"Normal"... (PC wonked out)

[w_parietti22]

Tonight our family PC just totally wonked out on us. My dad turned it on and the fans, HD, Optical drives and everything were on but the monitor wouldn't come on and none of the USB ports were working. So then I thought ok, maybe our LCD is messed up so I connected it to my iBook and it worked fine. I tried the keyboard/mouse mouse wireless adapter, that worked too. So then I restarted and it didn't work. Restarted again; nothing. Again, finally worked. Then I was like, "hmmm, that was weird." and he was like "Oh, the motherboard probably just failed or something, no big deal, perfectly normal." and then I walked up stairs and started cracking up. "Normal?" lol. He also said that you have to replace a laptops HD every 2 years or so because it eventually stops working.




I'm not saying that Apple's hardware is perfect and doesnt have its occasional problems but its so funny that people just come to expect this from their computers.

Anyway, I thought it was funny.

 

[TheMonarch]

Heh, thats funny. My PC occasionally decides to do the same thing sometimes. Though, only one 'forced restart' is required.

Other than that, its been pretty good to me

 

[Abstract]

This isn't a matter of WinPCs versus Macs, though. They all use the same basic parts, after all, which means there's a Mac user out there that's experiencing and saying the same thing about their own computer.

 

[robbieduncan]

This isn't a matter of WinPCs versus Macs, though. They all use the same basic parts, after all, which means there's a Mac user out there that's experiencing and saying the same thing about their own computer.

The only major part not shared these days in the motherboard (or in Apple terminology logic board). Apple's are all custom designs specifically for the machine they go in.

That said Apple have had their fair share of logic board issues in the last few years (iBooks especially).

 

[iGav]

I'm not saying that Apple's hardware is perfect and doesnt have its occasional problems but its so funny that people just come to expect this from their computers.

The sad thing is I've come to expect this from my Macs too.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Oh, I dunno. I've had my iMac for five years of relatively heavy use, and no problems.

On the other hand, my sister-in-law changes PCs about every two years. She does have antivirus protection, but nevertheless her PCs bog down and grind to a halt every couple of years. Could be viruses, spyware, or Windows corruption. In any case, she gives or throws away the PC and gets a new one.

(And every time this happens I've urged her to get a Mac. But she's too stubborn and just keeps getting Windows PCs. For her, computer failure is a self-fulfilling prophesy.)

I know that's not the kind of hardware failure you're talking about, but it still demonstrates a big difference between PCs and Macs.

 

[iGary]

Tonight our family PC just totally wonked out on us. My dad turned it on and the fans, HD, Optical drives and everything were on but the monitor wouldn't come on and none of the USB ports were working. So then I thought ok, maybe our LCD is messed up so I connected it to my iBook and it worked fine. I tried the keyboard/mouse mouse wireless adapter, that worked too. So then I restarted and it didn't work. Restarted again; nothing. Again, finally worked. Then I was like, "hmmm, that was weird." and he was like "Oh, the motherboard probably just failed or something, no big deal, perfectly normal." and then I walked up stairs and started cracking up. "Normal?" lol. He also said that you have to replace a laptops HD every 2 years or so because it eventually stops working.




I'm not saying that Apple's hardware is perfect and doesnt have its occasional problems but its so funny that people just come to expect this from their computers.

Anyway, I thought it was funny.

Yeah, Wes - my family just doesn't get it either (although my last episode didn't help my cause). I have 18 neices and nephews, 8 sisters, 5 brother inlaws...the list goes on. They think Macs are toys.

 

[wxboss]

I'll bet you a chocolate chip cookie that the PS is going bad. Get one from CompUsa and stick it in there right away. Check out the USB ports and make sure they work as well as everything else. If that doesn't fix it, take the PS back as they have a 3 day no questions asked return policy.

 

[Rovman]

You know apple use the same parts as PC's right? and they are just as reliable. the only difference is the Logicboard/psu, everything else is standard.

If i remember correctly, the Macbooks use Hitachi harddrives...one of the worst brands out their in terms of reliability, right down there with maxtor.

 

[Makosuke]

You know apple use the same parts as PC's right? and they are just as reliable. the only difference is the Logicboard/psu, everything else is standard.

Entirely true for screens and drives, but motherboard failures are certainly more common on cheap Wintel machines than on an Apple. Obviously Apple machines aren't immune to issues, especially after they come out with a new design, but they do tend to use better parts (I mean little parts--resistors, etc) than budget PC builders, so in general the reliability is better--on par with a decent manufacturer like IBM or HP of old (their build quality went to crap a few years back, and I haven't bought one for the office since). And of course while a hard drive or optical drive is easy to replace, the motherboard is not, even on a Windows box.

If i remember correctly, the Macbooks use Hitachi harddrives...one of the worst brands out their in terms of reliability, right down there with maxtor.

Depends entirely on what drive you select, and even then it could vary--Apple uses multiple suppliers. My MBP, for example, has a Momentus 7200.1, and of the last two desktop Macs I bought personally one had an IBM (a deathstar, in fact, which did indeed die) and the next a Maxtor.

Also, so far as I know (and the StorageReview reliability database confirms) Hitachi's reliability has improved significantly since that fiasco that caused IBM to split the division with them.

 

[Nate4747]

You know apple use the same parts as PC's right? and they are just as reliable. the only difference is the Logicboard/psu, everything else is standard.

If i remember correctly, the Macbooks use Hitachi harddrives...one of the worst brands out their in terms of reliability, right down there with maxtor.

Don't even get people started on Maxtor...

I do agree that it's funny what most people expect from a computer. Local computer shops around here make a KILLING performing "tune-ups" where they just re install the OS and such other things.

 

[p0intblank]

Ironically my PowerBook's drive just needed replacing because it failed. It's all good, though, because this one is bigger and faster!