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Thursday, May 10, 2007
Paris Hilton in PC World magazine (honest)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My gosh a mercy - Paris Hilton made PC World magazine. Will a centerfold follow?
I’ve been reading the magazine a long time and have enjoyed technical articles on video cards and have learned the most intricate details about new chips there.
So I didn’t expect to see this - a story about Paris Hilton.
The story talks about the use of her My Space account to create a petition asking for special treatment - keeping her out of jail on a drunk driving charge.
Who knows what I’ll find next, maybe a review of the chip war between Intel and AMD in People magazine.
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A beagle’s translation guide for PCs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When my beagle Lucy needs to go outside, she paces by the door and makes a whining sound, like an electric motor about to explode. If you have a dog, you know ignoring that whine can cause a mess.
It’s the same with computers. They try to tell you when something is wrong. Ignoring the message can also create a mess.
Today we’ll translate some of those computer clues of trouble into human talk. Knowing trouble is coming can save your data and save you money.
Hard disks
The classic symptom of a fatally ill drive is easy to spot. I think of it as a death rattle - a metallic clattering sound from the disk. Just make sure the sound is coming from the hard disk. The blade from a cooling fan hitting its enclosure makes a similar sound, so pay attention to the tiny light on your computer that flashes when the hard disk is being accessed. If the flashes and the sound seem coordinated, it’s a sign you need to back up your information and replace the disk.
Other warning signs include trying to open a file and getting a message that the data is corrupted; occasional failures when you try to start the computer; and even times when the computer fails to recognize your hard disk.
Most modern hard disks include a technology called S.M.A.R.T. (self-monitoring analysis and reporting technology). It’s a great tool, since the error messages are in something that approaches regular English. You might be told, with an on-screen message, that “smart hard drive detects imminent failure.” While that’s not the sort of message you’d like to see, it does give you advance notice so that you can back up the data on the drive.
That beeping sound
Each time your computer starts up, it tests various systems. If something is wrong, it will try to tell you about the problem using a series of beeps. Unfortunately, various motherboard makers use different codes for these beeps. So you’ll need some help. The best source is the computer manual or the maker’s Web site. Failing that, try this link. It offers decoding instructions for various PC makers and for Macintosh computers.
I can’t see the problem
The beginning of trouble with a monitor or video card often is announced by a flickering screen, strange color casts or a whining sound from the monitor. In most cases, it’s hard to know whether to blame the monitor or the video card. One exception is the whine I mentioned, that’s a fairly conclusive sign that the power supply in your monitor is going out.
But in other cases, borrow a monitor (if you are a multi-computer family you may an extra on hand) and substitute it from the suspect monitor. If the problem goes away, you know you need a new monitor. If it doesn’t, the problem is probably the video card.
Strange color casts and blots of color on the screen can also have a less serious cause. The screen - applies only to tube-type monitors - may simply need to be demagnetized. Almost all monitors have a setting called degauss. If you’re lucky, using that feature will eliminate the color problem.
Power supplies
The power supply in your computer will eventually die. If it goes completely out, the computer simply won’t turn on. (But be sure to avoid embarrassment by making sure the power cord is plugged in at both the wall and the back of the computer before replacing the power supply.)
You may get a warning if a power supply is failing: The signs include a computer that constantly reboots; or has a whine or buzz from the power supply; or there’s even a vibration severe enough to shake the desk.
The worst problems are intermittent ones
For instance, a tiny crack on the circuit board can cause occasionally restarts. Here’s why. Heat makes the board expand and that movement can create a temporary short circuit if the circuit board has a crack.
The same symptom can also come from a bad component like an ethernet card or a video card. The best way to track down an intermittent problem is to keep a log on when the error occurs. So if the video flickers before the computer restarts, that may point to a video card.
I was talking to my physician brother about all this and he said medicine works much the same way. You use clues - symptoms - to diagnose a disease. He added one more bit of advice from his profession: Don’t be overly aggressive fixing the problem. Or as Hippocrates put it, Primum non nocere (First do no harm).
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