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Source: gfxden.blogspot.com

You need to download this little programs.

AutoRuns download here
System Explorer (optional) download here
Unlocker (optional) download here

Simple step on how to prevent and remove autorun spyware/virus manually from removable disk
1. You need to disabled your Autorun/Autoplay
2. Kill the program that process in your system
3. Delete the files and remove in the startup programs

What is Autorun/Autoplay?
Autorun/Autoplay is the ability of many modern computer operating systems to automatically take some action upon the insertion of removable media such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or flash media. - wikipedia

The disadvantage of Autorun is it can pose a security threat, when the user does not expect or intend to run the software, such as in the case of some viruses and spyware, which take advantage of this feature to propagate. Imagine that the program runs in your computer without your knowledge, so here's how to disable Autorun/Autoplay using Group Policy

1. Click Start button > Run > type gpedit.msc then click OK


2. In Group Policy, expand User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System then double click Turn off Autoplay


3. Select Enabled and All Drives in Turn of Autoplay Properties, click Apply > OK

Since you disable the Autorun/Autoplay, you need to open the removable media manually to play like when insert a audio cd or video cd.


How to remove autorun spyware/virus in your hard drive or USB drive manually
In order to make a demo, I enabled my Autorun/Autoplay and insert a USB Drive infected with spyware and let the spyware run on my computer system. And now I want to remove it manually, here's how...

1. Show the hidden files and protected operating system files
Open My Computer, in Tools Menu select Folder Options....


In Folder Options, select Show Hidden files and folders and then unchecked Hide protected operating system files > Apply > OK

Other spyware hide the Folder Options, in this case you need to run Group Policy (gpedit.msc)
Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer then select Disabled in the Remove the Folder Options menu item from the Tools menu > Apply > OK


2. Look for autorun.inf
Now open USB Drive, you can see the autorun.inf file and open it ( you also see this file in your Hard disk drive)

Be aware of New Folder or have a folder icon in your USB Drive like you see above, actually this is not a folder it is a executable program that use the icon of a folder. Sometimes it use notepad, yahoo messenger, microsoft word icon and other system icon to hide. Here's how to determine if it is a real folder or an executable program

Before you open the folder, in your mouse right click the folder and click Properties

This is a real folder, you can see the Sharing and Customize Tab


While an executable program have a Version and Compatibility Tab


Remember all the file, in this case it's only one "SCVVHSOT.exe" but when it's already running in your system it has the ability to generate another file (Recycler) or call a executable program (like the New Folder.exe) hide in the USB Drive. Other autorun.inf have more files like in the bar311 virus (bar311.exe, password_viewer.exe, photos.zip.exe and pc-off.bat)


3. End the Process
Go to Task Manager or press “Ctrl + Alt + Del” keys, in Processes Tab select the file that you see in the autorun.inf then click End Process. If you get this message

Run Group Policy (gpedit.msc)
Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates> System > Ctrl+Alt+Delete options > Remove Task Manager, select Disabled in the Remove Task Manager Option > Apply > OK


For me I use Process Explorer to kill the process


4. Remove the file in the Startup Programs
You can remove it by using Autoruns, check the process programs in the Logon Tab

Click image to enlarge
Now you can see the path of the file where it hide, follow the path in my computer and then delete all the files. Delete also files that process like the New Folder.exe and Recycler in the USB Drive. Most of this files hide in this directory

Root directory (drive C, drive D etc..)
x:\windows
x:\windows\system32

x = where you install the windows

Other case you cannot delete the files because there is a message that the program is running, in this case you can use Unlocker. Unlocker has the ability to delete the file even if it is running.

In the Autoruns, Delete or you can unchecked programs so that it will not run again when the computer restart


Checked also Scheduled Tasks tab, delete the file At1.job (something like that)


This article is an alternative way to remove spyware and virus. If you want to see the full article CLICK HERE!

When you press the power button on your computer, the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the first thing to swing into action. The BIOS is actually a piece of software stored on a chip built in to the motherboard that is responsible for booting your computer and making sure all of the devices work. At startup, the BIOS initiates a multistage process, which includes testing the hardware and loading the OS. The testing stage, or POST (power on self test), scans your devices and system to see if everything is communicating properly. BIOS manufacturers have created a code system to communicate the POST status in the form of BIOS beeps. Some newer motherboards include a voice recording that literally tells you the status of your computer. In most cases, however, we are pleasantly unaware of the BIOS and its low-tech language. If everything is working like it’s supposed to, all you hear is a beep, and the computer starts.


All Beep & No Work
In the event of a critical error during the POST, most BIOSes use beeps via the internal speaker (or external speakers in the case of voiced messages) to alert you to what’s wrong. This communication is very rudimentary. During the startup process think of your system as a metal primate, only instead of using grunts to communicate territorial rights, your PC resorts to beeps or a combination of beeps and pauses to indicate it has encountered specific problems. The “language” your PC uses depends on what type of BIOS it has. You have to translate beep codes based on the model and manufacturer. The two most dominant BIOS manufacturers are AMI (American Megatrends, Inc.) and Phoenix Technologies, but there are many others.

Click image to enlarge

To determine your BIOS manufacturer and version number, click Start and Programs (All Programs if you’re using Windows XP). Navigate to Accessories, click System Tools, and then click System Information. In the System Information window, scan the right pane for BIOS Version/Date under the Item column. In the adjacent Value column, you will find the manufacturer and version of your BIOS.

Configure Your BIOS
Most computers have the default BIOS configuration set up so that the POST Status (sometimes called Power On Status, which is essentially the beep code) is enabled. If you don’t hear a beep during a normal boot, check your BIOS configuration to make sure POST Status is enabled. The users manual that came with your computer is your best source for information on how to access the BIOS setup utility. You can’t assume that one Phoenix or AMI BIOS setup utility will look the same as any other setup utility by Phoenix or AMI; the setup utilities can vary in appearance depending on your system’s hardware and BIOS version. If you need to enable your POST status (beep codes) look for something to the effect of POST Status or POST Notification in your setup utility, and enable it by using the appropriate key commands, checkboxes, or selectable options. Your system’s manual will likely describe the features of your BIOS and include the settings that work best for your computer. Take caution when changing your BIOS settings because the improper configuration can prevent the system from recognizing your peripherals or even from booting. Typically pressing and holding (or pressing repeatedly) a designated key such as ESC, DELETE, F1, or F2 as the computer starts up will display the BIOS setup utility. Your manual will tell you which key to use.

What’s That Beep?
Occasionally an add-in card may issue beep codes during the POST that are not directly associated with the BIOS, which would explain why your system is operational despite emitting more than one beep. If you start hearing beeps and your system fails to fully boot, the problem is not necessarily that your hardware is faulty. You may simply have jostled components out of place by moving your system. You can sometimes solve the problem by reseating (removing and reinserting) memory modules or other hardware cards within your computer’s case. Always practice extreme caution when working with the inner components of your case, and make sure to eliminate static electricity by touching a metal surface before handling any piece of your computer’s hardware. Also be sure to unplug your computer.

Decode That Code
■ American Megatrends Inc. If your computer came with an AMI BIOS, and it fails to boot after your internal speaker emits one, two, or three beeps, then the problem most likely lies with your memory modules. Open your computer case (remembering to dissipate static electricity by touching a grounded piece of metal). Replace one module at a time and turn your system on. If the computer boots up, then you know the memory module you just inserted is operational. Next, insert another module and start your system again. Repeat this process until all modules are replaced or until the beep code reoccurs and the boot process fails. If that happens, you can conclude that the module you put in last is faulty. Replace it with a new module and your system should be fine.

When your system fails to boot after four to seven, or nine to 11 beeps, it indicates a problem with your motherboard or your expansion cards. As before, dispel static electricity and carefully remove all expansion cards (except the video adapter) and boot the system. In the event that the error code occurs again, there is little you can do but contact the manufacturer of your motherboard or system. If the error does not occur, replace the expansion cards one by one, starting the system after each new card. Using this process of elimination, you can determine which card is causing the problem. If your AMI BIOS beeps five times, you may be looking at a processor error. At this point you should contact the manufacturer of your computer, though the company will likely tell you that you need to get a new CPU. In instances where a serious error such as this occurs which requires a significant investment to repair, you should attempt to duplicate the error several times to eliminate any other (possibly cheaper) possibilities. Another reason for this error could be that the CPU fan has failed, so check to see if it is rotating. Reseating the CPU may also solve your problem.

If your AMI BIOS beeps eight times, direct your attention to the system video adapter. In the event that your video adapter is integrated with your motherboard, the board may be faulty. If the video adapter is an expansion card, remove it (again dissipate static electricity first) and start your system. If all goes well, reseat the video adapter card and start your system. If the beep code reoccurs and the system fails to boot, then your card is likely to blame. If the system boots fully, then reseating the card solved the problem.

■ Phoenix Technologies. If your computer came with a Phoenix BIOS, the beep codes consist of a series of beeps and pauses, which will direct your attention to the appropriate aspect of your system that is malfunctioning. In the event that your Phoenix BIOS beeps once, pauses, beeps twice, pauses, beeps twice, pauses, and beeps three more times, direct your attention to the BIOS itself. If your BIOS is upgradeable, you may need to flash update it to solve this problem. You can visit your motherboard manufacturer’s (not the BIOS manufacturer’s) Web site for information on how to update your BIOS, should it require an update. Reseating or checking the expansion cards may also lead to an answer to the problem. Again, make sure to dissipate static electricity prior to handling your computer’s internal components. You might need to replace the BIOS should the beeps persist, in which case you should contact your motherboard manufacturer. A Phoenix BIOS that beeps once, pauses, beeps four times, pauses, beeps twice, pauses, and then beeps once more is alerting you to a problem with the CMOS (complementary metaloxide semiconductor), which is the memory that stores the BIOS. Attempt to remove all expansion cards (except the video card) and then reseat them one at a time. If the error still occurs, contact your motherboard’s manufacturer as you probably need to replace the CMOS . When your Phoenix BIOS beeps once, pauses, beeps three times, pauses, beeps once, pauses, and beeps one more time, the error lies with the memory modules. You should check to see if your motherboard supports the installed memory, or reseat the memory modules one at a time, restarting your system after each reseat.

Post Script
The lack of an industry wide standard for BIOS beeps means that to successfully troubleshoot your beeps you need to look up your BIOS manufacturer’s beep code list for your particular BIOS version. Phoenix and AMI both have downloadable PDF documents that detail beep codes and what they refer to.

Error Message: CD or DVD drive is not recognized as installed.

Translation: After performing a System Restore, the CD-RW or DVD+RW drives are no longer recognized on the computer.

Solution: Attach CD/DVD drives to a ribbon cable (different drive controller header on the mother board) that does not connect to the hard drive.


Error Message: “System Restore cannot run until you restart the computer.”

Translation: When you attempt to run System Restore, this error message may appear. This can happen if a Wininit.ini file is present in the Windows directory.

Solution: To fix this, restart the computer. If the error appears again, search the hard drive for the presence of the Wininit.ini file, and then rename it. To do so, follow these steps: Restart your computer in Safe or DOS Mode. Click Start. Point to Search. Click For Files or Folders. In the Named box, type wininit.ini. In the Look in box, click Local Hard Drives. Click Find Now, right-click the Wininit.ini file, click Rename, and then type wininit.xxx. Click OK. Close the Find Files window, and then run System Restore again. If that doesn’t fix the problem, run the following command to repair the damaged portions of your Registry: scanreg /fix


Error Message: “Services.exe - Application Error. The application failed to initialize (0xc0000006).”

Translation: When the computer is started, the desktop appears without the icons, and a message box appears with the title of “Services.exe - Application Error” and the above error. After clicking OK, nothing appears on the screen and the Desktop is blank. If the Services.exe file is renamed or removed, the message box doesn’t appear, but the computer is still on the Desktop without the icons.

Solution: Services.exe is an Application used only in Windows NT4/2000/XP for starting, stopping, and interacting with system services. To resolve the issue, reinstall the operating system.(NOTE: This is really called an “in-place upgrade” and should only have the effect of repairing the current installation.) Refer to the link for more details: support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341


Error Message: After you install a new hardware device or new software, your computer may start to restart spontaneously, or you may receive error messages on a blue screen.

Translation: This is usually caused by a device driver that doesn’t match the version of Windows on which it is installed. Or just a poorly written driver.

Solution: Check third party software or drivers. Try removing any third party software or drivers recently installed or disabling them so that they do not load. Then, restart the computer to see whether that cures the problem. If that cures it, report the problem to the manufacturer of the software of driver. If you can’t restart WinXP after you install the software or drivers, use one of these methods to restore Windows:
• Try using the Roll Back Driver feature.
• Try using the WinXP System Restore feature.
• Try using Recovery Console.
• Try starting MS-DOS: If Windows is installed on a partition that uses the FAT file system, try starting your computer to MS-DOS and then renaming the problem software or driver.



Error Message: “Non-System disk or disk error . . . Replace and strike a key when ready.”

Translation: This simply means that WinXP is attempting to boot from a disk (be it a floppy diskette or one of your hard disks) that doesn’t contain the system files WinXP needs to start. WinXP needs access to certain bits of information when it starts up. Your hard drive’s boot sector, a specific location on the disk, contains the startup files WinXP needs to continue the boot process. If WinXP can’t find those files, the boot process stops cold.

Solution: This one is either a simple mistake or a catastrophe. First, check to see if you have a floppy diskette in your drive. Nine times out of 10, this error is caused when you leave a floppy in the disk drive, turn off the computer, and then turn it on again without taking the diskette out of the drive. If the floppy is not a system disk with the required boot files, WinXP won’t launch. Check the floppy drive, and if there is a diskette in it, remove it and press any key on your keyboard. Windows should now start up normally. If a forgotten floppy disk is not the cause, then you’ve got a much bigger problem on your hands. Somehow, your hard drive’s boot sector has been damaged or erased. This is typically caused by either a boot-sector virus or a hard drive failure. Most antivirus programs let you create a rescue disk designed specifically for those times when a virus renders your computer unbootable.
If you created a rescue diskette, insert it into your floppy drive, restart the computer, and follow the antivirus software’s instructions to clean the boot-sector infection and restore your computer. If you don’t have a rescue diskette, go to a friend or co-worker who has one and either use his or use his antivirus software to create one, even if you use different antivirus programs. Right now, your main focus should be on disinfecting and booting your computer.
If a boot-sector virus is not the cause, the hard drive’s boot sector, for some reason or another, has been damaged. WinXP’s Recovery Console has two utilities you can use to try to repair your boot sector: FIXBOOT or FIXMBR. FIXBOOT writes an entirely new boot sector, while FIXMBR repairs the MBR (master boot record) in the boot sector. To run the Recovery Console, boot into your WinXP setup CD and press r when prompted. To boot into your WinXP installation CD, restart the computer and enter your Setup (BIOS [Basic Input/Output System])
program. Your BIOS should have a menu where you can change the sequence of boot devices for your computer. By default, your computer looks for a bootable disk in your floppy drive first, your hard drive second, and your CD drive last. Adjust the boot sequence in your BIOS so your computer searches for a bootable disc in your CD drive first (leave the hard drive as the second choice), insert your WinXP installation disc into your CD drive, and restart the computer. Because BIOS programs vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, consult your BIOS’ documentation to find out how to change the boot device sequence.
To run FIXBOOT, type FIXBOOT [drive] at the command prompt, where drive is the drive letter for your boot drive (usually C:). To run FIXMBR, type FIXMBR [device name], where device name is the nomenclature the Recovery Console’s MAP command uses to describe the various hardware devices in your computer. For example, you might type FIXMBR \device\HardDisk0 to restore your boot record’s MBR. If you don’t enter a device name, FIXMBR repairs the MBR of the default system disk.


Error Message: “STOP: 0xc000026C [Unable to load device driver] Driver” or “STOP: 0xv0000221 [Unable to load device driver] Driver” or “STOP: 0xv0000221. Bad image check sum, the image user32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header check sum does not match the computed check sum.”

Translation: These errors have two possible root causes: As the first two message simply, the errors can be caused by a device driver file (*.SYS) that is missing or has been corrupted. The third message is pretty straightforward, also: Again, something’s gone awry with a file—this time with USER32.DLL. This is one of those critical system files containing information that WinXP absolutely needs to run properly.
In a nutshell, a DLL (dynamic-link library) is a file containing information that another program (this time, it is Windows itself) needs to run properly. For example, a DLL file may contain additional functions that another program’s code may call as the program runs. Programmers love DLLs because they let them simply call functions from within their code instead of having to code them from scratch. This particular DLL provides functionality related to the WinXP API (Application Programming Interface). Bottom line is, USER32.DLL is very important to WinXP.

Solution: system. This is done using WinXP’s Recovery The solution to this problem is to restore the missing or corrupted files to your Console. In the solution to the last message, we discussed how to access the Recovery Console. At the Recovery Console’s command prompt, type the following commands to restore the required files. First, how to restore the drivers:

1. Type cd windows\system32\drivers at the command prompt to open that directory.
2. Type ren DRIVER.SYS DRIVER.BAK to rename the corrupted copy of the driver (if the problem is a corrupted driver; if the driver is just missing, skip this step and proceed to step 3).
3. Type copy [CD drive letter]:\i386 DRIVER.SYS to copy a fresh, functional copy of the driver from your WinXP installation CD to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Drivers directory.
4. Type exit and then press the ENTER key to exit the Recovery Console.

Second, let’s restore USER32.DLL:
1. Browse to the required directory by typing cd [drive letter]:\windows\system32 at the command prompt.
2. If you have a copy of USER32.DLL in the windows\system32 directory that you suspect is corrupt, type ren USER32.DLL USER32.BAK to rename the file. If the file is missing, skip to step 3.
3. Type expand [CD drive letter]:\i386\USER32.DLL_ [drive letter]:\windows\system32 to copy the new USER32.DLL file to your Windows directory.


Error Message: “The file C:\windows\system32\c_1252.nls is missing or corrupt.”

Translation: As WinXP error messages go, this is one of the most straightforward. WinXP is simply reporting that the strangely named file c_1252.nls has gone AWOL.

Solution: The strategy to solve this problem is the same as in the “STOP: 0xc000026C [Unable to load device driver] Driver” error: Restore a fresh copy of the missing or corrupted file from your WinXP installation CD. Again, you must use the Recovery Console to do this. Once in the Recovery Console’s command prompt, type the following commands:

• cd C:\windows\system32—opens the system32 folder in C:\Windows; this is the default location of the file.
• ren c_1252.nls c_1252.bak—The approach here is to give the existing copy of the file an extension that disables it by preventing WinXP from finding the corrupted file at startup. If the file is missing, this step is not necessary.
• expand [CD drive letter]:\i386\USER32.DL_ [drive letter]:\windows\system32—This copies a pristine copy of the file from the WinXP installation CD to the WINDOWS/System32folder.
• Do as usual to exit the Recovery Console.


Error Message: “Devices or applications disabled. CD Recording software will cause Windows to become unstable. Windows has prevented these drivers from loading. Click here for more details.”

Translation: WinXP doesn’t get along very well with older versions of Easy CD Creator software. If you upgraded to WinXP and didn’t remove your older copy of Easy CD Creator software, WinXP detects this incompatible program and lets you know about it with the above message.

Solution: The solution here is to purge your system of all traces of the program. This problem illustrates a tried-and-true principle of Windows computing: When upgrading to a new Windows version, always perform a “clean” upgrade. In other words, format your hard drive to wipe it clean and then upgrade.
The first step is removing Easy CD Creator. Click Start and Control Panel and double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon. Locate the Easy CD Creator program on the list and click Remove.
The next step is to disable any drivers Easy CD Creator copied to your system. Click Start, Search, and All Files And Folders. Type cdr*.sys in the All Or Part Of The File Name box, select your C: drive in the Look In dropdown menu, and click Search. If Search finds any files called Cdr4_2K.sys or Cdralw2k.sys, right-click the file names, click Rename, and change each file name to Cd*.old.
Finally, you must remove any keys in your Windows Registry that reference Easy CD Creator files. Keep in mind, modifying the Registry is dangerous, so tread with care. A misstep here and you can easily end up with a very sick system. OK, on with our Registry surgery: Click Start and Run, type regedit in the Open textbox, and click OK. In the Registry editor, find the following key and click it to highlight it: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\
CONTROL\CLASS\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} If you see a value called UpperFilters on the Registry editor’s right pane, delete it by right-clicking it and clicking Delete. Click Yes to confirm.
Likewise, if you see a LowerFilters value, use the same procedure to delete it. Now, delete the following Registry keys. To delete a key, locate it, right-click, and click Delete. Click Yes to confirm the deletion:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\Cdr4_2K
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES \Cdralw2k
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES \Cdudf
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\UdfReadr


Error Message: “Hard disk drive failure”

Translation: This one is self-explanatory: WinXP is reporting a problem with your hard drive.

Solution: This is a hardware problem, so the solution is to determine whether your hard drive is permanently damaged or whether the hard drive information in your system’s BIOS is incorrect. The first step is to reboot the computer, enter your computer’s BIOS Setup program, and verify the settings for your hard drive. If everything looks OK in the BIOS, you may have a damaged hard drive. In this case, we hope that you have backed up your data because most likely the data on the damaged drive may be very difficult, if not impossible, to recover.


Error Message: “Fatal System Error: 0x000000a0 (0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)”

Translation: This one is fairly straightforward: WinXP reports a serious crash along with a memory address. The question is, what exactly is this telling you? Reporting a hexadecimal memory address without further detail is no help at all in deciphering this message.

Solution: According to Microsoft, this error occurs if you have a Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad Pro USB device, and you unplug it during the boot process. The solution? Simple, really. Don’t unplug your Gamepad Pro during startup.


Error Message: Here, you can’t see the message; instead, you briefly see a blue screen and then Windows automatically restarts.

Translation: The reason Windows is quickly restarting when the error occurs, without giving you enough time to see the error message, is that the system is configured to automatically restart when a system error occurs. When a STOP error occurs, Windows restarts so rapidly you have no time to look at the message. This behavior is quite disconcerting because you can’t get the error message information you desperately need to troubleshoot the problem.

Solution: Before any troubleshooting effort can begin, you need to configure WinXP so it won’t automatically restart when the error occurs. Right-click My Computer, click Properties, and click the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button in the Startup and Recovery option groups and click the Automatically Restart checkbox in the System Failure option group to clear it. Click OK to accept your changes. WinXP now displays the error message, and you can troubleshoot the problem.


Error Message: No message here, just a symptom: After connecting a USB device, your computer hangs when you try to shut it down.

Solution: The root cause of this problem is the fact that a USB device is configured for selective suspend, but the device doesn’t support it. The Selective-Suspend feature allows Windows to turn a device (a USB mouse or keyboard, for example) off to conserve power. This is especially useful in notebook computers, where conserving battery power is a primary goal. But for this feature to work, of course, the device must support it. To resolve the problem, right-click My Computer, click Properties, and then click the Hardware tab. Click the Device Manager button and scroll down the devices list until you find the Universal Serial Bus Controllers entry.
Click the plus sign to the left of the entry to expand it, right-click the USB Root Hub entry, and click Properties. Click the Power Management tab on the USB Root Hub Properties window and click the Allow The Computer To Turn Off This Device To Save Power checkbox to clear it. Click OK to accept your changes and then exit the Device Manager.

UNLOCKER

Get rid of error message like Error deleting file or folder, cannot delete folder: it's being used by another person or program

Unlocker application was designed to be a very useful Windows Explorer extension allowing users with a simple right-click on a file or folder to easily get rid of error message such as error deleting file or folder, cannot delete folder: it's being used by another person or program.


Helps delete locked files with error messages like:
· Cannot delete file: Access is denied
· There has been a sharing violation.
· The source or destination file may be in use.
· The file is in use by another program or user.
· Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

DOWNLOAD

Your graphics card, or graphics adapter, is the component of your PC responsible for processing everything you see on the computer’s display, including your operating system’s GUI (graphical user interface), software applications, videos, still images, and text. Depending on your computer, your graphics adapter is either a standalone graphics card or an integrated chip built into the motherboard. For instance, most desktop PCs feature graphics cards plugged into a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port), or PCI Express slot on your computer’s motherboard. On the other hand, notebooks and small form factor systems commonly use integrated graphics adapters.

Problem: The PC seems to boot, but the display is blank.

Solution 1: Check your display. Make sure your monitor is plugged into a working power outlet, connected to the appropriate VGA or DVI port on the graphics card or motherboard, and powered on. Also, check the VGA or DVI cable connectors for bent pins that may interfere with your video signal.

Solution 2: Inspect your connections. Check to make sure the graphics card is fully inserted into the motherboard’s PCI, AGP, or PCIE slot. To check and reseat a standalone graphics card, start by shutting the computer down, unplugging it, unplugging the monitor cable, and removing the PC’s side panel. Touch a grounded piece of metal to dissipate static electricity before touching any internal component. Unless you have a tool-free case, use a screwdriver to remove the screw that secures the card bracket to the case’s rear panel. If your graphics card requires one or two power connectors, disconnect them before removing the card from the slot. Next, examine the slot that the graphics card is plugged into. AGP and PCI-E ports typically have some form of locking mechanism that holds the card in place. Unlock the card by sliding, pushing, or pulling the latch. On some motherboards, you’ll need to gently bend a tab while pulling the card out of the slot. Slowly and carefully pull the card straight out of the slot and examine it for damage or other obvious problems. Remove dust from the card and slot with a clean, dry cloth and reinstall the graphics card, making sure to insert the card fully into its slot. Plug in all the power connectors that you unplugged and restart the computer.

Problem: Your system crashes intermittently or when running graphics-intensive applications.

Solution 1: Check your card’s cooling. Your graphics card produces a lot of heat under normal conditions. That heat output can dramatically increase when running 3D games and other graphically demanding applications. Some computers feature built-in sensors that let you monitor your case temperatures. If applicable, consult your documentation for information about your PC’s temperature monitoring capabilities. Video cards all have different recommended operating temperatures, so consult your computer or video card documentation for the recommended ranges. To resolve the problem, remove the side panel from your case and examine the graphics card for dust buildup. Use a dry cloth or canned air to remove the dust from your fans, vents, and components. Start the PC again to make sure your case fans and graphics card fan are working properly.

Solution 2: Check your power supply. If the video card has one or more power connectors, make sure they are plugged into the power supply. Intermittent restarts can also be the result of an overtaxed power supply. Consult the documentation that came with your computer or power supply to determine its wattage capabilities and then make sure your graphics card doesn’t push your system over that limit.

Problem: Your system intermittently freezes, reboots, or displays poor graphics performance.

Solution 1: Verify compatibility. Before purchasing any new component, you should always make sure that it will work with your existing hardware and software. Even if you’ve installed a PCI, AGP, or PCI-E graphics card into the appropriate slot types in your PC, you may still encounter problems. For instance, an AGP 1.0-compatible motherboard can typically run an AGP 8X-compatible graphics card, but it will only run at slower 1X or 2X AGP speeds, resulting in poor graphics performance. Also, newer motherboards may have multiple slots that a PCI-E graphics card will fit into, but these slots may operate at different speeds. You’ll typically want to install a PCI-E graphics card in the fastest slot available. You may need to consult your documentation or a manufacturer’s Web site for these details.

Solution 2: Resolve driver conflicts. Make sure you uninstall the old graphics card driver and configuration software before installing a new graphics card or the latest graphics driver for your existing card. Even if you already installed the new card or driver without uninstalling the old drivers, it’s best to download the latest driver for your new graphics card from the manufacturer’s Web site (if you haven’t already done so), uninstall the existing driver, and then reinstall the latest driver. Both Nvidia (www.nvidia.com) and ATI (ati.amd.com) offer unified drivers that work for all graphics card models of the same series, such as GeForce and Radeon. If you plan to play games, download the latest version of DirectX at www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx before uninstalling the old graphics driver. Save the latest driver and DirectX executable files to your Desktop and then uninstall the old graphics card driver and configuration software. Installing the latest driver can also resolve graphics issues that sometimes appear after installing Windows XP’s Service Pack 2. To uninstall the old driver and configuration software, use the Add Or Remove Programs utility. In WinXP, click Start, Control Panel, and then click (double-click in Classic View) Add Or Remove Programs. If you’re using Windows 98/2000, click Start, Settings, and Control Panel and then double-click the Add Or Remove Programs icon. Scan the Currently Installed Programs list for the graphics card’s manufacturer and then click the Remove or Change/Remove button on all items that pertain to the graphics card. Now you can double-click the new driver’s executable file to install it. If applicable, install the graphics card configuration software and DirectX.

Solution 3: Install new motherboard chipset drivers. The chipset on the motherboard is responsible for communications between the CPU and graphics card slot. For this reason, you may be able to resolve some graphics card problems by installing the latest version of your motherboard chipset’s driver. To determine your chipset driver, click the Start button, right-click My Computer, click Manage, select Device Manager from the left pane of the Computer Management Window, and then click the plus (+) sign in front of System Devices. Your chipset should appear as multiple entries in this list. For instance, if you see “Intel® 955X Processor to I/O Controller – 2774,” then your chipset is the Intel 955X Express. Visit the motherboard or computer manufacturer’s Web site to download the driver. Install it and restart
your computer.

Solution 4: Try another graphics card. If you have access to a spare graphics card, you can eliminate the possibility that another aspect of your system is causing the problem by swapping the problematic card with the spare. Shut the computer down, dissipate static electricity by touching a metal portion of the case, and then unplug it. Next, remove the monitor cable from the back of the graphics card, remove the existing graphics card (making sure to open the locking mechanism on the slot), insert the other graphics card, and lock it in place. Plug in any necessary power cables, close the case, connect the monitor, and restart the computer. Once Windows loads, install the appropriate driver and reboot. If everything goes smoothly, you can assume that your existing card is the cause of the problem. If the same glitch occurs, you may need to troubleshoot another aspect of the system. If the problems started after you installed a new graphics card, try the old card again to eliminate the possibility that the new card is damaged. Uninstall the new card’s drivers, shut the system down, remove the new card, insert the old card, restart the system, and reinstall the old card’s driver. If the problem is resolved after you reinstall the old card’s driver, and you have eliminated the possibility that there is a hardware or software conflict, then you can assume that the new card is faulty or has been damaged.

Solution 5: Reset the BIOS to defaults. Often, improper settings in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) utility can wreak havoc on your system. Always exercise caution when changing the BIOS settings, as one wrong move can cause your computer to fail to boot. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS utility, commonly by pressing DELETE, ESC, F1, or F2. You may need to consult your computer or motherboard manual for which key to press. Press the function key that loads the default settings and then press the designated Save And Exit key, which typically appears somewhere on the BIOS screen. Your PC should load Windows after you exit the BIOS, and you can then find out whether resetting the BIOS fixed your problem.

Problem: The display flickers continuously.

Solution: Adjust the refresh rate. A low refresh rate can cause CRT (cathode-ray-tube) monitors to flicker. To change the refresh rate, right-click anywhere on the Desktop, click Properties, and click the Settings tab. Click the Advanced button and the Monitor tab and then click the Hide Modes That This Monitor Cannot Display checkbox to select it. You may need to consult your monitor’s documentation or the manufacturer’s Web site to determine the refresh rates your monitor supports. Use the drop-down box to choose a higher supported refresh rate. A refresh rate of 75Hz or faster should prevent screen flicker. Click Apply, click OK, and close the Display Properties dialog box.

Most of us have experienced the frustration of encountering a printer error just as we attempt to print a quick copy of a document. It seems that printer problems never occur at a convenient time, but at least with the right knowledge and a little bit of effort, you can troubleshoot your way through most of your inkjet printer woes.

Problem: When I send a document to the printer, nothing happens. I don’t hear the printer charge the ink, attempt to pull paper through its rollers, or anything.

Solution: As you should with any troubleshooting venture, start by checking the simplest things. Start by verifying that the power cable is plugged into the printer and a wall outlet, power strip, or surge protector. Next, make sure the printer’s power button is turned on and that the printer’s data cable is connected to both the printer and your PC. Next, make sure there isn’t a sheet of paper stuck in the printer. If there was a paper jam earlier, your printer may not even attempt to print any more documents until you remove the paper that’s stuck.

Problem: My document won’t print, and there’s a light flashing on the body of the printer.

Solution: When a light flashes on the face of the printer, it usually means that the printer has encountered an error. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can usually learn more about the nature of the error by examining how many times the light blinks or by launching the printer utility that came with your printer. First, consult your users manual or the manufacturer’s Web site and look for “Blink codes,” “LED (light-emitting diode) status codes,” or similar guidelines to printer errors. You may learn, for instance, that a certain number of blinks indicates that the printer is out of paper and that a different number of blinks means that there’s a paper jam. If your printer doesn’t have LED codes, launch the printer utility that came with your printer. Often, this tool provides valuable information about the type of error your printer encountered. For example, the printer utility may tell you that one of your ink cartridges is empty, that your printer lost its connection to your PC, or that a necessary driver is missing.

Problem: There are tiny, blurry smudges across my print.

Solution: Usually, if you see small smudges across your prints, some type of lint or other debris has worked its way into your printer. As the ink heads deposit ink, some of it soaks the small bits of debris, which are then forced through the printer’s components along with the paper. As a result, you’ll see smudges of ink on the paper where the ink-soaked debris rubbed against the sheet of paper. The key to handling such ink smudges is first to ensure that you keep your printer clean and free of debris. Next, make sure that you only use papers which are safe to use in your printer. For example, if you want to use a cloth-based paper, such as a velvet or canvas, check your documentation or call the manufacturer to confirm that this type of paper will work with your printer. If your printer has already accumulated debris, the best way to clean things up is to clean the print head. The procedure for cleaning the print head is different for each printer, but usually you do this either by pressing a button on the face of the printer or by clicking a button such as Clean Print Head in the printer utility. You may need to clean the print head several times to remove debris if your printer is especially dirty. Cleaning the print head consumes some ink, so plan to use up a bit of the ink in your cartridges. If cleaning the print head does not clean the printer enough to remove smudges from prints, you will need to call an authorized repair center. Do not try to disassemble and clean the printer yourself.

Problem: There are small, white lines or gaps in my print.

Solution: When you see small gaps in your printouts, this, too, usually means that it’s time to clean the print head. See the previous problem and solution for more information about cleaning the print head. Rarely, gaps in printing occur because a print head is out of alignment. Again, your printer utility should have a tool for aligning the print head. If you’ve cleaned and realigned the print head but you’re still having problem with gaps in prints, you should either take your printer to an authorized repair center or buy a new printer. (Keep in mind that inkjet printers aren’t very expensive, so it may be cheaper to buy a new printer than to repair your current printer.)

Problem: My prints have a severe color cast. The overall tint seems to be more red, yellow, green, or blue than it should be.

Solution: You’re likely to see a color cast in your prints if you haven’t used your printer for several weeks or months. This is because the nozzles of the ink cartridges can dry out if they aren’t used periodically. If one or more of the ink heads is dry and clogged, your printer cannot deposit the proper proportions of colored ink on the paper. If you notice a color cast, the first thing to do is clean the print head, as we discussed earlier in this article. If the color cast continues after you clean the print head a few times, you should buy a new cartridge to replace the one that you suspect is dried out. To avoid such problems in the future, try to print something at least once every week or two. You don’t need to use a lot of ink to do this. You can print a test page from your printer or a very small document. You may even conserve ink by printing in draft mode. The important thing is that every so often, the ink cartridge dispenses some ink so that the ink heads don’t get clogged with dried ink. Besides dried-out ink cartridges, there are a couple of other things that can cause a color cast. First, an improperly calibrated monitor may display colors that are quite different than the colors that print. Calibration is a complicated topic that requires more space than what we have here. Finally, some printer manufacturers have specially formulated inks that do not appear as the correct colors unless they are used with the manufacturer’s proprietary inkjet papers. For example, if you use Canon paper in an Epson printer, some of the colors may look funny. The best option in this case is to buy the paper that the manufacturer recommends.

Problem: There’s a slight difference between how my photos looked on my computer monitor and how they look when I print them. Specifically, it seems as if some colors are darker or lighter than they were on the screen.

Solution: Start by cleaning the print head and calibrating your monitor. Also, though, check your print settings. Make sure that you have selected the right type of paper, the desired print quality, and the correct color settings (if the option is available). If you have not selected the right type of paper in the Print Setup or Print Properties dialog boxes, your printer may deposit the wrong amount of ink on the page. For example, if the Print dialog box indicates that you’ll print on glossy photo paper but you insert standard inkjet paper, your printer will likely print much too heavily for the weight and finish of the standard inkjet paper. Likewise, if the Print Properties dialog box says that you will print on transparency paper, your printer will leave much less ink on the page than it would if it were printing on standard paper. Always make sure that you’ve selected the right type of paper before you begin printing. Paper Problems

Problem: A sheet of paper is stuck in the printer.

Solution: Unfortunately, most of us have had a sheet of paper get stuck in the printer at some time. It can be a very common occurrence. To resolve a paper jam, you usually gently pull the sheet of paper back out of the printer and then reset the printer. However, to avoid damage to your printer, you should consult the users manual to first ensure that you remove the paper jam in a way that is safe for your printer.

Problem: The printer feeds more than one sheet through at a time.

Solution: If your printer pulls more than one sheet of paper through at a time, there are three likely causes. The first is that you’re using a paper type or thickness that your printer doesn’t support. (Check your documentation to determine if the paper is the problem.) The second possible cause is humidity. If your printer is in a humid room, the sheets of paper may become slightly moist and curl or stick together, causing them to feed through the printer improperly. You have a few options to fix this problem. First, you can run an air conditioner or a dehumidifier in the room. This will remove excess moisture from the air. Second, you can move your printer to a room where the air is drier. Third, you can store your paper in a dry location and retrieve paper only when you’re ready to use it. The third cause of a printer grabbing more than one sheet of paper at a time is a malfunction. It’s possible that the rollers that grasp the paper may need an adjustment. If you can find no other logical reason for the misfeeds, you should contact an authorized repair center to do this work for you.

Problem: My printer supports borderless photo printing, but there’s a gap around the edges of the pictures I print.

Solution: First, make sure that you’ve selected the proper paper size, such as Borderless 4x6, in the Page Setup and Print Properties dialog boxes. Then look for your printer’s Expansion setting. The name may be slightly different depending on the make and model of your printer. If you can’t find this setting, consult your users manual. Many printers that support borderless printing let you configure the degree to which your printer should expand your images to make sure that they print all the way to the edges of the paper you’re using. If the current expansion setting is too low, increase the expansion setting a little bit and try again. This should fix the problem.

The motherboard is the large circuit board that every other computer component connects to, and it serves as the sole communications conduit between those devices. When the memory banks need some data from the hard drive, when a video game needs information from the video card, a key is pressed, the mouse is moved, or any other action is performed by any piece of hardware, the motherboard routes the output to the appropriate input. This universal role means that when something goes wrong with the computer, it could be a bad piece of connected hardware, or it could be a malfunctioning motherboard.

Problem: Nothing happens when I press the power button.

Solution: In rare cases, the power button itself breaks, so open the case and inspect the button for damage before trying anything else. If that isn’t the cause, then the motherboard may be fried due to electrical damage, but this problem most often happens after you install a hardware component and accidentally unseat the motherboard’s internal power plug from its socket. The size and shape of this socket (and sometimes there are two separate sockets) varies depending on the type and age of your motherboard, but the documentation that came with your computer should let you know where to look. You are looking for the power supply’s ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) plug, which has either 20 or 24 pins, and the ATX socket, which has an equal number of holes to accommodate the power pins. Some motherboards that have 20-pin ATX sockets also have a 4-pin ATX socket located elsewhere on the board, and both of these must be powered by separate cables for the motherboard to function. All you need to do is make sure the power plugs are fully seated in the sockets and the computer should boot.

Problem: When I press the power button, nothing appears on the monitor and the computer begins to beep.

Solution: Those beeps you hear are diagnostic codes that indicate the motherboard has detected some serious trouble. The beeping patterns and their meanings differ depending on the type of motherboard you have, so you’ll need to refer to the motherboard’s documentation or contact the manufacturer to find out the specifics.

Problem: When I press the power button, the computer seems to boot (the fans run properly, for example) but nothing appears on the monitor.

Solution: video rather than a separate video This indicates a problem with the video card, the monitor, or the motherboard’s integrated video or video expansion card slot. Check the cable between the video output and the monitor, make sure the monitor is turned on and set to the appropriate input, and reboot the computer. If there is still no video, open the case to make sure your add-in video card (if you have one) is seated properly and secured into place. If that’s not the problem, remove the video card according to the instructions it came with, connect the monitor to the motherboard’s integrated video output (if your motherboard has an integrated video output—not all do), making sure to enable the appropriate BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) setting as detailed in the computer’s manual, and see if that works. If your system uses the motherboard’s integrated card, install a video card in the motherboard’s video expansion slot and change the BIOS setting to bypass the integrated video hardware. If none of those options work, you may need to replace your system’s motherboard.

Problem: I just installed a new video card or sound card but the new one isn’t detected.

Solution: Many motherboards have integrated sound and video hardware, and the problem in this scenario is that the motherboard isn’t switching audio or video responsibilities over to the new hardware device. To force your motherboard to relinquish control to the new add-in card, you must disable the integrated audio or video hardware using the motherboard’s BIOS settings. This procedure differs from motherboard to motherboard so you’ll need to consult the computer’s manual.

Problem: I have to install a new hardware component or remove an old one, but the force needed to insert or remove it seems excessive, and I’m afraid I’ll crack the board.

Solution: No component should cause the motherboard to flex when it is inserted or removed, let alone cause enough force to threaten cracking the board. If this problem arises when inserting memory modules, check the edges of the memory slot to make sure any locking clips are completely opened. Most memory module clips are designed to lock into place automatically when the module is fully seated in the slot, but you may need to manually push each clip into its completely locked position. Another common problem when inserting memory modules is that some are designed to be pressed straight down into the slot while others are designed to be inserted at a slight angle and then swung into a vertical position, where they lock into place. Look at the instructions that came with the modules or the documentation that came with the motherboard to see which insertion method your memory slots require. When inserting expansion cards, particularly video cards, look for locking clips that must be opened before the card is inserted or held open as the card is inserted. Most modern motherboards have video card slots with locking mechanisms that must be manually held open when a card is removed, so look for one before accidentally applying excessive force when you remove the card. Never rock an expansion card or memory module back and forth to get it into place or you risk damaging the metal contacts, and never put pressure on the side of the card or the memory module or you’ll risk breaking off the delicate plastic slot. Don’t touch any metal contacts on the motherboard or the hardware, and be extremely careful when screwing or unscrewing expansion cards into place, because if the screwdriver slips it can scratch and ruin the motherboard.

Problem: I just installed a new hardware component that requires a power connection, and now the PC won’t boot or reboots itself at random times.

Solution: Inexpensive computers often come with very basic power supplies that can’t provide enough electricity to accommodate the fastest video cards, multiple hard drives, or other power-hungry components. Unfortunately the total wattage ratings most power supply manufacturers apply to their products overstate the amount of electricity they can consistently output, so even if you add up all of the wattage used by your components and it comes in under the stated output of the power supply, these types of problems can still happen. First you should remove the newly added hardware and see if the computer runs in its original configuration. If it does, you’ll likely need to upgrade to a new power supply or replace the new component with something that uses less wattage. Be sure to check carefully with the manufacturer before ordering a new power supply because some motherboards, like those found in a lot of Dell systems, use proprietary connections that prevent the installation of a third-party power supply.

Problem: I installed more memory but Windows doesn’t recognize it.

Solution: Bad memory modules aren’t very common, but test the computer with a different module if possible to see if the one you originally installed was a dud. The most common cause of this problem is that some motherboards require that memory modules be installed in pairs. Most RIMM memory modules, for example, must be installed in pairs that match exactly in speed and capacity or they won’t work. Newer systems that support dual-channel DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) modules will work when the memory modules are installed singly, but performance is enhanced (sometimes dramatically) if you install matched pairs of RAM modules instead (i.e. you get better performance using two 512MB modules than from using a single 1GB module, even though the overall memory capacity remains the same). Check the manual carefully when installing memory to make sure you place the modules in the correct slots.

Problem: The computer never keeps track of time properly.

Solution: Motherboards have a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) memory area that is used to store the time, date, and essential data the PC used when starting up. The CMOS must be constantly powered to retain data, even when the PC is turned off or unplugged, so it is attached to a small battery. Open the case, find the small silver battery on the motherboard, and remove it carefully. Take it to a battery or electronics store to find an exact replacement, put the new one in, and access the BIOS or CMOS setup screen to make any necessary changes to the BIOS, as those settings are lost when the battery is removed. If you don’t see a silver battery, the motherboard may use a soldered- on battery, in which case you’ll need to have it professionally replaced or purchase a new motherboard.

The function of an audio card, or sound card, is pretty self-defining: It sends an audio signal out of (and may allow one into) your PC. In addition to analog signals, some sound cards send and receive digital audio through coaxial and/or optical jacks. Many sound cards also handle MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), a protocol for controlling and synchronizing electronic music gear and software.

Problem: I’m not getting any sound at all . . . or I’m getting sound from some audio sources, but not others.

Solution 1: A problem this nebulous can stem from one of several causes, so first eliminate the things that would make you slap your forehead if you discovered them after an hour of serious effort. Software settings are a good place to start. Open the System Tray at the end of the Taskbar, click the Volume icon, and make sure the slider isn’t set to zero or the Mute box checked.

Solution 2: For a more thorough look at things, right-click the Volume icon and select Adjust Audio Properties. This opens the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties dialog. Under the Volume tab, click Advanced. Now you’ll see a Volume Control mixer. This includes sliders and mute boxes not only for the master volume, but also for components such as CD audio and the line input for an external device. Make sure these channels aren’t set to silence one or more sources. Also, if necessary, click the Audio tab and make sure that the expected sound card is the device selected under Sound Playback.

Solution 3: Make sure that your audio card’s driver is properly installed. Navigate to Windows’ Device Manager by right-clicking the My Computer icon and selecting Properties. Click the Hardware tab followed by the Device Manager button and open the Sound, Video And Game Controllers list. If you see a question mark or an exclamation point next to your card’s listing, or if you don’t see it listed at all, reinstall the sound card’s driver.

Solution 4: Give your connections a thorough inspection. Make sure all cables are firmly seated in their jacks. And if the cables are exposed, make sure they’re not frayed or damaged pets and small children can be effective gremlins. If you have an audio system that requires its own power, such as a 2.1 speaker system with a subwoofer, make sure it’s plugged in and turned on, with the volume up.

Solution 5: Try plugging the audio card into another PCI slot. It’s possible that the card is fine, but the slot itself, or the bus that serves it, has failed. If you’re using an external sound card, try a different USB or FireWire cable, in case the original has gone bad, as well as plugging the cable into different jacks on each end.

Solution 6: If you would like Windows to provide a guided walkthrough to pinpoint a problem, open Sounds And Audio Devices Properties as described in Solution 2, then click the Hardware tab, select your audio card in the list, and click the Troubleshoot button.

Problem: I’ve performed an operating system upgrade or installed other software, and now my sound card isn’t working the way it used to or doesn’t work with the new program I installed.

Solution: You may have introduced a software incompatibility to what had been a stable setup. First, check your card driver’s version number. Go to Windows’ Device Manager, right-click your sound card’s listing, and, from the pop-up menu, choose Properties, then click the Driver tab. Now visit your audio card manufacturer’s Web site and see if they’ve issued any updated drivers for your card. If they have, download and install the latest driver. Check the release notes to see if they specifically cover what you might have installed to cause the incompatibility.

Problem: My audio has low levels of hiss, static, or crackling.

Solution: Internal sound cards can be sensitive to EMF (electromagnetic field) interference caused by such system components as the power supply and other circuitry. Fortunately, increasing the distance between components by even a small amount can eliminate, or at least minimize, EMF problems. Try isolating your sound card by moving it to another slot, as far from other components as possible. EMF problems can also come from external devices: fluorescent lamps, cell phones, home entertainment gear, and other gadgets. If you’ve recently placed anything of the sort in your computer’s vicinity, unplug or move it and see if that makes a difference in your audio performance. If your PC came with an integrated sound card, and you’ve determined that the problem is internal interference, you’re not going to have a quick fix. An integrated sound card is hardwired in as part of the motherboard, which helps lower the price tag but introduces a greater possibility of EMF interference. If you can’t live with it, you’ll need to install a different card.

Problem: I’ve tried replacing the integrated card with a new, better PCI card, but it seems to operate erratically or not at all.

Solution: Before installing a new audio card, disable the integrated audio card. Begin by deleting its driver. Navigate to Windows’ Device Manager (right click My Computer, select Properties, click the Hardware tab and then the Device Manager button) and expand the Sound, Video And Game Controllers list. Right-click the driver and, from the pop-up menu that appears, click the Uninstall option. Next, disengage the integrated audio card by restarting your PC. As your system reboots, press and hold the proper key to access your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings. This varies according to manufacturer, but the DELETE key is the most common. Once you’re in the BIOS, select the Advanced option (although we have found the audio card under a category labeled Integrated Peripherals). Whichever location you go to, look for an item called Onboard Audio, Audio Device, or something similar. Choose its disable option, then press Escape and select Save And Exit from the main BIOS menu. After your PC boots into Windows, shut it down, install the new sound card, restart the PC, and install the drivers for the new sound card.

Problem: I’ve properly installed a new sound card, but it seems dead, or the sound gets stuck on a small snippet of audio, or the machine manifests some other bizarre hardware behavior.

Solution: This sounds like an IRQ (Interrupt Request) conflict between the card and another hardware device or component. Windows’ IRQ system is its means of handling the continual stream of requests for the processor’s attention. For smooth operation, components need a unique identifying number. If two devices end up with the same number, they’re asking for trouble.

Problem: I’m trying to run an audio signal into or out of a digital jack on my sound card, but I’m getting ugly noise in the signal, or no sound.

Solution: First, let’s address how digital audio differs from analog audio. Digital audio is a data stream with two settings, one of which is crucial to establishing a digital connection. The first setting is the sample rate. This denotes how many times per second an analog audio signal has its picture taken, so to speak, during the conversion process. Music CDs use a sample rate of 44.1kHz—each second consists of 44,100 slices of audio data. The second setting is bit depth. This denotes the resolution for the volume of each sample. The higher the bit depth, the greater the resolution, the smoother the sound, and the greater its dynamic range. Music CDs are 16-bit. For two digital audio devices to communicate successfully—one sending, the other receiving—they need to communicate at the same sample rate. When they are, they’re considered locked. Some digital devices automatically reset to the sample rate they’re receiving; others must be set manually. Where your PC is concerned, you’ll likely set the sample rate in the sound card driver’s control panel or in the software you’re using, such as recording software. Also, some sound cards that offer both coaxial and optical connections permit only one to be active at a time. Check the card’s control panel to ascertain that the connection you want to use is the designated choice. As for bit depth, devices communicating at different rates will still be compatible, but it’s better to send a lower rate signal to a higher rate destination. If, say, a 16-bit signal flows into a 24-bit destination, such as a recording application, you’ll capture the audio in full fidelity. Record a 24-bit signal as a 16-bit file, however, and you’ll be lopping off 8 bits of data, which can degrade audio quality.

Your PC’s hard drive affects nearly everything your computer does. It stores your operating system, your applications, your games, and your personal files. If it “forgets” a few bytes of data, you’ll get errors, hangs, and possibly a loss of any documents or photos you haven’t backed up yet.

Problem: Your computer seems to run slower over time.

Solution: After checking for errors, run Disk Cleanup (in My Computer, right-click C: or another drive letter, then choose Properties and Disk Cleanup) to free up storage space. Make sure there’s at least 1GB of unused space on the drive, or Windows won’t run as fast as it should. After Disk Cleanup, defragment your drive so that it stores data in a more orderly manner. In Windows XP, right-click the drive letter, choose Properties, and click the Tools tab and Defragment Now. The nice thing about third-party programs such as Diskeeper (www.diskeeper.com) or Raxco PerfectDisk (www.raxco.com) is that most can move the apps you use most to areas of the hard drive that take less time to access. This can shave a second or two off the time it takes to launch an app. Watch out, though—on rare occasions, defragging the partition with the currently running OS (operating system) on it, such as the C: drive, can cause problems such as file system errors.

Problem: Your hard drive is suddenly much slower.

Solution: To check an IDE hard drive, launch the Device Manager. Under IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers, right-click Primary IDE Channel (this may be called Parallel ATA Controller on some motherboards, such as those using nForce chipsets). Next, choose Properties and click the Advanced Settings tab (or the Primary Channel or Secondary Channel tabs, if present). Make sure that your hard drive’s Transfer Mode is some variation on Ultra DMA. You may first need to set the Transfer Mode to DMA If Available or uncheck the Let BIOS Select Transfer Mode box, depending on the settings available to you. SATA drives can run slightly slower without certain settings enabled, too. Under IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers in the Device Manager, right-click a SATA Controller entry and choose Properties. In its Advanced Settings, Primary Channel, or Secondary Channel tabs, as applicable, make sure that read and write caching are enabled, as well as Command Queueing.

Problem: Your computer suddenly doesn’t recognize a drive previously in use.

Solution: If you’ve recently worked inside your computer, you might have inadvertently bumped a data cable loose. It’s very easy to nudge a SATA data cable out of place, so check that these are snug. In one isolated case, we once found a drive’s SATA power connector to be unreliable. If your SATA hard drive has both SATA and Molex (4-pin) power connectors, unhook the former and connect the latter. You should never attach both types of power hookups to a drive, however.

Problem: Your computer doesn’t recognize a new hard drive you’ve just added.

Solution: For an IDE drive, verify that you’ve moved its plastic jumper near the power and data ports to the correct pins. Set the drive on the end connector of the data cable to Master (a boot drive may work best as the Master device on the Primary Channel), and any other hard drive or CD/DVD drive on the middle data cable connector to the Slave setting. Don’t use the Cable Select jumper setting unless it’s necessary to solve a drive problem. However, if you’ve just built an external drive out of a spare hard drive and an enclosure kit, the kit manufacturer might recommend Cable Select for best results. You may also need to update your motherboard’s BIOS to the latest version. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Often, installing a SATA or ATA/133 controller card solves a lot of compatibility issues, especially on an older motherboard. After you install the controller card according to its instructions, connect the hard drive’s data cable to the card instead of the motherboard. To get a recent, high-capacity IDE hard drive to work on an older motherboard without a card, try limiting the drive’s capacity to 137GB with a jumper setting, if present. If it works after changing the jumper setting, install a controller card that circumvents the motherboard’s 137GB limitation. For a 3Gbps (gigabits per second). SATA hard drive, you might need to set a jumper on it to change it to 1.5Gbps (150MBps [megabits per second]) mode to get an older controller to recognize it. This will limit the drive’s speed negligibly, if at all, but it may solve a compatibility issue with a 1.5Gbps controller.

Problem: Your PC doesn’t power on or occasionally crashes after you add a hard drive.

Solution: If your power supply unit doesn’t have enough amperage on the 12V and 5V rails to fire up your PC with the addition of a new drive, consider removing less important devices or upgrading your PSU (power supply unit). Flip forward to “Basic Troubleshooting: Power Supplies” on page 93 in this issue for some tips.

Problem: After a hard drive is disconnected from and then reconnected to your PC, the computer won’t load the OS and reports that there’s no boot device.

Solution: When some BIOSes detect that a hard drive is removed, they automatically change the devices in the boot priority list. However, most of these BIOSes don’t reverse the changes when the missing device is reattached. During your PC’s POST (power on self test) when you first turn it on, press DELETE or the indicated key to enter your BIOS setup. Find the boot priority device list, adjust it, and save your changes when you exit. If you have multiple hard drives, you may need to choose which drive is the boot device in a separate setting.

Problem: A drive is noisy.

Solution: If it’s a new noise, especially a loud or unusual one, the hard drive could be failing. Make sure it’s not just a fan or an imbalanced disc in your DVD drive that’s whining or howling. If your hard drive is only noisy during periods of heavy seek activity, check to see whether the manufacturer offers a download that can change your drive from its performance mode to a quieter mode with acoustically optimized seeks. The drive will act slightly slower after the change, but it shouldn’t be as loud. Certain drives such as the Maxtor D740X with standard bearings are audible even when idle. Most current drives use fluid dynamic bearings, which help eliminate the whine that older drives can emit. You can replace the drive with a quieter model, such as a Seagate drive. Look for a maximum dB (decibel) rating in the 28dB or lower range for near silent operation.

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