due to some... familial issues, I no longer have my 'normal' time available for when I come online (around 1-3am). And so I have been trying to figure out a new schedule for myself. My cursory plan is to use the library in the afternoons... but so far that hasn't worked out, because it seems that's a lot of other people's plans, and the computers there are always occupied, lol.

Anyway, the meat of this is: I will check in when I can... probably won't be around to chat in the shoutbox for extended periods... but I will keep up with my postings as I'm able to.



- Mara

[Juzt]

Hope you get things sorted Mara

[Mara]

Unlikely... but, thanks.

[Mara]

This was supposed to be resolved last week....but it isn't (though I do have my own computer hooked up, the connection is really slow), so this is still in effect. More details in a 'blog' post to follow...

[Mara]

All righties, still having some issues here and there. To summarize what I put in my 'blog' here and perhaps add to it... as a sort of apology/explanation for my lack of activity here...

Basically, the network card adapter installed on my computer is causing it to random crash/reboot all the time. So until it's taken out and eventually replaced with one that will work, I don't have access to my computer, even for non-internet things. (Because there's no telling when it'll do this, and I don't want to lose unsaved data, not to mention I don't think it's very good for the machine itself to be constantly restarting itself.) So this means I don't really have anywhere to write, at all. Including RP posts. As well, my access to Internet is a bit limited. Generally I only have time to come and check my e-mail (which I need to do, in case I get a job assignment for work).

But don't fear... I will be trying hard to resolve this mess as quickly as possible. Until then, though, you'll just have to be patient and wait for me, and I'll try to pop on here when I can.

[Mara]

All right, so while the problem mentioned in the last post has been resolved, a few weeks ago, I now have another problem.

Details are in my 'blog' onsite here, but the short of it is that I can't turn my computer on. Well, I can, but it doesn't start up. So I am, for the time being, without my primary tool for writing, including RP posts for SWU. (And can't access one I was working on last weekend, and it may be lost now.)

I hope it's something that can be fixed, somehow. Otherwise, the wait will be longer, because I'll have to get a new computer.

Sorry, guys. I wish this didn't keep happening. I miss being involved here.

[Falar]

I read your blog so I have something of an idea of what is going on. I'm thinking one of the fans on your computer died, particularly the fan for the power source. I watched a computer going through a restore suddenly lose its fan on the power source and it instantly shut off, ever since then the computer wouldn't stay on for longer than several seconds, half a minute at best.

That said, if you have a fan available nearby, aim it at the side of your computer (possibly even remove the panel for better air flow) and see if the computer stays on longer, if the computer remains on, then we know its a heating/cooling issue.

If that isn't the case, then it could be a combination of the computer crashing when it was rebooting, causing some file or other to be corrupted, but I'm voting for fan failure.

[Julian]

If it's fan failure, you'll be able to find out in a hurry. For a laptop, just put your hand next to the grate. Feel air? Fan's working, but maybe not at full power. Desktop is ever easier, since you can probably just look at the back and see it going (you may have to take the back-plate off, and if you do, don't touch anything inside the tower, elsewise the static from your hands is gonna have a good ol' time in there).

Unfortunately, this really isn't an effective way to diagnose a computer. We don't know if it's putting out a beep code, and we can't check the power supply over the internet. Honestly, there are no circumstances which have more possible causes than the computer just refusing to boot up.

[Adobi-Wan Kenobi]

Hope it gets fixed easily.

Sorry to hear 'bout the trouble, and hope ya get back soon.

[Mara]

Well, the little PCI slot panel is still removed from when the adapter was taken out a month ago. I would think that would let some air flow in (more than usual). But I'll still mention it to my dad.

Right now I just have the whole thing turned off, because the last time I tried turning it on, it froze about 5 seconds into the reboot. And I'm afraid continually trying to turn it on, only for it to restart itself or freeze, will just make things worse.
Before, when it was cycling through restarts, it would every few times make it to the log in page, and even into my account. But then after a few minutes would just reboot again.

I know the computer is old, but it seems weird for it to just "snap" like this so suddenly, lol. (Especially considering it was doing a similar thing a few weeks ago, caused by the improperly installed adapter.)



And thanks, Zett. So do I. Depending on the fix and the problem... I might have to consider visiting the library just to get some writing done. For here and for other things.

[Julian]

You should put the panel back on. The mostly closed current is what makes the fans so capable of pulling and pushing air, and having another opening causes them to be less effective. That's not the cause of your computer's illness, but your fans work best when the only openings in the case are the ones that the manufacturer didn't provide covers for.

[Mara]

Yeah. I'll have to ask my dad where he put it. He was figuring on getting me a new adapter to replace the other, so he thought leaving it off for a bit would be okay, but it's been almost a month, lol.

[Mara]

Update --

I turned it on on Saturday afternoon, just thinking to check it, see if I could maybe get on and update my backups... And after a couple coughs/reboots, it let me log on and it has stayed on. And it still is (last I checked was last night).

So... while I'm not assuming that it was miraculously cured, I should be able to get some posts out.

[Adobi-Wan Kenobi]

Awesome. Did you do something to it?

[Mara]

I did absolutely nothing, except turn it on.

[Adobi-Wan Kenobi]

DE MAGIC TOUCH!

It's possible that if you have windows (or certain other programs for that matter), it may have preformed an update and cleaned something that way.

[Mara]

Not sure how it can update; it's not connected to the internet. ;p

[Adobi-Wan Kenobi]

Oh... well... i assumed it was sense ya said you use it for posting. Nvm then ignore me lol

[Falar]

I'm thinking Julian has built their own computer or has a bit of schooling, some sound on by the book advice, and good advice too, stuff I won't say is wrong because it is correct.

I went off the book primarily because most people don't know 'the book' as it is. That and when it comes right down to it, what I said is the poor person's fix. It works more or less just sticking a box fan or an air conditioner nearby and pointing it in the computer's direction.

It works surprisingly well when the fan on the powersource goes out and you haven't the money to get a new one and the computer is just old enough to not have spare parts laying around.

All that said, I'm glad its back up Mara, hopefully a bit of looking around can provide you with a few answers.

[Julian]

Oh, Falar, I hope you didn't get the impression I was refuting your advice. Using some type of external cooling method is spot-on for a quick-fix, but I just wanted to point out some fairly reliable ways to determine if that was, in fact, the problem.

Another functional patch if the fan was only slow as opposed to completely dead is to blast it with a can of compressed air. Particle buildup can have so much more of an effect than people think, and it's important to clean out your fans periodically. Actually, a lot of people whose computers overheat or crash seemingly without reason good benefit from giving the vents and fan blades a good cleaning.