'Fried Motherboard'........ what does it all mean???

[redhead2]

Hi everyone... I hope someone can shed some light for me, please.

My monitor suddenly seized up and all I could see were thin blue and red vertical lines.... then I turned it off & on again, but just kept getting 'no signal'.

So off the computer & monitor went to a local computer shop.  They tell me the 'motherboard is fried' and they don't think they can rescue any of my data........said they have tried a few things with no luck.   But I think they are more into building new computers  (which I am having them do)  than rescuing old stuff.
My question is..... is there anything (hopefully free on line) that I could suggest to him to try.  And hopefully he wont think I'm telling him how to do his job....... far be it from me, a 60 year old, to tell a 25 year old about things to do with computers.

I'm grateful for advice you have given me on prior occasions....thank you.  You guys are GOOD!!

Kind regards to all of you..

Redhead2

[JJ 3000]

Did you try another monitor before you took it to the shop?

This guy is probably just trying to make some money. If the motherboard was shot then the hard drive should still have all of your data on it. You would just have to hook it up as a slave in another machine and copy the data from it.

You probably just need a new video card.
Do you trust this guy?
Do you have the computer now?
Is there another computer shop you can take it to for a second opinion?

[redhead2]

Thank you JJ...... armed with some well-advised questions, my hubby and I are just going over to see him right now, so your response was very timely.... thank you.  Now I can ask him separate (and intelligent) questions about the hard drive and the motherboard.

There is another local computer shop, but I just had in my mind that once my guy starts looking to see what's wrong he was going to charge me from then anyway. I didn't even think about getting a second opinion.  I am just a very trusting person..... I always trust everyone, until they give me reason not to.

He has said that no data is kept on the video card..... and yes, he still has the computer.

I will keep you posted JJ...... thanks again....

[JJ 3000]

None of your files are kept on the video card. They are kept on the hard drive.

[ThrowingShapes]

It sounds to me like the video card/onboard chip went bad.  I guess you could consider the motherboard "fried" if the onboard graphics have stopped working.  I don't think it is likely that none of your data can be recovered due to a fried motherboard though, unless it somehow took the hard drive with it.

I would ask about the state of the hard drive, what he suspects the problem to be, and what components are supposedly ruined.

If the onboard graphics have stopped working you can purchase a cheap video card to solve that problem.  Do you have any information as to the model/maker of the computer?  What year was it made?  You could ask him if you have pci, agp, or pci-e slots available.  (Do they sell agp/pci cards now?? been meaning to look that up for a while now).

[BC_Programmer]

(Do they sell agp/pci cards now?? been meaning to look that up for a while now).

Yes.

but the PCI version of an AGP card will be double what the AGP card costs (!)

[redhead2]

<<<<pci, agp, or pci-e slots>>>>>

Eeeek... I have no idae what all this means!!  BUT...... the GOOD new is....

My hubby and I went there today and another employee said he had found a small 'window' of opportunity to save the data...... and he was able to save EVERYTHING!!!!  Well, we were very very happy about this........ I had backed up my email address book, but I didn't want to tell him that.... I wanted them to try harder...!!!! And voila...... all our data is now residing in the new computer.... what a relief!!!  So we now have (apparently) all new state of the art usb ports (faster) and 2 gigobytes of ..........whatever it is, it is more than before!   We have a DVD/CD reader burner.... and Windows Vista!!! We had the registration number for our Windows XP, but my hubby (being neat and tidy) had thrown away the packet so we had to either pay for another licence , or buy Windows Vista.... which was the same price.

ThrowingShapes.... they did tell me that both the motherboard and the hard drive were 'gone'..... so I must believe that was true.  I thank you for your input about this, because I do like to think that the guys are telling me the truth. Many of my friends will go there if they encounter a problem..... but we 'oldies' just have to trust someone. And you know.... I do think they have been truthful and tried their hardest..!

Thanks JJ..... and ThrowingShapes..... and BC_programmer..... your advice and comments here are greatly appreciated..... as I said before..."You guys are GOOD!"

Very kind regards to all of you....

redhead2
 

[BC_Programmer]

Congratulations on having your issues resolved; and a new shiny PC

but...

they did tell me that both the motherboard and the hard drive were 'gone'
Very kind regards to all of you....

this concerns me slightly- sometimes, Repair shops will take old parts from the computers that have been brought it and use them for spares, or worse- put them in "refurbished" machines.

Obviously you would have no use for any of the parts anyway; and maybe they even took some price off for your "donations"- but from what you've told us I personally think that everything aside the motherboard was quite alright. Of course- I wasn't there and never saw it; and if you think that their telling the truth I'm not going to try to say otherwise.

Besides- it's mostly redundant anyway, since your "back in business" so to speak 

[redhead2]

Besides- it's mostly redundant anyway, since your "back in business" so to speak 

Yep! We're all up and running with a newly built computer.... and Windows Vista. So suposedly we are right up there with the latest techno...... and the new speak.... I hope you are all suitably impressed!!!!!  If there was anything funny that went on....... well, ..who knows.  I wouldn't like to question him further.... he might think I'm accusing him of something when he is in fact totally honest. (I prefer to think this.)    This computer shop has been there for a couple years so that itself is a good sign..

I have learned a lot from you guys.... so I now know what a motherboard does, and what stays on a hard drive, and that a video card is not just a movie one hires from the local video store!!!

So .... until the next crash...... you guys are treasures!!!!!  Thank you... I have enjoyed chatting with you youngsters...

[BC_Programmer]

just remember- that "trusting someone until they prove otherwise" works fine in reality; but doesn't extend well to the internet.

[redhead2]

I know.... I should be more care-Full!  I appreciate your concern and advice.... taking on board>>!