Archive through May 06, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: 2003 May: Computer Problem - I need advice/help (ARCHIVES): Archive through May 06, 2003

Juju2bigdog

Monday, May 05, 2003 - 11:25 am EditMoveDeleteIP
So that means the 40X will work okay?

Draheid

Monday, May 05, 2003 - 11:28 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Yes, 40x will work fine as long as you make sure you set your software to record at that speed and not any faster - otherwise you may have problems. I don't know what kind of problems, since I've never tried to push them. I doubt you'll notice much difference anyway since most of the time it takes to burn a CD is in the 'work' preparing to burn in the first place! lol

Juju2bigdog

Monday, May 05, 2003 - 11:49 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Got it, thanks, Dra.

Jed245

Monday, May 05, 2003 - 03:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju if you record on a cd that is only compatiable with lets say 12x speed for example at a higher record rate like 16x speed. The cd will be unreadable. If you try to record it as a music cd it will sound like your speakers are broken.

There are mixed cdr's audio cdr's and data cdr's. The data CDR's are more expensive, but, the ones that say audio only can be used to record data just as well as the ones that say data only.

I always buy audio only cd's and any brand works well. They usually say the speeds they are compatible with on them somewhere. The audio only cd's are cheaper and do everything the other cd's do. :o)

Jed. :o)

Juju2bigdog

Monday, May 05, 2003 - 11:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks, Jed. I bought some 700 MB data/80 mins. audio 40X CDR's today. Is that acceptable?

Heh, and I thought I was doing pretty good, having returned the DDR RAM and purchased SDRAM. BUT, I just now noticed it says for PC 133 systems only. So I looked through my Mainboard User's Guide I found last night, and it says: "For this mainboard you must use 168 pin 3.3V non-buffered Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMM) The memory chips must be standard or registered SDRAM. The memory bus can run at 66MHz or 100 MHz (100 MHz is recommended). If your processor operates over a 100 MHz system bus, you must install PC-100 memory that also operates over a 100 MHz bus. If you install a processor that operates over a 66 MHz bus, you can install memory chips that operate at 66 MHz."

Uhhhhhhhhhhh, does this mean I am returning the PC 133 256 MB SDRAM I bought today???

Zachsmom

Monday, May 05, 2003 - 11:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
you're fine Juju..I looked at the specks from above (dra's post about your motherboard) and you'll be fine with the 133.

Draheid

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 04:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju2bigdog: It's kind of like putting Premium gasoline in your Volkswagen Mini-Van. (The memory will work just fine in your computer, it's just capable of working in a faster machine as well.)

Willsmom

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 06:14 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Ok computer gurus I've got one for you. Actually two! Let me start by saying I am not very computer literate as far as fixing things go.
My first problem is that our computer keeps freezing up when we leave it alone for more than a few minutes. I have had to continually shut it down by pushing the button on the front. It won't even let me control/alt/delete. We defragged the other night, but I am ready to throw this computer away! I use Windows 98, 63 MB Ram and IE version 5.00.2614.3500 just in case you need any of that info.
Also my computer is posessed. If I completely turn it off at night we are woken by this horrible noise like static coming full blast from the speakers. I have had to unplug them to prevent this. The computer will sound like it is turned off, but then a little while later even while completely shut down it still sounds like it is running. Do I need to call a priest?! Thanks for any help you can be....I'm desperate at this point. My dh is going to Korea for a year soon and I must have this computer to communicate with him!!!!!Thank you!

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 08:46 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Zmom and Dra, thanks again. Today might be the day Bigdog starts. Pray for us. I think I'll start now writing it up for "Can This Marriage Survive". :)

Draheid

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 09:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Willsmom: A lot of things come to mind for your situation so let me start with a couple of things.

1) Check to see what other programs are starting up when you turn on the computer. Click 'Start - Programs - StartUp' and see what is in that folder. It's possible something you've installed on the computer is causing part of your problem with lockups. (You can also look at what's running immediately after you've booted the computer by pressing "Ctrl-Alt-Del" and looking in the list for things you don't recognize. If you'll post a list of what you see, I should be able to provide you with a description of each and whether or not it's needed.)

2) If possible, I would recommend you explore adding more memory to the computer. 64MB is considered extremely limited these days and any additional can make everything run much faster anyway.

3) I have seen speakers that just go bad. Even when there is nothing connected or providing signal to them they can start making weird noises. You will probably just need to turn them off or disconnect the power to them when you're not using them.

I don't believe an exorcism is going to be necessary at this point, however don't rule it out as a possible option in the future!

Hope this helps.

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 11:17 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Bigdog is working on it right now. He came up a while ago and said it seems pretty easy. I am scared to death, but luckily have my laptop. LOL

Zachsmom

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 11:47 am EditMoveDeleteIP
sits down next to juju and pets her lovingly..let's her know that it's going to be okay..no need to be scared

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 12:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Awwwwww, thanks, Zmom. I am back with a progress report. I can't tell you how scared I was going down to the workshop, though. It turned on!!! It detected TWO CD devices. It detected a slave and master IDE. Just now checked the RAM. It now says 376.

I think these are all things to say Yay!!! about.

Now to the next step. Instructions say: "At Startup run the CMOS Setup program. " I figured out how to get to the Setup by pressing Del when it first starts up. Yay!

Next thing Instructions say is "Select Auto Config drive type." That was not one of my options. The first option was something like "Standard CMOS Configuration" and it was highlighted. I pressed Enter, and it took me to a screen to set the date and clock, which were correct.

Next thing the instructions say is "Enable LBA or Translation. Most systems manufactured after 1995 support LBA." I did not see any options like that.

I can't see anything I need to do in CMOS setup.

Next thing I will do is (eat lunch so I am not doing this on an empty stomach as well as an empty head) use the utility to transfer files from one drive to another. I presume this will install an operating system on the new drive? And then I can transfer my other stuff?

Heh. Y'all may not see me for days. I kind of remember Spygirl doing this and it taking many hours.

And always remember: It is better to be lucky than good.

Good luck, Juju. Yay Bigdog!

Spygirl

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 01:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Spygirl did the harddrive and memory upgrade 2 years ago and had a rough go of it - lol. I saw your questions yesterday and have been having PTSD flashbacks ever since. I did transfer files last summer onto my new computer and it took a good while as well. :)

Draheid

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 01:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju2bigdog: Yay!!! Sounds like it's coming along nicely. I looked up your concern about the CMOS settings. According to your user manual for that motherboard, you should leave everything about the IDE devices in 'Auto' mode and let it select the best settings. Only if you experience any problems would you need to manually set anything. In that case, let me know and I'll look over it again and suggest what to try if you want.

Hope this helps.

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 02:02 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think we are going to go to a movie this afternoon to celebrate. Well, just want to see Chicago before it leaves the theaters. We are more theater folks than rental folks.

And to my secret friend who emailed me a few tips on the installation, here is a cute story for you. Bigdog read the motherboard users guide or the installation instructions or something that caused him to go against your recommendation on how to do some sort of connection, I think the CD writer. And now he has ended up with an extra wire he doesn't know what to do with. ROFL. And he is afraid to ask you because he didn't do what you said. Hahahahahaha. Well, that is sort of funny, isn't it? Not to worry, he'll get over it and will ask you later. The CD writer light does come on, and the door opens. That is a real good sign.

Yay!

Zachsmom

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 02:21 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
it "could" be the wire that goes from the CD-ROM to the Sound Card.

Draheid

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 02:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju2bigdog: Most likely it is the cable to connect the new CD to the sound card. Since most sound cards are only setup with a single connection for CD and you have two CD drives. The only limitation will be that you won't be able to listen to music CDs on the new drive.

Willsmom

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 02:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Draheid,

Thanks so much for your quick and thorough response!
I checked the Startup folder...it is empty.
I did the ctrl/alt/del thing at start up and this is what shows up:
Start up
Address
Aim
Incmail
Rundll
Systray
Vsstat
Vshwin32
Webscanx
Msgloop
Msg 32
Qttask

Also, whenever we start up lately an MSDOS screen that says CSCRIPS on the title line shows up briefly and then disappears.

About memory...how expensive is memory usually and how much do you reccomend we add? I do have a brother in law who is good with computers who could do it.

Thank you~!

Draheid

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 03:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Willsmom: Above this conversation you'll see that Juju just bought memory for about $15 (After rebates!!) for 128MB which would bring your total up to 192MB. I am speculating that your computer won't let you add the larger (256MB) memory based on the little ifnormation you have provided so far. 192MB is pretty good and you will definitely see improved performance overall.

The MSDOS window that you're referring to sounds like it could be something you don't want. I would suggest you check your system with a program called Ad-Aware which you can download and run from the net: Click here to go to Lavasoft's Website and download the program. I can't think of any reason you would normally have this happen.

In addition to the normal startup programs required for Windows to run, you also have the following which are not necessary and often take up memory:
AIM - AOL Instant Messenger - I would suggest you only load this when you want to use it.
Incmail - Incredimail - again only when you need to use it, otherwise you should be able to disable this.
QTTask - QuickTime Task Tray Icon - Quick startup of Quicktime for multimedia - it is not necessary to have this running either as Quicktime should load it when necessary.

Webscanx is part of McAfee Virus Scanner and should be fine.

To disable these programs, you will probably need to find the corresponding icon in your system tray (right end of your task bar - to the left of the clock) and point to it then right-click. It should present you with a menu of some sort. Look through there to see where to tell it to NOT load at startup.

Hope this helps.

Jed245

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 04:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Willsmom,

Another thing you might want to check is recently installed or downloaded "screen savers" I've seen alot of programs out there that claim to be screen savers, but, actually are virus or bug related.

There are several sets that you can get and as long as your computer isn't idle it won't kick in. BUT, the minute you let it set long enough for a screen saver to kick in BOOM lock up!!!

So you might want to look at some of your more recent downloads.

As dra mentioned earlier ram may be a problem with your system. 64mb won't even play most games that are out on the market now. If you want an upgrade 256 is the standard now adays and likely all you'll need. However, I think you can get by with 128 if you don't want to run any video applications.

As for the speakers that are making noise... call a young priest and an old priest!! j/k hehe :o) Sounds to me like your speakers are amplifying static noise. This can be from a bad connector, speakers being worn and picking up electrostatic interference (that would even be if the pc is running though) and a few other things.


I would check to see all the connections are good and snugly in place. New speakers range from 10 to a couple of hundred bucks. umm the $10 ones work fine :o)


Juju.... YAY!! :o)

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 05:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Willsmom, if there is an Office Depot you can get to, they have RAM with rebate this week, makes it about $15 for the 128 Dra says you need. You do have to mail in the rebate stuff, which is a pain, but ...

Luvmom

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 07:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi guys,

I'm not sure if anyone else has asked about this,but I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is anything I can do for this.I just downloaded a couple of mpgs and avis.Most work,but a couple just give me the audio.Real player says that it can not find a suitable decompressor.Is there anything I can download to fix this?Thanks!!

Draheid

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 07:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Luvmom: Go to the microsoft site and download Windows Media Player - it should have available the codecs you need - if not, there are other special codecs on the net you might need to explore - if you get a specific message about one and can't find it, let me know and I'll see if I can show you where to get it.

Luvmom

Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 07:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Dra,
I'll try that tomorrow and let you know.