Jump to content

Fixing the problems


lilpeanut

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 86
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

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

Thank you so much!

Link to post
Share on other sites

congratulations !

now you can start to complain , grumble and gripe in earnest . :lol::P

"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 ?

Link to post
Share on other sites

CWB,

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

cassiereoni

Link to post
Share on other sites

congratulations !

now you can start to complain , grumble and gripe in earnest . :lol::P

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? :blush:

Please? :wacko:

Link to post
Share on other sites

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. :angry2:

Link to post
Share on other sites

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 .

Link to post
Share on other sites

heh ... yeah ...

do you recall about three or four years back when dell put out all those comps with the swmps that lasted anywhere from 3 months to just after the warranty was up ?

they did not make good on a bunch of them .

a new 50 buck supply was the fix ... better quality than the original .

Link to post
Share on other sites

The "new" (to me) computer is a HP Pavilion a1230n.

The old one is a Systemax Tiger.

Will see about getting some pics together tomorrow. Had a family emergency to take care of today, sorry I haven't replied before this.

Was figuring on buying a new power supply for it after looking over the HP help site and doing what they said to do. They then suggested that it was a failure of the power supply. I've found some at a couple of computer shops for around $28.00. The person I bought it from said they would pay for it if I intended to install it myself. Or go half if I had a repair person/place do it for me.

Not going to get involved with any soldering cause I'm not good at doing that. I tend to melt things that shouldn't be melted. :wacko: Just ticks me off that it was working fine and out of the blue it stops. Guess computers don't like me as much as I don't like them. sheesh.

Link to post
Share on other sites

28 bucks for a power supply ??!!

man , i think that guy is trying pull a fast one ... or he is actually that ignorant .

granted , you do not need a supply made from gold-plated cold pressed unicorn dung (read : high dollar) ...

however , something with halfway decent quality to it is needed .

for replacement supplies (except in the case of critical business comps/servers) i go with the rosewill brand ...

good quality for the money .

the type of supply you need is here :

http://www.cputopia.com/hp-480w-hp-pavilion-a1230n.html?gclid=CL-XmbqZjLACFdEDQAod4Xi5sQ

confirmed here :

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00311110.pdf

(good to have for the destruction project)

available here :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182074

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182075

(perhaps someone will double check my numbers)

all you need is a phillips screw-chaser , a cup of coffee and a little patience .

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, I wasn't looking in the right place. Should have known if I tried to get anything locally I would be paying more because I'm in the middle of the country and a small town to boot. sheesh

Also, guess I wasn't awake when I posted last night. I know you need more than the model of computer in order to get the big picture but just wasn't thinking straight I guess. So here's the rest of the info:

HP Pavilion a 1210n Windows XP Media Center

Integrated/On-Board Graphics

4 GB Mem

250 GB Hard Drive

AMD Athlon

Processor Speed: 2.40 GHz

Network Card, Wi-Fi Card

Thanks for the link, I'll be ordering that shortly. I'd like to add a graphics card so that I can connect it to my tv and be able to get the best picture quality possible. I have a 42" Sanyo DP42841. It has a "PC" connection on it so I can connect the vga connection. But I don't know what would be the best way to connect it when the time comes. Which other option would be the best?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sanyo DP42841

VGA, HDMI or RCA Component Video.

VGA is fine. HDMI cables can be overly expensive and you'd need a video card that has HDMI interface.

I connect my Dell Latitude docking station to my JVC TV via VGA cable such that when I dock my Latitude notebook in the living room I can display on the TV.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Will this VGA connection support HD?

I'm not to concerned about this right now but as far as the cables go, I already have a HDMI to DVI converter and a DVI cable so I'd be out nothing if this would produce a better picture quality. (I finally got a little bit of support money for the kids so I'm considering getting this set up so I can drop the expense of cable and just go with watching programs from the internet to save money).

Also, about that other computer. :unsure:

It says Systemax Tiger on the front of it and it has the following:

Intel Pentium4 Northwood 0.13um

1 GB Ram

P4VM8 Motherboard

40 GB Western Digital

WDC WD400BB-00DGA0 ATA Device (PATA)

It also has an 40 GB IBM Deskstar model IC35L040AVER07-0 ATA/IDE hard drive that is not hooked up.

Do I need to find/download drivers for both of those hard drives before I wipe them clean? And do I need to find/download anything for the dvd rw and the cd drives that are in it?

Other than the video and sound drivers, is there anything else I need to have and please be specific because I have not attempted to wipe a drive clean and reinstall a OS since my commadore64.

Thanks again for all the help.

Link to post
Share on other sites

For all intents and purposes computers have always had high resolution (except for the earliest CGA/HGA). Standard (analog) television broadcasts have always been low resolution. HDTV broadcast is television catching up to computer resolution so VGA is just fine.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for that information David. :D

Just ordered the new power supply and having it sent Priority Mail so hopefully it will be here soon.

Now, about that other computer? In case your wondering, I did get a non branded full version XP OS disk so that there isn't any problem with it being a Dell OS disk.

What all do I need to make sure to have before I wipe this drive?

Thanks

Link to post
Share on other sites

Do I need to download any kind of drivers or chipsets or whatever for the hard drives? And the network drivers, if I have an install disk from my ISP would that have the drivers I need or do I have to find those separately?

Thanks again and again.

Link to post
Share on other sites

the disk from your ISP is only good for a coaster on your coffee table .

any drivers and so-forth you need will have to be downloaded either from the OEM or an alternate source .

the power supply ...

i wonder if the guy you got the comp from was trying to sell you a used supply or an "off brand" unit .

i have an "IMicro" supply pulled from a friend's comp ... it was installed by a shop and lasted three days .

it is rated as a 400 watt supply and weighs about 1.25 pounds ... yeah , it is POS-1 .

the shop would not refund his money nor install a decent supply as he requested .

he resolved the problem by "legal remedies" ... i shall digress . ;)

i keep the supply on a shelf as a reminder of "doing what it takes" .

to be sure , there is nothing wrong with rebuilding a decent supply ...

as long as one knows what is going on , uses better parts than the original and tells the customer exactly what-is-what .

which supply did you order up ?

ps ... one reason i really like ubuntu (except for the latest version) is that it pretty much "goes and gets" the drivers (etc) it needs for the stuff on your system .

i smile and giggle a little bit every time i load ubuntu on a "box" of some sort (a wide range to be sure) as the all the stuff whistles by in the terminal window .

(buttons knows what i mean)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Do I need to download any kind of drivers or chipsets or whatever for the hard drives? And the network drivers, if I have an install disk from my ISP would that have the drivers I need or do I have to find those separately?

Thanks again and again.

Take a screenshot of Device Manager of the present computer (as I have done below) expanding the various hardware that will require external hardware drivers (hardware drivers that are not stock to the OS). This will help identify the hardware and make it easier to obtain hardware drivers that are not recognized. This is by viewing what was and then the reinstalled OS of the state of what is and you'll know what's missing.

NOTE: I have not expanded all relevant hardware (Example: Modem & Smart Card reader). This graphic is only meant to be an example.

post-14644-0-44030500-1337513359.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

CW: I ordered the one from the cputopia link that you posted.

David: I will get the snapshot of device manager shortly and get that posted as soon as possible.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"CW: I ordered the one from the cputopia link that you posted."

oh nooooo !!!

that was a "demonstrative link" to show what kind/type of supply was needed .

the last links i posted (from newegg) were the place to get one from ...

"available here"

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Back to top
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This site uses cookies - We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.