I got back home (before noon) and discovered that the Media PC was stuck in the middle of booting, with a message...

I got back home (before noon) and discovered that the Media PC was stuck in the middle of booting, with a message saying that the ASUS Bios had detected a power surge and had frozen the boot to protect the PC.

Hmm, I wonder if some of my issues with PCs turning themselves off might have something to do with power surges in the mains? That would explain why it's still happening. Maybe I need to get better powerboards.
#ComputerMadness

Graphic card driver all installed and now running.

Graphic card driver all installed and now running. I think perhaps due to the fact it only has 1GB of video memory, I can only get 1920x1080 res max on the 4k Monitor. The previous card had 2GB of memory, but this one was half that one's price. . But that's OK. When I ran the monitor at top rez I had extreme difficulty in reading any menu text (especially old apps like Photoshop CS6).

Everything is crystal clear at this resolution, so I'm happy with that. And the viewers work now (as seen below at 1/2 size) and so does sound again.

Thinking back on what was happening on the PC before, it was turning itself off at random times, but more often when I had a high graphics usage. Perhaps it wasn't the GPU at all, but just a dying graphics card. That would explain the times when the screen was off but the computer seemed to be on. Anyway the replacement card will do for now, and I won't get a better one until I get a better PC, sometime - as Shakespeare would say - by and by....
#ComputerMadness

So, that graphics card wasn't delivered today, but they had a Radeon R5 230 instead which should do the same job.

So, that graphics card wasn't delivered today, but they had a Radeon R5 230 instead which should do the same job. At least, I'm about to find out. It has a HUGE (multilingual) users manual!
#ComputerMadness

So, I should be getting one of these for $80 tomorrow. Should solve my problems nicely on the RecRoom PC.

So, I should be getting one of these for $80 tomorrow. Should solve my problems nicely on the RecRoom PC.
#ComputerMadness
https://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gt-710/specifications

Oh joy, I guess the monitor I used was not the best choice.

Oh joy, I guess the monitor I used was not the best choice. I get this for all the Opensim/SL viewers. Might swap the 4K with the Media PC monitor and see how that goes, after shopping of course.

Well that's frustrating.

Well that's frustrating. I've had continued problems with the RecRoom PC being REALLY REALLY SLOW, and today after I tried adding extra system caches, the monitor's gone blank! My messing about (e.g. swapping over a different monitor to see if that works) but for now I'm just leaving it OFF.

#ComputerMadness

OK, so I have the NUC back together and it's working again. In fact this is being posted from it.

OK, so I have the NUC back together and it's working again. In fact this is being posted from it.

But was an ongoing drama, just to replace the therm past between the processor and the heat-sink! I took the NUC into a computer shop and David - whom I spoke to over the phone yesterday - tried to get the lead attached but couldn't, because the pin on the ead was BENT. I probably did that yesterday trying to reattach it. The good news is that it's the backup WiFi antenna and I probably don't need it anyway, especially as I prefer to use LAN at home.

Anyway, I got home, and after having lunch and laying with the dog, proceeded to put the rest of the NUC together. I made several mistakes: leaving the memory cards out (oops), nd putting screws that hold the main board in the wrong holes (and later blocking the longer screws that are attached to the base) being the most annoying. But it's back together again and working. This means I can finally get back to working on SECONDS.

The next time I need to do something like this, I'm taking the NUC to a shop and paying someone to do it!
#NUC #ComputerMadness

OK, I may have a solution.

OK, I may have a solution. I phoned a computer shop in Charlestown about repairing the NUC and the person I spoke to over the phone says it'd be less than 5 minutes to do! It seems they've put NUCs together and cleaned and repaired dozens of them!

So, I'm off to Charlestown tomorrow with the NUC bits in tow to have it restored by a professional!
#NUC #ComputerMadness

Still no success getting that lead in.

Still no success getting that lead in.

Part of the problem might be that it needs to be placed at a certain angle (like the grey cable which is attach at a 45°), and I can't get that angle easily because the cable is too short. Or not. I've been working from mostly ignorance from the start with this, which crumbs leading the way. What I could have done is take a photo of the board before I removed anything. Too late for that.

This seems to be related to WiFi and Bluetooth and may be an aerial. Maybe I could get away without WiFi? Or - but I despair of this. My fingers ache with the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, and every time I lean close enough to see clearly, my bifocals fall loose, or I block the light.. An even when it seems I've the lead in the correct position, it refuses to clip on to the point.

I feel so close to either giving up entirely or a panic attack. I DO want to finish this and restore things. The simple repair was been a nightmare from start to, well now. Even if I can't restore the NUC, I might be able to recover the grid from the SSD chip, provided I have a reader for that. But that's not something I want to think about yet. Maybe I could pay someone to restore it??? 😟 😞😖

I'll take a break so that my fingers aren't hurting and try again.
#NUC #PanicAttack #Anxiety #ComputerMadness

Gah, an hour of trying to get the black lead on, with no success.

Gah, an hour of trying to get the black lead on, with no success. I'll come back to this after lunch. I wonder if a small dog of glue would work?
#NUC #ComputerMadness

Got the grey lead attached. Now for the black.

Got the grey lead attached. Now for the black.
#NUC #ComputerMadness

I just spent almost an hour trying to get these leads attached 0n my NUC.

I just spent almost an hour trying to get these leads attached 0n my NUC. The image below is a screenshot of a video showing someone pulling a NUC apart and putting it back together again. Hence I've been trying to attach the leads the same way on my NUC, even though to do so the black lead has to go through a hole in the board.

But no luck, so far. The problem is twofold - getting the leads in the correct position over the points, and applying pressure so that the lead and point are snugly attached. I can't apply too much force without danger of damaging the board, and I can't see exactly where the correct position is. But I was able to get the grey lead attached yesterday, so I know it can be done. I'll give it another try tomorrow morning.
#NUC #ComputerMadness

Update:

Update:
I have the main board back into place. The key was first having the reset switch in place (there's a bolt that anchors it), and lowering the front side in first. Once I'd finally done that correctly I screwed it in place.

The next step I'm attempting to do is to connect a black and a grey cable to what appears to be a voltage source, though according to the schematic is the "Intel Dual Band Wireless AC + Bluetooth 8265 module". It shouldn't matter which cable goes to which point (i hope), and in fact I didn't spot these when I disassembled the main board.

The photo below isn't the clearest - I had to have the anti-shake setting onand working with bifocals doesn't help - so that's why I have second drawn on version + the schematic. I got the grey cable on before, so I know it can be done! I know my progress on this seems ridiculously snail-like, but I'm getting there! But once again I need to go away and see if my assumption above is correct, before I do it!
#NUC #ComputerMadness Fred Beckhusen

Attempting to put the NUC back together.

Attempting to put the NUC back together.
#NUC

Damn, more struggles getting the NUC board back in its case.

Damn, more struggles getting the NUC board back in its case. This is the hottest period of the day. That cable I got back on had fallen off again. This is going to take some time. 😕
#NUC #ComputerMadness

Got the heatsink and processor done.

Got the heatsink and processor done. Was carfully putting the main board back in when a grey wire, that seems to be connected to the chassis and the board (probably grounding it) - came loose!!! I can't see where this came from on the board. The manuals aren't much help, because they don't show things in such detail. Bugger.
Fred Beckhusen

Finally, I've got to the point where I apply the Nano Diamond Thermal Compound!

Finally, I've got to the point where I apply the Nano Diamond Thermal Compound! I was told that "it was held in by only two screws", which is correct. However, I had to remove six other screws, remove the harddrive, ssd and memory, gently pull the board out, and then unscrew the fan before I could get to those screws! Plus there's a third screw in the middle of the heat sink that keeps it attached to the mother board.

The NUC seems incredibly compactly designed. And that being the case, it's not so much adding the compound that's the issue now, but reassembling all the components correctly afterwards. I'll leave doing both until the morning. It's 8:30pm just now, and I'm a lot fresher in the morning, and this is better done in daylight!
#NUC #ComputerMadness

Well, it's taken a few days, but I've finally been able to access the heat-sink and fan of the NUC, WITHOUT having...

Well, it's taken a few days, but I've finally been able to access the heat-sink and fan of the NUC, WITHOUT having broken or lost anything in the process.

Yesterday I bought a ToolPro Precision Screwdriver & Bit Set.I wasn't up to using it yesterday or this morning because on a case of the runs. The last thing I wanted to do was have to rush off to the toilet in middle of things, or try anything while I had the shakes. But this afternoon I was finally able to remove the various screws (after gently removing SSD and memory sticks) and there it is. The next step is to apply the contact fluid, but before I do that I need to read the manual, and the instructions that came with it.

This might sound like an overly cautious and time consuming process, but this NUC is the best PC I have, and I didn't want either: break stuff trying to repair it, strip the head of the retaining screws, or apply the fluid in the wrong place and/or amount like I used to when I attempted to make Airfix model as a child (in all their blobby glue glory)!!!

So once I'm ready, I'll do the next step. Might even take another night of pondering and caution.
#ComputerMadness #NUC

Well, I was going to apply that heatsink gell on the NUC nuc7i5bnh, just in case its resetting the other day was...

Well, I was going to apply that heatsink gell on the NUC nuc7i5bnh, just in case its resetting the other day was caused by overheating. I carefully unscrewed the bottom plat and found a hard drive, and the motheboard with SSD memory, but I couldn't find what looked like a CPU or the heatsink. D'OH! I've been downloading user manuals for a layout but so far no luck.

This must be what my father felt like when he opened up the car he'd bought to fix something, and discovered a computer instead.

Damn damn damn.

Damn damn damn. I turned the aircon on and the RecRoom PC just went dead. And then it went dead a few minutes later, with the aircon was off. Not this nonsense again..
#ComputerMadness