help in testing possible fualty hardware in my system

[Cheesewarrior]

My parents rung me and told me there comp had bust, like usual I just thought they had forgot where the power button was but when i went round I found they wern't lying.

The problem is that the monitor wasn't getting a signal from the computer, so the comp would power up but no display.

The first thing I did was to fit a old TNT2 graphics card i had lying arround and linked the monitor to that but still no luck, none with my Radeon 9800 either.

Having no ability to diagnos it I sent it to the local PC shop and the guy said it needs a new mobo (which I could understand), a new cpu and new memory for just over £200 (which is way over the top for the components he's putting in).

I don't really beleive what he's saying about the cpu and memory (think he's trying to milk me)

My mobo (NF7-s) can handle both the memory and cpu in my parents comp but I don't want to run the risk of damaging mine.

So I'm just wondering if it would be ok to try the memory and cpu in my system?

Should It be fine, even if the memory and cpu are damaged?
What would you do?

[Nox]

personally i wouldn't even of put your second expensive card in the system. in my experience, 99% of the time, your system won't be hurt by putting non-working memory/cpu in a working mobo, but there is always that 1%... did the £200 included diagnostics and labour? or was that seperate?

Nox

[petrefax]

could you try your CPU / memory in their PC?

wouldn't tell you every possible scenario but could help

obviously depends what CPU / memory you have (or rather, how expensive they'd be to replace!) but trying these would at least eliminate the following possibilities

(a) just their memory is duff - if theirs works with your memory then theirs is obviously faulty
(b) just their CPU is duff - same - if theirs works with yours then theirs is duff

as nox says tho, there's always that 1% chance

tbh, depending on their specs you could pick up a 2nd hand / cheapo motherboard for a few quid & try their parts out in that.
if you really think you're being fleeced, spending £20 on an old motherboard (which you could then re-sell via ebay in any case) would at least prove/disprove your suspicions

its difficult to say much more without some idea of the spec of your parents machine - if its currently got a duron & 64mb sdram then £200 is probably a rip-off, whereas if its got an XP3200 with 400mhz ddr and the £200 includes the cost of rebuilding, testing etc then you're getting a better deal

[Cheesewarrior]

The guy has quoted me £200 for a 1300 Duron, 256 mb 2100 ddr
and a Matsonic mobo (never specified a model). Thats including him building the pc. I could easily double the performance of that system for that price and build it my self.

I don't really trust what he's said about the cpu and memory due to the fact he's willing to rip me off by that much.

Think I might just buy the lot for them and build it. Just wanted to try and keep costs down for them seen as its Christmas, but I think they'll be more annoyed that they can't play solitaire and free cell more than having to pay a bit extra cash.

[Nox]

thats a rip off!!

novatech bundle for £130ish inc was a 2000 athlon xp, 256 mb and mobo (last week for friend) i would just say 'sod it' and do it yourself. its not worth the hassle, money or stress. what you're paying for is labour most likely, and if you can do it yourself, cool.

Nox

[Apex]

Rip off tbh

[petrefax]

Originally posted by Cheesewarrior
The guy has quoted me £200 for a 1300 Duron, 256 mb 2100 ddr
and a Matsonic mobo (never specified a model). Thats including him building the pc.

pppfffftt! - u know where he can stick that lot for 200 notes!

[Ethos]

Cash register?