Re Power Supply, Laptop, Flash Drive, Hard Drive

Hi to all..

My PC is an IBM Think Center A51P type 8423 - 25U, running Windows XP Home SP3. Its 4 years and 3 months old.

A week ago when I turned it on the monitor stayed "dead" and smoke came from the pc unit. Instantly I pulled the plugs (the 2 piugs of the 2 surge protectors the system connects to). I noticed there was still a small "ball of fire" inside the unit! The dealers found out that the power supply was gone and replaced it..

Any ideas as to why this could have happened? The pc has worked pretty well for the most part prior to this.

Having been without a pc for over a week, I'd like to own a laptop to use in case my desktop goes bad again.. Someone told me that Hewlett Packhard makes the best laptops. What are your views on this?

I was told that with a USB Flash drive I'd be able to backup My Documents, Favourites, and Address Book so as not to lose these in case of a hard drive failure. Can you please advise a quality brand name USB Flash Drive?

In the case of the Hard Drive, if this crashes, is it a difficult job to replace it? I am something of a do-it-yourselfer and would consider replacing the drive myself if the procedure is not too complicated. Belarc Advisor describes my hard drive as MAXTOR 6Y080M0 (80.03 GB).

Your help in these matters would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

Hi Beach boy,
Most people have their own opinion as to what is the best, I've owned a few Toshiba laptops, and I bought the wife a IBM a few years back, all have been great computers, but I do prefer Toshiba. Write yourself a list of the things you need in it, then go shopping!!
USB Flash Drive? again plenty of them around, you are probably thinking more of a external backup drive, Price & Size will be your main requirement, I prefer Seagate drives to others, I would look at known HDD manufactuers web sites to see what is on offer, Seagate, Western Digtal, Hitachi, iOmega, have some good stuff on offer.
If you are a tinkerer, replacing a HDD is not all that hard, get a copy of the user/service manual for your computer & the directions on how to do is normally found in there, you can download that from the manufacturers website.
Hope this helps
Jac

PS: as for the PSU Fire, I'm not an electrician but a build up of dust in a PSU may cause a fire, get a can of compressed air & with the computer turned off at the source blow the unit out occassionally

 

Thanks Jac for your quick response.. this info should prove useful..

Looks like you are also right on re that pwr supply problem, as a great amount of dust gathers in this room..

Tks again

 

Jac, I have a small vacuum cleaner with a small nozzle, what if from time to time I apply this to the front of the pc grating and "pull" some of the dust out.. what do you think of this?

 

Hi Beach Boy,
I would try any option you feel confident with, your Little vacuum may well do the job. If it is possible? I would install an extra fan for extraction mounted in the rear of the case as close as possible to the PSU, this should eliminate heat build-up in the case as well as hopefully dust build-up in all areas
Best of luck
Jac

 

Thanks again Jac.. seems like you have some hands-on experience in working on pc's. I hope to acquire this kind of experience soon.. right now the only time I have ever seen the inside of a pc was in a book or on the web!

 

Hi Beach Boy,
I've always liked pulling things apart & putting them back together with the hope they still work, start small find an old cheapy that you can play with & see what you can do?, these days I build up systems for friends, but its cheaper to buy OEM than a build-up, but you don't get what you want.
I take advice from people as to what is the good gear & then look around & find what I want, as I suggested for your laptop I prefer Toshiba But! IBM are good, but I would steer clear of anything with a touchpad as they play up & can cause you grief (an easy way around that is to disable the touchpad, I have since learnt)

I like this proverb Thanks "Christer "

Old chinese proverb:
If I hear - I forget, If I see - I remember, If I do - I understand

Take Care
Jac

 

Hi Jac, I like taking things apart as well.. took up 2 basic electronic courses about 12 years ago when I retired. I think repairing Pc's is a good business or hobby these days, 'cause even if you live to a good age you can keep your brain active, and the light weight equipment aren't to burdensome to move around. You can also make a living -- technicians over here charge $70 per hour for labour..

Later..

 

Gee's I could get 2 bottles of scotch for that, 3 if i'm not fussy on brand or flavour , I think that may have been my mistake when I first started doing what I do, but I enjoy the fruits of my labour!
Yes keeping active in mind & body is very important, I am yet to reach the "I can afford to retire age ", but then again I hope I never do?
A lot of the systems I build up are just cheap units, recycled in a lot of ways, but I am finally getting asked to build all New Systems, but unfortuately around here there are to many computer shops & I am still to learn how to over charge for the end product, but I am happy with a bottle of Glennfiddich!!
OK Take Care and enjoy, remember there are friends around if you need help, even if the better half thinks you spend to much time on the B****y computer
Jac