PC Troubleshooting/Advice Thread - Have a problem with your PC? Ask here!

[hockeydude30]

Alright thanks, I guess I will do that only thing is that that processor only comes on the Inspiron and not the XPS. It doesn't say anything about cache's on the HDD so I don't know how big they are. Thanks for the answer.

[Killller]

Hey guys,

My cousin got a new PC a few weeks ago and wants a new video card for it. It has an AGP slot i believe.. can someone show me some of the better AGP cards or some recommendations?

[Enacku]

Hey guys,

My cousin got a new PC a few weeks ago and wants a new video card for it. It has an AGP slot i believe.. can someone show me some of the better AGP cards or some recommendations?

He got a new pc, and it is AGP only?

AGP is old, and they basicly stopped making AGP video cards 2 generations ago.

The best would probably be a 7900gs AGP.

I have a 6800GT 256meg AGP overclocked video card and it would be such a waste for me to buy a faster AGP card because for the money my framerate would barely be any better.

Id tell him to get a new mobo with PCI-E onboard, you can find a very fast graphics card, very cheap, with great results.

[Killller]

He got a new pc, and it is AGP only?

AGP is old, and they basicly stopped making AGP video cards 2 generations ago.

The best would probably be a 7900gs AGP.

I have a 6800GT 256meg AGP overclocked video card and it would be such a waste for me to buy a faster AGP card because for the money my framerate would barely be any better.

Id tell him to get a new mobo with PCI-E onboard, you can find a very fast graphics card, very cheap, with great results.

I'm not exactly sure if the new slot is an AGP or PCI-E, don't know the difference. Can you post a picture or two showing the difference?

[Mecha_Daddy]

Hey guys,

My cousin got a new PC a few weeks ago and wants a new video card for it. It has an AGP slot i believe.. can someone show me some of the better AGP cards or some recommendations?

I had a similar problem with my old Dell, it's AGP. I stuck a Nvidia 512mb 7600 GS in it and it made a world of difference. It had a 128mb card to start with.

[hockeydude30]

Alright I am about to buy this thing so let me know if I should change something or if it is good:

Inspiron 1720
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 (2.5GHz/800Mhz FSB/6MB cache)
Operating System: Window Vista Home Premium
LCD Panel: High Resolution, glossy widescreen 17.0 inch display (1920x1200) Full 1080p
Video Card: 256MB Nvidia GeFroce 8600M GT
RAM: 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667Mhz
HDD: 250GB SATA HD
Optical Drive: Blu-ray/DVD/CD writer
Wireless Card: Intel Next-Gen Wireless N mini card
Camera: 2.0 mega pixel web cam

Is that a good computer or no? Should I change anything? + rep for good answers.

As it turns out that laptop has a 64bit processor but not a 64bit mobo or something like that so I can't install a 64bit version of Vista. Should I just get 3GB of RAM then?

I can't get a straight answer out of Dell and it looks like other people have installed a 64bit edition of Vista on this computer so maybe I will just get the 4GB of RAM and then upgrade later on.

[Mecha_Daddy]

Stick with 4 gb. That looks like a great computer. Around $1500? I got my wife a similar Toshiba Satellite for x-mas. The Satellites and Inspirons are two of the highest rated consumer laptops from various places like consumer reports. I'm curious to know an approximate price, I didn't get an HD disc drive on the wife's.

[hockeydude30]

Okay thanks, it is $2184 with a 500 discount and will probably come down to 2k even because my dad gets a discount since his work only buys dells. The blu-ray drive cost me an extra 400 dollars but I really want one.

Is there anyway to test the laptop when I get it to see if it supports a 64bit OS, like is there a Linux 64bit OS? Well I know there is can you link me? If it does then I am going to get a 64bit edition of Vista.

[Behemoko]

Not gonna' lie, that looks like the best Laptop I have ever seen, go for it! What's the price though, holy ballz.. Price would be the only factor, I really have never seen a better (more powerful) laptop before in any way besides the graphics card, but that one cost $4,500 if I remember correctly, lol.. (It had a mobile version of the 8800 GTX )

[hockeydude30]

Stick with 4 gb. That looks like a great computer. Around $1500? I got my wife a similar Toshiba Satellite for x-mas. The Satellites and Inspirons are two of the highest rated consumer laptops from various places like consumer reports. I'm curious to know an approximate price, I didn't get an HD disc drive on the wife's.

Not gonna' lie, that looks like the best Laptop I have ever seen, go for it! What's the price though, holy ballz.. Price would be the only factor, I really have never seen a better (more powerful) laptop before in any way besides the graphics card, but that one cost $4,500 if I remember correctly, lol.. (It had a mobile version of the 8800 GTS )

Thanks guys I think I am going to place the order tomorrow, hopefully it comes soon I want to play around with it lol.

BTW Behemoko have you seen this laptop? It is a beast, quad core and a SLI set up.
http://www.dell.com/content/products...=19&l=en&s=dhs

[Behemoko]

I guess I cut off looking at laptops for a while, T7500 is the highest I've seen before today.

[Mecha_Daddy]

Okay thanks, it is $2184 with a 500 discount and will probably come down to 2k even because my dad gets a discount since his work only buys dells. The blu-ray drive cost me an extra 400 dollars but I really want one.

Is there anyway to test the laptop when I get it to see if it supports a 64bit OS, like is there a Linux 64bit OS? Well I know there is can you link me? If it does then I am going to get a 64bit edition of Vista.

I bet good money that thing can run Vista 64 bit out the box. The wifes has a weaker (but still ok) AMD turon proc and ATI graphics and it can run it. With the Nvidia and 4gb ram it should be better than most folks desktops.

[Solid_Squirrel]

More like a favor from a friend so here it is


My friend is trying to put windows back into his MAC book PRO he had it as the main OS of the machine but had to return it to mac because he almost had to sell it

So my question is is there anyways possible to get it up and running again in dual boot or completely Windows based? (and for those curious he no longer has the Boot Camp Cd)

I'll rep anyone that can help

Anyone care to help?

please?

[ayobreezie]

Quick question for you PC Gurus.. How do I put on AS5? Or should I get Arctic Coolings MX-2? How should I put it on a quad core? I've heard too many different ways, but which way is most efficient? And putting it on a GPU would be like putting it on a single core processor? Plan to put it on my GPU and CPU soon.. because getting past 50C is killing me..

So, questions are:

1. AS5 or AC MX-2?
2. How do I apply(and how much) it on a quad core? On a 8800GT?

Thanks in advance, guys.

[MavSkipper]

I'd recommend using AS5... but I'm not too familiar with the MX-2 though as I've never used it so other people might suggest otherwise.

I don't think you need to put extra thermal paste just because you're using a quad core.
Just make sure you apply it evenly on the GPU/CPU surface.

[ayobreezie]

It's because on the Arctic MX-2 instructions, it says put a small blob in the middle.. on the AS5 instructions, it says, a thin line in the middle.. and I don't know if it'd be bad to use the old method that you suggest.. or if the thin line/blob will be better off for the CPU(s).

[MavSkipper]

It's because on the Arctic MX-2 instructions, it says put a small blob in the middle.. on the AS5 instructions, it says, a thin line in the middle.. and I don't know if it'd be bad to use the old method that you suggest.. or if the thin line/blob will be better off for the CPU(s).

That's what I did on my very first try but I just couldn't stop thinking that maybe the paste I've put on the CPU wasn't enough to cover the whole surface.
So I had my motherboard running outside the case for a few hours just to make sure it was running fine and it did.

Somehow I just started applying the paste on the CPU/GPU evenly myself.
The pressure from the heatsink will take care of the rest.

Mine is just one of the many suggestion out there... so if you're still unsure, I'd suggest checking out other websites like THG, HardOCP, etc... or simply google it

[g police 2]

.....well i have a little problem but it not much of a big deal. you see when i want to update the PC ( window XP), it cant automatic install or update by itself. i alway have to download them and install them by hand. i also check if i set the automatic update is on or not but it on. during updating by itself,a message appear and say installment fail then show what it not install. so what it is causing this problem?

[ayobreezie]

Do you have a legit copy of XP?

[g police 2]

yes i have with the product key code.

[ayobreezie]

Not sure on this.. maybe a reinstall of the OS will help.. if not, I would call Microsoft for some support.. if it's that big of an issue, if not.. sorry, I couldn't help much.

[g police 2]

Not sure on this.. maybe a reinstall of the OS will help.. if not, I would call Microsoft for some support.. if it's that big of an issue, if not.. sorry, I couldn't help much.

Thank anyway even if you cant solve the problem

[xlr8ter]

ok, I need help.

My computer is always getting the "Blue Screen Of Death" and its getting really annoying.

Is there anything i can do to fix this? I'm pretty sure it has something to do with my ATI graphics card because it says something about a file named "ati2dvag" on the blue screen. It also says something about "the device driver got stuck in an infinate loop".

I don't know anything about this sort of stuff so i was wondering if any of you guys could help? Any advice would be appreciated.

[ayobreezie]

Go download Driver Cleaner, and get the latest driver for your video card.. from ATi website or from Omegadrivers.. use driver cleaner to completely wipe out the old driver.. and then install the new driver.. and see if that fixes it.

[PiP4LyFe]

I'm having trouble with a game, so if anyone can help that would be great. It's Black and white 2, every time i try to play it i get hit with, "Access denied, Please login with administrator privileges and try again". The thing is i am logged in with administrator privileges and it's starting to piss me off. I'm using XP by the way, every other game i have works fine on this computer.