How can i detect a defective motherboard?
What
is the motherboard doing (or not doing)? Is it totally refusing to power up? If
so, try stripping it down to the bare minimum: motherboard,
CPU+heatsink,
RAM, power supply, graphics card, video cable to monitor.
That
means no hard drive, no floppy drive, no cables, no keyboard, no
Mouse,
no PCI cards, etc. If you can, take the motherboard out of the
Case
and put it on a flat, no conducting surface, like a piece of
Cardboard
or a wooden table.
Connect
the power cables to the motherboard, but do not connect the 50
million
little connectors to the case. Locate the two pins on the
motherboard
that connect to the case power button. Instead of connecting
the
power button cable to those pins, touch the head of a screwdriver to
those
pins. That will take the place of the power button for now.
If
the computer still does not start, try removing and reinstalling the
CPU,
RAM, and graphics card. It could be that one of those is loose.
Now
that the computer is out of the case, you should have easy access to
those
sockets.
If
the computer still does not start, make sure that the "Clear CMOS"
jumper
is set to the "Normal" position. Some manufacturers ship
motherboards
with this jumper in the "Clear" position to preserve battery
life.
I do not believe FIC does this, but it is easy enough to check.
Here
are some additional steps just in case:
The
surest way I can determine if the motherboard is bad is to install (known good)
basic components and see if the system will fire up.
Basic
setup for testing:
CPU
Motherboard
RAM
Video(Card)
& Monitor
Power
Supply
Keyboard
Many
motherboard these days also come with some form of self diagnostics built right
in (in addition to the BIOS beep codes). Either with LEDs, or on screen codes,
I've even run across a motherboard that will "talk".
NUMBER 2:INSTRUCTIONS:
· 1
Turn the computer off and then remove the power cable from
the electrical wall outlet. Plug a power cable from a different electrical
device into the outlet and power it on so that you can rule out the outlet as
your problem. Connect the computer's power cable back into the outlet.
· 2
Power the computer back on and place your hand behind the
case near the power supply. Wait a few moments to see if any air is pushed out
of the power supply by the cooling fan. Replace the power supply instead of the
motherboard if the fan is not working.
· 3
Shut down the computer again and pull out all of the cables
from the back side of the case. Remove any other devices you have connected to
the front ports on the computer such as a USB printer or jump drive.
· 4
Set down the computer so that the left side panel is facing
towards you. Unlock the side panel from the computer case by removing the case
screws if there are any. Twist of the thumbscrew or pull up on the metal
holding latch if the computer does not use case screws.
· 5
Remove the screws holding any expansion cards to the case
and then pull them off the motherboard. Pull out all of the cables running from
the motherboard to the power supply and drive bays. Pull out the screws holding
the motherboard to the case. Pull the motherboard straight up out of the case
and set it down carefully on a flat non-metal surface.
· 6
Check to make sure that there is no physical damage to the
motherboard such as bent pins or burnt transistors. Purchase a new motherboard
and place it back in the case if there is any visible damage.
· 7
Remove the screws holding the power supply to the case and
slide it out of the drive bay. Set it down near the motherboard and connect the
SATA cable from the motherboard to the power supply. Connect the power cable
from the power supply to a wall outlet. Plug cable from the computer's monitor
into the corresponding port on the motherboard.
· 8
Remove the RAM modules and replace them with another set.
Press down the power button on the motherboard with a screwdriver or another flat
object. Wait to see if the computer loads up without error, which will indicate
that the problem is with the RAM modules instead of with the motherboard.
· 9
Power the motherboard back off and replace the processor
with a different one. Turn the motherboard back on and see if the system boots
up normally, which will indicate a defective processor.
· 10
Turn the motherboard off and replace the video card with a
different one. Power the motherboard on and see if the system boots up, which
will indicate a defective video card.
· 11
Replace the motherboard if the system still will not boot up
after all of the other components have been checked.
How to Get an Old Computer to Run Faster
The older a computer is, the slower it's likely to run. The reason for this is twofold: Computers become bogged down with unnecessary data over time, and computer hardware becomes outdated and potentially runs less efficiently. There are several steps you can take to speed up an old computer without purchasing any new hardware.
Instructions
1 Run a full anti-virus
scan with an up-to-date anti-virus program.Sometimes older computers are
neglected in terms of staying up to date with anti-virus software and can
become bogged down by malicious programs. Running a virus scan with one or
several different updated anti-virus programs can eliminate issues caused by
viruses.
o
2
Run disk cleanup.
Disk cleanup is an accessory that deletes unnecessary files that pile up over
time, such as temporary Internet files and cookies. To run the disk cleanup,
click "Start," "All Programs," "Accessories," "System
Tools" then "Disk Cleanup."
o
3
Download and run a
registry cleaner program. When programs are installed on a computer, entries
are made on the computer's registry that may not be deleted even if the program
is uninstalled. These remnants can slow down the computer as they build up over
years. CCleaner is a freeware program with a reliable registry cleaner tool.
Always back up the registry before making any changes as altering the registry
may cause stability issues.
o
4
Defragment your hard
drive. Defragmentation is a maintenance task that should be carried out every
couple of months. It organizes the hard drive to optimize data access speed. To
defragment, go to "Start," "All Programs," "Accessories,"
"System Tools" and select "Disk Defragmenter." Select your
boot drive from the list of drives to defragment. Defragmentation can take a
long time, especially on an old computer that has never been defragmented, so
you may want to run the process overnight.
How to Get Your Computer to Boot Faster
When
I worked in a television newsroom, it took so long to boot up our computers
that we were told to never turn them off in case the next shift needed them for
a breaking story. Today, I work primarily out of my home office. I used to
consume a full cup of coffee every morning while waiting for my desktop to wake
up, but I've found some time-savers to share with you.
Instructions:
1.
o
1
The biggest problem is that almost
every time you install new software, it loads when you boot. I have
applications that I rarely use, like optical character recognition, and those
that I turn to several times a day, like MS Outlook. By simply loading software
only when you need it, you can cut your boot time significantly. To see what is
loading now and to pick and choose in Windows XP, click on your
"Start" menu. Go to "Run. " Type "msconfig"
(minus the quotes). You'll be presented with tabs. You're probably operating
under Normal Startup, which loads all device drivers and services. Choose
"Selective Startup" instead. Under Selective Startup, I've checked
Process System.INI file, Process Win.INI. File Load System Services, Load
Startup Items and Use Original Boot.INI. If you are an advanced user and you
know what you are doing, you can select or deselect these boxes as you choose.
If you click everything except "Services" and then click
"Disable All," followed by "OK," you'll end up booting in
Safe Mode. Our goal here is to cut back on the Startup programs. Click that
tab. There, you'll find a long list of applications like ALCMTR and hpsysdrv. I
took the time to enter each of them in Google to search for what they do. Sites
like processlibrary.com proved useful in determining whether I should enable or
disable the applications on booting. Right now, I've only selected about a
third of those listed. My machine boots faster, and I've notice no lack of
performance.
o
2
While you are in msconfig, look
under the "BOOT.INI" tab. You will see a box labeled
"Timeout." It is typically set to 30, which adds a half-minute delay.
You can readily change it to 3 seconds, but no shorter. Close that tab, click "OK"
and reboot for the changes to take place. The first time you restart, you'll
probably have a window pop up saying you're in Selective Boot Mode. You can
disable the window while preserving your changes.
o
3
Make sure that you are not loading
Trojans or adware when you boot. Not only should you keep your antivirus
software like McAfee or Norton up to date, you should load and install an
adware fighter like Lava soft’s Ad Aware, which is free for private use and
does a good job of removing pop-ups, and tracking cookies and other spyware.
o
4
At least once a month, clear out
your Internet temp files through your browser, empty you’re Recycle Bin, move
unneeded files to a back-up drive and perform a disc defragmentation. In My
Computer, right-click on your boot drives. Click on "Properties,"
select "Tools" and then Defragment. This will take time, so don't run
any applications, including screen savers, while performing this task. When
your files are closer together, they'll load faster. You can also go through
your cookies folder, deleting those you don't need. I keep only the ones that
allow me to log on quickly to my favorite sites.
o
5
Use Stand By mode. Since most of the
boot time is used by loading programs, Stand By mode saves time by retaining
those programs in memory. It saves power by shutting down the drives and
monitors, the biggest power hogs. In Control Panel, you can set up your
computer to go into Stand By mode automatically after a certain amount of time.
In Windows XP, the Stand By option is presented to you when you choose to power
down. Open documents and programs are stored in volatile memory. It's a quick
way to get active, and I usually use it when I leave in the afternoons for a
workout; however, it's useful to save everything before entering Stand By. If
there's a power outage, your most recent changes will evaporate. I don't use
Stand By much longer than a couple of hours because my PC is quirky and will
tend to exit Stand By on its own. Still it's my only way to set up my computer
to use the hard disc to record a television program.
o
6
Establish Hibernate mode. A better
choice for an overnight shutdown is Hibernate mode, which saves an image of
your computer's open applications and documents on your hard drive. If you go
into your computer's Control Panel, you can set this up so that you enter and
leave hibernation by pushing your power switch. You can also establish
hibernation after a fixed amount of time that your computer is unused. On your
Start menu, access the Control Panel. Double-click on "Power Options."
Click on the "Hibernate" tab to enable hibernation. Choose your
options; then click "OK." When you decide to leave your computer for
the day, go through the Start menu and click "Turn off Computer." By
holding down your "Shift" key, a new Hibernate option will appear.
Click on it and your computer will snooze, coming back a lot faster than before
when you need it.
Remove Administrator Password
Passwords--those ubiquitous alphanumeric codes that protect
us and give us access to everything digital--can be confusing. Though your
computer likely won't forget a password, you very well might. When this
happens, you can be locked out of your whole system, as in the case of the
Windows XP administrator password.
Instructions
o
1
Insert your Windows XP CD into your
CD drive and boot your computer. If you receive the message "press any key
to boot from CD," press any key.
o
2
Press "Enter" to set up
Windows. After you accept the license agreement, you will be asked if you want
start a repair process.
o
3
Press "R" to begin the
repair process. Setup will now check your disks and start copying files, which
can take several minutes. After this, reboot. Let the computer boot normally
(do not press a key to boot from CD).
o
4
Keep your eye on the lower left
portion of the screen. When you see the Installing Devices progress bar, press
"Shift" and "F10" at the same time. This will open a
command line console.
o
5
Type "NUSRMGR.CPL"
(without quotes) at the prompt, then press "Enter." This will give
you access to User Accounts. Remove or change your password. Write it down.
After the repair is finished, you will be able to log on with your new
password.
Tips & Warnings
If you simply want
to remove administrator passwords, open a command prompt and type "control
userpasswords2." Uncheck the checkbox that says "Users must enter a
user name and password to use this computer." The computer will no longer
prompt you for a password.
Unhide Folder
Instructions
- 1Open the Windows Explorer utility from the Accessories menu.
- 2Select "Folder and Search Options" from the "Organize" menu, then click on the "View" tab in the Folder Options window.
- 3Select "Show hidden files and folders" from the Advanced Settings options and click on the "Apply" button. Click the "Apply to Folders" button, then click "OK."If the "Show hidden files and folders" option is not enabled, the hidden folder will not be visible; this will prevent completion of the following steps.
- 4Browse to the location of the hidden folder using Windows Explorer. Hidden folders are displayed as a faded icon -- not as bold as a folder that isn't hidden.
- 5Right-click on the hidden folder and select "Properties."
- 6Deselect the "Hidden" attribute on the Folder Properties dialog window, then click "OK" to confirm the selection. The folder is no longer hidden.
- 1
Ethernet Cable Color
Ethernet Cable Colors: Color Code Standards
The information listed here is
to assist Network
Administrators
in the color coding of Ethernet
cables. Please
be aware
that modifying Ethernet cables improperly may cause
loss of network connectivity. Use this information at
your own
risk, and ensure all connectors and cables
are modified in accordance
with TIA standards.
Basic Theory:By looking at a T-568A UTP Ethernet straight-thru
cable and an Ethernet crossover cable with a T-568B
connected to the corresponding RX (receiver) pins,
plus to plus and minus to minus. You can also see that
both the blue and brown wire pairs on pins 4, 5, 7, and 8
are not used in either standard. What you may not realize
is that, these same pins 4, 5, 7, and 8 are not used or required
in 100BASE-TX as well. So why bother using these wires,
well for one thing its simply easier to make a connection with
all the wires grouped together. Otherwise you'll be spending
time trying to fit those tiny little wires into each of the corresponding
holes in the RJ-45 connector.
T-568A Straight-Through Ethernet Cable
Cat5e Cables | Cat6 Cables
The T-568A standard is supposed
to be used in new network
installations. Most off-the-shelf Ethernet cables are still of the T-568B standard; however, it makes absolutely no functional difference in which you choose.
T-568B Straight-Through Ethernet Cableinstallations. Most off-the-shelf Ethernet cables are still of the T-568B standard; however, it makes absolutely no functional difference in which you choose.
Cat5e Cables | Cat6 Cables
Both the T-568A and the T-568B standard Straight-Through
cables are used most often as patch cords for your Ethernet connections.
If you require a cable to connect two Ethernet devices directly
together without a hub or when you connect two hubs together,
you will need to use a Crossover cable instead.
RJ-45 Crossover Ethernet CableCat5e Crossover Cables | Cat6 Crossover Cables
A good way of remembering how to wire a Crossover
Ethernet cable is to wire one end using the T-568A standard and
the other end using the T-568B standard. Another way of remembering
the color coding is to simply switch the Green set of wires in
place with the Orange set of wires. Specifically, switch the
solid Green (G) with the solid Orange, and switch the green/white
with the orange/white.
How to Build an Ethernet Cable Instructions:- Pull the cable off the reel to the desired length and cut using wire cutters or scissors. If you are pulling cables through holes, it's easier to attach the RJ-45 plugs after the cable is pulled. The total length of wire segments between a PC and a switch or between two PC's cannot exceed 100 Meters (328 feet) for 100BASE-TX and 300 Meters for 10BASE-T.
- Start on one end and strip the cable jacket off (about 1") using a wire stripper or a knife. Be extra careful not to nick the wires, otherwise you will need to start over.
- Spread, untwist the pairs, and arrange the wires in the order of the desired cable end. Flatten the end between your thumb and forefinger. Trim the ends of the wires so they are even with one another, leaving only 1/2" in wire length. If it is longer than 1/2" it will be out-of-spec and susceptible to crosstalk. Flatten and insure there are no spaces between wires.
- Hold the RJ-45 plug with the clip facing down or away from you. Push the wires firmly into the plug. Inspect each wire is flat even at the front of the plug. Check the order of the wires. Double check again. Check that the jacket is fitted right against the stop of the plug. Carefully hold the wire and firmly crimp the RJ-45 with the crimp tool.
- Check the color orientation, check that the crimped connection is not about to come apart, and check to see if the wires are flat against the front of the plug. If even one of these are incorrect, you will have to start over. Test the Ethernet cable.
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