Advice needed

[Gilmo{MEOW}]

There are two reasons I have not been on much.  Lots of time at work and an annoying problem with my computer that has been escalating lately. 

The harddrives keep developing problems that I have had to scan and fix.  So, I took a closer look.  I am pretty sure a data cable might be responsible but would like some advice as it is driving me nuts.  I am worried the 5yo motherboard and/or processor might be going.  I now load up to windows fine but it immediately goes to the blue screen of death.  The error message mentions no software so it must be hardware.  I am going to have it looked at today by circuit city but the incompetence I experienced with the Geek squad here, I am not so sure that will help.  any ideas?  Not sure what info you need.  Also, I am hoping that if it needs a new motherboard, that someone will give me advice on putting a new one in.  I know that it requires tearing the comp down and rebuilding it, and that task is a daunting one for me. 

[Mystic{MEOW}]

Can't do Much for you on The Tech stuff, but can tell you to steer clear of the Geek Squad, as they gave us the wrong advice and cost us money in parts and gas three times.  Good luick with the rest of it though.  We ended up going to Staples to one of their techs who actually tested for the problem and took the time to open the product to ensure us we were getting the right one and not stating we were and waiting until we got home and come to find out two times in a row it was the wrong item.  Way to go Geek Squad, keep earing your money.

[Felix*{MEOW}*]

before you take it in at least reseat your cables to mother board and the main hard drive remove the plug to your storage drive and start rescuing the stuff you care about from your primary drive. when you fire it back up after reseating your cables listen to your hard drive with the side panel off is it making any diffrent noises other then the normal ones you hear? if so it might be the rattle of death it's more likely you might have a HD going out other then a mother board. have you blowen out you tower lately? might be a over heating processor i dought it but you need to at least do these few things before you take it in to the rip off artists.

[Gilmo{MEOW}]

already had cleaned out the case and reseated the cables.  The hd's are new and set as mirror images so that is not the problem. The problem is definitely hardware.  The only original thing left on this rig is the mb.  Sound, graphics and hds are newly replaced.  I have the second drive set to mimic the first one, so my data is safe(i backed up to disks earlier just in case anyway.)

[Gilmo{MEOW}]

dropped it off at Circuit City for a thorough cleaning and replacement of data cables(noticed one of them had a loose connection to hd0) will let you all know how it works out.  Made sure I impressed on the manager of firedog that I was extremely unhappy with Geek squads results and challenged him to do better.  Hinted at more work in the future if I am happy.  That should get the best results from him.  I hope it is not the mb, that would suck.  Unleashed, you know how to swap out a mb?  I'll bring the beer lol.  Now to see if anyone still sells the mb that I might need just to be on the safe side. 

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

Have you considered the drivers for your motherboard?  the bios and related drivers sometimes need updating.
Good luck.

[Gilmo{MEOW}]

That should be part of the optimization they do at firedog for free, hopefully this will fix it.  The good news is I can get the identical mb for under 150 bucks if it comes to that.

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Do you have the exact error code from the BSOD?

[Gilmo{MEOW}]

no sorry smooth, was so darn frustrated it was either get it out of the house or destroy it.  It was a series of three sets of numbers but no files.

[Felix*{MEOW}*]

next time when something like this happens wright the error down and google it 99.99999% of the time you with find the error and a possible solution. if you have another way to get on the net..lol hope you don't get raked over the cole's by the fire dog peps.. woof. computer hardware problems most of the time will give you a code you can google. sometimes even coded beeps kinda like Morris code.

[Gilmo{MEOW}]

Definitely the mb, its almost 5yo.  Got a good run out of it.  I am using the laptop for now.  The wife has given the greenlight for a new one, but I am considering just swapping the same mb into it.  I think it has been going for a while and probably the whole reason I replaced so much stuff in the past year(hd's, sound card etc.  Comes at a bad time as we are looking at moving into a bigger house soon.  It was inexpensive and the firedog team was fair to me, bout time some comp rep would be.  The comp is now very clean lol.   I will hook it up later this week and write down the code it gives me.  But the 'losing' hd's and the hd software issues were kinda a big clue to me that things were goin south in the mb.  Good news is a new ASUS A7N8X deluxe will only run me about 100 bucks and firedog said they would install it for 60.  Now I just need to see what I want to do.  I priced out a custom build at a few places online for around 1800.  Anyone know of a custom place they trust?

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Man, 60 bucks just to install a board?!  After building one myself, I can't recommend anything but that.

[WildKatZ*{MEOW}*]

 ya, build your own!!! it's the only way to go, and much easier(and cheaper) then u might think.

 as for the new MB, I'd go with somethen newer that can still run your currant hardware.yet it would be ready for upgrading later when u can or have too. it may cost u less in the long run.

                                               just my plug nickel. 

[FastKat*{MEOW}*]

on the upside, if you get the exact same mb you had, then you dont have to worry about formatting your HD. any thing dif, you will.

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

I've even tried to build one or two. And pretty well succeeded by pure luck and help of friends.   However, there is much to be said for the professional putting it together no matter what MB you decide on. It will most likely be done right and if not you can complian to someone.