Tuesday 1 November 2022

Almost new

I built my present desktop computer from scratch about nine years ago when my eyesight was better. The motherboard is a Gigabyte Z87-D3HP but I'm only using a fourth generation Intel i3 processor. I wasn't looking for anything high-end - I'm no gamer - but only a modest set-up that could satisfy my need to play audio files and view videos. No huge processing needs required. When Windows 10 was introduced in 2015, my desktop upgraded to this operating system quite seamlessly. And it went through countless automatic updates through the years. I didn't have to touch anything much. Very contented, actually.

Then at the start of last month, the desktop started developing the dreaded Microsoft blue screen (of death.) At first, the desktop rebooted with success but much later, I could stare at the blue screen for hours if I wanted to, and it would stare back at me. Arghh....there was nothing I could do but to try and instal the operating system onto the same harddisk. It worked for a while but the problem returned. I finally gave up after repeated failures.

Initially, I thought of building another desktop but then baulked at the work involved. Then I remembered that I had an unused solid-state drive (SSD) somewhere in the house. Purchased it a long time ago but I didn't find the need to open my desktop's casing. To do that, I would have to pull all the cables from the back of the motherboard and it was something I was quite reluctant to do. But here, inevitably, there was no other choice for me than to do just that!

So now, I have a SSD fixed up as my new C:/ drive and the old harddisks in the desktop have been converted into my storage devices. I had to replug all the cables one-by-one carefully and then reinstal Windows 10, the drivers and also all my essential programs. Too bad my set-up prevented me from upgrading to Windows 11; I would have done that too if I could. 

A whole mess of wires and cables inside the casing



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