I've had a desktop PC since 2006 (gift from one of my brother's). It worked perfectly for 2 years, then crapped out on me. I loaned it to my brother, who fixed it up and had it working for a good year and a half. I got it back last summer, but it died a week after again.
I would ask the same brother to fix it up, but he's not around anymore (long story). So now I'm left with a pretty decent rig that seems to need just one piece to have up and working again. I believe it's a fried motherboard, but I'm not sure. I had another, less tech-savvy brother look at it and that's what he said.
But I'd like to get a more solid and professional opinion. I've been told, I believe here on OS, that Best Buy can do a free diagnostic on it. I'm a bit hesitant because I went to a computer place around here called Second Source. I walked in and said I'd like to trade it in for store credit or cash to put towards a laptop/Netbook. The guy just asked what year it is (2006), and is it XP, Vista, etc. It's XP. He said it would only get 20-30$ cash or credit without even looking at it. I had a bad feeling so I just said thanks for the help and left without ever even taking the computer into the store. He seemed dismissive.
Now my plan has changed. I'd like to figure out what's wrong with it, and if it's salvageable (which I believe it will be), just get the new part for it and have it as a home desktop PC. I'll just have to wait a little while for a laptop/Netbook setup, which I plan to use for school. I want something more mobile so I can take it back and forth to school and whatnot, but I'd love to also have a desktop computer too, if it's not too expensive to fix it back up.
So, anyone ever deal with Best Buy and their free diagnostics? Good or bad impressions?
The motherboard that's currently in the desktop is a Gigabyte K8 Triton nForce4. I'm not too tech-savvy, but I'm looking at the box now and that's what it says. Heh. Looks like it could run me around $50 for a new one, then I'd need help installing it as well. If that's even the problem.
Any help would be appreciated. I figured this is the best place for tech information.
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