When your computer is trying to call your attention

Corzhens Level 1

October 17, 2017, 4:12 am

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When your computer is trying to call your attention

Just like the car, the computer also has a way of telling us that something is wrong. Our 8-year old desktop was exhibiting something unusual. First is the sound of the hard disk. It’s supposed to be a whirring sound when accessing a big file but it is somewhat noisy that is quite alarming. The booting of the system also takes a lot of time, from the usual 1 minute, it takes more than 3 minutes. Clearly, there is already a problem. And those symptoms have been going on for a month already but we procrastinated. Yesterday, the computer wouldn’t start and we were forced to create a new system disk. It’s a good thing that we have a spare disk. Now it is working with the new system disk but the old one cannot be accessed anymore. Although we have a backup, it is not fully updated so we lost some files. If only we had listened to our computer’s notice about the problem then we wouldn’t have lost some important files.

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Tronia

Tronia

Damn, eight years is honestly a lot for a desktop computer. I think my oldest one was around six years old. I think that you should always try and keep your computer updated in terms of parts - you can upgrade anything you want from RAM, GPU and more. And the reason for your computer starting so slowly was most likely its age and the fact that it doesn't have an SSD.

But yes, in the future, always make back ups. I do them weekly to avoid losing my files.

7 years ago

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MendasDigital

MendasDigital

I have 2 backup drives. I rotate which one I use so that I always have 2 different backups I can go back to.

7 years ago

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RhealaineS

RhealaineS

Computers are somewhat like humans. They will show some symptoms when they are ill. We just have to know how to interpret those symptoms.

6 years ago

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mark8625

mark8625

Very true and we need also to take care our computer very well. Computers and even laptop is very expensive and we do not want to buy new one that cost a lot to us. We need to check the performance of our computer to avoid inconvenience in the future.

6 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

Right now I have a 4.5 year old Dell and the hard drive is on the way out. I ordered a new hard drive from newegg yesterday and I am hoping this thing can hold out until the new hard drive gets here. And right now the computer is quite comical. If I try to do two things at once there is a good change that its going to freeze on me. And when I am downloading something and I try and browse a website, the download slows to a crawl and goes from 15 minutes to 3hrs and the website takes forever to load. I know forsure that the website is going to crash any day so I hope that the new hard drive gets here soon.

7 years ago

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MendasDigital

MendasDigital

You might find using Porteus helpful, until your new hard drive arrives. It's a free GNU/Linux operating system which can be burned to a DVD, and run from RAM (Just make sure to use the "Copy to RAM" option at boot). Because it wouldn't be running from your dying hard drive, it should provide a smoother experience. It won't have the programs you're used to using, and you won't be able to install them, but at least you'd be able to browse the web without issues from your dyring hard drive, until your new hard drive arrives. Porteus has Mozilla Firefox web browser installed. It may not work with WIFI, as it has limited hardware support. Just a thought

7 years ago

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jpyy

jpyy

I'm wondering if the OP had kept their system clean. I mean, my desktop is around 7 years old but no problems - probably due to the regular cleaning, avoidance of risky websites, and anti-virus. Therefore, I'm wondering if these precautions had been taken.

7 years ago

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Barida

Barida

We can't really blame the poster for anything that happened. These are all machines and can misbehave any day that they want.

7 years ago

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MendasDigital

MendasDigital

It may also be due to how it's used. Some people do massive amounts of reads/writes depending on what they use their machine for, and that would wear things out faster. Brand could also be a contributer.

7 years ago

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Pixie06

Pixie06

We must always pay attention to those warnings. My 7 year old computer crashed last year and unfortunately I had not backed up my data. I lost some really important work and couldn't recover any. I bought a new laptop and an external hard drive and I regularly backup my important files now.

7 years ago

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DarthHazard

DarthHazard

I don't think I have any devices in my house that are 8 years old or anywhere near that amount of time. It's probably a good time for an upgrade to be honest because it is just a bit too old and you will only get even more problems in the future. That is why backups are so important I guess. Hopefully, you didn't lose too many important files because of the fact that the update wasn't up to date.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

8 years old for any computer (actually, any kind of electronic gadget) is something equivalent to an old person, right? Your computer is very brave, haha.

Well... The problems would surely begin to appear. Are you thinking of fixing the problem or buying a new computer? I hope you are thinking of the second option.

7 years ago

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Tronia

Tronia

Haha, I agree with you. I think that it is far better to simply get a new desktop computer. If you use it for basic things you can easily get a nice, cheaper one and make sure that it has warranty.

It will save you a lot of problems plus you will feel more secure. I think that your old computer isn't worth fixing up anymore.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

Yes, I also agree with you. Computers for simple activities are pretty cheap.

I always prefer to buy something new than having to fix it. Of course I can't always do this, but if there are conditions (I mean, money... haha), I really prefer to buy something new.

7 years ago

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DarthHazard

DarthHazard

I'm not sure where the original poster is from but over here in the United Kingdom, you can get new laptops for extremely cheap. They won't be the best of course but you can definitely do most basic things with it. Like you said, it will just be easier to get a new computer than trying to fix your old one because of how old it is and the chances of it breaking again in the future.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

Oh my... How I wish things here in Brazil to be like this, but unfortunately even the cheapest laptops - I mean, those that are functionally usable - are still considered expensive when compared to the reality of other countries.

Here, the percentage of the taxes that are fixed to the products is something extremely absurd.

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

Three months ago, my 9 years old laptop wanted to tell me something, however, I did not understand what it was. My hard disk crashed. I replaced the hard dish and continued working on the computer. After a month, the computer crashed. You cannot replace your hard dish every month. I went to a computer technician and after trouble shooting the computer, everything looked fine. However, my hard disk crashed again. I need a new computer. I dumped my computer and bought another

7 years ago

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Barida

Barida

Yeah, there is a stage that a computer will work and you'll know that all you need is a new device and nothing more. I never had that issue with my computer, but my smartphone that I used for 2 years told me when it was tired by switching off and failing to boot again.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

I fell a prey to those warnings which I ignored. When online offline opening delays were noticed I reported it to my technician who advised me to close and let the computer warm up as it is the rainy season. I did that for a while but two days ago it just did not open. I had to replace my hard disc at a cost but our technician retrieved all folders from old disc.

7 years ago

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DenisP

DenisP

You know as other's have said, eight years in this day and age is a really long time for a computer to last. A lot of people I know replace their computers at a rate of one computer every 2-3 years, especially if it is something like a laptop where you cannot easily upgrade the hardware. That being said, computers definitely do have signs that a catastrophic failure is imminent. As a self diagnosed tech junkie, I can say that one of the most gut wrenching sounds that a computer can make is to hear your hard drive making a clicking noise. That's when you know you're absolutely screwed and that HDD is about to fail.

7 years ago

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augusta

augusta

Certainly, most things that stop working abruptly must have shown some minor signs but like the humans that we are, we like the last minutes rush, myself inclusive.I'm trying to refrain from that anyways because I realize that following up an initial problem saves a lot than keeping it for a long time.So yes if we don't take up minor problems immediately it occurs we are setting ourselves up for serious problems like what just happen to the desk top.

7 years ago

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peachpurple

peachpurple

My 8 year old laptop Acer gave me a loud running sound form the hard drive. I did backup my data and photos into external drive and flash drive. Nothing wrong right now. Everytime it goes a drive up engine sound, I quickly shut down to let it rest. Then on it again after a couple of hours

7 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

I can tell you right now that your hard drive is on its way out. And turning it off is not going to help anything. Your better off getting a new hard drive before it's too late and your computer crashes. I picked up a new 1TB oem replacement hard drive for $59.99 off of newegg with free shipping. Laptop hard drive are a little more then 3.5 hard drives but it shouldn't be that much more.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

That's an indication that your hard drive is about to die. Make sure to replace it with something new soon enough. And also make sure to get the hard drive repaired on time. Some of the times it may happen that your computer may even stop responding and it may not boot. So get it repaired before the hard disk dies out. That's something you to consider as well.

7 years ago

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Authord

Authord

Wow, eight years old!. Well, are you sure it is from the hard rive though, because they are many things that could have triggered that sound. Especially when your fan is been obstructed at intervals, I use an ACER laptop and one of the problems of the laptop is usually located in the fan segments.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

When it happened the first time my technician could not retrieve all data but this time he seemed to be wiser. I did not notice what method he used but he was able to retrieve every single file from the crashed disk. I have now decided to delete files which I do not want as copying my old disk with so many files took hours.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I have 3 year old laptop. And it is on the verge of giving up. And that's something I have to pay attention towards. I have to get some money ready and going to pay for the new laptop. So hopefully I can get some new laptop and add some more value in due process. You can see that there are some of the laptop options out there which I am considering and hoping it can help me with the work. I rely mostly on the freelancing so there are always the chances for me to be always ready. And hoping that better projects I can work with in due time.

7 years ago

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DenisP

DenisP

I myself have a laptop that I bought just over three years ago (three years as of August) so that number is scaring me right now, haha. It was a really expensive laptop, over $4,000 but it was on par with most desktops back then so the money was worth the performance. However, I also hope that the money goes towards its longevity as well because I don't want to break the bank again to get another laptop of such quality. Knock on wood, it's been doing just fine so far in terms of performance, except the built in webcamera has gone faulty and doesn't connect properly, which I hope isn't an omen of things to come.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

Yes. Me too not going to spend another big bucks on expensive one. This time I am going to spend the money on the computer which is cost effective and get my stuff done. You can see that some of the time it can be really bad to get things crashed. That's why I am not buying the apple stuff anymore. They cost a lot higher and single issue and money can be as good as gone for sure.

7 years ago

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MendasDigital

MendasDigital

I don't like to buy expensive computers anymore either. I prefer something that is between low-end and mid-range. You get a good balance of price/performance, and reasonable longevity, provided it's a good brand. I usually try to get a new computer about every 4 years, but currently I'm not in a position to replace my laptop, so I'm sticking with my current machine for few more years I guess. It still does everything I need, so there's no urgency, and that's the benefit of buying a machine with decent longevity. I paid $1000 CAD for it in 2012-ish. It has 8GB RAM, Quad-core 2.3 GHz (3.2 Turbo) AMD CPU, 1TB hard drive, 1GB Hybrid ATI GPU.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

Yes I am going to choose mid range like the specs you have mentioned. I don't plan on getting the graphics card though. So my budget would be lower from here onwards. And another thing is that 8GB RAM is something I plan on getting. As the most of the time RAM requirements are high among many of us. So that's something we have to look for as well. Otherwise it'd be harder to work on some games or even programs.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

I have a desktop and it now looks like it is an assembled one with parts being replaced - the keyboard, the mouse. the headphones, the hard disk all replaced over a period of time. My hard disk had to be replaced twice but my technician says it is normal - almost every 3 years.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

If you don't have UPS and lights go out often closing the computer. That scenario ages your hard disk quickly. So having UPS these days is must. My hard drive died in 7 years. So it worked out just fine for all those years. I don't expect modern hard disk to remain for like 10 years or so. They go at the most 4 years.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

I have never worked on a computer without the help of the UPS. My earlier hard Disks lasted more but as you say the later one's do die out faster. My technician says that. I have been working on computers since 1998.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

Yes in past the parts were mechanical and now the disk has more digital components. So it helps the disk to have more performance. But it runs out on the wear and tear side. But I guess that is expected from the modern devices. Be it TV or hard disk, it seems use and throw culture is getting more forced on the consumers. That's what I have noticed.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

It is expensive this use and throw concept. It is more a rule than an exception with every gadget we own. Manufacturers see to it that no spare parts are made available so that the customer is forced to go for new items.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I think the real issues is we lack the skills that can repair this. In past due to mechanical parts, you'd find more people going for repair over "use and throw". In case of the chinese digital components. You repairing them is more expensive than purchase. So that's the reason I think this digital world is costing many people.

7 years ago

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iamawriter

iamawriter

This whole concept of either repairing or going in for spare parts does snot seem to exist as atleast in my case I have always discarded whatever never worked and bought new items. My desktop pc is a fine example of that. I do not think there is anything old that exists there.

7 years ago

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overcast

overcast

Desktops are falling behind the trendy market. So buying desktop and trying to retain it for long is going to cost a lot. And on that point I'd say it's reasonable to get a product in use and throw type. I guess however hard disk, monitor, motherboard should not damage easily. Those things are made to last longer. And it does stand long for sure.

7 years ago

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Heatman

Heatman

There are two major signs or symptoms that my computer system would display and I will definitely know that something is wrong and if I don't take care of it immediately, it would result in my losing of works and information.

These two symptoms are, when my computer/laptop takes too long to boot and start up the windows and also when it hangs in between tasks that I'm trying to complete. These are the two major ways in which my computer communicates with me.

7 years ago

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kgord

kgord

The computer I have now has some symptoms like that, but I have a chromebook as a backup plus another one that I can use if I need to. I like this computer though it has my important data on it,,so I really would hate for anything to happen to it. They can't last forever though.

7 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

Sooner or later, they'll all be gone (haha) and we need to be prepared for it, right? Depending on the amount of things we have in it, can be a very considerable loss (which is something very annoying). But at least you have another computer on the way.

7 years ago

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kgord

kgord

Yeah, I have enough backups now, that I won't have a total meltdown if something happens to my computer but of course, I don't want anything to happen to my computer. None of my back ups are really ideal.

7 years ago

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Everett

Everett

I have an old desktop that was made in the early 2000s. It runs on Windows XP. I installed Windows 7 Home Premium on it, and afterwards the computer kept overheating. The fan would constantly be running, and because of the age of the parts the computer was really loud. There was also this clicking noise which i never really could find where it was coming from because of all the older parts made a lot of noise which kinda hindered my hearing.

I have notice that ccomputers when they are in their 'end of life' cycle, the fan will almost always constantly run no matter what you are doing. The screen may flicker, and flash a couple times when booting. However, even though a computer may be in its EOL stage, you can always buy replacement parts. I never buy a new computer if i can replace the parts, and if the parts won't cost more than the actual computer itself. One thing that is unfortunate is that since my desktop is really old, it's hard to find parts that will fit it. Some parts require more voltage which would mean a new power supply, and i am not one to mess with such things, no way.

7 years ago

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Authord

Authord

Yeah, the computer has a mind of it;s own, it's pure programming and for any thing thing that happens, there is a triggered effect of that. Just like the Boolean functionality of programming. Any thing danger, that the computer perceives, it has a way of signalling it to the owner, that's why I pay rapt attention to my computer.

7 years ago

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ColdFlameChris

ColdFlameChris

I do have a 5-year old Desktop. The problems that I already encounter are about the HDD and some OS issues. So far, it's still running okay. A computer can also give you a beep sound as to tell you whether there's a failure on some of the hardware or other stuff. It's a good thing that we can determine easily on what's the problem with our computer by just listening to it. You can search for the beep sounds once you experience it.

7 years ago

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reymond2861

reymond2861

It happened to me earlier this month. I had a 10-year old laptop that I have been using for quite some time. Same thing that Happened to you, The hard disk's sound is no longer whirring but rather static whenever it handles large files. What I did is that, I had it reformat but it will no longer read the OS's programs. What happened next is I ditched it for good.

7 years ago

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ballyhara

ballyhara

This is kind of a common issue where I live. Usually we are lacking on updates, all technology is super expensive, and we can't afford to change, update or buy a new laptop or desktop as soon as it is recommended. So, basically when you start seeing the signals, then you know is time to fix it before it gets worst. I've been there too, loosing important and personal information, trying to recover as much as I can, and going back to start over.

7 years ago

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Baburra

Baburra

I've gone through so many laptops that I also have learned my lesson. However, the problem is that I don't always have the money to just buy a backup drive every time I feel like my computer is about to give so I just try and organize my files from my old hard drives. I have a bit of problem because I never really like deleting my backups especially ones I've used for work in the past because I feel like I still might be able to use those files in future projects since they are all digital design files.

7 years ago

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tiffiecute

tiffiecute

We should treat our devices like a pet.They do get sick too. Every now and then, I clean my files, remove my cache and cookies, and check for viruses and malware. I clean the exterior of my laptop, airbrushing, wiping, etc. I don't overuse it daily and I have an electric fan installed on a portable laptop desk. That way, my laptop won't overheat.

7 years ago

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mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

I have always been paying attention when it came to my device. My computer hangs sometimes and I always pay attention to what could make it hang and I avoid doing the same activity again. It is good to always pay attention when our computer tells us something.

I always avoid using it many times when it is charging. I also clear files not in use to save on storage space. I also scan for viruses once in a while.

7 years ago

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honeybabe

honeybabe

I have 7 years old desktop and for the past 2 years I noticed having some problems like failed to open system, black monitor, etc. luckily I was able to fix it myself. Yes we should clean our desktop sometimes cleaning dust and checking parts hardware of desktop. I also see to it that every time I use my desktop I always have fan beside my CPU. Losing important files is really a mess. Luckily my desktop still in good condition. Going for 8 years still no hardware replacement and I use it every day.

7 years ago

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Krisleen

Krisleen

As the saying goes, "Listen t your body while it whispers so you won't have to hear it yell", I believe that it's the same with computers. It's better to prevent your computer from malfunctioning by responding to it right away. It's cheaper and less stressful in the first place. It's also better to prepare a budget for its replacement, especially for old computers by saving a bit for it every month. In my case, my mom gave me her laptop since she's not using it anymore so I use two laptops alternately to preserve my laptop to buy more time to save and prepare for a replacement in case unexpected things happen. I also back up my files in my email little by little. I hope these ideas help. It's better to be prepared at all times.

7 years ago

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potentialwriter

potentialwriter

When your computer is trying to call your attention, it could be that your data subscription is about to be exhausted or, perhaps, it's about to expire. Another instance when your computer might need to call your attention is when the internet connection has been interrupted and, thus, browsing speed may be affected. Sometimes, your computer will call your attention if you are receiving a message through the line in your internet modem.

7 years ago

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treecko142

treecko142

Just like a car, computers should also be regularly checked, there are various programs to check your software and you can always notice problems in the hardware. Also, when working, always do multiple saves and not just rely on the autosave feature.

7 years ago

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fishbate

fishbate

Maintenance is very important in every device. The best way to maintain electronics devices is thru preventive maintenance. Its really quite easy and not that technical. It's actually an inspection method but analyzing it thru records...like for instance a laptop and heat signatures are recorded on a daily basis. If you analyze the records and found out the the heat is increasing at a higher rate you might want to clean the exhaust of the laptop before it started to overheat. This way the problem is addressed before it gets any worst.

7 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

That is the problem with me because I don’t know how to do a maintenance check. I once had downloaded a software that would check almost everything in the machine but it turned out to be not efficient and it was like guessing for the statistics. The usual problem of our desktop is the hard disk that is why I am doing a research on the SSD because the Solid State Drive has no moving parts that maybe it has the endurance to last longer than the usual hard disk drive.

6 years ago

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mitan143

mitan143

While using my computer, I ensure that I have the necessary precautions and prevention on using it like checking whether it is already overheated and I do system check too specially for viruses and for smooth performance. I do it every time when I am using my computer because I don't want it to have a problem and the bad thing of me is I get easily panic and I don't have well-knowledge on fixing computer problems or issues that's when get my attention.

7 years ago

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Steve5

Steve5

I think computers aren't meant for long-term use. They have a limit of sorts. And the fact that most software and hardware get upgraded frequently shows how easily it can be replaced.

7 years ago

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mark8625

mark8625

Computer is just like others device. There has a limitations. Same as mobile phones or laptop, our computer may not be working properly because of the virus. To avoid this thing to happen, buy or download best anti virus application. Another things is that my computer get my attention when it is working too slow and takes time to read all my files.

6 years ago

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