Computer shuting down.

[lappir]

Old windows 95 desktop computer at my Mother's started shutting down on it's own today. Any ideas on the causes?

 

Thanks,

 

Rod

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

Battery old and tired?

[hiljoball]

Not worth trouble shooting - junk it and buy a new computer.

 

You can get a nice laptop for under $300, and Best Buy has a 19 inch all in one for under $300 on sale.

 

Gift her your computer and buy a new one for yourself.

 

John

[RV_]

I agree with John.

 

Could be the power supply failing. No matter, back up all her files now while you can still access it.

[wildmandmc]

probably over heating, faulty fan but it's time to get out of the dark ages. I'm actually surprised to hear that it was still working.

[lappir]

Thanks for the replies. Mom likes things simple and what she is used to. Had Windows 7 but preferred 95. Has had no exposure to Windows 10 yet. Considering getting her a Mac, since she will be having to learn a whole new system anyway. Thoughts?

 

I have several friends who swear it was the best thing they ever did going from PC to Mac.

 

Pulled the box out and dusted it off. Will check to see if all the fans are running and what the power source looks like. May try to find a power source to try (or a place that will do that for me) before tossing the whole thing. There are lots of old photos on the HDD and of course there isn't much for back up will need someone to hopefully save them. Nothing else of importance.

 

Rod

[Pat & Pete]

First thing I'd do is insure the CMOS battery is copacetic . It's very easy and inexpensive to replace .

 

Here's a link to a HowTo : http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000239.htm

 

While looking at the mother board check the capacitors . All barrel types should have flat tops . if any are rounded or bulged up , they are likely the cause and need replacement . That job gets a bit touchy and most would simply find another tower .

 

Anyway , you might find another tower and switch your moms hard drive into it . That's pretty easy to do as well .

 

Another How To : http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000413.htm

 

Just trying to keep mom happy .

[TreyandSusan]

Rod

If your mom is just emailing, browsing, and facebooking then the easy thing for her might be a tablet.

My mom loves it over her laptop. The transition was pretty easy once the apps were set up for her.

Much more simple. A keyboard can be added and/or a stylus if she needs it. Apps are simple. These were made for moms to transition.

Take her to Best Buy and have here look at them and see how light and easy they are to hold and operate.

[lappir]

Between the time I posted this and lunch time today Mom had called her computer repair person and has taken it in for an evaluation. He has been pretty reasonable in the past. I had pulled it out this morning before heading off for the morning and she decided since it was unhooked that's what I was planning. Not really, but. ...

 

Did plant the seed for a possible MAC. She is not into a tablet or laptop. Desk top is what she wants. I used an old TV/Monitor to upgrade the screen size earlier this year. She wasn't even bothered by having to use the TV remote to turn on the monitor.

 

She watches the PBR on the computer when the events are not televised, does some email, a daily jigsaw puzzle and quite a bit of solitaire at times. NO online shopping, but will look at Real Estate listing on occasion. Online versions of some local newspapers. She wants noting to do with my brothers iPad or my Samsung Tablet.

 

Will post when I hear what happens with the Computer Guy.

 

 

Rod

[RV_]

I have one of these:

http://www.geekbuying.com/item/VOYO-Mini-PC-Windows-8-1-4K-Media-Player-Intel-Z3735F-2G-RAM-64G-ROM-WIFI-Bluetooth---White-341214.html

 

Mine cost $96.69 at GearBest.com and runs great and updated to the free Windows 10 upgrade and the Anniversary upgrade just fine. It is fast and even has a battery. Had it for a couple of years now for a spare bedroom PC hooked up to a retro TV that has a large imitation CRT red case that has a 23" LCD in it. The big case makes for decent bass from it.

 

But the Version 3 is the one I would get today, and will as soon as the version 4 comes out and it gets clearance pricing:

http://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_292915.html

 

The new one is $196.69, has a real 128GB SSD/4GB fast RAM, not an eMMC. Makes big difference in speed. The SoC is the same as the new MS Surface 3 tablet (Not the Surface 3 Pro)and a USBC as well as 2 USB 3. This is an all Windows mini PC.

 

Check out the customer reviews from around the world:

http://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_292915.html

 

You can either pin her programs to the task bar, or to the desktop and Windows 10 will seem the same as her old boat anchor. The thing that throws some folks is that with the Voyo mini, like many tablets, you hold the power button down until the power light comes on. Some folks think they are defective because they do not know how to turn it on and by trying again turn it off again. Like tablets each can be different. My Surface 3 Pro has no haptic buzz and does not need to be held down just press the power button once and nothing seems to happen for a few seconds. My Venue 11 Pro has the Haptic buzz so you know when to release the button.

 

Caveat Emptor. My good luck and experience gets me past a lot of what has confounded some.

 

Here is a 23 minute Techie video review with benchmarks great screenshots and lots of high end games shown in action at different resolutions. This one can handle very high resolution above 1080 if your monitor can. He shows a 4k video on it too and it works great using Edge or Windows Explorer, but seems to lag with Chrome and other broswers on higher resolutions - excellent review for anyone actually considering one..:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMRxK5IMVmA

[lappir]

The old boat anchor is back up and running. $110 for a new power source, installation and delivery back to the house and reconnected. All I had to do was reset the clock. Mom found the receipt of when she purchased. 9/11/09. Guy who worked on it said this is the second power source he has replaced in it. This time she went for a new one. Maybe we will get it to 2019 now.

 

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

 

Rod

[RV_]

Power supply, yep! Was it an eMachines by any chance? They had several bad batches of PS'. It was likely an XP or Vista computer. No new computers were sold with Windows 95 after around 1998. OMG! She could have had one of the ones I linked you to for less than the PS R&R!

 

BTW, what is PBR?

 

I would seriously be checking her house wiring, and her outlet she plugs it into. She is using a grounded three prong polarized plug and outlet right?

[DJW]

Professional Bull Ridding

 

Dennis

[Pat & Pete]

Power supply, yep! Was it an eMachines by any chance? They had several bad batches of PS'. It was likely an XP or Vista computer. No new computers were sold with Windows 95 after around 1998. OMG! She could have had one of the ones I linked you to for less than the PS R&R!

 

BTW, what is PBR?

 

I would seriously be checking her house wiring, and her outlet she plugs it into. She is using a grounded three prong polarized plug and outlet right?

 

I always thought it meant Pabst Blue Ribbon .

[lappir]

Power supply, yep! Was it an eMachines by any chance? They had several bad batches of PS'. It was likely an XP or Vista computer. No new computers were sold with Windows 95 after around 1998. OMG! She could have had one of the ones I linked you to for less than the PS R&R!

 

BTW, what is PBR?

 

I would seriously be checking her house wiring, and her outlet she plugs it into. She is using a grounded three prong polarized plug and outlet right?

The current machine is a HP Compaq. The first one they ever had was an eMachines and most likely where the Windows 95 program came from. She still has the original never used Windows 7 CD with all the paperwork.

 

I did look at the links you provided and may try one of those myself this winter. I am planning on some modifications of my living area which would make my computer not accessible if I have the Murphy bed in the lower position. Will have my larger screen TV that I could use. I am assuming the mouse and keyboard are wireless.

 

The wiring in the home is good I'm sure at least now. She did move from a much older home several years ago that had many non grounded outlets. Not sure if the computer had been connected to a new or older circuit there. I put in a surge protector when I set the computer up in it's current location.

 

The PBR stands for Professional Bull Riders. A take off from a complete Rodeo where there is only the Bull Riding event.

 

I didn't have the chance to talk with her before she shipped off the computer to the repair guy and she is happy to have the ability to use her Windows 95 for as long as it will work. She is more open to a new system "if she has to" someday.

 

Rod

[Biker56]

Windows 95 OS came out in Aug. 24, 1995

You wouldn't think any was still around for sale on September 11, 2009

[RV_]

Pat,

PBR meant Pabst to me too.

 

Rod,

Those mini systems come with no keyboard or mouse. Those would cost an additional 20-30 bucks for a decent Logitech combo where both run off one USB receiver. The ones I have bought and the reason the guy in the review emphasized that the unit seemed to have a legit license was because many were bootlegged and the dual boot ones like I still have had difficulty working on Android here. They actually put the OS' on ROM mostly for the Android systems. Thus the caution that the warranty is void if any upgrades are done. You can pretty much consider that you get no support from the seller or the manufacturer. Refunds for defective units are slooooow. However, I have not had any issues with the Voyo systems. GearBest does have lots of stuff that are great buys for gadgets. But be aware that if you can't support yourself as a tech you are essentially on your own for those prices. ON the other hand, I have five more fingers. Kidding aside, they are fast and I could use the Voyo 3 for our main system if I were not using high end All In Ones here for desktops. As well I don't see a lot of praise for the touch desktop screens except the AIOs. My Voyo mini started life out as a Windows 8 system and went through all updates to 10 and to current.

 

I like the way they have two USB 3 and one USB C. Mine has 64GB of storage on an eMMC this one has a full blown SSD with 128GB.

 

My older one with 64 GB internal storage and 2GB of RAM really runs fast on normal tasks. I have a 64GB SD Card in it, and a 64GB SanDisk mini USB thumb drive with music on it, making it onboard bringing it to 192GB of storage. But I also have three external USB 3 drive docks and many 1 and 2 TB 3.5 inch and 2.5" internal drives I use with the drive docks. With a powered USB 3 hub (I have 2) I can run anything I want and also charge phones with any USB 3 tablet or mini PC.

 

So when the current V3 Voyo is superseded by the V4, I'll get one on clearance since I already have one. We have a subscription to Sling TV and can watch it on up to three computers or Fire TV/Roku/Mini PC devices at once. We use the mini in the guest bedroom so when our kids visit they have the equivalent to Cable TV on it, in addition to the 20 Over The Air HD channels. I installed a current model new HD TV rooftop antenna I mounted on the eave of the house and ran it to a 1 in four out Distribution amp and have perfect reception in four rooms with it, one being the guest bedroom. https://www.amazon.com/Electroline-EDA-2400-Booster-Amplifier-Warranty/dp/B001222256/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

With free Over the Air HD channels, Sling TV ($25/mo), and Netflix ($9.99/mo.) and Amazon Prime which I don't count for TV costs because we had it for Kindle books, and music, and free two day shipping years before we cut the cable and started streaming a lot of our TV. Early this year we ended up getting two Used 7" Fire HDX tablets one with 16GB and the other with 64GB SSD used for under $50 each. Both had the original chargers and boxes as well as cases/covers. Like motor scooters and motorcycles there are a lot out there that are used once or twice and then put up in nice cases I've found. I got another 32GB HDX 8.9" for $70 used with an Otterbox in the original boxes and with the charger/cable it came with new. They have Mayday on all the HDXs only which they dropped for the regular Fire tablets today and we also get a lot more free storage with them with no payment required for photo storage. My wife rarely uses her Windows tablet but reads books with her Fire, as do I despite being able to use the App on my Surface Pro and T200 hybrid tablets. I see why the smaller iPads were popular as are the many Android smaller tablets. The now discontinued Fire HDX tablets are better kindles than kindles to us as we can download a movie to watch off line later and another when I return it. Were I traveling with limited WiFi I would be downloading at free WiFi spots while shopping or eating and then another after returning it and so on.

 

The new V3 is 4k capable for streaming too. I am very surprised that we don't see more folks using them here. They are ideal as a dedicated RV desktop with low power draw and tiny footprint. They are about the size of a paperback book if you cut the top third off of it.The few folks I have seen buying mini systems have been buying $300-500 NUC kits that are not ready to use out of the box! https://www.amazon.com/Intel-BOXNUC6I5SYH-NUC-Kit-NUC6i5SYH/dp/B018Q0GN60/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1477247487&sr=1-3&keywords=NUc

 

The Voyos have the latest Intel quad core Atom SoCs and these are not your old Atoms from even four years ago.

 

You should be happy with one but that is your risk. I am happy I tried one.