Things you do to your computer that you really shouldn't

Since most of us work in IT here, I am wondering how customized do you make your computer? And along the way, do you end up 'breaking' it? Here's a fairly recent experience with my HPdv6000 laptop:

It came pre-installed with Vista and I decided to make it dual-boot with Ubuntu. The Ubuntu distro install option didn't work well with the AMD AthlonX2, which is 64-bit. Also the wireless card is not initally supported. But nevertheless I got the OS installed. Time spent: ~ 2 & 1/2 hours

Later I decided to "uninstall" Ubuntu and make the system single boot. Browsing on Ubuntu forums and googling I knew I may run into problems... and I did. Hacking around a bit though, I got my Vista back and running. Time spend ~ 1 hour

I also changed numerous other things in my Vista... and breaking and fixing various things along the way. Now if I only need to fix my Windows Defender and install some version of Linux on my old computer...

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Comments

mcmaster

Had a triple boot of Windows XP, Windows Vista and SUSE 10.2. Worked seamlessly until one of my hard drives fell out out of my RAID:0 array for some reason and i had to rebuild and never got around to redoing the triple boot.

This time around, vista on RAID:0 and Ubuntu 7.10 on a another Hard drive partition. In case Raid decides to be temperamental again, I don't lose it all. Ubuntu took some time maybe 3-4 hours to get my x1600 to work properly with compiz+xgl using ati-big desktop for dual monitors. Overall though, Ubuntu 7.10 is pretty good at recognizing hardware.

Like most tinkers out there, probably spend way to much time just customizing. Fortunately I haven't broken anything but "software" which is re installable.

GT-Rob

I once took out an AGP card while the computer was still running. Still works 4 years later.

mcmaster

haha i did the same thing, except its not working any more, since the day i pulled it out.

KGhaleon

My computer sits in front of my air condition, which is constantly blowing out heat due to the cold this time of the year. So far I haven't had anything disastrous happen. There was just once instance where the machine locked up, but I don't think it was a probably created by the heat. ^^

Darthn3ss

i ran out of screws so i had to tape my motherboard down.

Schluep

On numerous occasions I have connected too many peripherals without their own power sources to my laptop while running on battery power and ran out of juice.

JDMurray

Darthn3ss wrote:

i ran out of screws so i had to tape my motherboard down.

Oh...my...God...

Was it at least double-stick tape?

Mishra

Tried to run 1 GHZ PIII's in an IPAQ before. They would shut off, I'm guessing due to heat, in about 5 minutes.

michael_knight

I've been in the industry for ten years and never had to remove a CPU, until about last year. so one day my mother in law gave me an old dell and I bought a CPU from Ebay trying to upgrade it. Well stupid me bent the pins on the new Chip trying to put it in a few times. Not only did I bend the pins but I bought one with the wrong bus speed. Well after realising what I did, I bent the pins on the old one as well. So of course it has to get worse. After realizing that I screwed myself, I found someone that said he could fix the Pins, so I mailed it out and when it came back it didn't work. Of Course I was pissed at him especially since he said he tested it for a day, Well Learning from my Stupid Mistakes I bought another processor with the correct Bus Speed and Put it in the new PC. Well I should of Stopped then, but now truly knowing how to install a processor, I made the mistake of looking at my main PC and realized that the Bus Speeds of both PC's were the same but the Speed of the chips were different. The original was 2.4 from the one my Mother in law gave me (the same one that didn't work) and the one on my regular was 1.6ghz so I open up my main PC So I put the chip in the PC and this time it works. I learned that in this business if it works....don't ask questions, so I've been running both PC's now for about 6 months now no problem.

Ahriakin

I used to work a month on and have a month off per cycle (oil company), there'd always be the latest and greatest gadget waiting when I got home ready to be installed...unfortunately being Irish there was also much alcoholing to do. The amount of times I'd wake up the next morning with a hangover and a bedroom covered in components and boxes....I was always amazed when the PC didn't blow up as I pushed that button....

silentc1015

I had a friend who didn't buy a case and instead secured (tape, nails, screws, etc...) all of his components to a piece of plywood.

paintb4707

I installed a WC kit without doing a leak test. I was smart though! I bought non-conductive coolant.... all until I so anxiously filled it with UV dye. Low and behold it started to leak on some molex connectors and I fried my PSU.

Schluep

silentc1015 wrote:

I had a friend who didn't buy a case and instead secured (tape, nails, screws, etc...) all of his components to a piece of plywood.

I would love to see a picture/video of that. I bet overheating wasn't as much of an issue.

I hope he had a hardwood floor and humidifier (depending on location) though. One little static shock could really do that thing in.

Darthn3ss

JDMurray wrote:

Darthn3ss wrote:

i ran out of screws so i had to tape my motherboard down.

Oh...my...God...

Was it at least double-stick tape?

no i was joking

CoryS

I was really excited to setup my new rig so I took out the motherboard and hastily fastend it in the case. Realizing that I needed to get some pants out of the dryer I got sidetrack and quickly ran, folded and hung some laundry. I then promptly went back to finishing what I had started earlier I touched the motherboard to secure it more firmly... Then it happened.. The blue light of death from my finger to a crappy capacitor. Realizing what happened (quite quickly as you may imagine as the spark came from my finger) I was already under the impression that I just blew 100 bucks.

Plugged it in, powered on, heard a POP, smelt smoke.. got a beer.