From: Bob Villa on
On Sep 1, 11:52 am, Boris <nos...(a)nospam.invalid> wrote:
> Nope, out of warranty.
>
> Thanks for reminder about diagnostic lights.  I used those on my (E510)
> to diagnose a memory stick that had come lose after I installed another
> drive.
>
> "Christopher Muto" <m...(a)worldnet.att.net> wrote innews:v6GdnZUDauT91ADXnZ2dnUVZ_tidnZ2d(a)speakeasy.net:
>
> > first, i wonder if this system happens to still be under warranty with
> > dell and if so why not call dell first.
> > secondly, this model hard diagnostic lights that help to quickly
> > identify most hardware issues.
> > thirdly, assuming his data is backed up, the simplest thing to try is
> > the dell system restore to restore the system to the original software
> > configuration as the system was originally shipped.
> > not to defend bestbuy who can certainly defend themselves, it is a
> > pretty common problem of communication when  you have two less than
> > knowledgeable people trying to discusses a technical issue.  the
> > customer should not have to know anything when bringing equipment to a
> > repair shop but if they don't they will likely be taken advantage of
> > deliberately or not.  with diagnostics costing about $69 and repairs
> > costing probably $200 it is apparent that purchasing a new machine is
> > typically a more economical thing to do.
>
> > "Boris" <nos...(a)nospam.invalid> wrote in message
> >news:h7jg2a$r51$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
> >> My 85 year old father has an E520, running XPHome. It's fully
> >> updated, and runs the paid for version of Avast.  He uses his machine
> >> for email and browsing.(I happen to have the same machine at my
> >> house, running VistaHP.)  It's about 2 years old.  He lives 2 hours
> >> away, is entirely technology illiterate, and over the past 10 years
> >> we've usually work problems out via Remote Desktop, or over the
> >> phone.
>
> >> A few days ago, his machine began blue screening. He wrote down part
> >> of the blue screen message:
>
> >> "It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.
> >> Beginning dump of physical memory.
> >> Physical memory dump completed.
> >> Contact system administrator or technical support for further
> >> assistance."
>
> >> He didn't write down any thing else, like memory locations.
>
> >> Not wanting to call me, he took it into Best Buy Thursday afternoon.
> >> They are going to charge him $259 for diagnostic and repair!  They
> >> also told him Avast was no good, and said they'd install their own
> >> Webroot? antimalware program, free for the first so many days.
>
> >> I was going to visit him on Sunday anyway, so I stopped by and we
> >> both went to Best Buy.  I talked with the service counter person (he
> >> admitted that he was not a technician, but proudly announced that he
> >> had this and that certification from Microsoft) and found that they
> >> had already run some of their own diagnostic disks, and told me that
> >> the machine couldn't find the hard drive.  I asked if they checked
> >> the BIOS to see if the hard drive was "turned on".  Not that I knew
> >> how it could have gotten turned off without human intervention,
> >> because my dad would never know how to even enter the BIOS, but he
> >> has pulled the power cord when Comcast goes down, trying to get back
> >> on line.  The counter person said that no one has gone into the BIOS,
> >> because they always want to run their two diagnostics first.  He said
> >> checking the BIOS settings was the last thing they would do, because
> >> that's "so manual".  I say if you suspect that the machine can't find
> >> the hard drive, check the BIOS.  I also asked if they's opened it up
> >> to check that the SATA cable was securely connected, and if the
> >> memory was secure.  Nope, that's too 'manual'
>
> >> I'm far from a hardware technician, but I've always been able to
> >> diagnose and fix my own problems, with the help of google, the
> >> manuals, forums, and especially this group.  I also know my
> >> limitations, and don't mind admitting them.
>
> >> I asked the Best Buy guy to turn on the machine, and I entered the
> >> BIOS. He didn't like that I had touched the keyboard.  I entered the
> >> disc setup page, and it appeared that the harddrive was turned off,
> >> but I couldn't tell for sure, because I didn't have enough time to
> >> look at what was highlighted, and the Best Buy guy was getting edgy,
> >> and told me not to change anything because he'd get into trouble.
> >> Also, my dad doesn't like confrontation, and I didn't want to cause
> >> him any anxiety. If it was me, I would have cancelled the repair, and
> >> taken the machine back to my house, diagnosed it, and returned it
> >> back to my dad.
>
> >> The service guy then told me that he thought the motherboard went
> >> out, because he'd never not been able to mount a harddrive.  Huh?
>
> >> My dad wanted so bad to get back online while he waited for his
> >> desktop, that he bought a Dell Studio T6500 laptop then and there,
> >> for $679.  He knows nothing about pcs, but just told me to get him
> >> something in that price range.  I told my dad that I had to get going
> >> back home because I had other unbreakable commitments, and that I
> >> could come back later, or take the laptop with me and setup at my
> >> house, and he could drive down the next day to pick up.  But, he
> >> wanted it done now (he's addicted to his email), so he let Best Buy
> >> set it up for $40.  I told my dad that he still wouldn't be able to
> >> do email because Windows Mail would have to be configured.  Best Buy
> >> said they'd do that for another $30.  I told Best Buy to be sure to
> >> 'leave mail on server' so Dad could later retrieve his mail on his
> >> desktop, after retrieving it on his new laptop.
>
> >> We also bought a Logitech Nano mouse, and my dad asked me how would
> >> he use it when he did pick up his laptop.  He doesn't know what a USB
> >> port is.  I said just take it to Best Buy when you get the laptop,
> >> and they'll plug it in for you.
>
> >> I called last night to see how it was going.  Dad picked up the
> >> laptop yesterday, and when he took his Nano mouse in, still in the
> >> package and asked them to plug it in the correct port, they did
> >> begrudgingly, but told him that they should be charging him to open
> >> the package and plug it in.  They are such a warm bunch there,
> >> especially with 85 year olds.
>
> >> He's had trouble turning it on, and then all downhill from there.
> >> (This was predictable.)  I also found that they had not 'left mail on
> >> server', so we fixed that over the phone.
>
> >> I told my dad that if he wanted to do so, yank the machine from Best
> >> Buy, bring it down, and let me look at it.  I have no idea what he
> >> will do with Best Buy, because he's not the pushy type, they will
> >> talk technological circles around him, and he gets embarrassed that
> >> he is pc illiterate.
>
> >> I guess every once in a while we use this ng for venting.  This was
> >> my turn.  If you've read this far, thanks.

Your dad does very well...I have a brother (68) who is clueless about
technology!

bob_v
From: Ben Myers on
Boris wrote:
> My 85 year old father has an E520, running XPHome. It's fully updated,
> and runs the paid for version of Avast. He uses his machine for email
> and browsing.(I happen to have the same machine at my house, running
> VistaHP.) It's about 2 years old. He lives 2 hours away, is entirely
> technology illiterate, and over the past 10 years we've usually work
> problems out via Remote Desktop, or over the phone.
>
> A few days ago, his machine began blue screening. He wrote down part of
> the blue screen message:
>
> "It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.
> Beginning dump of physical memory.
> Physical memory dump completed.
> Contact system administrator or technical support for further
> assistance."
>
> He didn't write down any thing else, like memory locations.
>
> Not wanting to call me, he took it into Best Buy Thursday afternoon.
> They are going to charge him $259 for diagnostic and repair! They also
> told him Avast was no good, and said they'd install their own Webroot?
> antimalware program, free for the first so many days.
>
> I was going to visit him on Sunday anyway, so I stopped by and we both
> went to Best Buy. I talked with the service counter person (he admitted
> that he was not a technician, but proudly announced that he had this and
> that certification from Microsoft) and found that they had already run
> some of their own diagnostic disks, and told me that the machine
> couldn't find the hard drive. I asked if they checked the BIOS to see
> if the hard drive was "turned on". Not that I knew how it could have
> gotten turned off without human intervention, because my dad would never
> know how to even enter the BIOS, but he has pulled the power cord when
> Comcast goes down, trying to get back on line. The counter person said
> that no one has gone into the BIOS, because they always want to run
> their two diagnostics first. He said checking the BIOS settings was the
> last thing they would do, because that's "so manual". I say if you
> suspect that the machine can't find the hard drive, check the BIOS. I
> also asked if they's opened it up to check that the SATA cable was
> securely connected, and if the memory was secure. Nope, that's too
> 'manual'
>
> I'm far from a hardware technician, but I've always been able to
> diagnose and fix my own problems, with the help of google, the manuals,
> forums, and especially this group. I also know my limitations, and
> don't mind admitting them.
>
> I asked the Best Buy guy to turn on the machine, and I entered the BIOS.
> He didn't like that I had touched the keyboard. I entered the disc
> setup page, and it appeared that the harddrive was turned off, but I
> couldn't tell for sure, because I didn't have enough time to look at
> what was highlighted, and the Best Buy guy was getting edgy, and told me
> not to change anything because he'd get into trouble. Also, my dad
> doesn't like confrontation, and I didn't want to cause him any anxiety.
> If it was me, I would have cancelled the repair, and taken the machine
> back to my house, diagnosed it, and returned it back to my dad.
>
> The service guy then told me that he thought the motherboard went out,
> because he'd never not been able to mount a harddrive. Huh?
>
> My dad wanted so bad to get back online while he waited for his desktop,
> that he bought a Dell Studio T6500 laptop then and there, for $679. He
> knows nothing about pcs, but just told me to get him something in that
> price range. I told my dad that I had to get going back home because I
> had other unbreakable commitments, and that I could come back later, or
> take the laptop with me and setup at my house, and he could drive down
> the next day to pick up. But, he wanted it done now (he's addicted to
> his email), so he let Best Buy set it up for $40. I told my dad that he
> still wouldn't be able to do email because Windows Mail would have to be
> configured. Best Buy said they'd do that for another $30. I told Best
> Buy to be sure to 'leave mail on server' so Dad could later retrieve his
> mail on his desktop, after retrieving it on his new laptop.
>
> We also bought a Logitech Nano mouse, and my dad asked me how would he
> use it when he did pick up his laptop. He doesn't know what a USB port
> is. I said just take it to Best Buy when you get the laptop, and
> they'll plug it in for you.
>
> I called last night to see how it was going. Dad picked up the laptop
> yesterday, and when he took his Nano mouse in, still in the package and
> asked them to plug it in the correct port, they did begrudgingly, but
> told him that they should be charging him to open the package and plug
> it in. They are such a warm bunch there, especially with 85 year olds.
>
> He's had trouble turning it on, and then all downhill from there. (This
> was predictable.) I also found that they had not 'left mail on server',
> so we fixed that over the phone.
>
> I told my dad that if he wanted to do so, yank the machine from Best
> Buy, bring it down, and let me look at it. I have no idea what he will
> do with Best Buy, because he's not the pushy type, they will talk
> technological circles around him, and he gets embarrassed that he is pc
> illiterate.
>
> I guess every once in a while we use this ng for venting. This was my
> turn. If you've read this far, thanks.

Is the one-liner summary here to avoid Best Buy computer service dept?
If so, the Geek Squad is even more dangerous, 'cause they can run you
over with one of their little cars... Ben Myers
From: Boris on
Boris <nospam(a)nospam.invalid> wrote in
news:Xns9C79B79A66E18nospamnospaminvalid(a)188.40.43.213:


>
> Desktop (E520) question: Since he was already 1/2 way here, I didn't
> have the heart to tell him to turn around and get his factory disks.
> Since I also have an E520, running VistaHP, like his, I should be able
> to use my disks to set his up. Yes? The only problems will be
> drivers for his fairly new Canon Pixma AIO printer and his Samsung 22"
> widescreen monitor. I've always been able to do a fresh reload on a
> Dell if I have Dell disks, even if they are not the ones that came
> with the sick machine.
>

>

My mistake, while I have an E520 running VistaHP, his sick desktop came
with XPHome. Now, I do have an E510 with the original Dell HPHome disks.
That should be fine, if needed. Yes?
From: Christopher Muto on
i would not install vista if he is familiar with xp. that is just asking
for trouble.
your original dell windows xp home cd from your dimension e510 will work
just fine in his e520. it may not be sp3 but that will get updated via
windows update. i would not assume that the hard disk is bad but rather
check it out myself (yourself). first consider the code produced by the
diagnostic lights. second you can run the dell diagnostics to test the hard
disk and other hardware. thought hard disk failures are common, it is even
more common for windows xp to simply become so corrupted that it can not
start. before you wipe the drive you could try to salvage data from the
disk. once you have salvaged any necessary data and tested the drive as
good then you could press f12 at boot and try to run the dell system restore
to reset the machine to like it was when originally shipped. otherwise you
can press f12 at boot and start from the windows xp cd to reinstall windows
from scratch followed by the drivers starting with the 'chipset' first, then
the video, audio, network, modem, etc as appropriate. the latest drivers
can be downloaded from support.dell.com. the drivers on support.dell.com
have non-descriptive names like r123456.exe so i suggest that as you
download then you change the name to something like '1 - chipset driver -
r123456.exe' and so forth... and then burn the to a cd so that you can
easily install them on the rebuilt pc. remember to reboot after installing
each driver. then connect to the internet and visit update.microsoft.com
repeatedly until there are no more updates available. install antivirus
software and all of your desired applications including www.java.com,
www.adobe.com/downloads to get acrobat reader, and so forth. good luck.

"Boris" <nospam(a)nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:Xns9C79B8AD17201nospamnospaminvalid(a)188.40.43.213...
> Boris <nospam(a)nospam.invalid> wrote in
> news:Xns9C79B79A66E18nospamnospaminvalid(a)188.40.43.213:
>
>
>>
>> Desktop (E520) question: Since he was already 1/2 way here, I didn't
>> have the heart to tell him to turn around and get his factory disks.
>> Since I also have an E520, running VistaHP, like his, I should be able
>> to use my disks to set his up. Yes? The only problems will be
>> drivers for his fairly new Canon Pixma AIO printer and his Samsung 22"
>> widescreen monitor. I've always been able to do a fresh reload on a
>> Dell if I have Dell disks, even if they are not the ones that came
>> with the sick machine.
>>
>
>>
>
> My mistake, while I have an E520 running VistaHP, his sick desktop came
> with XPHome. Now, I do have an E510 with the original Dell HPHome disks.
> That should be fine, if needed. Yes?


From: Tom Scales on


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Boris [mailto:nospam(a)nospam.invalid]
> Posted At: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 8:09 PM
> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
> Conversation: Blue Screen - E520 - Best Buy
> Subject: Re: Blue Screen - E520 - Best Buy
>
> Boris <nospam(a)nospam.invalid> wrote in
> news:Xns9C79B79A66E18nospamnospaminvalid(a)188.40.43.213:
>
>
> >
> > Desktop (E520) question: Since he was already 1/2 way here, I didn't
> > have the heart to tell him to turn around and get his factory disks.
> > Since I also have an E520, running VistaHP, like his, I should be
> able
> > to use my disks to set his up. Yes? The only problems will be
> > drivers for his fairly new Canon Pixma AIO printer and his Samsung
> 22"
> > widescreen monitor. I've always been able to do a fresh reload on a
> > Dell if I have Dell disks, even if they are not the ones that came
> > with the sick machine.
> >
>
> >
>
> My mistake, while I have an E520 running VistaHP, his sick desktop
came
> with XPHome. Now, I do have an E510 with the original Dell HPHome
> disks.
> That should be fine, if needed. Yes?


Yes. Your XPHome disks should be fine. You'll need lots of Windows
updates, but that's no big deal.

Sorry for all the mess.