86 replies to this topic

[CWB]

there is a difference between stupid , ignorant and just having a case of CRS .

i guess that one can find rip-off artists in any field of endeavor these days .
it sure seems to be a lot higher percentage wise than in the past .

i check the pawnshops around here from time to time ...
i get disgusted with their prices and wind up walking out the door .
mind you , this is after haggling with them on the price and they won't budge an inch .
it seems they think the stuff they have is made out of gold and are trying to cut a fat hog in the arse .

some of the parts from your old comp may fit into a new unit ; much depends on the slots (type) and physical size of the cards .
the ram may be an issue ...
it has to match the type used and be equal to or better than the original , plus the MB/processor can only address so much (GBs) and at a maximum speed .
a list of the numbers and so-forth of the stuff in the old machine would help .

i put a better video card in the machine i obtained ... i had to use the "low profile" bracket .
one of the things to remember about those desktop machines ; low headroom .
just think of trying to stuff wilt chamberlain into a volkswagen .
(man , i am dating myself with that analogy !)

[Firefox]

Another place you may try is Goodwill. We have a Goodwill computer store here in town and they refurbish and sell the computers that get donated. Prices are not so bad.

[lilpeanut]

Went to a couple of different pawn shops to look and see what they had. Nada. One had a computer but the store was filled with mostly tools and the place was so dirty and gross that I took one look at the computer, no idea what it had in it because it too was extremely dirty and they wanted $200 for it. Not a chance am I going to even look at if they don't care enough to make it even look presentable.

The second store didn't have any.

There is only one Goodwill in the "big town" but they don't carry computers.

Just wanted to let you all know I'm still trying and thanks again.

[David H. Lipman]

Another way to save money is to buy factory refurbished. I am writing this post using a Dell refurbished Latitude D620 notebook.

http://www.dell.com/...134&lid=1448296

[lilpeanut]

Oh my word.

I just clicked through the link and I'm afraid I'm absolutely lost as far as how to go about figuring out the best computer for me would be. I have been trying to avoid buying anything on credit because I really don't want the payments but if I decide to get something that is going to last me a good long time then I probably have no choice.

Maybe if you could help me explore and discover what my needs are in a computer I could narrow something down and decide from there. For now, put price aside other than best value for the money. I do know I want something that I'll be able to use for a long time without running into memory and space issues. I do have 2 kids that do use the computer for school and the older one is just starting to get into wanting to play some games. Nothing to major on the games, at least not yet. The other has learning disabilities and we use the computer to help him with learning.

Me, I use it for volunteer work at FamilySearch. I index information for them. Most of my time on the computer is for indexing, email, getting plans for building little projects like playhouses, storage cupboards etc, looking up recipes and the most important to me, genealogy. Finding and saving a lot of images. Be it census records, birth, marriage and death records as well as pictures, lots and lots of pictures and hopefully soon family videos.

If you have the time to help me figure this out I'd be grateful.

Thanks again,

lilpeanut

[David H. Lipman]

Inspiron 620

Inspiron 580

Inspiron 570

Inspiron 560

[lilpeanut]

Hello all you wonderful people that have tried to help me.

I finally have a new computer (again) and I would like to make absolutely sure there is no software problems like the last time. Can someone do whatever they did before to make sure this is a legal copy of XP?

Just tell me what you need and I'll provide.

Thank you so much,

cassiereroni

[CWB]

hey ... welcome back .

when you do the windows updates it should ping you if there is a problem .
elsewise ... start here :
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892130

[Porthos]

http://go.microsoft....k/?linkid=52012

Please run the MGA Diagnostic Tool and post back the report it shall produce:

• Download MGADiag to your desktop.
  
• Double-click on MGADiag.exe to launch the program
  
• Click "Continue"
  
• Ensure that the "Windows" tab is selected (it should be by default).
  
• Click the "Copy" button to copy the MGA Diagnostic Report to the Windows clipboard.
  
• Paste the MGA Diagnostic Report back here in your next reply.

The MGA Diagnostic Tool will return a report on whether or not the Product Key is invalid, or if Windows Validation is being blocked.

[lilpeanut]

Hello CW. It's good to be back and as long as I have confirmation that this computer is legit, I'll be back more often now.

As far as I could tell everything checked out but then again, I made a big booboo last time so I figured I'd check with the experts to make absolutely certain this time. I sure as heck don't want a surprise like last time.


Porthos,

Here is the information I got from MGA. Hope all is clean.

Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):
-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->
Validation Status: Genuine
Validation Code: 0
Cached Validation Code: N/A
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-9TCCK-JPCBM-B2FQ8
Windows Product Key Hash: B/IohRcCzV6LJrex8WpCdnxgTvg=
Windows Product ID: 76487-OEM-2211906-00803
Windows Product ID Type: 2
Windows License Type: OEM SLP
Windows OS version: 5.1.2600.2.00010100.3.0.med
ID: {2C7D2A8D-438B-4123-957B-5A24085CF7FE}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: Registered, 1.7.69.2
Signed By: Microsoft
Product Name: N/A
Architecture: N/A
Build lab: N/A
TTS Error: N/A
Validation Diagnostic: 025D1FF3-230-1
Resolution Status: N/A
Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A
Version: N/A
Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 025D1FF3-230-1
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
File Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{2C7D2A8D-438B-4123-957B-5A24085CF7FE}</UGUID><Version>1.9.0027.0</Version><OS>5.1.2600.2.00010100.3.0.med</OS><Architecture>x32</Architecture><PKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-B2FQ8</PKey><PID>76487-OEM-2211906-00803</PID><PIDType>2</PIDType><SID>S-1-5-21-2025508980-387823912-3947065979</SID><SYSTEM><Manufacturer>HP Pavilion 061</Manufacturer><Model>EG134AA-ABA a1230n</Model></SYSTEM><BIOS><Manufacturer>Phoenix Technologies, LTD</Manufacturer><Version> 3.15</Version><SMBIOSVersion major="2" minor="4"/><Date>20070125000000.000000+000</Date><SLPBIOS>HP PAVILION</SLPBIOS></BIOS><HWID>C53C370F0184C076</HWID><UserLCID>0409</UserLCID><SystemLCID>0409</SystemLCID><TimeZone>Central Standard Time(GMT-06:00)</TimeZone><iJoin>0</iJoin><SBID><stat>2</stat><msppid></msppid><name>Hewlett-Packard Company</name><model>HP Pavilion</model></SBID><OEM/><GANotification/></MachineData><Software><Office><Result>109</Result><Products/><Applications/></Office></Software></GenuineResults>
Licensing Data-->
N/A
Windows Activation Technologies-->
N/A
HWID Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
BIOS string matches: yes
Marker string from BIOS: 1E0D3:Compaq Computer Corporation|1E0D3:Compaq Computer Corporation|1E0D3:Hewlett-Packard Company|1005F:Hewlett-Packard Company
Marker string from OEMBIOS.DAT: HP PAVILION
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
N/A

cassiereroni

[Porthos]

If this is an HP with Media Center edition you look good to go.

[lilpeanut]

Yep, it's HP with Media Center. Hoorah!!! I'm legal!!!

Thank you so much!

[CWB]

congratulations !
now you can start to complain , grumble and gripe in earnest .

"experts" ?
an "ex" is a "was" or "has been" .
a "spurt" is a drip under pressure .
naaa ... i don't want to be an expert .

so , tell us about the specifications of the comp .
ps ... you have an old version of FF ... update time .

@ david :
i see "iJoin" in the list ... is this the junkware flavor or something else ?

[lilpeanut]

CWB,

Thank God for that because I'm going to need some help shortly! LOL

cassiereoni

[lilpeanut]

CWB, on 14 May 2012 - 05:42 AM, said:

congratulations !
now you can start to complain , grumble and gripe in earnest .

Well it figures! If it weren't for bad luck!

I wanted to change my living room around yesterday so I shut down the computer and moved everything around. Plugged it all back in and guess what....IT WON'T START UP! The little green light on the back of the computer is blinking so I know it's getting at least a little power somewhere. But that green light is supposed to be constant, not blinking.

Sooo, I'm back on the old computer but it's having a hissy fit and I think I just want to wipe this one clean and install the new OS. Only, I'm scared to death. I know I have to back up drivers but other than the video and sound drivers, what other ones do I need to have?

This computer has a Western Digital hard drive but it also has an IBM Deskstar model # IC35L040AVER07-7 says ATA/IDE in it that isn't hooked up. I'd like to put the OS that I bought on the Western Digital drive and be able to use the IBM drive as well. But I don't know what the jumper settings should be. That said, that is the ONLY techincal stuff I know.

Help?

Again?

Please?

[David H. Lipman]

Remove the power cable from the computer. Double, triple, check all cables connections.

Wait 5 ~ 10 minutes.

Reconnect power cable, wait 15 seconds then hit the power button.

[lilpeanut]

Yeah, did that. Four or Five times. Left it unplugged overnight. nada

Also did the hp recommendation of unplugging power cord, press and hold on/off for 5 secs. Didn't work.

And the unplug power cord and slide red button on back from 115 to 230 let it set for about 30 secs, switched it back to 115 waited about 5 minutes and plugged power cord back in. Again, nada.

I hate computers.

[David H. Lipman]

Keep playing with the power switch every so often. It will eventually come on. Do not play with the power supply AC voltage selection switch.

[CWB]

hmmm ...

as such , it seems like the power supply has crapped out .
the type of failure mode/scenario you described is fairly common ...
"it was working just fine until i unplugged it ..."

i suspect bad capacitors in the power supply .
the easy test is to substitute a known good supply .
the less easy way is to crack it open , fire up the soldering pencil and cap-checker and start replacing bad caps .

it may be possible to pull the supply from the first comp you got and use it in the second comp as a test .
as you are not real computer hip ... pictures of the connectors and motherboards would be needed .

however ...
as you *just* got the comp ... i would pitch a royal fit at *who ever* from whenst you got it .

ps ... it may not fire back up as david mentioned ... sometimes when those electrolytic caps "cool off" they have changed enough over time that there is no returning from the dead .
sometimes , applying some heat into the supply (say a blow dryer) will allow the supply to fire back up ... but this is temporary and only proves the problem .

you may also have bad caps on the motherboard .
pictures would help out .

[CWB]

an afterthought ...
please post the make and model numbers of the "old" comp and the "new" puked comp .