Archived CalgaryPuck Computer Help Thread - Page 26 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

shoestring · 10-04-2006, 12:32 AM

F8 ? Works on win 98.

MattyK · 10-04-2006, 08:52 AM

Try opening a command window (or whatever it's called in MacOS) and typing "traceroute hotmail.com". Does it stall right away, or pop up a bunch of weird domain names and IP addresses?

If it's the latter, DNS is fine. If it's the former...something's messed up with the DNS server or local caching.

Barnes · 10-04-2006, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattyK

Try opening a command window (or whatever it's called in MacOS) and typing "traceroute hotmail.com". Does it stall right away, or pop up a bunch of weird domain names and IP addresses?

If it's the latter, DNS is fine. If it's the former...something's messed up with the DNS server or local caching.

Applications > Utilities > Network Utility for a GUI'd version.

Bobblehead · 10-04-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shoestring

F8 ? Works on win 98.

I think you miss his point - he can say he wants to boot into safe mode, but he has a critical driver that is fubared and won't let him.

If you boot off the XP CD, you can go into the Repair console.

Google "XP Recovery Console" and there are a few sites that will give you a few things to try.

4X4 · 10-04-2006, 01:18 PM

Well Barnes, I ended up having a few... And apparently it helped. I showed up this morning to a fully functional mac. As for the version of mac, ****ed if I know. TTYTT, I know F.A. about macs, but I really don't feel like less of a man because of it. I DO, however, sincerely thank the people that tried to help me.
the worst part about this sitch is that the power cord was screwed and a new one cost 80 euro. 80 euro. For a freakin power cord. Damm.

Ah well. Thanks again.

Hopefully my trusty windows based system never screws up again...

Igottago · 10-04-2006, 01:18 PM

Hey..yet another computer thread..thanks in advance for any advice.

I've got a Dell Inspiron 8500 Laptop. I've had it for about 3.5 years, has worked great..until a couple of days ago. It randomly freezes, causing me to turn it off. When I try to turn it back on, it doesn't come on, at all. The only thing that happens is the Caps Lock light flashes about 10 times. I've done a bit of research and have found this means there is some sort of hardware problem. I've been able to get it running again twice by reseating the RAM..however, it'll run for a bit and then the problem occurs again. So I'm thinking its just faulty RAM, or the connectors where the RAM goes are hooped. Replacing the RAM I can handle. Replacing more than that, I'm not so sure.

Any ideas, suggestions?

Thanks.

ericschand · 10-04-2006, 01:34 PM

A quick google search with: dell laptop "caps lock" flashes
turns up

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/50498/

Reading through it, most seem to agree it's a memory error
of some sort. One person mentions motherboard.

ers

JohnnyFlame · 10-04-2006, 01:42 PM

I've run into this one. Took it in and it was the motherboard that was cooked. I ended up buying a new one(computer) that is.

Igottago · 10-04-2006, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlame

I've run into this one. Took it in and it was the motherboard that was cooked. I ended up buying a new one(computer) that is.

crap..that's what i'm afraid of. Don't really want to have to buy a new computer right now.

Igottago · 10-04-2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlame

I've run into this one. Took it in and it was the motherboard that was cooked. I ended up buying a new one(computer) that is.

By the way, where did you end up taking it to get checked out? Do any major retailers do this (futureshop, best buy, staples) ?

Thanks

Cliche · 10-04-2006, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bean

Hi everybody, sorry for the long winded set up but this is driving me nuts...

My sister is running windows XP on her computer and it will load up through the black screens and just before it will pop up with the windows scroll bar and such, it asks if I would like to go through:
1) Safe mode
2) Safe mode w/ networking
3) Safe mode w/ command line
4) Start windows since last working copy (something like that)
5) Start windows normally

regardless of any of the options chosen, the computer will reboot and start the process again in an infinite loop.

I have tried unplugging and taking out various pieces of hardware to try to pinpoint the problem. Of note is that when I try going through one of the safe mode avenues, it will list a whole bunch of items and will always stop on something to do with (drivers system) agp440.* I thought that possibly the video card had died but I don't think that is the problem. Is there a way to force the computer into safemode so I can try reinstalling the video card driver? Or possibly any other ideas??

Thanks in advance for any help!

Hard drive make any funky noises? Normally what happens when I've seen something like that, something is either wrong with the HDD or the registry is corrupted.

Bean · 10-04-2006, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliche

Hard drive make any funky noises? Normally what happens when I've seen something like that, something is either wrong with the HDD or the registry is corrupted.

No funny noises from the hard drive; it did occur to me that the hard drive might have died but I'm not sure how to test that.

Bobblehead, thanks for the info on the recovery disk; I'll try that tonight.

I really hope the registry isn't corrupted, if this is the case; would a fresh install be the best bet to fix this?

Cliche · 10-04-2006, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bean

No funny noises from the hard drive; it did occur to me that the hard drive might have died but I'm not sure how to test that.

Bobblehead, thanks for the info on the recovery disk; I'll try that tonight.

I really hope the registry isn't corrupted, if this is the case; would a fresh install be the best bet to fix this?

Yes, a fresh install is usually a much better alternative than http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

Frank the Tank · 10-05-2006, 09:38 AM

Does anyone know why a podcast would crash my ipod? Specifically the Flames podcast?

I tried downloading it and updating all over, but it still craps out.

Tron_fdc · 10-05-2006, 09:50 AM

not sure if anyone can help, but I thought I'd throw this out there.

I'm setting up a laptop to run 3D solidworks (sort of like AutoCad) and I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations as to which graphics card to run. I have to install a massive HD and a boat load of memory, but I don't know of any good name brand cards to run with it??? I would imagine a top of the line gaming card would work??

woob · 10-05-2006, 10:26 AM

A card such as NVidia Quadro (such as the Quadro FX go1440) should do the trick. They are typically used for CAD type applications. I would think, as well, if you wanted the laptop to do some gaming, that you could go with a ATI Radeon X1800 or an NVidia GeForce Go 7900 GTX or such.

Hope this helps

-woob

Bobblehead · 10-05-2006, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

not sure if anyone can help, but I thought I'd throw this out there.

I'm setting up a laptop to run 3D solidworks (sort of like AutoCad) and I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations as to which graphics card to run. I have to install a massive HD and a boat load of memory, but I don't know of any good name brand cards to run with it??? I would imagine a top of the line gaming card would work??

Do you have a laptop where you can switch out video cards, or are you purchasing a new laptop and figuring out which options to get?

JohnnyFlame · 10-10-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliche

Hard drive make any funky noises? Normally what happens when I've seen something like that, something is either wrong with the HDD or the registry is corrupted.

I had the exact same problem about 3 weeks ago. Took it in and it turned out to be the power pack. Tech guy explained that Windows when it has an inconsistent power supply takes steps to protect itself.

MoneyGuy · 10-10-2006, 11:03 AM

Turn my computer on this morning and hear a series of beeps that I've never heard before. It wouldn't boot. I'd hear the beeps and then nothing would happen. Then there was silence, then I'd get the beeps again. Three times I turned the computer off and tried again. On the third time it did boot. This is very strange and as I said something I've never heard before.

Coupled with that, my computer is extremely slow and has been for several months. I had a computer guy defrag, debug and de-whatever, but nothing has changed. The PC is about 3-4 years old and I think I should just replace it. Lots of things I do take twice as long as they used to. The computer guy said that he did everything that he could but nothing has changed. I think he did his best and am at a loss to explain why the performance has not improved.

I doubt that this has anything to do with my computer ills this morning but though I'd mention it.

Bobblehead · 10-10-2006, 11:13 AM

The beeping you are hearing was POST codes (Power On Self Test). If you look up the codes for your computer it may tell you what was going wrong.

So your computer was fast and then slowed down? Thats is something that may be able to be fixed. Re-install of your OS, new/faster/bigger hard drive, more memory are all things that should speed up your system. But if it is just slow because it is a 4 year old computer and you are comparing it to a newer computer, then there is not much you can about that.