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About Mike Dacre
Expertise
I am proficient with all windows platforms. Installation and maintenance of home/business networks and servers. Windows 7, Vista 2000 and XP questions please. If your system is older than that, then the problem is your operating system is just too old to be using safely on the internet.

Experience
I grew in to computing as it became just that. My full background can be found through my website at http://tpsconsulting.com I have been managing and maintaining client computers since the internet inception which started allowing for remote services. A technical futurist, I am 100 percent GEEK!

Education/Credentials
I grew up fixing Bill Gates mistakes..you know computers don't make mistakes on the person programming the computer can do that...

You are here: Experts > Computing/Technology > Focus on Windows > Windows XP > Re: Computer goes blank

Windows XP - Re: Computer goes blank

Expert: Mike Dacre - 11/7/2009

Question
Hi Mike! How are you? I started having problems yesterday on my main computer. It is a Dell Dimension 2400 Series, so about six years old. My computer started acting very crazy. You know how an old TV is going to die out and like everything starts jumping? or for better visual it's like having an earthquake where everything is shaking. Well that was happening, I didn't think anything of it cause it will start and stop. I did virus scans and clean and nothing came up. So after that, my computer goes black, but yet it is still on. When I try to reboot it does it and then a second later it shuts off, BUT like I said the computer is still on.lol. It is weird. When I shut off and turn on the monitor it stays on for a second and does the same thing by going black. I tried to find information and it's probably something simple. Various areas said something to the affect it could be the computer over-heating, check the fans, the graphic card needs to be replaced and so forth. And I did a clear cut answer. So I was wondering if you can help me out? I hope what I said made sense.

By the way, can you please tell me what is a good book to learn about all the types of computers and ways to figure out problems?? I need to learn about this.

Answer
Hello Diane,

The first thing you want to do is make sure your data is safe, because from what you have explained to me, it is most likely the power supply first and foremost, next it could be the video card is failing and/or the processor itself, but typically the replacing of the power supply is the first thing.

The fact that you say it is about 6 years old, means it is pretty much at the end of its life.. in computer years that is pretty good especially if you haven't had to do anything to it.

There is of course the malware/spyware that I am sure is causing some issues, but the blanking screen and the general strangeness is typically power related which of course if the components don't have enough power, they will function incorrectly. The thing is, when you are replacing a power supply that is one thing, but if it becomes more issues, you are basically replacing the mainboard and CPU which also usually means a change of memory type, if your computer is 6 years old and a Dell, it probably has DDR memory but might still have the SDRAM. In either case, a new motherboard/cpu will have the latest type of memory which is either DDR2 or DDR3.. at this point it is generally just cheaper to buy a basic new system as you would also be getting the newest and greatest "windows 7" operating system.

If you can find a local computer person that can do a custom build for you, all the better since this way you can be sure you get your data transferred from your old computer. I know this sounds like a lot but in the end, if the data is the most important thing, you want to be sure you have it backed up.

Visit my website at http://tpsconsulting.com and read the TIPS page on OPTIMIZING your computer and then go to the SOFTWARE/SUPPORT page where I suggest installing all the programs from the PINK section as they will help with the ongoing cleaning/removal and maintenance from the malware/spyware that causes so many problems and slowdowns, including the problems you are currently experiencing.

Hope this helps,

Sincerely,

Mike Dacre
http://tpsconsulting.com
follow me on twitter @tpsconsulting

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