From jonpan at onlinehome.de Wed Jul 2 09:18:56 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 15:18:56 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Anyone on the list running French or German Windows? References: <47F935E0.10504@bonbon.net> Message-ID: <000801c8dc46$2f0fb880$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Sorry it's taken such a long time, but I had to ask... \documents and settings\ - r?pertoire de la configuration des utilisateurs \users\ - utilisateurs . A useful website for this info: www.glossaire.be Hope this helps John Od/G ----- Original Message ----- From: Geoff Glave To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 7:48 PM Subject: TSGL: Anyone on the list running French or German Windows? I'm curious how French or German Windows describes these paths: XP: \documents and settings\ Vista: \users\ What do they look like in those foreign languages? Thanks in advance. _________________________________________________________________ Find hidden words, unscramble celebrity names, or try the ultimate crossword puzzle with Live Search Games. Play now! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/212 _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From jonpan at onlinehome.de Thu Jul 3 07:57:19 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 13:57:19 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Booting Message-ID: <000601c8dd03$f24afc20$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Hi all, I'm fighting with a friend's XP-Home PC which sometimes boots fast and at other times takes an eon. I've created plenty of free space on C: cleared out Temps, optimised the registry, defragged, looked at autoruns and checked out everything else I can think of but to no avail. Any ideas how best to get to the bottom of this? Thanks, John OD/G From deepend at tpg.com.au Thu Jul 3 12:03:49 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:03:49 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Booting In-Reply-To: <000601c8dd03$f24afc20$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080704014032.02221b50@mail.tpg.com.au> Jonpan wrote: >Any ideas how best to get to the bottom of this?>> Try Microsoft's free Bootvis (Boot Visualizer). It will give you a chart indicating where boot delays are occurring. It also has a "boot optimizer" button which sometimes helps. You could try removing and uninstalling all peripherals and their drivers---printers, scanners, etc. More often than not, boot delays are due to faulty drivers trying to load. If that fixes it, you'll know where to start looking. More than likely, it won't be just one rogue driver or whatever causing the problem. It's often a conflict between 2 perfectly good components trying to load together. Remember also that most a-v programs load with XP at a fairly low level---see if uninstalling the a-v helps. When you say boot time, I'm assuming that's the time from power on to desktop first appearing---ie before startups kick in. XP should load in 30-40 seconds. After that, startups can be very unpredictable. I found on mine that uninstalling zone Alarm Pro and AVG---both good programs in their own right--- cut startups time by over 30 seconds. But that, of course, is not part of the real boot time, if that's what you mean. The fact that it's intermittent makes it hard to trace, and rather points to a hardware problem. Try re-seating memory chips and display card and check all fans. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From jonpan at onlinehome.de Thu Jul 3 13:11:10 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 19:11:10 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Booting References: <4.3.2.20080704014032.02221b50@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <000c01c8dd2f$ca7d7480$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Thanks, Don, for the good suggestions. Yes, boot = power-on to desktop. As you say, the major difficulty in nailing down the cause is the intermittent nature of the beast. John Od/G ----- Original Message ----- From: Don Penlington To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 6:03 PM Subject: Re: TSGL: Booting Jonpan wrote: >Any ideas how best to get to the bottom of this?>> Try Microsoft's free Bootvis (Boot Visualizer). It will give you a chart indicating where boot delays are occurring. It also has a "boot optimizer" button which sometimes helps. You could try removing and uninstalling all peripherals and their drivers---printers, scanners, etc. More often than not, boot delays are due to faulty drivers trying to load. If that fixes it, you'll know where to start looking. More than likely, it won't be just one rogue driver or whatever causing the problem. It's often a conflict between 2 perfectly good components trying to load together. Remember also that most a-v programs load with XP at a fairly low level---see if uninstalling the a-v helps. When you say boot time, I'm assuming that's the time from power on to desktop first appearing---ie before startups kick in. XP should load in 30-40 seconds. After that, startups can be very unpredictable. I found on mine that uninstalling zone Alarm Pro and AVG---both good programs in their own right--- cut startups time by over 30 seconds. But that, of course, is not part of the real boot time, if that's what you mean. The fact that it's intermittent makes it hard to trace, and rather points to a hardware problem. Try re-seating memory chips and display card and check all fans. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From embitt at westnet.com.au Thu Jul 3 23:12:30 2008 From: embitt at westnet.com.au (Eric and Merna Bitter) Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 13:12:30 +1000 Subject: TSGL: The 4th of July has arrived Message-ID: <005501c8dd83$db307760$0401a8c0@number12> Hello, everybody. It's that time of year again. If you missed out last year, you have a month now. Enjoy. Merna Extracts below -- see full page at http://worldebookfair.com/ (also at http://worldebookfair.org/). ------------------------- July 4th to August 4th Download Your Selections From One Million Total eBook Files Available . . . (various search options snipped) . . . Browse the Full list of all 130 Collections (Browse Collections) The World eBook Fair welcomes you to access a variety of eBooks unparalleled by any other source. Third Annual World eBook Fair: July 4th to August 4th Just two years ago The First World eBook Fair came on the scene with about 1/3 million books, doubled to 2/3 million in 2008, and now over one million. Created by contributions from 100+ eLibraries from around the world, here are the largest collections. As of midnight Central Daylight Time July 4, 2008 these are the approximate numbers: 100,000+ from Project Gutenberg 500,000+ from The World Public Library 450,000 from The Internet Archive 160,000 from eBooks About Everything 17,000 from IMSLP 1,227,000+ Grand Total . . . (balance of page snipped) . . . From coover at fastmail.fm Wed Jul 9 15:17:59 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 12:17:59 -0700 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? Message-ID: <0E3D673466214CD6BCE54D8407FF445A@AcerLaptop> I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to which I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop which was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a black screen. Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted the desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is that the Video Card is not working. I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as easy as you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), but I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over the wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the light was on) ? Russ Coover From Engineman1 at aol.com Wed Jul 9 17:17:27 2008 From: Engineman1 at aol.com (Engineman1 at aol.com) Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 17:17:27 EDT Subject: TSGL: browser Problem? Message-ID: I have a 4 yr old desktop with 1.4 Ghz , 732 Mb ram, XP sp2 home. Several days ago I noticed that in Firefox sometimes when I would click the forward arrow it would jump back a page. Checking further I found that this would sometimes happen in IE and also windows explorer! I installed FF 3.0 but the problem did not go away. Usually it only happens every so often but the other day I was trying to book a flight and every time I entered my name and credit card info and clicked "next" it went back. when I got back to the page all the entrys had expired and had to be re-entered. After this happened 3 times I went to another computer to complete my task. I have heard that these 3 app's share certain files but beyond that I have no idea what to do to fix the problem. Engineman **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) From coover at fastmail.fm Wed Jul 9 17:35:20 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 14:35:20 -0700 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: <0E3D673466214CD6BCE54D8407FF445A@AcerLaptop> References: <0E3D673466214CD6BCE54D8407FF445A@AcerLaptop> Message-ID: <114B221A20AA4D28B7BAF4196275E6F4@AcerLaptop> I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... the computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ miles to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, replace the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn ... Russ Coover -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Russell W. Coover Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to which I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop which was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a black screen. Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted the desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is that the Video Card is not working. I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as easy as you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), but I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over the wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the light was on) ? Russ Coover _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From Engineman1 at aol.com Wed Jul 9 17:46:11 2008 From: Engineman1 at aol.com (Engineman1 at aol.com) Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 17:46:11 EDT Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? Message-ID: In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. Engineman In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, coover at fastmail.fm writes: I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... the computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ miles to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, replace the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn ... Russ Coover -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Russell W. Coover Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to which I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop which was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a black screen. Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted the desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is that the Video Card is not working. I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as easy as you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), but I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over the wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the light was on) ? Russ Coover _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) From coover at fastmail.fm Wed Jul 9 19:21:05 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 16:21:05 -0700 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC> Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I have decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" http://geeks.com which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to have the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand today ... and that is what I really want. Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM To: list at tsgserver.com Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. Engineman In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, coover at fastmail.fm writes: I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... the computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ miles to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, replace the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn ... Russ Coover -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Russell W. Coover Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to which I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop which was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a black screen. Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted the desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is that the Video Card is not working. I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as easy as you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), but I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over the wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the light was on) ? Russ Coover _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From coover at fastmail.fm Wed Jul 9 19:28:06 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 16:28:06 -0700 Subject: TSGL: browser Problem? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Oh, by the way, thanks for your reply on my Video Card problem. I wish I had an answer for your miss-acting browsers, but I've never seen that problem in the past and have no idea what is going on. I'd have done as you've already done ... uninstall, reboot, and reinstall. Sounds like you've an Operating System file that has become corrupted. One pain in the buttocks solution may be to run an overlay of the OS. I wouldn't do that, however, until you've tried everything else, whatever that may be. I assume you've googled the problem? Good luck. Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:17 PM To: list at tsgserver.com Subject: TSGL: browser Problem? I have a 4 yr old desktop with 1.4 Ghz , 732 Mb ram, XP sp2 home. Several days ago I noticed that in Firefox sometimes when I would click the forward arrow it would jump back a page. Checking further I found that this would sometimes happen in IE and also windows explorer! I installed FF 3.0 but the problem did not go away. Usually it only happens every so often but the other day I was trying to book a flight and every time I entered my name and credit card info and clicked "next" it went back. when I got back to the page all the entrys had expired and had to be re-entered. After this happened 3 times I went to another computer to complete my task. I have heard that these 3 app's share certain files but beyond that I have no idea what to do to fix the problem. Engineman **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From justin at whisperer.com.au Thu Jul 10 13:28:42 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:28:42 +1000 Subject: TSGL: browser Problem? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2852b8d40807101028t1fc46d04g51c070b13ab3b50@mail.gmail.com> one of your input peripherals is broken. most likely your mouse, laser type mice tend to jump around a bit if they are cheap and nasty or if they are wireless and the batteries are flat. Replace your keyboard and mouse with an entry-level logitech kit. will cost you under $30. Regards, Justin -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) 2008/7/10 : > I have a 4 yr old desktop with 1.4 Ghz , 732 Mb ram, XP sp2 home. > Several days ago I noticed that in Firefox sometimes when I would click the > forward arrow it would jump back a page. Checking further I found that this > would sometimes happen in IE and also windows explorer! > I installed FF 3.0 but the problem did not go away. > Usually it only happens every so often but the other day I was trying to > book a flight and every time I entered my name and credit card info and > clicked > "next" it went back. when I got back to the page all the entrys had > expired > and had to be re-entered. > After this happened 3 times I went to another computer to complete my > task. > I have heard that these 3 app's share certain files but beyond that I have > no idea what to do to fix the problem. > Engineman > > > > **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live > music > scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! > (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > From justin at whisperer.com.au Thu Jul 10 13:34:42 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:34:42 +1000 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC> References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> check your hard drive integrity with Hiren's boot CD load teh CD and go to "testing tools" select "test hard disk drive" run the test. It sounds like your Hard Drive is losing it's memory. Electronics that do not have moving parts when manufactured by name brand companies are unlikely to wear. Look at the video card you have removed and take note as to wether or not the Capacitors are leaking. It will be really obvious, gunk on them. If not, it sounds like a forgetful Hard Drive. Video cards are either broken when you get them or fine, although this could be one of those rare "wear and tear" situation Regards, Justin -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) 2008/7/10 Russell W. Coover : > Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I have > decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" http://geeks.com > which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to have > the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The > biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand today > ... and that is what I really want. > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM > To: list at tsgserver.com > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? > I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. > Engineman > > > In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, > coover at fastmail.fm writes: > > I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's > computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The > drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... the > computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ miles > to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, > replace > the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn > ... > > Russ Coover > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > > > > > > > I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop > computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. > > > > When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to > which > I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop > which > was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a > black > screen. > > > > Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted the > desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an > opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the > keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is > that the Video Card is not working. > > > > I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as easy > as > you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), > but > I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over > the > wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even > access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the > light > was on) ? > > > > Russ Coover > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live > music > > scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! > (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > From coover at fastmail.fm Thu Jul 10 15:42:57 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:42:57 -0700 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC> <2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: The Video Card was very, very hot and the computer runs a lot quieter with its successor. And yes, it was cooled by a fan, so there were moving parts (when I took it out, I noticed the fan was dirty). I think the darn thing burned out. But I hadn't thought about the hard drive thing. I will run your hard drive test just to be sure. Thanks, Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of The Computer Whisperer Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:35 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? check your hard drive integrity with Hiren's boot CD load teh CD and go to "testing tools" select "test hard disk drive" run the test. It sounds like your Hard Drive is losing it's memory. Electronics that do not have moving parts when manufactured by name brand companies are unlikely to wear. Look at the video card you have removed and take note as to wether or not the Capacitors are leaking. It will be really obvious, gunk on them. If not, it sounds like a forgetful Hard Drive. Video cards are either broken when you get them or fine, although this could be one of those rare "wear and tear" situation Regards, Justin -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) 2008/7/10 Russell W. Coover : > Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I have > decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" http://geeks.com > which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to have > the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The > biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand today > ... and that is what I really want. > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM > To: list at tsgserver.com > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? > I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. > Engineman > > > In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, > coover at fastmail.fm writes: > > I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's > computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The > drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... the > computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ miles > to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, > replace > the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn > ... > > Russ Coover > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > > > > > > > I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop > computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. > > > > When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to > which > I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop > which > was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a > black > screen. > > > > Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted the > desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an > opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the > keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is > that the Video Card is not working. > > > > I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as easy > as > you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), > but > I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over > the > wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even > access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the > light > was on) ? > > > > Russ Coover > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live > music > > scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! > (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From coover at fastmail.fm Fri Jul 11 01:05:24 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:05:24 -0700 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC><2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <38AD4C2193174EE79A9F4BF6634D3442@AcerLaptop> Justin, I looked through my massive Downloads Folder and wasn't able to find Hiren's Boot CD, so I googled it and found a page for it, Unfortunately, there was no download link, so I checked other pages from google. Other folks seemed to have the same problem as I, not finding a download link. At last I found one ... an rar file. 95 MB later, I tried to extract it, but the file was corrupted. I tried to find other download sites, including P2P sites. All I was able to find was virus infected files. Perhaps you misspelled the name? Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Russell W. Coover Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:43 PM To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? The Video Card was very, very hot and the computer runs a lot quieter with its successor. And yes, it was cooled by a fan, so there were moving parts (when I took it out, I noticed the fan was dirty). I think the darn thing burned out. But I hadn't thought about the hard drive thing. I will run your hard drive test just to be sure. Thanks, Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of The Computer Whisperer Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:35 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? check your hard drive integrity with Hiren's boot CD load teh CD and go to "testing tools" select "test hard disk drive" run the test. It sounds like your Hard Drive is losing it's memory. Electronics that do not have moving parts when manufactured by name brand companies are unlikely to wear. Look at the video card you have removed and take note as to wether or not the Capacitors are leaking. It will be really obvious, gunk on them. If not, it sounds like a forgetful Hard Drive. Video cards are either broken when you get them or fine, although this could be one of those rare "wear and tear" situation Regards, Justin -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) 2008/7/10 Russell W. Coover : > Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I have > decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" http://geeks.com > which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to have > the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The > biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand today > ... and that is what I really want. > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM > To: list at tsgserver.com > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? > I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. > Engineman > > > In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, > coover at fastmail.fm writes: > > I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's > computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The > drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... the > computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ miles > to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, > replace > the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn > ... > > Russ Coover > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > > > > > > > I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop > computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. > > > > When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to > which > I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop > which > was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a > black > screen. > > > > Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted the > desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an > opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the > keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is > that the Video Card is not working. > > > > I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as easy > as > you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), > but > I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over > the > wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even > access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the > light > was on) ? > > > > Russ Coover > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live > music > > scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! > (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From computer.fee at googlemail.com Fri Jul 11 03:40:26 2008 From: computer.fee at googlemail.com (Computerfee) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:40:26 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Video Card Problem? References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC><2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> <38AD4C2193174EE79A9F4BF6634D3442@AcerLaptop> Message-ID: Hi Russ, did find the download for the file without any problem at http://rs39.rapidshare.com/files/103272715/HB_CD_9.5_FULL.rar, now I am just waiting for the download to finish, but it seems it will not finish as it is stuck at 95% and 43 seconds left...first try broke off much earlier and downloading with a download manager does not work at all? So I sure am interested in finding out whether the file will be okay when I actually manage to get it downloaded!... well, all done and I could burn the iso.file and get into the programs. So the link must be okay. have a nice day Heidi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Russell W. Coover" To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 7:05 AM Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > Justin, > > I looked through my massive Downloads Folder and wasn't able to find > Hiren's > Boot CD, so I googled it and found a page for it, Unfortunately, there was > no download link, so I checked other pages from google. Other folks seemed > to have the same problem as I, not finding a download link. At last I > found > one ... an rar file. 95 MB later, I tried to extract it, but the file was > corrupted. I tried to find other download sites, including P2P sites. All > I > was able to find was virus infected files. Perhaps you misspelled the > name? > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:43 PM > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > The Video Card was very, very hot and the computer runs a lot quieter with > its successor. And yes, it was cooled by a fan, so there were moving parts > (when I took it out, I noticed the fan was dirty). I think the darn thing > burned out. > > But I hadn't thought about the hard drive thing. I will run your hard > drive > test just to be sure. > > Thanks, > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of The Computer Whisperer > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:35 AM > To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > check your hard drive integrity with Hiren's boot CD > > load teh CD and go to "testing tools" > > select "test hard disk drive" > > run the test. > > It sounds like your Hard Drive is losing it's memory. > > Electronics that do not have moving parts when manufactured by name brand > companies are unlikely to wear. > > Look at the video card you have removed and take note as to wether or not > the Capacitors are leaking. It will be really obvious, gunk on them. > > If not, it sounds like a forgetful Hard Drive. > > Video cards are either broken when you get them or fine, although this > could > be one of those rare "wear and tear" situation > > Regards, > > Justin > > -- > http://www.whisperer.com.au > > The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support > Consultant > > Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 > Mobile 0406 467 701 > > Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) > > > > > 2008/7/10 Russell W. Coover : > >> Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I >> have >> decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" >> http://geeks.com >> which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to > have >> the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The >> biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand > today >> ... and that is what I really want. >> >> Russ >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On >> Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com >> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM >> To: list at tsgserver.com >> Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? >> >> In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? >> I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. >> Engineman >> >> >> In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, >> coover at fastmail.fm writes: >> >> I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's >> computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The >> drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... > the >> computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ > miles >> to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, >> replace >> the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn >> ... >> >> Russ Coover >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On >> Behalf Of Russell W. Coover >> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM >> To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' >> Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop >> computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. >> >> >> >> When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to >> which >> I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop >> which >> was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a >> black >> screen. >> >> >> >> Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted > the >> desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an >> opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the >> keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is >> that the Video Card is not working. >> >> >> >> I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as >> easy >> as >> you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), >> but >> I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over >> the >> wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even >> access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the >> light >> was on) ? >> >> >> >> Russ Coover >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> >> >> >> **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live >> music >> >> scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! >> (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From justin at whisperer.com.au Fri Jul 11 07:25:09 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:25:09 +1000 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: <38AD4C2193174EE79A9F4BF6634D3442@AcerLaptop> References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC> <2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> <38AD4C2193174EE79A9F4BF6634D3442@AcerLaptop> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807110425q6a42374i78190aa2586300f@mail.gmail.com> http://www.mininova.org/search/?search=hirens 2008/7/11 Russell W. Coover : > Justin, > > I looked through my massive Downloads Folder and wasn't able to find > Hiren's > Boot CD, so I googled it and found a page for it, Unfortunately, there was > no download link, so I checked other pages from google. Other folks seemed > to have the same problem as I, not finding a download link. At last I found > one ... an rar file. 95 MB later, I tried to extract it, but the file was > corrupted. I tried to find other download sites, including P2P sites. All I > was able to find was virus infected files. Perhaps you misspelled the name? > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:43 PM > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > The Video Card was very, very hot and the computer runs a lot quieter with > its successor. And yes, it was cooled by a fan, so there were moving parts > (when I took it out, I noticed the fan was dirty). I think the darn thing > burned out. > > But I hadn't thought about the hard drive thing. I will run your hard drive > test just to be sure. > > Thanks, > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of The Computer Whisperer > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:35 AM > To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > check your hard drive integrity with Hiren's boot CD > > load teh CD and go to "testing tools" > > select "test hard disk drive" > > run the test. > > It sounds like your Hard Drive is losing it's memory. > > Electronics that do not have moving parts when manufactured by name brand > companies are unlikely to wear. > > Look at the video card you have removed and take note as to wether or not > the Capacitors are leaking. It will be really obvious, gunk on them. > > If not, it sounds like a forgetful Hard Drive. > > Video cards are either broken when you get them or fine, although this > could > be one of those rare "wear and tear" situation > > Regards, > > Justin > > -- > http://www.whisperer.com.au > > The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant > > Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 > Mobile 0406 467 701 > > Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) > > > > > 2008/7/10 Russell W. Coover : > > > Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I > have > > decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" > http://geeks.com > > which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to > have > > the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The > > biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand > today > > ... and that is what I really want. > > > > Russ > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > > Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com > > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM > > To: list at tsgserver.com > > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > > > In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? > > I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. > > Engineman > > > > > > In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, > > coover at fastmail.fm writes: > > > > I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's > > computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The > > drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... > the > > computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ > miles > > to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, > > replace > > the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn > > ... > > > > Russ Coover > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM > > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > > Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop > > computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. > > > > > > > > When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to > > which > > I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop > > which > > was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a > > black > > screen. > > > > > > > > Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted > the > > desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an > > opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the > > keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is > > that the Video Card is not working. > > > > > > > > I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as > easy > > as > > you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), > > but > > I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over > > the > > wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even > > access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the > > light > > was on) ? > > > > > > > > Russ Coover > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > > > > > > > **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live > > music > > > > scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! > > (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Fri Jul 11 11:31:32 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:31:32 +1000 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: <38AD4C2193174EE79A9F4BF6634D3442@AcerLaptop> References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC> <2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080712012500.00c44748@mail.tpg.com.au> Russ wrote: > >>wasn't able to find Hiren's Boot CD,>> I got one from FreeDownloads.com. According to the website, it's a limited demo version. Mine unrared OK to an .iso file but I haven't burned it to CD yet. Seems it needs a licence No. Looks too good to be true. The home website is curious, as there's no download link for this one and no indication of price. There is some freeware which looks mildly useful, but this isn't on it. Very strange, as if "Hiram" doesn't want anyone to use it! There must be a catch somewhere, I suspect. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From computer.fee at googlemail.com Fri Jul 11 15:10:02 2008 From: computer.fee at googlemail.com (Computerfee) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:10:02 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Start-button problem References: <2820684C213F46498D3D6459F442C4E9@HEIDI> <002401c8d044$20667c00$61337400$@ca> Message-ID: <36E4529C165A4DF4A7DFD33B996AC55C@HEIDI> Hi there everybody and an especially happy hello to the first person who answered my question - Ian - who turned out to be correct! I did not believe it as I thought it would show other problems as well, if the power supply was causing the problem, but my son was here today at last and did look everything through - found the video card being not 100% fix (was his own fault, as only he does work inside my computer, I never touch it and my husband does only look at things and did not dare to do anything) but then also found, the processor fan was working when only the power supply was switched on with nothing connected, so we did exchange the power supply with an even stronger one and I am back into being able to switch the computer on even after the socket was switched off. Thanks again for all your ideas! Have a great weekend everybody Heidi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian Ramsey-Planck" To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 8:33 AM Subject: Re: TSGL: Start-button problem > It sounds a lot like your computer isn't getting enough power. Maybe try a > new/known-working power supply and see if that fixes it. > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Computerfee > Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 2:24 AM > To: TSGL > Subject: TSGL: Start-button problem > > Hi there everybody! > > First time in ages I have a problem with my own computer and right now my > hardware guy (my son) has broken is right hand and can't drive, so taking > the 1 hour trip by public transport is not possible for him just for fun > with his working hours plus doctors visits. My husband is doing the job > when > he has to but he gives up too easily and knows much less than our son. So > I > first hope you can help me to find out what can be and what can't. > > The problem is that the computer does not start every time I want to start > it. To describe this morning which was like most mornings lately but not > all > - took me about an hour with several breaks pressing the power button > again > and again before at last it worked (yesterday it was working after just 3 > tries). Now don't think, it is only that the button does not work - at > first > nothing happens when I press the button, then something is happening in > the > way that you can hear/see a red light in the mouse tickin > g on and off, same time the blue light behind the start button does > flicker > same as some red light somewhere in the computer, next step then after > having this go on for a while the button suddenly usually starts working > most times (by now after pressing it so often for days and days already it > sticks quite a little) - result the computer starts properly (I can > see/access it from another computer in the house) but without the graphic > card, so the screen stays black and the BIOS tells me about a graphic card > problem with a long and two short beeps. Then going through this start > with > the beeping a hundred times suddenly it will start all correct, i.e. the > computer starts with the graphic card and I can work. > > My son insists that the graphic card is loose but I think last time he did > some work on the machine he fixed that old problem with the missing screw > at > the graphic card and so I tried and found the card was sitting tight, so > this I think, can't be the problem. I think it is more likely that > actually > the start button is causing the problem, but is it possible that the start > button does leave out the graphic card when starting the entire machine or > is there something else going wrong then? And what will I hav > e to do to repair that strange button, if it actually is what is wrong? > > Have a nice day > Best wishes from sunny Berlin > Heidi From coover at fastmail.fm Fri Jul 11 18:48:51 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:48:51 -0700 Subject: TSGL: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC><2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com><38AD4C2193174EE79A9F4BF6634D3442@AcerLaptop> Message-ID: Heidi, Yes, that link is where I got the corrupted file. But if you were able to complete that download, be careful. Rapidshare, I believe, comes from a Russian server. Lots of viruses (virii?) come from there. Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Computerfee Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 12:40 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: Video Card Problem? Hi Russ, did find the download for the file without any problem at http://rs39.rapidshare.com/files/103272715/HB_CD_9.5_FULL.rar, now I am just waiting for the download to finish, but it seems it will not finish as it is stuck at 95% and 43 seconds left...first try broke off much earlier and downloading with a download manager does not work at all? So I sure am interested in finding out whether the file will be okay when I actually manage to get it downloaded!... well, all done and I could burn the iso.file and get into the programs. So the link must be okay. have a nice day Heidi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Russell W. Coover" To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 7:05 AM Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > Justin, > > I looked through my massive Downloads Folder and wasn't able to find > Hiren's > Boot CD, so I googled it and found a page for it, Unfortunately, there was > no download link, so I checked other pages from google. Other folks seemed > to have the same problem as I, not finding a download link. At last I > found > one ... an rar file. 95 MB later, I tried to extract it, but the file was > corrupted. I tried to find other download sites, including P2P sites. All > I > was able to find was virus infected files. Perhaps you misspelled the > name? > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:43 PM > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > The Video Card was very, very hot and the computer runs a lot quieter with > its successor. And yes, it was cooled by a fan, so there were moving parts > (when I took it out, I noticed the fan was dirty). I think the darn thing > burned out. > > But I hadn't thought about the hard drive thing. I will run your hard > drive > test just to be sure. > > Thanks, > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of The Computer Whisperer > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:35 AM > To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > check your hard drive integrity with Hiren's boot CD > > load teh CD and go to "testing tools" > > select "test hard disk drive" > > run the test. > > It sounds like your Hard Drive is losing it's memory. > > Electronics that do not have moving parts when manufactured by name brand > companies are unlikely to wear. > > Look at the video card you have removed and take note as to wether or not > the Capacitors are leaking. It will be really obvious, gunk on them. > > If not, it sounds like a forgetful Hard Drive. > > Video cards are either broken when you get them or fine, although this > could > be one of those rare "wear and tear" situation > > Regards, > > Justin > > -- > http://www.whisperer.com.au > > The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support > Consultant > > Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 > Mobile 0406 467 701 > > Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) > > > > > 2008/7/10 Russell W. Coover : > >> Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I >> have >> decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" >> http://geeks.com >> which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to > have >> the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The >> biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand > today >> ... and that is what I really want. >> >> Russ >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On >> Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com >> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM >> To: list at tsgserver.com >> Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? >> >> In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? >> I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. >> Engineman >> >> >> In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, >> coover at fastmail.fm writes: >> >> I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's >> computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The >> drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... > the >> computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ > miles >> to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, >> replace >> the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn >> ... >> >> Russ Coover >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On >> Behalf Of Russell W. Coover >> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM >> To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' >> Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop >> computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. >> >> >> >> When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to >> which >> I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop >> which >> was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a >> black >> screen. >> >> >> >> Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted > the >> desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an >> opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the >> keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is >> that the Video Card is not working. >> >> >> >> I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as >> easy >> as >> you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), >> but >> I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over >> the >> wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even >> access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the >> light >> was on) ? >> >> >> >> Russ Coover >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> >> >> >> **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live >> music >> >> scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! >> (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From coover at fastmail.fm Fri Jul 11 18:49:50 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:49:50 -0700 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807110425q6a42374i78190aa2586300f@mail.gmail.com> References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC><2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com><38AD4C2193174EE79A9F4BF6634D3442@AcerLaptop> <2852b8d40807110425q6a42374i78190aa2586300f@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <1A84CB4C84F241E1B6D9E23AB4122DEC@OwnersPC> Thanks, Justin, It worked. Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of The Computer Whisperer Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 4:25 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? http://www.mininova.org/search/?search=hirens 2008/7/11 Russell W. Coover : > Justin, > > I looked through my massive Downloads Folder and wasn't able to find > Hiren's > Boot CD, so I googled it and found a page for it, Unfortunately, there was > no download link, so I checked other pages from google. Other folks seemed > to have the same problem as I, not finding a download link. At last I found > one ... an rar file. 95 MB later, I tried to extract it, but the file was > corrupted. I tried to find other download sites, including P2P sites. All I > was able to find was virus infected files. Perhaps you misspelled the name? > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:43 PM > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > The Video Card was very, very hot and the computer runs a lot quieter with > its successor. And yes, it was cooled by a fan, so there were moving parts > (when I took it out, I noticed the fan was dirty). I think the darn thing > burned out. > > But I hadn't thought about the hard drive thing. I will run your hard drive > test just to be sure. > > Thanks, > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of The Computer Whisperer > Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:35 AM > To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > check your hard drive integrity with Hiren's boot CD > > load teh CD and go to "testing tools" > > select "test hard disk drive" > > run the test. > > It sounds like your Hard Drive is losing it's memory. > > Electronics that do not have moving parts when manufactured by name brand > companies are unlikely to wear. > > Look at the video card you have removed and take note as to wether or not > the Capacitors are leaking. It will be really obvious, gunk on them. > > If not, it sounds like a forgetful Hard Drive. > > Video cards are either broken when you get them or fine, although this > could > be one of those rare "wear and tear" situation > > Regards, > > Justin > > -- > http://www.whisperer.com.au > > The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant > > Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 > Mobile 0406 467 701 > > Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) > > > > > 2008/7/10 Russell W. Coover : > > > Yes, you're are certainly correct on that. And that is exactly what I > have > > decided to do ... I've ordered one from "Computer Geeks" > http://geeks.com > > which is less than 100 miles from here and ships promptly. I expect to > have > > the card tomorrow or Friday, ground delivery, as they are very quick. The > > biggest disadvantage to this is that I don't have the card in my hand > today > > ... and that is what I really want. > > > > Russ > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > > Behalf Of Engineman1 at aol.com > > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:46 PM > > To: list at tsgserver.com > > Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > > > In these days of high gas prices why notb order one onlune? > > I've had good luck with Tiger direct and Egghead. > > Engineman > > > > > > In a message dated 7/9/2008 1:35:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, > > coover at fastmail.fm writes: > > > > I decided to replace the video card with the one presently in my wife's > > computer and see what would happen. Voila ... the computer booted. The > > drivers in my computer were'nt correct for the card, but no matter ... > the > > computer booted with a display. So all I have to do is drive the 40+ > miles > > to the computer store, deplete my bank account of most of my funds, > > replace > > the card, and all should be right with the world ... except for the darn > > ... > > > > Russ Coover > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > > Behalf Of Russell W. Coover > > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:18 PM > > To: 'Tech Support Guy Mailing List' > > Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was working on my laptop when I needed to get a file from my desktop > > computer. The two are connected through a wireless network. > > > > > > > > When I tried to get the file, I got an error report that the drive to > > which > > I was trying to connect was "unavailable". I then went to the desktop > > which > > was running, turned on the monitor, and was surprised by seeing only a > > black > > screen. > > > > > > > > Checking connections to the monitor found nothing wrong. I hard booted > the > > desktop several times. The screen remained black, not even giving me an > > opportunity to enter setup, but several lights, including those on the > > keyboard, the mousewheel, and the Wireless LAN lit. So my first guess is > > that the Video Card is not working. > > > > > > > > I could run out and get a new video card and replace the old (not as > easy > > as > > you may think, the nearest computer parts store is about 40 miles away), > > but > > I am concerned that I was not able to access the computers drives over > > the > > wireless LAN. If the video card is not working such that I cannot even > > access setup, would this also disable the Network Interface Card (the > > light > > was on) ? > > > > > > > > Russ Coover > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > > > > > > > **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live > > music > > > > scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! > > (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From coover at fastmail.fm Fri Jul 11 18:53:41 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:53:41 -0700 Subject: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080712012500.00c44748@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <07A59679D64145139F61266022EC2071@OwnersPC><2852b8d40807101034v4357ff52l6a40352e8b3469fc@mail.gmail.com> <4.3.2.20080712012500.00c44748@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <922B861D3E1A482CACA83EC219B6151D@OwnersPC> The .iso I got didn't seem to require a license and I was able to boot from it ... version 9.5? Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Don Penlington Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 8:32 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: FW: Video Card Problem? Russ wrote: > >>wasn't able to find Hiren's Boot CD,>> I got one from FreeDownloads.com. According to the website, it's a limited demo version. Mine unrared OK to an .iso file but I haven't burned it to CD yet. Seems it needs a licence No. Looks too good to be true. The home website is curious, as there's no download link for this one and no indication of price. There is some freeware which looks mildly useful, but this isn't on it. Very strange, as if "Hiram" doesn't want anyone to use it! There must be a catch somewhere, I suspect. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From deepend at tpg.com.au Sat Jul 12 12:02:26 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 02:02:26 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> I'm working on a 6-year old Pentium 3 running XP for a friend. She can't afford a new computer. This computer completes POST with the usual "OK" one-beep, then stops at "press delete to enter setup" screen with the usual POST info. Memory-check appears OK. Pressing delete or anything else has no effect. It seems to be frozen there. There's no further hard drive activity. XP doesn't seem to be starting to load. Holding down Delete or F8/F10 at power-on gives the same result, so I can't even get into Safe Mode. Powering on and off via the power button seems fine. I suspect a failed video card (I've tried reseating it). What are the other possibilities? Would a failed hard drive still show the POST screen? On removing the cover, the power supply vents are completely gunked up--looks like it's never had an internal clean in 6 years. Could a fried power supply still give an OK POST? If the CPU were cooked, could it still POST? It doesn't feel hot. I don't want to spend much money repairing such an old computer, but $5 for a used video card on Ebay should be OK if I could be reasonably sure that's the problem. But I'm wondering---if the video card is bad, would I see the POST screen at all? What would the experts do (with no spares to substitute)? In summary---would I see the POST screen in the event of: 1. Failed hard drive 2. Failed video card 3. Failed CPU 4. Failed mobo. 5. Failed RAM. Or failed anything else? Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From Engineman1 at aol.com Sat Jul 12 12:41:22 2008 From: Engineman1 at aol.com (Engineman1 at aol.com) Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:41:22 EDT Subject: TSGL: Old computer Message-ID: I would put a XP installation disk in the CD drive and boot the computer on it (hoping that the BIOS lets it boot from a CD). If it will not boot on the CD you can create a set of floppys which will let you boot. _http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994/_ (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994/) Go into the recovery console which will give you tools like fixboot, chkdsk and fixmbr.and you may be able to correct the problem. _http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654_ (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654) Good luck, Engineman In a message dated 7/12/2008 8:00:41 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, deepend at tpg.com.au writes: I'm working on a 6-year old Pentium 3 running XP for a friend. She can't afford a new computer. This computer completes POST with the usual "OK" one-beep, then stops at "press delete to enter setup" screen with the usual POST info. Memory-check appears OK. Pressing delete or anything else has no effect. It seems to be frozen there. There's no further hard drive activity. XP doesn't seem to be starting to load. Holding down Delete or F8/F10 at power-on gives the same result, so I can't even get into Safe Mode. Powering on and off via the power button seems fine. I suspect a failed video card (I've tried reseating it). What are the other possibilities? Would a failed hard drive still show the POST screen? On removing the cover, the power supply vents are completely gunked up--looks like it's never had an internal clean in 6 years. Could a fried power supply still give an OK POST? If the CPU were cooked, could it still POST? It doesn't feel hot. I don't want to spend much money repairing such an old computer, but $5 for a used video card on Ebay should be OK if I could be reasonably sure that's the problem. But I'm wondering---if the video card is bad, would I see the POST screen at all? What would the experts do (with no spares to substitute)? In summary---would I see the POST screen in the event of: 1. Failed hard drive 2. Failed video card 3. Failed CPU 4. Failed mobo. 5. Failed RAM. Or failed anything else? Don Penlington >From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) From coover at fastmail.fm Sat Jul 12 20:37:21 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:37:21 -0700 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: Don, Having had a recent video card problem, I can reasonably say that the answer to all your questions are "depends". That said, when my video card went out, I had no boot screen at all. But it depends on what part of the video card is damaged. It may work with the generic drivers at a 640 x 480 resolution, and it appears that is what you're getting. Now as to the single "beep". That generally means that the things it checked, cpu, memory, video card, etc. are working properly. So my guess is that the video card is working properly. Something else is freezing the computer ... my guess is something in the memory that wasn't checked in the POST is hanging it up. Have you tried to boot to a boot cd of some type? Perhaps you have an Ubuntu disk or some other Linux Disk that will boot from the CD? If the computer will boot from it, you can run some tests. Your countryman, Justin, suggests using Hirem's Boot CD. Another might be the "Ultimate Boot CD" which I have used in the past to test computers that won't boot. Just some ideas.. Russ Coover -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Don Penlington Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 9:02 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: TSGL: Old computer I'm working on a 6-year old Pentium 3 running XP for a friend. She can't afford a new computer. This computer completes POST with the usual "OK" one-beep, then stops at "press delete to enter setup" screen with the usual POST info. Memory-check appears OK. Pressing delete or anything else has no effect. It seems to be frozen there. There's no further hard drive activity. XP doesn't seem to be starting to load. Holding down Delete or F8/F10 at power-on gives the same result, so I can't even get into Safe Mode. Powering on and off via the power button seems fine. I suspect a failed video card (I've tried reseating it). What are the other possibilities? Would a failed hard drive still show the POST screen? On removing the cover, the power supply vents are completely gunked up--looks like it's never had an internal clean in 6 years. Could a fried power supply still give an OK POST? If the CPU were cooked, could it still POST? It doesn't feel hot. I don't want to spend much money repairing such an old computer, but $5 for a used video card on Ebay should be OK if I could be reasonably sure that's the problem. But I'm wondering---if the video card is bad, would I see the POST screen at all? What would the experts do (with no spares to substitute)? In summary---would I see the POST screen in the event of: 1. Failed hard drive 2. Failed video card 3. Failed CPU 4. Failed mobo. 5. Failed RAM. Or failed anything else? Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From deepend at tpg.com.au Sat Jul 12 23:08:37 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:08:37 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: References: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> Russ wrote: >Have you tried to boot to a boot cd>> Yes. But nothing happens. I can't get into bios to change the boot order. I'll try a dos boot floppy (Engineman's suggestion) , but I doubt it will work for the same reason. Dean wrote:<> No. I've tried 2 known good keyboards. I'll try again, as that thought had occurred to me. Even so, if all was well, it wouldn't just be sitting there waiting. So entering the bios won't achieve anything than perhaps changing the boot order to allow a boot CD to run. Dean wrote:<> I hadn't thought of that. I'll ask her if the clock has been slowing. Worth trying. Quite likely it hasn't been replaced in 6 years. Might a boot virus or corrupted MBR halt the boot process at this stage? Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From coover at fastmail.fm Sat Jul 12 23:23:19 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:23:19 -0700 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au><4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: Don, If there is more than one memory chip, try removing one of them. That doesn't work the first time, put the first back and take another out ... and so on until each has been removed with all of the others remaining in the machine. Russ -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Don Penlington Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 8:09 PM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: Old computer Russ wrote: >Have you tried to boot to a boot cd>> Yes. But nothing happens. I can't get into bios to change the boot order. I'll try a dos boot floppy (Engineman's suggestion) , but I doubt it will work for the same reason. Dean wrote:<> No. I've tried 2 known good keyboards. I'll try again, as that thought had occurred to me. Even so, if all was well, it wouldn't just be sitting there waiting. So entering the bios won't achieve anything than perhaps changing the boot order to allow a boot CD to run. Dean wrote:<> I hadn't thought of that. I'll ask her if the clock has been slowing. Worth trying. Quite likely it hasn't been replaced in 6 years. Might a boot virus or corrupted MBR halt the boot process at this stage? Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From justin at whisperer.com.au Sun Jul 13 05:40:13 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:40:13 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: References: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> it's either the Boot order in bios or a crook power supply, or dud ram, however usually your Bios would beep spastically at you if it were RAM 2008/7/13 Russell W. Coover : > Don, > > If there is more than one memory chip, try removing one of them. That > doesn't work the first time, put the first back and take another out ... > and > so on until each has been removed with all of the others remaining in the > machine. > > Russ > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On > Behalf Of Don Penlington > Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 8:09 PM > To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List > Subject: Re: TSGL: Old computer > > Russ wrote: > >Have you tried to boot to a boot cd>> > > > Yes. But nothing happens. I can't get into bios to change the boot order. > I'll try a dos boot floppy (Engineman's suggestion) , but I doubt it will > work for the same reason. > > Dean wrote:<> > > No. I've tried 2 known good keyboards. I'll try again, as that thought had > occurred to me. Even so, if all was well, it wouldn't just be sitting > there waiting. So entering the bios won't achieve anything than perhaps > changing the boot order to allow a boot CD to run. > > Dean wrote:<> > > I hadn't thought of that. I'll ask her if the clock has been slowing. Worth > trying. Quite likely it hasn't been replaced in 6 years. > > Might a boot virus or corrupted MBR halt the boot process at this stage? > > Don Penlington > > > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From justin at whisperer.com.au Sun Jul 13 05:41:27 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:41:27 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> References: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807130241k6ceb348cx17087a0997a5ce14@mail.gmail.com> try unplugging everything except the RAM and CD drive and boot from a bootable CD, that will tell you if it is the processor / motherboard 2008/7/13 The Computer Whisperer : > it's either the Boot order in bios > > or a crook power supply, > > or dud ram, however usually your Bios would beep spastically at you if it > were RAM > > 2008/7/13 Russell W. Coover : > > Don, >> >> If there is more than one memory chip, try removing one of them. That >> doesn't work the first time, put the first back and take another out ... >> and >> so on until each has been removed with all of the others remaining in the >> machine. >> >> Russ >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On >> Behalf Of Don Penlington >> Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 8:09 PM >> To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> Subject: Re: TSGL: Old computer >> >> Russ wrote: >> >Have you tried to boot to a boot cd>> >> >> >> Yes. But nothing happens. I can't get into bios to change the boot order. >> I'll try a dos boot floppy (Engineman's suggestion) , but I doubt it will >> work for the same reason. >> >> Dean wrote:<> >> >> No. I've tried 2 known good keyboards. I'll try again, as that thought had >> occurred to me. Even so, if all was well, it wouldn't just be sitting >> there waiting. So entering the bios won't achieve anything than perhaps >> changing the boot order to allow a boot CD to run. >> >> Dean wrote:<> >> >> I hadn't thought of that. I'll ask her if the clock has been slowing. >> Worth >> trying. Quite likely it hasn't been replaced in 6 years. >> >> Might a boot virus or corrupted MBR halt the boot process at this stage? >> >> Don Penlington >> >> >> >> >> From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. >> Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: >> http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> > > > > -- > http://www.whisperer.com.au > > The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant > > Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 > Mobile 0406 467 701 > > Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Sun Jul 13 07:51:05 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:51:05 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807130241k6ceb348cx17087a0997a5ce14@mail.gmail.co m> References: <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080713213937.02084d68@mail.tpg.com.au> Justin wrote: >try unplugging everything except the RAM and CD drive and boot from a >bootable CD, that will tell you if it is the processor / motherboard>> I have. Can't get into bios to change the boot order to boot from CD. It just freezes solid straight after POST. So BartPE won't bart. Or start. It's not even hunting for anything. Power on/off works fine, so it doesn't seem to be a PS fault. I haven't tried dropping it from a great height yet. That comes next. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From justin at whisperer.com.au Sun Jul 13 08:42:43 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:42:43 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080713213937.02084d68@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> <4.3.2.20080713213937.02084d68@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807130542p48019829q72d94faee9ba04a5@mail.gmail.com> It may still be a power fault. You may only discover this through process of elimination, do you have another pc with a power supply you can borrow to test? Look at what happened to "ComputerFree" recently Quote..... Hi there everybody and an especially happy hello to the first person who answered my question - Ian - who turned out to be correct! I did not believe it as I thought it would show other problems as well, if the power supply was causing the problem, but my son was here today at last and did look everything through - found the video card being not 100% fix (was his own fault, as only he does work inside my computer, I never touch it and my husband does only look at things and did not dare to do anything) but then also found, the processor fan was working when only the power supply was switched on with nothing connected, so we did exchange the power supply with an even stronger one and I am back into being able to switch the computer on even after the socket was switched off. End Quote but keep in mind, people don't give away things that serve a purpose. Are you sure the source from which you obtained this device is reliable? 2008/7/13 Don Penlington : > > Justin wrote: > >try unplugging everything except the RAM and CD drive and boot from a > >bootable CD, that will tell you if it is the processor / motherboard>> > > > I have. Can't get into bios to change the boot order to boot from CD. It > just freezes solid straight after POST. > > So BartPE won't bart. Or start. It's not even hunting for anything. > > Power on/off works fine, so it doesn't seem to be a PS fault. > > I haven't tried dropping it from a great height yet. That comes next. > > Don Penlington > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Sun Jul 13 11:14:03 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:14:03 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807130542p48019829q72d94faee9ba04a5@mail.gmail.co m> References: <4.3.2.20080713213937.02084d68@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> <4.3.2.20080713213937.02084d68@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080714010329.0208abf8@mail.tpg.com.au> Justin wrote: >It may still be a power fault.>> No, no spare ps to test with. I'll replace the cmos battery tomorrow---could be a possibility, as removing it gave the same result. I also tried swapping memory around, and tried 2 more known good keyboards. No difference. I removed the video card to see what happened. Lots of horrible squawks like I was trying to kill it --- I was--- and no screen at all, as I'd expect. So I guess the vc seems OK. What beats me is that it just stops dead at the end of the POST screen. No attempt to start loading XP. No sign of hunting and no way to enter bios. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From justin at whisperer.com.au Sun Jul 13 18:44:43 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:44:43 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080714010329.0208abf8@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> <4.3.2.20080713213937.02084d68@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714010329.0208abf8@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807131544s4a91c11cia4206eec4bc215c7@mail.gmail.com> Instead of swapping the memory around, can you remove one of the memory units at a time? to see if it will boot with one of your multiple RAM? 2008/7/14 Don Penlington : > Justin wrote: > >It may still be a power fault.>> > > > No, no spare ps to test with. > > I'll replace the cmos battery tomorrow---could be a possibility, as > removing it gave the same result. > > I also tried swapping memory around, and tried 2 more known good keyboards. > No difference. > > I removed the video card to see what happened. Lots of horrible squawks > like I was trying to kill it --- I was--- and no screen at all, as I'd > expect. So I guess the vc seems OK. > > What beats me is that it just stops dead at the end of the POST screen. No > attempt to start loading XP. No sign of hunting and no way to enter bios. > > Don Penlington > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Sun Jul 13 20:40:53 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:40:53 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807131544s4a91c11cia4206eec4bc215c7@mail.gmail.co m> References: <4.3.2.20080714010329.0208abf8@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713014116.01b69018@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080713125815.02072f28@mail.tpg.com.au> <2852b8d40807130240j19e250f2j36e975dca8eb0ac0@mail.gmail.com> <4.3.2.20080713213937.02084d68@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714010329.0208abf8@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080714103926.0207ea18@mail.tpg.com.au> At 08:44 AM 7/14/2008 +1000, you wrote: >Instead of swapping the memory around, can you remove one of the memory >units at a time? to see if it will boot with one of your multiple RAM?>> I tried that--same result, except the POST test recognised the different totals. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From deepend at tpg.com.au Sun Jul 13 21:47:07 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:47:07 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> New cmos battery made no difference. Still freezing at end of POST screen. No access to bios. Tried several known good keyboards. Done Justin's suggestion of removing memory chips one at a time. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From justin at whisperer.com.au Sun Jul 13 23:15:10 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:15:10 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807132015ga53312cw6e0a347430b135f5@mail.gmail.com> Please define "no access to bios" Does it tell you which key to press to enter bios? 2008/7/14 Don Penlington : > New cmos battery made no difference. Still freezing at end of POST screen. > No access to bios. > > Tried several known good keyboards. > > Done Justin's suggestion of removing memory chips one at a time. > > Don Penlington > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From coover at fastmail.fm Mon Jul 14 01:35:52 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:35:52 -0700 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <1D3AF9E531D94B6FA76B8A6C819103CC@AcerLaptop> Don, One possible suggestion re: BIOS ... Remove the battery and short out the contacts with a screwdriver. Put the new battery in and try to boot. Justin, What Don means by "no access to bios" is that pressing the key to enter setup does not work ... the screen remains frozen. Russ Coover -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Don Penlington Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 6:47 PM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: TSGL: Old computer New cmos battery made no difference. Still freezing at end of POST screen. No access to bios. Tried several known good keyboards. Done Justin's suggestion of removing memory chips one at a time. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From deepend at tpg.com.au Mon Jul 14 03:31:34 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:31:34 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807132015ga53312cw6e0a347430b135f5@mail.gmail.com > References: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> At 01:15 PM 7/14/2008 +1000, you wrote: >Please define "no access to bios" > >Does it tell you which key to press to enter bios?>> Yes. Bottom of POST screen says "Press delete to enter setup" and "...Escape to exit". I've pressed umpteen keys---Esc, Del, F2-4, F8-10--all known good keyboards (3) seem dead. Nothing happens. It's not even trying to find NTLdr or whatever the next step normally is. Just dies at the POST screen. If any of the XP boot sequence files were missing/corrupt, I'd expect an error message. So it's not even starting to load XP. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From justin at whisperer.com.au Mon Jul 14 03:52:33 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:52:33 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807140052s29874a4dlfb9941161e0ffd9d@mail.gmail.com> Have you tried both USB and PS2 keyboards? sometimes systems work with one or the other depending on the system settings. If you want to reset BIOS, take the battery out and leave the pc overnight. Sometimes if you take the battery out and start the pc with no battery on some systems it resets the bios. Sometimes the motherboard will have a jumper setting that resets. Regards, Justin 2008/7/14 Don Penlington : > At 01:15 PM 7/14/2008 +1000, you wrote: > >Please define "no access to bios" > > > >Does it tell you which key to press to enter bios?>> > > > Yes. > > Bottom of POST screen says "Press delete to enter setup" and "...Escape to > exit". > > I've pressed umpteen keys---Esc, Del, F2-4, F8-10--all known good keyboards > (3) seem dead. Nothing happens. > > It's not even trying to find NTLdr or whatever the next step normally is. > Just dies at the POST screen. If any of the XP boot sequence files were > missing/corrupt, I'd expect an error message. So it's not even starting to > load XP. > > Don Penlington > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Mon Jul 14 09:14:29 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:14:29 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807140052s29874a4dlfb9941161e0ffd9d@mail.gmail.co m> References: <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> Justin wrote: >Have you tried both USB and PS2 keyboards?>> Good idea, but I don't have any USB keyboards to try. I tried removing the cmos battery, but no difference. She says it's been keeping good time, and I tried it with a new battery. Same result. I don't see how resetting the bios is going to help in any case, it's not likely to change the boot order to enable a CD. I think we're flogging a dead horse (or maybe dead mobo) here, so she's decided to save up to buy a full upgrade kit, which will include ps and hd. At 6 years old, it's not worth spending much more time on it. Thanks everybody for your help, we seem to have covered all possibilities. RIP. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From hdavis1 at gmail.com Mon Jul 14 12:30:21 2008 From: hdavis1 at gmail.com (H Davis) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:30:21 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <487B7F1D.2020807@gmail.com> But we were all just getting into it :-( H Davis Don Penlington wrote: > Justin wrote: > >> Have you tried both USB and PS2 keyboards?>> >> > > > Good idea, but I don't have any USB keyboards to try. I tried removing the > cmos battery, but no difference. She says it's been keeping good time, and > I tried it with a new battery. Same result. > > I don't see how resetting the bios is going to help in any case, it's not > likely to change the boot order to enable a CD. > > I think we're flogging a dead horse (or maybe dead mobo) here, so she's > decided to save up to buy a full upgrade kit, which will include ps and hd. > At 6 years old, it's not worth spending much more time on it. > > Thanks everybody for your help, we seem to have covered all possibilities. RIP. > > Don Penlington > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com From deepend at tpg.com.au Mon Jul 14 13:35:27 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:35:27 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <487B7F1D.2020807@gmail.com> References: <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> H Davis wrote: >But we were all just getting into it :-(>> It will remain forever one of life's great mysteries. One more thing I might try is disconnecting the hard drive and inserting a CD. If the hd is kaput and the computer can no longer see it, it might then be able to boot from cd. Perhaps. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From jonpan at onlinehome.de Mon Jul 14 15:21:09 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:21:09 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Old computer References: <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au><4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au><4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au><4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au><4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <000601c8e5e6$c5b6a7e0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Interesting idea. If the BIOS is set to boot from CD first, then it will boot whether the HDD is present or not, assuming the MoBo and BIOS are OK. If HDD is first but not available shouldn't it cycle through the other possibilities? If so, and it fails to boot, your idea would presumably eliminate the hard drive and limit the fault to the above mentioned MoBo or BIOS. Please let us know what happens. John Od/G ----- Original Message ----- From: Don Penlington To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 7:35 PM Subject: Re: TSGL: Old computer H Davis wrote: >But we were all just getting into it :-(>> It will remain forever one of life's great mysteries. One more thing I might try is disconnecting the hard drive and inserting a CD. If the hd is kaput and the computer can no longer see it, it might then be able to boot from cd. Perhaps. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From hbcanon at homemail.com Mon Jul 14 19:15:54 2008 From: hbcanon at homemail.com (HBCANON) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:15:54 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au><4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au><4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <000e01c8e607$911967e0$0201a8c0@hbcanon> Have you tried to boot to DOS on a 3.5 diskette? When I have problems, that is one of the first things I try as it least it proves that the machine is at least minimally in tact. The HDs may have to be unplugged first. HBCanon Geneva, FL -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Don Penlington Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 09:14 To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: TSGL: Old computer Justin wrote: >Have you tried both USB and PS2 keyboards?>> Good idea, but I don't have any USB keyboards to try. I tried removing the cmos battery, but no difference. She says it's been keeping good time, and I tried it with a new battery. Same result. I don't see how resetting the bios is going to help in any case, it's not likely to change the boot order to enable a CD. I think we're flogging a dead horse (or maybe dead mobo) here, so she's decided to save up to buy a full upgrade kit, which will include ps and hd. At 6 years old, it's not worth spending much more time on it. Thanks everybody for your help, we seem to have covered all possibilities. RIP. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From wseehorn at earthlink.net Mon Jul 14 19:53:43 2008 From: wseehorn at earthlink.net (Willard Seehorn) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:53:43 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <000e01c8e607$911967e0$0201a8c0@hbcanon> References: <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> <000e01c8e607$911967e0$0201a8c0@hbcanon> Message-ID: <6.2.0.14.2.20080714195232.00c6f788@pop.earthlink.net> DOS? 3.5 diskette? And I thought //I// was old! (VBG) Will At 07:15 PM 7/14/2008, HB wrote: >Have you tried to boot to DOS on a 3.5 diskette? From colinsw at gmail.com Tue Jul 15 00:06:45 2008 From: colinsw at gmail.com (ColinS) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:06:45 +1200 Subject: TSGL: [newsletters] Re: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> Don, something else you might try is to startup with no drives attached eg no hdd, cd or floppy. Ive had some m/boards in the past where the drive controller had gone bad a this produced the results mentioned From justin at whisperer.com.au Tue Jul 15 02:46:15 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:46:15 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <6.2.0.14.2.20080714195232.00c6f788@pop.earthlink.net> References: <4.3.2.20080714114428.00c52550@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714172205.02082980@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080714230653.0207f030@mail.tpg.com.au> <000e01c8e607$911967e0$0201a8c0@hbcanon> <6.2.0.14.2.20080714195232.00c6f788@pop.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807142346t24d18526yf84f1da438b41448@mail.gmail.com> what if the boot order is set to 1st boot device. Disabled 2nd boot device. Disabled 3rd boot device. Disabled I would try and blank the bios. leave the battery out for 24 hours 2008/7/15 Willard Seehorn : > DOS? 3.5 diskette? > > And I thought //I// was old! (VBG) > > Will > > At 07:15 PM 7/14/2008, HB wrote: > >Have you tried to boot to DOS on a 3.5 diskette? > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From hdavis1 at gmail.com Tue Jul 15 12:52:36 2008 From: hdavis1 at gmail.com (H Davis) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:52:36 -0400 Subject: TSGL: MS July Update Message-ID: <487CD5D4.9080309@gmail.com> To All, I'm using XP SP2 on 2 machines. I have my MS updater set to notify me for both downloading and installing. I got the notification for the July update a while ago which consisted of KB951748 and the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) only. I had seen comments on another list about problems with this update if you were using ZoneAlarm (and perhaps any 3rd party firewall). I checked the ZA forums and sure enough ZA had issued an update to correct the problem which was theirs and not MS's so there would be no MS fix coming. I installed the ZA update on one machine, waited a day and downloaded the update. I can't be sure what was actually downloaded because you don't get any real confirmation of that but when, on the next day, I got the notification that the updates were ready to install, I checked Custom Install so I could see what it planned to install and only the MSRT was there offering to be installed. I "installed" that and then checked the Add/Remove list to see if KB951748 had been installed clandestinely. Nope, not in the list. I didn't know what to make of this but I went to the MS site and downloaded the 748 update and installed it manually. It now appeared in the Add/Remove list. All seemed well. Yesterday I installed the ZA update in the second machine and today downloaded the July MS update. Both items were offered for downloading. When it said it was ready to install the 748 part was missing again but the MSRT was there. I haven't installed the 748 update manually yet. Soooooooo, What's going on? Have any of you folks seen this problem? If some of you have updates set to full automatic, do you have KB951748 in your Add/Remove list? Even if you get notifications as I do but use the Express Install option you would probably not have noticed that the 748 part was missing; do you have KB951748 in your Add/Remove list? If you updated when your computer shut down did you notice if there were 1 or 2 updates? Everything seems to work properly on the one machine that I updated manually but, as with all things MS, when things don't go exactly as they should I get a sinking feeling right in the pit of my stomach. TIA, H Davis -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com From justin at whisperer.com.au Wed Jul 16 01:41:57 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:41:57 +1000 Subject: TSGL: MS July Update In-Reply-To: <487CD5D4.9080309@gmail.com> References: <487CD5D4.9080309@gmail.com> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807152241s7057c016n6071ed7defaaa88c@mail.gmail.com> lol, should be fine, microsoft = clunky 2008/7/16 H Davis : > To All, > > I'm using XP SP2 on 2 machines. I have my MS updater set to notify me > for both downloading and installing. > > I got the notification for the July update a while ago which consisted > of KB951748 and the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) only. I had > seen comments on another list about problems with this update if you > were using ZoneAlarm (and perhaps any 3rd party firewall). I checked the > ZA forums and sure enough ZA had issued an update to correct the problem > which was theirs and not MS's so there would be no MS fix coming. I > installed the ZA update on one machine, waited a day and downloaded the > update. > > I can't be sure what was actually downloaded because you don't get any > real confirmation of that but when, on the next day, I got the > notification that the updates were ready to install, I checked Custom > Install so I could see what it planned to install and only the MSRT was > there offering to be installed. I "installed" that and then checked the > Add/Remove list to see if KB951748 had been installed clandestinely. > Nope, not in the list. > > I didn't know what to make of this but I went to the MS site and > downloaded the 748 update and installed it manually. It now appeared in > the Add/Remove list. All seemed well. > > Yesterday I installed the ZA update in the second machine and today > downloaded the July MS update. Both items were offered for downloading. > When it said it was ready to install the 748 part was missing again but > the MSRT was there. I haven't installed the 748 update manually yet. > > Soooooooo, What's going on? Have any of you folks seen this problem? If > some of you have updates set to full automatic, do you have KB951748 in > your Add/Remove list? Even if you get notifications as I do but use the > Express Install option you would probably not have noticed that the 748 > part was missing; do you have KB951748 in your Add/Remove list? If you > updated when your computer shut down did you notice if there were 1 or 2 > updates? > > Everything seems to work properly on the one machine that I updated > manually but, as with all things MS, when things don't go exactly as > they should I get a sinking feeling right in the pit of my stomach. > > TIA, > > H Davis > > > -- > H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From nortnarg at gmail.com Wed Jul 16 01:43:32 2008 From: nortnarg at gmail.com (Ron Grant) Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:43:32 -0500 Subject: TSGL: MS July Update In-Reply-To: <487CD5D4.9080309@gmail.com> References: <487CD5D4.9080309@gmail.com> Message-ID: <487D8A84.1000207@gmail.com> I have my settings to notify before downloading updates. I do have KB951748 in my add/remove list. I don't remember specifically installing that, but I must have on 7/9. I also got the single update for the MSRT a couple of days ago on one of my comps. No other updates with that. What is going on? . . . Not a clue, but your not alone! Ron H Davis wrote: > To All, > > I'm using XP SP2 on 2 machines. I have my MS updater set to notify me > for both downloading and installing. > > I got the notification for the July update a while ago which consisted > of KB951748 and the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) only. I had > seen comments on another list about problems with this update if you > were using ZoneAlarm (and perhaps any 3rd party firewall). I checked the > ZA forums and sure enough ZA had issued an update to correct the problem > which was theirs and not MS's so there would be no MS fix coming. I > installed the ZA update on one machine, waited a day and downloaded the > update. > > I can't be sure what was actually downloaded because you don't get any > real confirmation of that but when, on the next day, I got the > notification that the updates were ready to install, I checked Custom > Install so I could see what it planned to install and only the MSRT was > there offering to be installed. I "installed" that and then checked the > Add/Remove list to see if KB951748 had been installed clandestinely. > Nope, not in the list. > > I didn't know what to make of this but I went to the MS site and > downloaded the 748 update and installed it manually. It now appeared in > the Add/Remove list. All seemed well. > > Yesterday I installed the ZA update in the second machine and today > downloaded the July MS update. Both items were offered for downloading. > When it said it was ready to install the 748 part was missing again but > the MSRT was there. I haven't installed the 748 update manually yet. > > Soooooooo, What's going on? Have any of you folks seen this problem? If > some of you have updates set to full automatic, do you have KB951748 in > your Add/Remove list? Even if you get notifications as I do but use the > Express Install option you would probably not have noticed that the 748 > part was missing; do you have KB951748 in your Add/Remove list? If you > updated when your computer shut down did you notice if there were 1 or 2 > updates? > > Everything seems to work properly on the one machine that I updated > manually but, as with all things MS, when things don't go exactly as > they should I get a sinking feeling right in the pit of my stomach. > > TIA, > > H Davis > > > From jonpan at onlinehome.de Wed Jul 16 04:58:26 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:58:26 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Word Message-ID: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Have an iritating problem - no, not just the mosquitos; WORD. Under Tools/Options/General, the setting for List of Last-opened Files constantly reverts to 4, although I set it to 9. Furthermore, the actual number of files shown in the File Menu is only 1. Any ideas how to fix this? Thanks, John Od/G From deepend at tpg.com.au Wed Jul 16 11:13:55 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:13:55 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> References: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> Colin wrote: >Ive had some m/boards in the past where the drive controller had gone bad a >this produced the results mentioned>> That's a distinct possibility. I tried booting with the hard drive disconnected. It sill booted to POST but this time without showing any hard drives. Re-connecting the hard drive and rebooting, POST again showed the hard drive. If the drive controller is bad, would POST recognise the drives correctly? Trying yet another keyboard and holding down Delete while booting, I was able to access bios a couple of times, but no keyboard keys would work, so I was unable to select anything in bios. Everything seems locked up as soon as POST is finished. Keyboard numlock light is working, can switch on or off by numlock key. I doubt that re-setting bios, whether by jumper leads on the mobo (I wouldn't have a clue where they are) or removing the battery would help. I did remove the cmos battery overnight, but it made no difference. I tried boot CD's and floppies, but again, couldn't get past that POST screen. What normally happens immediately after POST? I assume the next step is that bios looks for NTLDR---or does it look for the MBR first? Maybe the MBR is corrupt, but I don't see any way to fix it with the computer locked up. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From wseehorn at earthlink.net Wed Jul 16 17:58:17 2008 From: wseehorn at earthlink.net (Willard Seehorn) Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:58:17 -0400 Subject: TSGL: software/website question: user location In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <6.2.0.14.2.20080716175543.00c61430@pop.earthlink.net> I've seen several web sites (not paying enough attention to remember which ones), where visitors/users of the product/ could add themselves, ie: could click on the town they lived in & add information as name, email.... Anyone recognize what I'm talking about or have links to what I'm looking for. I tried Googling, but had no luck, so my mind isn't coming up with the right key words. TIA Will From justin at whisperer.com.au Wed Jul 16 18:28:24 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:28:24 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807161528u6f826485s194223ae5d307f12@mail.gmail.com> sometimes an item such as a USB hub or Printer can stop the pc booting in that fashion, make sure when starting it up that all you have is the keyboard, mouse, power supply and screen plugged in to the pc. 2008/7/17 Don Penlington : > Colin wrote: > >Ive had some m/boards in the past where the drive controller had gone bad > a > >this produced the results mentioned>> > > > That's a distinct possibility. > > I tried booting with the hard drive disconnected. It sill booted to POST > but this time without showing any hard drives. > > Re-connecting the hard drive and rebooting, POST again showed the hard > drive. > > If the drive controller is bad, would POST recognise the drives correctly? > > Trying yet another keyboard and holding down Delete while booting, I was > able to access bios a couple of times, but no keyboard keys would work, so > I was unable to select anything in bios. Everything seems locked up as soon > as POST is finished. Keyboard numlock light is working, can switch on or > off by numlock key. > > I doubt that re-setting bios, whether by jumper leads on the mobo (I > wouldn't have a clue where they are) or removing the battery would help. I > did remove the cmos battery overnight, but it made no difference. > > I tried boot CD's and floppies, but again, couldn't get past that POST > screen. > > What normally happens immediately after POST? I assume the next step is > that bios looks for NTLDR---or does it look for the MBR first? Maybe the > MBR is corrupt, but I don't see any way to fix it with the computer locked > up. > > Don Penlington > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From justin at whisperer.com.au Wed Jul 16 18:29:49 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:29:49 +1000 Subject: TSGL: software/website question: user location In-Reply-To: <6.2.0.14.2.20080716175543.00c61430@pop.earthlink.net> References: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> <6.2.0.14.2.20080716175543.00c61430@pop.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807161529r157227a9tab4a3302c5e87be1@mail.gmail.com> You can add a google map to your website. 2008/7/17 Willard Seehorn : > I've seen several web sites (not paying enough attention to remember which > ones), where visitors/users of the product/ could add themselves, ie: could > click on the town they lived in & add information as name, email.... > > Anyone recognize what I'm talking about or have links to what I'm looking > for. > > I tried Googling, but had no luck, so my mind isn't coming up with the > right key words. > > TIA > > Will > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Wed Jul 16 23:22:46 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:22:46 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807161528u6f826485s194223ae5d307f12@mail.gmail.co m> References: <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> Justin wrote: >sometimes an item such as a USB hub or Printer can stop the pc booting in >that fashion, make sure when starting it up that all you have is the >keyboard, mouse, power supply and screen plugged in to the pc.>> Thanks Justin----I brought the computer home to work on it, so there's nothing else plugged in except the monitor. I even tried it without mouse and keyboard. I'll try disconnecting CD player and floppy drive. Could a bad sector on the sector of the hard drive containing the mbr cause a lockup after POST? Or would it just generate an error message? I've never had a bad mbr. There's no hd activity after POST. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From justin at whisperer.com.au Thu Jul 17 00:07:12 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:07:12 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807162107w5fef256cx7233fda7a5df6f44@mail.gmail.com> it will usually generate an error message, the CPU or the graphics card could be overheating. are all the appropriate fans spinning? 2008/7/17 Don Penlington : > Justin wrote: > >sometimes an item such as a USB hub or Printer can stop the pc booting in > >that fashion, make sure when starting it up that all you have is the > >keyboard, mouse, power supply and screen plugged in to the pc.>> > > > Thanks Justin----I brought the computer home to work on it, so there's > nothing else plugged in except the monitor. I even tried it without mouse > and keyboard. > > I'll try disconnecting CD player and floppy drive. > > Could a bad sector on the sector of the hard drive containing the mbr cause > a lockup after POST? Or would it just generate an error message? I've > never had a bad mbr. > > There's no hd activity after POST. > > Don Penlington > > > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From computer.fee at googlemail.com Thu Jul 17 06:00:36 2008 From: computer.fee at googlemail.com (Computerfee) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:00:36 +0200 Subject: TSGL: DVD burner Message-ID: <5BDCE31016A847A1BAE124D51C2251D1@HEIDI> Hi there everybody! I have been trying like mad to get a DVD burnt last week. Tried Windows XP's burning facility and my Nero 8 Essentials and started to wonder why there was no point given to choose burning a DVD. In the end then I thought the drive might be no DVD-burner after all, though I thought the fact that it was a CD-burner and DVD player for sure, would mean, they would not produce something strange like that, so checked the box it came with several years ago and yes, it definitely is a DVD burner: Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-105. But it seems the device has forgotten it is meant to burn DVD's, it does read all the DVD's I have here (which are not that many different ones) as well as all CD's and it does burn CD's. I checked online and found it to be known for problems but all the people mentioned problems with burning no CD's at all and not mentioned the DVD-part at all. By the way, it is the first time I ever wanted to burn a DVD with it, so I don't know, if it ever was able to do it. I really would like to know, whether it is possible that the power supply problem I had before (without recognizing it for a rather long time) did somehow affect/damage only the DVD-burning part of the drive? Or can the laser that burns DVD's be the problem when it does burn CD's all correct? Or can a DVD that it does not recognize, make the possibilities of burning DVD's not show up at all? I went and got a single sided DVD-RW 1x-4x but it might be too new/good or the "wrong" make then after all? By the way, a firmware update of the drive was available and I have installed that, so should all be installed correctly, as I learnt no drivers are necessary for such a drive. Have a nice day Heidi From justin at whisperer.com.au Thu Jul 17 06:45:57 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:45:57 +1000 Subject: TSGL: DVD burner In-Reply-To: <5BDCE31016A847A1BAE124D51C2251D1@HEIDI> References: <5BDCE31016A847A1BAE124D51C2251D1@HEIDI> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807170345x4762e131g82bc0c043c9e97b@mail.gmail.com> Buy a new DVD burner, it is stuffed 2008/7/17 Computerfee : > Hi there everybody! > > I have been trying like mad to get a DVD burnt last week. Tried Windows > XP's > burning facility and my Nero 8 Essentials and started to wonder why there > was no point given to choose burning a DVD. In the end then I thought the > drive might be no DVD-burner after all, though I thought the fact that it > was a CD-burner and DVD player for sure, would mean, they would not produce > something strange like that, so checked the box it came with several years > ago and yes, it definitely is a DVD burner: Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-105. > > But it seems the device has forgotten it is meant to burn DVD's, it does > read all the DVD's I have here (which are not that many different ones) as > well as all CD's and it does burn CD's. I checked online and found it to be > known for problems but all the people mentioned problems with burning no > CD's at all and not mentioned the DVD-part at all. By the way, it is the > first time I ever wanted to burn a DVD with it, so I don't know, if it ever > was able to do it. > > I really would like to know, whether it is possible that the power supply > problem I had before (without recognizing it for a rather long time) did > somehow affect/damage only the DVD-burning part of the drive? Or can the > laser that burns DVD's be the problem when it does burn CD's all correct? > Or > can a DVD that it does not recognize, make the possibilities of burning > DVD's not show up at all? I went and got a single sided DVD-RW 1x-4x but it > might be too new/good or the "wrong" make then after all? > > By the way, a firmware update of the drive was available and I have > installed that, so should all be installed correctly, as I learnt no > drivers > are necessary for such a drive. > > Have a nice day > Heidi > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Thu Jul 17 08:33:32 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:33:32 +1000 Subject: TSGL: DVD burner In-Reply-To: <5BDCE31016A847A1BAE124D51C2251D1@HEIDI> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080717222351.0208dbc0@mail.tpg.com.au> Heidi wrote: >I have been trying like mad to get a DVD burnt last week.>> First, make sure you've covered the basics. You didn't say exactly what you're trying to burn or how you're trying to do it or exactly what happens, so an accurate response is not possible. If you are copying a movie DVD which is copyright-protected, XP won't burn it. End of story. Nero should be able to copy it, but you must make sure you've selected the burner as DVD and not CD. I've often been caught out with Nero. When you open it, there's a little box right at the top on the first page in which you have to select CD or DVD. It's easy to miss, and if you don't get it right, Nero won't burn. If you've only been burning CD's, it will stay at that default until you change it to DVD. I use Nero7, so 8 might be different. You can tell by the size of the window into which you drop or open the content you want to burn. Make sure it shows space for approx 4.5 Gb and not 650 Mb. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From jonpan at onlinehome.de Thu Jul 17 08:48:33 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:48:33 +0200 Subject: TSGL: DVD burner References: <5BDCE31016A847A1BAE124D51C2251D1@HEIDI> Message-ID: <000801c8e80b$6c9138c0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Is it possible the Region Control(Zone) Setting is wrong? You may not be able to change it back again easily, depending how many changes have already been made. Nero Toolkit - Nero Info Tool - will tell you its setting. John Od/G ----- Original Message ----- From: Computerfee To: TSGL Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 12:00 PM Subject: TSGL: DVD burner Hi there everybody! I have been trying like mad to get a DVD burnt last week. Tried Windows XP's burning facility and my Nero 8 Essentials and started to wonder why there was no point given to choose burning a DVD. In the end then I thought the drive might be no DVD-burner after all, though I thought the fact that it was a CD-burner and DVD player for sure, would mean, they would not produce something strange like that, so checked the box it came with several years ago and yes, it definitely is a DVD burner: Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-105. But it seems the device has forgotten it is meant to burn DVD's, it does read all the DVD's I have here (which are not that many different ones) as well as all CD's and it does burn CD's. I checked online and found it to be known for problems but all the people mentioned problems with burning no CD's at all and not mentioned the DVD-part at all. By the way, it is the first time I ever wanted to burn a DVD with it, so I don't know, if it ever was able to do it. I really would like to know, whether it is possible that the power supply problem I had before (without recognizing it for a rather long time) did somehow affect/damage only the DVD-burning part of the drive? Or can the laser that burns DVD's be the problem when it does burn CD's all correct? Or can a DVD that it does not recognize, make the possibilities of burning DVD's not show up at all? I went and got a single sided DVD-RW 1x-4x but it might be too new/good or the "wrong" make then after all? By the way, a firmware update of the drive was available and I have installed that, so should all be installed correctly, as I learnt no drivers are necessary for such a drive. Have a nice day Heidi _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From Engineman1 at aol.com Thu Jul 17 13:12:34 2008 From: Engineman1 at aol.com (Engineman1 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:12:34 EDT Subject: TSGL: DVD burner Message-ID: Try this: In "my computer" right - click on the cd/dvd burner icon. Click on "properties" then the "recording" tab. put a check in the box marked "enable cd recording on this drive". If it's already checked you'll have to try other suggestions. Engineman In a message dated 7/17/2008 4:49:09 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, jonpan at onlinehome.de writes: Is it possible the Region Control(Zone) Setting is wrong? You may not be able to change it back again easily, depending how many changes have already been made. Nero Toolkit - Nero Info Tool - will tell you its setting. John Od/G ----- Original Message ----- From: Computerfee To: TSGL Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 12:00 PM Subject: TSGL: DVD burner Hi there everybody! I have been trying like mad to get a DVD burnt last week. Tried Windows XP's burning facility and my Nero 8 Essentials and started to wonder why there was no point given to choose burning a DVD. In the end then I thought the drive might be no DVD-burner after all, though I thought the fact that it was a CD-burner and DVD player for sure, would mean, they would not produce something strange like that, so checked the box it came with several years ago and yes, it definitely is a DVD burner: Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-105. But it seems the device has forgotten it is meant to burn DVD's, it does read all the DVD's I have here (which are not that many different ones) as well as all CD's and it does burn CD's. I checked online and found it to be known for problems but all the people mentioned problems with burning no CD's at all and not mentioned the DVD-part at all. By the way, it is the first time I ever wanted to burn a DVD with it, so I don't know, if it ever was able to do it. I really would like to know, whether it is possible that the power supply problem I had before (without recognizing it for a rather long time) did somehow affect/damage only the DVD-burning part of the drive? Or can the laser that burns DVD's be the problem when it does burn CD's all correct? Or can a DVD that it does not recognize, make the possibilities of burning DVD's not show up at all? I went and got a single sided DVD-RW 1x-4x but it might be too new/good or the "wrong" make then after all? By the way, a firmware update of the drive was available and I have installed that, so should all be installed correctly, as I learnt no drivers are necessary for such a drive. Have a nice day Heidi _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ **************Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com! (http://www.tourtracker.com?NCID=aolmus00050000000112) From coover at fastmail.fm Thu Jul 17 14:57:07 2008 From: coover at fastmail.fm (Russell W. Coover) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:57:07 -0700 Subject: TSGL: DVD burner In-Reply-To: <5BDCE31016A847A1BAE124D51C2251D1@HEIDI> References: <5BDCE31016A847A1BAE124D51C2251D1@HEIDI> Message-ID: If you have Nero, you probably have the Nero Information Tool. It will tell you if the drive can record and what kind of disks it will record on. If your version of Nero doesn't have this tool, you can get it free at http://www.nero.com/enu/support-nero8-tools-utilities.html . My best to you ... Russ Coover -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Computerfee Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 3:01 AM To: TSGL Subject: TSGL: DVD burner Hi there everybody! I have been trying like mad to get a DVD burnt last week. Tried Windows XP's burning facility and my Nero 8 Essentials and started to wonder why there was no point given to choose burning a DVD. In the end then I thought the drive might be no DVD-burner after all, though I thought the fact that it was a CD-burner and DVD player for sure, would mean, they would not produce something strange like that, so checked the box it came with several years ago and yes, it definitely is a DVD burner: Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-105. But it seems the device has forgotten it is meant to burn DVD's, it does read all the DVD's I have here (which are not that many different ones) as well as all CD's and it does burn CD's. I checked online and found it to be known for problems but all the people mentioned problems with burning no CD's at all and not mentioned the DVD-part at all. By the way, it is the first time I ever wanted to burn a DVD with it, so I don't know, if it ever was able to do it. I really would like to know, whether it is possible that the power supply problem I had before (without recognizing it for a rather long time) did somehow affect/damage only the DVD-burning part of the drive? Or can the laser that burns DVD's be the problem when it does burn CD's all correct? Or can a DVD that it does not recognize, make the possibilities of burning DVD's not show up at all? I went and got a single sided DVD-RW 1x-4x but it might be too new/good or the "wrong" make then after all? By the way, a firmware update of the drive was available and I have installed that, so should all be installed correctly, as I learnt no drivers are necessary for such a drive. Have a nice day Heidi _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From deepend at tpg.com.au Fri Jul 18 08:38:41 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:38:41 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807162107w5fef256cx7233fda7a5df6f44@mail.gmail.co m> References: <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080718223532.02094ca8@mail.tpg.com.au> Justin wrote: >the CPU or the graphics card >could be overheating. are all the appropriate fans spinning?>> That was one of my concerns. There's never been a case fan, and everything (specially ps) was well gunged up with dust. Very likely cpu has overheated. If cpu was dead, would it still POST? Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From justin at whisperer.com.au Fri Jul 18 15:27:39 2008 From: justin at whisperer.com.au (The Computer Whisperer) Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 05:27:39 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080718223532.02094ca8@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080718223532.02094ca8@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <2852b8d40807181227g7f1e66c8x9c48216eb3099990@mail.gmail.com> The answre is yes, and no, rofl. http://www.overclock.net/amd-motherboards/335438-will-motherboard-post-without-cpu.html Given what it says in that link, I am kinda leaning toward the video card. How do you feel about spending 5 bucks on a secondhand video card from a swap meet or ebay? Justin 2008/7/18 Don Penlington : > Justin wrote: > >the CPU or the graphics card > >could be overheating. are all the appropriate fans spinning?>> > > > That was one of my concerns. There's never been a case fan, and everything > (specially ps) was well gunged up with dust. Very likely cpu has > overheated. > > If cpu was dead, would it still POST? > > Don Penlington > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > -- http://www.whisperer.com.au The Computer Whisperer - Your Friendly In-Home Technical Support Consultant Telephone: (03) 5979 1122 Mobile 0406 467 701 Servicing the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria, Australia) From deepend at tpg.com.au Fri Jul 18 19:59:19 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:59:19 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <2852b8d40807181227g7f1e66c8x9c48216eb3099990@mail.gmail.co m> References: <4.3.2.20080718223532.02094ca8@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080718223532.02094ca8@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080719094343.0208c620@mail.tpg.com.au> Justin wrote: >Given what it says in that link, I am kinda leaning toward the video card. > >How do you feel about spending 5 bucks on a secondhand video card from a >swap meet or ebay?>> Me too---it was my first thought. But others have said that I wouldn't be seeing the POST screen if the video card was kaput, because there'd be no signal to send to the monitor. I've seen that a couple of times in cases of known video card failure. I looked on Ebay last week for one, but I really don't think it's warranted given the age of the machine (6 years). Too many other possibilities, and who knows where it would end up. And it was hard to find one old enough that looked to have the same pins. I've told her she's had her moneys worth out of it, time to send it to that place in the ethernet where old computers go if they have lead a chaste life. Thanks for that interesting reference. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From hdavis1 at gmail.com Fri Jul 18 20:19:10 2008 From: hdavis1 at gmail.com (H Davis) Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:19:10 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Old computer In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080719094343.0208c620@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080718223532.02094ca8@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080715032832.02079cc8@mail.tpg.com.au> <487c22ce.1e048e0a.4ecb.6233@mx.google.com> <4.3.2.20080717005827.02090ad0@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080717131631.0209b008@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080718223532.02094ca8@mail.tpg.com.au> <4.3.2.20080719094343.0208c620@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <488132FE.7060504@gmail.com> Well Don, I'm betting that this subject isn't dead. You tried to kill it off several posts ago but it's taken on a life of its own, perhaps outliving the computer. How long can it gooo......... H Davis Don Penlington wrote: > Justin wrote: > >> Given what it says in that link, I am kinda leaning toward the video card. >> >> How do you feel about spending 5 bucks on a secondhand video card from a >> swap meet or ebay?>> >> > > > Me too---it was my first thought. But others have said that I wouldn't be > seeing the POST screen if the video card was kaput, because there'd be no > signal to send to the monitor. I've seen that a couple of times in cases of > known video card failure. > > I looked on Ebay last week for one, but I really don't think it's warranted > given the age of the machine (6 years). Too many other possibilities, and > who knows where it would end up. And it was hard to find one old enough > that looked to have the same pins. > > I've told her she's had her moneys worth out of it, time to send it to that > place in the ethernet where old computers go if they have lead a chaste life. > > Thanks for that interesting reference. > > Don Penlington > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com From hdavis1 at gmail.com Wed Jul 23 22:16:49 2008 From: hdavis1 at gmail.com (H Davis) Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:16:49 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Message-ID: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. Who has installed it and what was your experience? The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita for me. TIA H Davis -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com From jonpan at onlinehome.de Thu Jul 24 01:37:51 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:37:51 +0200 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 References: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> Message-ID: <000801c8ed4f$6a64a840$2202a8c0@johnsp2> For AMD-processors it is advisable to install first: XP-KB953356-x86-ENU.exe However, a friend with a single-core processor installed SP3 without the above and had no problems. I have installed the above patch, but not yet SP3. No problems with the patch. Good luck! John Od/G ----- Original Message ----- From: H Davis To: TSGL List Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:16 AM Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. Who has installed it and what was your experience? The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita for me. TIA H Davis -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From alan_mitchell at mindspring.com Thu Jul 24 08:54:21 2008 From: alan_mitchell at mindspring.com (Alan Mitchell) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:54:21 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Any Thunderbird experts In-Reply-To: <000801c8ed4f$6a64a840$2202a8c0@johnsp2> References: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> <000801c8ed4f$6a64a840$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Message-ID: A friend has lost access to his Tbird database of emails, folders, address book, etc. He went on Mozilla and found out that "this occasionally happens when you use the default profile." He followed a set of instructions (copy file to another location, start Profile Manager, create a new named profile, select the copy of the datafile) with no success. Since the copy is on an external hard drive, could he take it to another system and use/load Tbird on that system to get access? Would it work to uninstall/reinstall Tbird on his system? Or is there some gotcha that he didn't know that caused the recovery procedure to fail? Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks, Alan From alan_mitchell at mindspring.com Thu Jul 24 08:54:21 2008 From: alan_mitchell at mindspring.com (Alan Mitchell) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:54:21 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> References: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> Message-ID: <6B799145161546E58BA5DAB058442A85@DESKTOP> I've installed SP3 on 7 systems so far with no regrets. One user thought the noticed a slight improvement in speed, the rest noticed no change. I can't answer about the size of the "download and run" update since I downloaded the entire pack, knowing that I'd have to install on a number of different systems. Since I've had no problems, I plan on slipstreaming SP3 onto my XP recovery/rebuild disk. Alan -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of H Davis Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 10:17 PM To: TSGL List Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. Who has installed it and what was your experience? The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita for me. TIA H Davis -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From hbcanon at homemail.com Thu Jul 24 16:07:51 2008 From: hbcanon at homemail.com (HBCANON) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:07:51 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> References: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> Message-ID: <003001c8edc8$f52d54d0$0201a8c0@hbcanon> I installed SP3, an ATI video driver caused a BSOD, I reverted to my last full drive backup, installed a recommended ATI fix, re-installed SP3, ATI video driver caused another BSOD, reverted again to my last full drive backup. I am now licking my wounds, thinking about my next step. I do have an AMD processor. HBCanon Geneva, FL -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of H Davis Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 22:17 To: TSGL List Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. Who has installed it and what was your experience? The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita for me. TIA H Davis -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From alan_mitchell at mindspring.com Thu Jul 24 21:41:00 2008 From: alan_mitchell at mindspring.com (Alan Mitchell) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:41:00 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Message-ID: Wow! Guess I was fortunate to only have Intel processors. -----Original Message----- From: "HBCANON" To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" Sent: 7/24/08 4:07 PM Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 I installed SP3, an ATI video driver caused a BSOD, I reverted to my last full drive backup, installed a recommended ATI fix, re-installed SP3, ATI video driver caused another BSOD, reverted again to my last full drive backup. I am now licking my wounds, thinking about my next step. I do have an AMD processor. HBCanon Geneva, FL -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of H Davis Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 22:17 To: TSGL List Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. Who has installed it and what was your experience? The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita for me. TIA H Davis -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From iarp at cogeco.ca Thu Jul 24 22:31:48 2008 From: iarp at cogeco.ca (Ian Ramsey-Planck) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:31:48 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: This is the 3rd time i've sent this, kept choosing the wrong email address to send it from.... if you get the ohter 2-3 from ian at iarp.ca just disregard it, i've yet to get approved on ian at iarp.ca email address for this list I JUST had a customer come into my store, SP3 failed at 73% and the machine turned itself off... and now it's doomed to constant restarts... for all settings safe mode... normal...etcHis machine's a HP DV6110 Laptop. He's certain the power adaptor was connected... but who knows.. may've just been user error. > > On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 9:41 PM, Alan Mitchell < > alan_mitchell at mindspring.com> wrote: > >> Wow! Guess I was fortunate to only have Intel processors. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: "HBCANON" >> To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" >> Sent: 7/24/08 4:07 PM >> Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 >> >> I installed SP3, >> an ATI video driver caused a BSOD, >> I reverted to my last full drive backup, >> installed a recommended ATI fix, >> re-installed SP3, >> ATI video driver caused another BSOD, >> reverted again to my last full drive backup. >> >> I am now licking my wounds, thinking about my next step. >> I do have an AMD processor. >> HBCanon >> Geneva, FL >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On >> Behalf Of H Davis >> Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 22:17 >> To: TSGL List >> Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 >> >> Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I >> accept this most >> generous invitation I'd like some feedback. >> >> Who has installed it and what was your experience? >> >> The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I >> expect the 67 MB >> size or perhaps even less? >> >> Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita >> for me. >> >> TIA >> >> H Davis >> >> -- >> H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> > > > > -- > Thanks > Ian R-P > -- Thanks Ian R-P From alan_mitchell at mindspring.com Thu Jul 24 23:43:49 2008 From: alan_mitchell at mindspring.com (Alan Mitchell) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:43:49 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Message-ID: Sounds like time to do an XP repair and upgrade to SP3 using a downloaded full pack. -----Original Message----- From: "Ian Ramsey-Planck" To: "Tech Support Guy Mailing List" Sent: 7/24/08 10:31 PM Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 This is the 3rd time i've sent this, kept choosing the wrong email address to send it from.... if you get the ohter 2-3 from ian at iarp.ca just disregard it, i've yet to get approved on ian at iarp.ca email address for this list I JUST had a customer come into my store, SP3 failed at 73% and the machine turned itself off... and now it's doomed to constant restarts... for all settings safe mode... normal...etcHis machine's a HP DV6110 Laptop. He's certain the power adaptor was connected... but who knows.. may've just been user error. > > On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 9:41 PM, Alan Mitchell < > alan_mitchell at mindspring.com> wrote: > >> Wow! Guess I was fortunate to only have Intel processors. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: "HBCANON" >> To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" >> Sent: 7/24/08 4:07 PM >> Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 >> >> I installed SP3, >> an ATI video driver caused a BSOD, >> I reverted to my last full drive backup, >> installed a recommended ATI fix, >> re-installed SP3, >> ATI video driver caused another BSOD, >> reverted again to my last full drive backup. >> >> I am now licking my wounds, thinking about my next step. >> I do have an AMD processor. >> HBCanon >> Geneva, FL >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On >> Behalf Of H Davis >> Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 22:17 >> To: TSGL List >> Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 >> >> Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I >> accept this most >> generous invitation I'd like some feedback. >> >> Who has installed it and what was your experience? >> >> The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I >> expect the 67 MB >> size or perhaps even less? >> >> Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita >> for me. >> >> TIA >> >> H Davis >> >> -- >> H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tech Support Guy Mailing List >> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ >> > > > > -- > Thanks > Ian R-P > -- Thanks Ian R-P _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From leebunyard at comcast.net Fri Jul 25 03:52:07 2008 From: leebunyard at comcast.net (Lee Bunyard) Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:52:07 -0700 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <48898627.8020909@comcast.net> FWIW--With considerable trepidation after having problems installing prior XP Service Paks, I installed XP SP3 on my HP laptop with AMD processor several months ago and, much to my relief, it installed OK. I hadn't heard there could be problems installing it with pc's running AMD processors. Guess I was lucky. Not so lucky trying to install the Vista SP1 on my desktop pc--it installed but screwed up many of my drivers and caused other problems. I had to uninstall the SP and do a system restore. I may try it again later but not now. Lee in the Mountains of Northern California Alan Mitchell wrote: > Wow! Guess I was fortunate to only have Intel processors. > > -----Original Message----- > From: "HBCANON" > To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" > Sent: 7/24/08 4:07 PM > Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 > > I installed SP3, > an ATI video driver caused a BSOD, > I reverted to my last full drive backup, > installed a recommended ATI fix, > re-installed SP3, > ATI video driver caused another BSOD, > reverted again to my last full drive backup. > > I am now licking my wounds, thinking about my next step. > I do have an AMD processor. > HBCanon > Geneva, FL > > -----Original Message----- > From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of H Davis > Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 22:17 > To: TSGL List > Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 > > Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I accept this most > generous invitation I'd like some feedback. > > Who has installed it and what was your experience? > > The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I expect the 67 MB > size or perhaps even less? > > Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita for me. > > TIA > > H Davis > > From hbcanon at homemail.com Sat Jul 26 12:57:42 2008 From: hbcanon at homemail.com (HBCANON) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:57:42 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <002201c8ef40$b8d59690$0201a8c0@hbcanon> In my experience AMD processors are as good as anything else. It may be that the fix XP-KB953356-x86-ENU.exe for AMD CPU boards solves the problem. I have a very old MOBO (8 years) which started having problems ONLY when I added a USB2 card. Then BSODs and freeze ups became a way of life. The external USB BUSLINK worked flawlessly, but I had to abandon using the 1 terrabyte USB OMEGA. My son warned me about using USB1 and USB2 on the same machine, but disabling the USB1 in BIOS did NOT improve the situation. That is when I got religion about full volume backups using Drive Image. My HP laptop took the SP3 upgrade graciously, but it is only 1 year old. HBCanon Geneva, FL -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Alan Mitchell Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 21:41 To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 Wow! Guess I was fortunate to only have Intel processors. -----Original Message----- From: "HBCANON" To: "'Tech Support Guy Mailing List'" Sent: 7/24/08 4:07 PM Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 I installed SP3, an ATI video driver caused a BSOD, I reverted to my last full drive backup, installed a recommended ATI fix, re-installed SP3, ATI video driver caused another BSOD, reverted again to my last full drive backup. I am now licking my wounds, thinking about my next step. I do have an AMD processor. HBCanon Geneva, FL -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of H Davis Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 22:17 To: TSGL List Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. Who has installed it and what was your experience? The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita for me. TIA H Davis -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From tbrandl2 at chello.at Sat Jul 26 09:25:41 2008 From: tbrandl2 at chello.at (Tilman Brandl) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:25:41 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Word References: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Message-ID: <970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> John, haven't seen such problem sofar. What I would check is Tools | Options and there the tab where you can set the locations for saving user options (settings), documents, backups etc. I would try to set a location for options there and check Word's behaviour again. Guess behind this is that Word is perhaps reading your settings from a wrong place. Cheers Tilman ----- Original Message ----- From: "jonpan" To: "ListTSG" Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:58 AM Subject: TSGL: Word > Have an iritating problem - no, not just the mosquitos; WORD. > > Under Tools/Options/General, the setting for List of Last-opened Files > constantly reverts to 4, although I set it to 9. Furthermore, the actual > number of files shown in the File Menu is only 1. Any ideas how to fix > this? > > Thanks, > > John > Od/G From misterclever at hotmail.com Sat Jul 26 15:09:15 2008 From: misterclever at hotmail.com (Geoff Glave) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:09:15 -0700 Subject: TSGL: Coverting .dvr-ms files? In-Reply-To: <970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> References: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> <970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> Message-ID: I've got a Windows XP Media Center PC. The TV shows it records are in .dvr-ms format. I assume it's got DRM, but I'm not 100% sure. Does anyone know how to convert this format to, say, mpeg? Cheers, Geoff in Vancouver _________________________________________________________________ If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which combines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208 From hdavis1 at gmail.com Sat Jul 26 16:21:02 2008 From: hdavis1 at gmail.com (H Davis) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:21:02 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Coverting .dvr-ms files? In-Reply-To: References: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> <970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> Message-ID: <488B872E.8030306@gmail.com> I don't have an answer to your problem Geoff, but for those others that might have DRM material you legitimately paid for, a cautionary tale. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-9998504-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20 H Davis Geoff Glave wrote: > I've got a Windows XP Media Center PC. The TV shows it records are in .dvr-ms format. I assume it's got DRM, but I'm not 100% sure. Does anyone know how to convert this format to, say, mpeg? > > > Cheers, > Geoff in Vancouver > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which combines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one! > http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208 > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com From alan_mitchell at mindspring.com Sat Jul 26 19:33:19 2008 From: alan_mitchell at mindspring.com (Alan Mitchell) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:33:19 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Word In-Reply-To: <970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> References: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> <970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> Message-ID: Have you tried to repair Word? -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Tilman Brandl Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 9:26 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: Word John, haven't seen such problem sofar. What I would check is Tools | Options and there the tab where you can set the locations for saving user options (settings), documents, backups etc. I would try to set a location for options there and check Word's behaviour again. Guess behind this is that Word is perhaps reading your settings from a wrong place. Cheers Tilman ----- Original Message ----- From: "jonpan" To: "ListTSG" Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:58 AM Subject: TSGL: Word > Have an iritating problem - no, not just the mosquitos; WORD. > > Under Tools/Options/General, the setting for List of Last-opened Files > constantly reverts to 4, although I set it to 9. Furthermore, the actual > number of files shown in the File Menu is only 1. Any ideas how to fix > this? > > Thanks, > > John > Od/G _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From alan_mitchell at mindspring.com Sat Jul 26 19:35:27 2008 From: alan_mitchell at mindspring.com (Alan Mitchell) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:35:27 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Coverting .dvr-ms files? In-Reply-To: References: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2><970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> Message-ID: <1679E93B842543B6A460D8F46D9585DD@DESKTOP> Try this google link http://www.google.com/search?q=dvr-ms+format+convert &rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7 GGLR -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Geoff Glave Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 3:09 PM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: TSGL: Coverting .dvr-ms files? I've got a Windows XP Media Center PC. The TV shows it records are in .dvr-ms format. I assume it's got DRM, but I'm not 100% sure. Does anyone know how to convert this format to, say, mpeg? Cheers, Geoff in Vancouver _________________________________________________________________ If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which combines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208 _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From deepend at tpg.com.au Sun Jul 27 02:28:27 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:28:27 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Hard drive not in good spirits Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080727160617.00c5f510@mail.tpg.com.au> XP SP2. About 2 months ago I added a new Samsung 250Gb hard drive (H). Up till now, everything has been fine. It was immediately auto-detected by the BIOS and the installation all went without a hitch. Suddenly, yesterday for no apparent reason, when I rebooted, the new drive was no longer recognised by the BIOS (Award). It did not appear in Device Manager and was nowhere to be seen. As if it's been spirited right away---and, no, it hasn't fallen out of the case. The primary drive is SATA1, the new drive is SATA2. Checked all cables, all tight and nothing loose. No strange noises (I have the sides off). The drive seems to be spinning and is running cool. I rebooted and went into BIOS, changed Hard drive auto-detect to manual and back again to auto. Then rebooted and H appeared again as normal. Rebooted once more, and again---no H!!!. Same procedure, changing BIOS from Hard Drive auto-detect to manual and back again spirited H back once more. After several more reboots, no regular pattern is emerging---sometimes H is present and working, sometimes not. I imaged C-drive back (Acronis True Image restore) a couple of months, but that had no effect on this behaviour. What could account for this intermittent problem? Is it possible that my shiny new H has some intermittent failure? I'm sure if I send it back to Samsung under warranty, they'll say it's fine. When it's present, it seems to be running OK. I use it for data only. Maybe I need to indulge myself in some spirited behaviour. Any other suggestions, short of suicide? Do BIOS'es ever wear out? The computer is only 2 years old. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html From michaelsweeden at comcast.net Sun Jul 27 08:37:22 2008 From: michaelsweeden at comcast.net (Michael Sweeden) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:37:22 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Hard drive not in good spirits In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080727160617.00c5f510@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080727160617.00c5f510@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <007f01c8efe5$8525dee0$0100000a@michael> Hey, Don: My guess would be that the drive is failing. Samsung does make a utility to test their drives, which can be found here: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/support/utilities/Support_HUTIL.h tml If the drive fails diagnostics and the test results are provided to Samsung then there's no way they could say the drive is fine, so I'd give it a try. Regards, Michael -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Don Penlington Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 2:28 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: TSGL: Hard drive not in good spirits XP SP2. About 2 months ago I added a new Samsung 250Gb hard drive (H). Up till now, everything has been fine. It was immediately auto-detected by the BIOS and the installation all went without a hitch. Suddenly, yesterday for no apparent reason, when I rebooted, the new drive was no longer recognised by the BIOS (Award). It did not appear in Device Manager and was nowhere to be seen. As if it's been spirited right away---and, no, it hasn't fallen out of the case. The primary drive is SATA1, the new drive is SATA2. Checked all cables, all tight and nothing loose. No strange noises (I have the sides off). The drive seems to be spinning and is running cool. I rebooted and went into BIOS, changed Hard drive auto-detect to manual and back again to auto. Then rebooted and H appeared again as normal. Rebooted once more, and again---no H!!!. Same procedure, changing BIOS from Hard Drive auto-detect to manual and back again spirited H back once more. After several more reboots, no regular pattern is emerging---sometimes H is present and working, sometimes not. I imaged C-drive back (Acronis True Image restore) a couple of months, but that had no effect on this behaviour. What could account for this intermittent problem? Is it possible that my shiny new H has some intermittent failure? I'm sure if I send it back to Samsung under warranty, they'll say it's fine. When it's present, it seems to be running OK. I use it for data only. Maybe I need to indulge myself in some spirited behaviour. Any other suggestions, short of suicide? Do BIOS'es ever wear out? The computer is only 2 years old. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From jonpan at onlinehome.de Sun Jul 27 09:00:10 2008 From: jonpan at onlinehome.de (jonpan) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:00:10 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Word References: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> <970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> Message-ID: <000601c8efe8$b42899f0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Thanks, Tilman. I have tried changing the autorestorefiles location, since I had already put the documents somewhere else. I'm using the German version because it contains English and German, whereas the English version has French and Spanish, but no German. It's better for grammar and spell checking. Thanks, also, to Alan for the suggestion. If I get desperate I might try a repair installation, but at the moment it hardly seems worthwhile. It was interesting to get two answers on 26th and 27th after posting the query on the 16th. Wonder if things are being delayed again, at least from here? John Od/G ----- Original Message ----- From: Tilman Brandl To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 3:25 PM Subject: Re: TSGL: Word John, haven't seen such problem sofar. What I would check is Tools | Options and there the tab where you can set the locations for saving user options (settings), documents, backups etc. I would try to set a location for options there and check Word's behaviour again. Guess behind this is that Word is perhaps reading your settings from a wrong place. Cheers Tilman ----- Original Message ----- From: "jonpan" To: "ListTSG" Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:58 AM Subject: TSGL: Word > Have an iritating problem - no, not just the mosquitos; WORD. > > Under Tools/Options/General, the setting for List of Last-opened Files > constantly reverts to 4, although I set it to 9. Furthermore, the actual > number of files shown in the File Menu is only 1. Any ideas how to fix > this? > > Thanks, > > John > Od/G _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From hdavis1 at gmail.com Sun Jul 27 14:13:09 2008 From: hdavis1 at gmail.com (H Davis) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:13:09 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Hard drive not in good spirits In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080727160617.00c5f510@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080727160617.00c5f510@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <488CBAB5.4070104@gmail.com> Don, Have you had anything else on drive H before? Windows seems to "remember" what has been assigned to a given drive letter in the past. I don't know any more details than that, but you might try changing the drive letter to one that hasn't been previously assigned. Desperation begets invention. H Davis Don Penlington wrote: > XP SP2. > > About 2 months ago I added a new Samsung 250Gb hard drive (H). Up till now, > everything has been fine. It was immediately auto-detected by the BIOS and > the installation all went without a hitch. > > Suddenly, yesterday for no apparent reason, when I rebooted, the new drive > was no longer recognised by the BIOS (Award). > > It did not appear in Device Manager and was nowhere to be seen. As if it's > been spirited right away---and, no, it hasn't fallen out of the case. > > The primary drive is SATA1, the new drive is SATA2. > > Checked all cables, all tight and nothing loose. No strange noises (I have > the sides off). The drive seems to be spinning and is running cool. > > I rebooted and went into BIOS, changed Hard drive auto-detect to manual and > back again to auto. Then rebooted and H appeared again as normal. > > Rebooted once more, and again---no H!!!. > > Same procedure, changing BIOS from Hard Drive auto-detect to manual and > back again spirited H back once more. > > After several more reboots, no regular pattern is emerging---sometimes H is > present and working, sometimes not. > > I imaged C-drive back (Acronis True Image restore) a couple of months, but > that had no effect on this behaviour. > > What could account for this intermittent problem? Is it possible that my > shiny new H has some intermittent failure? I'm sure if I send it back to > Samsung under warranty, they'll say it's fine. > > When it's present, it seems to be running OK. I use it for data only. > > Maybe I need to indulge myself in some spirited behaviour. Any other > suggestions, short of suicide? > > Do BIOS'es ever wear out? The computer is only 2 years old. > > Don Penlington > > > > From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. > Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: > http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Tech Support Guy Mailing List > http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ > > -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com From alan_mitchell at mindspring.com Sun Jul 27 16:00:02 2008 From: alan_mitchell at mindspring.com (Alan Mitchell) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:00:02 -0400 Subject: TSGL: Hard drive not in good spirits In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080727160617.00c5f510@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080727160617.00c5f510@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: Had a similar problem not long ago, albeit with PATA drives. Seems like my system would periodically loose it's ability to see the drives, so I'd switch the PATA1 and PATA2 connectors on the motherboard and all would be well for another month or so. Finally, in desperation I pulled out one of my external enclosures and placed each of my hard drives in the enclosure and tried to see if I could determine what was happening. As it turned out, the secondary drive was loosing it's settings (or so I'm led to believe). Since it was an older 80 GB drive I just trashed it and installed a newer drive and have had no problems since. BTW, after installing it in the external enclosure, I was able to get it functioning again as the secondary drive long enough to copy to the new drive which was then in the external enclosure. Don't normally recommend doing massive copies over USB 2.0, but this time it was necessary. Don't know if this will help or not since you're running SATA, but if you have a second connector you might try swapping around and see if that works. Alan -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of Don Penlington Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 2:28 AM To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: TSGL: Hard drive not in good spirits XP SP2. About 2 months ago I added a new Samsung 250Gb hard drive (H). Up till now, everything has been fine. It was immediately auto-detected by the BIOS and the installation all went without a hitch. Suddenly, yesterday for no apparent reason, when I rebooted, the new drive was no longer recognised by the BIOS (Award). It did not appear in Device Manager and was nowhere to be seen. As if it's been spirited right away---and, no, it hasn't fallen out of the case. The primary drive is SATA1, the new drive is SATA2. Checked all cables, all tight and nothing loose. No strange noises (I have the sides off). The drive seems to be spinning and is running cool. I rebooted and went into BIOS, changed Hard drive auto-detect to manual and back again to auto. Then rebooted and H appeared again as normal. Rebooted once more, and again---no H!!!. Same procedure, changing BIOS from Hard Drive auto-detect to manual and back again spirited H back once more. After several more reboots, no regular pattern is emerging---sometimes H is present and working, sometimes not. I imaged C-drive back (Acronis True Image restore) a couple of months, but that had no effect on this behaviour. What could account for this intermittent problem? Is it possible that my shiny new H has some intermittent failure? I'm sure if I send it back to Samsung under warranty, they'll say it's fine. When it's present, it seems to be running OK. I use it for data only. Maybe I need to indulge myself in some spirited behaviour. Any other suggestions, short of suicide? Do BIOS'es ever wear out? The computer is only 2 years old. Don Penlington From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland. Computer tutorials, local scenery, and other things at my website: http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From tbrandl2 at chello.at Sun Jul 27 20:01:50 2008 From: tbrandl2 at chello.at (Tilman Brandl) Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:01:50 +0200 Subject: TSGL: Word References: <000601c8e722$1cc620b0$2202a8c0@johnsp2><970b01c8ef4a$3b8aa720$0201a8c0@til4200> <000601c8efe8$b42899f0$2202a8c0@johnsp2> Message-ID: <98ff01c8f045$262e5740$0201a8c0@til4200> John, >It was interesting to get two answers on 26th and 27th after posting the >query on the 16th. Wonder if things are being delayed again, at least from >here?< Here it wasn't a delay, it's just that I've been away for vacation. Btw, I would try to change and maybe later again reset the location for 'user-options' ! And - what Alan meant was not exactly a 'repair installation', but rather the 'repair' function in Word, from under the Help menue. It's easy to use, but might ask for the CDs. Tsch?s Tilman ----- Original Message ----- From: "jonpan" To: "Tech Support Guy Mailing List" Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 3:00 PM Subject: Re: TSGL: Word > Thanks, Tilman. I have tried changing the autorestorefiles location, since > I had already put the documents somewhere else. I'm using the German > version because it contains English and German, whereas the English > version has French and Spanish, but no German. It's better for grammar and > spell checking. > > Thanks, also, to Alan for the suggestion. If I get desperate I might try a > repair installation, but at the moment it hardly seems worthwhile. > > It was interesting to get two answers on 26th and 27th after posting the > query on the 16th. Wonder if things are being delayed again, at least from > here? > > John > Od/G > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Tilman Brandl > To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List > Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 3:25 PM > Subject: Re: TSGL: Word > > > John, > > haven't seen such problem sofar. What I would check is Tools | Options and > there the tab where you can set the locations for saving user options > (settings), documents, backups etc. I would try to set a location for > options there and check Word's behaviour again. Guess behind this is that > Word is perhaps reading your settings from a wrong place. > > Cheers > Tilman > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "jonpan" > To: "ListTSG" > Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:58 AM > Subject: TSGL: Word > > >> Have an iritating problem - no, not just the mosquitos; WORD. >> >> Under Tools/Options/General, the setting for List of Last-opened Files >> constantly reverts to 4, although I set it to 9. Furthermore, the actual >> number of files shown in the File Menu is only 1. Any ideas how to fix >> this? >> >> Thanks, >> >> John >> Od/G From hdavis1 at gmail.com Sun Jul 27 20:36:48 2008 From: hdavis1 at gmail.com (H Davis) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:36:48 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> References: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> Message-ID: <488D14A0.9040709@gmail.com> To all, Thanks for all the advice. SP3 is wending its way ever so slowly (2 days now) to my computer. When it finally arrives I'll try installing it. Did any of you disable your AV or other security software? TIA H Davis H Davis wrote: > Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I > accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. > > Who has installed it and what was your experience? > > The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can I > expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? > > Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce agita > for me. > > TIA > > H Davis > > -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com From hbcanon at homemail.com Mon Jul 28 22:49:52 2008 From: hbcanon at homemail.com (HBCANON) Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:49:52 -0400 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: <488D14A0.9040709@gmail.com> References: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> <488D14A0.9040709@gmail.com> Message-ID: <007201c8f125$c712a130$0201a8c0@hbcanon> I think one of the reasons for my good luck (I have NEVER had to reinstall Windows) is that I don't ever have anything running that doesn't need to be there when installing ANYTHING. HBCanon Geneva, FL -----Original Message----- From: list-bounces at tsgserver.com [mailto:list-bounces at tsgserver.com] On Behalf Of H Davis Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 20:37 To: Tech Support Guy Mailing List Subject: Re: TSGL: XP SP3 To all, Thanks for all the advice. SP3 is wending its way ever so slowly (2 days now) to my computer. When it finally arrives I'll try installing it. Did any of you disable your AV or other security software? TIA H Davis H Davis wrote: > Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I > accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. > > Who has installed it and what was your experience? > > The size ranges from 67 - 316 MB. Since my machines are up to date can > I expect the 67 MB size or perhaps even less? > > Any comments welcome. MS updates of this magnitude always produce > agita for me. > > TIA > > H Davis > > -- H Davis hdavis1 at gmail.com _______________________________________________ Tech Support Guy Mailing List http://www.tsgserver.com/list/ From deepend at tpg.com.au Mon Jul 28 23:19:07 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:19:07 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Hintform Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080729124550.00c3d270@mail.tpg.com.au> Here's one I reckon will have y'all stumped. (O me with little faith) 3 days ago, XPSP2 was locking up. This just started out of the blue. Nothing recently installed, neither hardware nor software that might have caused this, as far as I can see. It would freeze for maybe a minute (seems like an hour when you're waiting staring at the screen like an imbecile). then would unfreeze for a second or 2, then refreeze. I managed (twice) each time with a lot of patience to get into Task Manager to shut down. The first "End Task--not responding" window to come up each time was entitled "Hintform". Not hintform.exe, just plain hintform. After waiting forever, I finally had to power off in order to close. Not good. After rebooting, the computer was as normal. I searched the whole computer for hintform, but no result. I then googled hintform, where I found 2 similar incidents with no useful answer other than to say it "might" be something to do with Javascript---not at all helpful. Google also refers to several Javascripting sites, where it seems that "hintform" is a normal java programming instruction. Ran antivirus and 3 antispyware scans. Nothing showed up there. I then searched 9 more of my usual tech helpsites (including TSG) for Hintform, but all returned zero result. Next day, I noticed that the same behaviour occurred shortly after I'd been using Eudora. I've been using the same Eudora version for 12 years, since W95, and if it is the culprit, it's the first time it's ever gone wobbly. Again the same Hintform when trying to close via Task Manager. Strangely, running Task Manager just before closing (again after consuming much time and patience) showed no sign of anything remotely like hintform as a running application. Looking in the Eudora folder shows no files with that name. With a little Divine Intervention, I figured that since Eudora was the last major app I'd been running before each lockup, maybe if I uninstalled and reinstalled it (yes, I did save the mailboxes and addresses) it might resolve the problem. Since I did that (yesterday) the problem hasn't occurred again. As far as I know Eudora does not use java---but I know nothing of programming, so I could easily be wrong. In case this thing rears its ugly head again, does anyone here have any clues what "hintform" is, where it came from, and what it's doing on my beloved computer.? Of course, hintform may be a complete red herring, and the cause could be something entirely different ( but why did it show up as "not responding" in Task Manager?) In any case, I'm very curious. This may or may not be connected, but my bios is still not detecting my second hard drive at each reboot unless I tell it to autodetect each time. Although it's set to the default autodetect, it sometimes now doesn't detect any hard drive at all. A check of the new Samsung hard drive found no errors. Finally, is there any way, or any utility, that can get into bios and reset it while XP is running? Would "flashing" the bios do any good? I've never done that, so would need some guidance at infant level. Don Penlington From titone at usc.edu Mon Jul 28 23:28:18 2008 From: titone at usc.edu (Joe Titone) Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:28:18 -0700 Subject: TSGL: Hintform In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.20080729124550.00c3d270@mail.tpg.com.au> References: <4.3.2.20080729124550.00c3d270@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: At 08:19 PM 7/28/2008, Don Penlington wrote: >Here's one I reckon will have y'all stumped. (O me with little faith) > >3 days ago, XPSP2 was locking up. This just started out of the blue. >Nothing recently installed, neither hardware nor software that might have >caused this, as far as I can see. > >It would freeze for maybe a minute (seems like an hour when you're waiting >staring at the screen like an imbecile). then would unfreeze for a second >or 2, then refreeze. I managed (twice) each time with a lot of patience to >get into Task Manager to shut down. > >The first "End Task--not responding" window to come up each time was >entitled "Hintform". Not hintform.exe, just plain >hintform. ....................... Since Eudora seems to be implicated, why not join the list at http://www.listmoms.net/lists/eudora-win/ There's a lady on this list who can answer any and all questions, and she will let you know if Eudora might be the culprit. Joe Titone tertia at earthlink.net From shyamalg at gmail.com Tue Jul 29 01:12:39 2008 From: shyamalg at gmail.com (Shyamal Gupta) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:42:39 +0530 Subject: TSGL: Hintform In-Reply-To: References: <4.3.2.20080729124550.00c3d270@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <27e0929d0807282212i1ae254f8idf6b1f2f8350d22f@mail.gmail.com> On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 8:58 AM, Joe Titone wrote: > At 08:19 PM 7/28/2008, Don Penlington wrote: >>Here's one I reckon will have y'all stumped. (O me with little faith) > > Since Eudora seems to be implicated, why not join the list at > > http://www.listmoms.net/lists/eudora-win/ > > There's a lady on this list who can answer any and all questions, and > she will let you know if Eudora might be the culprit. Yes. Katrina Knight is incredible with Eudora. She might at the very least be able to help eliminate Eudora as the villain of the piece in case it isn't. -- Shyamal Gupta Mumbai, India From deepend at tpg.com.au Tue Jul 29 11:37:08 2008 From: deepend at tpg.com.au (Don Penlington) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:37:08 +1000 Subject: TSGL: Hintform In-Reply-To: <27e0929d0807282212i1ae254f8idf6b1f2f8350d22f@mail.gmail.co m> References: <4.3.2.20080729124550.00c3d270@mail.tpg.com.au> Message-ID: <4.3.2.20080730013359.00c541f8@mail.tpg.com.au> Shyamal wrote: >Yes. Katrina Knight is incredible with Eudora. She might at the very >least be able to help eliminate Eudora as the villain of the piece in >case it isn't.>> Interesting, thanks for that. But I think I've eliminated Eudora as the villain, as the same lockup happened today, and I purposely hadn't used Eudora since rebooting. Since writing, I thought I'd run Eventlog viewer in case event logs can show anything for the time of the freeze. I'll report back on that. Meantime, keep those suggestions rolling in. Every little thought helps. Don Penlington From titone at usc.edu Thu Jul 31 20:26:51 2008 From: titone at usc.edu (Joe Titone) Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:26:51 -0700 Subject: TSGL: XP SP3 In-Reply-To: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> References: <4887E611.4060502@gmail.com> Message-ID: At 07:16 PM 7/23/2008, H Davis wrote: >Well, MS has invited me to install SP3 on my 2 machines. But before I >accept this most generous invitation I'd like some feedback. > >Who has installed it and what was your experience?... With a broadband connection, I started downloading/installing it, but it quit just before finishing with : Access Denied. It took as much time backing itself out and then I couldn't get on the net. Luckily MS set a restore point before downloading. A MS tech was very quick to identify the problem, but as an extra safety precaution, I sent away for the CD and will try again in the next week. Joe Titone tertia at earthlink.net