Machine update

Well, by hook or by crook, I'm getting my machine home today.

I brought it in for a noisy fan. It was dusty as hell when I pulled it out from under my desk, so I expected it to just need the fans/inside cleaned. (yeah, usually I could try to do it myself, but I had the Groupon.) I called them today for an update, and apparently my graphics card is failing. My graphics have been 100% fine up until this point, the fan noise just kicked in when WoW (and only WoW) had been running for a while. He said if I don't get the card fixed, he expected it to die soon. He's doing tests to see if the motherboard is failing, too.

So I could:

1) Let them change the graphics card (cost of card, labor). On the plus side, it would be an upgrade.
(Edit: 1a) Card and motherboard too, if he says it needs it.)
2) Just take my machine and use it until the card dies (if it does).

You people who know more about this hardware stuff, what do you think? He says my graphics card is dying on his tests, but that it works perfectly fine seems odd to me...

Last night I realized another flaw of my not having my machine: I hadn't expected it to be out of my control for so long, all my passwords are in place, people at the shop could log in to PayPal or any number of other sites -- not to mention see this post/my LJ, as the link to it as on the top of my homepage. Blah!

Either way, tonight I shall have my machine back!

Machine update

Well, by hook or by crook, I'm getting my machine home today.

I brought it in for a noisy fan. It was dusty as hell when I pulled it out from under my desk, so I expected it to just need the fans/inside cleaned. (yeah, usually I could try to do it myself, but I had the Groupon.) I called them today for an update, and apparently my graphics card is failing. My graphics have been 100% fine up until this point, the fan noise just kicked in when WoW (and only WoW) had been running for a while. He said if I don't get the card fixed, he expected it to die soon. He's doing tests to see if the motherboard is failing, too.

So I could:

1) Let them change the graphics card (cost of card, labor). On the plus side, it would be an upgrade.
(Edit: 1a) Card and motherboard too, if he says it needs it.)
2) Just take my machine and use it until the card dies (if it does).

You people who know more about this hardware stuff, what do you think? He says my graphics card is dying on his tests, but that it works perfectly fine seems odd to me...

Last night I realized another flaw of my not having my machine: I hadn't expected it to be out of my control for so long, all my passwords are in place, people at the shop could log in to PayPal or any number of other sites -- not to mention see this post/my LJ, as the link to it as on the top of my homepage. Blah!

Either way, tonight I shall have my machine back!

Machine Home: The Final Chapter

Hopefully, anyway.

bricriu suggested asking for a printout of the test results (so I could google and see what's up), but red flags went way up when I was told they couldn't do that. I took my machine and ran! (For what it's worth, he said the motherboard was fine, but stuck to his story of the graphics card being on its last legs.)

Once home, I set it up on top of my desk instead of under, but this doesn't work out. While the fans aren't loud anymore (though there still is a difference between running WoW and not), the fact that it's six inches from my ear means it seems even louder than before. I want to keep it off the floor though, it will get less dusty and will be way easier to clean.

For some odd reason, all my settings were gone when I finally booted back up. (Probably like losing all my radio stations in my car when I needed a new battery.) My display was dark as heck, looked horrible -- I'm still fiddling with things to try to get them set back correctly.

Debating on what sort of review (if any) to leave on Yelp. The guy was very nice, though they did take longer than they said it would. The issue is mostly fixed, but there's the whole up-sell thing.

Alas, I still have a credit of $30 or so with them, which he said would cover the install of the new graphics card, if/when I want that done. IF I need a new one, I'll likely just buy one and maybe let them do it, assuming they can do it the same day. (Yeah, I know it's easy to do, but it really makes me nervous to do things inside my computer myself.) No option for a cash refund, since it was through Groupon.

So: Woot! *hugs computer* Never leave me again!

Machine Home: The Final Chapter

Hopefully, anyway.

bricriu suggested asking for a printout of the test results (so I could google and see what's up), but red flags went way up when I was told they couldn't do that. I took my machine and ran! (For what it's worth, he said the motherboard was fine, but stuck to his story of the graphics card being on its last legs.)

Once home, I set it up on top of my desk instead of under, but this doesn't work out. While the fans aren't loud anymore (though there still is a difference between running WoW and not), the fact that it's six inches from my ear means it seems even louder than before. I want to keep it off the floor though, it will get less dusty and will be way easier to clean.

For some odd reason, all my settings were gone when I finally booted back up. (Probably like losing all my radio stations in my car when I needed a new battery.) My display was dark as heck, looked horrible -- I'm still fiddling with things to try to get them set back correctly.

Debating on what sort of review (if any) to leave on Yelp. The guy was very nice, though they did take longer than they said it would. The issue is mostly fixed, but there's the whole up-sell thing.

Alas, I still have a credit of $30 or so with them, which he said would cover the install of the new graphics card, if/when I want that done. IF I need a new one, I'll likely just buy one and maybe let them do it, assuming they can do it the same day. (Yeah, I know it's easy to do, but it really makes me nervous to do things inside my computer myself.) No option for a cash refund, since it was through Groupon.

So: Woot! *hugs computer* Never leave me again!