A little more than a month after ordering the components for my computer, I now have all of the (presumably functional) components together again.
I have the new case, the new CPU, the new fan and CPU fan, the new memory–and another new motherboard.
The replacement motherboard finally arrived this Thursday.
(Tip for NewEgg returns: take a picture of your item before you take everything out of its packaging so that you can remember exactly what needs to be returned should something go wrong. I missed the CPU fan mounting bracket on my first return attempt–and lost myself a couple weeks.)
Since it had been a slightly-less-long day at the office, I decided I would go ahead and get the installation process started.
I installed the motherboard, the CPU and CPU fan, the memory. I connected all the various power cords and the like. Then I pulled my “big” hard drive from my old (current) computer and got it and my (also recycled) DVD drive hooked up too.
Now for the fun part.
Powering up.
Err, maybe I better flip the power switch on the back first.
There we go.
Punch my “del” key and examine my system.
Adjust a couple settings, insert my Windows OS DVD, begin installing my OS.
“Loading files”. A bar slides across the bottom of the screen. All good.
“Starting Windows” the screen tells me–
and then it freezes.
I wait, because sometimes installing an operating system takes forever. I know that.
But this doesn’t seem to be a productive wait.
I turn off the computer, turn it on again. “Del”. Check my system again.
Yes, I have it set to boot from the DVD drive.
Start it up again.
Same thing.
Text my dad.
Repeat. Multiple times.
It’s getting late. Dad wonders if maybe my DVD is broken. He tells me to try the DVD in another computer and see if it gets past the “Starting Windows” screen.
I move my DVD player (and the hard drive) back over to my current computer and try booting using the DVD.
It doesn’t work–my current computer is 32-bit and my new one (and the corresponding Windows 7 OS) is 64-bit.
I try the disc on every computer I can find until I get to one where it works. Okay, it’s not the disc. It’s something else.
An idea grows in my mind. What if it’s my DVD drive?
I remembered reading something when I bought it about it being a great secondary drive–but not so great as a primary. I paid it no attention then, because I already had a CD-Rom drive that I used to install XP on my computer. All I wanted was something so I could watch the documentary DVDs that I get from the library so I wouldn’t have to borrow Anna’s computer.
I hadn’t imagined that I’d buy a new computer and try to save money by using that same DVD drive. I hadn’t imagined that operating systems didn’t come on CD-roms anymore–making my perfectly good CD-Rom drive absolutely worthless as a primary drive.
There was nothing more I could do–except to send out a desperate Facebook plea:
“Anybody have a spare DVD Drive (component) I could borrow to see if that might be why my OS isn’t loading properly? I’d return it promptly :-)”
After work on Friday, I saw that I had a response.
Eric has one, Cathy said. Do I still want it?
Of course I still want it.
She’ll deliver it Saturday morning.
Which means I’ll be offline.
Lord willing, I’ll be getting my new computer set up (and, once the operating system is installed, I’ll be returning Eric’s DVD drive and using my own again).
I apologize to all you faithful readers who have had to sit through my technological tale telling. Really, I’m just bragging here. “See, I can build my own computers too.” (Albeit in a rather muddled manner.) I just don’t understand why men aren’t falling all over themselves to get me. I can cook, I can sew, I can read and semi-intelligently discuss issues–and I build computers! :-) Ha!