Posts by Catweazle - Page 65

You are unlikely to get IRQ sharing problems with modern systems using PCI cards. There are only a limited number of IRQs available, some of which are allocated to motherboard functions.

Unless you have a problem, simply don't worry about it.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Glad to hear you've got the motherboard changeover issue sorted out.

I'll mark this topic as solved. Good luck with the network issue.

Cheers.

For help with a 'mysearch' hijack, please see the following questions at TechTalk:

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/search.php?searchid=76124

(one of those search results will be this current topic, so you'll have to look in the others :D)

Let us know how you go with it please. I'll move this to the Security Forum, in case you need further assistance after working through the existing topics.

For Windows 2000, then, I believe it's Solution 2 from this guide you're most concerned with.

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/other/motherboard/problems.htm

It would also be wise to uninstall any onboard devices as well, such as sound, LAN, USB and so forth, before changing the boards over.

And anyway, all you needed to do to reset CMOS was to pull the blasted battery out, and replace it a few minutes later!

BUT::

Always disconnect the power cord from the system, AND the ATX connector from the motherboard before resetting CMOS, whether you do it by shorting the jumper or by the good old backyarder's battery trick. There's less chance of problems that way.

Good luck with that mobo, by the way Dani. Power flicks are nasty little things!

Follow this guide, for best results:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/move_harddrive.htm

How to use FDisk

How to Install Windows to the Hard drive

Make sure you have a Windows 98 Startup floppy disk. If you haven't got one, make one from Controll Panel -> Add/Remove Programs. Any Windows 98 computer will do to make a new one, so it can be made on a friend's PC.

Use Fdisk again, from a floppy disk, and create a new partition with it.

BIOS updates can be downloaded from

http://www.asus.com.tw/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P4SP-MX&Type=All&SLanguage=en-us

It sounds like your processor is being configured correctly, but being misreported in POST. A BIOS update would probably see the processor reported correctly, as the version on your board most likely predates the processor.

Doesn't make sense otherwise, as the settings you've reported are correct.

I think your main problem is that you're trying to set it up!

Have a look at page 1-6 of your motherboard manual. Identify the jumper marked CLRTC1 on the diagram.

Power off your system (at the wall outlet and remove the cord) and disconnect the ATX power cable from the motherboard. Change the jumper to pins 2 and 3 as shown, wait a few seconds, then restore the jumper to pins 1 and 2. That will reset your CMOS memory to factory default settings. (Section 1-9 of your manual describes the procedure in detail)

Hook the ATX connector and power cable back up, turn on your system, and the processor should be autodetected.

Let us know if it is deteced as running at the wrong clockspeed please.

If that external hard drive is connected by usb then I'm sure that what you describe can't be achieved. The system would need an OS to load first and install usb drivers before the external hard drive could be accessed.

You could try removing the CMOS battery (with the power disconnected of course) for a few minutes then replacing it. doing so will reset CMOS, and may enable the system to boot up again.

But it sounds suspiciously like a situation where the motherboard has malfunctioned, or where the processor has overheated and is no longer operable.

Dunno about over there, Alex, but I do know it'd be virtually impossible to find a new SD-RAM motherboard instores in Australia. The only circumstance in which one would be found would be if one was sitting on a shelf as old stock. My vendor friends tell me supplies of them dried up a while back.

But perhaps you folk over there just aren't as Technologically advanced as we Aussies!

:D

Defragmented your hard drive and used 'Disk Cleanup' on it lately?

If not, you should.

Replacing the motherboard would not only be easier, it would most likely be less expensive as well. Unfortunately, though, you're unlikely to find a new motherboard which would be able to use the SD-RAM that is installed in the one you have.

But as suggested above, a motherboard shouldn't really be 'repaired', and from your description I'd suspect it's the chipset southbridge that's blown. I reckon that board is cactus!

You may have an early version of CDRWin which is not compatible with Windows XP. Did you run the 'Upgrade Compatibility' utility on the Windows XP CD before you performed the upgrade?

In any case, CDRWin is not the best of burning programs by any stretch of the imagination. I would suggest that you uninstall it and replace it with something better, such as Nero. For mow, though, try this:

- Uninstall CDRWin
- From 'Device Manager', uninstall your CD burner.
- Reboot, and allow Windows XP to redetect your drive
- Reinstall CDRWin

If CDRWin was on that CD you lost, then:

a) You got ripped off, and....
b) You're buggered!

When you've finished with all that, you can also squeeze a bit more performance from that old system by the following:

Unless Jennifer actually USES those extra keyboard buttons (most people don't!) you can uninstall 'Easy Access Button Support' from Add/Remove programs. The keyboard would operate as a standard one, with the 'extra keys' disabled, an a small performance improvement gained.

You can also uninstall 'Service Centre' and 'Compaq Diagnostics' for a performance enhancement as well. These are unecessary, and have been since the Warranty period on the PC expired.

They are only small gains, but every little bit helps on an older system.

You have most likely uninstalled the display driver for your system. Search the download section of Packard Bell's website for the appropriate device driver for your system's model number (if it is onboard video) or download and install the appropriate driver from the manufacturer's website if it is an add-in card.

If you have the original installation or recovery CDs for your system, you should find an appropriate driver on those.

Have you got the disk(s) that the old version of McAfee was installed from? If so, install again over the top of what's there, and then try to uninstall.

Moving this to the Security Forum. Your problem is almost certainly malware related.

Please follow the advice in the "Helping Yourself:What to do first" topic

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread5690.html

You need to ensure that your system is virus free. Several recent viruses will cause continual restarts.

Definitely spyware/malware, Jimmy ;)

Jackal, you'll find good advice in the "Helping Yourself" topic in the Security Forum section.

I'm sorry, georgia_dogg, but you DID place them there - at least you allowed them to be placed there in any case. You've allowed your system to become infected with spyware/malware.

Read the "Helping Yourself: What to do first" topic in the Security Forum section for advice.

Keep removing them at regular intervals. That's the reason we use Spyware detection an removal tools - to keep the 'passengers' we pick up from web browsing cleaned out regularly. You should run those programs every day, for preference.

It's sorta like why we have a sleep at night, then wake up, shower and breakfast - to keep ourselves in shape and on top of things! :D

You might see capacitors with damage showing on them, or sections of the board where scorch marks appear, should you inspect it closely. Alternatively, there may be a blown chip on it, with no visible signs whatsoever.

Assuming you have actually connected everything up correctly, it certainly does sound like the motherboard has blown as a result of the power supply unit. It also sounds like this has been circumstance rather than something you've done yourself.

Bad luck :(

Marking this topic solved.

"All accounted for"

[IMG]http://www.davidbarber.org/japan/April/Climb/post%20climb%20roll%20call.JPG[/IMG]

"Why not?"

Definitely Format and start fresh. MacAffee Office2000, if my memory serves me correct, should not have been installed under Windows Me as it's incompatible.

Fdisk is a good way to wipe the hard drive. Remove the existing partition, create a new one in its place, and then format. That's the procedure I personally always adopted when using Win 9x versions.

But whether its Fdisk or Format that is to be used to clean the system drive, either tool must be run either from a Windows boot diskette or from the Windows CD itself. Neither method will work if you try to run them from within Windows, or even from the 'Reboot into DOS mode' function of Windows 95 or 98

Got links?

You've roused my curiousity.

Edit: It's not because someone has deleted the contents of the 'Post title' field. Trying that was the purpose of this post, and looky see what happened!

I didn't think the post would be accepted without a topic title :surprised

What folders are you trying to remove? Does this happen with all folders?

I think we need to ascertain if that old PC has an IDE or a Panasonic CD-ROM in there! If it's a Panasonic drive, hooked up to an old soundcard, then some preparation needs to occur befor the Windows setup can proceed. ;)

You are definitely going to need to provide us with the make/model of your laptop, I'm afraid!

That all sounds very non-standard. Most keyboards have a key which doubles up for single and double quotes.

Is this recent, or has the problem always occurred? Did you install the motherboard driver before you installed the display driver?

You may have software installed which is re-assigning the output of keypresses on your system. A list of the installed programs you see in 'Add/Remove Programs' (from Control Panel) might help us to identify what it is, if that is the case.

When you put the floppy in the drive and power the system up, do you get an A:> prompt?

If so, try popping the Windows CD in the CD drive, and typing:

dir D:

Hit the <ENTER> key and let us know if you get a listing of the CD contents please.

If you don't, there are other steps you need to take before proceeding.

You said at the outset that you "got it formatted"

I have to wonder if the job was done properly. If Windows was simply installed again 'over the top' then that is not a format, and any existing problems would have been retained or gotten worse.

If it was actually formatted and installed correctly, perhaps there is something in your computing activity which is causing corruption to your installation. A read of the "Helping Yourself" sticky in the Security Forum section may be in order.

Perhaps a good move would be to wipe clean and start over again. For advice and assistance with doing that, read this topic:

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread6632.html

If your problems are replicated on a fresh, clean install, then it's time to check for hardware problems in your computer itself.

Oh, that reminds me.............

:lol:

Wallace, if you scroll back to my earlier post, you're only a couple of clicks away from just that!

You must be using Windows' native drivers to run on that TNT2. NVidia's 'reference' device drivers should add more functonality:

http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp

I suspect you have spyware and malware installed on your PC, including 'diallers' which seek to disconnect you and use your phone line.

Please read the "Helping Yourself: What to do first" topic in the Security forum section, and use the suggested tools to scan for spyware/malware' and remove any such that they find. There are several articles linked which describe how to use them.

Let us know if they help, please

It doesn't sound like a simple matter such as a download timing out, because there is no reason that would 'freeze' your system.

There's a 'Site News and Feedback' section, and I'll move this there. You must have lost track of it! :lol:

Easy! Just ask the 'Google King' :cheesy:

"???"

[IMG]http://www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/images2/questions.jpg[/IMG]

"without care nor caution"

I used to read it and really miss that feature. :D

You're referring to the BIOS Setup. Your CMOS is the actual memory area itself which stores the system configuration and setup data.

To access BIOS setup, you need to press a key or a key combination at the appropriate point during the initial Boot sequence. Pressing the correct key at 1 second intervals once the memory check begins is an almost bullet-proof way of getting the timing right! :D

In many instances, and invariably if the system is an unbranded one, the <Delete> key is the one to press. But quite a few manufacturers of 'Name-brand' PCs require a different keypress. Try the alternatives you'll find in this resource list:

http://forums.infoprosjoint.net/showthread.php?t=4336

This is worth a try:

Right-click 'My Computer' and select 'Properties'

Choose Hardware -> Device Manager

Expand the entries for DVD/CD drives, right-click each in turn, and choose 'Uninstall'

Reboot your system, allowing Windows to redetect and reinstall them, and see if the problem persists.

Can you access the folder and files from 'My Computer'? What error message do you get if not?

Can those CDs be read in a different PC? It might be the CDs themselves which are at fault. They may have been written with a session writing software package, and incorrectly 'closed'.

hudson, if you had 192 Mb of RAM in that system when it went to the repair shop, and 64Mb when it came back, then I'd suggest it's time to confront them about it.

It's quite possible that the RAM is still in there. The reported 63Mb is one short mate! That suggests to me that they've reset the CMOS settings, and perhaps a setting has ended up enabled which 'protects' 1Mb of RAM (in a specific location) from use. The setting is not needed, and may perhaps be preventing the rest of your RAM from being recognised.

If that's the case, no drama. It's simply a matter of going into BIOS setup, and disabling the setting.

But if that repair shop has actually piched some of your RAM, you should confront and perhaps charge them over it. (Or at least throw a brick through their window!)

That'd depend on the display card you have. Different display cards have different controls.

If you have an NVidia display card, for example, the control would be found by right-clicking a blank area of the desktop and.....

Properties -> Settings -> Advanced -> cardname -> Color Correction

and adjusting the slider.

The controls for your card would possibly be slightly different, but they'd be in the same general location.