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[Jack_Bread]

My computer was fine (but slow) before my brother brought it in to get it fixed. But now it's just crazy. Before, it never froze, BSOD'd, or crashed, but now it is doing all of that. I am even forced to use Internet Explorer because FireFox kept crashing. It even takes like 5 or more tries to turn it on beause it says the fans aren't working. It is working even worse even though before the inside was covered with cat fur and soda and it had only 248mb RAM.
I was wondering if I should use the thing that erases everything and reinstalls Windows
(forgot what that was called.)?

[Tahin]

That doesn't sound like a software issue.

Make sure all the ram sticks are in all the way. That made my computer go crashy for a while.

[kcwong]

My computer was fine (but slow) before my brother brought it in to get it fixed.

What problem requires your brother to brought it in to fix? Was it a shop or your brother fixing it?

[Jack_Bread]

He brought it to his girlfriend's friend who knows a lot about the workings of computers. He brought it in because it was really slow (even though it was faster than it was now). The guy cleaned it up and brought up its RAM to 700+ or something. I can't really check (or know how to) the ram sticks now because it is my brother's birthday and he will be pissed (for some reason because he only uses it to check UFC and movie stuff) it he sees me messing with it.

[Tahin]

Hm... 700+? That's... interesting.

Assuming it has more than one ram stick, do they match in size, speed, brand, etc? If they don't, that could be causing your crashing issues.

[Jack_Bread]

I'm not sure. Again, I can't tell.
The computer came back clean and I don't know where to look or how to open it or whatever.
I just checked the RAM. It says 760mb of RAM.

[Tormy]

He brought it to his girlfriend's friend who knows a lot about the workings of computers.

Actually....after reading your story, I can safely say, that he isn't a computer expert. 
It's kinda hard to tell that what's wrong with your comp, since I cannot inspect it. Maybe it's a memory error, maybe it isn't. The first thing what you should do is: install new RAM [borrow it from a friend of yours for example], and test your comp. If it still locks up/freezes/etc. it's possible that it's a mobo/cpu or PSU error.

[Puck]

Maybe it's really just the fans (Especially since it takes 5 tries to turn on the mobo even friggin SAYS SO).  Maybe the friend that fixed it really is some sort of proper geek, but just accidentially loosened a cable.

On the other hand, he should have checked properly, whether the computer was stable or not.

[ToonyMan]

I can't stop laughing.  Hahah.  Errrr....ha ha............ha.  I would just dump it in lava and get it over with.

[Tormy]

(Especially since it takes 5 tries to turn on the mobo even friggin SAYS SO). 

Hm, I don't think that it's a fan related error. If this is true, it's probably a PSU or mobo problem.

[Tahin]

Hm... I'm still saying mismatched ram. I've seen this exact issue before when some idiot working at Staples "repaired" a friend of mine's laptop and put in a bigger stick of ram, while leaving one of the old ones in. I took the old one out, and it started working fine again.

That said, it might not be your problem, but given that you don't have a nice, "square of 2" amount of ram tells me that something is off. You might just have a full gig and it's only reading 3/4 of it for some strange reason. I'd google for a ram installation tutorial so you know what they look like, then open it up and try only one at a time. Use the one with the most capacity.

Alternately, take it back to this friend and tell him he broke something.

[Jack_Bread]

Yea... I'm going to wait until my brother is gone then try looking inside or something...

I can't stop laughing.  Hahah.  Errrr....ha ha............ha.  I would just dump it in lava and get it over with.

No. My mom has barely any money, so she wouldn't be able to afford another. That is why my brother brought it to that guy instead of taking it to a computer place or whatever.

EDIT: The guy still has my laptop. He says he wouldn't be able to do anything until I get him a charger. There is only one barely working laptop charger in my house and my sister uses it for her laptop. Not to mention the charger is mine. (She broke the other one.)

[ToonyMan]

If all else fails...break the law!


*Booooooo!  Get off the stage!*


What?  We all know we all know we do it.

[sonerohi]

Yea... I'm going to wait until my brother is gone then try looking inside or something...

I can't stop laughing.  Hahah.  Errrr....ha ha............ha.  I would just dump it in lava and get it over with.

No. My mom has barely any money, so she wouldn't be able to afford another. That is why my brother brought it to that guy instead of taking it to a computer place or whatever.

EDIT: The guy still has my laptop. He says he wouldn't be able to do anything until I get him a charger. There is only one barely working laptop charger in my house and my sister uses it for her laptop. Not to mention the charger is mine. (She broke the other one.)

Tell her to f off and take it back! Be a pastry, have some dough-balls!

[Jack_Bread]

It's actually broken, too. She has to position it just right to get it to work. I'm never going to trust her with a charger, again.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

She broke her laptop charger, her phone charger, and a DS charger. O_o