Hardware failure refers to the act of a piece of physical hardware failing to meet its designed standards during operation.
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Can some software physically damage hardware?
I know a question similar to this one has been asked before however it was about installing a 32bit OS on a 64bit laptop. My question is more....damaging.
I was wondering if there was a way of ...
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1answer
1k views
How to Diagnose a Pre-Operating System Load or Hardware Issue
How can I find out if my problem is hardware based?
If it is, how can I figure out what component is to blame
How can I fix other pre-operating system issues?
As an aside, what are all of these ...
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10answers
19k views
How to diagnose computer lockups and freezes?
I built a desktop computer a couple years back with the following specs:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 Yorkfield 2.5GHz 6 MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80580Q9300
Motherboard: EVGA ...
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vote
1answer
411 views
Is running daily defrag bad?
Running a RAID 0 setup and was wondering if running defrag too much would lead to a disk failure faster? Disks fail based on doing too many reads and writes? or is it based on the spinup and ...
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5answers
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Are SSD's really reliable enough for power users?
TL;DR (though please read my full experience before jumping in with a quick answer.)
A power user performs a certain amount of write cycles. Does an MLC SSD drive support enough write cycles to last ...
4
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1answer
1k views
My keyboard is typing by itself, could there be a ghost in it?
The keyboard on my HP Pavilion dv6z-3000 Select Edition laptop is acting funny: it's sometimes typing characters like 134, adjusting the volume, or triggering the print dialog, all by itself, or as I ...
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3answers
3k views
Do SSD disks do not last as long with Windows XP as with other OS? [closed]
We do software development (Visual C++) on Windows, and already had a few cases where developers using SSD disks with Windows XP had to replace their disks after a (one, 1) year of usage, because they ...
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votes
6answers
2k views
Running Windows with defective RAM
Is it possible to run Windows (7, x64) with a defective RAM module? More precisely, is there some way to tell Windows not to allocate a known bad address or block of addresses?
For Linux, there is ...
2
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1answer
626 views
Why are the failing addresses in Memtest86+ higher than my total memory?
Context
Feel free to skip this section. I ramble a bit.
This is a desktop computer. My motherboard is a MSI P67A-C45. The two memory modules are 4GB DDR3-1333 in DIMM 1 and DIMM 3, dual channel.
A ...
0
votes
3answers
348 views
fan is accelerating too often
I have just applied thermal paste to my intel quadcore CPU and the fan seems to be accelerating very often, especially after I installed a new graphics card. I suspect my CPU may be overheating. There ...
5
votes
0answers
611 views
Is a hard shutdown harmful to computer hardware? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Can a power failure or forceful shutdown damage hardware?
If I switch off my computer pressing the power button for five (5) seconds, can I break any of the components, ...
4
votes
1answer
612 views
Which component causes my graphics driver to crash?
I recently reassembled my system , after getting replacement RAM, mobo and CPU from RMA.
The computer ran fine - until I do something that utilizes graphics hardware spceifically, be it gaming or ...
0
votes
1answer
110 views
Message now reads: No signal coming from computer
When I power on, my monitor reads: No signal coming from computer. Then the monitor enters Power save mode. The computer is non-responsive and it also beeps every 5 seconds.
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2answers
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How to prevent programs (e.g. Process Monitor) from killing my SSD in 2 weeks?
I just got my first SSD - Intel 320 Series 120GB yesterday. And I have SSDLife monitoring in the background. I have TRIM enabled.
After I have installed all software, and did some basic testings. ...
24
votes
17answers
2k views
How can I physically destroy data from a failed HDD?
I have a broken HDD that contains sensitive data. Since no software can access the disk, I can't wipe it using any of the tools generally suggested.
Breaking the disk physically into very small ...
5
votes
1answer
4k views
How can I determine which RAM module is failing Memtest86?
One or many of the memory cards out of total 4GB (4x1GB) are failing.
The following is memtest progress screenshot. It is always pointing to memory at 19xx MB and 50xx MB. Error bits are always ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
Help diagnosing a “freezing” problem
Short description: I bought a new computer a couple months ago. My problem is that every now and then, my computer "freezes up". However, if doesn't freeze for good. After a couple of minutes it comes ...
4
votes
4answers
624 views
PC freezes after repeated clicking noises
I have an oldish PC (Athlon XP 2200, WinXP). Every time I switch it on, I hear a loud "click" first of all, and when it is shut down, again a click is the last sound I hear.
Lately it started to ...
2
votes
4answers
4k views
Hard disk making short, low, high-pitched noise semi-regularly
I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with my brand new Seagate ST2000DM001(-9YN164) hard drive, if indeed anything. Irregularly, but seemingly every few minutes (every 3-7 minutes now in the time ...
1
vote
4answers
5k views
How do I know when my on-board ethernet is dead? (Realtek 8112L LAN controller w/ AI NET2 )
So I have an ASUS P7P55D-E Pro motherboard. It has an on-board Realtek 8112L LAN controller w/ AI NET2. I suspect that my LAN controller is dead but I don't really know for sure. This is what I know ...
1
vote
4answers
4k views
Power surge PC damage: How can I test all components of my PC without access to a second computer?
Ever since we had some crazy power surges last week my 64 bit Windows 7 PC has been acting strange. My USB network adapter disconnects from the wireless and can't detect the signal. I have to ...
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3answers
1k views
Is my HDD dead forever?
Yesterday I turned on my computer and it couldn't boot.
I found out the hd (320GB SATA Seagate Momentus 7200.3 for notebook) was broken and it couldn't be recognized by the BIOS.
I have another of ...
8
votes
4answers
2k views
Mean Time to Failure (MTTF): When disk manufacturers post this, how should you interpret their numbers?
Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) is usually given in terms of hours, and by doing some calculations, it seems that a disk should fail only after a good number of years have gone by.
It seems that disks ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
Thinkpad T60 does not turn on
When I plug in the charge, the battery symbol and the charge symbol will light up green.
Then, when I try to press the power button, the lights turn off and nothing happens.
After this, the only ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
Why is my mouse pointer twitching?
I don't know if you've ever experienced such a behavior from your mouse pointer but it's happened to me several times.
The thing is, when I buy a brand new mouse, everything is fine for some time ...
5
votes
4answers
536 views
Can keeping my CPU speed at “high performance/turbo” all the time decrease its lifespan?
Can keeping my CPU speed at “high performance/turbo” all the time decrease its lifespan?
And if so, what would be its expected route of failure if it does happen?
3
votes
3answers
5k views
Windows detected a hard disk problem — what should I do?
I'm using Windows 7 x64 Ultimate, I'm getting windows error popups like this one for about 3 days, multiple times a day:
This Samsung SpinPoint F3 HD502HJ 500 GB is about 2 years old and I already ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Pixelated screen followed by hard crash
Bit of a tricky one as I am troubleshooting this from range but was hoping for some opinions from everyone here. Sisters computer is on the fritz. It is a recent build of a core i3, 4 GB Corsair ...
2
votes
3answers
916 views
Screen occasionally flashes black
A few months ago I bought myself a new computer. Since then the monitor have been occasionally flashing black for a second or so, and I've been looking for - and failing to find - a solution. Will ...
2
votes
4answers
1k views
Is it easy to build a monitor from a latop screen?
My laptop broke down, but the screen is still good. Is there an easy way to recycle the screen and make a monitor out of it? Just for the fun of it.
The laptop is a Compaq Presario V6700.
2
votes
2answers
304 views
dell xps m1330: hardware malfunction error
Recently, a old Dell XPS m1330 laptop started throwing the error below. It appears to be a memory hardware problem. Is there anything I can do to diagnose the issue?
2
votes
5answers
451 views
Dell Vostro Desktop error
Faced a strange situation at work today. We have people sitting at a table on opposite sides, with power cables underneath the table. This morning when the person sitting opposite to me banged his ...
1
vote
1answer
372 views
PC: Quick Freeze, then BSOD, then forced reboot, then freezes again
Lately I have been experiencing a weird issue. My PC will hang for a second and then BSOD - it stays there, so I have to reboot. Once Windows starts again and I'm logged in, after 1-10min it freezes ...
1
vote
1answer
325 views
FastGate A20 Line And Himem.sys Issue With Updating BIOS
I have been persistent with a thought to perform my first BIOS update ever through MS-DOS but have been postponing this task until today. Despite people telling me any bootable ISO will do it either ...
1
vote
1answer
240 views
“Display driver stopped responding and has recovered”
My Vista machine was running fine until about a week ago while surfing the web, when my system started locking and unlocking followed by this error and a quick BSOD to reboot:
Display driver ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
What to do when I notice symptoms of mechanical printer failures?
I have a HP Deskjet 9300 connected with USB to a Jetdirect 175x box. The 9300 is kinda old. Its been here since prior to 04/2007. The Jetdirect was installed in 2008. The users of this printer have ...
1
vote
1answer
237 views
Computer starts for less than a second
I have gathered all parts of my new PC and assembled them together. However, when I turn it on, the computer becomes alive for only half a second or so, then shuts down. The lights flash, the fans ...
0
votes
3answers
232 views
Tool to test HDD for health?
I've had my HDD replaced, and now my computer is freezing every 1 to 5 minutes for 5 to 10 seconds. Actually, only active applications freeze (but it can be ANY application), usually when I click ...
0
votes
0answers
183 views
Computer clock not working properly
to cut the story short: there are two symptoms I can observe. First every time I turn my laptop on, the clock resets back to 1/1/2009 12:00AM. even if I don't disconnect my laptop from direct power ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
Netbook screen display is garbled (has black/white & horizontal line patterns, screen freezes, and/or wrong display position)
Upon powering my netbook on, its screen turns into a garbled display (has black/white patterns, horizontal line patterns, screen freezes and/or wrong display position). This distortion happens even at ...
0
votes
0answers
78 views
hardware fan is accelerating too often [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
fan is accelerating too often.
Hi everyone,
I have just applied thermal paste to my intel quadcore CPU and the fan seems to be accelerating very often. Especially after ...
0
votes
2answers
178 views
If a drive is not recognized during POST is it irreparably broken?
I'm having a bit of trouble with a HDD. I believe it's dead and I plan on RMA'ing it tomorrow, but I thought I should just check up here first to make sure there are no other options.
I posted a ...
0
votes
3answers
1k views
Computer won't turn on, how to diagnose the problem?
So my computer, ASUS MB, ThermalTake PSU, won't turn on after shutting down last night.
Short of taking out the powersupply and putting in a new one, are there any tricks to figuring out/fixing the ...
0
votes
1answer
1k views
Mouse randomly freezes for about 20 seconds in Ubuntu 10.10, please help troubleshoot
I installed Ubuntu 10.10 a week ago and have had mouse glitches since. I know there was some way to monitor USB events real time, but don't remember the command for it, so if you do, please tell :)
...
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votes
3answers
235 views
What can I do to prevent system power downs?
Yesterday I was given my brother's old laptop - core i7, 2.67GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Win7 64 bit. It's a Sony Vaio Z11. Approx 18 months old.
When running something computationally intensive, the ...
