Not having a good week

[D-Dan]

On Monday, my shiny new monitor developed a red line right down the display. Changes of input (RPi, laptop) and cables, and finally monitor proved it was the monitor, so replacement awaited.

Tonight, PC just shuts down dead. Opened up, power on, and there’s a puff of smoke from my gfx card, then nothing. Removed, examined, and it looks like leakage (I’m gonna guess a capacitor) running under the board. No on-board gfx, so computer is now a write off until pay day. No TV, no hi-fi, and now now PC. Currently plugged my crappy old laptop into the monitor, and plugged the KB & mouse into that. At least now I can watch some stuttery Netflix, or I can try to do something using the click and wait (and wait and wait) technique.

Not a good week. Anyone have a spare gfx card that will at least handle HD that they feel like donating?

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[Dave Rice]

Bummer.

[keith with the teef]

Ouch. Ever cloud has a silver lining?

[D-Dan]

I’m starting to think someone, somewhere is having a real good laugh at me. At turned 10pm a neighbour knocked on my door. It turns out, the replacement monitor arrived today and left it with him. Now, that’s all well and good, and it works just fine, except the laptop is incapable of driving QHD, so I can only tell that the display works, but I can’t check native resolution with no gfx card for my main PC.

 

Right now, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[D-Dan]

Well, turns out the gfx card was still under CeX warranty, and they had two in stock, so I have a replacement. The whole pulling apart and removing screwed up grub, but finally sorted out and I’m back up & running, so all is good again. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Ed has some sympathy from me now. At least I knew how to fix it all up again.

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[Drezha]

Well at least you’re sorted – I’ve just seen this and could have pulled the graphics card from the machine I keep at cadets out as that has inbuilt graphics and as you work in Manchester as well, would have been easy to get something sorted.

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[D-Dan]

Thanks, Drezha. Fortunately, the warranty was good, so only without for one night, and no apparent collateral damage. The worry was, if my computer dies, so does my entire entertainment system. I have no HiFi, no TV etc. All those functions are served by the PC. I’d have been stuck with a book, a lamp and a small DAB radio.

Anyhoo, currently building an emergency backup installation on an external drive (not a thumb drive) so that in emergencies, if I have some hardware handy, I can always boot into my own system.

I need to configure a multi-directional sync on it for email etc. but, hey, Linux. Should be easy enough.

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[The VFM Addict]

I have to admit that we always have several lappies around so we’re never without options here.   However, I still prefer a desktop most of the time and never bin, sell or gift my last system when I do a new build.    It goes into the loft as first reserve (“FR”).    That FR also gets ongoing upgrades.  So if a buy a new drive or gcard for my current system the old one immediately goes into the FR.    Not sure though if I’m being simply cautious or paranoid.    Probably the latter…..

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During the Covid-19 Epidemic I will be wearing a mask and goggles while posting so that if I become infected I won't spread it to you.

[dwynnehugh]

You’re not paranoid but they’re still out to get you!! ?????

The more you meet people the more you understand why Noah took animals instead of humans

[D-Dan]

Just because your paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not.

EDIT: Posted from my newly created portable installation – with full email and browser syncs in place 🙂

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[Author]

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