Intermittent problems
in [Computer]
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From: Jeff Strickland on 26 May 2010 11:57 "UCLAN" <invalid(a)invalid.com> wrote in message news:8610o4Fk17U1(a)mid.individual.net... > Jeff Strickland wrote: > >>>>>Drive D: is labelled as "HP Recovery." What will this do? >>>> >>>>Yep, that's the one you want. You should be able to invoke its services >>>>with an F Key during boot-time. If you can't see the opportunity for the >>>>F Key, then you need to go into the BIOS -- again, this is a boot-time >>>>option -- and find a setting that displays the Power On screen. >>> >>>I've been trying different "F Keys" during boot-up. No luck. Still >>>can't get into BIOS or "HP Recovery." >>> >>>I'll keep trying. >> >> If you see the Windows Welcome Screen, you missed your opportunity. >> >> There is a very small window of opportunity to invoke the System Recovery >> operation that resides on Drive D. You need to repeatedly press F10 >> starting when you turn the power switch to ON -- I _think_ it's the F10 >> Key. > > Oh, it's F10 alright. There's 3 or 4 F-key options during boot. Problem is > that none of them work. I've tried pressing only when those options appear > (briefly on the screen) and I've tried pressing it several times between > when > I press the ON switch, and before the Windows Welcome screen appears. > Maybe > my keyboard is bad? > >> When you set the power switch to ON, the machine does a Power ON Self >> Test and then loads the BIOS. I suppose it might load the BIOS then do >> the tests. In any case, to get into the BIOS (also called Setup), you >> press ESC or DELETE or F1 -- depending on the system -- and look through >> the settings for one that allows the tests to be displayed onscreen as >> they are taking place. > > Yeah, none of the above work at all. Frustrating. I can remember watching > the > RAM being tested on an old computer. More fun than watching a blank > screen, > IMO. Oh well. I'll keep trying. Are you using the same machine that we are talking about here? If yes, then the F Keys have jobs during Windows operations. For example, start Internet Explorer, F7 will ask if you want Carat Browsing in IE, F1 invokes the Help Menu, F3 starts the Find feature, and so on. If none of these work, then your keyboard is either broken or needs new drivers. I've never heard of a keyboard driver fixing inoperative keys, so my money is on broken.
From: UCLAN on 26 May 2010 14:29 Jeff Strickland wrote: >>> When you set the power switch to ON, the machine does a Power ON Self >>> Test and then loads the BIOS. I suppose it might load the BIOS then do >>> the tests. In any case, to get into the BIOS (also called Setup), you >>> press ESC or DELETE or F1 -- depending on the system -- and look >>> through the settings for one that allows the tests to be displayed >>> onscreen as they are taking place. >> >> Yeah, none of the above work at all. Frustrating. I can remember watching >> the RAM being tested on an old computer. More fun than watching a blank >> screen, IMO. Oh well. I'll keep trying. > > Are you using the same machine that we are talking about here? I only have one machine. The RAM test comment above was on an old P2 computer. > If yes, then the F Keys have jobs during Windows operations. For example, > start Internet Explorer, F7 will ask if you want Carat Browsing in IE, F1 > invokes the Help Menu, F3 starts the Find feature, and so on. If none of > these work, then your keyboard is either broken or needs new drivers. I've > never heard of a keyboard driver fixing inoperative keys, so my money is > on broken. I don't use IE. The current IE installed (IE8) comes up with no URL address window (among other things.) Also, when I start it, it goes full-screen and I lose my bottom "tool bar" (other programs running, icons, etc.) So, I don't mess with it. I'm very happy with Thunderbird. Last night I was able to get into BIOS by pressing F1 during boot-up. I'm sure I tried this unsuccessfully before. Still no luck with Recovery.
From: Jeff Strickland on 27 May 2010 11:19 "UCLAN" <invalid(a)invalid.com> wrote in message news:8657krF1udU1(a)mid.individual.net... > Jeff Strickland wrote: > >>>> When you set the power switch to ON, the machine does a Power ON Self >>>> Test and then loads the BIOS. I suppose it might load the BIOS then do >>>> the tests. In any case, to get into the BIOS (also called Setup), you >>>> press ESC or DELETE or F1 -- depending on the system -- and look >>>> through the settings for one that allows the tests to be displayed >>>> onscreen as they are taking place. >>> >>> Yeah, none of the above work at all. Frustrating. I can remember >>> watching >>> the RAM being tested on an old computer. More fun than watching a blank >>> screen, IMO. Oh well. I'll keep trying. >> >> Are you using the same machine that we are talking about here? > > I only have one machine. The RAM test comment above was on an old P2 > computer. > >> If yes, then the F Keys have jobs during Windows operations. For example, >> start Internet Explorer, F7 will ask if you want Carat Browsing in IE, F1 >> invokes the Help Menu, F3 starts the Find feature, and so on. If none of >> these work, then your keyboard is either broken or needs new drivers. >> I've >> never heard of a keyboard driver fixing inoperative keys, so my money is >> on broken. > > I don't use IE. The current IE installed (IE8) comes up with no URL > address > window (among other things.) Also, when I start it, it goes full-screen > and > I lose my bottom "tool bar" (other programs running, icons, etc.) So, I > don't > mess with it. I'm very happy with Thunderbird. > > Last night I was able to get into BIOS by pressing F1 during boot-up. I'm > sure > I tried this unsuccessfully before. Still no luck with Recovery. I see theee choices. 1.) pay to have your machine fixed. 2.) buy some beer and have a friend come over and fix it. 3.) get a new machine.
From: Jeff Strickland on 27 May 2010 11:31 "UCLAN" <invalid(a)invalid.com> wrote in message news:8657krF1udU1(a)mid.individual.net... > Jeff Strickland wrote: > >>>> When you set the power switch to ON, the machine does a Power ON Self >>>> Test and then loads the BIOS. I suppose it might load the BIOS then do >>>> the tests. In any case, to get into the BIOS (also called Setup), you >>>> press ESC or DELETE or F1 -- depending on the system -- and look >>>> through the settings for one that allows the tests to be displayed >>>> onscreen as they are taking place. >>> >>> Yeah, none of the above work at all. Frustrating. I can remember >>> watching >>> the RAM being tested on an old computer. More fun than watching a blank >>> screen, IMO. Oh well. I'll keep trying. >> >> Are you using the same machine that we are talking about here? > > I only have one machine. The RAM test comment above was on an old P2 > computer. > >> If yes, then the F Keys have jobs during Windows operations. For example, >> start Internet Explorer, F7 will ask if you want Carat Browsing in IE, F1 >> invokes the Help Menu, F3 starts the Find feature, and so on. If none of >> these work, then your keyboard is either broken or needs new drivers. >> I've >> never heard of a keyboard driver fixing inoperative keys, so my money is >> on broken. > > I don't use IE. The current IE installed (IE8) comes up with no URL > address > window (among other things.) Also, when I start it, it goes full-screen > and > I lose my bottom "tool bar" (other programs running, icons, etc.) So, I > don't > mess with it. I'm very happy with Thunderbird. > Well, TBird has F Key functions that you can use to test the operation of the F Keys. I'm trying to understand if your keyboard is on the fritz. Using any Windows application will provide a test bed for the F Keys. F1 is access to the Help menu. F3 should invoke the Find feature. F7 starts SpellCheck. F5 will Refresh the browser. You can test the F Keys from within Outlook Express or Tbird. PS Firefox is a browser, like Internet Explorer is a browser. Thunderbird is an e-mail client, like Outlook Express is an e-mail client. You control Full Screen with the F11 Key. Full Screen will toggle off and on with each press of F11.
From: UCLAN on 27 May 2010 13:29
Jeff Strickland wrote: > I see theee choices. > 1.) pay to have your machine fixed. I tried this (See my first post.) $80 later (including new RAM) I was told "If you still have problems, you might have to reinstall windows.) The problems are so intermittent, they may disappear for a day or two. :( > 2.) buy some beer and have a friend come over and fix it. Ah...beer and troubleshooting - quite the combination. Seriously, intermittent nature of the problems makes this problematic, too. > 3.) get a new machine. See original post. This was my plan at the outset. $500-$600 versus continued intermittent problems in an old system. |