Broken computer

[beckhbrown]

Hi all. This is my time posting on one of these but I'm at my wits end and hoping someone can shed some light. I bought a "gaming" pc through Amazon back in Feb. It seemed fine but then a couple of months back it started to go wrong. I re-installed windows but same issues arose. Sent it back and found it had a corrupted hard drive which was replaced. When I got it back it was still very slow and the usb sockets seemed intermittent. Returned again. They said they noticed it too but that it had resolved itself and was now fine. On receipt it still did not work. They manufacturers have looked again and still saying it is fine but I can't even get it to start. The manufacturers are claiming that it is my house that is the problem and using wireless keyboard and mouse. They are suggesting I move it to another room and use wired accessories. I just wondered if anyone has experience of a computer's location being an issue. It seems ridiculous to me but I just thought I'd check before I take it to the next level. Many Thanks

 

[iPwn]

Oh boy....

Re: Location
Well, I believe the technically correct answer there is "Yes," but that's like saying your TV is trashed because you vacuumed while it was on... It's possible, but the chances are astronomical. Unless your PC is under high tension power lines, next to a dynamo, inside a reactor... the location should have nothing to do with it.

Re: Wireless
They're stupid and don't know the actual problem, so they're trying to pin this as your issue so they can stop support.

Re: Issues
Yay, the fun part(?)

Issues that persist through install are typically (IME) due to corrupt Windows kernel files. Now you might say "Umm but I reinstalled Windows!" Yes, that may be so, but I'll bet you didn't know (as most M$ employees even don't) that Windows will search the physical makeup of the drive to search for kernel files, and then use those if present. So, here's how to resolve that.

Get DBAN, burn to CD and then boot from it. Press Enter to go into interactive Mode, then M when loaded and select the Quick Erase Method. Press space to select your drive (verify the size in GB to be sure you get the right one). F10 to start.

Let that get to about 50% and all Windows traces are gone.

Reboot, go into the BIOS and restore defaults.

Re-install Windows and post back.

EDIT: Get drivers from Manufacturers site (e.g. AMD or Nvidia).

 

[beckhbrown]

Hi, thanks for your prompt response. Would this issue mean that it would work when sent back to them but not work here? That seems to be the suggestion they're making.

 

[iPwn]

I think that's the claim they're trying to make simply because they don't know what the issue is. Try the steps above and post back... the chances of a computer working based on geographic location are just ridiculous.