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TINY Computers

PNnewbie
Rising Star
Posts: 318
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎04-07-2008

TINY Computers

Hi,
Wonder if there's anyone on here who is familiar with TINY computers?    A friend of my daughter has one and it won't boot up.  TINY have apparently disappeared, though from what I gather their Customer Service was abysmal anyway.
I suspect this is a hardware problem, maybe the graphics card?
On switch on the TINY appears to run, lights appear on the front and I can hear the hard drive whirring but I get the usual error message on the monitor to the effect that there is nothing connected.  Now I know the monitor is OK as I use it with another machine.  Occasionally the monitor power light changes colour to green which indicates it is getting a signal but nothing appears on screen.  Sometimes the screen will flash briefly, that's all.  I was going to try the graphic card in my DELL but the pin-outs are different.
I have plumbed the TINY's hard drive to another machine and managed to rescue most of the documents/photos. 
I can supply model no's etc if that would help.  I did look for a TINY forum on the 'net but no luck.
Anyone with any ideas?
Oh yes, I don't hear any POST beeps when the TINY starts up...if that helps.
10 REPLIES 10
Luzern
Hero
Posts: 4,823
Thanks: 872
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: TINY Computers

FWIW Time bought them
No one has to agree with my opinion, but in the time I have left a miracle would be nice.
PNnewbie
Rising Star
Posts: 318
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎04-07-2008

Re: TINY Computers

So I gather, I think a company called Granville was involved at one time as well...
Suppose they went under when there were no longer big bucks to be made selling PC's.
dick:quote
MauriceC
Resting Legend
Posts: 4,085
Thanks: 929
Fixes: 17
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: TINY Computers

To attempt an answer to the original question:
I'd guess that if it's a TIME computer it is at least 3 years old (possibly more) so all sorts of failures are possible and not easily diagnosable.
Try taking the lid off and giving the Fans and the interior a good clean up (preferably take it outside as it can be very messy!)  Now take a look at the RAM and processor to see if they are well seated; try swapping the power supply in case one of the supply voltages have failed.  With no 'beeps' it could well be the processor - so be prepared to just bin it and buy a new one, trying to get it fixed may not be cost effective unless you have a friend with a suitable supply of bits (and time?)
Maurice

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

PNnewbie
Rising Star
Posts: 318
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎04-07-2008

Re: TINY Computers

Maurice - thanks for that.
I've given it a bit of a clean, taken the RAM out and re-seated it, also tried it in another machine so I know that's OK.
I might be able to swop power supplies over, using one from an old machine I have here.  Hopefully they should be interchangeable.
The TINY is probably ~5 years old, seems a nice enough machine, floppy drive, card reader, two optical disc drives, DVB tv tuner etc so I'm loth to tell the lady to bin it but I suspect some parts may be unique to TINY so could be that's the way it will go.
Ah well...
MauriceC
Resting Legend
Posts: 4,085
Thanks: 929
Fixes: 17
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: TINY Computers

Most of the TINY brand were cheap and cheerful - Quality components was an alien concept to them?  If all else fails, you could try a Mother board transplant - items of that vintage should be available fairly cheaply, but you may have problems re-installing all of the software.  Do you have the original recovery discs available?
I binned all that I had some years back, so that I could reasonably reject the challenge to fix another one Cheesy
Maurice

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

artificer
Grafter
Posts: 1,850
Registered: ‎11-08-2007

Re: TINY Computers

might be as easy as renewing the mobo battery.
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: TINY Computers

Given the symptoms, it is much more likely to be the graphics card than any other fault.
PNnewbie
Rising Star
Posts: 318
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎04-07-2008

Re: TINY Computers

Thanks for all the input - I'm clutching at straws so any ideas are welcome!
MauriceC - yes I gather TINY were not renowned for their quality...  I checked with the owner and she cannot find the restore discs - isn't that always the case!  I managed to connect the TINY hard drive to another machine I have here and rescued some files so the hard drive itself seems ok.  In any event I would expect something relating to POST to appear on screen before Windows runs so I'm assuming the h/drive is ok - so hopefully won't be needing the back up discs.
Artificer - I re-set the BIOS and checked the battery - not too sure if this would have caused this problem - but the battery is OK.
ReedRichards - I initially suspected the graphics card as well, it's an FX5200LP for what it's worth.  The only thing that makes me suspect something else is that I don't hear a beep as the machine boots up - I thought that was normal in all machines?  That being the case the problem could be cpu/motherboard?
Patience is just beginning to run a bit thin now but I would like to know what the problem is - even if by then the owner has gone and bought a new one!  Smiley
Not applicable

Re: TINY Computers

Your post struck a cord having had years of struggling with a friend's Tiny computer as she refused to get another one.
Your patience is wearing thin - mine wore out altogether and I flatly refused to do any more with it.
Consequently she has had to buy another and now has a nice new Acer desktop.
It's annoying not to know what the problem is but having had too many frustrating hours with my friend's machine my advice is to bin it and forget it.
Ask her to start over with a decent computer.
PNnewbie
Rising Star
Posts: 318
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎04-07-2008

Re: TINY Computers

Thanks for that poppy.
You're right of course, the obvious thing to do is to kick it into touch and move on.
I've always had a problem in that if anything electronic comes my way that is not functioning properly I just 'have' to find out what's wrong - even if I chuck it away afterwards - a kind of sickness I suppose.
The owner has been pricing new machines so she'll probably invest in a new one - and hopefully NOT give me the TINY or I'm going to start gnawing at it again like a dog with a bone!!!
As a final stab I may change the power supply with another I've got in the garage - just in case tho' I'm clutching at straws - then if I inherit the stupid thing I'll strip it for parts.