A world without WoW?Well, maybe a weekend without WoW.
My old computer finally gives up the ghost...
just as Mr. Shiny New Computer shows up ona my doorstop. I open up the box, check it out...
Uh oh...
The hard drive cage came loose in shipment, and theresa big crack in the case.
Um... well... I can live with this.. if the rest is ok... open her up, refasten the cage, look at motherboard and connections...
It all seems ok...
Plug it in, turn it on... start downloading stuff. And it shuts off within a coupla minute.
Not good... reboot.
Off in 15 seconds.
Reboot and go to bios... CPU is running at 102 degrees, C.
REALLY not good.
K... two causes... bad CPU, or a bad CPU cooler. Ima hopin its not the CPU, cuz if then, ima foobar. 2 weeks to get a replacement.
Look at the CPU/Cooler combo. Start cursing. Company installed the cooler badly, crimping the hoses for the water cooling... permanently damaged? Well... no... I can reinstall... and hope for the best, but upon inspection, I realize the cooler is a cheap flashy PoS.
This is my fault... I shoulda looked at it closer before ordering that particular item.
K, screw getting the company to ship me a replacement. I doan want another one.
So, Sat morning, I go out into the world to find a new CPU cooler for my precious... Quad core Q6600 Intel CPU. (They just givin em away these days.. can find em for less than $200...)
Office Depot. They have coolers... for pentiums. Nothing for a chip made after about 2003.
Best Buy. Nada (I love Best Buy... the clerk takes me aside and tells me to check Staples, instead of giving me a "we can order it for you" song and dance)
Problem is... I got no car, and there's no Staples within easy public transit...
Radio shack... here ya go! (Itsa case fan)... oh, well, I'm sure we can order it for you!
Why the hell is radio shack even in business still?
In desperation I go to the Apple store... they use similar chips... ya never know...
Apple... We have them, and if you bring yuir computer in and give us a week, we'll even install it for you! Oh, wait, you just wanna buy one to install yourself? We won't make any money doin that!
This is why Apple will always suck.
K... batting 0-4. I call my psychotic friend Derek. Derek knows North Virgina like the back of his hand..
"Derek, I needa computer parts store within reach of a metro stop."
I think he paused 5 seconds, not longer. Turns out theresa Microcenter a bus stop away from Vienna metro.
Ifa you guys doan know what Microcenter is... oh baby. For computer geeks, its like catnip. I go there, and they have an entire FREAKING WALL of CPU coolers.
K... sales dude... here's the deal. I wanna CPU cooler, and it has to be non fancy, and easy to install...
He hands me this 5lb chunka copper and aluminum.
Are you sure? Yep...
K... I get that, and a TOTALLY AWESOME CASE FAN. Ima not kidding... the damn fan came with rubber screws to reduce noise...
So... I get home, unpack the CPU cooler... and realize my mistake. I really, really, really shoulda looked at the installation directions before buying it. Turns out I gotta tear the motherboard outta my system to install this damn thing.
Actually... it wasnt that bad. Itsa great case, and the system is pretty non cluttered. So... 45 min later, the CPU cooler is perched upon the CPU, and the totally awesome case fan is in.
Turn it on... go to bios... CPU is holding steady at room temp... (30 degrees Celsius...)
4 hours later, after installing all manner of crap... system still uber stable. Still running around 30 degrees. A damn sight quieter than my old system...
WoW has since been reinstalled... Ima clocking 60 fps in SHAT! with all video settings cranked to max... Did some pvp... and baby.. it makes a big difference.
In case ya wondering... I went a little low on the video card... but itsa holding up great. I cranked up the graphics a bit more than BRK did in this shot... so I wonder how I'd do with less detail...
No, really I doan.
So, be happy for me while I still have new computer euphoria... leaving aside questions on whether I should boost up the audio (ima goin with the on board set up right now...)
2 comments:
Glad to hear it all worked out for ya even with the initial hassle. You might consider talking to them about some sort of refund or reinbursement since the case came cracked and that you had to buy a new fan.
Out on the West Coast it's Fry's Electronics for all things electronic. Build your system as you're walking around the store.
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