Question about computer CPUs...

[SundaeAfternoon]

My laptop is busted. My company's IT guy took a look at it for me, and said the CPU is busted. I know that it is basically the computer's brain, but what I forgot to ask him when he called is....does that mean everything I had on my computer is gone? Or can I recover it if the CPU is replaced? I don't have any plans to fix it anytime soon. It was only 17 months old, and frankly, I'm disgusted with it. But was just curious if my information would still be salvageable.

 

[dawson5]

Your information should be on your hard drive. You should be able to access that with another pc or if you decide to fix the cpu (I don't know if that is possible or even feasible)

 

[jlewisinsyr]

There are many components within the computer, your information is stored on your Hard Drive, which if the CPU (either the processor or the mother board) is replaced will be unaffected in most cases (although depending on who services your computer, they may wipe the drive to install board related drivers).

It all depends on what is wrong, I know he said CPU, but that is a very generic statement. Did you often use your notebook on soft surfaces, like rugs, blankets, etc? Notebooks have fans and they often will suck up lint and similar into them, clogging the cooling system and in time possibly damaging the computer. Computers do have safety shutdowns for temperature, but they do not always prevent damage over time, and then in general some motherboards are just more sensitive to temperature.

 

[dawson5]

There are many components within the computer, your information is stored on your Hard Drive, which if the CPU (either the processor or the mother board) is replaced will be unaffected in most cases (although depending on who services your computer, they may wipe the drive to install board related drivers).

It all depends on what is wrong, I know he said CPU, but that is a very generic statement. Did you often use your notebook on soft surfaces, like rugs, blankets, etc? Notebooks have fans and they often will suck up lint and similar into them, clogging the cooling system and in time possibly damaging the computer. Computers do have safety shutdowns for temperature, but they do not always prevent damage over time, and then in general some motherboards are just more sensitive to temperature.

my mom fried her lap top like that. We kept telling her not to. She replaced it, we bought her a desk-like stand for her bed and a cooling pad with a fan. Hoping that she uses one or the other.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

It all depends on what is wrong, I know he said CPU, but that is a very generic statement. Did you often use your notebook on soft surfaces, like rugs, blankets, etc? Notebooks have fans and they often will suck up lint and similar into them, clogging the cooling system and in time possibly damaging the computer. Computers do have safety shutdowns for temperature, but they do not always prevent damage over time, and then in general some motherboards are just more sensitive to temperature.

I was good about keeping it on a lap desk, but I did put it in a case whenever I wasn't using it. I'd have it on for hours and then zip it up in the case. Could that have contributed to its demise? Sometimes it would be pretty hot when I put it away. Just never thought about it until recently.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I was good about keeping it on a lap desk, but I did put it in a case whenever I wasn't using it. I'd have it on for hours and then zip it up in the case. Could that have contributed to its demise? Sometimes it would be pretty hot when I put it away. Just never thought about it until recently.

You stuck it in a case, still on? Yes, most defininately that added to its demise, it was basically unable to cool itself off.

Even with desktops you should enable sleep or hibernation (mostly for notebooks) when not in use and for notebooks when you shut the screen.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

You stuck it in a case, still on? Yes, most defininately that added to its demise, it was basically unable to cool itself off.

Even with desktops you should enable sleep or hibernation (mostly for notebooks) when not in use and for notebooks when you shut the screen.

Oh no, it wasn't on. What I would do was turn it off, then immediately put it in the case and zip it up while it was still hot.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Oh no, it wasn't on. What I would do was turn it off, then immediately put it in the case and zip it up while it was still hot.

That shouldn't have a big impact really, sure it won't cool as quick, but it's not adding heat.

What brand/model was it?

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

That shouldn't have a big impact really, sure it won't cool as quick, but it's not adding heat.

What brand/model was it?

Oh okay!

It was an HP Pavilion. Can't remember the model number for sure. I want to say 9000?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Oh okay!

It was an HP Pavilion. Can't remember the model number for sure. I want to say 9000?

There was a series of HP Notebooks that were defective from the factory and are known to fail:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01087277&lc=en&cc=us

You need to do some additional model checking, but it might be a warranty extension issue and they will fix it free of charge. The warranty on affected notebooks was doubled to 2 years.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

There was a series of HP Notebooks that were defective from the factory and are known to fail:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01087277&lc=en&cc=us

You need to do some additional model checking, but it might be a warranty extension issue and they will fix it free of charge. The warranty on affected notebooks was doubled to 2 years.

Wow! Thanks!

I will check that out.

 

[EllaM]

I have the 9000 too. I never put it in a case and it's on most of the time in the kitchen. Sucks up dust like a hoover. Still going strong after about 2 years. Sounds like you got some defective parts in there.

Your data is fine. You can just unscrew the covers off the back and pop out for HDD. The 9000 has dual HDD bays. Your data is probably on the main drive (Disc 1). Just remove it and stick it in an external HDD enclosure (NewEgg has a ton) or install it in the 2nd HDD bay on a new Pavilion. Transfer your data off that.

My original drive is sitting in an enclosure right now.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01311536.pdf is the service manual for this notebook. Look for section 5.4 Hard Drives on how to access and remove/replace drives.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

I have the 9000 too. I never put it in a case and it's on most of the time in the kitchen. Sucks up dust like a hoover. Still going strong after about 2 years. Sounds like you got some defective parts in there.

Your data is fine. You can just unscrew the covers off the back and pop out for HDD. The 9000 has dual HDD bays. Your data is probably on the main drive (Disc 1). Just remove it and stick it in an external HDD enclosure (NewEgg has a ton) or install it in the 2nd HDD bay on a new Pavilion. Transfer your data off that.

My original drive is sitting in an enclosure right now.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01311536.pdf is the service manual for this notebook. Look for section 5.4 Hard Drives on how to access and remove/replace drives.

Thanks for the info. Good to know!

Well, I got the laptop back and I was WAY off! It's a Pavilion dv4. My boss is the one with the 9000, so that's probably where I got that from.

 

[dawson5]

I wanted to thank jlewis. I sent that link to my brother, I thought my mom had an HP that died. He freaked out. It is one of the ones on that list. They couldn't get any help from HP, so he helped my mom select a new pc. Now he finds out that it is one of those and he's pretty upset. He took the pc to a friend of his, he's hoping he still has it and that they might be able to get it fixed.