computer repair

[OverEasy]

Can anybody recommend a computer repair shop, (N.W. Houston to College Station)?
My 2 yr. old Dell with Windows XP Pro won't bootup sometimes and I've been getting that 'Blue Screen'," Windows has shut down to protect itself.....". I uninstalled some software and restored it to a previous point. It still has problems and I have already gone way past my ability. Time for ME to pay a professional.
Thanks, OE

[shaggydog]

Adosea Computers (Cybercom) in College Station. Jeff Collins is the owner. They know what they are doing.
979-764-2930.

[DMG]

I can recommend Computer Express @ 8320 Louetta Road, (281) 257-8859. He has done good work for me and my father in the past, and has been very reasonable. DMG.

[agbullet2k1]

just remember, since it's 2 years old, that sometimes it is better and cheaper to replace it than to fix it.

[KC5AV]

I've been working with Dell computers for the last several years, and one of the more common problems I've encountered is what we call 'capacitor plague'. It causes issues similar to what you describe... intermittent power issues, blue screens, etc.

Pop the cover off, and look to see if you find anything like this:

If so, it's probably time to find a new computer. You might also see some brown crud built up on the tops, or just the tops looking like they've popped up.

[melkor41]

the cap issue is mostly with the very very late model 260s, all of the 270s, and some of the early 280s

runaway cpu fan or any error message that says anything to do with "thermal event" is usualy cap related.

"windows has recovered from an unexpected error" is 9/10 an issue with the physical hard drive, the file system on the hard drive, or the mass storage drivers malfunctioning making windows think the previous two causes are happening.

[OverEasy]

Thanks for the fast replies! I hoped I would get some before my computer shut down again.
Names of any other shops would be welcome.
Thanks again!

I have no idea what any of it means, but if you computer literate people are interested here are some of the things it has shut down for:
1) An attempt was made to write to read-only memory.
2) Page_Fault_In_Nonpaged_Area
3) IRQL_Not_Less_Or_Equal (this one 3 or 4 times)
4) a thread tried to release a resource it did not own
5) Bad_Pool_Caller
Regards, OE

[kidder014]

I know I'm new to the forum, but I actually do on-site PC repair part-time outside of my day job (which also happens to be PC repair).

Anyway, I would be willing to give anyone from the forums a break on my usual rates. My service area is in the Northern Collin and Southern Grayson County area. I try to stay between McKinney upwards to Howe, and from Celina to Trenton, but if you are near this area, chances are I won't turn down the business.

You can reach me on PM for now, I'll be checking the forums frequently anyway.

Joe

[HerbM]

Can anybody recommend a computer repair shop, (N.W. Houston to College Station)?
My 2 yr. old Dell with Windows XP Pro won't bootup sometimes and I've been getting that 'Blue Screen'," Windows has shut down to protect itself.....". I uninstalled some software and restored it to a previous point. It still has problems and I have already gone way past my ability. Time for ME to pay a professional.
Thanks, OE

No, I don't know -- but I will tell you what I would do (and I am pretty much the top of the food chain at this) <grin>


0) Backup NOW if you can

1) Get that Blue Screen reason (text) and error or STOP code (hex number) and either search it myself or get on the Microsoft NewsGroups and get someone (like me) to help you figure out what it references)

Using Google Groups or (better) Microsoft Outlook Express: use the group for your version of Windows on msnews.MIcrosoft.com

You google something like this:

[ "blue screen" site:microsoft.com ~interpreting ] and review a page like this to learn what is important:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms789510.aspx

Hint: It's the top line or three of text on the screen that are important usually.

2) If the problem isn't found easily, I would probably do a REPAIR chkdsk from the command prompt: chkdsk /r
Hopefully you have a modern NTFS volume (not FAT or FAT32 disk format) since the NTFS is more resilient.

3) Follow this with a REPAIR install -- using the original CD-DVD-ROM do an install to the SAME directory and ENSURE that you are offered or pick (and confirm) that you wish to REPAIR the current installation. (This is almost always going to require you to then subsequently go do a new Microsoft Update to bring your system back up to date before you visit ANY other place on the Internet.)

You can PM or email me but your odds of getting really good answers go up if you use those Microsoft NEWS Groups referenced above.

[eric]

Computer was working fine and then shut it down for the night. Got up the next morning to turn it on and nothing. Thought the power supply went bad while shutting down. Took it to shop and we discovered a mouse had built a nest and had eaten led wires and on/off switch wires. The tech said in 15 yrs. he had never seen this and we could not figure out how the mouse got in. Would have cost a lot of money for the tech to do it but it cost me nothing. Fixed it myself and works fine as usual. He had a ton of computers to fix all lined up.

[The Annoyed Man]

Do what I did. Start buying Macs, and never look back.