Morning Job: Student Beasty PC
In a busy computer shop, the morning came.
First job of the day.
An almost complete strip and rebuild of a student beasty PC.
Initial report:
- Failure to boot
- No graphics output
The machine had a hefty graphics card and a low-power PSU.
This pointed to a possible power supply failure or regulation issue.
First step.
A swift graphics card swap to rule out the expensive card.
Phew.
All good.
Next thought.
BIOS corruption.
The avid student owner knew a thing or two about tuning and overclocking.
My spider sense tingled.
Quick BIOS / RTC reset via the motherboard pins.
Booted instantly.
Lesson of the day:
When we tweak motherboard-level settings, BIOS lock-ups and crashes are the price we pay for hot-rodding our computers.
It’s worth knowing how to reset your:
- BIOS
- CMOS
- RTC
(or whatever it chooses to call itself)
Check the user guide for your motherboard model.
You’ll find it hidden away in there somewhere.
Sometimes it’s easy.
A tiny button on the rear panel.
Other times it’s hidden and fiddly.
Power, Wiring & Dust
With diagnosis complete, it was time to sort the power issues and wiring loom.
Unfortunately, the case design was flawed.
The CPU power connector was clamped under the motherboard.
This meant almost full disassembly.
Just to swap the power supply.
Since the engine was out:
- All airways were cleared of dust
- Ready for a cleaner rebuild
Upgrades and fixes:
- Upgraded PSU installed
- Broken SATA lead replaced
- Well-worn case fan replaced
- Wiring loom tidied for easier future servicing
Sorted.
Midday Job: “Manual” Printing
Next job.
Some “manual” printing for a client.
Details:
- PDFs received via email ✔️
- A4
- Double-sided (save a tree or two) ✔️
- Black & white ✔️
- 122 prints
Sorted.
Afternoon Job: Laptop & Cards
Well into the afternoon.
A client popped in after enquiring about laptops and card printing.
The choice was made.
A lovely refurbished Dell Latitude.
For a hard-working apprentice.
We chatted about course requirements.
Laptop set up and ready for action on Christmas Day.
Bonus task.
Cards printed while chatting laptops.
Sorted.
Final Job: Canvas Print
Last job of the day.
A lovely canvas print for a lovely client.
A gift for a lovely mate.
The client is currently laid up with a busted ankle.
No chance to pop in.
Originally planned as a New Year gift.
But Bluesdigital Elves worked their magic.
Delivery arranged for Christmas Eve.
Photo received via email.
Slightly wonky.
Fixes applied:
- Perspective adjusted
- Straightened
- Edges cleaned up
- Mellow border added
- Upscaled to 300dpi
Ready for the printing press.
🍜 End of Day
Hungry Elf needs noodles.