Hate computers

[kf0rt]

Finally got to the point where I can "afford" a cheap spare computer. Nothing fancy; just something I can play with and not care if I have to reformat frequently.

Put together a box using a Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L motherboard in a cheap HTPC case. Wife's WoW machine (she's a level 80 something or other) died some months ago, so I put the G31M board in to get it back up , and bought a G41M board and a new case to replace it. Got my new box running Win 7 Ultimate (legal copy) when her machine croaked again on Friday. An hour to put her hard drive in my "spare" computer, get the drivers sorted out and move the whole thing upstairs. Motherboard failures, best I can tell. The first one was an MSI and ran fine for 4-5 years. The G31M ran about 5 months.

Spent half the day on Newegg today trying to decide if I wanna go through this again. Wishlist built, but maybe I'll just buy a knife, pick up a hunk of wood from the back yard and take up whittling.

Meanwhile, the Intel "Bad Axe" keeps on running.

</vent>

[WØTKX]

I can, and will "build" PC's. But it's getting to the point where I don't waste my time, and have been quite happy buying "last years model" used from Craigslist.

Have you considered getting a tested "bare bones" kit? MicroCenter has a good selection.

[ki4itv]

You think you hate them?
I'm not a computer guy at all...I really, really, hates them and we have five in the house. NOT including the multitude of dedicated game machines.

I'd rather be forced to drink PBR while being flogged with sandpaper than hear one of the kids say, "Hey dad! Somethings wrong with _________ machine."

[WØTKX]

If I had kids, they would get the chore of keeping them running, with my guidance.

Did you fix you mother's computer yet? Or are we skipping dessert again this evening? :twisted:

[kf0rt]

I can, and will "build" PC's. But it's getting to the point where I don't waste my time, and have been quite happy buying "last years model" used from Craigslist.

Have you considered getting a tested "bare bones" kit? MicroCenter has a good selection.

Nah... it all works; just seem to be having a "run o' luck" lately with the XYL's stuff. It's the most neglected machine in the house. My old Dell Dimension 8200 still churns, and it's gotta be 7-8 years old.

WTF happened with memory prices lately, though? Seems they're almost double what they were 6 months ago.

[N2NH]

Finally got to the point where I can "afford" a cheap spare computer. Nothing fancy; just something I can play with and not care if I have to reformat frequently.

Put together a box using a Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L motherboard in a cheap HTPC case. Wife's WoW machine (she's a level 80 something or other) died some months ago, so I put the G31M board in to get it back up , and bought a G41M board and a new case to replace it. Got my new box running Win 7 Ultimate (legal copy) when her machine croaked again on Friday. An hour to put her hard drive in my "spare" computer, get the drivers sorted out and move the whole thing upstairs. Motherboard failures, best I can tell. The first one was an MSI and ran fine for 4-5 years. The G31M ran about 5 months.

Spent half the day on Newegg today trying to decide if I wanna go through this again. Wishlist built, but maybe I'll just buy a knife, pick up a hunk of wood from the back yard and take up whittling.

Meanwhile, the Intel "Bad Axe" keeps on running.

</vent>

Try this page and see if it fits the bill...

[N2CHX]

I'm with you. I used to like working on them. Now I have too much other stuff to do. I am tired of fixing things. My whole life everyone has asked me to fix their crap, now I'm hoping everyone forgets I know how. My kids each have a computer. I have a policy with them: You get a virus or spyware on them and you have to ask me to fix it for you, it gets reformatted with Linux. All three of them had Linux for a long time but then my son's MB died and Dani gave him her old PC since she bought a laptop. It now sits idle since he got a virus on it a few weeks ago. When I get around to it I'll put Linux on it. Unless he wants to take the initiative and do it himself first.

[WØTKX]

Commodity market... http://www.dramexchange.com/

[kf0rt]

Must be all those iPads Apple's planning to build. :rofl:

Anyway, just put in an order with Newegg to get things back on track. Would have just been a case and motherboard, but ya know how that goes. Decided to go for a 1066MHz bus, so new RAM. And a new video card for the XYL's machine. GeForce 9400 for 50 bucks? And it doesn't require external power? The good news is that the CPU survived the meltdown, so don't have to buy one.

[KD0JZX]

If I had kids, they would get the chore of keeping them running, with my guidance.

Did you fix you mother's computer yet? Or are we skipping dessert again this evening? :twisted:

Haha, my parents actually bribe me with food to fix their computer faster. They always make my favorite to get me to come over sooner. (Until I installed a remote login system)

"Will fix your computer for bandwidth" :dance