PC Problems? I am a PC TECH.

[johndowe]

Originally Posted by TracyCoxx

Here's a PC problem...

When my PC boots up, it says:
Warning, your CPU fan failed or speed too low

I checked the settings, and the voltages were
Vcore voltage 1.27V (I've seen this reporting low before)
3.3V Voltage 3.34V
5V Voltage 5.05V
12V Voltage 12.08V

The CPU Fan speed warning was set to 800RPM, and the actual speed was 266RPM

The computer either boots up and is very slow, or programs don't run, or it doesn't come up at all.

Hi there.

It seems that the bios is reporting correctly and the CPU is over heating, time to change the CPU Fan, it shouldn't cost more than $10-15, for a reg fan and $20-30 for a premium fan, + installation if needed, but you HAVE to have the RIGHT FAN, it is BETTER to have it done professionaly, because it is easy to break some of the fan/cpu tabs and the fan (with heat sink) will never fit again and if powered the cpu will SELF DESTRUCT, REALY.


JohnDowe.

[randolph]

Hi John,
I had a new wireless router installed "Linksys". The loading of Firefox and Mail seems somewhat slower that it used to be. Is there something I can adjust to speed things up?
Randolph

[johndowe]

Originally Posted by randolph

Hi John,
I had a new wireless router installed "Linksys". The loading of Firefox and Mail seems somewhat slower that it used to be. Is there something I can adjust to speed things up?
Randolph

Hi there.

Do you mean loading the programs or downloading data from the internet?

I assume that you mean from the internet, it's the word "seems" that bothers me, but anyway, i'm sure you knlw that, there are many things that may make the internet "seem" slower or faster, like filesize, the files that are on the internet are getting bigger all the time and it can make your internet "seem" slower, that beeing said:

There are 2 wireless connection speeds 54Mb/s and 108Mb/s the first is most common and cheaper since it is older technology, but due to many factors your wireless connection may not connect at the maximum speed and thus the internet "seems" slower because it is.

To check this you right click on the wireless icon on the tray next to the clock and click status, make sure:

1- you are connected to the right network, some have slower internet than others, and may not have "password" (wep key) protected their internet and you may be using their internet, essentially getting free internet from them, which is unethical.

2- The signal strength is good; at least 2 or 3 green bars.

3- Look at the connection speed, it should be 54.0Mbps or 108Mbps if it is less you probably have interfearance of some kind, walls, people etc, or other wireless networks nearby and some wireless phones use frequencies that are close to wireless networks, and sometimes interfeer with the connection.

But the most important factor is that wired network connections work at 100Mbps without any interfearance while wireless work at 54Mbps and are more prone to interfearance.

Also linksys make good products, so the problem probably isn't in the hardware, but there are a lot of router setting that you can change but but do not make much difference in speed, but in security, and is your network "password" (wep key) protected? It should be otherwise others may use your internet and at the end of the month you may have a big surprize when you get your bill.

JohnDowe.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by john

Do you mean loading the programs or downloading data from the internet?

I assume that you mean from the internet, it's the word "seems" that bothers me, but anyway, i'm sure you knlw that, there are many things that may make the internet "seem" slower or faster, like filesize, the files that are on the internet are getting bigger all the time and it can make your internet "seem" slower, that beeing said:

Hi John,
Thanks for the analysis. Actually, the internet is working well, its the computer that's taking longer to load programs like Firefox and Windows mail. they used to load almost instantly, now they take several seconds to load. It's not a big deal but I would like them to work faster.

[alphanumeric]

Okay then here is my problem, a few months ago I bought an HP desktop (Model m9405f) i bought it refurbished. It was a pretty good deal I got a $1600.00 system for around $800.00 Now A few months ago, the system would just randomly crash. I hadn't created the system restore disks, but I thought well I'll just perform a system restore and then I'll make the system restore disks.

So anyways, I perform a system restore, and when my system restarts I get a "Code Purple" In essence what it is is a tiny bit of code HP sticks in the start-up to check against a tattoo to the EEPROM chip on the motherboard.

Now I have done no modifications to the computer, but they may have when refurbishing it at the store I bought it from.

I was simply going to wait until windows seven came out and simply put the new OS on my system, but my financial situation is not the same as when the problem occurred. I read that you could remove the hard drive and install it into another computer and edit the problem there. But I attempted that yesterday only to discover that HP rivets 90% of there computers together so getting to the hard drive is virtually impossible without permanently disassembling the case.

So my question to you is this:

Could I get a burn a linux DVD and run it in the CD drive and THEN access the files I would need to delete or modify to get my system up and running?

The reason I am sticking with windows is my desktop is used primarily for gaming. and trying to run windows games in linux is a pain I don't want to get involved in.

Also let this be a lesson to everyone else! DON"T buy HP. in fact build your own system. That's what I'm definitely doing next time.

[vaje]

Boot your machine from some Cd or DVD. (it could be RIPLinux or BartPe live cd)
Locate this file: "c:\hp\bin\configcheck\run.py" and rename it to run.p_ this solves your problem.
Sometimes resetting the CMOS helps too.

Good luck!

[vaje]

Oh, yes, and don't buy brand computers next time. Build your own...

[johndowe]

Originally Posted by randolph

Hi John,
Thanks for the analysis. Actually, the internet is working well, its the computer that's taking longer to load programs like Firefox and Windows mail. they used to load almost instantly, now they take several seconds to load. It's not a big deal but I would like them to work faster.

Hi there.

The reason it takes longer is because the internet programs check for an internet connection and with wireless it takes a bit longer.


JohnDowe.

[johndowe]

Hi there.

Factory built CPU's are made to do pretty much everything but the manufacturer also wants to make a GOOD profit with the machine, and offers what they think the consumer needs, or want them to "need".

Those CPU's are Jacks of all trades, but master of none, and the noname brands kinda follow the same trend, but as Excaliborg said;you always get what you pay for, and i often say; the "clones" are both the best and the worst computers, depending on the price and the "reputation" of the builder.

If you decide to build your own CPU you have to know at least a bit about the inner workings of a computer, it definately shuldn't be your first computer, unless you are an electronic tech and know what you are doing.

But it isn't that hard, but if you do it to save money, you will probably miss your mark, because once you start researching the parts that you need, you will want better parts and those are more expensive, but your computer will be better built in return, also computer stores buy "OEM" parts, which are "mostly" the same as store bought "box" models but with some minor but important differences, first the software you get with the "box" version is usually more extensive, and the all important warranty is much longer on the "box" version and they cost more, that and the fact that the reseller buys his components from a wholesaler and in quantity he gets a better price, and another way they save money is to put in less; smaller slower hard drives, less slower memory, etc, when you build your own CPU you probably won't do that, why? Because it isn't in your best interest, if you put in less ram, or a smaller hard drive, you will have to upgrade sooner instead of later, so saving a buck shouldn't be an issue, you will get out what you put in.

As an example you put in a brand name video card and a more expensive one, you may end up with a computer that you can watch TV on and watch your computer on your big screen TV, not something most brand name computers can do.

Also, the assembly of a computer is almost fool proof, most connectors canot be plugged incorectly, and most require very little force to connect, if you would need to force something, it means you are not doing it right, look at both parts and you will see how they are supposed to "mate", the only connectors you have to apply some force to are the POWER connectors that require a good SOLID connection and you easily slide them in about half way, and then you apply a bit more force, but only if they did go in half way in, the only other exeption is ram it goes in half the way, make sure the notch(es) match and when they are alligned you push it in until the little arms on each side snap onto the small ram board.

And you only need 1 medium phillips (cross) screwdriver to build the whole thing.

And something i CANOT over stress: READ THE MANUALS THAT COME WITH THE COMPONENTS, EVEN IF YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY WORK, YOU MAY STILL LEARN SOMETHING!

And one thing that can kill your computer is static electricity, if you are prone to it, ground yourself before you touch any of the electronics

A good well built CPU should cost you at $1500 - $2500, but can cost much more if you go over"board".


JohnDowe.

[TracyCoxx]

Originally Posted by johndowe

Hi there.

It seems that the bios is reporting correctly and the CPU is over heating, time to change the CPU Fan, it shouldn't cost more than $10-15, for a reg fan and $20-30 for a premium fan, + installation if needed, but you HAVE to have the RIGHT FAN, it is BETTER to have it done professionaly, because it is easy to break some of the fan/cpu tabs and the fan (with heat sink) will never fit again and if powered the cpu will SELF DESTRUCT, REALY.


JohnDowe.

Ok thanks. I didn't know if I needed to replace the fan, or if there was a power supply problem and the CPU fan was underpowered because of that low Vcore voltage reading I saw.

[johndowe]

Originally Posted by TracyCoxx

Ok thanks. I didn't know if I needed to replace the fan, or if there was a power supply problem and the CPU fan was underpowered because of that low Vcore voltage reading I saw.

Hi there.

The CPU Voltage varies from 1.2 to 1.5 Volts, depending on the CPU, if you tell me which cpu you have i can check what the proper voltage should be, but the 1.2 to 1.5V (approx is generated on the main board from either the 5V or the 3.3V of the Power Suply (PSU), but it's usually the 3.3V, if replacing the fan doesn't help you have to change your main board, if you have opened the case, check if the capacitor tops are flat or "bubbled" if they are there is a major problem with the main board, and has to be replaced and if the Voltage to the CPU was always LOW it should be fine.

The capacitors are the smallish cans that are spread throughout the main board and have a y type indent in the aluminium case top, they should be flat, but the Y is there to allow the pressure of the bad cap(acitor) to make it bubble to see that it is bad.

Also the fans do not work off of the cpu voltage, but the 5V or the 12V and those are fine.


JohnDowe.