A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

Other than lugging my notebook computer to BCIT, I don't use it much. It's an old Gateway that I really wish would break. Sometimes when I turn it on, the pixels on the whole lower third of the screen appear dim. Unfortunately, after a few moments it always seems to come back to life. I'm no longer careful when carrying it; I drop it on the table in hopes of hastening its demise. The damned thing continues to function. When I got it, the 14.1 screen seemed smaller than those with that additional diagonal inch or two. Yet. after repeated trips abroad, I've discovered it is far too big and heavy.

I first read about Asus Eee online. At the end of October last year, I blogged about the apparent new class of computer. I would dearly love something with less than a 10" screen. As the Eee has proved so popular in many circles, many other manufacturers are finally jumping on the parade. I can't believe the industry couldn't figure there is a huge market for mini-notes. One student had one in class today, and, of course, everybody wanted to see it, touch it, and ask questions about it.

A mini-note wouldn't be a replacement for one's main PC. I still like a big plastic box in my house with a zillion wires. I can see how a big, fully-loaded laptop could be many people's main computer though. That's not the point nor function of these sleek little babies. They are just for basic computing and Internet access on the go. They are something one wouldn't regret carrying when popping down to Starbucks. Cell phones and Blackberries are too small, but as any techno-Goldilocks knows, a mini-note would be jusssssssst right!

Rather than an Eee, I sort of have my eye on the HP 2133. Or perhaps I can wait to see what Dell throws into this increasing crowded ring.

Labels: computers, Hardware, mini-note, Q3_2008

I needed new printer ink again. It more likely dried up than was used up. I don't do a great deal of printing. I am not sure how long I had my old HP Deskjet 932C. I recall comparing it to a model we had at work. That may have been in our original office, so it well could have been the late 1990's. Although the inkjet had been around for years, I seldom used it. I had printed lots of DVD labels; however, most of my printing used to be for work. Rather than burning through my own ink cartridges, I used to wait to print at the office.

When I recently noticed I needed more ink, I was considering how stupid it is to pay over $50 the colour and black ink. I would occasionally refill the cartridges as that's better for both the pocket and the environment. Although I didn't print much, it still seemed like I would run-out several times per year.

Today, I saw the little Brother laser in the weekly sale newsletter from my computer store. The Brother HL-2140 seemed perfect. First, being a laser printer meant lower costs per page. Colour was more annoying than useful. The only time I noticed having the ability to print colour was when printing out an info. page from the Internet. Also, this Brother was the exact shape I wanted. It holds 250 sheets inside but would fit on the bottow shelf of my computer desk. Finally, it was selling only $66.

While researching the product and reading reviews, I noted that it was only $3 more at the New Westminster Best Buy. I went right at the 10:00 opening time, and brought one back. Who knows, now that printing is cheap and convenient perhaps I'll do more!

Labels: computers, Hardware, Q2_2008

I can hardly believe that I've spent from sunrise til sunset playing with computer equipment. The day just dashed by. I can almost see why some regular people hate fiddling with a PC. I feel, however, that it was a rather delightful thing to do on a horribly rainy day. Additionally, the reason I bought the new equipment is that I'm not working this week. See, I'm smart and knew it'd take an effort to move over all my life from my previous living room desktop.

I ordered the new box on Friday and picked it up yesterday. Were it not for a rather serious problem, I'd have been up and running much sooner. I wasted a lot of time yesterday. I should restate the problem here, so that Googlebots will catch some of the text and prevent someone else from going half crazy.

I got an Asus P5K motherboard. I also got a fresh copy of Vista loaded onto the computer's new drive. I got through the 35 important updates from Microsoft Update and got many other peripherals sorted out. When I re-ran Update it showed a new driver for the on board LAN card among others. I let it rip. Then, Vista would not load. It snagged on the opening screen with the little 'loading line' indicating indicating no progress. I deftly went to the ASUS site and downloaded the newest drivers from the Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Controller. I tried and tried by couldn't get the driver loaded without it seemingly hanging the system again. I was at my wit's end and about ready to run to purchase a network adapter card that would fit in a free slot. At last, I decided to check on the Internet.

It seems the driver on Windows Update somehow messed things up. Rebooting the machine didn't clear the board enough to allow for the installation of the correct drivers.

You know what the fix included? I simply had to unplug the computer from the outlet for 30 seconds! I've been playing with Intel PC's since the mid-80's and this is isn't the first time that completely turning off the computer has fixed things, I guess. Damn.

I'm running fine now with a four core processors humming on the Q6600 chip! Time to use some 64-bit applications ...

Labels: complaints, Hardware, Q4_2007, software

I wrestled with some new computer equipment this afternoon. Wouldn't you know, I'm writing this on the old setup ... so there won't be much here today. If I can get a suitable Vista driver for the on-board, Asus P5K network adapter, I'll be a little closer to writing blog entries with the new black box with an Intel Quad Core. That will be no sooner than tomorrow. I'll be rebooting in my sleep tonight, I bet.

Labels: complaints, Hardware, Q4_2007

I'm considering doing it again and it certainly doesn't seem like it has been four years since the last time.

What about this addiction I have? The computer I'm typing this entry on is capable of everything I require of it. Perhaps Windows Vista itself is making me feel inadequate.



Or perhaps it's just that I like spending money on equipment that soon fades into obsolescence. I don't dare add up the tab since my first IBM compatible over twenty years ago. I have constantly maintained that someday I was going to start from scratch but always seem to dribble money away on never-ending upgrades.

When I bought my current internal 300GB harddrive, I was doing so with the intention of it lasting through the next motherboard swap. Yet, disks are so cheap nowadays that I should go with a new one. I will need new DDR2 RAM for a new motherboard. My graphics card is AGP which is old technology. The current power supply is new but I might even buy a new case rather than just replacing the innards as I've done for at least a decade. Consequently, my old beige (read: yellowing) DVD writers will need to be replaced with the now nearly universal black.

Let's see what this leaves me. Items not needing replacement include:

DD/DTS Audio Card
Monitor
Video Capture Card
Keyboard / Mouse
External Hard Disk

It that all that is salvageable?

Labels: computers, Hardware, money, Q4_2007

Over the course of our Eurotrip 2007, blog entries may be published sporadically. During long breaks, I continue to write daily on my laptop. However, I'll only be able to post when at a convenient (read: free) net connection point. Even though we'll be in Central Europe, I expect easier wi-fi than during some previous trips.

Secondly, my home PC generally runs 24/7, but when we go away for more than several weeks, I turn it off. Microsoft Upgrade Tuesday seemingly always forces a soft reboot in the middle of the break anyway. But more than that, I feel as though the equipment enjoys a break too.

The shutdown has several effects on my blogged materials. For example, my fish cam will not be operating. In the beginning years of this blog, I linked to a number of Windows Media files that run on my living room machine, and therefore will not be available. Lastly, Psiphon access will cease too.

Feel free to email while we're away. Remember, each blog post also now boasts a COMMENT feature in its footer. Why not give that a try?

Labels: blogging, Eurotrip 2007, Hardware, Q3_2007

I have a few acquaintances who send me junk email. You must have someone similar in your life. They send out things, usually news or jokes. I sometimes get the dreaded, supposedly-enlightening pop pyschology snippets which make me want to puke. I usually forward messages like these directly to the electonic bin. I'd say this annoying trait for sending unwanted rubbish tends to be somewhat of a woman's thing.

On the other hand, on occasion, I do receive things I actually enjoy. I have a former Arab student who sometimes sends interesting tidbits. The messages generally contain pictures and maybe I'm a visual learner. For today, I cut four of a set of five photos down in size and stitched them into a single image.

Although computer equipment isn't especially recognized for being environmentally friendly ...



... with a little help things can go green!

Labels: flora and fauna, Hardware, Q3_2007

On a day that I should be celebrating the fine weather that has blown in, I spent much too much time at my PC. At the moment, there's an extra keyboard I borrowed from work which is plugged into my PC.

It all started quite early in the morning when I was going to start converting useful mpeg clips for use at BCIT. I wanted to reduce them to a manageable size for use on the net storage drives on the institute's servers.

First, I noticed that my DVD recorder drives weren't showing up under COMPUTER on Vista. Eventually, I decided this was because I had recently removed old Adeptec software from my computer. Originally, this was used for DVD or CD recordings years ago, but I had kept a part of those programs installed so that I could continue to use the labeling software only. After installing Win Vista Business I received a device driver error due to the ancient software that was affecting my DVD drives. I installed it.

Since I uninstalled the software, I hadn't notice that my drives were no longer functioning. So thankfully, when I noticed this morning, www.technet.com pointed out CODE 19 as a known problem. So, I tried editing the registry to remove the offending lines. Unfortunately, when trying to reboot, my PC wouldn't start.

The new-fangled Vista solution asked me to put my installation disk in my drives. Even after playing with the BIOS, I could not get the original Vista disk to boot. The only remaining option involved making a selection to install to a previously known working point.

It took me a long time to realize that because I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that I could not make a selection on the screen. Those devices only become available after Windows loads. That is the reason that I found it necessary to 'borrow' a work keyboard.

Whatever the consequences, I'm writing this on the home PC, so that says something about my ability to troubleshoot a computer problem ...

Labels: Hardware, Q2_2007, Windows

I may switch to evening posts. I suppose it'd be better not to make any promises other than there'll always be something here before midnight. If the last few years are any indication, that's a promise I can keep.

Today, I had a new batch of students for a COMM 0004 course. Yet, I spent most of the morning installing things on my notebook. A few weeks ago I discovered that this Gateway 3522GW cannot handle Windows Vista due to an incompatible BIOS. I had the notebook with me in New Hampshire and realized I need it most for email and net access when travelling. So, I can continue to use Windows XP until I'm ready for a new device.

I had half installed Vista though. It left lots of junk on my hard disk. It also required quick action upon boot-up to force it to load XP rather than trying to complete the installation of the new operating system. I decided to format the hard drive and load up a copy of XP Pro that I had.

Starting from scratch takes a great deal of work. For example, the wireless connection didn't load from the Windows disc. I had to search at the Gateway site to find the file. Then of course it and others needed to be copied from my other computer via a writable CD. When I did get access to the Internet, there were more than 70 updates from Microsoft. Loading up the necessary MS Office programs took a while too. I also needed to get McAfee up and running. There a dozens of small tweaks still required!

All that rigmarole and my afternoon class is why I'm typing something here now (on the notebook by the way). What a long winded excuse, I guess.

Labels: Hardware, Q1_2007, Windows

Help is probably not on the other side of the globe either. Gateway customer support really sucks. I wonder whether they have actually provided any useful support to anyone. I know these centers are probably offshore. Still, I don't think they're any kind of bargain.

Humans just cut and paste 'customer service scripts'. A computerized system would be more cost effective and ultimately superior. Just for my own sanity I've cut and pasted a bit too. Here are a few days of mind-numbing email:

---

Final Message Follows:
-------------------------

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?param=vista+bios&st=kw

I will keep my eye on the page above. I am not looking for 'drivers'. My
Gateway requires a BIOS replacement to run Vista.

I have given up hope that you or your colleagues will be of any assistance at all.

==Dennis

---

Hello Dennis,

Thank you for your reply. If you prefer, you may search online for
updated drivers, as Gateway currently does not have them available.

Please be advised that all information obtained from the Internet is to
be *** used at your own risk ***. This will include all information
obtained from the Internet, such as, files you may download, information
about how to resolve an issue or just visiting a link that you were
referred to. This will include any links or downloads that Gateway may
refer you to as a possible resolution to an issue or just as a source of
information. This also includes any references to searching the
Internet for any type of information.

I apologize for any inconveniences that this may caused you.

Please reply to this message if you require further assistance with this
issue. If your reply is received while I am out of the office, to
ensure a speedy resolution, your issue will be handled by one of my
colleagues.

Sincerely,

Justice
Badge GWEL8252

Even if you use your computer for the simplest of tasks, adding memory
to your computer is the most efficient and quickest ways to boost your
performance. For upgrade options please consult an upgrade sales
representative at:

https://support.gateway.com/Support/copilot/en/us/chat_us_gw_upgrade.asp?id=6209


Information provided pursuant to eMachine's Terms of Sale and Limited
Warranty Agreement. All brands and names are trademarks of their
respective companies.

---

Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?param=vista&st=kw

Your answer does not fit the scope of what is occuring on the Gateway
site. Your 'customer scripts' are worthless in helping me. I know
that support is farmed out to help centers. Yet, your assistance has
not been worth the price paid by Gateway.

If you are unsure of the situtation at present, please 'come clean'
and admit that you are not able to get hold of the required
information at present. An answer like that would help me respect
you, rather than having the feeling I do at present.

==Dennis

---

On 2/3/07, Email Tech wrote:
> Hello Dennis,
>
> Thank you for your e-mail. Please be guided that Gateway does not
> support the changing of Operating System because changing the system to
> a different configuration may cause a great deal of conflicts between
> devices and software on the system.
>
> You have the option of installing the Windows Vista on your system;
> however, we cannot guarantee its compatibility with the pre-installed
> Operating System. In addition, any changes or upgrades to the original
> configuration of the system are done so at the sole risk of you the end
> user. Any support for added 3rd party software will need to come from
> the manufacturer of that product. You may also consider contacting the
> motherboard manufacturer for an updated BIOS that can support Vista.
>
> In relation to this, it is usually better to compare your system
> specifications with the recommended system specifications rather than
> the minimum system specifications for best results of software. This
> way you will be sure to get the best performance out of the new software
> package.
>
> Here are your system's specifications:
>
> Chassis Magic
> Motherboard Arima MagicUMA
> Notebook Battery Arima Magic W32044L Li-ion
> CPU Intel Pentium M 725 1.6GHz (Centrino)
> Memory 512MB (1x512MB) DDR PC2700 SO-DIMM
> Power Supply (unknown)
> External Power Source Li Shin International Enterprise Corp. 0225C1965
> Video Intel Extreme Graphics 2 Integrated NB
> Audio ADI AC'97 2001
> Hard Drive (Various) Notebook 60 GB
> Primary Optical Drive [DVD-R/RW] (Notebook) 8x DVD+/-R/RW
> Sec. Optical Drive
> Floppy Drive No Floppy Drive
> * Special Drive #1 (Various) 4-in-1 Media Reader
> Modem Conexant v.92 (Notebook)
> Network Interface Broadcom 440x (10/100 Ethernet)
> Additional Network Interface Intel 2200BG 802.11g
> USB Ports (FRONT/SIDE) 3
> USB Ports (REAR) 0
> Firewire Ports (FRONT/SIDE) 1
> Firewire Ports (REAR) 0
> Mini-PCI Slots 1
> Mini-PCI Version
> PCMCIA Slots 1
> PCMCIA Version Type I, II Cardbus
> Mouse (Notebook) Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad
> Keyboard (Integrated) Arima Magic Series Notebook
> Speakers Integrated
> Restore CD 3520GZ (SoftThinks-Medialess)
> Packaging Type Notebook
> Monitor Included GZ Notebooks Magic Ultrabright WXGA Widescreen
>
>
> Please be advised that we do not support a change in the original
> configuration of the system. In this regard, we are unable to provide
> drivers for a different Operating System.
>
> In addition, the drivers included in the Restore CDs are configured to
> work with the Operating System that came preloaded with your computer.
>
> If you wish, you may search online for drivers or BIOS for the devices
> preinstalled in your computer. Please note that we have not tested
> drivers other than the ones provided and we cannot guarantee its
> compatibility with the preinstalled components in your system.
>
> Consulting the manufacturer of the Operating System or the manufacturer
> of the motherboard is a good idea. They could provide additional
> information regarding your issue and assistance in installing or
> configuring it to operate properly. Gateway technical support is here
> to help troubleshoot hardware technical issues and to determine if the
> original software is faulty or corrupted. However, we do not have the
> information available to work with third party software compatibility
> issues. We can only support the original software that were preloaded
> on the system.
>
> You may also wish to do a search online to research any questions or
> issues concerning third party software. Please be advised that all
> information obtained from the Internet is to be *** used at your own
> risk ***. This will include all information obtained from the Internet,
> such as, files you may download, information about how to resolve an
> issue or just visiting a link that you were referred to. This will
> include any links or downloads that eMachines may refer you to as a
> possible resolution to an issue or just as a source of information.
> This also includes any references to searching the Internet for any type
> of information.
>
> If you prefer, we have some telephone support options available for
> issues that are not covered under the original warranty. You may
> consider contacting Answers by Gateway for a fee-based type of support
> over the phone.
>
> https://support.gateway.com/Support/copilot/en/us/chat_us_gw_upgrade.asp??id=400026
>
> Simply click the link above to contact a Gateway Consultant. If you are
> unable to click the link follow these steps to copy and paste the link.
>
> 1. Highlight the entire link starting with http:
>
> 2. Right click on the highlighted text
>
> 3. Select copy from the menu
>
> 4. Right click on the location field in your browser
>
> 5. Select Paste from the menu
>
> 6. Press Enter
>
> Consultants are available everyday between 5:00 a.m. CST and 2:00 a.m.
> CST.
>
> I hope that the information provided in this email has addressed your
> concerns adequately.
>
> I have documented this correspondence under Case Number 202795163 to
> keep a record of your contact with us. You may use this for future
> reference with this issue.
>
> Please reply to this message if you require further assistance with this
> issue. If your reply is received while I am out of the office, to
> ensure a speedy resolution, your issue will be handled by one of my
> colleagues.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Otto
> Badge GWEL5119
>
> Even if you use your computer for the simplest of tasks, adding memory
> to your computer is the most efficient and quickest ways to boost your
> performance. For upgrade options please consult an upgrade sales
> representative at:
>
> https://support.gateway.com/Support/copilot/en/us/chat_us_gw_upgrade.asp?id=6209
>
>
> Information provided pursuant to eMachine's Terms of Sale and Limited
> Warranty Agreement. All brands and names are trademarks of their
> respective companies.

---

Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

Your 'support' has been a total waste of my time. First, you did not
know that many Gateway notebooks will not run Win Vista without a BIOS
update. Then, you recommended the incorrect file. The untility says
it will not work with my computer and prevented the flashing.

I know a lot about computers, but so far your help has been nil.

I am awaiting the information, if you can correctly identify which
files will work or whether at present I have to wait until more of
them are released on the Gateway site.

==Dennis

---

On 2/2/07, Email Tech wrote:
> ********************************************************************
> Hello Dennis,
>
> I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. You may use the
> updated BIOS update dated 2/2/2007. You can download the 7709.exe -
> Gateway BIOS version: 77.09 in the link below:
>
> http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=21038&dscr=Gateway%20BIOS%20version:%2077.09&uid=149382567
>
> I appreciate the time you took in writing us and I hope the
> information provided in this email helps you with your concern.
> Please reply to this message if you require further assistance with
> this issue. If your reply is received while I am out of the office, to
> ensure a speedy resolution, your issue will be handled by one of my
> colleagues.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Justice
> Badge GWEL8252
>
> Even if you use your computer for the simplest of tasks, adding
> memory to your computer is the most efficient and quickest ways to boost
> your performance. For upgrade options please consult an upgrade sales
> representative at:
>
> https://support.gateway.com/Support/copilot/en/us/chat_us_gw_upgrade.asp?id=6209
>
> Information provided pursuant to eMachine's Terms of Sale and
> Limited Warranty Agreement. All brands and names are trademarks of their
> respective companies.

---

Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?param=vista&st=kw

Please look at the following before you blindly state such obvious
errors.

==Dennis

---

> > >On 2/2/07, Email Tech wrote:
> > > **********************************************************************
> > > Hello Dennis,
> > >
> > > Thank you for your reply. Please note that BIOS updates are not posted
> > > on the website until they have been through rigorous testing to ensure
> > > the update is compatible and will not cause any instability with the
> > > system. Once an update has been through the testing to ensure it is
> > > compatible and stable the driver will be posted on the Gateway website.
> > >
> > > If you prefer, you may search online for updated drivers, as Gateway
> > > currently does not have them available.
> > >
> > > Please be advised that all information obtained from the Internet is to
> > > be *** used at your own risk ***. This will include all information
> > > obtained from the Internet, such as, files you may download, information
> > > about how to resolve an issue or just visiting a link that you were
> > > referred to. This will include any links or downloads that Gateway may
> > > refer you to as a possible resolution to an issue or just as a source of
> > > information. This also includes any references to searching the
> > > Internet for any type of information.
> > >
> > > I hope this information has enlightened you and we appreciate your
> > > concern very much.
> > >
> > > I have documented this correspondence in Case Number 202795163 in our
> > > contact tracking database. Please use this number in the future if you
> > > need to contact us again regarding this issue.
> > >
> > > Please reply to this message if you require further assistance with this
> > > issue. If your reply is received while I am out of the office, to
> > > ensure a speedy resolution, your issue will be handled by one of my
> > > colleagues.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > >
> > > Justice
> > > Badge GWEL8252
> > >
> > > Even if you use your computer for the simplest of tasks, adding memory
> > > to your computer is the most efficient and quickest ways to boost your
> > > performance. For upgrade options please consult an upgrade sales
> > > representative at:
> > >
> > > Information provided pursuant to eMachine's Terms of Sale and Limited
> > > Warranty Agreement. All brands and names are trademarks of their
> > > respective companies.

---

Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

I have noticed a great number of recent BIOS available on your
Gateway site due to many notebooks not being able to run Vista.
Unfortunately as of this minute, there is still not one listed
for my particular model.

Please do a little homework. I can send you the particulars of
the warning that I receive, should you be interested.

Your responses will determine whether I continue being a Gateway
customer with my next purchases.

==Dennis

---

> > > On 2/2/07, Email Tech wrote:
> > > >
> >
**********************************************************************
> Hello Dennis,
>
> Thank you for your e-mail. Regarding your issues in upgrading the BIOS
> of your Gateway 3522GZ notebook to support Windows Vista, in most cases
> the only reason to get a BIOS upgrade is to add support for a new form
> of hardware you are adding to your system that is not supported by your
> current BIOS. Some examples would be a CPU or a larger hard
> drive.
>
> Most Operating Systems do not use the BIOS once the Operating System is
> up and running. You should not upgrade the BIOS in an attempt to fix a
> software bug unless the motherboard manufacturer has identified the BIOS
> as the cause of the problem.
>
> There are currently no recommended BIOS changes or updates listed for
> your computer. Changing the default settings in BIOS could cause the
> computer to become unbootable and it is not recommended.
>
> eMachines does not have or support any changes for the BIOS.
>
>
> To allow Gateway to ensure customer satisfaction, BIOS updates are not
> posted on the website until they have been through rigorous testing to
> ensure the update is compatible and will not cause any instability with
> the system. The original BIOS are stable and Gateway can guarantee that
> it will work on the system it is sent with. Once an update has been
> through the testing to ensure it is needed, compatible and stable, the
> update will be posted on the website. Until an update is needed and
> available, eMachines will continue to support the original BIOS.
>
> Please be advised that if you choose to update your BIOS with an update
> not posted on the eMachines website, the original BIOS flash for your
> system will not be available from eMachines.
>
>
> To ensure that your system supports Windows Vista, you need to run the
> Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. To download this, you need to visit the
> link below:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=42B5AC83-C24F-4863-A389-3FFC194924F8&displaylang=en
>
> The Internet address above will open a Web Site not controlled by
> Gateway. Since we are not responsible for maintaining the information
> there, please use it only at your own discretion after reviewing it
> carefully to be sure it is appropriate for your situation.
>
> I hope that this response has adequately addressed all your concerns.
>
> I have documented this correspondence in Case Number 202795163 in our
> contact tracking database. Please use this number in the future if you
> need to contact us again regarding this issue.
>
> Please reply to this message if you require further assistance with this
> issue. If your reply is received while I am out of the office, to
> ensure a speedy resolution, your issue will be handled by one of
> my colleagues.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Justice
> Badge GWEL8252
>
>
> Information provided pursuant to eMachine's Terms of Sale and Limited
> Warranty Agreement. All brands and names are trademarks of their
> respective companies.


Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

Technical Customer Service Questions
Subject: Gateway Technical Support Questions AA3
System Category: Notebooks
Serial Number: N625511010252
Model Number:
Order Number:
Purchase Location: Best Buy
Purchase Month: June
Purchase Day: 15
Purchase Year: 2005
Phone Extension:
Phone: 604-524-6197x
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: Hurd
Address1: #1001 420 Carnarvon St
Address2:
City: New Westminster
State: BC
Zip: V3L5P
Zip+4:
Country: Canada
Company Name:
Junk Mail: on
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Basic
Issue Description One: The 7910.exe does not seem to upgrade my BIOS.
I cannot load Vista Home Premium. Can I expect an upgrade will be
provided soon?

---

Labels: Hardware, Q1_2007

Good morning. I'm a little angry at the moment, although I was quite proud of myself just a few minutes ago.

Here's why I'm angry:

I want to print out a document but cannot. Even though it is simply black and white text, my HP DeskJet won't print it as my colour cartridge has run out. I seldom print anything so I figure the ink has more likely dried up than been used up. Additionally, I'm annoyed because the price for the 3-colour ink is about half the price of a whole new printer.

Here's why I was proud:

Although I don't have to get the midterm examination ready until the end of next week, I've already crafted it. For a few semesters I followed the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." This time I was ready to re-create the examination. It's good to go back and review previously-administered exams. I was able to copy and paste old questions into today's new copy. So, not only have I prepared well in advance, I've created a fine new version.

Labels: Hardware, Q1_2007

I really did wear out my PC. The other day, my desktop computer stopped working due to a malfunctioning motherboard. I knew by the way it was acting, and the fact I put in a new power supply, that there was something seriously the matter.

On Thursday, I carried the box down to the truck which is no small feat in itself. After, I drove up Kingsway to my computer store in Burnaby near Metrotown.

That business takes on interested high school students doing their required business training project. This means there are always lots of young, techie guys hanging about. Had there been personal computers in the 1970's, I would've been in a similar place. The real technician, had my computer in and out in a bit more than an hour. Thankfully, he wasn't doing much and was able to devote complete attention in taking out my ASUS P4P and putting in a new cheap motherboard.

I could go one of two ways:

Get things back running as quickly and cheaply as possible, or

Upgrade to the point of nearly building a new computer.

I chose the former this time around. I always buy in to computer technology at a fairly advanced level in order to maximize the years I can get out of a PC. I was really not prepared to jump up to state-of-the art again. It makes more sense to wait for autumn when all the new technology is being pushed for the back-to-school season.



A major problem was the innards of my box were new back when this blog was. I have DDR1 RAM rather than DDR2. I bought an AGP video card recently so I'll have a video card that can run the new interface on Windows Visa. My CPU was only a 2.4 non-duel core So, for around $100 bucks I had a new cheap motherboard installed. It isn't even as good as the old ASUS. It can only hold two sticks of memory, so I had to throw away 512 megabytes of RAM. It only has three IDE slots, so I had to make a decision about what card not to install. It cannot be overclocked in the BIOS setup so my old Intel chip runs at the stated 2.4 rather than its previous 2.8 Mhz.

When Windows woke up inside the new configuration, it made me authenticate it again. I have to admit, it was fantastic to simply get access to my life again. It is a clear lesson to me that it's really what's on the hard drive that makes the computer.

Labels: computers, Hardware, Q1_2007

My desktop PC is not working. Yesterday, I shook the mouse in anticipation of waking up the monitor. Nothing happened. I noted the drive light was on. The machine wouldn't switch off. I uplugged it and it remained the same.

I had power supply trouble in the past because of buying cheap, Chinese ones. As there was no monitor output, I thought that although the main power was working to the motherboard maybe something was up there.

I went to my computer shop, brought back a power supply, and put it in. Still nothing.

At least I can check my mail on the notebook. Combined with the other events at present, all's so out whack that I could either scream or cry.

Labels: computers, Hardware, Q1_2007

I bought my current LCD monitor at a Boxing Day sale in 2002. My Samsung 151V has been a solid little performer over these years. There's absolutely no problem with it but I am ready to pick up a replacement today. I ordered a new Samsung 931C online and I will drive to Burnaby to get it.

I am looking forward to four more diagonal inches of screen area and a direct digital connection. I did, however, resist the current infatuation with PC wide screens. I suppose it'd make sense to try that if one watched lots of movies on the computer. My Toshiba 42-inch television is less than a meter from my computer desk and is true 16x9 format. So, I think it makes more sense to have a Windows desktop that's closer to square.

Labels: Hardware, Q4_2006

I'm writing this on the Gateway notebook right now.

I really only make use of it when I'm away on a break or on occasion in the classroom. First, I love being able to flip open the screen and find WiFi when out of town. Also, the Gateway does work well when plugged into one of BCIT's many portable projectors. The images on the screen look so much brighter than ordinary, plastic transparencies. Unfortunately, I do not have enough material to justify rolling one of the devices from the A/V closet to the classroom. However, many students feel comfortable doing oral presentations with PowerPoint. During presentation days I need to have this notebook available. I also always take it to school on final examination day. I am able to work on an Excel grade spreadsheet as the test is being written.

Because I don't use my notebook daily, I always have a lot of updating to do whenever I turn it on. It seems that the monthly Microsoft Update Tuesday comes quite frequently. McAfee always grabs a lion's share of my wireless connection upon waking up. There's always something or another than needs to be updated. As well, there are times like yesterday, when I chose to do some updating. I installed Internet Explorer 7 Beta 3 and Messenger Live. That sort of thing plus the subsequent drive defragmentation means that I end up doing more PC housekeeping than useful work.

It's perfectly okay; I actually enjoy maintenance chores. People like me would never be happy with devices which run the Mac OS. They are designed for the poor bloke who probably has no idea where the hood latch is on his vehicle and who probably pays someone else to paint his bathroom.

Labels: Hardware, maintenance, opinions, Q3_2006

The goldfish cost a mere tuppence to own. They require a little time and effort. In addition, their water must be frequently changed. Lastly, if real fish aren't fed, they get bothered, then ill, and would eventually die.

On the other hand, the fish on the monitor doesn't cost a penny to maintain. It requires a little time and effort as well. Yet, its water never has to be changed. If a virtual fish isn't fed, it also gets bothered, then ill, and would eventually die.

Do you want to own a free computer MOPyFish? You won't even have to get out of your chair.

Labels: Hardware, Q2_2006

It was a long time in coming but I can finally plug my computer into my home theatre system and hear more than two channels.

It's now possible and simple. I bought an Onkyo HTS over three years ago and it's made all the difference in the world when watching DVD movies! I wanted to be similarly impressed by my PC. I first got a Creative 5.1 card and later a Hercules Fortissimo 7.1 in hopes of hearing stuff out of five speakers. Those companies' products offered only false promises and awful drivers. At last, today, I plugged in a new HDA Xplosion 7.1 DTS Connect. It outputs either a continuous Dolby Digital or DTS stream though an optical connector.

Whether my mp3 files will actually sound better than stereo enhanced by the receiver's Pro Logic II remains to be seen (or heard). Still, just the test function of the noisy helicopter circling inside my living room nearly brought tears to my eyes.

I may have spent a lot on my computer in the last few months. Yet as the television ad for a hair colour says, "I'm worth it."

Labels: Hardware, music, Q2_2006

Okay, I'm experienced which is a politically correct way of saying 'old'. I remember putting a:>time and a:>date in my computer's DOS 2.1 autoexe.bat file. I guess that meant the PC XT-clone didn't even have a back up CMOS battery.

For years however, I've depended on a little watch-like battery helping to keep the time as well as BIOS configuration settings. Actually, for quite a few years my computer has run continuously around the clock.

Why my computer has suddenly stopped keeping the correct time is beyond me. I first assumed it was the battery, so I replaced it with a new $5 Eveready. Hum, that didn't work.

I then looked on the Internet. What about run cmd and the w32tm /register function?

Labels: Hardware, Q2_2006

Yesterday, I was simultaneously working on the PC and my notebook. That is the only true way of multi-tasking! I was in the middle of creating another DVD for use at BCIT. It contains 14 four-to-seven-minute stories from the Daily Planet. The science and technology segments are fast-paced and the variety of the topics is wonderfully broad. I cannot think of a more appropriate format for use in a pre-technical communications course. I'm doubly thankful the folks at the Discovery Channel have made the show copyright free for use by educators.

While my main computer was labouring to convert the mpgs, I checked yesterday's paycheck information online. I no longer receive paper pay slips as things are continuing to head paperless at BCIT. That's okay, as it is easier to copy from that screen directly into MS Money.

Then, after seeing how large my bank account had grown, I opened up the website of my usual computer store. Their Easter Sale was on. Generally, I gravitate towards a few specific areas of interest. Yesterday, however, I couldn't get past a Seagate special offer.

Playing with video files takes space and I'd been thinking about installing a new hard drive. I had intended to wait for Windows Vista so I could start from scratch. I don't want to just add a drive, I wish to replace my C: drive. With Monday off, I guess I can devote an entire day to getting up to speed on the new 300 gigabytes. I haven't done a fresh install for years and years.

If you don't hear from me here next week, you'll now know why.

Labels: computers, Hardware, Q2_2006

I accidentally clicked a link under my favourites list in MS Explorer. I do like how the new beta deals with favourites, but that's an entry for another day. My favourite computer store popped up on the screen. I've already mentioned that when Windows Vista comes out this year, I plan to buy a new hard drive to install it on. I had bookmarked the page with drives. How amazing! Nowadays a 300 gigabyte component goes for $150 Canadian.

I won't go into details to prove I've been computing since DOS. I have already mentioned that my first IBM-compatible came with two 360K floppies and no fixed disk. My first Seagate cost a fortune and could hold 20 megabytes.

We certainly do have the ability to save lots now. There's not much reason to be organized. It's easier to save the junk along with documents. When was the last time I wrote to a floppy drive? Email attachments beat a sneaker-net in the 1990's. Hell, most every photo out of my digital camera is too big to fit on a 1.4 meg. floppy disk.

(This photo was taken with a borrowed digital camera in December of 1999. It was a Kodak which saved on standard floppy disks. The original image was 480 x 640 pixels and about 60k.)

Labels: computers, digital camera, hard disk, Hardware, Q1_2006

This Windows Media Video clip should've been added here earlier in the week but I had to re-attach the wires to my computer. It was a fairly simple process. I long for the day when I'll say, "Computer. Capture that one-minute, CTV clip of the apartment fire in our building and add it as an entry in my blog." Someday.

Labels: Hardware, New Westminster, Q4_2005, YouTube

It's not been a good computer day.

First, my web site was down for about twenty hours. Next, I had trouble getting the new Office 2003 upgrade to install from Windows Update. It seems as though I only needed to insert the original CD in the drive from which Office was installed. Thirdly, Flickr is acting up with a delay before I can edit the title and description. Lastly, I'm struggling to put Pinnacle Studio 9 on my notebook. It seems to frequently crash on my regular PC. I can't wait until Windows Vista is released as I'm going to buy a 250 meg hard disk and start completely fresh!

In the afternoon, I have a dental appointment in which to look forward. That's not too exciting but our local drugstore did close its former premises and moved to a grander new space uptown. I can visit there after the dentist. Wait, even that's not really good news. I used to be able to walk to London Drugs in the former location. Now it'd be quite a hike up the hill. I'll have to rely on $1.16/liter gasoline instead.

Labels: dentist, Flickr (Page 1), Hardware, Q4_2005

Update: These are some events since this morning's entry. As the computer's heavy, I ...

drove to the computer shop at 10:05 am.

read the sign which said, "Summer hours: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm".

returned home.

drove again to the computer shop at 11:10.

found that no one was there.

went to the shopping centre and looked in London Drugs for 20 minutes.

drove back by the store and there was still no one there.

drove away, but first copied down the phone number on the storefront.

returned home.

called the phone number and left a message.

received a call at 12:15 when eating lunch.

drove again to the computer store.

parked, brought the bare PC inside, plugged into their outlet and it worked!

felt like a fool.

loaded the computer back into the truck and returned home.

parked in front of the building rather than in the parking garage.

brought the PC into the lobby, got the original power cord, and plugged it in.

saw nothing happening.

surmised, finally, the brand-new cord that had come with the power supply was not functioning.

returned to the computer store with the cord and it didn't work.

plugged it in using one of their spare cords and it booted right up.

took his cord and returned home again.

am typing the entry on that computer. PHEW!

Labels: computers, errands, Hardware, Q3_2005

Posted by: Dennis S Hurd / 2:04 PM 0 comments

I'm happy to be able to blog today. I'm doing it on my Gateway notebook as my home computer is sitting beside the doorway.

Yesterday, I mentioned that the power would be off in our building for maintenance. I turned off my computer just as I should. I cannot remember the last time I shut it completely off. Occasionally, I reboot but it's been months since the hard disks have spun down.

After six hours all the home gadgets came back to life. We had to run around and reset the alarm clock, microwave, and other appliances. I pressed the switch on the computer ... and nothing happened. Since I had once had a power supply give up the ghost, I assumed I knew the problem.

It was only 4 o'clock in the afternoon, so I walked down to a computer store that's a few blocks away. The owner tested the power supply and said it was dead. So, I pulled out the bank card, withdrew $55 and walked home with a new one. I screwed the screws and plugged in plugs. Then, I reached for the switch. Still ... nothing happened.

Although that shop stayed open till 7:00 pm, I decided to just leave it until today. I'll carry the whole computer back to the guy and see what he says. I do like having a two CPU house.

Labels: complaints, computers, Hardware, Q3_2005

You know the screech you hear when you put a microphone too close to speakers, don't you? In terms of video, you can get feedback when you point the camera at a live monitor. At the corner of the screen you get a picture within a picture within a picture. When the camera points directly at the center, you get freaky, undulating gobs of light and color. I guess you are witnessing the electronic representation of infinity.

I was going to include a picture taken at the strata-owned patio area near our building's swimming pool. Well, I was going to take a second picture that showed this blog entry on the screen of the computer taken at the strata-owned patio area near our building's swimming pool. So, on the screen you're looking at now you'd be seeing the screen of a computer taken at the strata-owned patio area near our building's swimming pool. And so on.

Unfortunately, my camera batteries died and I was much too lazy to try to approach infinity anyway.

Labels: digital camera, Hardware, Q3_2005

Yesterday afternoon the weather was nice. I decided to do some hunting. I loaded up no gun as this is not a rural area. Rather, I popped my new Gateway notebook into a carrying case. I wanted to see what sort of wireless networks I could find in the neighbourhood.



This building itself was quite a goldmine with around six. Yet of course, the further I wandered from residential towers the fewer connections were available. I had to completely give up on the idea of Internet browsing up at my favourite little park. There were two networks with fair signal strength; however, both Justin and Sexmachine were secured by password. That is a real shame, isn't it?

Labels: Hardware, Q3_2005

When given the chance to explain an idea, I gravitate towards words. Expressing ideas through mathematics was never a forte. Yesterday's entry, about adding RAM to my computer, prompted me to dust off a calculator. I blithely mentioned having a gigabyte and a half of memory now. Somehow, this number no longer seems astronomical as digital cameras and mp3 players now sport comparable numbers.

Still, from a historical perspective, that's a lot of memory. I could probably use RAM size as a means of sequencing events in my life. For example, when moving to Canada, my computer had just 128 megabytes. Further back, in the middle of my tenure at the Higher Colleges of Technology, the average computer had 2 megabytes. Retreating to my first IBM compatible reminds me that I once did all my computing in 640K because the space between there and one megabyte was used for 'system housekeeping'. Wait, I can go back further to college days! My trusty and true TRS-80 had a whopping 16 kilobytes which is about the same as the file of this calculator image. I had upgraded the Radio Shack device from an original 4K.

Let's take a look at the bytes represented in those abbreviations:

TRS-80 Model 1
4,096 bytes

RAM in Current PC
1,536,000,000 bytes

Damn, my calculator doesn't have enough digits! Again, remembering that I'm no math genius, I think that's an increase of around three hundred and seventy five thousand percent. I wish my bank account had increased as dramatically in the last 25 years!

Labels: computers, Hardware, Q2_2005

My computer is similar to an aging automobile; in that, I can always find ways to throw good money at it. These are just feeble attempts at keeping it 'roadworthy' for a while longer.

When logging additional users onto XP, the machine seemed too laboured. I wondered if it'd be happier if I threw another gigabyte of RAM at it. I assumed the 512 megabytes that'd been inside for a year and a half might want company.

I ordered online and picked the modules up directly from the store when coming back from the office yesterday afternoon. Tripling the memory doesn't seem to have made much of a difference in speed. Yet, it's just like driving a car after a tune up; I sort of imagine that it's running better.

Labels: Hardware, Q2_2005, Windows

I will admit that the previous entry was written yesterday although it carries today's date. I often write blog entries ahead and just post 'em in the morning. How could I find the correct keys without several cups of coffee, eh? How could I even find the keyboard?

In the previous entry I scanned that PDF of the Firefly News and Views. When doing so, my old scanner started making strange noises. I swear! Well, this was all it took to walk right down to the local London Drugs and buy a new Canon scanner.

My goodness! Scanners have advanced a bit since the old UMAX that's being replaced. If I remember correctly, Futureshop was bundling 'em cheaply with the purchase of Windows 98. So, you can see that it was really about time for an upgrade, regardless of my hesitancy in the last posting. This one does indeed make creating PDF files easy, as there's a single button to push. Look out old documents, you may be heading to the shredder!

There's a handy doodad in the cover that allows one to scan 35mm film negatives and slides too. I would imagine it might make for clearer copies as the negative would be a whole generation closer to the actual event. It's too bad, I threw away most negatives in a cleaning frenzy one time.

Labels: Hardware, Q2_2005, scanned

I plugged a firewire connection from my digital camcorder to the computer. Inside, it had a tape which I'd just copied from my old analog camera. I captured one hour's worth of events from the summer of 2000 to the hard drive. The resulting file was about 13 gigabyte.

In order to find these old tapes, I had to hunt through the closet shelf and open a bulky and unwieldy box. It contained all sorts of old, computer paraphernalia. I took a breath and threw away an old Quantum disk drive. You see, the one-hour video file was larger than the entire 12 gig drive! I really should've chucked it out long ago.

There was also a zip drive (pictured above). It had a parallel port connection because it was used before the days of USB. The cartridges held only 100 meg. I wondered if it would run under XP and I did manage to find an iOMEGA driver. It worked fine but the device is fairly useless. Why couldn't I gather the courage to throw it out too?

Labels: analog, Hardware, Q2_2005

A French language teacher was explaining to her class that, unlike in English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine. For example, 'la maison' (house) is feminine but 'le crayon' (pencil) is masculine.

A student asked, "What gender is ... computer?" Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups - women and men - and asked them to decide for themselves whether the word computer should be a masculine or feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for their recommendation.

The women's group decided that the object should be masculine because ...

In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;

They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;

They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they --- themselves ARE the problem and

As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The men's group, however, concluded that the word should definitely be of the feminine gender because ...

No one but their creator can understand their internal logic;

The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;

Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for possible later review; and

As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half of your salary on accessories for it.

(btw/ l'ordinateur is masculine.)

Labels: Hardware, humour, Q2_2005

Today we went to town at 9:30 am. Right before we were going, a big rain shower passed by. Jay's dad came too. We bought a replacement transformer for my battery charger. It's better to go 220V right into the wall now that my 120 to 240 transformer is broken. When in Minuwangoda we also mailed some postcards. Jay's dad took half the grocery list and the 3-wheel home.

We took the other half of the list and a Negombo bus. There was a Kodak place there which could print directly from my camera's media although we did have to go upstairs to their networked computer section. They were using Adobe to touch-up wedding photos and other large jobs. At one terminal, a guy had to copy 456 photos to his hard drive, arrange them into smaller section to open, and then let us choose those we wished to print. We wanted family pictures and the zoo photos to give to people here. We selected only 14 but made four copies of each.

Next, we went to an Internet cafe. We got a letter from Ed and Shinji that H3 (Hamster 3) had passed away. It was our favourite hamster but was over two years old and that's their limit. We should have left instructions ... in case of death ... as they took the time and effort to have it cremated!

Riding back occurred just as the schools let out. Even tiny little elementary kids take ordinary public busses, so it seemed to take FOREVER to get here.

Labels: email, errands, Hardware, Q4_2004, Sri Lanka 2004

When Service Pack 2 for XP did not automatically show up on my computer yesterday, I could wait no longer and took the process into my own hands. The 272 megabyte file took about twenty minutes to download. Then, it took more than fourty-five minutes to install and longer if you count the disk defrag with which I finished up the installation. All went smoothly and I watched as thousands of system files were replaced.

I couldn't help but think back to my first IBM compatible purchased in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia about 19 years ago! It sported 640K of RAM, two 360K floppy disks (rather than a hard disk), and the 8088 cooked along at 4.77 MHz. The real point for today's entry though is that it ran good old MS-DOS 2.1. In those days, only command.com (17,792 bytes) plus two hidden files were required in order to boot up. My goodness, Bill, we've come a long ways.

Labels: computers, Hardware, Q3_2004, Saudi Arabia, Windows

We are aware of the problem with your domain and are working to resolve it at this time. The problem is not specific to your domain, and it appears that a network connection was broken over the weekend when Telus was in transfering more lines and connections to our new offices. The problem should be resolved shortly, and we ask those affected to please check their service again this afternoon in a few hours, or tommorow morning. THis service interruption was not intentional, especially when we were not in the office, and it will be resolved as fast as possible. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Thanks,
jordan

Gotoecom.com Internet & Marketing Ltd
#210-5066 Kingsway Street
Burnaby, BC, V5H 2E7, Canada.

Labels: Hardware, Q2_2004

I could probably have managed without it. I might have been able to stick with simple software to edit camcorder video. Yet, I figured that if I were going to throw this much effort into a new learning curve, then it should be towards software that's more universally known. I ditched the freebee Ulead and bought Pinnacle Studio, Version 9.

The things we expect computers to do nowadays have surely grown. I remember the big argument as to whether word processing needed to be WYSIWYG. In those days I had cast aside Wordstar commands but had memorized all the WordPerfect keystrokes. Now, thankfully, I haven't a clue as to the command for Reveal Codes. Years after that, I learnt ANSI and later RIPscript graphics for BBSing. It wasn't many years until HTML superseded both.

I had an original CGA card, so when it first became possible to edit simple photos on a PC, it all seemed like magic. Now, I get to choose from hundreds of transitions between digital video scenes. Should I add a sound effect to the surround-sound track? There is so much included in this software package that it certainly provides the tools needed to create stunning DVD's.

The question is ... will I really use them?

Labels: camcorder, Hardware, Q2_2004, software

I'm including this here just because somebody is curious:

First, look under Network Connections --> Properties for your wireless network. Ensure that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is enabled. This must be true for the 'office' machine as well as those connecting to it.

To start files flying around your network, open My Documents. Next, move any directory (to which you wish to provide access) into Shared Files under Other Places. You can rip a musical CD, put it under Share