gogogadgetearl

2007.03.24

• i'm sad. i think i may have killed my computer. my baby. my first love.
  
  just a little less than 3 years ago i built a computer for the very first time.
  
  i had recently put the computer in the living room, to use it as my media center pc. i put it in a **wooden** entertainment shelf. looking back, i should have realized that the air flow would be almost nil in such a place.
  i had noticed the computer fans fluctuating in speed the past couple of days. i didn't think much of it. but, after the computer was on for about 10 minutes today, it beeped at me (warning sound that it's too hot) and immediately shut off.
  
  i haven't been able to get it to turn back on. i let it cool off. i set a box fan in front of it. then i made sure the thermal goo was still good. it certainly doesn't smell like the processor fried--but i just don't know.
  
  i struggled with getting the heatsink back on. i think i may have damaged the mobo during the process.
  now, when i plug it up, the fans spin up, then stops, the mobo displays a few codes, then beeps, then repeats the process.
  
  i found a forum topic with a guy who had a similar situation. he had to get a new motherboard.
  i haven't given up completely. i'm gonna tinker with it some more tomorrow. but, honestly, i don't have high hopes.