Question doesn't post - fix or replace?

Jul 31, 2022
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I don't use Windows much...but I could use a computer running it for testing.

I had inherited a computer from my parents. It should be just the job, but it only boots intermittently. I replaced the power supply, but it didn't solve the problem. So, now I'm considering a new mobo,etc.
The system does some 'power up' steps - it beeps and spins the CPU fan, and some leds come on; but there's a green led on the motherboard that constantly flashes. Nothing on the display.

However, I have it my mind that Windows will cause me pain if I change the motherboard underneath it. Is there any point in me trying? Will I have to reinstall Windows, perhaps even buy a new copy of it?

From a photo of the 'Intel Desktop Utilities' app the last time I had it boot successfully (some months ago now), I see that the motherboard is an Intel DH77DF, has an Intel Core i7-3770S CPU @ 3.10GHz, with 2 1600MHz DDR3 4GB DIMMs. The hard drive is an INTEL SSDSC2CW180A3.

Oh, I also see that it is running Windows 10 Pro 20H2 19042.1586 with something called a Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4170.0 - installed on 4/8/2022 (I guess that's an American date, since it's in the future when read as a British date).

I guess someone can make sense of that lot.

Obviously, I don't want to replace anything if I can avoid it, but it does seem to be dying.

Any recommendations?

Regards,

Max.
 
Jul 31, 2022
5
0
10
Jul 31, 2022
5
0
10
usually is psu, motherboard, ram then cpu
unless you have another 7th gen motherboard. might be cheaper to take it to a shop to test.
unless you can get it cheap, replacing old stuff doesn't make sense

Yeah, I wasn't considering replacing individual 'old' bits, since they're a pain to match up. I was planning on just replacing the lot.
It's not a bad system. I built it myself back in 2013 or so, when I worked for Intel (they have an employee purchase scheme so it was mostly cheap). It's certainly a spec that is 'good enough' for my purposes - even today, an 8 core i7/8GB isn't bad...if only it worked :/ Currently, it isn't even working intermittently...when I switch the PSU on, the green mobo led comes on, and when I hit the power button on the side, the CPU fan pulses a few times, the green mobo led starts flashing, and the CPU fan spins up to full speed, then drops to a 'quiet' speed. Theled on the front of the case stays 'solid'.
I've unplugged the drives and one of the DIMMs...

From memory, when it used to work, the modo led would stay on, not flash :/

I still hesitate to replace the mobo/cpu/ram because I would have to reinstall Windows...that's the painful bit, in my imagination at least.