Posts by Thomas Wells5

I’m pretty sure we’re looking at the DDR5 version here, mostly because of that dual-fan setup... the single-fan model is definitely the old DDR3 version.

Greetings.
I’ve mentioned before that I am on the hunt for a decent GPU; my current setup is running an HD 6450 1GB, which is essentially overpriced junk.
I have a chance to pick up this card for $100, and it still has a full year of warranty left... if my math is correct, this should be easily twice as powerful as my current piece of scrap.
http://tinypic.com/r/pojt3/8
MSI R6670
For context, the rest of my rig consists of an Intel Athlon x3 450
Xilence Redwing 480W PSU
MSI GF615M P33 motherboard

You might want to take a look at your RAM; there’s a chance one of the modules has finally kicked the bucket. If you're running two sticks, pull them both out and try testing them one at a time, or better yet, track down a different module somewhere just to rule it out. It isn't always the case that the PC will give you a warning beep when the memory starts acting up. I've definitely run into situations where the system simply refuses to output an image if the RAM is being temperamental. If that doesn't turn up anything, try checking the CMOS battery. Pop it out while everything is completely powered down and unplugged, leave it out for a few minutes, then pop it back in. It might just need a little reset to clear its head.

Look, try plugging in a different keyboard to see if the issue persists. If you run a system restore back to yesterday and everything returns to normal... well, then you have your answer. But if a second keyboard works perfectly fine without any glitches, then your current one is officially dead in the water.

Hey everyone, I'm looking for some solid recommendations for a decent used graphics card. Honestly, anything would be an upgrade over the absolute junk I'm currently running, this NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 1GB
My CPU is an Intel Core i3-2100 (I think that's the right model, typing this on my laptop xD)
Motherboard is an MSI GF615M P33
Power supply is an EVGA 480W
Basically, if anyone could let me know what the most powerful card would be without hitting a massive bottleneck—don't worry about whether the PSU can handle it or not
I'm genuinely curious to see just how much this processor can actually push

Seriously, how on earth am I not the one taking him back, but someone else is instead?

No, I don't think you quite caught my drift. He basically buys these units up, refurbishes them, and flips them. I showed up with cash right as he’d just finished installing Windows on this one, so I snapped it up immediately. When the issue first cropped up, I took it back to him; he claimed it had been heavily abused previously, so it shouldn't be an issue, but the exact same thing kept happening. I brought it back again and told him I'd just wait until he had another unit in stock, but apparently, he’d "fixed" it in the meantime. He even showed me the charred remains of the old charger and how he’d had to resolder the charging port on the motherboard. I took it home, it worked fine for two days, and then—boom—same problem. So now I've handed it back and told him forget selling me this lemon; just get me a different one once he has it, and if it’s a better machine, I won't mind paying the difference. I've known the guy for years since we work in the same industry, so I'm not losing sleep over it... it's just that I find it bizarre how a faulty charger could cause a laptop to die like this if the battery itself is still holding a charge perfectly fine.

It was working perfectly fine for an entire day, and then, right on schedule, everything just went south starting the second day.
He mentioned he has the funds available, but he said the only thing he can actually get me is a replacement laptop in about ten days or so.

Look, man, he told me everything was fine and there wouldn't be any issues—he’d just swap it out later—but honestly, the whole thing is just ridiculous to me. If you ask me, something went haywire with the chipset near the power delivery system. It’s been running on a generic universal charger since last night, then suddenly this morning it dies three times in a row and won't even budge. But the second I plug in his original charger? It fires right up on the first try. And the kicker? Right at that exact moment, the charger itself shorted out, yet the device just kept humming along on battery power.
So, it's basically like jump-starting a car with cables and then just pulling them away while the engine's still turning.

Greetings.
I picked up this used laptop recently, and honestly, it’s been shutting down on me almost immediately since day one. I reached out to the guy who sold it to me, and he took a look to see what the deal was. He claimed the thing was just choked with dust and gave it a deep clean, then insisted the charger was the culprit. Apparently, some components near the power port had practically fried from the heat, so he went ahead and resoldered them, along with the input jack on the motherboard itself. Since the charger was intermittently cutting out, my question is this: What kind of connection does a faulty charger have to the system crashing if the battery is still somewhat functional? I mean, it holds a charge for maybe 20 minutes, tops—maybe half an hour if I'm lucky. And of course, after just two days, it died on me again, almost as if the computer is suddenly being starved of power mid-use.
I've switched it over to a universal power adapter for now, but I have a strong suspicion that the charger isn't actually the reason the machine keeps dying.

Honestly, I’m feeling pretty torn between these two builds... the first one actually fits within my budget once I factor in adding a DVD burner... but I am genuinely wondering if that processor even comes with a stock cooler included?

Greetings... I am currently on the hunt for a decent chassis/case that can accommodate a build up to $667... ideally staying under $733
.
Please, let's try to respect that initial budget constraint.
My goal is simply a machine capable of handling web browsing and some light gaming—think things like Windows 10 or maybe some casual sports titles. 🙂 If anyone could toss a few recommendations my way from reputable US online retailers that offer reliable shipping,
I would be most grateful.

Alright, let's just assume the worst and say it's completely baked on. How on earth am I supposed to clean that?

So, who am I actually supposed to trust here? I was just at a Best Buy asking this exact same thing, and I ended up walking out with the printer right then and there. The clerk gave me this whole lecture about how I shouldn't even think about using anything other than OEM ink because of the proprietary color cartridges. But here’s the kicker regarding that 30-day window you mentioned: I bought a unit two years ago, used up the initial ink, and then didn't bother swapping in any new colors for maybe three or four months. Once I finally went out, grabbed some replacements, popped them in, it started printing perfectly fine without a single hiccup. Now, I haven't been that negligent—I usually swap them more frequently—but my logic is simple: if it doesn't clog up within three months, it certainly isn't going to fail after a year of sitting idle.

So, here’s my dilemma: I’m looking to offload an HP DeskJet 1050 all-in-one printer.
Since I haven't touched the ink cartridges in well over a year, I can't help but wonder if they've completely dried up and seized up inside. To make matters worse, I was strictly using genuine HP ink back then.
Is there any way to actually test if it still functions without me having to go out and shell out money for new ink first?

I have a quick question here—I’m honestly not even sure how I’d phrase this for a Google search. So, I’ve got this scanned image, right? It’s a full A4 sheet. But when I just go into Microsoft Word and use the "Insert Picture" tool, it doesn't look like it actually fills the entire page. I'm trying to figure out how to get the image to sit perfectly on an 8.5x11 sheet so it covers the whole thing from edge to edge.
Hopefully, you catch my drift :P
By the way, I'm using the 2007 version of Microsoft Office.

Honestly, the Black label is just way out of my budget right now... :S

I’m finally pulling the trigger on a WD Blue terabyte drive in about a week, and honestly? It’s about damn time! I am officially done with this constant, agonizing cycle of "just a little more" storage—it's driving me insane.

Here it is: WD BLUE
It actually turns out to be cheaper than that Green series, too... which is a relief, considering that line has such a terrible reputation...

Well, that’s exactly why I decided to start this thread in the first place—to get some clarity, because honestly, these prices look suspiciously low to me. I mean, we're talking about a terabyte for $167, and 2 terabytes for $250? Where on earth were you living a few years ago if you couldn't snag deals like this back then? xD

Well, let me get this straight—that 2.5-inch drive is meant for a laptop, which explains why they’re charging an arm and a leg for it. xD
I mean, honestly, it isn't even that bad of a price when you consider how small the thing actually is. 😁
Thanks for the input, everyone.