Beeps While Booting
I have the following configuration: a P-4 2.4 GHz, an ASUS motherboard, 256 MB DDR RAM, a Seagate 40 GB HDD, and an ASUS CD-Writer. The PC emits a long beep the moment I press the power button on the cabinet. Later, when I switch it on again, the BIOS screen displays a mismatch of a certain frequency. What am I supposed to do?
Shokeen Sulabh
A long beep indicates a malfunctioning memory module. To confirm whether this is indeed the problem, plug the module in another empty memory slot and boot the machine . If the problem persists then you will have to get the module replaced.
If it persists, remove the video card and reseat it. However, if you use onboard video, get the system serviced by tech support personnel.
Scanned Files Too Large
Q. My employees scan documents into the JPG format via a flatbed HP Scanner. The size of each such .JPG file is around 400 to 700 KB. Hence, they are unable to attach 10 to 25 scanned documents at a time. How do you reduce their size?
Amar Chandra Gupta
Scan the document at a lower resolution. For a Word document, a resolution of 100 dpi is sufficient enough. Scan images not meant for printing at 75 to 100 dpi. You can also select black or grayscale mode while scanning, instead of colour mode for a text file or a Word document.
Fatal Exceptions
Q. I have a Pentium III 1.3 GHz with 128 MB RAM, running Windows 98SE and Norton Anti Virus Professional Edition 2003. At times, as I power the system on, the PC displays the following error message on a blue screen:
‘A Fatal Exception OE has occurred at 0028:C003633B in VXD/FSMGR [01] 00002977. The current application will be terminated. Press any key to continue or press [Ctrl] [Alt] [Del] to restart computer.’ On pressing any key, it either boots up or shuts down. What do I do?
Sanjay Raval
A fatal exception occurs due to incompatible software, faulty RAM modules or corrupt files. To solve this, uninstall the software or driver, which you installed before the error message appeared. Also, visit Microsoft Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com
/kb/315854/EN-US/) for further information to resolve the error.
You can also use a troubleshooting
utility called PC MightyMax(http://www.pc mightymax.net/demo/google57/PC_DocSet up.EXE) to pinpoint the problem causing the fatal exception.
Burning Problems
Q. I tried to burn the same data simultaneously onto two CD-Writers configured in master-and-slave mode. The system detected both the writers, but Nero did not. How do I rectify this?
Susanta Bag
In the main window of Nero, click on Recorder in the menu bar. Next, click on ‘Choose Recorder’. Here, you should see three recorders, one of which is the Image recorder. If the second recorder is crossed out in red or is not there at all, then you are using an OEM version, which only supports the writer it was bundled with. Purchase the retail version.
If you see both the writers without any signs, then go to File > New >ISO Compilation. Here, check the ‘Use Multiple Recorders’ option in the Burn tab and burn your compilation.
Overburning? No Luck
Q. I tried overburning a Moser Baer CD using my Samsung CD-Writer 52x32x52x. I checked for this feature using the ‘Choose Recorder’ option in Nero 5.0. I then test-burned a CD using Nero’s Tool Kit, which showed that it can be burned up to 100 minutes. I then increased the value of the red and yellow markers, and enabled overburning via the ‘Expert’ feature. I then began burning 750 MB of data in the DAO mode. However, an error message appeared indicating that there was not enough space to burn.
Shiv Kant
The ‘Choose Recorder’ dialog box will only specify whether the drive supports overburning or not. To enable overburning, start Nero Burning ROM and go to File > Preferences. In this window, click on the ‘Expert Features’ tab and check the ‘Enable overburn Disc-at-once burning’ option. Click OK and then try overburning a disc.
Shuts Down And Is Infected
Q. I have dual-booted my PC with Windows XP and Windows 98. The system does not turn off when working with Windows XP. The ‘Shut down’ command works fine in Windows 98 though. I repaired it using the repair console on the installation CD but to no avail. Help me fix this problem.
Also, when I connect to the Internet in Windows XP, I receive a message that says ‘The system is going to shutdown due to a problem in remote control procedure’. Where do I get the security patch to fix this virus problem?
Sashi Prakash
Windows XP Service Pack 1 has a patch that addresses improper XP shutdowns. Visit http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307 274 for further information.
The virus you are referring to is the Sasser virus, which causes computers running Windows XP or 2000 to restart every time they connect to the Internet. Download its patch from http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avc
enter/venc/data/w32.sasser.removal.tool.html. Run this tool after booting into Safe Mode (Hit [Del] or [F8] as you power the system on). That done, download the WindowsXP-KB824146-x86-ENU.exe file from http://www.microsoft.com/ downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=5F055AE-A1BA-4D4A-B424-95D32CFC8CBA&display lang=en.
Run this file and your issue will be resolved. If the problem persists, you will need to install Windows XP Service Pack 1.
Nero’s Options
Q. Nero gives me two options ‘Quick-erase rewritable disc’ and ‘Full-erase rewritable disc’ to erase a CD-RW. What is the difference between the two? Which one is more efficient?
Do I need to format the hard disk frequently? If not, how often do I need to do so?
How do I disable the Autorun feature of my CD-Writer in Windows XP Professional?
Devashish
Quick erase rewritable disc’ deletes the files from the CD so they can be recovered by recovery software, while ‘Full-erase rewritable disc’ formats the CD. As long as you don’t keep your confidential data on your CD-RW a quick-erase is fine.
Opt for a format only as the last resort. Usually, you format a hard disk only after you have tried all the necessary PC troubleshooting steps required. If your system is running slow, defragment the hard drive and check it for errors. Use applications such as System Mechanic or Norton Cleansweep to clear any accumulated garbage files.
As for your last query, go to My Computer, right-click your CD-Writer drive, select Properties, go to the AutoPlay tab, choose ‘Select an action to perform:’ and for every content type, choose ‘Take no action’. This will disable the Autorun feature.
TV-out Not Working
Q. My Pentium 4 2.4 GHz system has onboard graphics as well as an nVidia chipset AGP card, which offers monitor and TV output.
The TV-out stopped working a few days back. The TV screen is blank, but we do get sound. I
have Windows 98SE installed. I reinstalled the drivers for the AGP card but that did nothing. All the settings also seem proper. What could the problem be?
Bijay
First, check the cables: If it is an S-video-to-RCA cable, connect it to your TV and AGP card, remove the monitor connection from the AGP card and power on your PC. If the TV comes alive, then the cable is fine. If you use a RF converter along with this cable, check its frequency; a mismatched frequency could be the problem.
If the display still does not work, then right-click anywhere on your desktop and select Properties. Next, switch to the Settings tab and click on Advanced. Select the tab which has the name of your card, say, GeForce2 440 MX or so, go to the Troubleshooting tab and check the box labelled ‘My connected TV does not appear in th e list’, click OK and then restart your PC. This should resolve your issue.
LAN With Mouse Problems
Q. I have a P III 733MHz CPU, a Mercury 810eFST motherboard, running Windows XP and Windows 98 as well.
Recently, I purchased a 5-button Iball black cat optical mouse. At times, the mouse pointer automatically changes its position. The rubber mousepad is blue in colour and coated with plastic. Its sensors do seem fine. Please help.
My college has around 25 computers, running Windows 2000, networked via the LAN. Is there some software that will enable me to chat with my friends when we are logged on to these systems? If so, where do I download it from?
Mariah Furtado
The mouse maybe acting up due to a loose USB or PS2 connection. Check whether the connector is firmly inserted in the slot. If the pointer still moves erratically, then the mouse may have a mechanical fault.
Download and use Jabber (www.jabber.org) —an open-source IM client—to chat with your friends over the LAN. Run Jabber as the server on one of the machines and the rest can then join the chat session. Other simpler clients are LANMessage Pro (0.28 MB), Network Chat 1.30 (9.32 MB), Network Assistant 3.2 (1.29 MB), etc. Download them from www.softpedia.com.
PC Access Via The Internet
Q. I have a P III 800 MHz and a Mercury LAN card running Windows 98SE. I cannot add my friend’s computer in ‘Network Neighbourhood’. We both use Iquara’s broadband Internet connection. Is there any way I can add him via the Internet?
Also, the system never gets past the “Windows is shutting down” message when I shut it via the OS. It’s been a long time since it said that “It’s now safe to turn off your computer”! Help needed. Desperately!
Tejas Subramaniam
Ping the IP address of your friend’s computer. Click on Start > Run, type ‘command’ and click OK. At the command prompt, type ping ‘XX.XX.XX.XX’, (where XX.XX.XX.XX is your friend’s IP address) and press [Enter].
If you receive a reply from his address, then you can access his computer. All he needs to do is share his folder or drive and you can do the same. If you cannot access your friend’s computer in this manner, then use an FTP server such as BulletProof Server (www.bpftpserver.com). If access is still not possible, then probably you are on a separate network and you will need to contact your ISP.
As for the improper shutdown in Windows 98, you will need to download and install its shutdown patch from http://www.microsoft.
com/windows98/downloads/contents/WURecommended/S_WUFeatured/Win98SE/Default.asp.