Author Topic: Improvised Computer Maintenance? (Read 1488 times)

Aaeru_haplo · « **on:** July 11, 2011, 08:28:19 AM »

So I've definitely fixed computers in some weird ass ways before, but today was the weirdest. All I had on me was a couple of tooth picks, my keys, my wallet, and my computer. Something, had gotten tangled in my fan, causing my fan to stop. Well, since I absolutely can't stand being without my computer, I decided I had to fix it on the spot. So I used a toothpick to push the fan around until it started spinning again. I later found out that some of my hair had somehow gotten stuck around the fan.

So with that, what's the weirdest thing you've ever done to maintain a computer's operational status?Or that of a peripheral device?

kitamesume · « **Reply #1 on:** July 11, 2011, 08:56:10 AM »

i`ve cleaned my case with just my hands and my pocket screw driver.

weirdest i did was getting the dusts out from heatsinks with a manual air pump.

Garret02 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 11, 2011, 09:05:41 AM »

kitamesume · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2011, 09:07:53 AM »

all i need when fixing a PC is the owner's money, a screw driver, and an OS disk plus driver compilations.

anything thats failing that isn't hardware related can be fixed via troubleshooting the OS, including a fresh install if its a must.

anything thats hardware related mostly are either a malfunctioning part or a dead part, both will cost money...

i`d fix a friend's PC if it isnt too troublesome for a treat for lunch~

JBridge · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2011, 11:37:50 AM »

So, my friend wanted Ubuntu installed on his minitower. Fine, except that he needs a place to back up the data. I happen to have the necessary space, so he comes over and I break out the gizmo that lets you connect a hard drive to a computer via USB. Only I don't, because we can't find it. We then decided to plug the drive directly into my PC. Only problem was, the power cord was the wrong type. After some thinking, we came up with a solution detailed in the image below.

(click to show/hide)

kitamesume · « **Reply #5 on:** July 11, 2011, 12:06:44 PM »

thats some beast case, the little one i mean, wish i`d have one that could fit in an M-ATX board, i mean, how hard would it be to make it 2inches wider?

i see a corsair water kit

JBridge · « **Reply #6 on:** July 11, 2011, 01:25:55 PM »

http://shuttle.com/

It's from these guys. They aren't that powerful, but they get the job done and are rather portable. My dad is particularly fond of them.

As for the water kit, I got the computer pre-built. My dad got it for me for my birthday, actually. I have no idea how to work the kit. Help would be appreciated.

Aaeru_haplo · « **Reply #7 on:** July 11, 2011, 02:35:47 PM »

Quote from: JBridge on July 11, 2011, 11:37:50 AM

So, my friend wanted Ubuntu installed on his minitower. Fine, except that he needs a place to back up the data. I happen to have the necessary space, so he comes over and I break out the gizmo that lets you connect a hard drive to a computer via USB. Only I don't, because we can't find it. We then decided to plug the drive directly into my PC. Only problem was, the power cord was the wrong type. After some thinking, we came up with a solution detailed in the image below.

(click to show/hide)

The hard drive is hooked up to my computer, and is taking power from his. It's stupid, but it worked.

That is so much epic win.

KuraiAkumu · « **Reply #8 on:** July 11, 2011, 03:06:48 PM »

Many years ago when i first got into computers, my friend had this Pentium 2 system that wasn't working right and we tried all kinds of stuff to get it working to no avail so i had a random thought(it was a joke really) of taking it outside and smashing it into the ground. with nothing to lose at this point... we disconnected it and took it outside and threw it onto the ground a few times then took it back inside ... the case was a bit mangled but the internals were in somewhat decent shape ... amazingly it powered up although it didn't last long as something came loose in the power supply and shorted it out.

Man they don't make cases like they used to.

JBridge · « **Reply #9 on:** July 11, 2011, 03:39:31 PM »

Now that I think of it, this isn't the first time I've used that picture. I made a thread about it on /g/, with a message similar to this thread's OP. I remember one of the replies word for word.

"Gentoo. Enough said."

Also, some guy managed to prop up a loose CPU fan with chopsticks.

kitamesume · « **Reply #10 on:** July 11, 2011, 04:32:50 PM »

Quote from: JBridge on July 11, 2011, 01:25:55 PM

http://shuttle.com/

It's from these guys. They aren't that powerful, but they get the job done and are rather portable. My dad is particularly fond of them.

As for the water kit, I got the computer pre-built. My dad got it for me for my birthday, actually. I have no idea how to work the kit. Help would be appreciated.

lol, i dont want the unit, i want the case, though an M-ATX should be able to fit, well theres a Lian-Li case that fits this criteria but man is it expensive.

datora · « **Reply #11 on:** July 11, 2011, 04:50:51 PM »

.

Quote from: JBridge on July 11, 2011, 01:25:55 PM

As for the water kit, I got the computer pre-built. My dad got it for me for my birthday, actually. I have no idea how to work the kit. Help would be appreciated.

Send it to me ... I'll put it to good use.

I've done exactly your little hack quite a number of times, using the power from one computer case to run a device inside another case, usually hard drives such as recently when the old case didn't have a SATA power connector but it did have a SATA data connection & I wanted to see if a SATA drive would work in it. Once ran a CD drive and hard drive to troubleshoot/repair an install that got corrupted by a failing PSU. Another actually ran a powered video card from a different case once to determine if it was getting enough juice. Turned out that the case it was in didn't have a large enough PSU. Simple analysis & fix.

I regularly construct custom airflow shields from paperboard. I cut and score them with razors to fold them into exact shapes to channel airflow onto specific hot spots. A little tape, a razor, and an old shoebox or cereal box, the type with thin paperboard and at least one shiny side (cuts down on dust accumulation and cleaning issues).

Old lamp cord with copper wire, I have several small coils of it around always. Can cut & re-wire power connections (especially for fans) to be able to re-route and relocate them, for one simple task. Once used about a meter or two of speaker wire to run an old case fan outside of the computer and push air across a radiator under my desk to keep the heat build-up from cooking my 'nads. I also strip the insulation from the multi-strand wires and twist & solder a handful onto heat blocks for added cooling capacity. The thinner the wire the better; a few dozen strands vastly increase the surface area, and copper is a wicked efficient conductor.

I've been McGyvvering systems for nearly 25 years now, so I could write a small book once I get going.

JBridge · « **Reply #12 on:** July 11, 2011, 05:26:34 PM »

Quote from: kitamesume on July 11, 2011, 04:32:50 PM

Quote from: JBridge on July 11, 2011, 01:25:55 PM
http://shuttle.com/

It's from these guys. They aren't that powerful, but they get the job done and are rather portable. My dad is particularly fond of them.

As for the water kit, I got the computer pre-built. My dad got it for me for my birthday, actually. I have no idea how to work the kit. Help would be appreciated.

lol, i dont want the unit, i want the case, though an M-ATX should be able to fit, well theres a Lian-Li case that fits this criteria but man is it expensive.

They sell cases as well. Pick one up if it suits your needs.

Freedom Kira · « **Reply #13 on:** July 11, 2011, 10:30:27 PM »

Back in the CRT days, I once saw my uncle (built my older computers for me) give his monitor a light smack on the side when it was running slowly, and I swear it ran faster after the smack. So I kinda picked up his habit. Until I one day learned that monitors are not where the computing happens, so smacking the monitor is pointless...

x5ga · « **Reply #14 on:** July 11, 2011, 10:48:28 PM »

A long time ago, 2 pins broke from my old Xeon CPU. So I had the retarded idea of dropping the pins into their place on the socket, and then putting the CPU on top of them in the socket, just like if nothing had happened. It worked :3

bork · « **Reply #15 on:** July 12, 2011, 01:56:00 AM »

Hacked a temporary hydraulic fitting to stop a leak in the disk drive.
Ran the computer room temperature to about 120F while pounding it with a rubber mallet to try and isolate a temperature related problem in one of the cpu's in the computer.

--
the disk drive stood about 6ft tall and held 75Mb.
the computer was four bays and each bay used about 5KW of power.
the computer room was about the size of a small bathroom.

namaiki · « **Reply #16 on:** July 12, 2011, 02:31:07 AM »

Used a paperclip to hold my laptop's hinge together after it had broken. T_T

Freedom Kira · « **Reply #17 on:** July 12, 2011, 03:03:49 AM »

Quote from: x5ga on July 11, 2011, 10:48:28 PM

A long time ago, 2 pins broke from my old Xeon CPU. So I had the retarded idea of dropping the pins into their place on the socket, and then putting the CPU on top of them in the socket, just like if nothing had happened. It worked :3

Did you ever use a magnet to get the pin back out?

fohfoh · « **Reply #18 on:** July 12, 2011, 06:01:22 AM »

Use a butter knife to get the fan off the heat sink? Somehow the pressure works better. I broke like 3 fans pulling it off. Never broke one using a butter knife.

kitamesume · « **Reply #19 on:** July 12, 2011, 09:17:54 AM »

Quote from: fohfoh on July 12, 2011, 06:01:22 AM

Use a butter knife to get the fan off the heat sink? Somehow the pressure works better. I broke like 3 fans pulling it off. Never broke one using a butter knife.

i use a small flat screw driver for that, quite a useful thing

my screw driver set i mean.