Archive through July 18, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: archive: 2003 June - July: Computer Problem - I need advice/help (ARCHIVE): Archive through July 18, 2003

Halfunit

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 02:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
When I had to restore the desktop (Read: Unit had to tinker where he shouldn't have been!), I used the Windows CD that came with the new system, which is more like the recovery CD as mentioned above.

I knew I was doing something right when, after 3 tries, it said I was installing Windows for the first time. I was saddened that I would be losing all of the information I (we) had accumulated, but there was no other option.

What I didn't expect, was an additional folder named Windows000~, or something like that, after the new Windows install that contained all of my old programs and information. I was able to drag all of the stuff I wanted into the new Windows directory - picking and choosing.

It was an accident, and I'm sure I could not do it again if I tried, but I was a happy camper - I am assuming someone here knows what I did, and knows how to recreate it, and I'm wondering if that's what Weinermr was asking, lol....

Whoami

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 02:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Well, I contacted Dell customer support, and they said I would indeed get the recovery CD. As for how the image is on the CD (in case of a HD failure), they said I'd have to contact tech support, cause they didn't know the answer. However, since I don't have a computer in my home yet from them, I apparantly can't get into their tech chat room yet.

I figure though, if it ever came down to that drastic a thing after the warranty is expired, I still have the OS disks to Win98. So I won't ever be dead in the water.

Draheid

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 04:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Whoami: Of course, there is very little chance that you will have any need for recovery for a long time, if ever. However, the system will come with a full operating system CD as well as an additional CD containing all the necessary drivers for rebuilding the system to it's original state. I am unclear, after scouring their website for a while, as to how the additional software that is included with the system is provided in case of the need for recovery. It may be on the 'Resource CD' that includes the drivers and system software as well.

Of course you will know a lot more when the system arrives so I suggest you sit back and relax until it gets there. If you need any help with it, you know how to contact me.

Good luck. I hope this helps.

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 05:14 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hey, Dra, the PC 133/128 RAM did not work in the Compaq 5170. There is a little asterisk on the back of the packaging that says, "All systems using 440BX, 810, or 810e chipset should only use PC 100 memory modules. PC133 are not backward compatible to PC100 machines.

Huh! Wonder if I have one of those. Oh well, I didn't really NEED a lot more RAM, that I know of. Just got it because it was there. The machine has 128 mb RAM now.

Here is a cute story. I have had this little dinosaur sitting on my desk upstairs while I tinker with it and get things going. You will remember we took the other Compaq back to the seller because it would only work in certain rooms of the house, Bigdog's cave being one of the places it refused to work. The monitor would not come on, although the lights showed the cpu was turned on. So today, Bigdog took the now fine-tuned and humming little dinosaur down to the cave and put the RAM in down there. He came back a bit later carrying it with a white face. He said the monitor would not come on when he plugged it in down there. Bwahahahahaha!!!

I gently suggested he take the new RAM out and try it again. It works now. You should have seen his face when he thought the poltergeist was back though.

Grannyg

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 05:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Who, with hubby's Dell that we bought last year, we got all the CD's for all the software that was in the "bundle" he got. We also got a Windows XP re-install disk. Not sure if that would be considered an original disk since it's not like the cd's you get when you buy it new. We really didn't get a restore disk except for drivers and such stuff. We also got the Microsoft Works and it does have the original disks for Works, Word, Money, Photo, Encarta. They came in a separate box from the other disks. We also got the games bundle and got all the original disks for those games. I hope what I have said makes sense.

Suitsmefine

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:02 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dra, I need help (Again!). Can you please tell me how to get Windows to run update\repair ....Sorry, I am so puter illiterate...

Whoami

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 06:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks everyone for all the info! I'm getting excited already! I checked the "order status" on Dell's website. It's gone through kitting (which means they had all the parts!), and even build. And it's now in testing. If it's anything like the workhorse PC's we sent with our robotics machines we shipped out (where I used to work), they will take a couple days to "burn in" the PC and make sure it's in working order. Scheduled ship date is Monday the 21st. UPS Ground is 3-5 days! Hooray!

I got the CD-ROM to work better on this 'puter. I used one of those "air duster in a can" things and blew the heck out of the innards of the CD-ROM. I don't like using it, cause I am afraid of residue and stuff. But the CD cleaner wasn't working on its' own. Then I used the CD Cleaner (ran it through twice). Got all the CD's to load, including the SoundBlaster one, so I've now eliminated that annoying MIDI error on boot up.

If I keep this up, we'll be a two-computer household!

Draheid

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 07:21 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Suitsmefine: Open Internet Explorer and click on 'Tools - Windows Update' to have your system update from the Microsoft site.

Hope that's what you're looking for. Let me know please.

Suitsmefine

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 07:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Dra, I hope that is what I need..I'll let ya' know.

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 07:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Great work on cleaning the CD drive, DraWho'd!

Feelin_Good

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 08:10 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
For almost any problem with a Dell (or any other comp for that matter) the community forum at dell talk is the best. http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums

Not1worry

Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 01:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
How do I get CD-roms (like games) to start playing once you insert them? It used to be, I'd put the CD in and it would give me the install screen or start the program. I've had a new CDRW unit put in and now you have to go thru the menu to start CDs. My new Dell doesn't start them automatically either. Is there someplace I can go to tell the CD players to load them when you put a CD in?

Other problem...how can I post a picture on the message board? My son has a 3rd Cluefinders CD game and I swear we've hit a part we CANNOT solve. It's like a puzzle and I thought I could post a picture of it here and see if anyone can figure it out!

Draheid

Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 02:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Not1worry: Here is a link that might solve your first problem: How to Enable/Disable Auto-Run

Posting images on the board is fairly simple. First you need to have the image saved on your hard drive. It can not exceed 65K in size and should not be any wider then about 600 pixels to fit well on the threads. Second, you need to include the image 'tag' in your post such as this: \image{imagename}
Note the direction of the slash and the 'squiggly brackets' to open and close the image name.
Once you've clicked the 'Preview/Post Message' button, you will see a temporary graphic placeholder in your message. Clicking post will take you to the next step which is to upload your image. Click the 'Browse' button and locate the file on your computer. Double-click the image and then click the 'Upload' button. Your computer should then upload the image and you are finished.

Hope that helps.

Not1worry

Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 06:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Draheid, got the CD run thing fixed, thanks so much.

Now to see if the digital camera will cooperate!

Goddessatlaw

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 08:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hey, Draheid - I have a question that may make or break my relationship with MM. Do cookies (just garden variety cookies, nothing special about them) cause problems such as causing your computer to tell you it's searching for hardware then not finding it when you log on?

Goddessatlaw

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 08:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
PS and does Netscape provide more protection against cookies than Internet Explorer?

Draheid

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 08:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Goddessatlaw: IMO, cookies are best served warm from the oven with a cold glass of milk.

Seriously, cookies are nothing more then small pieces of text that are passed to a server for various functions like remembering what you looked at there last. There is no way that I know of for a cookie to have anything to do with searching for hardware.

Here is an example of a cookie, fwiw:
.hotmail.msn.com TRUE FALSE 2145744000 HMP1 1
What I think these 'pieces' mean:
site leaving the cookie option status option status 'signature' code another code option

Mind you, this is just an educated guess, the actual meaning may be completely different.

As to the better program for handling cookies, I'll let you decide based on this information. Below are the cookie control panels from 3 different browsers:

Netscape 4.79
ns4cookies

Internet Explorer 6.0
ie6cookies

Netscape 7.0
ns7cookies


Hope that helps.

Goddessatlaw

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dear Draheid: this is MM - REDRUM.

Draheid

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:10 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dear MM:

Goddessatlaw

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dra - this is Goddessatlaw. What MM meant to say is "Thank you very much for screwing up my reason for f/ing with the Goddess. I had her on the ropes, and now she's kicking me in the nuts." Actually, MM was telling me he thought you were of Indian origin based on your screen name, and I straightened him out telling him you were "Diehard" spelled backward. He spit 7 and 7 through his nose. You are now on his active shitlist. But we love you, especially MMMMEEE!!! MM says, anyone clever enough to post the answer that you gave us is on his "good" list. We're having a good laugh, and thank you for the great response as always. You are my guru.

Wargod

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ackkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!

Goddessatlaw

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
MM says thank you for showing him how to cut off Goddess's cookies.

Draheid

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dear MM: Should you require assistance in your endeavor to annoy GAL, I would recommend you join the clubhouse and start a thread for suggestions from other members here. I imagine it could easily become a classic thread in very short order!

PS: Luv ya GAL!

Jmm

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
GAL: When you start throwing things this way, please remember that Dra is on your left.

Thanks,
Jackie

Wargod

Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dear Dra, GAL is in chat with MM looking for you!

Dear Jmm, you should drag him in with a bucket of popcorn to enjoy the show.