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Tips for fixing common sound problems PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 24 August 2010 19:55

Tips for fixing common sound problems

 

Here are some solutions for getting proper sound from your computer. These solutions can also help if you don't hear any sounds from your computer or from a sound device connected to your computer, such as a microphone or speakers. For a step-by-step tutorial to help you identify and fix common sound problems, go to No sound inWindows.

You can also try running a program from Microsoft that automatically diagnoses and repairs problems with sound and audio on your computer.

 

  • I can’t hear sound from my computer

    There are a few simple things to check first:

    • Make sure your computer has a sound card.

      You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

      1. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager.? Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

      2. Expand the Sound, video and game controllers category. If a sound card is listed, you have one installed. If no sound card is listed, You will need to install one.

        Note

        Note

        If you think you have a sound card installed but you don’t see it under the Sound, video and game controllers category, expand the Other devices category and check any devices listed there.

      3. If there is a yellow question mark next to the name of the sound card, there might be a problem. Right-click the name of the sound card, and then clickProperties.

      4. Click the General tab, and then look in the Device status box to identify problems with the sound card.

    • Make sure your speakers are plugged into a working power source and turned on.

    • Make sure your speakers are correctly connected to the computer.

      On your speakers, find the cable that plugs into your computer. Make sure that the speaker cable is plugged into the speakers and the correct jack on the computer. For example, if the cable is a 1/8 inch cable, there should be a round jack for it on the back of the computer. If it is a universal serial bus (USB) cable, it will plug into any USB port on your computer.

    • Make sure that the speaker volume is not muted or turned down too low.

      1. Open Volume Control by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, and then, under Audio Devices and Sound, clicking Adjust system volume.

      2. Under Main Volume, move the slider up or down to raise or lower the volume.

      Note

      Note

      Some mobile PCs have an external volume control on the outside of the case. If you're using a mobile PC, check the external volume control.

    • Make sure your headphones are not plugged into the line out (headphone) jack of your sound card or computer (unless you want to be listening with headphones rather than speakers). When you plug in headphones, most computers automatically cut the sound to the speakers.

    If these steps don’t solve the problem, check the information that came with your computer and speakers or go to the manufacturer's website.

     


    Sound from my speakers is crackled or distorted

    • Make sure your speakers are correctly connected to your computer.

      On your speakers, find the cable that plugs into your computer. Make sure that the speaker cable is plugged into the speakers and the correct jack on the computer. For example, if the cable is a 1/8 inch cable, there should be a round jack for it on the back of the computer. If it is a USB cable, it will plug into any USB port on your computer.

    • If the music in your library skips or the audio breaks up when you play it inWindows Media Player, there might be a problem with the audio driver installed on your computer. Typically, this type of problem only occurs toward the end of songs (in the last 20 seconds or so).

      In some cases, you can work around the problem by disabling optional speaker effects that are collectively known as enhancements. If disabling speaker effects solves the problem, you might need to update your audio driver.

 


 

I have a sound card in my computer, but windows doesn't recognize it.

For Windows to recognize your sound card, you must find and install a compatible driver for your sound card. Most sound cards require driver software to work properly. Be sure that you have installed any software discs that came with the device. If you don't have a disc or the software on the disc does not solve the problem, follow these steps:

  1. Check if a driver for your sound card is available through Windows Update. For more information, see Install Windows updates.

  2. If Windows Update does not find a driver for your sound card, visit the website of the sound card manufacturer to check if a driver is available. If one is available, download it. If not, contact the manufacturer.

  3. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager.? Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  4. In Device Manager, look for a sound card under Sound, video and game controllers and confirm that Windows does not recognize your card.

  5. Close Device Manager.

  6. Open Control Panel by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

  7. In the Search box in Control Panel, type add hardware.

    8. Click Install drivers for older devices with Add Hardware wizard. Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

 

 

I found a new driver for my sound card, but I'm not sure how to install it.

Windows Update can search for updated drivers and install them automatically, but if you already have a new driver you want to install, you can do this yourself. Out-of-date drivers can cause sound problems, so it is a good idea to install the latest driver for your sound card. Follow these steps:
  1. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager.? Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
  2. In Device Manager, locate your sound card under Sound, video and game controllers, and then double-click the device name.
  3. Click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver.
     
    Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Tips-for-fixing-common-sound-problems
     

 
 
Booting problems in Solaris PDF Print E-mail

Booting problems in Solaris

Booting problems poses serious challenge to the system administrators as system is down and no one can use it . This article tries to cover some of the general booting problems and their possible solutions to enable understand the problem cause and bring the system up very quickly.

Following are some of the booting issues ,error messages their meaning and possible solutions discussed in this article.

1) Booting in single user mode and mounting root disk
2) Making boot device alias
3) Timeout waiting for ARP/RARP packet”? error message
4) The file just loaded does not appear to be executable – error message
5) bootblk: can’t find the boot program – error message
6) boot: cannot open kernel/unix – error message
7) Error reading ELF header? – error message  "Cannot open /etc/path_to_inst error message"
9) Can’t stat /dev/rdsk/c0t3d0s0 error message

1. Booting in single user mode and mounting root hard disk
Most important step in diagnosing the booting problems is booting the system in single user mode and examining the hard disk for possible errors & work out the corrective measure. Single user mode can be achieved by any of the following methods :-
ok> boot -s ;from root disk
ok> boot net -s ;from network

ok>boot cdrom -s ;from cdrom
Rebooting with command: cdrom -s
Configuring the /devices directory
Configuring the /dev directory |
INIT: SINGLE USER MODE
#
# fsck /dev/rdsk/c0t3d0s0
# mount /dev/dsk/c0t3d0s0 /mnt

Perform the required operation on mounted disk , now accessible through /mnt ,& unmount the hard disk after you are done ;
# umount /mnt
# reboot

2.Making boot device alias
In case system can not boot from primary disk and it is needed to make another boot disk to access the data , nvalias command is used .
nvalias command makes the device alias and assigns an alternate name to a physical disk. Physical address of target disk is required which can be had by show-disk command on ok>.

ok> nvalias disk7 /iommu@f,e0000000/sbus@f,e0001000/dma@3,81000/esp@3,80000/sd2,0
The new aliased disk can be named as boot disk or can be used for booting by refering its name .
ok> setenv boot-device disk7
ok>reset
or
ok> boot disk7

3. Timeout waiting for ARP/RARP packet ?
At ok> type printenv and look for these parameters .
boot-device disk
mfg-switch? false
diag-switch? false
if you see “boot-device net ” or true value for the other two parameter change it to the values above.
In case you wants to boot from network make sure your client is properly configured in boot server and network connections & configuration are proper.

4. The file just loaded does not appear to be executable
Boot block on the hard disk is corrupted .Boot the system in single user mode with cdrom and reinstall boot block .

#installboot /usr/platform/`uname -i`/lib/fs/ufs/bootblk /dev/rdsk/c0t3d0s0

5. bootblk: can’t find the boot program
boot block can not find the boot programe – ufsboot in Solaris .Either ufsboot is missing or corrupted . In such cases it can be restored from the cdrom after booting from cdrom & mounting the hard disk
# cp /platform/`uname -i`/ufsboot /mnt/platform/`uname -i`

6. boot: cannot open kernel/unix
Kernel directory or unix kernel file in this directory is not found .Probably deleted during fsck or deleted by mistake. Copy it from the cdrom or restore from the backup tape.
# cp /platform/`uname -i`/kernel/unix /mnt/platform/`uname -i`/kernel

7. Error reading ELF header ?
Kernel directory or unix kernel file in this directory is corrupted.Copy it from the cdrom or restore from the backup tape.
# cp /platform/`uname -i`/kernel/unix /mnt/platform/`uname -i`/kernel

8. Cannot open /etc/path_to_inst
System can not find the /etc/path_to_install file .It might be missing or corrupted and needs to be rebuild.
To rebuild this file boot the system with -ar option :
ok>boot -ar
Press enter to select default values for the questions asked during booting and select yes to rebuild /etc/path_to_install
The /etc/path_to_inst on your system does not exist or is empty. Do you want to rebuild this file [n]? y
system will continue booting after rebuilding the file.

9. Can’t stat /dev/rdsk/c0t3d0s0
When booted from cdrom and done fsck the root partition comes out to be fine but on booting from root disk this error occurs. The device name for / is missing from /dev/dsk directory and to resolve the issue /dev & /devices directories has to be restored from root backup tapes .

 
 
NTLDR is Missing error PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 23 August 2010 21:23

NTLDR is Missing

Related errors:

Below are the full error messages that may be seen when the computer is booting.

NTLDR is Missing
Press any key to restart

Boot: Couldn't find NTLDR
Please insert another disk

NTLDR is missing 
Press Ctrl Alt Del to Restart

Causes:

  1. Computer is booting from a non-bootable source.
  2. Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS.
  3. Corrupt NTLDR and/or NTDETECT.COM file.
  4. Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file.
  5. Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using FAT32.
  6. New hard disk drive being added.
  7. Corrupt boot sector / master boot record.
  8. Seriously corrupted version of Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
  9. Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable.
  10. Failing to enable USB keyboard support in the BIOS.

Solutions:

Computer is booting from a non-bootable source

Many times this error is caused when the computer is attempting to boot from a non-bootable floppy disk or CD-ROM. First verify that no floppy diskette or CD is in the computer, unless you are attempting to boot from a diskette.

Note: This error has also been known to occur when a memory stick is in a card reader and the computer is attempting to boot from it. If you have any type of card reader or flash reader make sure that no memory stick is inside the computer. Additionally disconnect all USB drives, cameras, ipods, iphones, etc. from the computer.

If you are attempting to boot from a floppy diskette and are receiving this error message it is likely that the diskette does not have all the necessary files and/or is corrupt.

If you are attempting to install Windows XP or Windows 2000 and are receiving this error message as the computer is booting verify that your computer BIOS has the proper boot settings. For example, if you are attempting to run the install from the CD-ROM make sure the CD-ROM is the first boot device, and not the hard disk drive.

Second, when the computer is booting you should receive the below prompt.

Press any key to boot from the CD

Important: When you see this message press any key such as the Enter key immediately, otherwise it will try booting from the hard drive and likely get the NTLDR error again.

Note: If you are not receiving the above message and your BIOS boot options are set properly it's also possible that your CD-ROM drive may not be booting from the CD-ROM properly. Verify the jumpers are set properly on the CD-ROM drive. Additional information about checking the CD-ROM drive connections can be found on document CH000213.

Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS

Verify that your computer hard disk drive is properly setup in the BIOS / CMOS setup. Improper settings can cause this error. Additional information on how to enter the BIOS / CMOS setup can be found in document CH000192.

Corrupt NTLDR and/or NTDETECT.COM file

Windows 2000 users
Windows XP users

Windows 2000 users

If your computer is using Microsoft Windows 2000 and you are encountering the NTLDR error. Create the below boot.ini file on the floppy diskette drive.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

Copy the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files from another computer using the same operating system. Both of these files are located in the root directory of the primary hard disk drive. For example, C:\NTLDR and C:\NTDETECT.COM should be the locations of these files on many computers.

  • Please keep in mind that these files are hidden system files, if you need additional help with viewing hidden files in Windows please see document CH000516.

Once these files have been copied to a floppy diskette reboot the computer and copy the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files to the root directory of the primary hard disk drive. Below is an example of what commonly should be performed from the A:\> drive.

copy ntldr c:
copy ntdetect.com c:

After the above two files have been copied, remove the floppy diskette and reboot the computer.

Windows XP users

  1. Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
  2. When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
  3. Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
  4. Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
  5. You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
  6. Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter, which in this case is "e." This letter may be different on your computer.

    copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\
    copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

  7. Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.

Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file

Edit the boot.ini on the root directory of the hard disk drive and verify that it is pointing to the correct location of your Windows operating system and that the partitions are properly defined. Additional information about the boot.ini can be found on document CH000492.

Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using FAT32

If you are getting this error message while you are attempting to upgrade to Windows 2000 or Windows XP from Windows 95,Windows 98, or Windows ME running FAT32 please try the below recommendations.

  1. Boot the computer with a Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME bootable diskette.
  2. At the A:\> prompt type:

    sys c: <press enter>

  3. After pressing enter you should receive the "System Transferred" message. Once this has been completed remove the floppy diskette and reboot the computer.

New hard disk drive being added

If you are attempting to add a new hard disk drive to the computer make sure that drive is a blank drive. Adding a new hard disk drive to a computer that already has Windows installed on it may cause the NTLDR error to occur.

If you are unsure if the new drive is blank or not try booting from a bootable diskette and format the new hard disk drive.

Corrupt boot sector / master boot record

It's possible your computer's hard disk drive may have a corrupt boot sector and/or master boot record. These can be repaired through the Microsoft Windows Recovery console by running the fixboot and fixmbr commands.

Additional information and help in getting into the Microsoft Windows Recovery console can be found on document CH000627.

Seriously corrupted version of Windows 2000 or Windows XP

If you have tried each of the above recommendations that apply to your situation and you continue to experience this issue it is possible you may have a seriously corrupted version of Microsoft Windows. Therefore we would recommend you reinstall Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

If you are encountering this issue during your setup you may wish to completely erase your computer hard disk drive and all of its existing data and then install Microsoft Windows 2000 / Windows XP. Additional information about erasing the computer and starting over can be found on document CH000186.

Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable

This issue has been known to be caused by a loose or fault IDE/EIDE cable. If the above recommendation does not resolve your issue and your computer hard disk drive is using an IDE or EIDE interface. Verify the computer hard disk drive cable is firmly connected by disconnected and reconnecting the cable.

If the issue continues it is also a possibility that the computer has a faulty cable, try replacing the hard disk drive cable with another cable and/or a new cable.
 
Seven Tips to Prolong the Life of Your Laptop PDF Print E-mail

Seven Tips to Prolong the Life of Your Laptop

Posted by Paul Mah

 

I recently had dinner with a friend who lamented about how her laptop was sent for repairs five times in the last two years.  She was very surprised when I told her that I've owned three laptops in six years that have never needed repairs, all of which remain perfectly serviceable today.

 

Personally, I was surprised that it is possible to encounter so many problems with a laptop in the first place.  Things became clearer after I heard exactly what happened.  I racked my brains, and came up with a list of what I hope will be useful tips to help prolong the life of your laptops.

 

Battery Conditioning Not Needed

 

A common mistake I've seen would be unplugging the laptop when using it, connecting it back to the AC only when the charge in the battery is running out.  The logic behind this is to prevent overcharging, though this is a bad decision based on flawed information.  The result is a shortened serviceable life span of the battery, since there are a finite number of charge-discharge cycles inherent to every rechargeable battery.

 

You see, computer makers are much more worried about overcharging than users, given the comparatively volatile nature of modern lithium-ion batteries.  In fact, lithium-ion batteries have "undercharge" protection, too, and are designed to permanently refuse to charge if the power level falls too low.  This is because they have a tendency to catch fire if charged under such circumstances.  So this is a good reason to keep your batteries fully charged instead.

 

Hear a Buzzing Sound?  Don't Wait for it to Go Away

 

If you hear a loud, buzzing or whining sound emanating from your laptop, send it for service at your earliest convenience. There are only two main moving components in your laptop capable of generating buzzing or whining noises - the built-in ventilation fan or the hard-disk drive. Generally speaking, any noise coming from them speaks of impending failure of those parts. Waiting for the sounds to go away is just asking for trouble. You'll probably either lose data through an untimely hard-disk crash or some component will burn out irreparably if the laptop fan stops working. So back up your data in both cases, and send the laptop in for service.

 

Get a Keyboard Protector or Use an External Keyboard

 

The keyboard gets the heaviest physical wear on the laptop.  While designed for heavy use, the keyboard usually cannot be replaced if damaged and is a usability nightmare if not properly maintained. Because laptops are often used around food, crumbs and other bits and pieces such as staple bullets often accumulate under the keys.

 

A keyboard protector will help keep out all that stray matter. To reduce wear on the keys, I would advocate using a separate keyboard when at your desk.  I personally have a keyboard protector for my laptop, and use an external wireless keyboard and mouse atmy workstation at home.

 

Defragment Your Drives Regularly (or Not)

 

Due to the way the computer file system works, performance of hard-disk drives unavoidably will decrease over months or years of use. As such, it is often a good idea to perform a defragmentation of your data from time to time.  Having said that, do note that defragmenting solid-state disks (SSDs) is detrimental and can shorten their usable life span. Newer operating systems such as Microsoft 7 recognize this and take away the option to defragment an SSD accordingly; this is not necessarily the case for all OSes, though.

 

Avoid Walking Around with the Laptop

 

Most laptops still come with hard-disk drives, which spin between 4,200 revolutions per minute (rpm) to 7,200 rpm for higher-end models.  Most users are not aware, but the hard-disk head hovers at microscopic distances - less than the width of a hair, to be precise -- from the furiously spinning disk surface.  So while technology has advanced significantly to eliminate the possibility of damage from casual handling, it is generally not a good habit to tuck your laptop under your arm while it is still switched on.

 

Your mileage might vary on this, as some laptops come with built-in software that will temporarily "park" the head away from the spinning surface when movement is detected.  Regardless of that, gentle handling of your laptop is recommended.

 

Note: This advice does not apply to solid-state drives, which have no moving parts

 

Power Off Properly

 

One way to quickly shorten the life or even kill your laptop would be to stuff it into your bag when it is still switched on.  While this is not something that most folks will do deliberately, accidents happen when users click on "Shut Down," then stuff the laptop into the bag without waiting.

 

Applications or the Windows operating system itself can hang during the power-down process, which in this instance will leave the laptop running for hours in an enclosed bag until the power drains completely.  And yes, I've heard of at least one case in which the hard-disk drive burned out after being subjected to a few doses of this treatment.  So do check to make sure your laptop's really powered off first.

 

Servicing Your Laptop?  Let IT Have a Look at it

 

A visit to the service center typically entails a tedious process of backing up one's data, and then waiting for anything ranging to days or weeks for the repairs to be completed.  Now, it's hardly a perfect world out there, and there's always the chance that repairs might not be done satisfactorily.  Just as it's possible that repair personnel might opt to replace a part when they are not technically obligated to do so, the possibility exists that new problems could be introduced as a result of inexperience.

 

It's always a good idea to let your service help desk or someone who is tech savvy take a look at your laptop to make a preliminary diagnosis.  This will allow new problems that are introduced as a result of the service call to be more easily isolated and identified should they surface after the repair.

 

Courtesy of:

http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/mah/seven-tips-to-prolong-the-life-of-your-laptop/?cs=42068
 
Ten Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 7 PDF Print E-mail
Sunday, 22 August 2010 19:16

Ten Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 7

Windows 7 has been released for a while now, and has remained highly popular among users who have switched to it. Personally, I've been using Windows 7 as my primary operating environment since Windows 7 RC, or more than half a year.

 

One thing is for sure, you certainly won't find me switching back to Windows Vista or Windows XP. So what are some of the practical things to like about Windows 7? I work on Windows 7 Enterprise, and I've compiled a list of 10 of what I love about it.

 

Aero Peek

To quickly peer past all open windows to look straight at the Windows 7 desktop, simply point to the right edge of the taskbar. All open windows will instantly turn transparent, making it possible to see what's on the desktop.

Redesigned Taskbar

With Windows 7, getting an application icon onto the taskbar is as simple as right-clicking on the icon and selecting "Pin to Taskbar." Voila, it magically appears on the Taskbar.

Aero Snap

With just about every laptop being sold now having a widescreen display, have you ever needed to position two documents side-by-side? Rather than tearing your hair out in frustration, Aero Snap offers a quick and easy way to "snap" windows into the left or right half of your screen simply by dragging Windows to the edges. (You can also snap windows vertically.)

Jump List

A Jump List is what you'll see when you right-click on a program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar (or Start menu). What appears depends on the specific application, but typically contains a list of frequently or last-viewed files, as well as quick access to common commands.

Improved Boot Performance

11 seconds from loading Windows to a fully usable laptop without the benefit of Windows 7 optimized drivers is nothing to scoff at.

Support for SSD

Microsoft has done a lot of re-engineering to Windows 7 since Windows Vista to improve its SSD read and write speeds; the use of ATA commands and support for the TRIM command further increases write speeds.

BitLocker To Go

BitLocker To Go (as with BitLocker) is found only on the Enterprise edition of Windows 7. For enterprise users, it allows them to protect the data stored on portable drives by encrypting them on-the-fly. Set up is extremely easy and recovery keys can be managed via policy-configured Active Directory Domain Services integration.

Enhanced Stability

I've been using various editions of Windows 7 for more than half a year now, and its stability is bliss compared with Windows Vista or even Windows XP. While I would be lying to say that it never crashes, it does so infrequently and is otherwise rock stable.

Windows XP Mode

Need to run Windows XP due to some legacy OS or to run some potentially dangerous software without any risk to your PC? You can make use of Windows XP Mode to run, well, Windows XP as a virtual machine.

Network Virtualization

Ok, this isn't technically something that would qualify as an official feature in Windows 7. However, the folks over at Connectify found that the Windows team did some unfinished work to virtualize the network plumbing in Windows 7. Using it, they managed to build a GUI and an interface that transforms your Windows 7 workstation into a full-fledged AP for other Wi-Fi devices - while it is connected to an AP!

 

 

Courtesy of: Paul Mah

 

http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/mah/10-things-to-like-about-windows-7/?cs=39935

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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