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8051.

Solve : stumped on sata?

Answer»

Good day,

I had posted a prob a few weeks back and this is the continuum. Its abt my sata drive, a Samsung 500Gb which came with the machine i bought almost 3mos back.  Tried partitioning it for the first time and the drive 'died out' in the process, bios wont even detect it. Replaced it with an older IDE HDD which worked fine until lately.
When this ide failed, I tried connecting the 'dead' samsung sata and it's apparently alive again, being DETECTED by bios and all (which wasnt the case before). I was using it for a lil while then it died out again. i tried reconnecting the signal cable, and used another available hdd power cable (guessing it could be FAULTY power cable) and it worked again. Also pulled out all the cables of both the ide and cd drive, so the sata is the only active drive.
based on this, what could possibly be the prob: power supply or hdd itself? Just wanna know ur opinions before i decide heading back to the shop where i bought the pc for replacement.

i have intel 2core e660 on G41D3C, RATED 600W psu. Feedback would be highly appreciated Replace both STA cables 1st... Power and dat cables...use new ones.
If it's the only HDD in the system connesct it to the SATA #1 port on the MBoard...
Assuming it failed on you and there's no crucial data on it boot to the partition software CD you used...delete and re-create the partition and then format it....
2nd post the make of that PSU if you still suspect it as the issue...i didn't find any info on that #...

LET us know...
BTW if you need Easus has a Free ver. of their partition manager app if needed... Quote from: patio on November 02, 2011, 03:41:04 PM

Replace both STA cables 1st... Power and dat cables...use new ones.
If it's the only HDD in the system connesct it to the SATA #1 port on the MBoard...
Assuming it failed on you and there's no crucial data on it boot to the partition software CD you used...delete and re-create the partition and then format it....
2nd post the make of that PSU if you still suspect it as the issue...i didn't find any info on that #...

Let us know...
BTW if you need Easus has a Free ver. of their partition manager app if needed...

ok, i'll do just that when i get home. But i remembered putting the plug back to sata1 port after it died out a second time connected via sata2 for some time. Also connected it to another power cabling at the same time. I'll leave it to work overnight later.
i also cant find the psu brand name, so i guess it's a generic one; since it is a custom made machine.I have found that sometimes SATA cables don't make a tight enough fit on the hard drive or motherboard.  You can tighten them with a thin piece of paper or plastic slipped behind the connector.  I use the Post-It plastic page markers, cut to fit.  I have a motherboard & a hard drive that exhibit this behavior.  Sometimes a different cable will work.Thank u for the suggestions. Did every tip and now i im running simultaneously two sata and two ide; all passed overnight testings. The satas needed the cable with snap on clips and taped em secure just to be double sure. Im still observing if the sata hdd sustained damage from those times it died out.

Much gratitude, keep on HELPING Good news...keep us posted...
Discussion
8052.

Solve : will not boot - stumped?

Answer»

i can not boot from my hard disk.
1. it registers ok ( from what i can tell ) in bios ok.
2. it gets to verifing dmi pool, and stops.
3. i tried another hard disk ( both it and problem win 2000 ) it boots ok
4. as slave drive, with alternate hard disk as master, , i can access the drive.
5. with a disk editor, partition sector looks ok.
6. made modification to partition boot to jump directly to missing operating system. still hangs , no
message displayed.
it seems like if it ever tried loading the partition sector, i should have seen that message, so unless i
am missing SOMETHING about the boot process, it seems it NEVER gets around to reading the disk. but
if so, why not ? seems like if the bios was mis-set, it would not be able to be read when mounted as
the slave drive. what am i missing here ?

drive is western digital WD800JB. OS ( if it matters ) is win 2000 sp4. MB is nforce3-a. A hard drive can be perfectly normal but still not bookable. The recovery console in Windows XP has two files to fix his.
FIXMBR
FIXBOOT
You have Windows 2000, which has fix-up programs with the same name. But they are different.
To get to the recovery console, you have to boot the Windows install CD and find then option to use the recovery console.

(Vista and Windows 7 are different.)thanks, i already knew about those, but there did not seem to be much point, as it never loaded
either the MBR or the boot sector. i got desperate, and tried it, and fixboot fixed it !
the boot sector still looks the same, so i am wondering what got fixed ? does windows have PROTECTED
or read-only sectors, or am i thinking about some old system ?
i am happy to get back my disk, but this is going to bother me until i figure out what happened !
This forum helps with practical problems. As to how and why Windows does things, it is hard to say Witherspoon source code. Looking at the machine code is of little value unless you can get a very broad viewing what happens at boot time.

Years ago a I made a very simple boot loader for a Floppy controller  I made. Others in the company could not understand how it worked because I neglected to document it. When they asked me, I was able to provide and answer immediate, because I was the designer of the hardware and firmware. and software loader. And that system was much, much simpler that Windows or DOS.

The point is, without an official explanation of how it works, everybody just makes a guess as to how it works.

What tools don you use to examine the boot sequence? To really see what happens you have to have special equipment tat logs every instruction execution. This is a hardware debugger the runs in real-time. The average user doesn't have one of them thar whatchamacallit.
i did it the way we did things before there were such things as hardware debuggers ; i made a small
modification in the boot loader so it would jump and display the "missing operating system" message,
if it ever actually ran it. since it never displayed it ( or anything else for that matter ), i could tell it never
made it to loading and executing the code.

the way i modified the partition sector was with a home brew program using createfile and normal
read and writes. that turned out to be the cause ; it reads writes the data ok, but it seems to do
something ( to the sector ? ), so it doesn't seem load at boot time. and the bios seems to be too
dumb to output a message to indicate what is happening. but it reads and writes fine, so it took
a while to realize that I had somehow caused it. that is the problem with doing this stuff on your
own ; you occasionally get hoist on your own petard !

i remember something about protected or read-only sectors, but i don't remember if that was even this
platform or an old trs-80 thing. can't find anything on the net so far about it. it seems though, like there is
something about the sector that got changed other than the data itself, so it could be read and written by
my simple efforts. but that messed it up at boot.

what is "Witherspoon source code" by the way ?
A Reece Witherspoon movie trailer perhaps ? ?What HomeBrew method did you use to modify things ? ?a c++ mfc program. basically, i opened the device using createfile, read in the sector, made a change, then wrote
it back, then closed the device. the program also has a hex display & code for moving around and MAKING modifications to the disk. it is a work in progress, although, i have to do some research now why it doesn't
seem to write the partition sector quite right.

this is all done on Win 2000. i don't think this will work anymore for later OS's, but it's what i have ( and
can afford ). for that matter, it is debatable if it works completely now, since i'm pretty sure it is what
made the boot partition not load.

i was stalled out because i want scrolling, as 32 bit scrollbars and 64 bit sized hard disks don't mix. i was
possibly going to write my own scrolling, but it looks like i probably have to go back and rework the basic
disk i/o instead. or learn to live with a disk editor that can't do the partition sector.

Quote

Witherspoon source code
My metaphor has caused confusion.  Witherspoon stars in the move 'Source Code.'

Sorry, did not want this to become a movie review. Great movie. If you like far out. Has a cleaver ending.

What I meant was that it is hard to know what a windows program really does unless you are really deep into it with extreme tools.  Some, eave all, BIOS calls can be intercepted by the OS. To workaround this, software engineers have things that hackers only dream about.

Don't be surprised that things do not work as you might expect down at the very low machine level code that could potentially alter the OS.

However, you now have the OS working normally?
yes, after i ran fixboot, it came right back.
Quote from: alexlauf on October 31, 2011, 07:13:23 PM
yes, after i ran fixboot, it came right back.
Do you mean fixbnoot worked and later you did a reboot and windows 2000 did not come up? Did you get a specific error message or just a black screen?

Have you used the WD HDD diagnostic program?
http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=606 Quote from: alexlauf on October 31, 2011, 02:29:40 PM
i was stalled out because i want scrolling, as 32 bit scrollbars and 64 bit sized hard disks don't mix.

instead of setting the scrollbar min/max and value properties directly to the hard disk size, use a scaled value, so that it fits within the scroll bar range.

Also, regarding your writing to the boot sector, remember that while reads from a physical device work in a buffered manner, usually you'll need to use FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING in the call to CreateFile() in order to be able to properly write the sector data to disk. Also, when you are doing direct disk I/O, you have to seek, read, and write in multiples of the sector size of the device, and on sector boundaries. you'll need to be using DeviceIoControl() with IOCTL_DISK_GET_DRIVE_GEOMETRY to get the bytes per sector, sectors per track, number of sectors, etc. so you can compute the size of the  buffer you need to use.


i thought it was clear from the various postings, but, here it is the full sequence.

1. was working with my home brew program to edit hard disks. i used it on my boot sector. it seemed ok.
2. later when i re-booted ( quite a while, this thing runs for days sometimes ), it would not come up.
got to the verifying dmi pool message, and it stopped there. no extra beeps or messages.
3. tried to figure out problem, including things like swapping disks, changing bios settings. one thing i tried
was i modified the boot to display a message if it loaded, not realizing the disk editor was probably the
cause of the problem ( i had forgotten using it before the crash ).
4. no message resulted from above so i concluded it was not loading the boot sector. at this point i was
stumped. did not see any point in trying to fix the boot sector, since the data itself was ok. i then tried
this forum for help.
5. was told to try recovery console fixmbr and fixboot.
6. my initial thought was phooey! since the data was ok, what was the point of trying to fix it ? but i got
desperate enough to try it.
7. i ran fixboot. then i rebooted.
8. that fixed the machine. it booted after that.
9. my conclusion is i had done it to myself, and my program does something to the sector / disk that
i have not currently figured out.


about the program itself;
1. "instead of setting the scrollbar min/max ... use a scaled value" - i thought of that, but i do want it to
be 1-1, 1 byte to 1 click. otherwise, just mapping 1 scroll unit to 1 sector, 512 / sector, i could get to
either 1 or 2 TB sizes ( i forget if scrollbars are signed or unsigned right now ). that would probably be
enough, if that was what i wanted.
2. as for seek, multiples of sector size, boundrys, , devicei/o, etc, i did all that, with the exception of the "FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING" flag. i assumed it flushed everything on closing. other than the central
mystery involving the boot sector, it seems to do ok. might not be a bad idea to put it in, if i keep using
this method. but unless i figure out what is going on with writing the boot sector, i might have to find
another way to do it.WOW! You are a BRAVE soul! 
You have already verified and tested hour code on other drives? Specifically, have you tried much smaller, much oder drives with more 'conventional' drive geometry?
Part of the problem is the definition of hard drive sector location is still haunted by the legacy definitions that go back to IBM's old ideas about how you find a lotion on the hard drive.  I think I used to know what that was, but strains my brain trying to remember how it goes.

EDIT: The link below is just none of many, many references to the headache of sector translation. The problem never went away.
 Likely you are aware of it.
http://www.dewassoc.com/kbase/hard_drives/resolving_drive_barriers.htm
The 512 byte sector no longer exists. Not on large hard drives.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_sectorit has been tried on 3 drives so far, an 80 GB ( the one i crashed ), a 500 GB, and a 340 GB that i am trying
to diagnose a file system problem with. i have no plans for anyone else to use it, so i don't need to be
really rigorous with the testing. basically it works, until it fails, then i fix it.

if i stay with sector boundrys and sector sizes ( the one reported to me by DeviceIoControl ) it seems to
work ok, other than that #$#%^ boot sector. i suspect that it would work on any drive the OS can handle.

i just seek to ( sector size ) * ( assumed sector number ), and it finds it. none of that stuff with no sector 0,
which track is it, or any of that. using createfile and treating it like just another file, a lot of that sector location junk gets handled by the OS. it really doesn't matter what real sector i am in, as long as the same call to seek can put it on the same spot consistantly. the drive might translate sectors around, but if it is transparent to
the OS, i don't really care what it is doing either. after all, the whole point of an OS is to make it easier to
work with the thing, not to send our money to microsoft. let windows do all the dirty work. i'll worry about
cases where windows can't deal with it, when it happens.

earlier on, i wanted absolute control over which sector, track, head i was at, but the point of this thing is
drive exploration at the level the OS sees, so i went with the easiest course. later, if i get into any deep
drive work, where it matters exactly what track, sector, head i am at, i might tackle that again.

i have heard 512 no longer exists, but if the OS is happy thinking it is still 512, i can work with it. i
go with whatever it thinks it is using.

i'm not so much brave, as old. i used to write low level format assembly programs for my trash-80. and
in those days low level was LOW LEVEL. if i could overcome my AADD long enough to learn write a kernal
mode program, i'd be working with the drive controler for this stuff, instead of having windows do the work. .

of course, if i could do that, i'd get myself up to date, and get a good computer job somewhere too.

by the way, how does this forum assign levels ? i could have sworn i picked something higher than noobie ?
my knowledge may be scattered and piecemeal, but i've been around the track a few times. or was that
reflecting experience with this forum ?
Discussion
8053.

Solve : Connecting two PC towers?

Answer»

Hello

I have a new WIN 7 PC tower and an older XP PC tower and would like to connect them up if possible. The older tower has about 500 spare GB on him and a CD RW drive which this new fella doesn't have. Can I share their resources? Could I access the CD RW drive on my 'grandad' PC from my newer 'baby 'PC'?

How is it best to connect them (they are only about 8-feet apart). Both PCs have different windows passwords.

Thanks

High1
DVD/CD drives are about $25.  Routers are about $50.
Why go through the effort of trying to share a CD drive on another computer?You'd be able to network the 2 together and using remote DESKTOP, access the older PC, giving you full control of both PCs from a single monitor, keyboard and mouse.  You can also network share the resources for optical drive and hard drive space.  You'd need a network hub and 3 ethernet cables (one of which connects to your home hub/ router, which would assign static IP addresses across your network.Thanks for your replies.

Yes, I suppose I could undo my new tower and install a Rewritable CD drive (if there is the space inside), but I think I prefer the option of networking the two together. I am not sure why I would need to use Remote Desktop, though - wouldn't the older PC (XP) just act as a kind of external hard drive?

And I am unsure about three ethernet cables? One cable to connect the two towers together and another to connect the old tower to the screen? Isn't that all?

Thanks again for your time.Three ethernet cables; you would need 2 at most just to get basic connectivity to both of them using a switch/router. Howver if you are wanting internet connectivity on both you will need to also connect an ethernet cable from the ADSL/Cable modem present in the house.

If there is no internet present at all (Which obviously isn't the case as you are posting here) you could also get away with just using a single crossover ethernet cable.

Honestly though, a DVD/RW is very cheap in comparison to the hardware you would be purchasing just to get to the other CD/RW and the storage. (which Computer_Commando has stated already) Also, you would only be abel to read CD's from the old machine. You won't be able to burn a CD from your maching over the network, you would still have to transfer the data to the old machine then burn it from that machine. Furthermore and game CDs won't register the game cd as being present if it asks for it because the disk has to be present locally, not over a network.Since your MACHINES are only 8' apart, and you don't seem to have a problem running a cable between them, a wired router is your best solution.  Some name brand wired routers are as little as $25.  That plus a DVD/CD drive is by far your best long term and  most flexible solution. Quote

Since your machines are only 8' apart, and you don't seem to have a problem running a cable between them, a wired router is your best solution.  Some name brand wired routers are as little as $25.  That plus a DVD/CD drive is by far your best long term and  most flexible solution.

OK, thanks, but how does that WORK? I have a broadband cable/wireless router at the moment (I don't use the wireless facility). So I need another router that the old PC connects to? And then, through the router I connect the two PCs? Surely I need an ethernet cable to connect the two machines? Sorry for my naivete - never done it before.

I do not need to connect the old PC to the Internet and I have only one screen. I just WANTED to be able to access the drives and files on my old PC through my new one and to see them on this one screen.

I will think about a RW/CD later.

Thanks.If you have a combination cable modem/wireless router, check to see if it doesn't have a couple of RJ45 jacks on it.  If it does, all you need is two ethernet cables from those jacks to each computer and your in business.

Otherwise you will need wireless adapters for each computer.Oh, right. thanks a lot. Yes there are spare sockets on the router. I'll try it.
Discussion
8054.

Solve : Building a new computer ( Help me ^__^ )?

Answer»

Well this is my first time building a computer and it's pretty exciting.

I was wondering if you could tell me if everything should be compatible from my choice of items?

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
CASE: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119225
MotherBoard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128510
Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314
CPU Cooling fan: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

and the rest of the parts i'm just gonna take from my old computer and attach em in the case.
If you are able to recommend me BETTER and cheaper products please do.

I ALREADY have:
The Graphics CARD / Video card
Power supply
HDD

so I wouldn't need to purchase those items.. Anyways leave your suggestions and if there's something wrong with my build do tell
You won't be able to PUT an i5-2500K into an AMD chipset board. You might want to consider this board:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131730R
The Z68 series are the at the top of the Intel chipset hierarchy, just like the AMD 990X chipset is at the top of the AMD line.
What do you want to primarily use your PC for? Video Editing, Gaming, General use, etc.
If you want to upgrade your graphics card I want to recommend the nVidia GTX 550 Ti-much cheaper($100 in some cases)than, say, the GTX 460 and performs ~20% better.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127577
MSI N550GTX-Ti
http://www.hwcompare.com/9692/geforce-gtx-460-vs-geforce-gtx-550-ti/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=100006676&isNodeId=1&Description=GTX+460&x=0&y=0
GTX 460 Prices.

You can take a look at the links below:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-2500K+%40+3.30GHz
The i5-2500K provides one of the best price/performance ratios of any CPU on the MARKET.
Discussion
8055.

Solve : RAM crashing computer, this is probably simple fix.?

Answer»

Hey guys, I could use some help with my RAM.  It is 1600mhz, but if I have the speed set at 1600mhz in the bios and boot up, my computer will turn off and restart when playimg a game for a few minutes.  However if I set the speed to 1333mhz it will never crash.

I did some experimenting with the RAM's voltage.  The BIOS lets you set it on auto or between 1.3v and 2.05v, the numbers turn red at 1.7v. If I set it at 1.5v it would crash at startup, at 1.6 it crashed on desktop doing nothing, and at 1.65 it crashed during game.  I figure the auto setting adjusts the voltage, but maxes it at 1.65, in the blue numbers.

My MOBO says it supports up to like 2400Mhz or something like that.  It does not however list this particular MODEL of Ram as compatable.

So I think this is a voltage issue, and I would like to know if I should go beyond the 1.65v and into the red, and what the risks of doing that are.  I would like to be able to use all 1600mhz of my 1600mhz RAM.  This has a bigger difference than you would think on speed because my CPU has an integrated graphics card on the die and it uses system memory.

CPU:   AMD A8-3850 APU with Radeon HD Graphics 2.9Ghz
RAM:   Kingston HyperX 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model KHX1600C9D3/4G (2Dimms)
MOBO:   ASRock A75M-HVS
OS:   7 premium

ThanksI am thinking it may be a heat issue. Have you checked the temp of your ram?I don't think i have a RAM heat checker thing, although that could be the answer, sometimes it shows artificats, but not often  Oh, and I forgot to mention I'm not REALLY computer smart, sure I built it, but thats about as far as it goes.New BIOSs usually have a place where you can read the temps. If you cant find this, then download speedfan. Just google it for download.I'll download it but won't have access to the problem computer till Monday actually, so i'll try it then.  What are the temperature ranges RAM should have?Not sure why RAM temps are being focused on here...

Use SpeedFan...

Run the utility and post a screenshot of all it finds. Quote

What are the temperature ranges RAM should have?

For CPUs, max at about 70C

For RAM, more around 60C.

Quote
Use SpeedFan...

Already been stated.i've never seen the cpu over 55 or the mobo over 50, using the software that came with the mobo. those are the only 2 temps it shows. Quote
i've never seen the cpu over 55 or the mobo over 50

Hmm. That seems normal. You said it occurs during games. From my experience, the hardware most likely to fail in a computer, is the graphics card (especially NEWER ones). You should also do a video card benchmark when the RAM is set to the lower speed and see if you can still get it to crash. If so, then you have DETERMINED that the problem is most likely the video card. Download FurMark and run a stability test on the machine when you have access to it. Leave it on for a good 20mins at least and see if it crashes.I've ran it at 800mhz before and you can see a big difference in performance, but it doesn't crash, nor does it crash at 1333 or 1412mhz (I have it a little overclocked right now so i can get a little more than 1333mhz without it failing, if I have it OC'ed from 1333 to like 1466mhz it will fail, but not 1333 to 1412).  technically its not overclocking because the RAM is 1600mhz though, but it fails at that.Ok, but I think you should still give FurMark a try.I ran furmark with the two presets and one with 1080, 8x aa, and all the options save dynamic camera.  I also ran a burn test with the same setting as the custom for an hour.  The gpu temp rose to 36C after 2 minutes, then stayed there for the next hour.

I really think the problem is with the DRAM Voltage, as the computer is only a few months OLD and this has been an issue since the beggining, along with the other clues I have said, and what I want to know is if I should raise the DRAM Voltage to above 1.65 volts, and if so to how high.  Or if there is another fix of course.
Discussion
8056.

Solve : Picking computer for graphic design?

Answer»

Hello, Im hoping some of you can give me some advice. I USED to be a graphic designer and am trying to get back into it. So, i need a new computer. I want something with a reasonable graphics card and a fast enough processor. I wont be working on huge files just something that can handle photoshop, illustrator, indesign really. CS5 mostly. Ive got a budget of £500, so have narrowed it down to two:

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.212-3243.aspx
or
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop...r_p6740uk.html

Id appreciate your advice, i dont know much about hardware!
Thanks
Lisa Quote from: lisa78 on November 08, 2011, 04:50:31 AM

... Ive got a budget of £500, so have narrowed it down to two:

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.212-3243.aspx
or
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop...r_p6740uk.html
...
2nd link is broken.
However, any modern computer will adequately handle the tasks you have specified.
Be advised, if you are planning on using any of your old software, it might not run natively on Win7 HP (64-bit).  In fact, it may not run at all.  Win7 HP will run 32-bit programs.Thanks for the reply.

This is the other link sainsburys must of moved it in the night!

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop/technology/computing_and_gaming/desktop_pcs_and_monitors/121686424_hp_desktop_tower_p6740uk.html

I hadnt thought of the problem of moving software!  I know my mac software wont work but i have adobe suite on my vista laptop.  Will this work ok with windows 7?

THANK you
LisaOn examining the reviews of the 2 options that you have given us to compare a coupe of things pop out at me that may or may not be of future concern to you. The 1st computer offers "blue-ray" in the optical dept. the 2nd does not. Blue-ray technology is more sharp and offers more features over dvd and may give you more graphics options. However that tower has very limited internal open card ports which might be a limitation if you found a need for adding additional hardware. Now whether that would be future concern remains to be seen as with 6 usb ports that becomes an alternative for hardware attachments. Both seem to have similar memory/hardrive/and graphics cards. It is just a suspicion on my part but i cannot help but think for the price you have indicated i believe you can do better than the 2 you have presented to us. If your not in a big rush i suggest you do some more research in that area. Does Tiger Direct exist as a purchasing option for you? truenorthI agree with Truenorth. I'm not being funny, but if I were a graphic designer I wouldn't be buying my computer from either Sainsbury's or Tesco. For non-Brits, these stores are supermarkets. I get my olive oil and pasta from Sainsbury's and my beer, milk, and bread from Tesco. It's a bit like saying "I want to be a racing driver and I've got £5,000 to spend so that narrows it down to an 03 reg Skoda Fabia or maybe a Mondeo".I'm in the UK and I recommend looking at ebuyer.com, dabs.com, misco.co.uk or overclockers.co.uk to buy a PC - Overclockers do custom built PCs whereas the others sell brand name PCs such as HP but at much better prices than highstreet stores.Thank you truenorth and camerongray.  If you think i could get better for that price i will KEEP looking.  No, unfortunately im in scotland so couldnt get from tiger direct.  Thanks for the uk sites, im away to check them out.  I appreciate your advice
Lisa
PS Salmon Trout, i bought my last imac from tesco direct, it was on OFFER.  I dont know why you think its strange to buy from a supermarket, im just looking for the best price!!
Discussion
8057.

Solve : my laptop is not able to find my hard disk?

Answer»

hi there
My laptop used to heat very much and was very very slow most of the time. then i installed Windows 7 professional before that cheked if there is some  services that never goes off and tried to uninstall unwanted sotwares and stop porocesses.

then, formated my HDD using Win 98. and wen i try to install XP sp3 it can not detect any hard disk to MAKE it as primary or bootable parttion. what i can do? plz help.

I have got Compaq PRESARIO...with samsung hdd 250GB
RAM-2GB.
WHEN I TRY TO PUT WIN98 it displays a error message that "Resident programs are there in Config.sys and autoexec.bat" and displays its safe to shutdown your computer........

cheers
Vikranthi there
My laptop used to heat very much and was very very slow most of the time. then i installed Windows 7 professional before that cheked if there is some  services that never goes off and tried to uninstall unwanted sotwares and stop porocesses.

then, formated my HDD using Win 98. and wen i try to install XP sp3 it can not detect any hard disk to make it as primary or bootable parttion. what i can do? plz help.

I have got Compaq presario...with samsung hdd 250GB
RAM-2GB.
WHEN I TRY TO PUT WIN98 it displays a error message that "Resident programs are there in Config.sys and autoexec.bat" and displays its safe to shutdown your computer........

cheers
Vikrant
I used to have an odd Windows Server 2003 setup disc that was unable to detect Fujitsu SATA hard drives for some REASON. Have you tried using another setup disc besides the Windows 98 disc to format the drive? Is your drive detected in the BIOS? Would it be possible to take the drive out, connect to another computer, and do a low-level format on it? http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool/
Discussion
8058.

Solve : Hard drive partition with clean?

Answer»

Okay, long explanation. I have a Windows 98 SE that I dug out of the dumpster. It came with no installation disk or anything else. My hard drive has gotten full, and the previous user clearly partitioned the hard drive. I got a completely empty hard drive with no OS on it (20 GB), and I want to use that, but I can't find a way to install an OS on it. Can anyone help me?Whatever OS you want to install on it you will need the install CD and a valid keycode.From a Bing search
Windows 98 SE (Full PRODUCT)
$42.95 - $128.89 (2 STORES)

That maybe why it was in the dumpster w/o the CD. The original CD WOULD be worth more that the old PC.

You could use it as a print server with Linux. But LEAVING it on 24/7 will run up your electric bill. Many Linux distros are free. Windows you pay for.Or you can install the new hard drive as a slave and clone the old one USING a free clone tool such as Clonezilla, then make the newly cloned drive the master.
Discussion
8059.

Solve : High Resolution Laptop Monitor?

Answer»

I am trying to find the laptop that has the highest RESOLUTION MONITOR. UTILIZATION would be for medical viewing, CT, MRI etc. 2 megapixel is acceptable but would prefer 3 megapixel. RECOMMENDATIONS?Get a Ma c Bock Pro with 17" LCD screen. 

Thanks.
Discussion
8060.

Solve : Turning off monitor?

Answer»

Hi everyone.
I wonder if there is a way to turn of my laptop monitor while watching the television when it is connected to the computer?  I am using an Acer ASPIRE 5517 with Windows 7.
Thanks.That should be one of the Fn keys thing.
Is there a key with the LETTERS Fn on it?
Lock for a mate for it that turns off the LCD.In windows 7 there is a very simple way to do this function and it will GIVE you MULTIPLE choices for how the video will be displayed. It is the "windows" key and the "P' key on your keyboard. With your laptop turned on and a cable connection between the computer and the CHOSEN (available) input port on the TV (or 2nd monitor) depress the 2 keys mentioned. The choices available will be presented on your laptop screen. Here is an article i found for you that explains how to do it plus what options are available. For audio transfer you will need a cable to connect from the audio output of the laptop to the audio input of the tv.  I use it often. truenorth
http://blogs.win7deployment.com/clintongarbutt/2009/07/windows-key-p-presentation-mode/Thanks for the advice, it works.
Discussion
8061.

Solve : How to force my PC to boot from cdrom??

Answer»

I'm trying to get my PC to boot from the cdrom.  I've gone into the bios and made sure the cdrom is SET to boot first, but instead of automatically booting, I get the message to press any key to boot from the cd.  The problem with that is that since the computer isn't booted up, the KEYBOARD is not responding to me pressing any key.  How can I get around this?I'm no guru but until one of our more experienced members responds I'll try to help.
According to the specs for your mboard you have PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports. Is your keyboard PS/2 or USB? If it is USB do you have a PS/2 keyboard you can try?I was wondering if that might be the issue.  I have two keyboards, both USB.Lectrocrew is giving solid advice...some older PC's won't see a USB keyboard til the OS loads...
Borrow a PS2 keyboard and see if that gets you onto Setup.Figured it out.  Searched around a bit online and found that you can enable USB in the BIOS.  Did that and was able to press 'any key'.  Success!Now we know. I learn something new every DAY around here.
Thanks for posting the solution.
Discussion
8062.

Solve : What Next??

Answer»

I am In the process of upgrading my computer (self built) I got some really good advice for a video card and want to get some advice on what to upgrade next. I mean what would you guys get next, more Memory, I have 4GB of ram. Or should I get a larger harddrive, I want to get a terabyte , currently have 500GB hard drive. Which would benefit me most to PURCHASE first? Thanks. My specs are posted on (Computer specs)If your constantly running out of HD, i'd GO with larger, otherwise of you STILL have plenty of storage, then go for the extra RAM. If your like me and have a 500GB SATA and only 12GB free ( my current situation ), you would want to get a larger drive or get rid of stuff you dont need to free up space. I am thinking of upgrading to 1TB or 1.5TB as xmas present to self. For PERFORMANCE it helps to have at least 40% free I have been told, as for as the drives start to get jam packed they slow down due to extended seek times even if defragmented which Windows 7 is pretty good at defragging on the fly.

Also my friend made the upgrade from 4GB Ram to 8GB (same speed matched pair- Corsair ) and didnt see any jaw dropping IMPROVEMENT in performance with Windows 7 64bit, but at least he is ready for any future game that may require more than 4GB Ram. A memory benchmark showed some better performance, but it wasnt much. He is running a Intel Pentium E5400
Discussion
8063.

Solve : i5 Upgrade to Dell Dimension 4700??

Answer»

Dear Forum,

I have an old Dimension 4700 with a 300W power supply. Can I just load the following components and have a new computer?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128523
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231278
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148357

I want to USE it for stock trading. I typically have 2 or 3 trading platforms open and 5 or 6 web browsers. Will this be good? Please make suggestions!

Thanks a lot!

Sincerely,
Mike
 Those are good CHOICES, but I would get a new case and PSU as well. Mainly because dell cases often have the motherboard mount on the opposite side (I think it's called BTX). I take that back, I just looked at your particular model and it looks to be on the right side. Not sure if the screw holes will be in the right place though. Definitely add a power supply to that list though.Thanks, LINUX!
Could you help select one? I don't have a clue.
Also, would Ubuntu work good for me?
Thanks again!
Mike
 

PS: Would this be good?  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182021As for the PSU, Antec is usually BETTER. Here is one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371029

Quote

Also, would Ubuntu work good for me?

It would unless you are using specific stock trading programs that only work on windows.
Discussion
8064.

Solve : Hard Disk Model Changer?

Answer» HI, any one know or selling utility which can change the hard disk model name
example from MHV2040H to MHT2040B
Any advice or ASSISTANT it much appreciated
ThanksWhy WOULD you want to do that?That's a darn good question...why ?Hi

Have a look on HHDguru for advice on the PC3000 card. What you are tring to do is rewrite the firmware. This is not a good idea. if you are doing this for data recovery you need to swap the firmware ic between boards. If you don't have the surface mount IC rework station this is also a very bad idea. Some more information about what you want to achieve would HELP.
Discussion
8065.

Solve : Laptop Blank Screen Flashing (5 times) Caps? Num/Scroll? Lock?

Answer»

Computer: HP Compaq 6735b Notebook PC

Specs: Unavailable to check.

Problem: An hour ago, I attempted to turn on the laptop and was met with a completely blank screen. At start up, the caps lock? and num/scroll? lock LEDs flash five times (it does not repeat).

The issue came out of the blue. It was working this morning. All other lights are fine, including even the volume indicator lights. Of course, no sound is heard.

From what I am gathering this is a motherboard  problem as per http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01443366&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN . Could anyone confirm for me that this is so? Moreover, is there anything to be done short of replacing the mobo if it is a mobo problem?

Related: Would I be able to remove the HD from this laptop, place it into another laptop, and have ACCESS to the files present on it? Or would this require formatting or installation in a HD case in order to transfer the files over?

Note: This has nothing to do with my other active thread. Another computer entirely.You need to transfer first the documents from your hard drive as a safety procedure. You would need an enclosure adapter and another working computer to do this -> http://www.liutilities.com/how-to/install-laptop-hard-drive-to-desktop-computer/
You could also follow the link you provided to diagnose the particular error codes on your startup problem. Quote

Would I be able to remove the HD from this laptop, place it into another laptop, and have access to the files present on it? Or would this require formatting or installation in a HD case in order to transfer the files over?

Yes, if you put it in a laptop with identical hardware (but then you would also need to plug an external hdd or something to copy the files to). Otherwise, you would have to plug it into a regular comp.

Is the screen completely blank the whole time or does it flash some BIOS text? Quote from: Linux711 on October 26, 2011, 07:43:54 AM
Yes, if you put it in a laptop with identical hardware (but then you would also need to plug an external hdd or something to copy the files to). Otherwise, you would have to plug it into a regular comp.

Is the screen completely blank the whole time or does it flash some BIOS text?

No bios. The scren is utterly blank.

To clarify: I could only transfer the HD into another laptop provided that the hardware is identical? Otherwise I'd have to slap it into an external shell? Quote from: jason2074 on October 26, 2011, 07:39:55 AM
You need to transfer first the documents from your hard drive as a safety procedure. You would need an enclosure adapter and another working computer to do this -> http://www.liutilities.com/how-to/install-laptop-hard-drive-to-desktop-computer/
You could also follow the link you provided to diagnose the particular error codes on your startup problem.

Okay. So you're saying that HP site is legitimate in claiming this error is explicitly a motherboard problem? I just wanted to confirm as this PROBABLY means I'll be purchasing another laptop and do not want to do so if it was possibly something else or easily resolvable.

As I asked to Linux, just to confirm: I would need -exact- hardware to switch out the HD to another computer and just run it up? Because I have another working laptop.

Thanks to both of you. Quote
I would need -exact- hardware to switch out the HD to another computer and just run it up?

Yes, you would if you were going to boot from it. If you just want to get the files, then no. But you talked about another laptop. In most laptops you can only put one hard drive in, so you would need an external enclosure. The easiest WAY would be to just find a desktop and HOOK it up to that so that you can transfer the files.These are handy for that...'bout 8 Bucks at any PC store...



Laptop to IDE converter.Thank you everyone for your help on this issue. I got the new Laptop + HDD enclosure (as I thought it'd be more useful) so I should be able to get everythin' going just fine.

Thank you again.

Problem solved.
Discussion
8066.

Solve : Computer powers but that's it.?

Answer»

My nephew has a Compaq Presario SR1426nx running Windows XP home which he asked me to look at. About a week ago the mouse stopped working and now when you start the green light on the PSU goes on, the PSU fan runs, the cooling fan above the cpu runs, the disk drive light goes on about 2 seconds than nothing. The monitor is good because I'm using it now on my computer to write this post. I put the HD in a external enclosure and it appears to be fine. The monitor goes right to energy saver and that's it. I tried adding a separate video card but still same result. If I unplug the monitor cable I get a no signal message but when I plug it back in it goes right to energy saver. Without video I can't check BIO or anything else.
It's an 7 year old computer so I don't want to spend too much replacing parts that it doesn't need but it is good enough for my 10 year old nephew.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.Swap psu with known good one.Even though the PSU runs the fans it could still be NG? I'll try to find a compatible power supply and swap it out. ThanksYes...that's very possible...it takes nothing to run the fan compared to what else it does.Changed the PSU with new one, still acting the same. The computer power goes on with fans, the HD  and optical drive lights for about 2 seconds and the monitor goes into power saver. If I remove the VGA cable it shows no signal but when I plug it back in, power saver again.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My nephew is lost without his computer and DRIVING me crazy.
Thanks
Given the vintage of the computer is it possible the CMOS BATTERY is still the original? If so it is getting quite long in the tooth. A DYING battery can cause a myriad of strange occurrences with a computer. They are cheap and easily obtainable also easy to remove and install. For the small expenditure involved you might want to give that a try.truenorthThe first thing I did was change the CMOS battery before I bought and installed the new PSU, still NG. If the computer is in power saver MODE is there a way to get it out blind, can't see anything on the monitor. I'm pretty sure it's a Win XP home OS.So you did try another Monitor ? ?My nephew had this problem connected to his monitor and that's how I got stuck trying to fix it. I know my monitor works because I'm looking at it now. He also tried his sister's monitor with it and same result. I'm hoping as a last resort that the bio has the computer in power saver mode. Now I have to figure out how to get it out of power saver without seeing the bio with a monitor. It's a catch 22. Worst case the motherboard is shot and will have to find a new computer. Because of the age of this unit it not worth spending about $100 for a replacement MB.
Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Quote from: chas638 on November 09, 2011, 04:51:42 PM

The first thing I did was change the CMOS battery before I bought and installed the new PSU, still NG. If the computer is in power saver mode is there a way to get it out blind, can't see anything on the monitor. I'm pretty sure it's a Win XP home OS.
Remove battery & reset BIOS by use of shorting jumper on motherboard.  There should be a jumper block with 3 pins, Normal is 1-2, Reset is 2-3.  If not labeled, Normal is current position.  Removing battery alone is not always enough to reset BIOS; current draw is micro-amps, takes a long time to run down on it's own.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/manualCategory?cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&os=228&product=465651&sw_lang=& Quote from: Computer_Commando on November 10, 2011, 06:11:52 AM
Remove battery & reset BIOS by use of shorting jumper on motherboard.  There should be a jumper block with 3 pins, Normal is 1-2, Reset is 2-3.  If not labeled, Normal is current position.  Removing battery alone is not always enough to reset BIOS; current draw is micro-amps, takes a long time to run down on it's own.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/manualCategory?cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&os=228&product=465651&sw_lang=&

Removed the battery and changed the CIOS jumper with power off to 2-3 reset for about 15 seconds. Put battery in and jumper back to 1-2 and powered computer. The system still didn't boot but the PSU fan and CPU fan ran faster than normal. Shut the computer off and restarted and the fans ran normal but still no boot. Don't know if this means anything.

I'm going to give the motherboard a visual inspection as suggested. I guess the next step would be to replace the motherboard but before I go through the time and expense (about $100), is there a way to test it to make sure it's the problem?
Thanks for your help and supportDoes monitor power button stays orange while computer boots? Does numlock on keyboard lights up/stays or gets response when turning on numlock? Quote from: jason2074 on November 10, 2011, 11:35:44 PM
Does monitor power button stays orange while computer boots? Does numlock on keyboard lights up/stays or gets response when turning on numlock?

The monitor light stays orange. If I unplug the video cable the light goes green but when I plug back in the light goes orange. There is no response on the USB keyboard or USB mouse. My nephew TOLD me he was having trouble with his mouse than keyboard right before it stopped completely. That is why I thought it was faulty PSU and CIOS battery and replaced with new units.

Just one more thing. When I power up the computer the light on the hard drive goes on for about 3 seconds. Is there a sequence that BIO posts use, first cpu ,than memory and so forth?
Thanks for taking the time to help
Discussion
8067.

Solve : Single vs Dual RAM??

Answer»

Dear Forum,
 
Will 2 of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231313
 
Do the same as 2 of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231278
 
only with twice the capability?
 
I am using an i5 2500K with a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128523 mother board.
 
Thank you!
 
Sincerely,
MikeI've always had better performance with Dual-Channel MOTHERBOARDS to use matched pairs vs running Single-Channel single stick.

I'd go with 2 - 2GB sticks vs a single 4GB stick to TAP into the dual-channel memory processing.Hi Nixie, Thanks for the response!
Do you know if there is something special about dual sticks vs two SINGLES?
Thanks!
MikeIf you buy a package of 2 sticks they are usually a tested matched pair by the mfr, yet I have rarely had issues with buying 2 same single packaged sticks to dual-channel up. Only had 1 problem a while back with some Cheap PNY sticks acting up. Memtest86 showed that they didnt like to play well together. Bought another stick at staples which matched up to the other running memtest86 to test and STRESS them. When all was well I brought the OPENED package with single stick that didnt play well with others back to staples for a refund as defective, even though when it ran by itself, it ran ok and passed memtest86.Thanks Nixie, Great information!
I think I will try the two 4G sticks. Twice the RAM for the same price. Thanks for the testing tip. I will try it!
Sincerely,
Mike
Discussion
8068.

Solve : Booting issues..?

Answer»

now that i've got my new pc working onto other stuff.  i've been trying to fix my friend's pc for awhile.  i took out his hdd and connected it to my OLD pc to see if that was the problem.  at this point it's hard to tell.  i set the jumpers multiple times but what i think is the right one is master.  it's an ibm deskstar so there's slave and cable select as well.  after hooking it up to my dell d/4600 the display boots right up with the dell sign and starts loading.  then it briefly flashes some kind of text but it's squiggly and sideways and only stays on the screen a millisecond. the it's a black screen with a blinking cursor and eventually beeps twice.  i've looked up what that means in POST and nothing i've found has fixed the problem.  the diagnostic leds on  back of pc light up in the sequence that says that "something else is the problem" and tells me to make sure cables are connected properly to hdd, cd, and dvd drives.  the mobo on this dell has one ide port for cd and one for hdd.  they are correct.  i reseated the memory and video cards just as a precaution.  i've tried hitting f12 and f2 to get into bios and boot setup.  f12 for bios just beeps and doesn't do anything.  f2 will say entering boot setup for a brief second and then doesn't do anything.  the hdd has windows on it so that's not an issue.  it's also the only hdd in the system.  the hdd is getting power to it so it's not dead.  he hasn't TOUCHED the THING in a couple of years and when he did he said it worked.  my dell was working last week with my old hdds in it so can't see anything there being the cause.  any ideas on how to proceed?If you discount the HDD and turn it on, yu should bet some kind of error message. What does it say? Does it EVER let you into the BIOS?
What is the make and model of the problem PC?
Has the CMOS cell ever been changed?

i'm not getting an error message at all.  right after the initial load happens a screen pops up for a split second but you can't read anything on it.  like i said before it's sideways and squiggly.  nothing was wrong with this computer before i took out my old hdds and put in this other one.  video card, mobo, power supply, cpu all FINE.  again last week i booted it up without a problem.  one could take that info and say it's the hdd that's the problem.  if that's the case i should be able to get into bios or boot setup.  it won't let me into bios.  i hit F12 non stop when it first comes one and it just beeps every time i hit it.  then just goes to a black screen and does nothing and then POST eventually gives 2 beeps and that's it.  the make of the computer is a dell d/4600.  no the CMOS cell hasn't been changedalso i don't know if this is relevant or not but i'm using my tv as the monitor.  i've used it in the past with my laptop with no issues whatsoever.  this is the first time i've hooked up the desktop to it but i don't see why it would be any different.  i'm getting initial video so that tells me the video card and monitor cable are working fineThe only 2 beep codes in this link for Dell Dimension 4600 Series Service Manual is the 1-1-2, which is Microprocessor register failure. Can you check also the Diagnostics lights to help you identify the cause by following the link?i looked up the same thing(link) and i found one website that listed 2 beeps.  i googled it and can't remember exactly what it said now.  i'll look and see if i can find it again and post the link to see if it's correct.  the leds go as follow:
A=green
B=green
C=green
D=yellow.
i've made sure each drive is seated properly and getting power to them.  no error message or if there is it's that screen that flashes and disappears.  can't access boot setup so can't change the settings there.  i did a chat session yesterday morning with dell and they told me to boot into "boot device" menu and choose "boot to utility partition" or "diagnostics" and run an express test.  obviously from what i've written before i can't do that.  just figured i'd mention it.  trying to not leave anything out.I deleted your other post. Please do not start more than one thread for the same question.i appreciate the fact that you are on here making sure lowly beginners like myself don't clog up the forums with their futile attempts to get help but while you're busy deleting posts would it have been so hard to offer up a suggestion?  it says you're a "guru" so i assume my boot problems wouldn't be to complicated.  The problem with your computer can be due to a number of tings. Therefore it is not possible to give one quick and complete answer. Here are some causes:
A. Power supply that is no longer given full power.
B. Hard drive does not respond right away.
C. USB device that does not respond as expected.a
D. Motherboard failure due to aging of components.
E. Something else that has changed.

So members of the forum will ask if the user has tried to start then machine with a minimal amount of extra devices connected.  Such as a new hard drive or a TV set. The naked setup for testing is Power supply, motherboard and Monitor.

What LEDs are you talking about?


the diagnostics lights on the back of the computer.  i tried all that stuff and nothing worked.  ended up installing 7 and formatting the drive.  works now.  just lost data.  oh well.  thanks anywaysSorry you lost your data.
Suggestion. Divide your Had drive into two or more partitions. Put your important personal data on another partition. If it ever happens again, just format the system partition and keep your data.
Move the My Documents Folder in Windows 7
Discussion
8069.

Solve : graphics card not working?

Answer» MINE is a 945 series motherboard having a pentium 4 processor and 1 gb DDR 2 Ram . yesterday i installed my new graphics card NVIDIA GEFORCE 201(MSI BUILD). but now it isn't working properly . it has started slowing my pc and today its i was not able to see its application in notification area . i am using windows xpDo you mean the GeForce 210?
Have you installed the drivers?
www.nvidia.com/page/drivers.html
ya i mean geforce 210
ya i have installed all the drivers but i forget to uninstall the previous Intel drivers that i have in my comp.Uninstall the previous Intel drivers to ensure Windows is not using them. Have you used nVidia update to make sure your nVidia control panel and driver are up to date?
just totally forget that thanks mate
ya i want to ask you that what type of games can i now run in my pc Quote
ya i want to ask you that what type of games can i now run in my pc

Here it is compared to some common graphics CARDS: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+210

It is a pretty low end card. If you're going to be gaming, you should go with something more substantial. What types of games? Probably half-life 2, counter strike, COD on low settings, crysis on super low (maybe not at all).Am I the only person who find's NVidia (and for that matter, ATI/AMD's) method of naming their video cards confusing as *censored*?

Confusing as *censored*? I went to Hong Kong last weekend and asked a salesman at Broadway Electronics for the best laptop with a GTX 460M/Radeon HD 6770M graphics chipset. He told me that the GT 550M was better than both of them. I recalled that I had seen reviews of the GT 555M outperforming the GTS 360M and told him I might be slightly confused and asked him for a recommendation on the best bang for buck mid-range (core i5-2410M with discrete GDDR5 graphics) laptop I could get. He proceeded to tell me that nVidia made this "legendary graphics card for laptops that is now no longer available called the 9800M GT". I said that the best graphics card configuration in a laptop is the GTX 580M SLI, found in the Alienware M18x-the 9800M GT was released in 2008. He's like, "Oh no. You see, even if they SLI it, which means x2, it becomes a low-performance GT 1160. How does that match up to a 9800 GT? Better yet, you can SLI a 9800 GT to CREATE a graphics card over 15000!!! OMG11!!1" He finished up with the typical salesman "I beat the system" smug tooth-flashing smile. I responded like this:



But actually if you look closer its not all that confusing. Some time ago, ATi/AMD had suffixes like XT, XTX, Pro, X2, etc. Now its all in the clear, at least for desktop cards-a GTS 250 will outperform any graphics card of the GT range. A GTS 450 will outperform a GTS 250. A GTX 460 will outperform a GTX 260-they are in different generations, even though they both end in 60. A GTX 280 will outperform a GTX 460, though, but not as much as a GTX 480 outperforms a GTX 260. A Radeon HD 5770 will outperform a HD 6750, but a HD 6770 will outperform a HD 5770.
All of my claims have been verified with http://www.hwcompare.com and http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.htmlFor laptops, though, yes you are right there are many odd exceptions-a GT 445M is better than a GT 550M. A GTX 285M SLI does not meet the performance of a single GTX 485M. A HD 5870M is better than a 6870M and so forth.
All of my claims have been verified with http://www.hwcompare.com and http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.htmlAll you did was confirm that the entire thing is confusing. It's all ridiculous, and the loser is the consumer, because there is absolutely no indication what the cards are for.

Also, for one thing, if they are going to use numbers, bigger numbers should be better. For example a 9500 GT is worse than a 8800GT. why? That makes no sense. Yes I know that the second digit is more significant, but if that is the case why is it the second digit?. If it's more significant, it should be more significant in the number, a la 5900GT and 8800GT, so direct numeric comparisons actually make sense. If they aren't even going to make the numbers directly comparable, they shouldn't bother to use numbers at all. At least when the GPU families used names that could be used for a metric- all Riva TNT's are worse than all Geforce cards. ATI Rage Pro is less than Radeon. ATI Rage Pro is better than Rage II. Then they decided to stick with one name (Radeon for ATI and Geforce for Nvidia) and that's when the comprehensibility of their naming scheme took a nosedive.

But then they decided to assign numbers to their chipsets and integrate that number into the number of the card, REDUCING the number into a pile of gibberish that cannot be treated like a number at all. It's marketing, really. Confuse the *censored* out of potential customers and maybe they'll pay more than they need too.
Discussion
8070.

Solve : Laptop resurrected, Keyboard won't work?

Answer»

I have an HP G62-340US Notebook PC with Windows 7 Home Premium. AMD Athlon II P340 dual core processor 2.2 GHZ. 2 GB RAM, 64 bit operating system. About one year old.

Three nights ago, I spilled about an ounce of beer onto the keyboard near the spacebar and touch pad. I grabbed a paper towel and wiped it off and continued to use the computer without a problem for a couple of hours.

I left the computer on overnight and through the NEXT day. That evening, my keyboard wouldn't work. I shutdown the computer, and windows installed some updates while it was shutting down. When I tried to power back up again, I got NOTHING. No LED light for the power supply, not a thing.

The next night, last night. The computer was still dead. I tried several times to remove the battery, hold the power button down for 30 seconds, and re-insert the battery. No luck.

Tonight was the same. Dead computer.

Figuring I had nothing to lose, I tried to take the keyboard off. I took out all of the screws out of the laptop, pulled out the CD-RW, the Hard Drive and the RAM. There's some sort of connection with no external access directly under the center of the keyboard. It seemed like it would be a bad idea to try and pull it apart from the bottom of the laptop, so I put the whole laptop back together again.

Then, I hit the power button, and couldn't believe it when the little blue light came on! It's alive! And here I am now, typing this on the laptop in QUESTION, but with a USB keyboard attached. The laptop's keyboard still doesn't work. Not one key, anywhere.

I ran the "troubleshoot problems" diagnostic under "System and Security" in Control Panel and no issues were detected.

So, what's next? Do I just wait? Get a new keyboard and try to install it? Or do I take the hard drive out, rinse the entire laptop and let it dry out for a week in the hope that it will clean up the laptop, while still being able to retrieve all of my files if it goes KAPUT?

Also, out of curiosity, did taking the hard drive out and putting it back in somehow reset the computer, thereby allowing it power up again? Or maybe the RAM? I ask because I've been on the net reading accounts of people who can't power up their laptop, and I don't recall coming across this as a solution (if it even is one).

Thank you.Any liquid with stuff in it is hard to clean and my do permanent damage to electronic components. Clean water is a lessor problem, but also promotes oxidation. Water and isopropyl  alcohol is a fairly good solvent. Whenever electronic circuit boards are exposed to mildly nasty  liquids, they liquid must be dispersed or removed completely ASAP.

This is NOT and endorsement for the Carlsbad repair shop. But the ARTICLE makes a interesting read. Read and weep.
http://laptoprepaircarlsbad.com/laptop_fluid_spill_keyboard_repair.html
Quote

If you have spilled fluid in your laptop, do not use your laptop at all until you repair your laptop. Continued use of the laptop when in need of a spill clean up can lead to permanent damage to your laptop motherboard.
Discussion
8071.

Solve : medion laptop wont boot up,black screen?

Answer»

i have a medion akoya e5312 laptop,when i try and boot it up all i get is a black screen,i cannot access the BIOS and no KEYS work,any ideas?

If you look really closely at the screen, can you see anything (backlight burned out)? Can you hook the system up to an external monitor?no cant see anything just totally black,tried ANOTHER monitor and still nothingIs there a function key to enable external monitor DISPLAY for laptop? What happens prior to the blackscreen? CHECK optical drive if there might be a disc on tray and remove other external devices/card connected.
Discussion
8072.

Solve : Artifacts?

Answer»

Hi All , I am getting artifacts when playing Call of duty modern warfare 3, after about an hour playing it. I know its probably overheating.... it does not do this when I play Cod modern warfare (the first one). Can this be fixed or should I get a new card? I can spend about 200.00 dollors on one. But I need advice on what new card to buy, need something for gaming. any ideas?. Specs.....Widows 7 64 bit,  Intel cor2 Duo Cpu [email protected] 3.00GHZ, 4.00GB Ram, Nvidia Geforce 9800gtx/9800gtx+ graghic card,  Power supply Corsair HX620W,Nvidia 780i motherbored, Thanks.It may well be that the issue is your video card but before spending your hard earned money on another card run
http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php
and determine your temperatures. Do a test without the program running and another with it running. If you need input re the results post them here and members will comment on them. truenorthok  i will download and run test..... thanks will get back to you soon.Ok temps while playing Cod 3......GPU 57c  Temp 56c  CPU 32 . NOT playing..... GPU 49c  CPU 22c Temp 49c .I suspect that the card is defective, not overheating. Do you have a spare card that you could drop into the comp or onboard graphics?No , I do not have a spare card. Could anyone please give me advice on a new card? my budget is 200.00 dollors and I listed my specs on first post. I need a card strong enough to play Call of duty modern warfare 3. thanks.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908
Radeon HD 6850-provides the best price-performance ratio.

from http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=Radeon+HD+6850
You can also use http://www.hwcompare.com to compare the individual specs of every single graphics card on the market.What do you think of geforce560 ti ?http://www.hwcompare.com/8891/geforce-gtx-560-ti-vs-radeon-hd-6850/

The GTX 560 performs slightly better for a minimum of $239 on Newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=100006662&isNodeId=1&Description=GTX+560+Ti&x=0&y=0Well Thank you transfusion you really know what your talking about cause I have been doing some of my own research and the 6850 is a really good card for the price. about.com has it ranked 6 in the top ten cards for 2011. My WIFE said I can top out at 250.00 for a card so I may go with either the 6850 or the 6870 not sure yet. Thanks again man.As a participant in this post i have been mulling over this issue for a few days now. Correct me if i am missing something here. But as your O/S is win 7 (which is the latest and current Microsoft O/S -other than win 8 which is in TESTING) and the other specs on the computer reflect a recent computer why is this a factor of your video card? I would expect that the newest computers with the latest operating system ought to be able to handle any current game. So is it only this game that causes the issue? Has this game ever operated properly without the problems it is currently exhibiting? The game compatibility criteria should indicate whether your equipment is capable of playing the game. Is there anything to indicate that it isn't? It just seems odd to me that if this computer is as it seems to be that you should be replacing a video card. truenorth Quote from: truenorth on November 12, 2011, 07:18:39 AM

I would expect that the newest computers with the latest operating system ought to be able to handle any current game.

When it comes to Video cards, the processing power required for basic desktop usage are far less than those required by a modern 3-D game. Also, the hardware utilization of the Graphics hardware while playing such a game is far greater than it is at the desktop, which can make issues more readily apparent, especially if that utilization results in overheating.



BC,Your comments are well understood. However i would have EXPECTED that at the time of acquisition of this particular game the O/P would have verified this "The game compatibility criteria should indicate whether your equipment is capable of playing the game. Is there anything to indicate that it isn't?" Plus this was why "especially if that utilization results in overheating." i suggested the test did . Which from the results does not appear to be an issue. So aren't we back to my previous observation?truenorthIt doesn't matter whether the card meets the specs or not if it's defective.

If a game doesn't use, say, Shader Model 4, than none of the hardware on the card is employed relating to that feature, so you don't see any issues, even if there are hardware issues with that circuitry. Same for many other FEATURES, Including video card memory. Graphics memory isn't filled by many games, but NEWER games will fill them "more" so if there are issues with the Graphics memory in higher addresses, newer games will see issues whereas older ones will not; etc.Gotcha. But if the O/P is actually dealing with a defective graphics card and taking into consideration my earlier comments re the "newness potential" of the computer then perhaps a warranty issue comes into play here.truenorth
P.S. I guess at this point to relate to this possibility we need a return of the O/P.
Discussion
8073.

Solve : Computer powers on and runs but no display?

Answer»

Hi I am currently running the following amd quad core 9850 biostar ta780g m2+ motherboard
2 Sata hdds 8gb of 1066 ram and a radon hd 5770 graphics and a sound card


Problem I have was it froze all of a sudden in game (call of duty mw3 of all games!) so I tried the ctrl alt del and nothing left it for half an hour and still nothing. So decided to hit the reset button then nothing from my graphics card. Pc powers up but no display do thought ok graphics card might of gone so removed graphics card and plug into the onboard graphics. Still nothing so decided to remove everything ram hdds cd drives sound card and tried a different slot for my ram nothing. So decided to remove heatsink and fan of CPU and see if it gets hot to touch.
Powered up and CPU was stone cold.

Is my motherboard knackered processor knackered??!! Also noticed fan for CPU powers up and runs so definatly have power to the mobo!

Any SUGGESTIONS would be highly and greatly appreciated.

Regards m.harding Monitor also worksDo you have another power SUPPLY you can try?

Quote

Also noticed fan for CPU powers up and runs so definatly have power to the mobo!

Could be that only part of the PSU is bad. Quote from: Linux711 on November 10, 2011, 05:47:37 PM
Do you have another power supply you can try?

Could be that only part of the PSU is bad.
the CPU is powered off the mother board so if the psu wasn't working would that not make the fan run on the CPU? I thought if CPU fan is powered off the mobo it should be fine but I could be wrong? Not necessarily, it could be that only certain voltages out of the power supply went bad. I think it is probably more likely though, that either the CPU or motherboard is bad, I just thought that it would be easier to just test a different PSU. Quote from: Linux711 on November 10, 2011, 06:12:22 PM
Not necessarily, it could be that only certain voltages out of the power supply went bad. I think it is probably more likely though, that either the CPU or motherboard is bad, I just thought that it would be easier to just test a different PSU.
Ok I've got my old psych I shall try that and post reports back thanks for the advice on the psu.
Greatly appreciated

M.Harding Did you try atleast one stick of RAM module only?Yeah I tried each one separately just incase they were fried. I also tried a new stick of ram and still
Nothing. Also tried my Other psu that I know works fine and nothing so thinking motherboard is dead?? Make sure you attached a keyboard when pc boots without display. The keyboard on lights, NUMLOCK responding will know if there is activity. While CMOS battery removed, try reapplying thermal paste on CPU and make sure it is properly locked on heatsink. If possible, check the processor pins for any dirt or dust then use just one stick of RAM(alternately), integrated components, single hard drive. Press power button about 10 to 15 seconds before plugging and check again for the result.
Discussion
8074.

Solve : Can't Collect Information??

Answer»

Dear Forum,
I TRIED to view my SYSTEM information in My Computer, and it would not display the processor.
So, I googled and found Run: Open: msinfo32
It DISPLAYS a message: System Information
System Summary/Hardware Resources
Can't Collect Information
Cannot access the Windows Management  INSTRUMENTATION software. Windows Management files may be moved or missing.
The computer is acting kind of slow.
Any ideas?
Thanks a bunch!
Regards,
Mike
 
According to this page
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323209

You may have certain services disabled. Enabling these services differs with each Operating System. Which you have not told us.Thanks Red!
I am not sure what processor I have, it's some intel quad.
It's XP, one year old.
Thanks!
MikeI googled "enabling WMI", and got the following: http://www.poweradmin.com/help/enableWMI.aspx
It shows how to enable the WMI. I get to the CONTROL Properties screen, and it says "provider load failure", and will not go to the security screen.
I have tried numerous restore points, and it will not restore.
Thanks for any help!
Sincerely,
Mike
 Hi Guys!
I found this Microsoft WMI Diagnosis Utility: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/confirmation.aspx?id=7684

It ran successfully, and says:

WARNING: WMI DCOM components registration is missing for the following EXE/DLLs: .................................... 10 WARNING(S)!
17446 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\FASTPROX.DLL (\CLSID\{7A0227F6-7108-11D1-AD90-00C04FD8FDFF}\InProcServer32)
17447 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\FASTPROX.DLL (\CLSID\{D71EE747-F455-4804-9DF6-2ED81025F2C1}\InProcServer32)
17448 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\FASTPROX.DLL (\CLSID\{ED51D12E-511F-4999-8DCD-C2BAC91BE86E}\InProcServer32)
17449 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WBEMPROX.DLL (\CLSID\{4C6055D8-84B9-4111-A7D3-6623894EEDB3}\InProcServer32)
17450 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WBEMPROX.DLL (\CLSID\{A1044801-8F7E-11D1-9E7C-00C04FC324A8}\InProcServer32)
17451 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WBEMPROX.DLL (\CLSID\{F7CE2E13-8C90-11D1-9E7B-00C04FC324A8}\InProcServer32)
17452 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WBEMSVC.DLL (\INTERFACE\{631F7D96-D993-11D2-B339-00105A1F4AAF})
17453 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WBEMSVC.DLL (\INTERFACE\{631F7D97-D993-11D2-B339-00105A1F4AAF})
17454 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WBEMSVC.DLL (\INTERFACE\{6963B029-B969-40AA-9180-2B2F84075973})
17455 23:21:18 (0) ** - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WBEMSVC.DLL (\INTERFACE\{6B3FC272-BF37-4968-933A-6DF9222A2607})
17456 23:21:18 (0) ** => WMI System components are not properly registered as COM objects, which could make WMI to
17457 23:21:18 (0) **    fail depending on the operation requested.
17458 23:21:18 (0) ** => For a .DLL, you can correct the DCOM configuration by executing the 'REGSVR32.EXE ' command.

How do I execute this: 'REGSVR32.EXE ' command? I tried putting it into the run command, and no dice.

Thanks!
MikeThe Windows Management Instrumentation startup type is Automatic. Click Start and choose Run. Type services.msc then Enter in Win XP. In Vista and Win 7, type services.msc and Enter on Search programs and files box. Look for WMI and double click to change current type and make sure to hit apply.Hi Jason!
Thanks for the response. I'm not sure I understand. You say to "change the current type". What does this mean? The diagnostic says to execute the 'REGSVR32.EXE ' command.
Thanks!
Mike Quote

What does this mean?

I am also not sure why you ran that diagnostic utility.
You will find Windows Management Instrumentation on my previous reply.
Discussion
8075.

Solve : Computer shutting down for no reason.?

Answer»

Hey guys,

This is really starting to bug the life out of me. Over the past 2 weeks my computer has been shutting down with no reason, at any random time. It's only 3 months old as well. Sometimes it will shutdown anywhere between boot, or after 6 hours of use, at complete random.

It is a custom built desktop.

Specs:
Intel Core i7 2600K
ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Motherboard B3
XFX Radeon HD6950 2GB   
G.Skill Ripjaws X F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL (2x4GB) DDR3
Crucial M4 SSD 64GB
Seagate Barracuda 1TB ST31000524AS
Corsair TX-650 V2 Power Supply
Pioneer DVR-219L DVDRW OEM   
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit   
CoolerMaster MegaFlow 200 RED   
CoolerMaster HAF 922 Case
Antec KUHLER H2O 620 CPU Cooler

Actions I have already taken to fix this problem, with no results:
- Scanned for all viruses 3 times on different programs
- Cleaned out case using compressed air: My comp will be running at 30C and it will still turn off so it's not overheating
- GPU is only running at 37C
- Checked my MOBO is tight against the case
- Checked all wires are plugged in securely
- Checked to see if RAM was an issue
- Reset BIOS undoing my overclock
- Prime95'ed

I don't have a spare PSU so what can I do?Looked into your motherboard online and it shows that versions prior to B3 were unreliable.

Quote

Sadly, the P67 PLATFORM has been tainted a little by the Cougar Point chipset SATA port issues, which could cause long term reliability problems. Intel and all their partners had to rush to support users and replace millions of boards and according to the latest reports, Intel are a billion dollars out of pocket. If you get a new P67 motherboard just make sure it is the B3 revision (which is fixed).
From: http://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/zardon/asrock-z68-extreme-4-intel-z68-motherboard-review/

I had a bad experience with another ASROCK board and quality flaw and thats why I looked into research into your motherboard. My problem was solder balls all over the place shorting out legs etc as they come loose and in contact with surface mount chips etc. Tapped the board on a table with white sheet of paper and about 8 solder balls about the size of a pen ball point dropped and rolled on paper. Then tested the board after that and it worked but I had very little trust in its quality and reliability after. I saw a large solder ball that tipped me off to the problem by a PCI port. My symptoms were random black screens, failed boots, and all sorts of odd behavior.


I'd check to make sure all fans are spinning as for a bad fan can cause the system to shut down to protect itself, and then move onto the PSU even though you dont have one available.

Also other times I have seen unstable systems it was the result of dirty line power to the outlet that the computer was on, such as one customer I had that complained that there system would reboot randomly, but it seemed to happen more in the evenings. The cause was that their bedroom directly above the kitchen shared the same power with that of the microwave oven and the draw of the microwave oven dropped the line voltage on that service of their home and caused the system to reboot. The lights flickering was the KEY indicator there as well. I suggesed adding a $50 UPS and their problem was solved. If you dont have a UPS Battery Backup, its a good investment, although it probably wont help your current issue unless a line power issue.
Quote from: nixie on November 11, 2011, 05:43:35 PM
If you dont have a UPS Battery Backup, its a good investment

All computers should be run off UPSS.  Besides the battery backup features, all name brands include excellent surge protection.
Discussion
8076.

Solve : Xplorer X6-9500 charger cutting off?

Answer»

i have this laptop:
http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/system/Xplorer_X6-9500_Notebook/
it has a I7 2720QM processor and a OCZ Vertex 3 instead of the stock build.
every time i plug in the charger for a SET period of time it will shut off, not the COMPUTER but the laptop stops charging whilst both stay on.
sometimes it causes the laptop to cut power.
I THINK it might be because i have installed the high performance SSD that the heat now generating in the laptop is too much for it to disperse

any help on this topic WOULD be GREATLY appreciated
Discussion
8077.

Solve : Computer Powers on for a half second then nothing... Help Appreciated!!!?

Answer»

My computer powers on for half a second then nothing except the power light on the case flashes. It is a home built PC. Before anyone assumes building error let me say that the machine ran for a year or more before this problem developed. Also, the power supply can definitely be ruled out as a cause of the problem. I bought a brand NEW power supply that is plenty large ENOUGH to run the machine. Now for the technical information. The motherboard is an MSI K9VGM-V board. It has an AMD Dual core processor and 2 GB of DDRII RAM. I also have a Radeon video card on board. I have tried disconnecting everything but the video card and starting up with the same result so I can eliminate everything but the video card as the problem. Does anyone have any IDEAS? I do not want to go to the trouble of buying a new motherboard if my problem is in my processor. The fact is that the card itself is hard to come by and if I have to replace more that one item I may as well upgrade the whole system. The REALITY is that times are tight and if I can spent $70 to repair the machine rather than buying a new motherboard, chip set, and RAM, I will do that. Any help would be appreciated!!!Have you tried it with only 1 stik of RAM ? ?
Does it boot properly into SAFEMODE ? ?

Can it stay on long enough to get any temperature readings from the BIOS ? ?
Discussion
8078.

Solve : HP 4500 four way wirelessl printer stopped working ? ??

Answer»

I hae a HP 4500 wireless printer scanner copier which has worked as a printer and a copier for several months now. (never as a scanner).  About a month ago the BLACK cartridge went dry and I refilled.  However, the printer would not accept the cartridge after that so I bought a replacement cartridge (not a HP) ebay and used it successfully for a few weeks.  Then, yesterday, I had a paper jam.  After I removed the paper, the rinter would not accept the substitute cartridge that I had put in..     LAST night I shut the system down.  This AM I fired it up again, the printer went through the "new cartridge" procecedure, printed out one document, then went right back into the "incompatible cartrdge" modeandrefused to PRINT.   I am hesitnt to buy another cartridge as I feel that it won't accept that  either.
Any ideas? ? ?   
Thanks for looking,  JIMIs there any SPECIFIC reason why you have found it necessary to post this issue in 2 forums on the same topic? truenorth
P.S. Things happen fast here (with such a keen and observant moderator as Allan .
 Now i see your 2 posts are in the same forum --one above the other.  TRUENORTH:   Well, I thot the un-install PROBLEM was software and the refusal to accept the ink cartridge was hardware.  Please excuse my error and chalk it up to ignorance.no problem--let's see if we can get it printing for you.truenorthIn future there's no need to create multiple Posts for the same issue.

See your other Topic for replies.

Closed.
Discussion
8079.

Solve : Laptop Restart?

Answer»

It is a Compaq Presario V6000 model.
When the A/C adapter is plugged in, the ring around the plug jack is lit and the icon for charging the battery is lit also. When I press the power button to start up the laptop, the rest of the icons light up in blue and the fan comes on. After about 20 seconds, the laptop reboots itself automatically and continuously. This reboot sequence happens every 20 seconds until I hold down the start button to force a shutdown.
During the 20 seconds of this start up, and only Compaq logo come up. I only hear the fan, no other sounds.

Any ideas before I start taking it apart to check for loose connections?Try it with the battery removed....wait 5 minutes and hook up only mains.
See if it's still doing the restart.Yes still its restart
What changes or issues prior to the problem at hand? Have you tried going to safemode to skip the restarting problem?only Compaq logo come up and when i press F10 for BIOS Setup it gets hanged OK providing you have tried the obvious hitting f8 (safe mode)
It sounds LIKE it might be a hardware issue such as ram cards failing and could cause it to restart; Add to this the fact that whatever is wrong could be an expensive part of your PC to replace - like the motherboard or CPU. You may be facing anything from an electrical short to a serious hardware issue.

Do you get a beep CODE when the COMPUTER turns off; if so how many beeps?
Just in case make sure you have the correct power cable.


Check for electrical shorts inside your computer. This is very often the cause of the problem when the computer powers on for a second or two but then powers off completely. Take you time!

Reseat everything inside of your computer. Reseating will reestablish all of the connections inside your computer which may have wiggled loose over time. Harder with laptops but should be able  to get at the ram and harddrive. Reinstall each piece of nonessential hardware, one component at a time, testing your computer after each installation.

Hope this helps but you may have to send it away  It's a laptop...
Other than the RAM and HDD there's not much more to remove and re-seat.
Discussion
8080.

Solve : BSODs now bad sectors?

Answer»

I have been having problems with my graphics card. It works ok in 3d games and in windows, but when I try do do anything that requires 2d hardware acceleration, it causes BSODs. I currently don't want to invest in a new graphics card, so I have just been avoiding all things that use 2d acceleration (youtube and screensaver). It took me a while to figure out that the problem was with the graphics card, so the system has had numerous BSODs. I recently by accident tried to watch a HD video and it BSODd (only one program was open when this happened). When I rebooted, I found about half of my PROGRAMS where not even functioning, so I ran a disk check. The disk check found 138MB of bad sectors.

So here is my question(s): Do you think that all those BSODs could have caused this and my hard drive just needs to be reformatted or do you think that my hard drive is also failing? The thing that makes me think my hard drive may also be failing is that a lot of the bad sectors are in programs that I never used when the BSODs occurred. Is it possible for a BSOD to cause errors with programs that weren't executing during it?

- Linux7111. Start backing up your data now.

2. Check your hard drive with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility.
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

3. Download BlueScreenView
No installation required.
Double click on the BlueScreenView.exe file to run the program.
When scanning is done, go to Edit>Select All.
Go to File>Save Selected Items, and save the report as BSOD.txt.
Open BSOD.txt in Notepad, copy all CONTENT, and paste it into your next reply. Quote

1. Start backing up your data now.

Yes, I already have a backup that I made about two weeks ago. I think I am going to just restore that and see if I keep getting bad sectors after that.

Quote
2. Check your hard drive with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility.

Yes, and it also said there were bad sectors. It didn't specify exactly how MANY, it just said too many LOL.

Quote
3. Download BlueScreenView

I didn't because I don't think we can learn much from them. They are completely random. Plus I am using a nLite version of windows and don't think it will work.Hard Disk is failing. Replace it and go from there. Quote
Hard Disk is failing. Replace it and go from there.

How do you know that it's not just caused by the BSODs? Quote from: Linux711 on November 12, 2011, 06:58:18 PM
How do you know that it's not just caused by the BSODs?

BSOD are not a cause. They are an effect. Quote from: Linux711 on November 12, 2011, 06:29:23 PM
Yes, and it also said there were bad sectors. It didn't specify exactly how many, it just said too many LOL.

Time for a new hard drive. Quote
BSOD are not a cause. They are an effect.

An effect of the video card malfunction, not the hdd.

Ok. Let me state the question better. Can the BSODs from a bad graphics card cause the hard drive to get bad sectors because the filesystem might get corrupted? Quote
An effect of the video card malfunction, not the hdd.
How can you know this? You already stated that there is "nothing useful" via BlueScreenView, and that "They are completely random".
Quote from: Linux711 on November 12, 2011, 09:11:47 PM
Can the BSODs from a bad graphics card cause the hard drive to get bad sectors because the filesystem might get corrupted?

No.

A Bad Sector is MARKED by the Disk Driver when it has problems reading data from the sector.

If you get a Blue Screen the computer stops what it is doing.

The "worst" case scenario (from the perspective of the HD) is  that it was in the middle of a write operation. However, that leaves the file system in an inconsistent state; the sectors involved will still be read fine. And the file system can be fixed relatively easily, with minimal data loss due to USN Journalling.

A Bad Sector is marked by the system when it tries  a number of times to read the disk but keeps getting Errors from the disk controller to the effect that it cannot determine what is in the sector. The two causes are Hard drive and Power Supply, but unless you replace one or the other you aren't going to be able to disprove either. Quote
is  that it was in the middle of a write operation. However, that leaves the file system in an inconsistent state; the sectors involved will still be read fine.

Ah, ok. That answers my question. So I guess it's time for a new hdd and graphics card. I've been having so many problems with this system  I bought a new hdd today and I am copying my backup onto it. So far it's GOOD. Anyway, anyone know why resizing a partition is faster than formatting an equal sized one? Next time I am going to try just making like an 8mb parition and see what happens if I just resize it.Sizing a partition only marks beginning and ending sectors ...therefore it's faster.
Discussion
8081.

Solve : 2 different Nvidia Geforce GPU's to work together on P7P55D?

Answer»

Hi everyone,

I have a question for you, but let me FIRST explain the situation:
I have a gaming PC (specifications are in the dxdiag in the attachment) with basically a ASUS P7P55D motherboard, INTEL Core i5-750 and a Nvidia Geforce GTS 250, running a good old Windows XP SP3.
This pc is 2 years old and I wanted to upgrade it a little bit, like get a new GPU or maybe a little more RAM in case I might get Win7 or something. The RAM ain't the PROBLEM, I STILL have 2 open slots, so I can get 4 GB more if I want to. I simply didn't want to have to throw away my perfectly working GTS250. It's like throwing away a pie or the Mona Lisa or something inbetween 

I wanted to get me a GPU from the Nvidia Geforce 500 series (like e.g. the GeForce GTX 560 Ti)

So I was thinking: isn't it possible to make those two GPU's work together?
I don't want them to work next to each other, simply make them enforce the other one (making games go faster and stuff).

Is this possible with this setup, if so how?
If not, what is possible then?

Thanks in advance!

Bennieboj


ps: this is the first time I'm deling with multiple GPU's so if I'm saying something stupid, please be gentle 

[regaining space - attachment deleted by admin]http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1156/P7P55D/#specifications
It only supports ATi quad Crossfire-there is no nVidia SLI support.


http://www.slizone.com/page/slizone_learn.html
This is what you want-run 2 (or more) GPUs in tandem so you will get better performance out of your games/programs. It's fully possible, but will only work with 2 identical GPUs. Make sure you have a beefy enough power supply-1 GTX 580 already requires 363 Watts on load (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2010/11/09/nvidia-geforce-gtx-580-review/8), and in an SLI config I'd imagine you'd at least need an 800 W PSU to power the rest of your system.


However, some enthusiasts have released a custom BIOS which allows you to enable SLI on your motherboard:
http://www.tweaktown.com/news/14362/enable_sli_support_on_your_vanilla_asus_p7p55d/index.html
BEWARE: IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH FLASHING YOUR BIOS PLEASE DON'T DO SO WITHOUT FIRST UNDERSTANDING THE EXACT STEPS PERTAINING TO YOUR MOTHERBOARD-YOU MAY BRICK YOUR MOTHERBOARD IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL.Thanks for the well documented reply

So if I got it right, I can't tandem my current card and another new card...
So I'll have to get rid of my old GPU and then get a new one(or two depending wether I want to tandem or not)
Maybe the PC show'll buy my old card (I really hope they do..)

I guess I'll buy a new GPU and leave it that way, no dual GPU for me with this motherboard.
My power supply says it supplies 450 Watt....
As you said that having one GTX 580 requires 363 Watts, WOULD you think it'd be possible for me to get a GTX 580 or do I also need a new power supply?http://www.nvidia.com/object/product-geforce-gtx-580-us.html

nVidia recommends you to have at least a 600 W power supply, with 1 6-pin and 1 8-pin PCI-E power connector. That sure is one beefy card.
If you are on a budget, you really might want to consider the Radeon HD 6850:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908
Provides the best price-performance ratio.

Requires only 1 6-Pin PCI-E connector and an upgrade to at least a 500 Watt PSU:

from http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=Radeon+HD+6850
You can also use http://www.hwcompare.com to compare the individual specs of every single graphics card on the market.Ok thanks for the info, I'll think about it
Discussion
8082.

Solve : Monitor can not detect PC?

Answer»

Hello, I have tried to get my monitor to detect my PC. I have used many different monitors and VGA cables. I think their may be something wrong with the onboard graphics card. It seems to be KIND of loose from the motherboard. I went and bought a Nvidia Galaxy GeForce 8400GS 512MB card. I plugged it in and it would still not WORK. I plugged the VGA cables into the old onboard graphics card and for some reason it worked. I installed the drivers and restarted the computer. It told me I could not use the new graphics card because it did not have enough resources. I disabled the old onboard graphics card from the DEVICE manager. I turned off the computer and put the VGA cable into the new Graphics card. After that it did show the display  and started to work. I restarted the computer to see if it would still work to just make sure and it would not display on the monitor again. I plugged the VGA cables back into the Old onboard graphics to see if i could get it to work again and it would not. Is there anything I can do?

My computer is an HP Pavilion a6000
It has windows vista. It has 7gb of ram
It has a AMD phenom x4 processor Have you checked that the BIOS of the motherboard is everything ?Did you disable the onboard graphics from your BIOS?
http://www.wikihow.com/Disable-Onboard/Integrated-Video-On-Your-Computer
Quote from: James44445 on November 11, 2011, 03:13:10 PM

I think their may be something wrong with the onboard graphics card. It seems to be kind of loose from the motherboard.
Do you mean that the onboard graphics chip is loose? Quote from: elwilli on November 13, 2011, 02:56:56 AM
Have you checked that the BIOS of the motherboard is everything ?

HuH ? ? Quote from: James44445 on November 11, 2011, 03:13:10 PM
It told me I could not use the new graphics card because it did not have enough resources.

This is PUZZLING.  Can you be more specific?  What resources?
Discussion
8083.

Solve : I'm trying to hook up an original Xbox to my PC monitor.?

Answer»

Has anyone come across these gizmos:


So all I have to do is press a button and then the INPUT switches from my PC to the Xbox and VICE versa. There even seems to be a function for Picture In Picture. Pretty neat.
I have to find a cable for sound output, though... I use something similar, an HDMI switcher so I can have the PS3 and my pc hooked up to my monitor.  I then use optical (TOSLINK) to go from the PS3 to the back of my PCs optical in.

However this is no such luxury with the original Xbox.

For audio you will just need one of these
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200418
and one of these
http://www.shopbot.ca/ps-ngear-3-5mm-stereo-audio-cable-gender-changer-ff-ng-3-5f3-5f-4928090.html
Then simply plug in the cable from your speakers, or feed the adapter into your line in socket on your pc, and have the sound feed out to your speakers.

Or if you can find a cable with 2 female RCA to a female 3.5mm socket you will not need the gender changer. and plug it directly into some computer speakers.So I got one of the above gadgets online for 75 RMB, which is 11 USD, and it works great-exactly as advertised.
Box shots (Click on image to expand):






It came with a manual, an AV cable, an S-Video cable, a VGA cable, and a 5VDC power adapter. Nothing fancy, all plug&play.
So here it is in action (I'm using WinRoute to share my computer's net connection with my IPTV, the computer is on its just my camera shutter speed causing the fan to look like its still and yeah look at that cable mess:)



My IPTV normally outputs at 1080p, and it automatically scales the picture to my monitor's default resolution:

I was surprised by the composite output on the Xbox turning out so well-the device nicely expanded the Xbox's native 800x600 resolution to fit my 1440x900 resolution:



The Picture-in-Picture function comes in handy for... erm... surreptitious gaming. Or because I can resize the PiP window I might pick up a SECOND hand 9800GT with an S-Video output and run 2 COMPUTERS on 1 monitor.

I do not adhere to safety standards properly-I have 3 computers, 2 monitors, 1 Xbox, 1 IPTV, 1 cellphone charger, 1 computer speaker, 1 printer, one household fan, and the device plugged into 1 single socket via 2 extension cords, 1 plugged into another.



Thanks Kurtiskain I'll keep an eye out for that RCA to 3.5mm converter-no audio right now.
Discussion
8084.

Solve : Need to buy oem XP Home or is there a work around?

Answer»

A friend of mine installed a new motherboard into his Compaq computer case and attempted to reinstall Windows XP Home from the System Restore Set that came with the computer. The problem is that the system restore set pops up stating that the hardware does not MATCH, so I am guessing it detects the motherboard somehow during this process and doesnt allow install as bootleg protection is blocking because of this new FOREIGN motherboard in the original box.

Does he need to buy a new copy of Windows OS, even though this box is already licensed for a single copy of XP Home when it was made?

Does the Windows XP Home License die with the motherboard for that box, or can he legally use another persons OEM copy of Windows XP Home and his key off the side panel to activate? Quote

Does the Windows XP Home License die with the motherboard for that box, or can he legally use another persons OEM copy of Windows XP Home and his key off the side panel to activate?
Short answer, yes.
Any OEM version of Windows ® is tied to the motherboard and possibly the hard drive from the manufacture. However, the retail version of Windows can be moved from ONE PC to another  by calling in to the Microsoft telephone support.
If you borrow an MS XPHome CD and completely wipe the machine and do a clean install thiss is well within your rights under the EULA...
The versions need to match.
Then boot to the XP CD...delete and re-create the C:\ partition and run setup...

NOTE: It would be a good idea to collect all the NECCESSARY drivers from the manuf. site before starting...

If activation hiccups after this use the 800 # for MS and they will ISSUE a new key.Thanks!Anytime...let us know.
Discussion
8085.

Solve : 2 hard drives on same place?

Answer»

hi everyone .i WANT to install 2 hard drives in my pc so how can i do this and what to do  jumpers?pls REPLY anyone.thanksHere is but one of thousands of tutorial you can READ on your REQUEST. It was the very 1st in a Google search after 2 commercial web sites.
http://www.pcmech.com/article/installing-a-hard-drive-step-by-step/
truenorth
Discussion
8086.

Solve : More HP problems. Now I can't even un-install?

Answer»

I have had a HP 4500 four way wireless printer installed now for sveral months.  Occasionaly it gives my problems.   Lately it has refused print at all and I decided to un-install it and try to start over.   But I can't un-install it.  I get the error  message
      "THIS APPLICATION HAS REQUESTED THE RUNTIME TO TERMIMATE IN AN UNSUUAL WAY...  PLEASE CONTACT THE APPLICATION SUPPORT TEAM FOR MORE INFORMATION"
    Then I tried to un-install my HP 3970 scanner, which has never worked since I switched to Windows 7, with the same error message..   Needless to say I am unsucessful in contacting any "APPLICATION SUPPORT TEAM"  and I am getting frustrated.        
My system is as follows:
AMD  Athloon (tm)IIx4 640 processor,       4GB ram      Windows 7 64 bit OS     
Can anyone give me help on this.   Thank you in advance,   ...   JimWhen you say it is refusing to print is it being detected as available by the computer? Have you tried to connect via USB cable connection to see if it will work that way? Depending on your answers to these 2 questions it may assist in more clearly defining the area of the problem.truenorthTRUENORTH:   Yes, the printer acknowleges print commands from the computer (wirelss).   I have yet to try it via USB.  Will get back to you after I have done that.  Thanks,  JIMNot to be discouraging but just in case you should feel the urge to rush out and buy something have this in mind before you do. It appears that HP is offering this same unit for $59.95 with free shipping. http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/printer/office/1/storefronts/CB867A%2523B1H
In the interim while i am waiting for your reply re the USB i am doing some research on that unit. It seems like it was new in the XP era. Therefore i am concerned with it's compatibility with Win 7? Here is the link to driver/filmware/etc for that printer (but may not be applicable for win 7).
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=1143084&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=1143083&swLang=8&swEnvOID=228
If it turns out to be an incompatibility with win 7 i would not recommend buying that model--no matter how cheap it is. However i get the impression that other than the scanner that before the ink cartridge issue it was working with win 7. Is that so? Also since you have had it operating with win 7 have you ever needed to replace a cartridge before?
truenorth TRUENORTH:   
    To answer your question, YES the printer/copier was working (wireless) before the cartridge issue.   
  Also YES when the original cartridge went dry, I refilled it but the printer would not print BLACK.   After inquiring around I was informed that HP often encodes their cartridges so that it knows when you are trying to use a re-filled one, and blocks it off.  So I bought a (supposedly) replacement cartridge on e-bay.  That cartridge worked very well until I had the problem with the "paper jam".  I had to remove the cartridge to clear the paper jam and when I put it back in, I got the message "CARTRIDGE INCOMPATIBILITY" and the printer/copier stopped printing at all.
             But since my last post, I tried the usb connection and was informed that I had to re-install the driver via CD.  Which I did...  Lo and behold, the printer/copier is now working just like it did (wireless) before my problems.  However, the scanner >computer link is still not working.  It never has worked.   Possibly because of the compatibility issue.   A friend of mine has this same printer, but he is using XP.  So what you are saying makes a lot of sense..
    Now that I know that the printer will work with this cartridge, maybe I will try to get it working again wireless.   (Or buy a loooong usb cable).   I wonder if I can use it with either usb or wireless.   Or usb with my desktop and wireless on the laptop.

In conclusion, either way,  I am good with my printing issues.  Thank you very much for your help.   I was beginning to pull my hair (what's left of it) out.

You guys have always been very good and helpful when I get in a jam.  You are deeply appreciated.  Sorry about the mixup with two strings,  I thot that I had two different problems.  Thanks again  JIM
jim.mar, A few comments. !st thank you for your kind words to me and to the CH forum members in general.
Now to address afew of your findings.
1.Because of the vintage of the printer and what it was designed to work with (XP) unless you can find drivers that are designed for Win 7 it may NOT be possible to ever get the scanner working on that O/S. But if a scanner is important to you then standalone versions are not expensive (plus another advantage to that will be forthcoming in a lower explanation on another part of this issue).
3. In the vast majority of todays modern all in one printers if for any reason one cartridge becomes unavailable (out of ink (actually usually a misnomer) etc) then ALL the functions of the device become unusable. I know this to be the case with many Canon models and while i don't know HP's handling of this on their machines i would not be surprised were it the same.
4.As i have so often pointed out on these forums with ink cartridges there are a variety of options available for the replacement/refilling of cartridges depending on your enthusiasm to save money and/or do things yourself. But often an after market (non manufacturer) replacement cartridge can be PROBLEMATIC.
5. Most printer manufacturers now emboss their cartridges with holograms that are specific to a printer and primarily designed to thwart the consumer to do anything but replace the cartridges at a specified  TIME interval with MANUFACTURER cartridges. Now this is where i deal with the relevance of my earlier comment re "out of ink" warnings that will usually bring about the loss of the machine until a cartridge is replaced. That is a misnomer because in fact it is not sensing a volume of ink level it is reacting to a frequency of utilization of the printer parameter (specific to a certain colour). Thus if your do a lot of document creation you will lose the black sooner than any of the other colours.
  As to whether you want to return to the wireless mode of course that is your choice, No guaranty as to the outcome though. My own tendency would be to STAY with the USB connected mode. I won't get into other issues with the wireless mode that probably aren't relevant to your case at the moment but suffice to say my wife has a Samsung wireless laser printer that she has decided to use only USB connected due to ongoing issues with the wireless mode.
truenorth
P.S. Re your 2 separate posts. In fact the subjects were different. But given that they pertained to the same printer and as you can now appreciate they were connected it would have not served you well to have some members contributing to one post and others to the other. It could have prolonged a possible solution and been confusing to all. But certainly no harm done.Yeah, I think that you are right obout thee 4500 being meant for XP.  My frieend has one also XP and it works quite well in all functions.
When the printer black cartridg ran out of ink it just started to fade away on black and finally quit altogether.  I tried refilling it and it did print one page ( which I believe was already in its memory) then refused to print blac at all.  It did not give any message, just wouldn't print.  Some one advised me to change the cartridge two or three times then repeat with the refill.   That didn't work either.  So I bought an after market cartridge on e-bay.  Put it in and it worked very well for a few weeks.   The  when I ha the paper jam and removd the cartridge to fix it, the printer put out the message,"CARTRIDGE INCOMPATIBILITY " when I tried to use it again.
It still did not wrok with the re-fill.   Now, after re-installing the driver and connecting the usb cable it is working the same as befor the paper jam with the newer cartridge...    I prefer refilling my old cartridges, been doing it for years, put I don't know how to get around HP's fix against that.  I also can't understand why teh printer went into the "CARTRIDGE INCOMPATIBILITY" mode until I had re-instlled the drivers.

COMMENT: The only two printers that I like are HPs and Canon, however, I live in Arizona and this hot dry climate is very hard on print cartridges.   Canon has (or had) their injectors in the carriage and was seprate from the ink cartridge and was much harder get them working again after re-filling, so I focused on using HP.

So, in conclusion, I will stay with the usb mode..  Thanks again for your help... JIM" I prefer refilling my old cartridges, been doing it for years, put I don't know how to get around HP's fix against that. "
Good on you. I have been doing that on a great number of printers for years with no downside to it.
Now about this part of the quote " put I don't know how to get around HP's fix against that." I have a commercial ink supplier in GA that i have used many times for things related to ink jet printers and can highly recommend. I have noted their contact on another post a long while back. Why i mention it again to you is that they also offer a variety of ways to overcome the manufacturers LIMITATIONS on their cartridges. It is not a one size fits all for each printer model has it's own specific option. I have no idea if they stock any or all of the options for your specific printer but if you are interested investigating that possibility just PM me and i'll give you the contact information and what to ask them.
 I have a possibility as to why the system works with the USB and not the wireless re the cartridge but it is just a guess.
truenorth
Discussion
8087.

Solve : my laptop e442 will not boot up?

Answer»

hello

i hope someone can please help
my teenage boys have had my laptop, i go to switch it on and i get windows can not install please restart to continue
ive tried taking it to its last good configuration, nothing, it wont allow me to use safe mode
i dont have a restore disc can anybody please help me get my laptop up and running Quote

it wont allow me to use safe mode

What happens when you attempt to use it?

Quote
i go to switch it on and i get windows can not install please restart to continue

Um. Never seen that error and it doesn't even make sense because you are just trying to boot it up, not install anything. Am I correct?I am confused,given that it won't start how are you attempting to do this "ive tried taking it to its last good configuration, ".Also what is the operating SYSTEM. I know that it may prove fruitless but talk to the boys and try to determine what it was that they were last doing on the computer (as detailed as possible) when they encountered an error or crash or whatever. That may help point us in a defined direction.truenorthHey; can you try hitting F8 for me when the computer starts. This is called safe mode and it runs the computer using it most basic systems. (like starting the engine of a car with out the frame or electrics)  if this does not work what does it do when you try this?

Please make sure there is no disc in the cd drive i know it sounds silly but you never know.

Can you list computer type the exact error message perlease  Quote
Hey; can you try hitting F8 for me when the computer starts.

Quote
ive tried taking it to its last good configuration

He must know how to get to that menu because that is one of the options on it.Suck my thumb son 
Don't worry about me, lets try and get this sorted for her. For someone new your not exactly MAKING a good 1st impression...

Keep in mind we are all Volunteers and there are those that have been here a tad bit longer than when you arrived...i appologise for being misleading
i will explain again

it switches on and goes through the booting up process then a grey box with a red cross COMES up saying "windows can not complete the installation please restart"
this i do and it does the same thing over and over
ive tried to boot it in safe mode it just says the same thing
ive tried configuring it to its last good configuration to start ...nothing
im using the F keys to get to these options as obvisously i cant get any futher
i cannot FIND the option to restore the whole thing back to factory either
im really stuck
any help would be greatly appreciated

many thanks x
the only thing i can think of is that its got a virus or they have wiped something clean off and im not that computer literate to understand how to put it right

many thanks X3 things:

What version of Windows ?
Do you have a Windows CD ?
If a factory restore is done you will lose all your data...is this an option ? ?hello

its running on windows 7
i have no CD for it i never backed one up even tho it was asking me to do so
if factory restore is done its fine to loose all data as i do have it all stored

many thanks x
Discussion
8088.

Solve : Video Memory Stress Test found 580+ errors?

Answer»

I've got problems with a friend's nVidia 8800 GTS. It starts normally for a few minutes, but afterwards the screen freezes and red/blue vertical lines appear on screen. It's not overheating, as it's temperature isn't going over 60°C

We booted the Hiren 15.0 and STARTED the Video Memory Stress Test. It showed about 580 errors on a certain part of memory. I'm guessing that's the error, but I don't know how to fix it :SReplace the card if still under warranty....Are you able to stress test it on a different computer? Some dedicated video cards do share memory with your system (http://www.nvidia.com/page/turbocache.html)
If the card is not under warranty and you have nothing to lose, you might want to try this DIY fix:
http://www.addictivetips.com/hardware/fix-your-graphics-card-by-baking-in-oven/
Basically it remelts the solder connections and fixes gaps that arise over time. PLEASE EXERCISE WITH CAUTION, THOUGH.Ouch ! !
You sure you want to give that advice ? ?Yeah I did get a stick of 2GB DDR2 RAM working after heating it for 10 min with a Panasonic 1200W hairdryer on full blast. I really doubt a hairdryer can reflow solder, but its still up and working in my Intel rig after 1 month, [email protected] 24/7. No issues. It was under warranty, but I didn't want to pay 7 bucks for a long taxi ride to the STORE where I bought it.   Apparently people have used hairdryers to fix laptop graphics cards:http://ask.jaimeyu.com/2009/09/how-to-fix-broken-nvidia-based-laptop.html Search on google and you will find more.


It started failing when I discovered any large file download would always have an incorrect MD5 checksum and that IntelBurnTest would always FAIL within 5 min on Standard(1024MB). I swapped parts out ONE by one until I isolated it to that stick of RAM.


An 8800GTS is a decent card, even by today's standards: http://www.hwcompare.com/5868/geforce-8800-gts-g92-vs-radeon-hd-6770/ Pretty much equal to the Radeon HD 6770. Quote from: patio on November 14, 2011, 09:02:20 PM

Ouch ! !
You sure you want to give that advice ? ?
Yes.No, the card is not under warranty. I'll try swapping RAM modules, and I'm not feeling really comfortable of placing the graphics card into an oven o.O ty for the tip, though Quote from: patio on November 14, 2011, 09:02:20 PM
Ouch ! !
You sure you want to give that advice ? ?
I am familiar with how circuit boards are made, I used to design & have them fabricated.  There are several methods for soldering, solder paste & liquid flow bath.  In any even, for this procedure, the circuit board is heated to the point where the solder will remelt, around 400 degF.  Nothing like using a soldering iron, where the heat is concentrated on 1 spot.

The procedure Transfusion refers to might actually work, but I wouldn't plan on cooking your Thanksgiving turkey in that oven.  The vapors may linger for quite a while & the lead will get into the turkey.

Tryptophan + Lead = Dead
Discussion
8089.

Solve : Headphones left out in below freezing weather?

Answer»

I ordered some headphones and they were delivered earlier today, but I didn't get them until just now.  Right now the weather is below freezing, so I'm wondering if they could have been damaged after being out there for around 8 HOURS.  The packaging was cold, and so were the headphones themselves.  They work, but I have no way of knowing if they weren't a little affected by the cold.  Should I return them just in case? Or should they be fine?

Temperature outside when I got them:  29°F  or  -2°C
Type of headphones: $20 Studio Headphones
Time Outside: Around 6-10 hoursThe cold weather shouldn't hurt them at all. From personal EXPERIENCE the one thing that could damage them is bringing them out of the cold and into your room temperature home, which allows condensation to build up inside the headphones. As long as you let them sit for a little bit before you use them just in case there is moisture inside, then you should be fine.   I live in the middle of nowhere and back in 2005 I had bought a computer online.  The UPS guy delivered in the the dead of winter when it was 25 degrees below zero wind chill and I was scared of this exact same thing.  I let it warm up by our wood stove for a while before TURNING it on, but it was still pretty cold (I was just too EXCITED to wait).

It worked fine from the time I started it until the time I had bought a NEW one several years later.  I had no issues with it.  The risk of condensation would be the biggest issue, but that was not a problem for me, even on this large electronic device.  Electronics either work or they don't, in my opinion.  If they were damaged, they would sound goofy, something would have fried, or they would not work at all.  If the headphones have since warmed up and they work, you'll be fine.

FYI - heat is the worst enemy of electronics.  If a component could run cool, it would last a lot longer. Quote from: Darthgumby on November 16, 2011, 09:00:52 AM

The risk of condensation would be the biggest issue, but that was not a problem for me, even on this large electronic device.
Please be cautious about what you're saying.  You almost give the impression condensation is not a significant issue.  But, it is.  Moisture inside an electronic/electrical device should always be avoided.  For a device brought inside after sitting out in cold temperatures, merely allowing the device adequate time to warm to room temperature and for any condensed moisture to evaporate is all that's necessary to avoid damage.  To be on the side, don't get in a hurry to start/use the device; give it plenty of time, perhaps hours or even overnight, to sit in room temperature before its first use.  Quote from: Alternative Solution on November 16, 2011, 01:21:05 AM
Temperature outside when I got them:  29°F  or  -2°C
That's still warm. I run with my iPod in that and colder weather all the time. Like everyone is saying, the warming back up is the tricky part. I've seen a laptop run fine in -25°F (-31°C) weather (I, on the other hand, was not running at all at that temp.) Quote from: Raven19528 on November 16, 2011, 05:54:37 PM
That's still warm. I run with my iPod in that and colder weather all the time. Like everyone is saying, the warming back up is the tricky part. I've seen a laptop run fine in -25°F (-31°C) weather (I, on the other hand, was not running at all at that temp.)

The device being on in those conditions isn't the issue. it's the device being off in a cold environment, and then being brought into a warm one.
Discussion
8090.

Solve : Fax over DSL?

Answer»

I'm getting rid of AT&T POT but RETAINING their DSL. The only problem is my STAND alone fax machine will no longer work. Is there a COMBO printer available that can do FAX over DSL? I can't use one that will scan in to PDF or another format to be attached to an email.

Thanks, Jimim not familiar with american services, but is you mean DSL as in broadband, then have you tried attaching a telephone filter you your fax machine? I will no longer have telephone service (voice), just ADSL from AT&T over same line. Filter will not work anymore. QUOTE from: jcmack on November 22, 2011, 07:55:35 AM

I will no longer have telephone service (voice), just ADSL from AT&T over same line. Filter will not work anymore.

Fax machines work through the voice phone line. You will need active voice phone service to fax from the machine. That's how the machines work, they call, through the phone line, the receiving machine on the other end.

Other alternatives to send documents without a phone line would be to pay for an online faxing service to whom you can send documents and they will fax them for you at a cost, or to scan and email documents which is an alternative a lot of companies use now. Quote from: quaxo on November 22, 2011, 08:03:35 AM
Fax machines work through the voice phone line. You will need active voice phone service to fax from the machine. That's how the machines work, they call, through the phone line, the receiving machine on the other end.

Other alternatives to send documents without a phone line would be to pay for an online faxing service to whom you can send documents and they will fax them for you at a cost, or to scan and email documents which is an alternative a lot of companies use now.

We can't cancel our telephone service independently in the UK (as far as I am aware) so this is new to me. So yeah, I was about to say pretty much that.

Quote
I can't use one that will scan in to PDF or another format to be attached to an email.

How come?
Quote from: mylogon on November 22, 2011, 08:18:54 AM
We can't cancel our telephone service independently in the UK (as far as I am aware) so this is new to me. So yeah, I was about to say pretty much that.

That varies with providers. Some providers require you to also pay for their voice service, however it's not actually necessary for DSL. As long as you're actually physically connected to the phone system, DSL will work even if you don't have phone service. Quote from: mylogon on November 22, 2011, 08:18:54 AM
We can't cancel our telephone service independently in the UK (as far as I am aware) so this is new to me. So yeah, I was about to say pretty much that.

How come?

There's only a couple recipients I fax to and even they, very rarely. They won't accept faxes attached to email. have you tried over the internet services, such as
http://www.freepopfax.com/

or try following this tutorial
http://www.ehow.com/how_4550668_send-fax-over-internet.html
hope this helps,
lukeI think your only solution may be software-based...
SoftPedia has some Free and low cost software solutions listed at their site.

Best of Luck. Quote from: jcmack on November 22, 2011, 08:32:16 AM
There's only a couple recipients I fax to and even they, very rarely. They won't accept faxes attached to email.
I'm wondering why?  Do they not have a computer and an Internet connection?  If they have them, then why won't they accept faxes attached to email? Quote from: soybean on November 22, 2011, 09:34:48 AM
I'm wondering why?  Do they not have a computer and an Internet connection?  If they have them, then why won't they accept faxes attached to email?

Simple, people are set in their ways, refusing to move with technology causing havoc for everyone else who has to compensate for them. A lot of companies, namely the public sectors, are the same - backwards.Although that may be true the only logical reason i see for it...backwards or not is the fact that a signed FAX is legally binding...whereas an e-mail is not. Quote from: soybean on November 22, 2011, 09:34:48 AM
I'm wondering why?  Do they not have a computer and an Internet connection?  If they have them, then why won't they accept faxes attached to email?

They are associated with our state Government. They won't do anything outside of their job description. They are not involved in the least with anything classified, but since the system is set up fax only, it precludes any e mail problems. Quote from: jcmack on November 22, 2011, 09:52:42 AM
They are associated with our state Government. They won't do anything outside of their job description. They are not involved in the least with anything classified, but since the system is set up fax only, it precludes any e mail problems.
Well, I think that's a real EXAMPLE of mylogon's comment: Quote from: mylogon on November 22, 2011, 09:48:10 AM
Simple, people are set in their ways, refusing to move with technology...
Anyway, have you looked at http://www.freepopfax.com/ that mylogon suggested?  Looks to me like it is a good solution here. I would be faxing some personal info. I don't know if I want a third party involved. It's worth reserching though and I REALLY appreciate the info.]

Jim
Discussion
8091.

Solve : Foundation Certificate in Project Management ??

Answer»

New test Foundation Certificate in Project Management for ISEB-PM1 ? how many questions for that ?

   
Not sure ...
but , 625 study GUIDE in passcert What is the point of all these Certification Posts ? ? Quote from: patio on November 17, 2011, 06:44:07 AM

What is the point of all these Certification Posts ? ?

spam?
I guess their not REAL good at it then... Quote from: patio on November 17, 2011, 11:44:16 AM
I guess their not real good at it then...

Either that, or they will later trigger the bomb by editing their profile so that their posts contain a signature which is a link. I call it "pre-spam". It MIGHT be WISE for the mods to consider that.
Already thought of that and all User names are listed...

1 bomb and they all go bye-bye.
Discussion
8092.

Solve : thermal take ruby orb parts missing :/?

Answer»

Hey guys i have recently built a system using old parts . its 775 Pentium 4 at 3.4ghz i have a thermal take ruby orb but I'm missing the 775 socket for my heatsink WOULD any one know where  i could get the part / bracket

i have HIGHLIGHTED the bit i don't have in blue,

[regaining space - attachment deleted by admin]http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1148&ID=1556
Fro the above website:

The bracket you say you are missing only applies to AMD AM2 sockets. You ALREADY have all the required parts for LGA775.
Discussion
8093.

Solve : 2 different graphics cards?

Answer»

hey, i have just purchased an asus geforce gtx 550 ti 1gb and have a spare gts 250 512mb  kicking about would it be worth STICKING it in the spare pcie slot? will it share its MEMORY with the other card or just do nothing at all?if yes do i have to alter anything in the bios to help them work together? i have a 620w psu is this enough to run them both? any help would be much appreciated.
Your MBoard needs to support this...
Also the cards have to have the same chipsets i believe...not likely in this case.

The 2 methods for doing this are called SLI or Crossfire...The 550 is a great upgrade and will really surpass the capabililties of the 250.  If you SLI these, while in theory it may work, you may be limiting your graphics output as the lesser one would be pulling resources from the greater one, and vice versa.  If it were me, I would just keep the 550 in the main case - it will save on power consumption, heat, and TROUBLESHOOTING than having both.  You can get another 550 later once prices go down.

The second lesser card - i'm sure you have someone you know that would be greatful to use it in their system.  Most stock PC's people buy have on-board graphics, which really suck.You can use the GTS 250 as a DEDICATED PhysX card... or do [email protected] on it without affecting your everyday computing performance... or use it in a dual-monitor configuration... It is a pretty powerful card, but no you will not be ABLE to SLI it with the 550.cool cheers for the help folk, i will stick to the 550 then. I am using EVGA precision tool and a bit of extra cooling to oc the 550 a bit further, it is a cracking card.
Discussion
8094.

Solve : XP Pro - SETUPLDR Couldn’t open drive multi disk rddisk partition 1?

Answer» Computer Specs


Operating SYSTEM - Windows XP Professional SP2, OEM & Legal(used on old MOTHERBOARD)
Motherboard(Current & never been used) – MSI_P67A-C43(B)
Service Packs -  2 & 3
Computer Model - Generic (built at Computer Convention during June 2001)
Memory - 4GB
Sound – Onboard
Video(card) – PNY 512MB

Harddrives (3) All Seagate Barracuda
#1 Seagate (SATA) 500GB – never been used but is the one I wanted to install OS on.
#2 Seagate (IDE) 500GB – Storage Drive
#3 Seagate (SATA)1TB – Storage Drive


Issue:

I was attempting to install the operating system on the 500GB Seagate harddrive but keeping getting the following error message:  SETUPLDR Couldn’t open drive(0) multi(0) disk(0) rddisk(0) partition(1)

I have been in BIOS screen and have the boot options SET up correctly
A) DVD-RW
B)HD

At first I thought I couldn’t install the drive because I the motherboard was confused(for want of a better description) about which harddrive to install the operating system on but after checking the case I remember that I although there was a cable connected to the IDE harddisk, that the other end of the cable WASN’T connected to IDE controller card (in the pci slot).  So, that couldn’t be the issue.

I went into BIOs and changed the SATA connection to ACHI, then to RAID, then to IDE and neither of those worked because I keep getting the same error message mentioned above.  I read in another post a suggestion about setting the SATA controller to ATA and not to ACHI.  Unfortunately that won’t work for me as the ones I mentioned are the only options I have other than disabling it.

I thought maybe it was my harddrive, that it was dead as a doornail, so I disconnected it from my MSI motherboard and connected to my sister’s(the one I’m using right now to communicate).   Her computer which is a Compaq Presario which has SATA capabilities picked on the drive right away.  Of course I couldn’t see the drive until I used Seagate DiscWizard to format the drive as a Primary NTFS partition but once that was done the drive was fully viewable.  I also connected the TB storage drive just to make sure that it was viable as well and it was.  All my video files are still as intact as the day I put them on there.

Can someone please TELL me what exactly does the error message SETUPLDR Couldn’t open drive(0) multi(0) disk(0) rddisk(0) partition(1) mean and how can I get this issue resolved before my sister comes to take back her computer(which is what I’m using right now)?

I have trying to get work for the last few days and I'm at the end of my rope.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,Hi, lapetite66

I'm not sure about that error but did you try plugging the drive into a different SATA port on your motherboard? If not I would recommend doing this.

Or you could just head over here: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/154251-setupldr-couldnt-open-drive0-multi0-disk0-rddisk0-partition1/, where you already posted this question on another website. I would follow Jaclaz's last post:

"Or you could get a DOS based CD such as the excellent UBCD:
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ and use it to run a few tests on your hardware."Have you ever done the following?
Remove the 500GB SATA drive.
Install a small PATA (IDE )drive. About 120 GB. Or less.
Bring up XP on just the small IDE drive.

The purpose of the exercise is to confirm that the motherboard and the XP copy you have are know to work together . But if you can not get it o work with an older drive, it is futile to go very further using a large SATA drive.

Discussion
8095.

Solve : Logitech and saitek stick won't work independently.?

Answer»

Hi, I have a joystick which is a saitek X52 and a joypad which is a Logitech. The problem I am having is that in some games they recognize each other at the same time making the game unplayable. This would be easliy solved if I could just unplug one STICK at a time, but when I do this I have to keep remapping all the controls because as soon as I take them out of the USB port they lose the mapping keys. Any ideas anyone? The main game it does this is in Fifa12 for the Pc.I don't use joysticks, but couldn't you just disable it in device manager?I could try it but which one of these do I disable, or do I disable them both? One says saitek controller (USB) and the other Saitek controller  (HID).Saitek...although they build the best joystiks have not always written the best drivers...
But check their site to assure you have the latest ones installed for your setup. Quote from: patio on November 14, 2011, 02:16:56 PM

Saitek...although they build the best joystiks have not always written the best drivers...
But check their site to assure you have the latest ones installed for your setup.

Done that but still the same, I'm still not sure which to disable though? Also, won't disabling it be the same as disconnecting it?If you disable the Logitech device it does not uninstall it...
It will be re-enabled on NEXT boot.

One of the main reasons i'm mad at MS because they got rid of Hardware profiles....they would come in handy in this case... Quote from: Linux711 on November 14, 2011, 11:16:55 AM
I don't use joysticks, but couldn't you just disable it in device manager?

For anyone else attempting this doing this corrupted my computer and I have had to spend the day renistalling everything, so be warned! The second time I tried doing this is when it broght my computer to a stand still and created a blank screen after restarting it. Quote from: Crafty on November 16, 2011, 07:22:26 AM
For anyone else attempting this doing this corrupted my computer and I have had to spend the day renistalling everything, so be warned! The second time I tried doing this is when it broght my computer to a stand still and created a blank screen after restarting it.

That doesn't make any sense.

I just disabled one of my game CONTROLLERS, reboot, re-enabled, and restarted again without an issue. Clearly there was something else wrong.

More specificially, I note you mention Logitech and Saitek, But you make no mention of device manager nodes aside from Saitek.

More to the point, using multiple controllers depends on the game saving it's settings properly. A lot of them will basically same the various bindings as SAY "DirectInput joystick one, button 1" which means that whatever gamepad is assigned as joystick one will get that assignment, which could change if you hotplug the controllers. Properly done, the setting ought to be saved as something like "Logitech Dual Action, Button 1" and then the game should resolve the gamepad name based on DirectInput Device names. But most games don't do that, because very few are tested with multiple gamepads. Quote from: Crafty on November 16, 2011, 07:22:26 AM
For anyone else attempting this doing this corrupted my computer and I have had to spend the day renistalling everything, so be warned! The second time I tried doing this is when it broght my computer to a stand still and created a blank screen after restarting it.

If you are stating that the advice given hosed your system you are mistaken or you have done something other than what was suggested... Quote from: patio on November 16, 2011, 07:14:19 PM
If you are stating that the advice given hosed your system you are mistaken or you have done something other than what was suggested...

Unfortunately this did hose my system and I made no mistake disabling the correct USB. However, we all know making any changes to a computer has the potential to cause something to corrupt and I am not blaming it on the advice given. I did mention that it corrupted the system on the second time of trying and was just warning people what this did to my system. Maybe if you try it yourself a few times you may get the same result as I did. I believe this is what corrupted the computer because of the following things I did > I disabled the USB and  it asked me to reboot. When I rebooted the computer started to boot up, but I was greeted with nothing but a black screen. After waiting 15 mins I decided to power off and restart the computer. However, on doing this, windows did boot up, but somewhat very slowly. I tried another 4 attempts to boot the system and evertime it took an age to boot into windows. Disabling the Device was what was suggested...

From what you stated above it sounds like you disabled the USB controller...that was never suggested. Quote from: patio on November 17, 2011, 08:11:44 AM
Disabling the Device was what was suggested...

From what you stated above it sounds like you disabled the USB controller...that was never suggested.

In Device Manager, under Human Interface Devices, I disabled Saitek X52 Flight Stick (USB). Is this correct?
Discussion
8096.

Solve : Hard drive data transfer!?

Answer»

Hi my computer, dv2000, CRASHED today due to a graphic CARD failure,WICH is not uncommon for my model. Anyways i have this dv9000 laptop wich can hold 2 hard drives in it, i put the hard drive from the bad laptop and put it in the SLAVE hard drive slot. Is there a way to copy all my files from the SLAVE hard drive to the MASTER hard drive, including Desktop files and My documents to LOOK just like the old pc?This article is for Windows 2000.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457074.aspx
Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating Files and Settings
Published: June 01, 2001 | Updated: August 08, 2001

It copies data files. It can duplicate most of the user settings. However, it might not transfer programs that have to be installed each from its own install CD.

BTW how did you find a laptop that takes two HDD?See Here...

Of course you will need to adjust the info to your setup but it's basically the same for all PC's...*BTW how did you find a laptop that takes two HDD?*

Its a Hp PAVILION dv9000 series, 2 HDD slots
Discussion
8097.

Solve : ASUS N73S(V) Side-panel stopped?

Answer»

Hello, i got my NEW ASUS N73S(V) a month ago, and after the first 2 weeks, the side-panel for my keyboad STOPPED working.
This is not the side-panel with all the numbers and Pgdn/Pgup. But this is a side-panel with a mute BUTTON, play/stop, Increase volume, Decrease Volume, Next and Previous. Like a movie-sidepanel. But it just stopped or its not responding, the buttons have a light in them and they glow, but they won't do anything... Is it a driver i need to re-install or is the glitch on the motherboard (so i have to send it for service)


So if anyone has had the same problem or something like this, please respond how you fixed it. This is a laptop, I see.
No I doubt its a glitch on the motherboard, the side panel KEY functions are unassigned by default and when you put the drivers into action, Windows configures them to do specific actions, like, play, volume up, ENTER full screen, etc.
Try reinstalling the drivers, that should solve the problem.
Discussion
8098.

Solve : HP All-In-One Scanner not working?

Answer»

Need help. This scanner and its software worked fine like a month ago. I've UNINSTALLED and reinstalled uncountable times, turn it on, turn it off, reboot the computer, you name it. Specifically I'm having problems with the HP Solution center. I think a lot of HP stuff has gotten left in the registry and is a huge part of why the uninstall and reinstall is not working. I'm afraid to edit the registry because my computer is a Compaq Presario so I need to be sure what ever I delete from the registry is for the HP Photosmart C5180 only. Can you help? I'm running Windows Vista.In regards to this " you name it" have you (after uninstalling all the software for the printer) disconnected all cables from the printer (usb/power) from the printer to the computer? Then using the manual followed the precise sequence for installing the printer as if it were new.truenorth
P.S. I do NOT recommend you do anything to the registry.yes, I have also tried unplugging both the power and usb cords. I ran HP scan diagnostic utility and it confirms there are issues with the registry.Are you still eligible for FREE tech support on this printer? I really don't recommend nor will most members of the forums suggest you do things in your computer registry (unless you feel comfortable from KNOWLEDGE and experience to do so). I am a bit surprised that if all software has been REMOVED that a new install does not correct the registry issues.
I purused the HP site looking for solutions for this fault and found this. HOPE it helps.
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer-All-in-One-Software-and/Fix-for-recent-HP-solution-center-cannot-message/td-p/220133
truenorthAfter the next time you uninstall the software try running revo unstaller.

http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

Some software leave remnants after a standard uninstall and if that's your problem it may help.  It was designed to repair sloppy uninstalls.

By all means, do NOT make changes in the registry unless you are 100% sure of what you are doing.  It's OK to look around, just be careful about what you do.That Revo software is where its at! HP's uninstall must really suck because Revo took over 6,000 related ITEMS out. I held my breath when I rebooted but my computer is still here. I'm doing a new install now of the printer software. Fingers crossed.
Discussion
8099.

Solve : COM-ports?

Answer»

I am trying to transfer files to my sewing machine thru a DYNEX USB cable, I downloaded all of the software but it keeps telling me "Unable to open COM-port".  Also, the cable I bought has the right connection, but the male / female parts are wrong, they both have the screws and no connectors.  Would this have anything to do with my problem?I am going to take a stab in the DARK here and assume you are menaing you are using a USB to Serial port adapter?

In my experience with them, they do not always perfectly emulate a true serial port. However this is not your issue currently; the issue I believe is that your sewing software is attempting to CONNECT on an onboard serial port.

You can follow these instructions to change your serial port settings:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc739900%28WS.10%29.aspx

You will need to locate the manual for your sewing machine to determine the appropriate settings. Quote

am trying to transfer files to my sewing machine
Please provide some information about the requirements of the machine. Quote from: Kurtiskain on November 15, 2011, 01:36:58 PM
You will need to locate the manual for your sewing machine to determine the appropriate settings.

This is the most important thing you need to do.

Frankly, it's been a while since I had to make a com port work.  While there were some standards for com ports, over the years there were MANY different variations, particularly for proprietary software and machines (LIKE a sewing machine).

All the settings for the computers com port need to exactly match the com port settings on the target machine, and it's not always easy.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but if you can't find the manual, and can't find anything on-line to indicate the sewing machine com port settings, you can't hurt the sewing machines com port by trying different settings.  If it's wrong it just won't work.  I've had to do that trying to interface a computers com port with a com port on a piece of test equipment many times and never hurt anything.
Quote from: rthompson80819 on November 15, 2011, 04:18:21 PM
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but if you can't find the manual, and can't find anything on-line to indicate the sewing machine com port settings, you can't hurt the sewing machines com port by trying different settings.  If it's wrong it just won't work.  I've had to do that trying to interface a computers com port with a com port on a piece of test equipment many times and never hurt anything.

Changing the baud rate and other settings does not change any voltage or current to the machine, you yes you are correct, it just won't communicate if the settings are wrong. Thanks for your suggestions.  The manual does not list them, but I did call the product support for the sewing machine.
Discussion
8100.

Solve : motherboard resources?

Answer»

What is "MOTHERBOARD RESOURCES"?PLEASE EXPLAIN it GOOGLE "Motherboard resources".
Discussion