My computer. It is broken. I could cry. HELP! Will offer bribe!

[Ellatrue]

Okay, I'm now at my wit's end with this computer problem, and have no idea what to do about it. It would help, of course, if I could figure out what this problem actually *IS.* Because the facts just don't add up. I've been having more or less the same problem since 2005, and have sent it to the company THREE TIMES, after which it returned, still broken. There are a number of possibilities here.

It's an Acer Aspire 1690 series laptop.
Details of this model: http://tinyurl.com/32nue3

Basically, I've been getting this error: Operating System Not Found.

The error occurs at random when I start the computer, or try to bring it back from hibernate. However, it has been happening more and more often.

The hard drive is located in the lower left corner of the laptop. IF I SQUEEZE that part of the laptop after hitting the "on" button, it seems to help. I don't think I should be able to do this, but there you are. I suspect it might make the problem worse, somehow, but I haven't found anything else that helps. It has gotten to the point where I have to squeeze it just about every time I start it now, and restart it 5-15 times before it works. This time I thought it wouldn't start at all, so I actually rapped it with my knuckles as a last resort- and voila. So, all this makes me assume it is the connection or whatever with the hard drive- only, if that is the case, then it must be disconnecting all the time, and IT MAKES NO SENSE. Otherwise, why would this problem (so far, anyway) ONLY happen when I *start* the computer?

What I Know:
The hard drive is fine. It is, in fact, a new hard drive, and a completely new install--which didn't help (so reformating, defragging, etc won't do any good--I've done that already). Fiddling with load order in BIOS did not solve the problem (although it did fix an unrelated problem, since now it looks at the hard drive first and doesn't search for the non-existent network drive). This is the exact same problem I had with the old hard drive, starting in 2005/2006-ish. Thus, it isn't a dead HD.

History:

I've sent the computer to the company three times, with mixed results. I had to ship it to Texas. The first time, the computer had stopped working entirely, and they replaced the connection with the hard drive. At any rate, that's what it said on the invoice thingy. The computer then worked MOST of the time, but not always, and behaved pretty much the way it does now, only much worse- I did ultimately have problems with freezing/crashing which were prevented, again, if I sort of squeezed the thing. I sent the computer in again (once or twice? whatever), and the last time, they completely replaced the hard drive. This did not fix the problem, and when I got it back, it errored every time, and wouldn't start at all.

My boss decided to take a look at it, since he thinks he knows about computers because he reads magazines. Anyway, we removed the hard drive, and then put it back. Eureka! It works! And that was three months ago, when it started up 90% of the time, the first time. My boss decided it is some sort of "flexion" problem with the computer, since we were able to fix it by, essentially, knocking it around (plus the squeezing thing). So I reinstalled everything and was overjoyed to have my laptop back, but of course it didn't last, and now it dies bout 90% of the time.

 Here's the thing though- none of that yet explains why I am only having this problem when I START the computer, and not while I am using it. It also starts SOMETIMES, instead of NEVER. Very weird.

In conclusion, I just got new RAM in the mail, but no longer have a computer in which to install it. How sad is that? 

Should anyone here successfully solve this problem, I will probably offer some sort of gift/reward type thing. Because I would be THAT GRATEFUL.

[J. M. Pescado]

Your symptoms sounds like the motherboard is shot: The connector to the HD no longer has good contact, and the only effective way of servicing this on a Lappy is to replace the motherboard. If you haven't tried that yet, do so. Also, don't use Lappies as gaming machines. They overheat too much. Get a real desktop computer.

[Ellatrue]

I have a desktop, but it is older than the lappy, and kind of POS. Buying a real computer will have to wait until I have a real job, so for now I'm using a cooling pad with little fans in it. Is it even possible to replace the mobo?

[jolrei]

Oh yes.  Possible.  I had the wife's laptop's mobo replaced recently.  Gave her lappy a new lease on life.

I wish she'd just damn well use it and not bogart the desktop now. 

[Sleepycat]

I'd say send it back to the company again and make them replace the motherboard or the laptop itself.

[jolrei]

If it's under warranty, or if the company has a good service plan, yeah.  You could also find a laptop/compy refurbishing business.  This might be quicker than sending it off somewhere.  I got my wife's lappy redone in 24 hours.

[Annan]

Especially since it is a recurring problem - even if you have no warranty left now, you've obviously had them look at it for the same issues several times before. It's not your fault they didn't fix what was actually broken.

[Ellatrue]

Unfortunately it is no longer under warranty, and if I want them to fix ANYTHING now, I have to pay them oodles of money to do so.

Would a broken motherboard or a broken connection explain why I only have this problem when starting the computer, though, and only sometimes? I mean, if it is that kind of a hardware problem, why wouldn't it crash the computer while I'm using it?

I'm wondering if the computer is valuable enough to be worth hiring someone or getting a new motherboard. And if I do that, I think I have to know for sure what the problem is, first.

[jolrei]

Can you unseat and reseat the hard drive? (Wife's lappy HD can be unscrewed and slid out and reinserted without opening the whole case).  You could just check then that the connectors are clean while you do that.  Reseating it might solve the problem if it's the slide in slide out type of HD.  Do this when the lappy is totally shut down, of course.

I am having the same logic-fu issues while thinking of your problem here.  Don't know why it would just affect startup and not other things.  However in the interests of trying anything that might work...

If it's not valuable enought to fix, it is time to replace.  If it is valuable enough to fix, is it cheaper to replace?  This may depend on how long you will have to wait and deal with this annoyance prior to replacing (i.e. if you don't have the cash right now).  I had an old compy that ate operating systems (actually it developed quite a taste for Microsoft products).  I strongly grew to suspect that it was a faulty processor or a dying mobo, but ultimately it was not worth repairing.  I had to live with the damn thing like that (reinstalling the OS every few days) for 3 months until I could scrape together the cash to do a full upgrade.

[mistymage]

Unfortunately it is no longer under warranty, and if I want them to fix ANYTHING now, I have to pay them oodles of money to do so.

Would a broken motherboard or a broken connection explain why I only have this problem when starting the computer, though, and only sometimes? I mean, if it is that kind of a hardware problem, why wouldn't it crash the computer while I'm using it?

I'm wondering if the computer is valuable enough to be worth hiring someone or getting a new motherboard. And if I do that, I think I have to know for sure what the problem is, first.

I'm guessing that the  problem occurs because your laptop is cold and the connecting spot is like this-> [   ] and when it warms up or is played in a warm environment is it like this-> [].  Metal expands when heated and contracts when cooled.

[Ellatrue]

That would be a possibility, but it also happens when the laptop is warm, and only recently been shut down. But maybe. Hmmm.

[J. M. Pescado]

Maybe it's just time to sell some Ellatrue ass for a new computer.

[eevilcat]

Unfortunately it is no longer under warranty, and if I want them to fix ANYTHING now, I have to pay them oodles of money to do so.

Would a broken motherboard or a broken connection explain why I only have this problem when starting the computer, though, and only sometimes? I mean, if it is that kind of a hardware problem, why wouldn't it crash the computer while I'm using it?

I'm wondering if the computer is valuable enough to be worth hiring someone or getting a new motherboard. And if I do that, I think I have to know for sure what the problem is, first.

I seem to remember you are also UK based in which case you do have some consumer rights in relation to them supplying goods fit for purpose etc. The Consumer Association (Which Magazine) are the best source of information and they have done a lot of campaigning in this area. I think you might need a membership for them to take up a case on your behalf but they should be able to give you some advice on how to pursue the matter.

[mildlydisguised]

I think Ellatrue is an American.

Maybe you could try searching for a motherboard to replace your on ebay.  I hear computer parts get sold fairly cheaply on there.

However, personally I would concentrate on trying to upgrade your desktop.  Depending on how old it is you could get away with just upgrading some parts now and the rest later when you have more money. 

[Ellatrue]

Yep, I'm a Yank.

The reason I can't get it fixed is, at this point, more my fault than theirs- it failed first while still under warranty, after which I had a three month extension of the warranty every time I got it back from them, so I could send it in again if I still had the same problem. But I left it at home and thought my mom was going to send it in for me, only she never did, so the temporary warranty expired

I'm more pissed about discovering that the ram is actually DDR, instead of DDR2 like in every other acer 1690. Bleh!

[J. M. Pescado]

Find out how much the other students will offer you to rent Ellatrue ass.

[Ellatrue]

Pfft. Like they have money.