Search results

  1. M

    Onboard DVI-D to DSUB not supported

    I have built a very nice mini-itx computer with a Silverstone SG05B case and a Gigabyte GA-F2A85XN-WIFI motherboard. The onboard graphics feature "dual HDMI/ Dual-link DVI ports for Full HD 1080 and HDCP support". The monitor I have features D-SUB and DVI-A. It's an Edge10 H170. It's getting on...
  2. M

    computer won't switch on

    Someone dropped a computer off with me. It won't switch on. The green light on the motherboard comes on, but nothing else happens. Sometimes the fans spin around briefly when I disconnect the power. I've tried another power supply which I know to be good. It's an Asus K8V SE Deluxe so...
  3. M

    Gigabit switch?

    I want to transfer and access files between PCs and a NAS drive and would like to do this at gigabit speeds. I've researched gigabit routers and haven't found one that doesn't seem to have major connection issues. So I thought how about a gigabit switch - could I simply get say a 5-port...
  4. M

    Dell/Alienware decisions

    I have a cursed Dell XPS M1730. It stopped working today with the same fault that required a new motherboard to be fitted last time. Last time being Tuesday! So I'm a bit fed up - it's under warranty (extended). So they've offered to repair again or part-exchange for a new one. The deal is I...
  5. M

    Cat 5 cable problem

    I had a broadband problem and had to move my master socket to the front of the house. So that's where I plug in my router. The person who identified and fixed the problem was a telephone engineer. I got him to lay 3 network cables under the floorboards to my workstation area for a small fee. I...
  6. M

    Have I done the right thing

    I had my old Dell XPS M170 stolen but was fortunate that I can claim a new XPS M1730 on insurance. I was offered 2 quotations, identical except for the following: 1. T8100 2.10Ghz processor, 160GB disk, Dual SLI 512MB 8800GTX graphics 2. T8300 2.40Ghz processor, 200GB disk, Dual SLI...
  7. M

    Computer slow to start and then it restarts

    It's a self-build Asus M2NVP-M with 2x1GB Elixir RAM Basically for the last 3 days it takes an age to boot into XP Pro then powers off after a few minutes. I thought I'd cracked it by running memtest which identified a bad stick of RAM. But the problem still persists. Just about starts but...
  8. M

    I want to email status reports from a Buffalo Terastation

    The only options on the config page are the address of the mail server and boxes to enter email addresses to receive notification. There's a note in the manual that the SMTP server must be of open type, and must be in the form of an ip address. Undeterred I entered the ip address of my...
  9. M

    Need to run a script on startup

    OK - the computer switches on automatically at say 8am. I've managed that bit. Then when Windows starts up it runs a script. I want it to do slightly different things depending on what day of the week it is. I've been using DOS - sorry, XP command lines in batch files. But I haven't found...
  10. M

    If you have a router with 4 ports

    What do you do? Does it depend entirely on what specific hardware you're using? If so, it's a Freecom Datatank (one of these - it's a jack-of-all-trades, might be master of none, I don't know yet) - it is wireless, but I want to use wired connections only if I can. Thanks
  11. M

    Problem using scheduled tasks

    In Windows XP, I want to schedule some tasks. That's fine, except it needs the user to have a password. However I want the PC to boot up and go straight into Windows and when the time comes to execute the task(s) Is there a way of either: 1. Creating a task which doesn't have to have a...
  12. M

    PC music volume too quiet

    Is this normal? Basically if I play a DVD, or Sky TV (I'm in the UK) through my Aego system then that's great. If I plug in a computer using a 3.5mm jack to 2 phono stereo adaptor and phono leads into the Aego, then the volume, compared to a DVD or Satellite TV is very quiet. I can crank...
  13. M

    I've been asked to build a server

    *Edit - now researching SAS!* Any advice gratefully received. 10-15 users, running Office apps, Navision with SQL, and that's basically it. No Exchange or anything like that. Storage requirement under 100GB. I think I can spec it myself once I make a few critical decisions. Disks...
  14. M

    A question for anyone who's got a SATA 2.5" drive

    Eg the normal SATA connection to the motherboard, and to the mains I know if I connect a 2.5" PATA drive to a desktop I need a special adaptor But this picture would indicate that this WD SATA drive has the same connections as a 3.5" drive Picture of WD 250GB SATA 2.5" drive Thanks
  15. M

    I have a bulk order

    It takes about 15 minutes to assemble a system and about 2 hours to slap on a copy of Vista, install some drivers, AV and get a few updates. Say I've got to do 10 installations (it's actually about 50 in the next 6 weeks) so I've got 10 hard disks, 10 copies of Vista OEM each with a different...
  16. M

    Vista installs on 1 system but not another

    I originally put a similar message in Operating Systems without any joy so I thought I'd try here. Hope that's OK I've got a couple of Mini-ITX PCs with Jetway J7F2 motherboards - first one installed Vista fine. The second one won't install Vista - asks do I want 32 or 64-bit, starts to load...
  17. M

    Can't install Vista but can install XP

    I've got a couple of Mini-ITX PCs with Jetway J7F2 motherboards - first one installed Vista onto a 250GB SATA disk fine. The only difference with the second one is that it's a slimmer case, and therefore will only accept a 2.5" IDE notebook drive - in this case a Seagate 160GB drive. I'm...
  18. M

    medialess licence kits and OPKs

    I think I've figured out how these work. I just want clarification. I, a system builder, get an OPK master kit for a small fee - about £4 handling charge here in England. Office 2007 basic OEM MLK is available around £100, before tax. So I supply a system, install Office 2007 from my OPK...
  19. M

    Problem with Dell XPS M170 Laptop

    It emitted a loud beep and powered down, and the jazzy sidelights were still on but flickering. The on-off switch had no effect. For a while I was trying to figure out how to take the battery out. Then I tried to switch it off and on again and it worked...
  20. M

    G965 / 965G chipset anyone

    Comes with the GMA X3000 graphics onboard. Well it's a much bigger number than GMA900 or GMA950, so does anyone know if it's of any use? Thanks Martin Update - found these from a German site (http://tinyurl.com/yjruxj) 3DMark 2001SE 6970 3DMark 2003 1788 3DMark 2005 845 A...
  21. M

    Wireless network security question

    A friend of mine lives close to someone whom she describes as a "nutcase" - he's being a pain in neighbourhood issues. Anyway he claims to have hacked her email, and has sent her solicitor a copy of an email to prove it. Now, she has a typical wireless setup, with a Netgear router and a...
  22. M

    pc was working, now nothing

    I'm looking at someone's Emachines 370 pc with a Bestec ATX-250-12E power supply. Machine was working fine, they tried to start it up one day and now not a lot happens. I had an Antec TruePower2.0 380Watt ATX12V psu lying around so I plugged that in and I get a bit of a clicking/buzzing...
  23. M

    Random crashing

    I have an issue - it's an a system almost identical to mine: Antec Sonata with Truepower 380W Asus K8V SE Deluxe Athlon 64 3400 Geforce 6200 Crucial 2 x 512mb CT6464Z40B 250 GB Maxtor Maxline Plus2 SATA Sony Combi 52x32x52+16xDVD black XP Pro SP2 Every now and then the screen goes...
  24. M

    New to DDR2

    Building a cheap system for someone - thought I'd try an AM2-based system for the first time. So need DDR2. Usually buy from Crucial - 4200, 5300, 6400 - I understand each type has different characteristics and that presumably if I spend more money I get a faster machine. But if...
  25. M

    A couple of XP licence-related questions

    My laptop died - posted about it in tech support the other week. I've taken the hard disk out and scratched together a desktop system and installed it as the primary drive - just so I can do a good backup, mainly by getting rid of junk. Anyway, it says it needs to be re-activated, because of...
  26. M

    laptop died

    The laptop had been threatening to take up smoking for quite some time, and last night it carried out its threat. The screen had basically snapped off and wires were visible, and then it started to smell of burning. So I've disconnected it from the mains and I'm writing it off. Although...
  27. M

    Windows Licensing problem

    I supplied 2 PCs to someone and they're both a bit crocked so I want to rebuild - clash between Netgear adaptors and VIA chipsets. I put the stickers on each system with the CD key on like you're meant to, but one has been half-ripped off, so I can't read the key. Question is - 2 genuine...
  28. M

    Problem going into Windows

    It's a system very similar to mine: Antec Sonata I Athlon 3400 Asus K8VSE Deluxe 2xCrucial standard 512MB 3200 memory Maxtor Sata 250GB hard drive Sparkle Geforce 6200 - this has no fan but the heatsink is cool to the touch Sony CD rewriter Mitsumi Floppy/card reader combo I...
  29. M

    notebook hard disk faulty I think

    It was working fine until yesterday. Then it froze on the user. And now there's no disk according the BIOS, "Operating system not found". So I'm going to get another disk and try it out. This is a Sony GR114SK. It's well out of warranty so I can't even speak to Sony without spending money...
  30. M

    Sony SR21K battery problem

    I've inherited the above laptop. The battery is at 0%. It is present in the system. I'm wondering if I should get a replacement battery - is it pretty much likely to be the battery at fault or could there be a fault with the system as a whole? It's been residing in a dumping ground in our...
  31. M

    Excel - want filename in header

    I want to put the filename in the header, eg. order number &[File], but it displays the .xls - is there any way I can better this? Basically I want a batch of spreadsheets referring each to a sequential list of orders [edit] it just occurred to me that it's system-dependent - if...
  32. M

    Fried graphics card

    This machine had an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro which got unrealistically hot - the heatsink/fan wasn't working, and had in fact become detached from the card. This was consistent with the gobbledygook on the screen. So I've tried a couple of other cards - an 9500 Pro and an Geforce 6200 (the latter...
  33. M

    System won't finish loading windows

    Happy New Year everyone. I had a machine that was cutting out - not rebooting, just the display was disappearing. Lights still on the base unit. I had to reboot to get the display back. Now it's got worse - it won't get as far as finishing loading windows. In normal or safe mode. Just get a...
  34. M

    a nice blue flash

    Basically I'd put together a system, then for reasons I forget I decided to take out the motherboard. Problem was there was power to the system at the time. There was a blue flash - brief, exciting but now it's a dead system. Not a peep, even from a fan. Fortunately I'm in one piece, in spite of...
  35. M

    Running dual monitors

    so you can have loads of apps on the go and don't have to minimise. I suppose it'd be like having 2560x1024 or whatever I can't find a good Q&A on this. Do I require 2 graphics cards? What about using one with 2 DVI outputs? Should I be concerned about the monitors? They'll both be LCD...
  36. M

    New build problem

    But no beeps, and not a lot else. If I remove the memory and restart then still no beeps. That leads me to think bad CPU or mobo. Is that right? I think the CPU is seated correctly. El cheapo Asrock motherboard K7S41 motherboard Sempron 2500 Combination's served me well in a few systems...
  37. M

    I like Seagate so

    Seagate's Sata II drive. I always go for Seagate - reliability/warranty for one but it's not out for a while I'll be getting a SATA II-enabled board, so do I: 1. hang on for the Seagate SATA II? 2. get a different make that's available now? 3. get a Seagate SATA I on the grounds that...
  38. M

    Email security question

    My boss uses Outlook 2002 and SMTP for sending mail. He uses whatever internet connection he can get his hands on. Currently he's in a factory the Far East. He's convinced someone is monitoring his sent emails. All I know about the exact setup is that they have him set up so that the outgoing...
  39. M

    Is there a MicroATX board with VGA and firewire?

    I'd rather not get a board with firewire and a VGA card seperately (or vice versa) - slots are too precious! I can't seem to find one Thanks
  40. M

    RAID in a gaming system

    Take a pretty beefy game - what does RAID 0 do for... 1. loading times 2. frame rates Are NCQ-enabled disks better? What impact would RAID 5 have on gaming performance? (I'm just curious - I'm not going to go down this track, it's just the board I'm considering has a built-in...