Computer trouble. Help, I've fallen and I can't get up.

[fightingquaker13]

I have a problem with my machine. Its a Toshiba Sattelite, about five years old. The thing is, it will occasionally shut down and just go to a black screen. The internals, which are normally quite loud, what with the fan and whirring disk and all, wil go quiet. I have to just hit the off switch and restart the thing. Mostly this works. Sometimes it doesn't and windows will run a repair program because the computer won't start. This works but it is slow and annoying. What is wrong? Am I looking at a virus or just a hardware problem? Can this be fixed, or do I need a new machine? (I am hoping someone will have a nifty solution as I really don't want to shell out for a new computer ).
Thanks
FQ13

[PegLeg45]

I have a problem with my machine. Its a Toshiba Sattelite, about five years old. The thing is, it will occasionally shut down and just go to a black screen. The internals, which are normally quite loud, what with the fan and whirring disk and all, wil go quiet. I have to just hit the off switch and restart the thing. Mostly this works. Sometimes it doesn't and windows will run a repair program because the computer won't start. This works but it is slow and annoying. What is wrong? Am I looking at a virus or just a hardware problem? Can this be fixed, or do I need a new machine? (I am hoping someone will have a nifty solution as I really don't want to shell out for a new computer ).
Thanks
FQ13

^^^^^^^^^
Not being a smart-ass...I lost one last year at about the 5 year mark.

For what the parts would cost me to have fixed it, I put another $100 with it and bought a new one and went from a 20 gig hard drive to a 750 gig.

[Pathfinder]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
what he said


5 year old computers are little more than doorstops. If they work, all well and good. If they don't don't waste your time or money trying to have it fixed. If you are PC savvy, give repairing it a shot yourself if you want. For the rest of us tho, it's to the recycle bin for the old machine as we get one that is technologically light years ahead of the old one - and already obsolete BTW. And that's the way it is!

[Hazcat]

Toshiba Satellites of that period have a known problem with the mother boards.  Yours is exhibiting classic symptoms.  I know this from personal experience.  Yours is about to go.  Get a new machine NOW so you can transfer yer stuff.  At least get a free back up from MOZY or similar place to save yer stuff cause yer machine is gonna die SOON!

[r_w]

Doorstop.  or soon to be.

[Sponsor]

[PegLeg45]

Doorstop. TARGET... or soon to be.

 

[fightingquaker13]

Lord, the second I get a new one it will be. Swear to God, it takes the Fonzerelli smack to get the thing to fire up. It seems like a mechanical problem. As I posted in the classifieds, if any of you have a gently used lap top that is fast enough for web surfing and using MS word, I will make you an offer. The computer is the way I pay the rent, but all I need is someything that is speedy quick on the web and will use MS Office reliabley. I'm not planning on playing Halo or running CAD programs. If you have a good machine you want to sell or upgrade, now is the time. I'll make a fair offer.
FQ13

[crusader rabbit]

Dude, go to Best Buy or Staples or Office Depot and shell out $399 for a netbook.  Then get yourself an external DVD/CD RW drive and you are in business.  It will give you all the web surfing you can stomach, run Office/Word/etc. and you can stick it in a large pocket when you suck down some joe at Starbucks.  Five years???  You have been much blessed by the computer gods.  Now it's time to renew your vows.

[kmitch200]

Ditto to the other comments. Backup everything yesterday.

'Cause soon it's going to be DOWN GOES FRAZIER, DOWN GOES FRAZIER!

[sledgemeister]

For as much as it has pleased Almighty IBM to take out of this world the soul of fightingquaker13's Toshiba , we therefore commit his Laptop to the slums of india to be picked over by urchins, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for that blessed hope when Bill gates Himself shall descend from Microsoft Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Steve Jobs, and the Laptop from shanty towns shall rise first. Then those which are still running and remain shall be upgraded together with them in the factories of China to meet the Magnificant Bill in the parking lot of Walmart, and so shall we ever be with the Bill and Steves, wherefore comfort ye one another with these words.
Amen.