Troubleshooting Tips for Cases and Power Supplies

The following advises are based on many years of experience. They are provided as a free service to our customers and visitors. However, Directron.com is not responsible for any damage as a result of following any of these tips. You are welcome to distribute these guides free to your friends and associates for personal usage as long as Directron.com is clearly identified as the source. Use of these guides without written permission by Directron.com on business web sites and/or for commercial purposes is strictly not allowed.

The most important part of a computer case is its power supply. Unfortunately, it's also the part that has most of the problems for a case. There are two situations when a new power supply may appear dead on arrival (DOA) when they are actually working as described below:

Most cases and power supplies these days are made and tested in China and other Asian countries where 220V electricity is used. Desktop computer power supplies do not switch the power voltage automatically. (Most notebook computers do!) If the factory forgets to turn the manual switch back to 110V for the North American market after testing, the power supply would appear DEAD if you use on a 110V-outlet. Therefore, always check the voltage setting on the back of a new power supply FIRST if it appears dead.

Do not expect an ATX power supply to work by simply plugging the power and turning on the switch. ATX power supplies are soft-switched on and off by the motherboard and BIOS. Therefore, you must plug it to a working motherboard with a working microprocessor, memory and video card to work. If your computer does not turn on after you turn on the power switch, it may not necessarily mean a dead power supply. The problem might be with the motherboard, microprocessor, memory or video card instead. You must examine all these components to isolate the problem.

The most effective technique to tell if a power supply is causing any problem is to use a different one to see if it solves the problem. If everything works with a different power supply, then the new power supply is most likely the troublemaker. Alternatively, you can plug the new power supply to an existing, working computer to see if it works there.

Computer cases are highly modular. If your computer case is still under warranty, you don't have to send the entire case back if only one part of it is defective. For instance, send only the power supply back for exchange if only power supply is dead. The same is true for the face panel and cover. This would save you quite a bit of shipping and sometimes downtime.

More than 70% of all computer problems are related to cabling and connections. Ensure that you all the power plugs are connected firmly, including power connections to your motherboard and all the drives.

Make sure the cooling fan inside the power supply is working all the time. Reach out to feel the fan behind your case often. Clean the fan if necessary. If your case feels warmer than room temperature, check the power supply fan first. Most power supply fans are difficult to replace. You are better off to replace the entire power supply since the new one comes with a brand-new warranty.

Before ATX form factor became popular, the compatibility between a power supply and a specific motherboard could be problematic. However, this problem nowadays does not happen very often any more.

The rest of a case is mostly mechanical. You should be able to find a way to get around most of the problems if you are mechanically inclined.

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Troubleshooting Tips for a New Network Card Troubleshooting Tips for a New Network Card

The following advises are based on many years of experience. They are provided as a free service to our customers and visitors. However, Directron.com is not responsible for any damage as a result of following any of these advises. You are welcome to distribute these tips free to your friends and associates as long as it's not for commercial purposes.

1. If you can't connect to a server or if Windows reports an error after you double-click Network Neighborhood, try the following first:
   • Make sure you're using the drivers that are on the drivers disk that ships with the network interface card (NIC).
   • Make sure the driver is loaded and the protocols are bound. Check the Device Properties list for trouble indicators (an "X" or "!" symbol).
   • Test the NIC adapter with the diagnostic utilities that often came with the driver installation.
   • Check with your LAN administrator - you may need to install additional networking software.
2. If the problem persists, follow these guidelines:
   • Make sure the cable is installed properly. The network cable must be securely attached at both RJ45 connections (adapter and hub). The maximum allowable distance from adapter to hub is 100 meters. If the cable is attached and the distance is within acceptable limits but the problem persists, try a different cable. If you're directly connecting two computers without a hub or switch, use a crossover cable.
   • Try another network cable.
   • Check the LED Lights on the NIC. Before the LEDs can be used for troubleshooting, the network interface card (NIC) must be connected to the network and the network driver must be installed. Most NICs come with LEDs near the connection. The meaning of the LED signals may be different from one manufacturer to the other. Here is a common LED description for 3COM 10/100BT dual speed NIC. Please consult your NIC manual for any difference.

LED	Description	Flashing	Steady (On)	Off
10 LNK	Green: Link integrity	Reversed polarity	Good 10BT connection	No connection between NIC & hub
100 LNK	Green: Link integrity	Reversed polarity	Good 100BT connection	No connection between NIC & hub
ACT	Yellow: Port traffic for either speed	Network traffic present	Heavy network traffic	No traffic

3. The computer hangs when the drivers are loaded.
   • Change the PCI BIOS interrupt settings. See your NIC and system manuals for more details.
   • If you are using EMM386, it must be version 4.49 or newer.
4. Diagnostics pass, but the connection fails or errors occur.
   • At 100BT, use Category 5 wiring and make sure that the network cable is securely attached.
   • At 100BT, connect to a 100BT hub/switch (not 100Base-T4).
   • For NetWare, make sure you specify the correct frame type in your NET.CFG file.
   • Make sure the duplex mode setting on the adapter matches the setting on the switch.
5. The LNK LED doesn't light.
   • Make sure you've loaded the network drivers.
   • Check all connections at the adapter and the hub/switch.
   • Try another port on the hub/switch.
   • Make sure the duplex mode setting on the adapter matches the setting on the hub/switch.
   • Make sure you have the correct type of cable between the adapter and the hub. 100Base-TX requires two pairs. Some hubs require a crossover cable while others require a straight-through cable.
6. The ACT LED doesn't light.
   • Make sure you've loaded the correct network drivers.
   • The network may be idle. Try accessing a server.
   • The adapter isn't transmitting or receiving data. Try another adapter.
   • Make sure you're using two-pair cable for TX wiring.
7. The adapter stopped working without apparent cause.
   • Run the diagnostics program that came with the NIC.
   • Try reseating the NIC in its slot, or try a different slot if necessary.
   • The network driver files may be corrupt or missing. Remove the drivers and then reinstall them.
8. The Wake on LAN (WOL) feature is not working.
   • Make sure the WOL cable is attached and that power is being applied to the computer.
   • Check the BIOS for its WOL setting. Some computers may need to be configured for WOL.
   • Make sure the network cable is fully attached to the adapter.
9. Crossover cable troubleshooting tips. When you work with network cabling, concentrators (hubs or switch), and NICs from different venders, it is possible to connect everything and still have no communication between file servers and workstations.
   When there are several unknown variables, it is difficult to determine which component is broken. Use these tips to isolate the problem.
   • Determine whether your equipment complies with the 10Base-T or 100Base-TX standard. This is particularly important for hubs and switches.
   • Connect a straight-through cable from the PC to the hub. The hub performs an internal crossover so that the signal can go from TD+ to RD+ and TD- to RD- (see How to Make Network Cables). When you look at an RJ-45 connector from the front, pin 1 is identified on the left-hand side when the metal contacts are facing up.
   • Make sure that the TD+ and TD- wires are twisted together , and that the RD+ and RD- wires are twisted together. Using wires from opposing pairs can cause signals to be lost. For a 100Base-TX cable, pins #1 and #2 , and #3 and #6 must be on the same twisted strand.
10. When there is doubt whether a hub is performing correctly, or if the impedance settings are in question, a crossover cable can help you isolate the failing component:
    • Connect a file server and a client PC back to back with a crossover cable to verify that the NIC and network operating system are properly configured.
    • To make a crossover cable, simple connect TD+ to RD+ and TD- to RD-. The cable performs the crossover that is usually performed by the hub. Make sure that two twisted-pair wires are used. If the file server and client PC function together as a small network, then either the existing cabling or the hub is the problem.
    • If there is a proper crossover, the appropriate LED comes on. If there is a straight-through connection, the LED does not light. A blinking LED indicates that there is a polarity mismatch (that is, TD+ to RD- instead of TD+ to RD+).

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Troubleshooting Tips for a New Sound Card

The following advises are based on many years of experience. They are provided as a free service to our customers and visitors. However, Directron.com is not responsible for any damage as a result of following any of these advises. You are welcome to distribute these tips free to your friends and associates as long as it's not for commercial purposes.

No sound is heard from audio (music) CDs
Various conditions may cause this problem. To troubleshoot, check the following:

• Microsoft Volume Control or your mixer program mute options and volume sliders.
• Connect headphones to the stereo phone jack on your CD-ROM drive’s front panel; adjust the volume control settings on the drive. If there is sound from your headphones, check the CD audio cable connection from the CD-ROM drive to the audio card.
• Ensure the speakers are properly connected to the audio card’s output connector.

Joystick port is not working
To troubleshoot, check the following:

• The audio card joystick port conflicts with another joystick port in the system. Disable the audio card joystick port, and use the system’s joystick port.
• The joystick drivers, MSJSTICK.DRV and VJOYD.VXD, may not be installed. Uninstall the joystick, then reinstall to load the drivers. The drivers should come with the driver CD or floppy diskette with your sound card.

Computer hangs or restarts during installation
A hardware conflict may cause the computer to hang or restart during the installation procedure. Check the following to resolve the conflict:

• A hardware conflict with another device in your system.
• Previously installed sound card hardware or software needs to be removed.
• The audio card is not seated in the slot properly.
• PCI bus mastering devices may be interfering with the operation of the audio card. Temporarily remove non-essential PCI bus mastering devices.

Resolving hardware conflicts
Hardware conflicts occur when two or more devices contend for the same resources. Conflicts between your audio card and another device may occur regarding the I/O address, IRQ line, or DMA channel:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and select Properties. The System Properties dialog appears.
2. Click the Device Manager tab. In the Device Manager, a plus sign(+) represents an expandable list of items. A minus sign (-) represents an expanded list. A circled exclamation mark denotes a conflict.
3. Double-click Sound, video, game controllers. A list of multimedia devices appears.
4. Select your audio card.
5. Choose the Propertis button.
6. Click the Resources tab.
7. Uncheck the Use automatic settings option.
8. Change "Settings based on:" if alternate settings are available.
9. Determine the conflict by reviewing the "Conflicting device list".
10. Select the conflicting item in the "Resource Settings" list.
11. Click the Change Settings button.
12. Use the mouse to select a new setting.
13. Select OK to close each of the properties windows, and restart your computer.

Audio card is not automatically detected
To manually configure your audio card for Windows 95/98:

1. Click "Start" on the taskbar, and select Settings from the Start menu.
2. Select Control Panel. The Control Panel group appears.
3. Double-click the Add New Hardware icon. The Add New Hardware Wizard dialog appears.
4. Select Next to continue.
5. Choose Yes to have Windows search for new hardware, then select Next
6. Select Next to continue.
7. Select Finish, and follow the prompts to complete the new hardware installation.

CD does not automatically run when you insert it in the drive
To enable the "Audio insert notification" feature:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and select Properties. The System Properties dialog appears.
2. Click the Device Manager tab. A list of devices appears.
3. Double-click CD-ROM, and select your CD-ROM drive.
4. Choose the Properties button. The CD-ROM drive properties dialog appears.
5. Choose the Settings tab.
6. Click the "Auto insert notification" option to enable.
7. Select OK until all Properties dialogs are closed, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

No sound is heard from speakers
Verify the following:

• Check the Microsoft Volume Control or the Audio Mixer Program mute options and volume sliders.
• Ensure the speakers are properly connected to the audio card’s output connector.
• Check the volume control and power connection of the speakers, if they are amplified. (Refer to the speakers documentation for detailed information).
• Ensure a hardware conflict does not exist between your audio card and another device in your system.
• PCI bus mastering devices may be interfering with the operation of the audio card. Temporarily remove non-essential PCI bus mastering devices. If the device is a display card, upgrade the display card drivers, or set the card to the default Windows VGA mode.

If you are experiencing no sound only during audio CD playback, see "No sound is heard from audio (music) CDs" above.

Static sounds are heard in wave files
Check to see if the static sounds are heard in all wave files. If the difficulty occurs only with certain games, refer to the software manufacturer’s documentation. To troubleshoot static sounds heard in all wave files:

• Try different resource settings for the audio card, or set the card to use low DMA.
• Move the audio card to another PCI slot. Feedback from the power supply or another device may be responsible.

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Trouble Shooting Tips after Installing a New Hard Drive Trouble Shooting Tips after Installing a New Hard Drive

The following article is based on years of experience. It is provided as a free service to our customers and visitors. However, Directron.com is not responsible for any damage as a result of following any of this advice.

Copying the contents for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited without Directron.com's written consent. However, you are welcome to distribute these computer support tips free to your friends and associates as long as it's not for commercial purposes and you acknowledge the source. You are permitted and encouraged to create links to this page from your own web site.

1. Basic Troubleshooting Tips after Installing a New Hard Drive
   Based on Seagate IDE hard drives.
   
   If you have installed your drive and it does not function properly, perform the following basic checks:
   
   Warning: Always turn off the computer before changing jumpers or unplugging cables and cards. Wear a ground strap or use other antistatic precautions while working on your computer or handling your drive.
   
   
   • Verify compatibility. Verify that the host adapter and drive are appropriately matched to each other and to your computer. Refer to the relevant documentation for details.
   • Check all cards. Verify that all cards are seated in their slots on the motherboard and secured with mounting screws.
   • Check all connectors and cables. Make sure all ribbon and power cables are securely connected. Ribbon cables are easily damaged, especially at the connector. Try a new cable that you know is good. Make sure no connector pins are bent. Verify that pin 1 on the interface cable is aligned with pin 1 on the drive and host adapter (see Figure 2 on page 6).
   • Verify jumper settings. Review the instructions in this guide and in your host adapter installation guide. Make sure all appropriate jumpers are installed or removed as necessary.
   • Check your power-supply specifications. Each time you add a new device to your computer, make sure your cornputer's internal power supply can support the total power demand. If necessary, consult your dealer for a new power supply.
   • Verify the drive-type settings in the system setup program. The drive-type settings in the system BIOS must not exceed the physical specifications of your drive. Also, the settings must not exceed the limitations set by the operating system and BIOS.
   • Check for viruses. Before you use someone else's diskette in your system for the first time, scan the diskette for viruses.
   
   Additional Troubleshooting Tips
   
   If you have performed the preceding basic checks but the problem persists, follow these guidelines for troubleshooting specific cases:
   • After you install your new drive, your computer will not boot, and no error message appears on the screen.
     
   • The screen remains blank when you power up the system.
     
   • The system does not recognize the drive.
     
   • The dealer partitioned and formatted the drive for you in the store, but the drive does not respond when you install it.
     
   • The system hangs in FDISK or fails to create or save the partition record.
     
   • The system error message, "Drive not Ready," appears.
     
   • The FDISK error message, "No Fixed Disk Present," appears.
     
   • The drive does not format to full capacity.
     
   • The DOS message "Disk Boot Failure," "Non-System Disk" or "No ROM Basic - SYSTEM HALTED" appears.
     
   • The system error message, "HDD controller failure" appears.
2. After you install your new drive, your computer will not boot, and no error message appears on the screen.
   
   Check your computer manual or BIOS manufacturer to determine whether your BIOS supports drives that have more than 4,092 cylinders. If your system has this limitation, use the following procedure to configure your computer:
   
   
   1. Turn off your computer, open the case, and remove your new drive.
      
      CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge damage to your computer or hard drive, make sure you are well grounded before touching the drive, cable, connector or jumpers.
      
   2. Move the jumper on the alternate-capacity jumper, as shown in Figure 6. This causes the drive to appear to your BIOS as having a 2.1-Gbyte capacity (4,092 cylinders, 16 heads, 63 sectors per track). You may need third-party partitioning software, such as Disk Manager, to achieve full capacity of the drive.
   3. Remount your drive in the computer and replace the computer cover.
   4. Insert a bootable system diskette into drive A and turn on the computer. It should boot from drive A and automatically detect the new drive as a 2.1 -Gbyte drive.
   5. Insert your DiscWizard diskette into drive A and type A:XDM. Then press ENTER. This runs the Disk Manager program.
   6. Follow the Disk Manager instructions to install the dynamic drive overlay and to partition and format your new drive to its full capacity.
   7. After Disk Manager is done, reboot your system. You should see the Disk Manager banner and be able to access the full capacity of your new drive.
   
   
3. The screen remains blank when you power up the system.
   If the steps listed above do not remedy this problem, try the following:
   • Make sure the monitor is plugged in and turned on.
   • Check all cards.
   • Make sure the video card is seated in its slot and secured with mounting screws.
   • Turn off the computer and remove the drive host adapter. If the screen turns on after you reboot, the host adapter may be incompatible or defective. If so, see your dealer.
   
   
4. The system does not recognize the drive.
   • Check all cables.
   • Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
   • Reboot the computer and listen to make sure the drive motor starts up. If the drive is very quiet, it may be difficult to hear its discs reach operating speed. If the drive motor does not start up, recheck all drive cables.
   • Verify that for each drive, a drive-type is listed in the system setup program.
   • Try rebooting your computer by pressing the CTRL, ALT and DELETE keys simultaneously. If the drive is recognized after you reboot the system, the computer BIOS test may be completing before the drive is ready.
     One solution is to slow the processor speed during startup. If your computer has a turbo switch, set it to slow speed before turning the computer on. If there is no turbo switch, you may be able to use keyboard commands; see your computer manual for details. After the computer is up and running, return the processor to the fast speed.
     Another solution is to warm-boot your computer after every power-on.
   • Check for I/O address conflicts. To isolate the conflict, verify that the drive and host adapter are compatible with your computer. Turn off the computer and remove all the peripheral adapter cards except for the video card and host adapter. If the computer recognizes the drive when you reboot the computer, turn off the computer. Reinstall the other peripheral cards, one at a time, until the conflict reoccurs. After you have isolated the source of the address conflict, you can resolve the conflict by changing the 1/0 address of the peripheral that appears to cause the conflict.
   • If Disk Manager has installed the DDO on your hard drive and you have booted directly from a diskette, the information in the boot record for the drive may not have been loaded. Make sure there is no diskette in drive A and reboot. If you want to boot from the diskette, follow the "Booting with a Diskette" instructions under "Advanced Disk Manager Options" on page 20.
   
   
5. The dealer partitioned and formatted the drive for you in the store, but the drive does not respond when you install it.
   • Reboot the computer and make sure the drive spins up.
   • Check all cables.
   • Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
   • Make sure the DOS or Windows version the dealer used to partition and format the drive is the same version you have installed in your computer. If it isn't, see your dealer.
   • Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program. You must install the drive using the same drive-type values your dealer used to partition the drive.
   • Check for 1/0 address conflicts between peripheral cards.
   • Check for viruses.
   
   
6. The system hangs in FDISK or fails to create or save the partition record.
   • Check all cables.
   • Your setup system diskette may be corrupted. Try using a backup diskette.
   • Make the partitions smaller.
   • Change the interrupt jumper setting on the host adapter.
   • Some BIOS have a Track 0 protection feature that protects Track 0 from viruses. This may cause FDISK to hang the system. You must disable this feature in the system setup program before you can use FDISK. See your computer reference guide for assistance. Be sure to re-enable this important feature when FDISK is done.
   
   
7. The system error message, "Drive not Ready," appears.
   • Check all cable connections. Make sure pin 1 of the drive is connected to pin 1 of the hard-disc controller or host adapter.
   • Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
   • Reboot the computer and make sure the drive spins up.
   
   
8. The FDISK error message, "No Fixed Disk Present," appears.
   • Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
   • Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program.
   • Check for 1/0 address conflicts.
   
   
9. The drive does not format to full capacity.
   • Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program. One of the following problems may have occurred:
   • The values may be set with an incorrect translation characteristic.
   • You may have entered a parameter value that exceeds the physical capacity of the drive.
   • You entered a translation characteristic that does not take full advantage of the drive's capacity.
   • The drive's physical specifications exceed the translation limits imposed by the BIOS.
     
     CAUTION: If you change the drive-type values in the system setup program, you must partition and format the drive again. This erases data on the drive.
     
   • If you have partitioned the drive into individual logical drives, you may need to make the partitions smaller to access the full drive capacity.
   • If your computer supports LBA mode, you may need to enable LBA mode in the system setup program to access the full capacity of the drive. Refer to your computer's reference guide to find out how to enable LBA.
   • Your computer may not support drives that have more than 4,092 cylinders. Follow the instructions on page 25 for After you install your new drive, your computer will not boot, and no error message appears on the screen.
   
   
10. The DOS message "Disk Boot Failure," "Non-System Disk" or "No ROM Basic - SYSTEM HALTED" appears.
    • Reinstall the DOS system files using the DOS SYS utility.
    • Check all cables.
    • Use FDISK to verify that the primary partition is active.
    • Check for viruses.
    
    
11. The system error message, "HDD controller failure" appears.
    • Confirm the jumper settings on the drive.
    • Verify the drive-type settings in the system setup program.

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Trouble Shooting Tips after Installing a New Hard Drive

The following article is based on years of experience. It is provided as a free service to our customers and visitors. However, Directron.com is not responsible for any damage as a result of following any of this advice.

Copying the contents for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited without Directron.com's written consent. However, you are welcome to distribute these computer support tips free to your friends and associates as long as it's not for commercial purposes and you acknowledge the source. You are permitted and encouraged to create links to this page from your own web site.

1. Basic Troubleshooting Tips after Installing a New Hard Drive
   Based on Seagate IDE hard drives.
   
   If you have installed your drive and it does not function properly, perform the following basic checks:
   
   Warning: Always turn off the computer before changing jumpers or unplugging cables and cards. Wear a ground strap or use other antistatic precautions while working on your computer or handling your drive.
   
   
   • Verify compatibility. Verify that the host adapter and drive are appropriately matched to each other and to your computer. Refer to the relevant documentation for details.
   • Check all cards. Verify that all cards are seated in their slots on the motherboard and secured with mounting screws.
   • Check all connectors and cables. Make sure all ribbon and power cables are securely connected. Ribbon cables are easily damaged, especially at the connector. Try a new cable that you know is good. Make sure no connector pins are bent. Verify that pin 1 on the interface cable is aligned with pin 1 on the drive and host adapter (see Figure 2 on page 6).
   • Verify jumper settings. Review the instructions in this guide and in your host adapter installation guide. Make sure all appropriate jumpers are installed or removed as necessary.
   • Check your power-supply specifications. Each time you add a new device to your computer, make sure your cornputer's internal power supply can support the total power demand. If necessary, consult your dealer for a new power supply.
   • Verify the drive-type settings in the system setup program. The drive-type settings in the system BIOS must not exceed the physical specifications of your drive. Also, the settings must not exceed the limitations set by the operating system and BIOS.
   • Check for viruses. Before you use someone else's diskette in your system for the first time, scan the diskette for viruses.

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Trouble Shooting Tips after Installing a New Video Card

The following advises are based on many years of experience. They are provided as a free service to our customers and visitors. However, Directron.com is not responsible for any damage as a result of following any of these advises. You are welcome to distribute these tips free to your friends and associates as long as it's not for commercial purposes.

The following troubleshooting tips may help if you experience problems.

• Check that the card is seated properly in its expansion slot. Some AGP cards have design flaws and are "well-known" to "pop out" during transportation. For PCI cards, if the problem still exists, try a difference PCI expansion slot.
• Ensure the display cable is securely fastened to the card's display connector.
• Make sure that the display and computer are plugged in and receiving power.
• If necessary, disable any built-in graphics capabilities on your motherboard. For more information, see your computer's manual.
• Make sure you selected the appropriate display device and graphics card when you installed your enhanced driver.
• If you have problems during start-up, start your computer in Safe Mode. In Windows 98, press the F8 key when "Starting Windows 98" appears; or, in Windows 98, press and hold the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup Menu appears on the screen. Then select the number for Safe Mode, and press Enter.

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Fax/Modem Troubleshooting Tips

The following general-purpose advises are provided as a free service to our customers and visitors. Actual procedure may vary among brands. Read your product user manual carefully before any work. Directron.com is not responsible for any damage as a result of following any of these advises. You are welcome to distribute these tips free to your friends and associates as long as it's not for commercial purposes.

My modem is a 56K, but I can connect to the Internet only at slower speed.
The current copper wired telephone lines are limited only to about 53K. If you are connected only to 33.6 or 28.8K, check the following first:

• Is your modem compatible with the modem used at your ISP?
• Is your modem set up to run at full speed?
• What's the maximum speed your ISP allows?
• How far away are you from your ISP?
• Some modems need special initiation strings to get full speed.
• Some conditions are out of your control, such as weather and conditions of the telephone lines in your community.
• Problems may occur when you are dialing through a phone system such as one in a hotel.

Modem answers incoming calls and then returns to the on-hook condition, disconnecting the caller:
This occurs most often when connecting to a UNIX system. In most case, the host does not prefer to see any result or command echo codes. If this is the case, the codes can be disabled by adding E0 Q1 to the modem configuration string.

The modem dials and appears to complete the connection, but the communications software does not enter the correct mode. (The screen remains blank)
This is normally caused by an I/O address or IRQ conflict. Verify that the COM port is not in use by any other serial device and if necessary use another COM port or I/O address settting. Refer to your computer manual on how to determine what serial ports are installed.

The modem dials and appears to complete the connection, but the communications software does not enter the correct mode. (The screen remains blank)

• There may be an I/O conflict (see the solution for the previous problem).
• The Result Codes may have been disabled by the software configuration set up. Check if Q1 is in the configuration or initialization string. If so, change it to Q0.
• Your software may require numeric result codes rather than verbal result codes. Use either V0 for numeric result codes or V1 for verbal result codes in your initiazation or configuration string.
• Some software require full extended result codes (i.e., CONNECT 33600 instead of CONNECT). This can be controlled by the Xn command. X0 sends a summarized code (CONNECT) and X4 sends a full extended code (CONNECT 33600)

The modem does not auto answer
The auto answer mode is determined by the S0 register. If S0 has been set to 0, the modem will not answer. Asign another value to S0 by entering the following command: S0=n, where n = the number of rings to occur before the call is answered (ATS0=2, the modem answers after two rings)

The modem always answers the phone.
Set the S0 register to 0. ATS0=0.

The communications software displays, "No Dialtone."
Make sure that your phone cable is working properly and that it is firmly seated to the phone socket at your phone jack and in the real panel of the modem.

A high pitched squeal is emitted from the external speakers
This phenomenon is "feedback" and occurs when the microphone is pointed at the external speaker or is close enough to pick up the speaker output. This may be remedied by using a unidirectional microphone, making sure that it is pointed away and as far from the speaker as functionally possible. Another option is to use a headset with an attached microphone.

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Troubleshooting Tips for a New Motherboard

More than 70% of all computer problems are related to cabling and connections. Ensure all cables are connected and connected firmly. IDE and floppy ribbon cables and power cables can often go loose. Ensure microprocessor, memory modules, and adapters such as video card are inserted correctly and didn't "pop-up" due to vibration.

System has no power at all. Power light does not illuminate, fan inside the power supply does not turn on, and indicator light on keyboard does not turn on.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Power cable is unplugged.	Visually inspect power cable.	Make sure power cable is securely plugged in.
Defective power cable.	Visual inspection, try another cable.	Replace cable.
Power supply failure.	Power cable and wall socket are OK, but system is still dead.	Contact technical support
Faulty wall outlet;circuit breaker or fuse blown.	Plug device into socket know to work and test.	Use different socket, repair outlet, reset circuit breaker or replace fuse.

System inoperative. Keyboard lights are on, power indicator lights are lit, and hard drive is spinning.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Expansion card is partially dislodged from expansion slot on the motherboard.	Turn off computer. Take cover off system unit. Check all expansion cards to ensure they are securely seated in slots.	Using even pressure on both ends of the expansion card, press down firmly on expansion card.
Defective floppy disk drive or tape drive.	Turn system off. Disconnect the cables from one of the floppy drives. Turn on the system, check to see if the keyboard operates normally. Repeat until you have located defective unit.	Contact Technical Support.
Defective expansion card.	Turn computer off. Remove an expansion card.	Make sure expansion card is secure in expansion socket.

System does not boot from hard disk drive, can be booted from floppy disk drive.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Connector between hard drive and system board unplugged.	When attempting to run the FDISK utility described in the HARD DISK section of the manual you get a message, INVALID DRIVE SPECIFICATION.	Check cable running form disk to disk controller on the board. Make sure both ends are securely plugged in; check the drive type in the Standard CMOS Setup (in your motherboard manual).
Damaged Hard Disk or Disk Controller.	Format hard disk; if unable to do so, the hard disk may be defective.	Contact Technical Support.
Hard Disk directory or FAT is scrambled.	Run the FDISK program, format the hard drive(See HARD DRIVE section of manual). Copy your backup data back onto hard drive.	Backing up the hard drive is extremely important. All Hard Disks are capable of breaking down at any time.

System only boots from Floppy Disk. Hard Disk can be read and applications can be used, but booting from Hard Disk is impossible.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Hard Disk boot program has been destroyed.	A number of causes could be behind this.	Back up data and applications files. Reformat the Hard Drive as described in the Hard Drive section of the manual. Re-install applications and data using backup disks.

Error message reading "SECTOR NOT FOUND" or other error messages indication certain data is not allowed to be retrieved.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
A number of causes could be behind this.	Use a file by file backup instead of an image backup to backup the Hard Disk.	Back up any salvageable data. Then do a low level format, partition, and high level format of the hard drive( see Hard Disk section of your manual for instructions). Re-install all saved data when completed.

Disk formatted on IBM PS/2 will not operate with this system.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
The IBM PS/2 uses a different format than other computers.	IBM PS/2 disk format will not work in an AT type computer.	Format disk in the AT type computer insert disk into the IBM PS/2 and copy the files you wish.

After install an expansion card (network card, tape drive card, etc.) the system no longer works properly.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
No power to monitor.	All or part of the system may be inoperable. The new card may work but a mouse or COM port may not work.	Change the interrupt or RAM address on the new expansion card. See the documentation that came with the new card in order to change pin settings. many expansion devices come with proprietary software that will assist you in doing this.

Screen message says "Invalid Configuration" or "CMOS Failure."

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Incorrect information entered into the configuration (setup) program.	Check the configuration program. Replace any incorrect information.	Review system's equipment. Make sure correct information is in setup.

Screen is blank.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
No power to monitor.	Power connectors may be loose or not plugged in.	Check the power connectors to monitor and to system. Make sure monitor is connected to display card, change I/O address on network card if applicable.
Monitor not connected to computer.		See instructions above.
Network card I/O address conflict.		See instructions above.

System does not boot from hard disk drive, can be booted from floppy disk drive.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Connector between hard drive and system board unplugged.	When attempting to run the FDISK utility described in the HARD DISK section of the manual you get a message, INVALID DRIVE SPECIFICATION.	Check cable running form disk to disk controller on the board. Make sure both ends are securely plugged in; check the drive type in the Standard CMOS Setup (in your

Problem

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Memory problem, display card jumpers not set correctly.		Reboot computer. Re-install memory, make sure that all memory modules are installed in correct sockets. Check jumper and switch settings on display card. See display card section for information of settings.
Computer virus.		Use anti-virus programs (McAfee/PC-cillin, E-port, etc) to detect and clean viruses.

Screen goes blank periodically.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Screen saver is enabled.		Disable screen saver.

Keyboard failure.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Keyboard is disconnected.		Reconnect keyboard. Check keys again, if no improvement, replace keyboard.

No color on screen.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Faulty Monitor.		If possible, connect monitor to another system. If no color, replace monitor.
CMOS incorrectly set up.		Call technical support.

Floppy drive lights stays on.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Floppy Drive cable not connected correctly.		Reconnect floppy cable making sure PIN1 on the Floppy Drive corresponds with PIN1 on floppy cable connector.

Error reading drive A:

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Bad floppy disk.		Try new floppy disk.
Floppy disk not formatted		Format floppy disk(type ENTER)

C: drive failure.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
SETUP program does not have correct information.		Boot from drive A: using DOS system disk. Input correct information to SETUP program.
Hard Drive cable not connected properly.		Check Hard drive cable.

Cannot boot system after installing second hard drive.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Master/Slave jumpers not set correctly.		Set master /Slave jumpers correctly.
Hard Drives not compatible / different manufacturers.		Run SETUP program and select correct drive types. Call drive manufactures for compatibility with other drives.

Missing operating system on hard drive.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
CMOS setup has been changed.		Run setup and select correct drive type.

Certain keys do not function.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Keys jammed or defective.		Replace keyboard.

Keyboard is locked, no keys function.

PROBABLE CAUSE	DIAGNOSIS	SOLUTION
Keyboard is locked.		Unlock keyboard

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Tips

Troubleshooting Tips for New Monitors Troubleshooting Tips for New Monitors

You are encouraged to make links to this article from your website and tell your friends

Here are some basic trouble shooting tips for new monitors:

1. The picture does not appear
   
   • Check to make sure the signal cable is firmly connected in the socket.
   • Check to see if the computer system's power is ON.
   • Check that the Brightness Control is at the appropriate position, not at the minimum.
2. The Screen is not synchronized
   
   • Check to make sure the signal cable is firmly connected in the socket.
   • Check that the output level matches the input level of your computer.
   • Make sure the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.
3. The position of the screen is not in the center
   
   • Adjust the H-Size, H-Phase or V-Size, V-Center controls.
   • Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.
4. The screen is too bright or too dark
   
   • Check if the Brightness or contrast control is at the appropriate position, not at the maximum or minimum.
   • Check if the specified voltage is applied
   • Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.
   • Especially, check the horizontal frequency.
5. The screen is shaking
   
   • Move all objects that emit a magnetic field, such as a motor or transformer, away from the monitor.
   • Check if the specified voltage is applied.
   • Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Tips

Fast & Easy Steps to Make a Computer Run Faster

A computer that is running smoothly can be a beautiful thing. With the technology available today, you can complete tasks quickly and easily on a finely tuned PC. On the other hand, a computer that hasn't been properly maintained is only going to hamper your productivity and possibly even crash or suffer a mechanical failure. You don't have to be a PC expert to properly maintain your computer through some fast and easy steps.

No. 1: Organize Desktop

Organizing your desktop should be the first thing you do; not only is it hard to find things on a cluttered desktop, it can slow down your computer's processing speeds as well. Delete any unnecessary icons and use folders to organize the ones that you absolutely can't live without.

No. 2: Empty Recycle Bin

Many people don't realize this, but the files you delete aren't actually gone until they've been removed from your Recycle Bin. Files in the bin consume space on your hard drive and slow down your computer.

No. 3: Delete Unnecessary Files

If you have any old documents, games, videos or music files that you haven't accessed in more than a year, you may want to consider deleting some of them. Freeing as much space possible on your hard drive is a great way to improve your computer's speed and performance.

No. 4: Run Virus Scan

Nothing will slow down a perfectly healthy PC more than a virus, and most people aren't even aware that they have them. A free virus scanner can be found at the website free.avg.com.

No. 5: Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup is a program included with nearly every version of Windows, and it can be found in the Start menu under "All Programs>Accessories>System Tools." Disk Cleanup will clear your PC of any temporary Internet files, setup log files and other temporary files, as well as empty the Recycle Bin if you haven't already done so.

No. 6: Defrag Hard Drive

Using Windows' Disk Defragmenter is probably the most important step of all. This scans all files on your hard drive and arranges them in a clean and neat order that better serves the PC's processing speeds and capabilities. It can be found in the Start menu under "All Programs>Accessories>System Tools." This should be the last step performed during a regular maintenance routine, and it is crucial to the health and speed of your computer.

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Tips

How To Recover Important Files Deleted During Infection

Note that you can skip this section unless important files of yours have been deleted.


If any of your files have been deleted by malware you may still have a chance of recovering them. However, make sure that you use your computer as little as possible before running the tool below. The reason I say this is that the more you use your computer the lower your chances become of successfully recovering the files. For trying to recover these files I recommend you download Recuva Free from this page. Download the free version from the Piriform.com source, install it, run it, and then answer the questions in its wizard. When it gives you the option first try it without the Deep Scan, as that would take much longer.



Once it is done scanning select any of the files you are trying to recover and select the option to recover them. This will automatically put any recovered files right back where they originally were. However, if the files you were looking for are not in the list then you should select the option to "Switch to advanced mode". Then go to options and open the Actions tab. Check the box for "Deep Scan" and select OK. Then select the option to Scan. Hopefully this will be able to recover the files you have lost. That said, it may not be able to. In those cases I believe the files have been lost forever and cannot be recovered.

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Tips

How to Fix a Malware Infected Computer

Even after malware has been removed from a computer many of the problems caused by it may still remain. That said, one of the first things you should do in order to fix any of these problems is to make sure that all infections have actually been removed. If you know that you still have infections on your computer then, instead of trying to fix problems while the malware is still present, you should first remove all infections. To do this please see my article about How to Clean An Infected Computer. Then, after you believe that all malware has been removed you should also check to make sure the computer is now clean by following the advice I give in How to Know If Your Computer Is Infected. Trying to fix problems on a computer that is still infected is largely a waste of time.


Once you have confirmed that your computer is entirely free of malware you should then back up all of your important files. This way if anything goes wrong while fixing the computer, which is a very real possibility, your important documents will still be intact. Please note that if your computer cannot boot you should follow the advice on this page in order to back up all important files.


Once you have confirmed that your computer is entirely free of malware you should then back up all of your important files. This way if anything goes wrong while fixing the computer, which is a very real possibility, your important documents will still be intact. Please note that if your computer cannot boot you should follow the advice on this page in order to back up all important files.

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Tips

Command Prompt Tricks, Hacks & Codes

Command Prompt is one of the most powerful tools in Windows; but sadly, it is also the most ignored one. Things were not always like this; but with the advent of GUI based operating systems, people started feeling that computing through command based tools was boring. This ultimately lead the command prompt into obscurity.

However, the command prompt is not useless. In fact, it can be pretty useful. This article provides some excellent tricks, secrets and hacks that will make you realize that the Windows Command Prompt is not only useful but also a tool that you should definitely give more respect to.

1-Watch ASCII version of the Star Wars Episode IV movie
Surprised yet? You can watch an ASCII version of the full Star Wars Episode IV Movie right in your command prompt window. Just open command prompt, type a small code and the movie will start playing immediately. Read the complete instructions here.

2- Create Matrix falling code effect
Have you watched “The Matrix”? Of course, you have. Then, you already know what I am talking about. In case you still don't know what I mean, take a look at this image! You can create the same effect in command prompt using just a few lines of code. Head over to this post for instructions.

3- Make Folders that you cannot delete
Are you tired of accidentally deleting important folders? Well, if you are, you can learn how to make undeletable folders here.

4- Shutdown your computer giving a funny reason
What if your computer shuts down saying that it is tired and doesn't want to work anymore? It would be fun, wouldn't it? You can do so by reading the instructions here.

5- Know your IP address, DNS Server's address and a lot more about your Internet Connection
Command Prompt can even let you know your IP address. Just type ipconfig/ all in the command prompt and press Enter. Along with your IP address and DNS servers, command prompt will also return a ton of information like your host name, primary DNS suffix, node type, whether IP Routing ,Wins Proxy, and DHCP are enabled, your network adapter's description, your physical (MAC) address etc .

6- Know if your neighbours are stealing your Wifi connection

Command Prompt can let you know if someone is connected to your Local Area Connection and using it. Just follow the steps:-
1) Open your browser and visit http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.0.1 depending on your router.
2) Find the tab that mentions “Attached Devices” or something similar.
3) Find the computer name, IP address and MAC Address (sometimes called Physical Address or Hardware Address) of your computer using the previous trick.
4 )Compare it with those displayed by your router in Step 2. If you notice some strange devices, then your neighbour has been sneaking in on your internet connection and it is best to set a password.

7- Know if someone is hacking your computer/ Trace a Hacker

Want to know if someone is hacking your computer? Command Prompt can help you find if someone you don't know is connected to your computer stealing private data. Just execute netstat -a and the command prompt will return a list of computers that your computer is connected to. In the results returned, Proto column gives the type of data transmission taking place (TCP or UDP) , Local address column gives the port with which your computer is connected to an external computer and the Foreign Address column gives the external computer you are connected to along with the port being used for the connection. State gives the state of the connection (whether a connection is actually established, or waiting for transmission or is “Timed Out”).

These tricks work on Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and all previous versions of Windows.

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Tips

Zoom in and out of a page

Many programs support the ability to zoom in and out of a page or document also support the shortcut key to quickly zoom in and out. To do this hold down the CTRL key and scroll the wheel on your mouse up to zoom in or down to zoom out or hold down the CTRL key and press - or + to zoom out or in of a web page. To reset the zoom back to the default view press and hold down CTRL and press the 0 (zero) key.

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Posted in: Program Tips,Tips

Move cursor in Word to position it was when last saved

Quickly move the cursor to the location it was at when the document was last saved by pressing SHIFT + F5.

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Posted in: Program Tips,Tips

Quickly insert bullets and numbered list into Word

Quickly insert bullets into Microsoft Word by typing an asterisk, a space, and then your sentence. When enter is pressed Microsoft Word will automatically change your asterisks to a bullet and text proceeding that text. Below is an example of what this may look like.

* this will bullet.

This can also be done with dashes ( - ), and numbers (1. or 1) to create a numbered list.

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Posted in: Program Tips,Tips

Delete one word at a time

Delete one full word at a time in most Windows programs by moving the cursor in front of the word you wish to delete, pressing and holding down the CTRL key, and then pressing the backspace key or if you're on a Apple press and hold the Command key and the backspace key.

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Posted in: Program Tips,Tips

Quickly generate text in Microsoft Word

Type "=rand(8,10)" (without the quotes) and press enter in Microsoft word to have Microsoft Word automatically generate a bunch of text that can be used to test page formatting, fonts, etc. The text generated as shown below is the common phrase to type ever letter in the alphabet.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.  The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.  The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.  The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.  The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.  .....

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Posted in: Program Tips,Tips

Quickly insert bullets and numbered list into Word

Quickly insert bullets into Microsoft Word by typing an asterisk, a space, and then your sentence. When enter is pressed Microsoft Word will automatically change your asterisks to a bullet and text proceeding that text. Below is an example of what this may look like.

* this will bullet.

This can also be done with dashes ( - ), and numbers (1. or 1) to create a numbered list

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Program Tips,Tips

Increase or decrease font size in Word using keyboard shortcut

Quickly increase the font text size in Microsoft Word and most other PC text programs by highlighting the text and pressing CTRL + Shift + > or press and hold CTRL + Shift + < to decrease the size of text.

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Posted in: Computer Tricks,Tips