The Official Computer Tech Support Thread

[Freebase Dali]

Originally Posted by TheBig3

I'm a big Blizzard guy. For now it would be SC2 and possibly WoW again, but absolutely Diablo 3 when it drops.

The minimum requirements for WoW and SC2 are probably going to give you issues with the graphics card. And Diablo 3, for sure, will. You might look into getting a PCI graphics card with at least 512mb RAM. If you go for older stuff, like a 9800 GT or something, you'll hit recommended specs for those games, and for very cheap.

Then tossing in another stick of RAM should round you out.

[ThePhanastasio]

I have two laptops at present which both refuse to work. Getting the BSoD on both, with the same error message. A disk check on the laptop I've had since 05 yielded unsettling results: The hard drive has an error in port 1 and is not functioning.

Now, I'm assuming that the laptop running Vista is very much in the same boat, as the BSoD messages are identical as to what the perceived problem is. I would really like both laptops to function, but I really don't want to take it into a repair shop, and would like to somewhat "fix it myself".

I have a shared laptop on which I don't download music or anything of the sort, and my budget (as I've got plans for the summer and need to really watch my cash flow) is right about where I'd be able to purchase a single external hard drive of 2TB.

If I were to get this, I'd really like to be able to run Linux in lieu of Windows, with which I strongly wish to part ways.

Is there any feasible way I could download Linux onto an external drive and boot the laptops via Firewire or USB using that OS, completely disregarding the internal drives as lost causes?

[Freebase Dali]

Originally Posted by ThePhanastasio

I have two laptops at present which both refuse to work. Getting the BSoD on both, with the same error message. A disk check on the laptop I've had since 05 yielded unsettling results: The hard drive has an error in port 1 and is not functioning.

Now, I'm assuming that the laptop running Vista is very much in the same boat, as the BSoD messages are identical as to what the perceived problem is. I would really like both laptops to function, but I really don't want to take it into a repair shop, and would like to somewhat "fix it myself".

I have a shared laptop on which I don't download music or anything of the sort, and my budget (as I've got plans for the summer and need to really watch my cash flow) is right about where I'd be able to purchase a single external hard drive of 2TB.

If I were to get this, I'd really like to be able to run Linux in lieu of Windows, with which I strongly wish to part ways.

Is there any feasible way I could download Linux onto an external drive and boot the laptops via Firewire or USB using that OS, completely disregarding the internal drives as lost causes?

If your hard drives are recognized in the BIOS, you might want to load an OS disk and wipe them out, and try a reinstall, seeing if you get a similar problem. If so, you know it's hardware related and likely not worth salvaging.
I don't know why you wouldn't just get two 2.5 inch replacement drives... they're cheap as hell, and you don't have to worry about going through the process of making your external drive bootable for linux (and that's assuming your BIOS supports booting from USB to begin with)... not to mention the portability issue of having another box to lug around.

Removing the hard drive from laptops is usually an easy affair, with the drive port being underneath the laptop and accessible by removing a few screws.

If you go that route, you can still go with Linux, and it will be less of a headache in the short, and longrun.

[TheBig3]

Having read your prior advice, I'm going to buy from New Egg more than likely.

[Freebase Dali]

Originally Posted by TheBig3

Having read your prior advice, I'm going to buy from New Egg more than likely.

Good idea. The reviews are always handy, and Newegg has great shipping.

[TheBig3]

And seemingly really nice stuff for cheap

[djchameleon]

I like to use Tiger Direct and New Egg depending on what part I'm looking for and I compare prices between the two.

[Freebase Dali]

Originally Posted by djchameleon

I like to use Tiger Direct and New Egg depending on what part I'm looking for and I compare prices between the two.

And sometimes Tiger Direct actually has more stuff, too. I just have a deep-seated hatred for them ever since they sold me a broken laptop in 2003.

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

And sometimes Tiger Direct actually has more stuff, too. I just have a deep-seated hatred for them ever since they sold me a broken laptop in 2003.

See that **** scares me and its why I still like hitting up Big Box stores for my computers. They need to make computers with a label that reads:

If you do the follow activities, this computer is good for you:

X
Y
Z

[debaserr]

I haven't ever used Tiger Direct, but Newegg has a great return policy.