# Diagnose my computer problem? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 3, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544 "2012-09-03T14:29:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/21 "2012-09-08T16:29:11Z")
Might skip the HP section this time if looking at new. ---
**Author:** ![FuzzyOgre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@FuzzyOgre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuzzyOgre)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/22 "2012-09-08T16:48:14Z")
As an aside, I have a nifty little tool. Its an infrared thermometer gun, with an integrated laser pointer. I use it for all sorts of things from cooking to looking for hot spots on my computer. I even used it one winter to look for warm spots on my exterior walls, indications of areas of poor insulation. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/23 "2012-09-08T17:25:06Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Three more attempts after that haven’t managed to get all the way through booting. This happened to me when I cooked a CPU. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/24 "2012-09-08T17:45:35Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > I am now disgusted with the whole thing, and starting to look at new computers. Let a local shop have a look at it, as others have mentioned you may just have a bad connection from heat sink to cpu, popping the cpu cooler, new thermal paste, and make sure its all seated tight could very well solve your problem. ---
**Author:** ![Chickenwrangler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chickenwrangler/32/91_2.png) [@Chickenwrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenwrangler)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/25 "2012-09-09T05:48:56Z")
Over the years I’ve had three desktops with t similar symptoms. In each case, after extensive testing and swapping parts it always turned out to be the power supply in the computer. Is the fan to the power supply working? Open up the power supply and clean out the dust and fluff, amazing how much stuff can accumulate in there without being visible from outside. Try a different power supply Good luck ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/26 "2012-09-10T15:22:11Z")
For those following along: I found a local guy who does repairs out of his house, and hauled it off to him. The guy seems nice, and knowledgeable (of course, everyone seems knowledgable compared to me) and understanding of the realities of how much you should put into fixing a computer versus just buying new. We only had a few minutes when I dropped it off, but he did point out that there was dust inside the processor cooling fan which was a likely culprit, but that the symptoms maybe pointed to a failing hard drive. So… We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/27 "2012-09-10T15:37:05Z")
> [@Chickenwrangler](#): > > Over the years I’ve had three desktops with t similar symptoms. > > In each case, after extensive testing and swapping parts it always turned out to be the power supply in the computer. > > Is the fan to the power supply working? Open up the power supply and clean out the dust and fluff, amazing how much stuff can accumulate in there without being visible from outside. > > Try a different power supply > > Good luck I was going to suggest this. A year or two ago I was having major problems with my system. It wouldn’t boot, or it would boot and then freeze after a few minutes. I changed the motherboard and it worked for a while and then the same problems started happening again. I changed the CPU - same thing. Then I changed the power supply. It’s been working perfectly ever since. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/28 "2012-09-10T16:39:02Z")
> [@FuzzyOgre](#): > > As an aside, I have a nifty little tool. Its an infrared thermometer gun, with an integrated laser pointer. I use it for all sorts of things from cooking to looking for hot spots on my computer. > > I even used it one winter to look for warm spots on my exterior walls, indications of areas of poor insulation. One of my favorite tools ever since I saw Alton Brown use one! (It’s also great in the kitchen.) Mine was on sale at Woot! for like 25 bux. You can pay lots lots more but you don’t have to. As FuzzyOgre notes, it can be very useful for other things too. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/29 "2012-09-10T17:30:03Z")
Still sounds like heat. The fans may be running, but are inadequate for the job, or the vents are clogged with dust, or the area where they are operating isn’t well ventilated. Try sucking them out with a vacuum cleaner, and make sure they have plenty of room to take in cool air and vent out the hot air. Feel around - if the air coming out is really hot, or the case is, that could mean heat buildup. Or it could mean heat buildup, or something else, has damaged the hardware already. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/30 "2012-09-10T20:32:04Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Try sucking them out with a vacuum cleaner, and make sure they have plenty of room to take in cool air and vent out the hot air. Feel around - if the air coming out is really hot, or the case is, that could mean heat buildup. _ **Warning** _\* Never use a standard vacuum cleaner for dusting computers. They tend to generate levels of static electricity that will destroy a computer motherboard if discharged into it. Get canned air. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/31 "2012-09-10T20:49:40Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > _ **Warning** _\* > > Never use a standard vacuum cleaner for dusting computers. They tend to generate levels of static electricity that will destroy a computer motherboard if discharged into it. > > Get canned air. It is, of course, a simple matter to remove the fans and then use the vacuum to clean them. But for cleaning in situ, canned air is definitely the way to go, with a clean paintbrush to help remove more encrusted dirt. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/32 "2012-09-11T01:24:47Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > _ **Warning** _\* > > Never use a standard vacuum cleaner for dusting computers. They tend to generate levels of static electricity that will destroy a computer motherboard if discharged into it. > > Get canned air. Thanks for the warning. ---
**Author:** ![AdamF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/adamf/32/6246_2.png) [@AdamF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdamF)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/33 "2012-09-11T13:28:25Z")
I’ll just add my 2 cents. A few years ago I had similar problem with my Toshiba laptop. It would start nice and then get very very slow after a few seconds/minutes. Culprit was a failing hard-drive, though I only realized that after it stopped responding completely. As a side note, I burned the GPU on it a month later and vented my frustration on it with some power tools (after removing the brand new HD). ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/34 "2012-09-17T19:49:35Z")
A final (?) update: there _was_ some dust on the heat sink fan, but that wasn’t the problem. The hard drive and power supply and processor were all fine. The problem was the motherboard. Given the cost of a replacement motherboard and the labor involved, it made more sense to replace the computer. The computer guy was nice enough to only charge me the one hour diagnostic fee, though I’m sure he spent more time than that. Oh, and he put my old hard drive into an enclosure so I can access my data and then use it as an external backup drive later. For just the cost of the enclosure, which I was happy to pay to get at my ‘stuff.’ So. Now I have to hunt down and reinstall all my programs, and then move data back, but at least the data is there. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and help. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/35 "2012-09-17T20:04:19Z")
Oh – the new computer comes with a six month trial of Norton. During the first start up I told it not to activate the Norton. (I plan to continue using MSE.) But, should I clear out the Norton stuff from the computer? What about a whole lot of other ‘trialware’ stuff I don’t want/need. Is it harmless to leave it there? Or does it cause problems even if I never intentionally start the programs? This is on a HP Pavilion 2010 desktop, if that affects the answer. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/36 "2012-09-17T23:57:30Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Oh – the new computer comes with a six month trial of Norton. During the first start up I told it not to activate the Norton. (I plan to continue using MSE.) > > But, should I clear out the Norton stuff from the computer? What about a whole lot of other ‘trialware’ stuff I don’t want/need. Is it harmless to leave it there? Or does it cause problems even if I never intentionally start the programs? > > This is on a HP Pavilion 2010 desktop, if that affects the answer. I would pull the norton trial, any unwanted AV software is way too invasive to be left puttering in the background. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/37 "2012-09-18T00:11:02Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > I would pull the norton trial, any unwanted AV software is way too invasive to be left puttering in the background. Yes, Norton sucks big time. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/38 "2012-09-18T01:19:40Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > But, should I clear out the Norton stuff from the computer? What about a whole lot of other ‘trialware’ stuff I don’t want/need. Is it harmless to leave it there? Or does it cause problems even if I never intentionally start the programs? Yes, you should delete all that trialware stuff. If nothing else, it wastes space on your drive, in your registry, and slows your computer down (slightly). It’s commonly called ‘crapware’. And there’s a program to remove it, called PC DeCrapifier. It’s freeware, available [http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download](http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/39 "2012-09-18T06:00:45Z")
Careful removing Norton in any but the official way. A bad uninstall of Norton can brick your computer. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544/40 "2012-09-18T06:27:34Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Oh – the new computer comes with a six month trial of Norton. … But, should I clear out the Norton stuff from the computer? Oh yes. ASAP and with extreme prejudice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-my-computer-problem/633544.md?page=3)