RAM Failure

RAM Failure

Summary: -

If you see random application crashes, kernel panics, and failures in simple programs that have worked for a long time, it is possible you are experiencing RAM failure. 

Symptoms: -

When RAM starts going bad, what you write to an address is not what you get back when you read it later. This causes random corruption of data, programs that crash, and even kernel "oops"es and kernel panics. If it's only a small amount of RAM that is corrupt then few programs will fail, but something will eventually fail when that memory gets used.

Some kernel panics may bring the system to a halt. If they reoccur soon after the system is off for a while you can be more confident it isn't a heat-related issue.

Even small programs may fail if they happen to use the affected memory. If they work once but then fail on a different attempt, this can be a sign of memory failure, since the memory used will be different from run to run.

Diagnosis:-

When a computer is turned on, it goes through what is called a POST (power-on self test) routine.  This is a short diagnostic procedure incorporated into the boot sequence by the BIOS manufacture for troubleshooting purposes. 

Many times when there is an error in your boot sequence you will receive an on-screen error message. This error was printed by the video card. But, in some cases, the error is detected early in the boot process and the error cannot be received by the video card. The problem may even be caused by the video card or the monitor.  This is why the need for beep codes came to be. If there are three short beeps when you turn on your computer, it indicates ram failure.

Once you suspect RAM is failing, I recommend using Memtest86+ (To download Memtest86+ click here Memtest86+). The easiest way to use it is find an Ubuntu CD. One of the options when booting from the CD is to run a memory test. Let it run through at least one entire test suite, such that the Pass column increases to 1. Preferably let it run overnight to get many successful runs.

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Computer POST / beep codes

Computer POST / beep codes

AMI BIOS beep codes:

Below are the AMI BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.

AWARD BIOS beep codes:

Below are Award BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.

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How to Install a Sound Card on a Computer

How to Install a Sound Card on a Computer

1). Shut down the computer.

2). Unplug machine from the surge protector.

3). Disconnect all peripherals from the computer.

4). Remove the cover of the chassis and lay computer on its side if it is a tower.

5). Ground yourself to the computer. If you have a grounding strap, put it on and follow its directions. Otherwise, ground yourself by touching a metal part of the chassis.

6). Remove the back panel, if necessary.

7). Locate the existing sound card if there is one already installed. If it is screwed in on the side of the slot hole, unscrew it and pull the card out firmly.

8). If the computer doesn't already have a sound card, find an open slot.

9). Knock out or unscrew the metal plate on the card's slot holder on the back panel.

10). Insert the sound card gently but firmly into the slot. Rock it into position if necessary, but don't force it. Don't touch any connectors on the card.

11). Connect cables from the CD-ROM drive to the sound card.

12). Replace the back panel and any removed screws. Screw sound card into slot holder if it has a screw hole.

13). Reconnect monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Connect speakers to the sound card's ports.

14). Turn on the speakers and restart the computer.

15). If Windows detects the sound card upon startup, follow instructions to install the card's driver and additional software. If Windows doesn't detect sound card, manually complete the installation using the Add New Hardware control panel.

16). Play music CD to test sound card.

17). Shut down computer.

18). Replace cover of computer. Reboot computer.

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Install AGP Card

Install AGP Card

Welcome to our guide to video card installation: -

Most modern video cards use the AGP interface as it offers better performance than the PCI interface; this guide will take you through installing an AGP video card with the aid of text and images.

To install your video card you will need:

• Compatible AGP video card.
• Cross-point (Philips) Screwdriver suitable for your PC case.
• Fixing screw (usually comes with the case or if upgrading use old screw).
• Anti-Static Wrist-strap (if available).

Locating the AGP slot:

Note: Disconnect the power and remove your PC's cover, see our guide. (If you are upgrading your current video card then you will have to remove it first, to take the old card out remove the fixing screw (for an example see fig 1.4) and then gently lift the card out of the slot, they can be stubborn but if you gently lift one end at a time it will eventually come out (treat it like a loose tooth)).

We have provided an example of an AGP slot in fig, your AGP slot may differ but only slightly.

In fig you can see an example of an AGP video card and we have pointed out the alignment notch.

Installing the video card:

1). Next take the video card (hold it by the edges) and line it up with the slot paying careful attention to the alignment notch, when it is aligned correctly press gently but firmly until the card is seated fully and evenly into the slot (see fig below).

2). When you are happy that the card is firmly in place, insert the fixing screw fig and check to make sure you haven't loosened anything during installation.

Replace the case cover and reconnect the mains power.

3). When you reboot your machine Windows (or other OS) should find the card automatically, it may then ask you to insert the Disk/CD that came with your video card, insert the CD and follow the on-screen instructions to install the video card driver.

4). If your machine makes a series of beeps when you turn it back on then the video card may be inserted incorrectly, again make sure the card is fully inserted into the AGP slot.

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Different types of RAMs

Different types of RAMs

RAM : - The type of RAM doesn't matter nearly as much as how much of it you've got, but using plain old SDRAM memory today will slow you down.

There are main types of RAM: SDRAM, DDR and Rambus DRAM.

SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM): -

Almost all systems used to ship with 3.3 volt, 168-pin SDRAM DIMMs. SDRAM is not an extension of older EDO DRAM but a new type of DRAM altogether. SDRAM started out running at 66 MHz, while older fast page mode DRAM and EDO max out at 50 MHz. SDRAM is able to scale to 133 MHz (PC133) officially, and unofficially up to 180MHz or higher. As processors get faster, new generations of memory such as DDR and RDRAM are required to get proper performance.

DDR (Double Data Rate SDRAM): -

DDR basically doubles the rate of data transfer of standard SDRAM by transferring data on the up and down tick of a clock cycle. DDR memory operating at 333MHz actually operates at 166MHz * 2 (aka PC333 / PC2700) or 133MHz*2 (PC266 / PC2100). DDR is a 2.5 volt technology that uses 184 pins in its DIMMs. It is incompatible with SDRAM physically, but uses a similar parallel bus, making it easier to implement than RDRAM, which is a different technology.

Rambus DRAM (RDRAM): -

Despite it's higher price, Intel has given RDRAM it's blessing for the consumer market, and it will be the sole choice of memory for Intel's Pentium 4. RDRAM is a serial memory technology that arrived in three flavors, PC600, PC700, and PC800. PC800 RDRAM has double the maximum throughput of old PC100 SDRAM, but a higher latency. RDRAM designs with multiple channels, such as those in Pentium 4 motherboards, are currently at the top of the heap in memory throughput, especially when paired with PC1066 RDRAM memory.

DIMMs vs. RIMMs: -

DRAM comes in two major form factors: DIMMs and RIMMS.

DIMMs are 64-bit components, but if used in a motherboard with a dual-channel configuration (like with an Nvidia nForce chipset) you must pair them to get maximum performance. So far there aren't many DDR chipset that use dual-channels. Typically, if you want to add 512 MB of DIMM memory to your machine, you just pop in a 512 MB DIMM if you've got an available slot. DIMMs for SDRAM and DDR are different, and not physically compatible. SDRAM DIMMs have 168-pins and run at 3.3 volts, while DDR DIMMs have 184-pins and run at 2.5 volts.

RIMMs use only a 16-bit interface but run at higher speeds than DDR. To get maximum performance, Intel RDRAM chipsets require the use of RIMMs in pairs over a dual-channel 32-bit interface. You have to plan more when upgrading and purchasing RDRAM.

Memory Speed: -

SDRAM initially shipped at a speed of 66MHz. As memory buses got faster, it was pumped up to 100MHz, and then 133MHz. The speed grades are referred to as PC66 (unofficially), PC100 and PC133 SDRAM respectively. Some manufacturers are shipping a PC150 speed grade. However, this is an unofficial speed rating, and of little use unless you plan to overclock your system.

DDR comes in PC1600, PC2100, PC2700 and PC3200 DIMMs. A PC1600 DIMM is made up of PC200 DDR chips, while a PC2100 DIMM is made up of PC266 chips. PC2700 uses PC333 DDR chips and PC3200 uses PC400 chips that haven't gained widespread support. Go for PC2700 DDR. It is about the cost of PC2100 memory and will give you better performance.

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How to upgrade RAM

 

How to upgrade RAM

What is RAM:- RAM (random access memory) is the place in a computer where the operating system, application programs, and data in current use are kept so that they can be quickly reached by the computer's processor. RAM is much faster to read from and write to than the other kinds of storage in a computer, the hard disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM. However, the data in RAM stays there only as long as your computer is running. When you turn the computer off, RAM loses its data. When you turn your computer on again, your operating system and other files are once again loaded into RAM, usually from your hard disk.

If your computer slows down when you're working with large files or many programs at once, you might be able to improve performance by installing extra RAM (Random Access Memory - your computer's temporary operating memory). These instructions will work for the majority of machines built in the mid 1990s and later.

1). Determine what kind of RAM you need, and whether your computer has enough open slots to hold it. The new RAM should match the existing RAM's specifications and configuration.

2). Shut down the computer and leave it plugged into the surge suppressor.

3). Disconnect all peripheral devices, such as the monitor, from the computer.

4). Remove the computer cover.

5). Ground yourself to the computer with professional grounding equipment like an anti-static wristband or hold a metal part of the chassis.

6). Remove any cards or internal components necessary to give yourself unobstructed access to RAM sockets.

7). Pick up your SIMM (single in-line memory module) or DIMM (dual in-line memory module) by the ends without touching pins or chips.

8). If adding a SIMM, find the notched end and turn the SIMM so that it is parallel to the existing RAM card(s). Insert the SIMM into the socket at a 30-degree angle. If adding a DIMM, insert the DIMM straight in so that it is perpendicular to the motherboard.

9). Use slight pressure to keep a SIMM from backing out while rotating the module to an upright position perpendicular to the motherboard.

10). Make sure the small holes on each side of a SIMM fit into holders.

11). Feel or hear retaining clips lock a SIMM into the socket; close the side clips on a DIMM.

12). Gently try to pull the module out to ensure it is locked in position.

13). Replace all internal components.

14). Leave the cover off and reconnect the monitor, keyboard and mouse.

15). Turn on the computer.

16). Check the amount of RAM by right-clicking the My Computer icon in Windows and choosing Properties. On a Mac, use the About this Macintosh command in the Apple menu.

17). If you don't see the right amount of RAM, turn off the computer and try "reseating" the SIMM or DIMM (take it out and put is back in) and reboot. If that doesn't work, call a technician.

18). Shut down the computer and disconnect the peripherals again.

19). Replace the cover and reconnect all the peripherals.

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Partition External Hard Drive

Partition External Hard Drive

Most of the external hard drives come with one preformatted partition ready to use. But if it didn't, or if you don't like the default setup, changing it is easy. And of course you'll want to do this before you load that disk up with data.

Start by Right clicking on My Computer and then clicking on Manage. In the resulting application window, click on Disk Management in the left hand pane. You should see something similar to this:

At the top you'll see all the logical disks on your system listed alphabetically by label by default. Below that you'll see a graphical representation of all the physical disk drives known to your system. If a physical drive has more than one partition those partitions will be shown together on the single physical drive.

In this example, my drive "E:" is an external USB drive. It happens to be my backup drive where nightly backups are stored.

Remove the Existing Partition

Let's assume for a moment that I'm unhappy with the current configuration of the partitions on my external drive and want to change it. My first step would be to remove the existing partition.

You need to right click on the drive in the lower pane, and you should see this menu:

Important: the next step will delete everything on the drive. Make sure this is what you want before proceeding.

Click on Delete Partition

The representation of the drive should change from "Healthy" to "Unallocated".

Partition the Drive

Right click on the drive again, and the option that was once "Delete Partition" is now "New Partition". Click on that to set up your new partition.

You'll then be asked to select "Primary" or "Extended" partition. Primary is sufficient unless you plan to put more than 4 partitions on this hard disk. You'll then also be asked how much of the space to allocate for the new partition you're creating.

Typically, I recommend simply allocating the entire space to a single partition. You can, if you like, allocate less than the maximum space to the partition you're creating now so that you have room for additional partitions on the same hard disk. Remember that each partition, once formatted, will appear as its own logical disk (C:, D:, E: and so on.)

You'll then be asked about formatting, which I'll cover below.

Once you've formatted the new partition, it'll appear as "Healthy", and any leftover space will continue to display "Unallocated". You can then repeat this partitioning process on that unallocated space until your entire drive has been allocated.

Format the Drive

Assuming that partitioning has been performed above, or you don't want to change the partitioning of your drive, the next thing to change would be the format of the drive.

Important: formatting a drive will delete everything on the drive. Make sure this is what you want before proceeding.

Right click on the drive that you wish to format, click on the Format item, press OK on the dire warning, and you'll get a dialog similar to this:

Let's look at each of those options:

·         Volume Label - is the name that will appear when the logical disk is displayed in Windows Explorer, in File selection dialog boxes and in other situations. It's a convenient way to identify disks by name rather than only by letter. The label is an attribute of the drive, so particularly on removable drives the label stays the same no matter what machine you plug it into, or what drive letter it gets assigned.

·         File System - I recommend NTFS unless the drive is going to be used by older versions of Windows, or by non-Windows systems. There's debate as to whether NTFS is faster (I think it is), but it also supports additional security features like file permissions, and can typically make more efficient use of larger disks.

·         Allocation unit size - can be left at "Default".

·         Perform a Quick format - for the type of format we're doing here, I actually recommend leaving this unchecked. A quick format only writes the bare minimum of information to establish the disk's new configuration. If the disk has been in use for a while, that's fine and is what I typically recommend. However, when going through the effort of formatting a new disk I suggest using this opportunity to have the format process actually write the entire drive. It may take a while.

·         Enable file and folder compression - I have mixed feelings about this. The overhead of compressing and decompressing files is no longer significant with today's processor speeds. However I have concerns about data recovery if the disk ever experiences an issue. My concerns may not be valid, but ultimately, I never run with compression on any of my hard disks, preferring instead to compress the individual files as appropriate instead. So many file formats, like most audio and video files, are already compressed that the compression offered by the file system is often negligible. I leave this unchecked.

That's it. Press OK and after a period of time you'll have a formatted, ready-to-use disk.

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How to Install a CD/DVD Drive

How to Install a CD/DVD Drive

To install an external DVD drive: -

1). When purchasing a new drive be sure to understand the many formats available: DVD, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW are a few for example. More recent technologies include DVD-DL, HD DVD and Blu-Ray Disc. A decent DVD drive should be able to read and write both "+" and "-" technologies and also support recordable (R) and re-writable (RW) technology. Essentially look for a DVD+/-RW drive if you plan on recording DVD's, or just a plain DVD drive for reading DVD's (movies, games, etc). There are a variety of speeds from 2x-16x for a wide spectrum of users and needs; higher speeds will record faster.

2). If you have a USB connection on your computer you can use an external drive. The advantage to an exterior drive is that you can use it on other computers as well.

3). To install an external DVD, just follow the instructions provided with the drive.

To install an internal DVD drive

1). Look for a DVD with the letters RW on the box. This is so you can read disks and record them as well. Make sure the speed rating is 16X and that the DVD is dual layer so that it takes care of the latest technology.

2). Read the instructions that come with the DVD. It may require you to load the provided CD software before installing the DVD player. Leave the disk in your CD ROM player for the rest of the procedure.

3). Disconnect the power cord from the back of the computer (goes to the wall socket of your house.)

4). Open the case of the computer. 

5). Locate the hard disk or CD drive. Most have two connections and can only be snapped in place one way. One connection is for data and one for power.

6). Check to see if your computer mounts the DVD/CD ROM drives from the inside or if they are pushed through the front panel (you may have to remove the plastic panel on some models.)

7). Carefully remove the plastic “knock-off” cover on the outside of your computer. Make sure you do this only when you are ready to install the DVD drive.

8). Slide the DVD drive into an empty compartment or bay. If it’s an older computer you can secure it with screws that come with the DVD drive. Many newer computers have spring clips to secure the drive in place.

9). Connect the DVD drive to the data cable. The data cable is wide like a ribbon and is also called a ribbon cable and has a red stripe on one side. There are two or three connectors on the data cable. One is connected to the circuit board, one is connected to your CD drive or hard disk and one in the middle (optional third connector) is usually not connected to anything. Use the middle connector for the DVD drive. If your data cable only has two connectors replace it with the one that is generally included with the new drive.

10). Hook the DVD to the power connector. This is a normal round looking cable. There are usually several power connectors in the computer.

11). If you don’t have an available power connector, then you can buy a “Y” connector to hook up to the existing power cable. Unhook the power connector and hook it to one side of the “Y” and hook the DVD to the other side of the “Y”.

12). Re-assemble the cover and plug the computer back in.

13). When you run Windows up it should look for the drivers for the new DVD player and automatically locate and load them from the CD ROM that you left in the CD player from the first step.

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BIOS Upgrade

 

Upgrade BIOS

Sometimes, especially when upgrading your PC, you may need to perform a BIOS upgrade in order to update your system to accept a new hardware part or to fix a bug. For the average Joe, this procedure is quite obscure. In this tutorial we will give step-by-step procedures on how to upgrade your system BIOS.

PLCC (Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier) and is used by current motherboards.

What is BIOS anyway? BIOS is a program stored inside the ROM memory of your motherboard. There are three programs stored there: BIOS, setup and POST. As they are physically stored in the same memory chip, the majority of users call setup and POST as “BIOS”, even though this is wrong, as they are three distinct programs. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) teaches the system processor on how to deal with basic things, like how to access the hard disk drive and how to write text on screen. POST (Power On Self Test) is executed whenever you turn your PC on in order to test your system. It is in charge of that memory counting that happens every time your turn your PC on. And setup is that program that you call by pressing Del during POST (i.e., during memory counting) that is used to configure your motherboard.

So “BIOS upgrade” really means an upgrade on the programs stored on the motherboard ROM memory. Even though the procedure name is “BIOS upgrade”, you actually upgrade all three programs (BIOS, POST and setup). 

The way to update the motherboard ROM depends on the type of memory chip used in your PC. There are two types of ROM chips used in PCs, Mask-ROM (only on very old motherboards and that cannot be updated by software) and Flash-ROM (on almost all motherboards, which is able to be updated by software). In this tutorial we will cover Flash-ROM.

If you have a very old motherboard (manufactured more than 10 years ago) as shown in the figure below that uses a Mask-ROM chip BIOS upgrade is only possible by replacing the chip with a new one containing the latest BIOS version. This chip can be bought on the motherboard manufacturer's web site or at http://www.unicore.com.

DIP (Dual In-Line Package) and is used on older motherboards

You can also watch the below video for better understand the BIOS update/Upgrade.

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How to Install A scanner

How to Install A scanner?

Installing a scanner on newer PCs is pretty straight-forward. If the scanner is a USB device, you'll need to install the software CD that came with the scanner. These will normally be one or two disks and a few others that usually only prove to be trial software or other programs you do not need. Be wary of installing these third-party CDs, as you likely will never use them and they tend to want to take over the way media is handled on your computer.

First, unpack the scanner from the box. Make sure you have all of the attachments and especially the quick setup instructions if they were in the box. You can assemble the scanner and set if off to the side. You can plug the power cable in, but do not plug the USB cable into the computer.

Boot up the computer and load the scanner software disk into the CD ROM drive. If it does not launch automatically, you can navigate to it through My Computer and click the setup.exe file. If there are additional disks for your scanner that need to be loaded, you will be prompted for them.

Once the software has been installed, you can then attach the USB cable to the computer. Windows should find the new scanner and load the drivers for it automatically.

Troubleshooting Scanner Problems:

If your scanner had worked in the past but has stopped functioning, you can usually unplug the scanner, then go to Add / Remove Programs in the Control Panel and remove the scanning software. Then you can repeat the installation process above.

If the scanner never worked, you may have a problem with the USB port . Check another device to see if it works in that port.

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How to setup a wireless printer

How to setup a wireless printer

1. The first thing you will need is a wireless computer with a wireless network card included. If your computer doesn't have a wireless network card, you can buy one at any computer store.  
   
   


2. The next thing you will need is a router. You need to make sure that both your computer's wireless network and the router are 802.11 compliant. There is 802.11b (standard) and also 802.11g (if you are printing a large amount of pages). D-Link and Linksys are two companies (of many) that make wireless routers. A wireless router will cost you around $50 - $90.  



3. Now you need to setup your wireless router to your computer. D-link software usually will help you with this process. 


4. Once your computer recognizes your wireless router you are ready to go.
   The next thing you will need is a wireless printer. I have the Lexmark X4550. Is it a very good printer, copier and scanner. The setup is very easy as well. 

5. Once your printer software is installed onto your computer, do the following:

XP/VISTA DIRECTIONS:

1. Start


2. Control panel


3. Go to hardware and sound ----> printers (just printers in XP)


4. On the toolbar click add a printer


5. Click the box, Add a network, wireless or bluetooth printer.


6. Finally your computer will search for the printer and you can then click on it and you are done.

Note: - Make sure that your printer software is installed onto all of the computer in your wireless network. this will allow you to print from any computer in your house.

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