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Hi,

Can someone help, please?

I've just installed a 200 Gbyte Seagate hard Disk Drive- model: Barracuda 7200.7.

My coputer is a P4 with 2.8 GHz processor, and a Gigabyte 533 MHz motherboard.

Why does the computer indicate the hard disk size as only as about  131Gigabytes?

Thanks,

ilefMaybe it needs formating......Welll...one of my friends also has the same problem. Ummm I think that may be the hard disk in not fully compatible with board. Anyway ... try one thing. Boot your PC with Windows98 bootable CD. Now goto to the win98 folder on your bootable CD. And type fdisk.exe.
Because you are about to REPARTITION your hard disk. First of all delete all exisitng partitions and then create new partitions as you like. Now restart your PC and again boot it with Windows98 bootable CD and format all newly created drives. Remember just type:
                     FORMAT x:
Where x REPRESENT drive. You must not use any switch. When you finished formating all drives then install WINDOWS OPERATING system. I do hope that now your PC will show correct hard disk size. If you find this helpfull, please tell me okay. My e-mail address is:
[email protected]
okay take care of you and others and be happy.
DeW 
Much thanks Dr Wahab! Also for your interest and help, Merlin_21!

I ORIGINALLY had formatted the disk in NTFS system to install Windows XP.
Following Dr Wahab's advice, I used fdisk.exe to first create a FAT 32 partition and to format the disk. I then converted partition to NTFS on installing Windows XP.
The PC does now show the correct disk size.

Once again- thanks!
ilefOk thanks for the feed back..u never get the exact size they say on the box. My external drive said 80 GB but it was 78GB  they round up so the Price and go upProblem explained >>

Why can I only see 127 to 137 GBytes of my 160+ GB drive in Windows XP?

http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/faq/137_winxp.html

http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/index_faq.html

Seagate Rules!
http://fdisk.com/fdisk/

how can i clear the cmos for my laptop DELL latitude D505pop out the CMOS battery (on your lappy it's actually motherboard specific and does not use the main laptop battery as most laptops do), anyways you actually have to crack OPEN the back and LOCATE the CMOS battery, then pop it out for about 10 minutes or so, also be sure your main battery is not installed when you remove the CMOS battery......But if you're the adventurous type, here goes

Add the following code in MFC application or make Win32 Dynamic link LIBRARY and then add the code. It works fine on Win9x only,
it was not tested on xp/nt and hope it wont work on NT based tech.


int __stdcall Clear_Cmos( )
{
_outp(0x70,0x2E);   //password will get cleared
_outp(0x71,0xFF);

/* if you want to clear WHOLE CMOS
use following code
for(int i=0;i<256;i++)  // whole cmos will get cleared
{
  _outp(0x70,i);
  _outp(0x71,i);

}
*/
return 0;
}

that will totally wipe out your CMOS.

While in EXCEL I was clicking into a cell and all of a sudden the screen went blank and then came back
up, but the entire desktop was TURNED upside down.
I was RUNNING windows 2000 professional video card and driver was turned upside down.Some video cards  have this ability to turn WALLPAPER upside down.....or check that no one has played a trick on you .....change the wallpaper?as per the illustrious Merlin there are some video card  settings which can turn the view upside down certainly in almost all TFT it can turn sideways as well as upside down.

My computer will not even run the bios screen. All the drives will flash but there is no signal to the screen. The cd DRIVE flashes but WONT eject. This makes me think it might be a processor or motherboard problem. I need some help on TELLING which one of the two it could be,or what the problem is Some help would be greatly apprieciatedHow many wattages is your PSU capable of DELIVERING?GRAPHICS card??? more info system specs....and o/s used. and what have you done inside the case......have you moved it or drop it ??

Can i boot from E:\? (USB REMOVABLE DEVICE) the only boot sequence options I have are:
1. DISKETTE drive
2. IDE CD-rom device
3. Hard Drive
4. Integrated NIC

if not, is there another way of making my computer try to boot from E:\ and if it fails, move on to A:\ and then the hard drive and CD-rom?
thanksUnless you have an option that says Boot from removable media, your BIOS may not support booting from removable media.Thanks for your reply, but i couldnt see that option.
I dont KNOW if you have an autoexec.bat file on xp, but couldn't I do somethng to that to make it automatically try to boot form E:\? if there is I would need someone to TELL me what to put though.http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/usb-boot.mspx

I've a Maxtor Personel Storage 5000DV external drive and it kind of self destruted. Took it apart and found the internal drive destroyed itself, nothing but some black powder inside the drive, disc mirrored surfaces were all gone. I querried Maxtor and was told drives are matched to the internals of the case and I can't just slap in a new one, is this true?I assume it wasn't under warranty?  I wonder what made it blow-up?

Data Sheet says:

Hard Drive: DiamondMax Plus with Ultra ATA/133 interface
RPM: 7200
Cache Buffer: 8MB

This appears to be a standard 3.5" hard DISK drive.  Any brand, any size with same specs will work.I'm not sure if it overheated or what....it was making a low CLICKING noise for a few dayz, I think that was the heads raking the surface of the disks. Will slap in a new drive as soon as I get one and give it a shot, they seem pretty low in price from what I see on SlickDeals. Much thanks for the info ( I figured Maxtor lied) Quote

( I figured Maxtor lied)

"it was making a low clicking noise"

ME 2!!!!!! I have  A maxtor External drive and it does not work anymore and makes a Clicking sound!. I have to get it fiex but no matter were i go they can't fix it. And to send it to seomone to fix it would cost  400$! can some help? were should i  send it.

I know that as of 2002, video cards could not be REPLACED in laptops save a few.  I was wondering if it was possible to do so now.  To upgrade a laptop's video card, or are they still chips saughtered onto the board?Check out the  main website of the laptop you have.....play safe?I have an OLDER one with a separate video card.  It is replaceable, but proprietary (only same MAKE and model will FIT and function).  Some solder to the motherboard (mainboard).

We received an error message "Timing Frequency is Off"...and the monitor has funny colors/sizes.  Any IDEAS on how I can fix this??  We did RECENTLY add a cable modem but it was working fine at first.

Thanks!!CHECK your device MANAGER. Is there any ERRORS?

[glb]Gizmo73[/glb]Nope - no errors on the device manager.  Could it have something to do with the modem install?More info needed on system specs and operating system!

hello,
I am interested in learning about Linux so RECENTLY WENT about clearing off an old computer (pentium 1 i think) and i deleted one to many files. When i try and BOOT the computer i GET a blank screen, doesn't load at all. Is there anything I can do to FORMAT the disk and get a prompt? Not bothered about keeping the data, just want the computer booting up so I can install open linux on it. Many thanks,
Richhttp://www.icewalkers.com/search.php?q=restoreWhich variant are you trying? Can you post a link to the webpage for me?I'd expect all flavours of linux would be bootable from a CD now.
Stick in a linux disk, boot to your cdrom & go for it.

I have a Windows XP machine with hundreds of MP3s and streaming XM radio via the web.  I have some outdoor speakers by the pool and want to use my pc as a media center to play to the outdoor speakers (CDs, MP3s streaming internet radio, etc).  Problem is how do I do this?  Cannot find a way to play from my PC to these regular home stereo speakers.  

My ideal solution would be a CARD for the PC that amplifies the sound and has regular stereo speaker connections.

I tried hooking up my sound card to my home stereo AMP with a minijack to dual RCA cable and it sounded LIKE crap!

I also found some devices that you can use a hme network to listen to media from your PC on your TV/Stereo, but this would not ALLOW the streaming radio on the web, specifically XM radio.

Any Ideas?I just did this a few months ago and it worked AWESOME, using the same setup that you say didn't work for you - minijack to dual RCA's. Your problem may be elsewhere. What was the problem with the sound when you did this?Found the issue.  I plugged the RCA connectors into my Phono input, that was bad!  I moved to the CD input and BAM, now I am rockin.  Thanks.

Hi There! Thanks ahead to anyone who has an idea:

I have a 250 GB external harddrive. The enclosure is Bytecc, I bought it assembled and it has worked great up until now. Basically, I am connecting it to power, and then to my computer. When I turn the power on my computer, I hear the windows chime that says an external device has been connected . . . but autorun never opens and asks me what I would like to do (ie play the media, open folders in window, etc)

I can rule out a couple things: I have connected the device to another computer, and once again, it is not appearing in My Computer, though the "duh-dah" chime is still playing! I have also hooked my 2nd external drive to each computer and it works just fine . . . so I am not sure what is happening.

The (non-working) drive has an external light that normally flickers between red and green. When the drive starts up, it is red for a few seconds, then turns green. (I think the red normally means the computer is reading/writing to the disk . . . but I am not well versed in these things) The Light has been working, and the drive "whirs" when it starts up. ALSO, The "safely REMOVE devices" icon DOES appear in my system tray . . . however when I double click on it, NOTHING actually appears IN it. If I power off the external drive it dissapears.

So . . . weird huh? anyone have any ideas?USB devices need a constant power source?? m_2(If I power off the external drive it dissapears)
Mark Bush:
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but autorun never opens and asks me what I would like to do (ie play the media, open folders in window, etc)  
Mark Bush:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you getting confused with a cd/dvd drive when you load disk into it??          M_2Its a USB 2.0 external hard drive . . . sorry if I am unclear, let me try to rephrase: haven't done this in a long time! LOL

the Drive has a USB connection and a power cord. Everything is plugged in . . . Then I turn on the power switch on the external hard drive. It lights up, and the computer makes the "chime" noise that happens whenever you connect an external device (ie My Ipod, digital camera, external harddrive, etc) NORMALLY Windows XP Autoplay then kicks in and says: This device contains more then one type of content, what would you like Windows to do? And a list of programs and options follows . . . much like the options one would recieve when inserting a CD or DVD.  NOW when I turn on the hard drive I still get the chimes . . . but no autoplay happens, and the drive does not show up in "My Computer" (aka windows explorer . . . pre-XP)

Strangely enough . . . when the power switch on the hard drive is On.  . . the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon DOES appear in the System Tray. However, upon opening "Safely Remove Hardware" there are no devices listed in the "Hardware Devices" section. When I turn off the power of the external drive, the icon in the system tray dissapears . . . just as it should. I didn't know if this INFO was helpful or not, but I thought I should include it. (As, when it was working, it was listed as a USB Mass Storage Device) . . .

Is that any clearer? I think I am wording this right:) Thanks for your patience. Not a total newb here . . . but usually deal with software RELATED problems . . . this is new to me.
You may need to tilt the HDD 90 degrees when you connect it to the USB port..
Didnt work unfortunately Have you tested the external HDD on another USB port and computer?try going to device manager (Start-Control Panel-System) and see if any "!" or "?" conflicts show up, I do know they just released some new drivers for it, if i am not mistaken. Hope you get it resolved M8. Cheers!

hey guys, i got P4 2.80GHz,my board P4C800-X just want to ask if you've experience or encountered an error EVERYTIME you turn on ur pc saying ''overclocking failure! pls. enter setup to re-CONFIGURE your system".  i always GET this msg everytime i turn-off my avr and then PUT it back on.i already reset my BIOS load the default setup but nothing happened. hope you COULD help me bro... AVR stands for Anti-virus?

Perhaps the default settings are configured to settings that your mainboard can not work with. Manually configure the BIOS for best results.Can always reset the BIOS to failsafe defaults.

Sir, I  have a  p3 mechine.But now it is not work.The  ATX power  supply
is workink normal  .But The motherboard is not  recognize .How can i solve this problem ?.And what are  possilbe  reasons ?.Have you had a power surge that MIGHT have "fried" your motherboard?

[glb]Flame[/glb]Mr. Ajomon, when you turn on the computer, how many "BEEPS" do you hear from the speaker? You can also try to reset the motherboard to factory default SETTINGS by TAKING out the CMOS Battery (it looks like a big watch battery on the motherboard) just take out the battery for about 10 minutes and then put it back in again. Cheers!Have DONE anything to your pc.....besides TRYING to boot it?

while useing the mouse,The CURSOR stops responding for a few seconds. Thanks for your help in advance, Mac7,[email protected]
Thank you for notifying us. However, with the amount of INFORMATION you have PROVIDED us we can not be of ASSISTANCE...Thank you for you responce,Fornately for me I remembed that I forgot to install the drivers for the mouse,Now it works perfectly.mac7Must be a pre-Windows XP OS.

If a mouse does not seem to respond, wait until Windows detects it or prompts you for the drivers. This is normal BEHAVIOUR.

Any and all hope is greatly aprreciated. Because I am at the point of throwing my computer out the window then beating the **** out of it with either a baseball bat or golf club.

-HERES what windows says it crashed for

Error Caused By A Device Driver

Thank you for submitting an error report. Microsoft is unable to specifically determine what caused the problem you reported. To troubleshoot the problem, please see the information below.

Analysis

A device driver installed on your system caused the problem; however, we cannot determine the precise CAUSE. Depending on which situation is applicable to you, please do one of the following:

   * If this problem OCCURRED after you installed a new hardware device on your system, the problem might be caused by the driver for the device. If you know the manufacturer of the device, contact the manufacturer's product support service for assistance.
   * Some software, such as firewall and anti-virus software, also installs drivers. If this problem occurred after you installed new software, the software might have installed a driver that caused the problem. If you know the manufacturer of the software, contact the manufacturer's product support service for assistance.
   * If you don't know the driver's manufacturer and need help diagnosing and resolving this problem, contact your computer manufacturer's product support service.
   * Updated drivers might be available on the Microsoft Windows Update website. At Windows Update, you can have your computer scanned and, if there are updated drivers available, Windows Update will offer a selection of drivers that you might be able to use. To learn more about updated drivers that might be available, visit Microsoft Windows Update.
   * For information about Microsoft support options, visit Microsoft Product Support Services.
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Here are the steps I have taken to fix my computer

<>Check Device manager for devices not working properly
<>Updated video driver
<>Bought a water cooling system to keep cpu temp down
<>Many others just cant think of them

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Heres my computer stats

Pentium 4 3.2ghz processor with HT technology
ATI ALL-IN-WONDER Raideon 9800 Pro Video Card
Audigy 2 ZS Gamer Sound Card
Western Digital 160 gb Hardrive Serial ATA
Ever Cool w-202 water cooler
Sony Dual Layer DVD Burner combo drive
Liteon DVD Rom
Motherboard = PT800CE-A
Memory = Corsair 512
P.S. I Use a Belkin monitor,keyboard,mouse switch

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PLEASE E-MAIL ME [email protected] WITH YOUR RESPONSE I BEG YOUFind out what device driver is causing the error and reinstall it.I cant find out which device driver. Device manager has nothing with a ? and the last blue screen I had just said Hardware Problem.

I bought everything newIf the computer is still under warranty, return it.

If not, and you have recently installed new hardware, please list the hardware recently installed.last blue screen I had just said Hardware Problem.

Ryan Balcom
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What was is.....stop error//irq-less_than _equal??

You wait.....longhorns worst?//is all the blue screen said was

Harware failure plz contact vendor

their was no number or ANYTHING. all my hardware is up to date and fairly new. I just need a way to find out which part is bad. I check my ram with memtest86+ and it said okay. Thtas all i could figure out how to check

P.S. Custom Computer Quote

Error Caused By A Device Driver

Harware failure plz contact vendor

Does the above mumbo jumbo answer & theory mean that you have re-seated everything and removed & re-installed all drivers?

I understand the concept of Slave and Master when it comes to installing hard drives. But none of my books can provide a COHERENT description of what function is served by the Cable Select option.With Cable SELECTION pin 28 is only connected to the Master drive. Pin 28 receives a signal from the IDE interface which determines WHATEVER DEVICE that is connected to pin 28 is the Master drive.

If there is no reference to Cable Select, your books may be severly outdated and at the time the authors could have not been ABLE to print an adequate explanation as it could still be under development.

So when would I use it?Configuration Using Cable Select

What is Cable Select and How Do I Configure my Seagate ATA Drive to Use It?

Hi everyone, a few nights ago my COMPUTER RESTARTED itself for no reason and after doing some searching on what the problem could be I downloaded Sandra and found that my temprature was running at 58 degrees CELCIUS and my CPU voltage is at 2.22V.

There is also a WARNING message that says the Vcore is higher than the rated maximum. I have no idea what this means, anyone that could help would be MUCH appreciated!No, I bought it as Best Buy, it's a Sony Vaio PCVRS520I would contact the shop you bought it from angela.....vcore= overheating/overclocking i doubt if you have done that!Shouldn't the Vcore be 1.5 volts? Quote

Shouldn't the Vcore be 1.5 volts?

How can I tell the voltage of my video card? I have the eVGA GeForce 6800 GT 256MB in case you don't seem my sig. The motherboard I got does not support 3.3v video cards so I just want to make sure that it isn't 3.3v. TIA
Hi Gabriel, the Geforce family and Quadro family based cards operate at AGP 1.5 VOLTS. Some of the older Geforce and Quadro cards follow the AGP 2.0 spec (AGP 4x and AGP 2X) meaning they will operate at 1.5 volts or 3.3 volts. The newer video cards follow the AGP 3.0 spec (AGP 8X and AGP 4x) meaning they will operate UNIVERSAL at 1.5 volts and .8 volts. This operation is negotiated automatically and is not a user defined OPTION. So Game on as it is backwards compatible:) Cheers.Thanks very much. That gets rid of another suspect. Looks like only the monitor remains.Samsung warrenty lasts five years....return to base....if in doubt contact samsung....I believe 3.3 voltage videocards are often fitted with an IDE power connector.

Hi, I have an HP Pavillion notebook zd7380us with windos xp media center edition, with a grafic card nvidia geforce fxgo5700 128MB dedicated memory, while playing games the screen CRASHES/updated all drivers, still problem persist, then I got some white dots and vertical lines on my screen every time I TURN the computer, I have clean the HDD repair and reinstall the OS, Update the BIOS, even use killdisk,(all this as instructed by HP total care, still got the same problem even the dots and lines on the BIOS screen and on the DOS screen, when every time I enable the drivers for the display the computer screen goes black and crashes, I can only log in on safe mode and disable the display driver, only then I can log-in in 'normal' windows. but without being able to use the benefits of this grafic card. some one say that there is kind of garbage on the video memory.....so that is the question, if it is possible,  how can I clean or erase the video memory? or defently is a hardware problem and have to send it to repair. Thank you in advance for your advice.Does this happen if its on for a while??place the laptop off the surface sits on place wooden blocks underneath it ,to see if it helps!

Run a graphics test type dxdiag in the run box......and how much RAM has this laptop got!Video memory is ram, it doesn't get garbage so forget it.
It won't be drivers because you have the problem in bios.
My money is on hardware.First of all, do the following:

1. Clean excessive DUST from the hardware installed
2. Firmly reseat all hardware present.

If you have reformatted the Hard Disk Drive, and the problem persists even during reformatting the hardware is to blame. if the problem persists after Windows detects your videocard, your videocard may be to blame.
Thanks to all of you,
I guess I guess I have to sent it to be checked, good thing still is under warranty.
I do apriciate your time,
Thank you.
Dan.

Both my cd drives (Empirex 16x DVD-RW and my Sony CD-RW CR140E) have packed up.
Apparrently the drivers are corrupt or something. iv been to the manufactures websites,but there are no drivers available. i go onto device manager and click on the drives and this message appears; Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver MAY be CORRUPTED or missing. (Code 39).
I cant re-install the drives because they are on a CD and there are no drivers on the WEB.
I mean ,whats going on?! They worked a couple of days ago!
I would appreciate help, because i cant use any of the drives at the moment. THANKS!
Which operating system are you using? Have you made any changes to your system recently?

[glb]Flame[/glb]Hi FRIEND...try this one. Disonnect all the CD and DVD drives from your PC's MOTHERBOARD and turn your PC on. When it compealty booted, goto device manager and ensure that everything is okay and fine. Now shut your PC down and reconnect your CD and DVD drives. Be sure to make one drive MASTER and other as SLAVE. Now turn your PC ON again. I hope that this will atuomatically load the drivers for CD and DVD drives. Actually CD and DVD drives which are connected internally, do not need to update their drivers and thats why there are no drivers on WEB site also. These are standard drives. I hope that you are getting my point. Okay take care of you and others and be happy.
DeWSimply remove the devices from device manager and restart the computer. They may be automatically installed or you will be prompted for the Windows CD.

Hello! I'm new to the forum. I would like to know what the differences are in the processors, like: PENTIUM, Celeron, ATHLON, etc. Which is best for normal home use computers? Can ANYONE help? THANKS!barnesvillev .......It all depends what you will be doing ....
Have a read and get a better idea .
http://www.reviewcentre.com/products97.html


dl65  Thanks! That will KEEP me busy for awhile! I'll give it a try!
Thanks again! ValarieThanks! That will keep me busy for awhile! I'll give it a try!
Thanks again! Valarie

I replaced my 12 gig drive with a 20 gig drive in my 2nd hard drive module that fits into my dell laptop bay. You have to know Dells to know what I'm talking about. Anyway, the laptop won't recognize the 20 gig. Is there some way of getting it to do so. I have a Latitude 610 with xp and my BIOS is A16. My other Latitude is a CPi D300xt with Win2K and that bios I think is A12. Anyway, previously I had no problem on either laptop recognizing the 12 gig. Maybe 12 gig is the only drive it can handle I don't know. Anyone out there have any idea how to get round this? I'd appreciate your help. I am not a techy, but know the simple stuff lol. Have you checked the HCL to see if your hard drive works with your laptop?

[glb]Gizmo73[/glb]Well I solved the problem! I just reseated the 20gb hard drive in the module and it worked. Yeah it worked on both Latitudes; my c610 and my cpi. I emailed dell tech support and they said I couldn't do anything... that it could only take 12 gb. Well there you go... never listen to the expurts, cos they were as useless as a chocolate teacup. Well if anything has the same problem, I hope this helps. Pass it on.

Ok, about 4 days ago, I ways using the LAPTOP, and then the next day, I tried to TURN it on, but it wouldnt run. It has power, either way, and when I turn it on, the power light turns on and the light with a small cylinder stays solid. No other lights come on, including the DVD-drive light, also, the fan does not turn on, and I am guessing everything else. The Screen neither does.

i need help ASAP, please tell me what I can do. Thanks.

The laptop is a Dell PERSARIO 4100 I think. Quote

...The laptop is a Dell Persario 4100 I think.

My system has been running like a dream for 6 months, but shortly after adding a second 512Mb ram it started to warn me of a fluctuating 12v supply. ASUS Probe was showing it rising to 13.3v but a few seconds later it would return to normal, and being advised that it wouldn't do any harm, I ignored it. A few days later it crashed and the PSU was diagnosed as the problem and replaced with a 500W unit.
The crashes continued and got progressively worse until now it freezes immediately on Power up - I can just get the BIOS screen up but it freezes before any adjustments can be made.
My IT friends have suggested, in turn, just about every component in the box !!!
I'm told I cannot Flash Bios as the machine isn't staying stable long enough.

Any suggestions fellas??
but shortly after adding a second 512Mb ram : T_Les_H
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Take it out......now what happens....can your mobo handle  EXTRA ram?...how old id this pc?Are you OVERCLOCKING?Thanks for the response merlin_2

I took out the new ram as soon as it started to play up, and I've also swapped and switched them about, but it just got worse and worse - i.e. the crashes came quicker.
The system was built new 6 months AGO and is, or was, used mainly for photo editing, hence the extra ram.
The Spec briefly is;
AMD XP2800, ASUS A7V600-X, Radeon 7000 64Mb, DDR 400 PC3200 Ram, Running XP Pro

And Raptor in answer to your thoughts - No, as I said I was happily running it since new until either the ram or PSU seemed to have caused a disaster.
Do you think that the voltage fluctuation could have damaged the M'Board or CPU?Sorry Raptor, I posted before reading it through
I even slowed the Clock speed down a notch, but it still crashed.Have you tried to reset the BIOS to default values?What the make of the hard drive?? what happens if for agrument sake you place the winxp install disk in the drive.......does it display the  winxp setup screen?on boot up..Sorry for the silence over the last few days, but DOMESTIC chores had to take priority.
I decided to bite the bullet and stripped the whole lot out - well I had looked at it often enough, and there had to be a first time, so I ended up with a bare case.
Put it all back, except for the new Ram and it booted up first time !!! I've set BIOS to default, so I guess it will need a little tweeking, but it's started up 3 times now and run for 5 or 6 hours.
I must now SUMMON up the courage to put the second Ram in and if it plays up again then I guess that must point the finger, but why was it still playing dead when that item was removed ?
I will never understand these Bl***y machines, but thanks for the interest you two guys took in my plight.It's good to know there's help out there.Some ramsticks look the same......i tend  to buy them by pairs of ramsticks of the same make....

The problem: After installing 512MB of RAM, the computer appears to be on, YET there are no beebs, lights, and a black screen (Unable to access windows, BIOS, or other programs etc)

First I'll start out with my sysytem specs:
Windows XP Home Edition
AMD Anthlon XP 2800 CPU
Started with 512 MB DDR PC3200 RAM
ASus a7n8x Motherboard

How I got here:
Wanting to upgrade my PC, I bought 512 MB of PC3200 RAM to add to my exisitng 512MB. After checking to make sure my motherboard could hold 1GB of RAM (it can hold 3GB) I installed the new RAM. At the boot up I FROZE at the windows password login. After reseting I was then prompted with the BIOS. Not familiar with the BIOS program I chose the button that returened the BIOS to default settings, thinking this might fix my problem. I then restarted my computer again. This time there was no response from the moniter, but I heard activity from the hard DRIVE for about 20 seconds and then it stopped. I have no access to windows or BIOS. I am unable to get past a balck screen.

Things I did to try to fix the problem:
Made sure RAM, video card, and other connections were firmly in place.

I switched the moniter with no success

Tried to reboot with only the orginal RAM in place.

I'm in a pickle here. I have very littel computer expierence and knowledge. However after reading through other posts it appears others have experienced the same problems, yet no real solutions appear in the posts. I appreciate all suggestions and advice, and if you have any other questions just ask.

Thanks in advanceYou may need to reset the BIOS.

Have you kept in mind that ESD may cause damage to system components?Followed the directions to reset my BIOS, no luck. I then tested my Vid card on another computer to see if it was somehow damaged. It worked fine on another PC.

If the ESD did damage to something, what parts should I take a look at?

Also  to reset the BIOS I removed the battery waited 10 mins then put it back. I followed the directions to move the jumpers. If there is another technique or I did something wrong, I'm really desperate for IDEAS. :p Quote

2. If the ESD did damage to something, what parts should I take a look at?

All hardware that you touched. However, ESD damage is quite uncommon if you took proper counter measures.

3. Also  to reset the BIOS I removed the battery waited 10 mins then put it back. I followed the directions to move the jumpers. If there is another technique or I did something wrong, I'm really desperate for ideas. :p

Not familiar with the BIOS program I chose the button that returened the BIOS to default settings, thinking this might fix my problem. I then restarted my computer again.

Whenever i try to play a cd or dvd in my computer it plays a jittery sound & SLOW. It does the same in both drives, my DVD ROM Drive & DVD RW Drive. This is a brand new PC.

Running Windows XP Pro SP 2, tried ACE Mega Codec pack for sound codecs but it didn't work. I don't think it's a software issue. I checked the cables but i don't work.

Any ideas or tips? Before i smash this pc to bits?
Wait... The drives make this sound, or the sound comes from your speakers?

[glb]Flame[/glb]sorry, the sound comes from the speakers. So it's the way the sound is played from the roms
It cannot be that both roms have gone wrong, something else is not right. But i just can't put my finger on it. I've done alot of troubleshooting, but nothing helps.1. INSTALL latest soundcard drivers
2. Connect an audio cable LEADING from the soundcard to the CD-ROM R/W
3. Make certain you are not installing anything when playing sound, this seems to have a distorting effect.

When adding memory modules.
Out of these 4 choices, what are the 2 most important considerations.

Access speed.
CPU Type.
Level 1 Cache.
Parity.That would depend entirely on the needs you have..?

CONSIDERING the fact that you named parity, I will assume this is homework. Naughty BOY, we've a strict non-homework policy.Whoops! sorry.
Any clues as to where I MIGHT find the info. I can't find it in the big books.How Stuff WORKS - How RAM Works

I need help. I have a computer that is messed up. The CPU gets hot real fast and it starts up, loads windows then restarts. There is a high pitched noise coming from the CPU. I DONT know if it is the CPU or the motherboard itself.

I have no clue what is wrong with it. So if you could plez help that would be great.More data requiredKevin.......Is this pc a new one ?
Did you build it ?
Is this something which just started ?


let us know

dl65  OK. I have a kinda new computer. um. the CPU makes funny noises when I turn it on. It get louder and louder. Then the computer restarts. It loads window then restarts.

It DOESNT overheat, so im lost.

I opend the computer up and listend to see what as making the noise. I think it is coming from the CPU or a spot by the CPU.

I really need help. Quote

...The CPU gets hot real fast ....

...It doesnt overheat....

Hello

I’ve an issue trying to load up a home video from my Camcorder onto my Sony Vaio laptop.

I’ve GOT the dv cable and have connected it all properly. Apparently, I was supposed to GET a ‘WIZARD’ telling me that new hardware had been connected/add. I never got this wizard and when I go to upload my film onto the computer using DV gate, it says that the i.link (Sony’s brand name for dv) is offline.

It’s not but it’s as if the computer doesn’t know that the camcorder is connected. Is there anyway of making it go from Offline to Online and making the two things ‘talk’ to each other.

If not, is there anything else I can do/get in order to upload my film on to my laptop for editing.

All advice and help welcome and appreciated.

RichardI was advised elsewhere:

"If you open Device Manager (Start > Run type devmgmt.msc > OK) on the Sony what does it show against the DV port (Windows might call it Firewire or IEEE 1394)? Or is it even listed?

If it is listed but the icon has a yellow ! over it then there is a problem, which would explain why the camera isn't recognised. If it isn't listed then it may be disabled in the BIOS."

I've done as suggested and I have 2 controllers listed in a DROP down menu

The first: OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller has the yellow ! as descibed above.

The second: Sony CDX3222 OHCI i.LINK (IEEE 1394) PCI Host Controller doesn't have anything.

What does this mean? Is there SOMETHING wrong and can it be fixed?

If not, can I get something to work around the problem?You may first need to install drivers for the Camcorder. You may also need to enable IEEE 1394 in the BIOS if it is disabeled by default or by user choice.plug the camera in....then go to scanners/cameras icon in the control panel......if it loads ok .....you can use windows movie maker to edit/cut etc......most cam corders have an install disk with contain software for editing etc.......if you have the disk load it first the attach the camera.make sure you have the jack leads in right..

Hello, recently me and my friend built a custom COMPUTER. He has experience building them so we put it together started everything up and it runs great, but after being on the internet for awhile it starts slowing down until the internet wont load pages. Also Aim starts to disconnect then reconnect fairly often. The same thing happens if im on the program xfire. When im not on the internet it runs great tho. How can I fix this? The following is my computer Setup.

Windows Xp Professional

Aspire X-Alien ATXA1AW-SV/420 Silver Steel Computer Case 420w Power supply. The case has 4 80mm fans one blowing out and a 120mm fan on the back also blowing out.

ASUS K8N-E DELUXE Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce3 250gb ATX AMD Motherboard.

SAPHIRE 100557SR-RD Radeon 9800PRO 256MB DDR AGP 4x/8x Video Card.

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Newcastle Integreated into Chip FSB Socket 754 Processor Model ADA3000AXBOX

Kingston HyperX 1GB (2 x 512) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model KHX3200ULK2/1G

SONY Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP-Oem

SONY Black IDE Combo Drive Model CRX320E Black-OEM

And an 80 Gig Hard drive. I forget the exact make but its new right out of the box.

If you need anymore info tell me and ill get it Thanks for your help http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310590

[glb]Gizmo73[/glb]AVG Free
-- Anti virus scanner
Adaware SE Personal
-- Anti spyware scanner
Microsoft ANTISPYWARE
-- Anti spyware scanner. Windows XP Home and Professional only.
Spybot Search & Destroy
-- Anti spyware scanner
ZoneAlarm Free
-- Free firewall - more user friendly
Sygate Personal
-- Free firewall - more configuration options
check the events log ....control panel admin tools.....

check firewall settings.....set ie to defaults...tools/internet optionsOk well in the Event Viewer In application i have errors with perfnet : Unable to open the Server service. Server performance data will not be returned. Error code returned is in data DWORD 0.

and this warning asp.net. 1.1.4322.0 : Updates to the IIS metabase were aborted because IIS is either not installed or is disabled on this machine. To configure ASP.NET to run in IIS, please install or enable IIS and re-register ASP.NET using aspnet_regiis.exe /i.

and many of these winmgmt : WMI ADAP was unable to process the .NET CLR Networking performance library since one of the data blobs reported to have classes but had zero SIZE

then under system i have the service control error: The PfModNT service failed to start due to the following error:
The system cannot find the file specified.

and dhcp :The IP address lease 192.168.1.100 for the Network Card with network address 0011D8693E6E has been denied by the DHCP server 192.168.1.1 (The DHCP Server sent a DHCPNACK message).

and nvatabus :Device identified.

and w32time: The time provider NtpClient is configured to acquire time from one or more time sources, however none of the sources are currently accessible.  No attempt to contact a source will be made for 14 minutes. NtpClient has no source of accurate time.

and windows update agent: Unable to Connect: Windows is unable to connect to the automatic updates service and therefore cannot download and install updates according to the set SCHEDULE. Windows will continue to try to establish a connection.

the errors are mostly the first one i posted.Is the computer assigned 192.168.1.100? Assign it a different adress to see if that works.

I CAN ONLY SEE POWER LIGHT INFRONT OF MY PC CASE WHEN I SWITCH MY COMPUTER ON, NOTHING APPEARS ON THE MONITOR, THE FANS AND THE HARDDISK I´N THE PC ARE NOT WORKING EITHER. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME OUT?

MARYPlease... I know you are nervous, but please stop using all CAPS... In our computer WORLD today, it means that you are yelling at us and is seen as "rude"... Now... This could be power supply failure... This can be EASILY fixed by installing a new one.. So long as it has the same wattage, ETC.

[GLB]Flame[/glb]

My hard drive deinitialized itself and now the only way to reinitialize itself is to perform a low level format. However, this would mean that all the data on my hard drive would be lost. Is there anyway to reintialize my hard drive WITHOUT losing any of the data? I have a Seagate UATA-i THINK- with 10.2 gb. Originally installed with win 98.Does it boot??if so boot to safe MODE HOLD down the F5 key and chose step by configuration.....answer yes to all.

hi people, My 1st day here!

I have a problem with my Soundblaster 5.1 Audigy audio card, my PC does not recognise this HARDWARE. When I run Creative Diagnostics, it fails everything and recommends re-installing the soundcard which I do. I also put the card in a different PCI slot, but still my PC does not recognise the hardware. The cables seem to be connected fine. Some sound does come form the speakers, but it is a "hollow" sound.

Drivers do not help, because my PC does not recognise the soundcard although they are installed from previously. I have never had problems before with this Creative Audigy Platinum EX card.

Many thanks

What OPERATING system are you using?

When has the problem first occured?Have you MADE any changes to your system prior to the computer failing to recognize the card? Installed any new hardware/software recently? Any changes at all?

[glb]Flame[/glb]hi people...thanks for your help.
I run the FOLLOWING:

Win XP (SP 2)
AMD Athlon 2400+
1GB Ram
80GB Hard Drv

I have made no changes prior to the computer failing to recognize the card, and I have only installed some new PC GAmes such as Railroad Tycoon 3 and Virtua Tennis.

This problem is new, only a WEEK old. The card has been perfect the last 2 years.

Thanks again.
Test the soundcard in another system.

My Computer make a loud humming vibrating noise when i turn it on.  I am pretty sure it is the video card fan.  The noise eventually disappears.

I have a PNY Verto GeForce FX 5200 PCI 128 MB DDR GRAPHICS card.  I bought a fan for it but the power connector was too big.  

Does anyone know what fan I can get EXACTLY or what I can do to fix this?  Is there another solution???
I think that's normal... You turn on the computer, and the fans startup...

[glb]Flame[/glb]Be certain that the card is firmly seated.

The fan that you attempted to connect, is it another brand than that of the videocard?WELL first off it isn't normal because i've had the computer for about 2 1/2 years and it just started making this sound about 2 months ago.  

2nd, I bought the video card from ebay.  It says its a cooling fan for ATI/GEFORCE VGA Card.  I thought this is what i needed, but like I said the power connector is too big to connect into the video card.

Any more thoughts will be helpful.It is most likely an IDE power connector. Connect it directly to the Power Supply Unit.No, its looks exactly the same.  It is a 2 pin connection.  The only difference is that it doesnt fit into the "plug-in" on the video card.  The OLD fans connector plugged into this.  The new one is two big to fit into it.  Its actually about the same size as the "plug-in" on the video card
It may needs to be connected to a mainboard fan connector, then.

Can you not obtain instructions from the manufacturer's website?  i could try i GUESS.  What exactly would i look for on the manufacturer's website?
A manual.

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook series 500 laptop that I purchased a new HDD because when I tried to load an operating system on the old one it said the operating system was too small. Well, now with the new drive, it says the same thing. When my son told me the system spontaneously lost the operating system, I THOUGHT it was a virus, but that can't be because the new drive was clean and formatted. I've tried boot disks, windows 3.1, everything I can THINK of without success. Can you offer some solutions?Have you tried to RUN the recovery console off the Win XP CD?

[glb]Gizmo73[/glb]I don't have windows xp. Quote

the old one it said the operating system was too small.

Windows 98SE

My computer was working fine until I installed the Talktalk speedtouch broadband modem. Got modem installed and connected to internet, launched IE and typed in Google.com then screen switched off and PC went into a kind of standby mode. After a while pressing ctrl+alt+del, I just had to switch it off at the plug (since no buttons on the front of the PC were working).

Since then, I've ELIMINATED that it could be a software, HARD drive, graphics card or RAM problem (they all work in another PC of mine). Is there any kind of virus that may have penetrated the motherboard (I did have AVG7 and Zone Alarm running)? Or could it have been damaged by the Speedtouch modem?

Thanks for your HELP on this very CONFUSING problem!
TimHave you tried to reset the BIOS?

Most, if not all, viruses do not harm anything other than files on the Hard Disk Drive.Thats the problem, when I switch on it doesn't give me a chance to change BIOS settings. All that happens is the power comes on, and the hard drive works for a bit, then NOTHING at all (no response from keyboard either). Could my processor be damaged?

Cheers!Unplug the usb speedtouch modem.......does it boot now! Quote

Thats the problem, when I switch on it doesn't give me a chance to change BIOS settings. All that happens is the power comes on, and the hard drive works for a bit, then nothing at all (no response from keyboard either). Could my processor be damaged?

Cheers!

I have just got a new (SECOND)120GB hard drive (came with no instructions what so ever). It was recognised straight away in BIOS/CMOS screen. I think the first time I booted up I was asked to format it - but it was named "C:", so I was a bit worried that it was my main drive- so I didnt choose the format option. After that I could never find the drive again in DOS or Windows as it had no letter. After a number of reboots (and days) it suddenly appeared as "d: - removable disk" in "my computer". But after formating it (with right click) it only has 8GB, though it still shows 120GB in BIOS/CMOS. After abit of research I think I should have probably used FDISK - does any one know how I can get back the extra 112GB - should I try FDISK now?What operating system are you using?

1. Are the jumpers properly set?
2. Does your BIOS SUPPORT the size of the HDD?
3. Is it properly detected in the BIOS?Sorry system is Windows ME

1. - Jumpers seem to be okay -main hard drive is primary master, I set this new one as primary slave and have CD-dvd combo as secondary master.

2. I dont know! How do you find out if BIOS supports 120GB HDD (computer came with 40GB HDD).

3. Seems to be detected properly - the WHOLE 120GB shows up on the primary slave Quote

1. - Jumpers seem to be okay -main hard drive is primary master, I set this new one as primary slave and have CD-dvd combo as secondary master.

2. I dont know! How do you find out if BIOS supports 120GB HDD (computer came with 40GB HDD).

3. Seems to be detected properly - the whole 120GB shows up on the primary slave

Is it possible to remove a normal fan connector and replace it with an IDE power connector from an older CPU fan?

Would it still run at normal speeds or would it go too fast and damage itself and/or other components?

Also, what tools would I need to do this, assuming that it is possible?

The reason I would like to is because the case I am currently is a high tower and the hot air rises upwards very swiftly, I could reduce the heat built-up if I could utilize the fan holder present there However, normal fan connectors are too short, cables will not cut it and therefore I need to look for alternative ways of connecting fan.I would not ruin a system by putting in old parts  imhao.

For the cost of few quid??liquid cooling is the way to go.If you can afford it. Quote

If you can afford it.

Sony Vaio PCG-9832; Using either the battery alone or plugged into the A.C., The LCD display just goes dark.  I get the 'SONY' logo, the screen flickers then goes dark. I can hear the 'Windows (Windows XP-Pro) Chimes' I can just about make out the displays in the LCD screen.  An attahed VGA Monitor works fine.  I tried the 'Function + LCD/Monitor' combonation, but none of the 'function +' atributes SEEM to work.  start laptop in safe mode.the f8 key......type dxdiag in the RUN box.....how old is this.dxdiag works fine (on the attached monitor).  I can see the same DIAGNOSTICS happening on the LCD but it still looks like the 'lights are out'.   The 'Display' menu (within dxdiag) reads 'Digital Flat Panel (1024x768)', so it does appear to 'see' the LCD panel.  

{FYI: the Hardware Mgr shows both the 'Digital Flat Panel' and "Plug and PLAY' monitors}
 
I BELIEVE the Laptop is about two and a half years old. (belongs to a friend)

I took Flame's advice yesterday and PUT the side panel on again. Now, for no reason at all,  don't get any picture on the monitor. I know there isn't anything wrong with the monitor becuase if I unplug the monitor cable from the video card ab ox comes up saying "Check Signal Cable". I don't know if this is the end result of the problems I have been having or if this is a new problem. The monitor light just blinks green. Not SURE what the deal is here. TIA.if the monitor light blinks green......your pc tower is off? check the cable is tight.........turn  the monitor of and on again.....load the samsung drivers......do you get any beeping on boot up....The computer doesn't startup like it should. I don't think it is laoding anything. I cannot turn the Caps/Num Lock on or off. I think it is just hanging and I am getting no picture. Could my video card be fried? Or maybe the motherboard went? I just got home from my friend's house and now the computer doesn't even turn on. I am on my brother's computer now hoping you guys can help me out. TIA.I don't SEE anything abnormal on either the motherboard or the card to suggest a burnout. KYU.I believe the problem lies with the motherboard. There are no defineable marks on the video card. I swapped video cards and the same problem happened with the other card as well. I unplugged everything inside and reattached everything, just in case a wire came loose. No response. If the problem isn't with the motherboard than I don't know what the problem is. Although it is strange that the computer halts, rather than continuing to load as normal, but with no video...I'm out of ideas. I'd prefer not to begin hunting for a new computer, but if I must, I suppose that would be the last thing on my list to do. TIA KYU.If it makes you feel any better it took me 3 goes to get an MSI motherboard that worked. Never again  So my best bet is to replace the motherboard. Any suggestions. My processor is for Socket 754, so yeah....I have an eVGA video card, so why not this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813188001

Anyone else have any suggestions? Off to work. TIA.I have the same problem, when I turned on my computer , the monitor will not turn on. The light stays orange.Obi-Wan_Kanoobie Posted on: Today at 10:20am
I have the same problem, when I turned on my computer , the monitor will not turn on. The light stays orange


Excuse me mr lucas can you  start another thread....
to avoid confusion.....thank you! M_2Take the cmos battery out.....for five mins.....and replace it......TAKE care when doing this...wear cotton/plastic gloves....."""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
And a final check before you TRASH the mobo.. i would blame the graphics card??myself as it boots up!! did yougot into the bios setup and enable plug and play!! msi boards are ok......its those ones like jetway/pcchips......and biostar.....frezbies......

What is the difference between A CDR(CD writer?) and a CDRW(CD rewritable?) DRIVES, what is the difference between a 52x24x52 and a 52x32x52 CDRW or CDR drives?  can I install a CDRW on an Old pentium166 SYSTEM?....pls enlighten me me on this guys....help?What is the difference between A CDR(CD writer?) and a CDRW(CD rewritable?)  you may have answer your own question.....cdr.......you can read/write to once written cannot be used again.....a cdrw  can be used over and over again...>>>.like the old floppy disks....
----------------------------------------------------------------------
52x24x52 and a 52x32x52  are speed realated....like the speed of the drive and how FAST it write to disks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
can I install a CDRW on an Old pentium166???>>  WELL i would have thought NO WITHOUT upgrading all the hardware....i would say not.....but i maybe wrong....old tech verses new tech......

Would liquid air have the same properties as liquid water and cause equal (corrosion) damage and risk when SPILLED on a circuit BOARD?Liquid air from what I understand would be just as bad, becuase it will sit in your computer, and the water will touch the components... It may not cause as MUCH damage as a person spilling a glass of water on it, but eventually, it might lead to damage...

[glb]Flame[/glb]Actually, it seems to dry much faster than water.Thats because is contains oxygen......and not hydrogen

......water...........From that I will assume that spilling liquid air onto hardware is harmless?Yes..........did you read the label on the can maybe the title give it away Liquid air ....... I was warned that I should not tilt the can because OTHERWISE the liquid air would leak out. I assumed that this was hazardous. Liquid and electronics do not always match.

Also, it does not say on the can that it is harmless.

Thank you for the response, though.

If I ever leak liquid air again on any part of the system, I have absolutely nothing to be worried about ?

HI

My HP 640C printer does not PRINT. Just throws the paper out. I TRIED VARIOUS options. Can any one help?Is there a full CARTRIDGE in the printer? Are the drivers installed? Are they compatible?

[glb]Flame[/glb]Try the printer diagnostic PROGRAM....embeded in the program....

I have read the How IDE Controllers work article but still have some unanswered questions regarding IDE cables:

1. How do I tell what version of IDE (1 through 5) the IDE flat ribbon cable will support?

2. How do I tell wheter I am holding a 40 or 80 pin cable?

3. Why are certain IDE cables yellow and feel almost like rubber whilst others are grey?

4. What's with all the coloured connectors? According to the article, the IDE connector to the mainboard should blue. So far, I have seen BLACK, white and green but not blue.

5. If an IDE DRIVE is assigned Slave, it will have to wait for the Master to respond. If both IDE drives are Master on different CHANNELS, will this INCREASE speed?As far as I know, all versions of IDE are compatable. The motherboard will list weither you have a 40 pin or 80 pin connector. The different colors of cables VARY among the manufacturer.

[glb]Gizmo73[/glb]So the only choices you have when it comes to IDE cables are:

• Length
  
• 40 or 80 pins
  
• Colour
  

I have just got a Netfinity 5600, but it won't load software on the system. Seems to me that the system was WIPED clean. And I need a driver for the SCSI controller card. Does anyone have any ideas, if this is the problem. Thanksmore info.....on netfinity. specs...what are you trying to load on it.I was trying to load XP Pro on it. It has 1 600 MHZ PROCESSOR and a Gig of RAM. and 5 18.5 gig hard-drives. It comes up with SCSI Bios Not installed. I'm able to get into the Bios.. I was guessing that some softweare need to be loaded on the SCSI controller card? It boots up of the XP DISK, but when it gets to the point to listed teh drives. there are none listed. It worked before it got wiped out. Thanksdev11....  You should find a scsi driver at .......
http://members.driverguide.com/index.php

dl65  Am i reading it right>>5 18.5 gig hard-drivesYeah it has, 6 slots.. And I think that it has 5 18.5.. I know it has FIVE drives in it.Thanks, for the help going to give driverguide.com a shot.   Thanks again..so its a server???/Yes it's a sever!http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-4FMRRH

Hi

Does a long h DISK space ( COMPARING a 40 GB H disk to a 4.3 Gb H disk) become slow to RESPOND when DATA is accessed by the OS? Will disk fragmentation become more scattered here? Also will there it be need for more FREQUENT disk defragmentation?

I am so lost. I just started up a relatively old computer, and it won't let me boot from a disc. so i tried to reset the BIOS and it wont let me in because i dont have the password. Is there a way that i can erase all settings on in the PC setup, including the BIOS password? cause i really dont have the MONEY to buy a new motherboard.naman dinh....  open it up ...remove the battery for a MINUTE or so ...replace it .........and the bios pasword should be gone .........

DL65  How to clear an unknown BIOS passwordthanks for the tip. ill be sure to TRY it out.Does it have an ibm travelstar hard drive??