Dell Inspiron 530 restarts unexpectedly

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I have a customer with a Dell Inspiron 530 in which the computer will suddenly just restart while in the middle of using it. Multiple times now, the hard drive ends up getting damaged in this process and Vista will not boot. I run chkdsk c: /r from the Advanced recovery tools’ command prompt and it boots, but it still has this shutdown problem. There is no evidence of anything in any of the Event Logs in Windows right before this happens — go it’s not a Blue Screen. I replaced the power supply with a new one from a trusted seller on eBay and gave it back to the client. A few weeks later, the same auto-restart happened, damaged the hard drive and I got it back.Секреты прирожденного продавца. Часть 2

During my subsequent testing, the same thing would happen during a chkdsk outside of windows, so it can’t be a software problem.

Being unsure what to do, I sat on it for a few weeks searching for answers or others with similar problems. I found very little that was helpful, so I’m on my own. Please comment if you have had similar symptoms.

My next step was to buy a case with power supply — an unusual choice. It doesn’t feel to me like this is motherboard, processor, RAM or heat. I’m swapping it today — we’ll see what happens.

[UPDATE 12/8/10]: It has been running continuously in the CMOS menu since Monday night….so far so good.

Update tab is missing in my Java Control Panel settings

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On my home and office computer, the update tab was missing in my Sun Java 1.6 Control Panel applet.  At the office, I found it was disabled in the registry.RPK Tramplin

Steps to find it*:

1. Start, Run, type regedit, OK

2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > JavaSoft > Java Update > Policy

3. I have a DWORD value titled “EnableJavaUpdate” with the value of “0” (zero).  I changed it to “1” (one) and the update tab appeared.

At home, this registry entry wasn’t there.   I could have tried adding it, but instead, I went to JAVA.com and installed the latest version, which added the update tab.

*Be very careful; messing with the registry can be very risky.

If this doesn’t work, check out jjoensuu’s and roja’s comments below.

 

How to find HP Compaq nc6000 recovery discs

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If you don’t care to read the path I took for find the CDs, go to the bottom.

I searched and searched on Google looking for HP Compaq nc6000 recovery DVDs or CDs.  I couldn’t find anything on HP’s website about them, or even the part number.  I found 3rd party sites selling the discs, but only one had the one for this model and it was going to be hundreds of dollars.

I used a Windows XP Professional SP2 CD from an older HP laptop, but it would give an error saying there was no hard drive present:

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447626+1287021157510+28353475&threadId=1089060

Then I followed the direction of putting the SATA drivers on a diskette, which was an ordeal, but I did it (with an old NIC driver diskette and a D620 floppy drive w/USB cable).  Then, after loading the SATA driver diskette, it asked me “insert the disk labeled Windows XP Professional Edition CD-ROM into Drive A:”   I couldn’t get it to do anything after that point.

So, I went searching again the next day.  I finally stumbled upon this, which was what I wish I found the first time, it was perfect.  Hopefully this is high on Google and saves you time and headaches:

…you can order a set of restore disks for your nc6400 from HP if you live in the USA. I ordered some in January. Cost me $10.00 for shipping.1. Write down the part number and serial # on the bottom of the computer on the white tag. The model # is an HP-Compaq nc6400, but the part number will be found on that white tag below the serial #.

2. Call HP at 1-800-952-7689, option 1 (ordering restore disks is part of the list in the option).

3. Provide the info asked by the rep that answers the phone. Some just ask for the serial #, some want both, or they will just want the serial number and type of computer (nc6400).

4. Have a Master Card or Visa ready for purchasing. They don’t take Discover. I believe you will be charged $10.00.

You will receive the disks by First Class Mail or you can pay an additional $10.00 for FedEx shipping.

CREDIT: Paul (pjtikkanen) – http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Operating-systems-and-software/HP-Compaq-nc6400-Laptop-Recovery-CD/m-p/335514/highlight/true#M45812

Hacked Linksys router with 213.109.65.26 DNS IP

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I just worked on a computer that kept visiting infected websites and it didn’t make sense to me, since it was in a professional office on the owner’s computer.Траверсы

I was attempting to update MalwareBytes’ Antimalware, but it gave the error: MBAM_ERROR_UPDATING (12007, 0, WinHttpSendRequest).

In Googling the error, there was a little bit about router poisoning.  I logged into the router using admin as the password, and found the DNS address assigned as 213.109.65.26.  This isn’t OpenDNS’s IP that I set last year..  This router even had a unique password (it is a Linksys BEFSR81 v3 FW 2.50.2) before.  I wonder if there is a vulnerability allowing the password to be reset to admin?

After I changed the DNS IPs back to OpenDNS and renewed the computer’s IP, I was able to update Malwarebytes’ Antimalware.  It found msxml2.dll as infected with Trojan.FakeAlert, which was not found by ESET NOD32.

This seems to be just the beginning of the next wave of getting people to visit infected and phish websites — ROUTER POISONING.  In this case, you could run 20 antivirus programs, or even reload the operating system and the problem would persist…

Sorry, this is an instructional guide on how to fix the router, but a street sign showing you what to search for…

[SOLUTION] Outlook 2000 opens, then closes; won’t stay open!

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My Outlook 2000 would not stay open today!  I would open it, but it would immediately disappear and close.  Each time I open it, it keeps closing. I found the reason, which is iTunes 10, and the solution which did work for me:

iTunes will sync with Microsoft Outlook 2003, Microsoft Outlook 2007, or Microsoft Outlook 2010. If you use Microsoft Outlook 2000, you can resolve this issue by renaming the “OutlookChangeNotifierAddIn.dll” file. This file can be renamed however you choose, and is found in the following default location depending on your operating system:

* Windows XP, Windows Vista (32-bit) or Windows 7 (32-bit):
o C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\OutlookChangeNotifierAddIn.dll
* Windows Vista (64-bit) or Windows 7 (64-bit):
o C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\OutlookChangeNotifierAddIn.dll

If you install Microsoft Outlook 2003, Microsoft Outlook 2007, or Microsoft Outlook 2010 after renaming this file, you may need to reinstall iTunes 10 before being able to sync Contacts, Calendars, email account information, or Notes.

I renamed it OutlookChangeNotifierAddIn – problem file.dll

For those of you having difficulty finding the file, find a find to get to the C: drive.  For Windows XP, it is My Computer.  For Vista or Windows 7, look for “Computer”.  Once you find C: and double-click it, double-click the Program Files folder (for 32-bit systems), and so on, following the paths listed above.  Searching for the file will probably be tough to make work.

Thanks AndyKarting: http://discussions.info.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12247384#12247384

[UPDATE 10/1/10] I just updated to iTunes 10.0.1 and it happened all over again!  The fix worked again…

[SOLUTION] iTunes 10 – Windows installer has set policies to prevent installation

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I was working with a client that couldn’t install iTunes 10 today on Vista Home Premium SP2.  It would pop up a message early in the install process saying, “Windows installer has set policies to prevent installation.”

I visited this blog, which had good advice, but none of it worked.

However, in the comments of that blog, sunny wrote that right-clicking and clicking “Run as Administrator” on the iTunes installation file worked.  It worked for me, too.

[SOLUTION] Dell GX270 SFF CPU fan blowing too fast

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I worked today on a Dell Optiplex GX270 SFF (this should apply to other GX270 SDT, SMT and GX260) in which the CPU fan blew at full speed beginning when you would touch the power button (before the CPU was even used).RA Grani

I swapped the CPU fan with a known good one and the problem was fixed.  It has CPU fan 9G180 in both the GX270 SFF and GX260 SFF I had on hand.

[SOLUTION] XP won’t boot after Tue, Aug 10 Windows Updates

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SUMMARY: A problem with ATI video card drivers and either KB2160329 or KB2079403 caused this problem.  (If you narrow it down, please comment.)

I have a customer that called because his Dell Optiplex 745 with Windows XP SP3 computer would automatically reboot after the Windows splash screen, but before the Windows login screen appeared. The strange this was that I could not get it to show a blue screen, even after I verified the setting in Control Panel > System > Advanced tab > Startup and Recovery Settings and chose to Disable Automatic Reboot on System Failure at the Safe Mode menu screen.

The good thing was that it would boot to Safe Mode. I found that it did 14 Windows Updates prior to the last time it worked properly. I searched on Google to see if anyone was experiencing big problems with any of them, but nothing looked promising.

Here is the crash in the Event Log:
The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000001a (0x0004128b, 0x000052d0, 0x00000000, 0xbec00000). A dump was saved in: C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini081310-02.dmp.

I didn’t find much on Google about that either, besides that it was a “MEMORY MANAGEMENT” error.

I started from the bottom of the list of updates and removed four (KB2183461, KB982214, KB2115168, KB981852), restarted, but still the same problem.

Then I removed KB2079403 and KB2160329, rebooted and Windows worked again! So the problem is one of those.

Using great software from Resplendence, called WhoCrashed, I found this as the culprit of my crash:
On Fri 8/13/2010 1:28:55 PM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ati3duag.dll
Bugcheck code: 0x1A (0x4128B, 0x52D0, 0x0, 0xBEC00000)
Error: MEMORY_MANAGEMENT
Dump file: C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini081310-03.dmp
file path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati3duag.dll
product: ATI Technologies Inc. Radeon DirectX Universal Driver
company: ATI Technologies Inc.
description: ati3duag.dll

It looks to me as though my video card drivers combined with the Windows patch caused this problem.

It has an ATI Radeon HD 2400 with 8.582.0.0 drivers from 2/3/09.

Then I went to ATI’s site to download an updated driver (today it is 8.753).

After rebooting, I installed all the Windows Updates and it rebooted fine!!

[SOLUTION] HP TouchSmart stand is stuck, won’t open

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I received an HP TouchSmart IQ500 to fix, but I could not figure out how to open the stand!  The slider was on the unlocked padlock, but it wouldn’t move.  I searched online and read about forcing the switch, (which it popped off) but it just didn’t loosen it up.  I would try to open it, but it felt like it was going to break.Visual Cage

After persistent Google searches, I found this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlnD1UWeusI&hl=en_US&fs=1]

Just make sure the switch is in the unlock position and force it. Hopefully it works for you like it worked for me!

[SOLUTION] Adobe PDF only prints page one

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I had a client that had Adobe Reader 9 installed (by the company automatically) and he suddenly lost the ability to print more than the first page of a PDF file.  Other programs printed fine.

It is probably related to the copier’s printer driver being PostScript.  I read of some users updating drivers to fix it, but here is the fix I used:

In the print dialog box, click the Advanced button, change the Font and Resource Policy dropdown box to “Send for Each Page.”

Credit: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/395021