My new HP and Vista

[Adam]

I thought that recovery discs and in my case an XP OS disc would be two different things.

Yeah, they are different. The recovery discs will put the original software that came on the computer (including the OS) back on to the hard drive (or new hard drive if the old one isn't working). However, they aren't original install discs for the OS.

The dust thing is what I think made the whole thing flake out on me. I vacuum mine out once or twice a year now. The last time I did it I think I went too far and pulled a finned aluminum looking thing off of a 1" X 1" thing. It had been glued on and I just sput it back together but I have an idea that the glue was suppose to cunduct heat between the two to be dissipated. Should I be re-applying that glue and what would it be exactly?

First, I'd recommend blowing the dust out, not vacuuming it out. I use a blow dryer set at the lowest heat setting. Unless you have a special vacuum made for this type of stuff, you'll generate a decent amount of static electricity with the vacuum - and that's bad news to electronics.

The 1" x 1" thing was probably the Northbridge (or maybe the Southbridge - I'm a little out of touch). I doubt it was the processor unless the aluminum heat sink also had a fan attached to it (unless you have a low power processor). The "glue" was likely some sort of thermal interface material, unless eMachines is actually just using adhesive - which they shouldn't. You can buy thermal interface materials, or even buy aftermarket heat sinks to put on there that come with the self-adhesive interface material. Let me check Newegg for some.

 

[Adam]

Okay, Alex. The easiest option is to just leave it the way that it is, if it's working okay and you won't be completely boned if the computer stops working. The other option is to reapply a thermal interface material (TIM). There's a few different types of TIMs, but just a check at Newegg brought up two products that look appropriate:

1. Arctic Silver AATA-5G Thermal Adhesive

2. Arctic Silver ASTA-7G (2-PC-SET) Premium Silver Thermal Adhesive

I choose the thermal adhesives because your description of what happened makes me think that the heat sink was not clamped on, so a thermal grease wouldn't be appropriate (a grease won't hold it in place).

 

[Alex2507]

I doubt it was the processor unless the aluminum heat sink also had a fan attached to it.

It had the fan alright. My vacuuming methodology has my hand on the case and my foot on the metal leg of the computer desk. Maybe not as good as a ground strap but it's worked 3 or 4 times now.

If this makes you cringe then you know how I feel when I see some one butchering a drywall job.

Edit: That contraption was glue and screwed. Thanks for the links.
Edit #2: I can tell it needs a cleaning when the fan gets loud and is on a lot.

 

[fox]

I don't recall just now if there was an icon or I read in the manual about it. I think the latter. No matter, at least you are prepared now should you need it.

 

[mtrycrafts]

... The Aero visual interface is a nice upgrade from XP, IMO. ....

What does this do?
I had an HP in the past, a few computers ago. Had some issues with it. Hard drive went out too soon.

 

[Adam]

It had the fan alright...Edit: That contraption was glue and screwed. Thanks for the links.

Ahhhh! Not for certain, but that might very well be the processor! If the heat sink was screwed down, then a grease would be more appropriate. You can get that sort of thing at Radio Shack, or order it off the internet (like from Newegg).

Can you post a picture of it? If it's too much hassle, I understand. I just ask because I can simply turn my head and look at the internals of my home built computer at the moment - it's all opened up.

 

[Adam]

What does this do?

Check out this link to the Microsoft description. It will do a better job than I would. It's just the graphical interface. Very nice. I love the window thumbnails that come up on the task bar (with full video).

I had an HP in the past, a few computers ago. Had some issues with it. Hard drive went out too soon.

Sorry to hear that. A hard drive crash is not a good thing.

 

[gus6464]

The dust thing is what I think made the whole thing flake out on me. I vacuum mine out once or twice a year now. The last time I did it I think I went too far and pulled a finned aluminum looking thing off of a 1" X 1" thing. It had been glued on and I just sput it back together but I have an idea that the glue was suppose to cunduct heat between the two to be dissipated. Should I be re-applying that glue and what would it be exactly?

It's not glue, it's thermal compound. It is used to dissipate heat when applying a heatsink over any chip. You can buy a small tube of Arctic Silver 5 online for 5 bucks and it will last you a long time. Just don't apply too much

 

[Alex2507]

Can you post a picture of it? If it's too much hassle, I understand. .

I really don't think you do understand. I don't know how to post pictures. The digital camera has only been around for 1 1/2 years. You're obviously familiar and comfortable with technology but it's not like that for guys who jump on the band wagon at 40.

I'm really not having any trouble with the computer. The next time I go to clean it I'll have one of those products in hand and maybe some sticks of RAM and a better PSU. I'll photograph everything. Who knows?, I might even spring for a ground strap.

 

[Adam]

I really don't think you do understand. I don't know how to post pictures.

Hee, hee!

I'm really not having any trouble with the computer.

There you have it, then! Leave it alone. I'm all for, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

 

[Adam]

Wow, I'm really liking this HP. With seti@home, I will sometimes pause it because I have it set to run all four cores at 100%, and I admit that I'm a little leary to crank it on high all the time just yet. Irrational, I know - but I'm so used to my other computer overheating that I'm once bitten and all.

Anyway, the pausing is only temporary, and it will start back up again on its own without me even noticing. I cannot tell the difference in performance. It's excellent! No noticeable increase in fan noise when the cores at 100%, and no slow down with any of the other stuff that I'm doing (seti@home won't hog allocation, but it's still fantastic). Money well spent, IMO.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Check out this link to the Microsoft description. It will do a better job than I would. It's just the graphical interface. Very nice. I love the window thumbnails that come up on the task bar (with full video).

Thanks, saved it and will read. Is this extra or part of Vista?

 

[Adam]

Is this extra or part of Vista?

Yes, and yes. It is part of Vista, but from the Microsoft site, the Aero interface is not part of Vista Home Basic nor will it work on computers that don't have hardware good enough to run it. My HP came with Vista Home Premium that does include it.

 

[mtrycrafts]

My HP came with Vista Home Premium that does include it.

OK, thanks.

 

[Alex2507]

Ahhhh, that might very well be the processor! If the heat sink was screwed down, then a grease would be more appropriate.

Can you post a picture of it?

I'm proud to now be able to say, "Yes, I can!"

This is the computer:

I used a wrist strap and this is what I used to ground the chassis:

I was really trying to install this sound card and MIDI connector:

While I was in there I pulled this heat sink out to clean it and
regrease the back of it with Arctic Silver 5:

This afternoon I am going to pick up a couple of sticks of 256MB RAM. I didn't take pic's of the inside due to being lazy and fascinated at the same time but I will when I install the RAM. Not having pic's almost caused a melt down when I put the heat sink back. It can go in 4 different ways and the fan that mounts to it can go in 4 ways. The bottom of the heat sink is not flat and if you put it in wrong certain parts of the motherboard touch other parts of the motherboard and those parts don't seem to like each other.

Lastly the computer has a 3.06GHz something or another. It has lived to the ripe old age of 3 years due to this cleaning procedure. The one time it really flaked out, that heat sink was really clogged. Back up discs saved it that time.