Yet another computer problem

My webserver, the one sitting on my left, supporting a heavy 17inch monitor, has been exhibiting signs of failure. I suspect my power supply but it could be the motherboard or something else. Too many possibilities.


Firstly, the CPU fan started making loud noise. I’m using XDream, it comes with a knob where I can adjust the fan speed. I’ve set it to low speed in favour of silence. But now, it’s running at full speed for no reason and I have no idea what’s wrong.


Then one of the harddisk started failing. A slow 3.2GB harddisk I’m using to store window’s pagefile and php session files. I wonder if this is the reason I cannot login to my blog to make entries from there. The session isn’t initiated and I get booted to the login page when I click on my “Write New Entry” link. I’m currently writing this entry from phpMyAdmin (a web app used to manage MySQL database with ease) which surprisingly, is working fine.


I hope the new 250GB/500GB harddisks come cheap. I intend to get 2 of them, mirror raid and then replace my 2 remaining PATA harddisks on my main machine with these SATA ones to store my anime video files and MP3s. Currently 390GB and running very low on free space. The old PATA harddisks will be used on my webserver as scratchdisks and filestorage.


I have too much rubbish in very little space. Makes it hard to troubleshoot my webserver. I have to remove various objects and carry the heavy monitor off. Unplug the keyboards and stuff and carry out the heavy machine.


2 options available to me. Build a low budget PC to replace this one or troubleshoot. Hmm… I miss the smell of fresh new computer hardware.


Update: Just as I suspected, the 3GB harddisk I used to store windows’ pagefile, php session files, php error logfiles died. I didn’t bother to check cos I was busy mining away in FFXI until when I tried to play an audio CD, I discovered that harddisk went missing together with my CD Rom drive.


Reconfigured php to store the session files in another harddisk. Already moved pagefile away a few days when the symptons start to appear. Did a reboot, both devices did not return. A cold reboot and my CD Rom drive returned. But not the harddisk.


And coincidentally, my CPU fan went back to spinning at low speeds.


Update 2: Perhaps this is something I can do with the dead harddisk [XD].

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