Monthly Archives: April 2007

sigmatel stac9750T audio drivers (for packard bell iMedia X800 PC)

Computer Aid Posted on by

A customer had a packard bell iMedia X800 PC (PN: P020160259). It had some usb corruption (printers wouldn’t work).

I couldn’t do a repair install (lost CDs), so I performed a clean installation of XP.

After that, I looked around for the drivers, and I couldn’t find the missing ones (particularly the sigmatel stac9750T audio drivers). It also took a while to find the ethernet drivers, but I found something vaguely usable on the packard bell website.

This is the second time I’ve scanned the packard bell website, and found no mention of the PC sitting right in front of me. Whats going on?

I eventually go to my backup of the PC, find the drivers, and copy them to the PC. It works, but I would not have been able to get the sound working if the PC had had a failed hard drive…

The drivers can be obtained for a modest payment of $14 Australian Dollars. (Click the Buy Now button)

tpg proxy problems (and stale websites)

Computer Aid Posted on by

I’m in the middle of designing 2 websites, and the owner of one of them called me, to say that she cannot get to her site, and cannot get emails either.

I put www.janpowersfarmersmarkets.com.au into the address bar, but I get a familiar error message:

ERROR
The requested URL could not be retrieved
While trying to retrieve the URL: http://janpowersfarmersmarkets.com/

The following error was encountered:

  • Connection Failed

The system returned: 

    (110) Connection timed out

The site you are trying to connect to may be down. This could be a network issue which will be resolved shortly. This could also mean that there is no webserver at the location you are trying to access. Please try the request again if you are sure you have the correct address and the remote webserver is up.

Please contact TPG Helpdesk or the cache administrator and quote your dialup/ADSL location and IP address if you feel this error is incorrect. If you are reporting this error to the cache administrator you must include this entire error message in your email. Without the correct details we may be unable to resolve your issue.

Your cache administrator is squid@tpgi.com.au

Generated 08/Apr/2007:10:22:57 +1000 by bri-nxg-pr5.tpgi.com.au

Now, Jan’s ISP is EIS, while I’m with TPG, so its unlikely to be both ISPs. 

So, I contact the hosting company, thinking that they might have done something… as I just moved Jans website to this new hosting place (unlimited-space.com).

Anyway, they check their firewall, and many other settings, but cannot find a problem.

I also find (as does unlimited-space), that the website is visible from other sites around the world (I used proxify.com). And ftp also works well…

I ring TPG support, and I’m told to try using some IE proxy settings instead (proxy.tpg.com.au and proxy.cache.telstra.net, ports 3128 or 80)

Yes, the proxies work, so things are working for the moment. But in researching this, I find out that TPG uses “transparent” proxies for all their customers. Hey, I don’t mind, except it gets in the way when I update a website… it takes about 24 hours before the change is seen on my browser. TPG: please make your proxy servers a bit more intelligent.

cisco vpn client problems.

Computer Aid Posted on by

Customer uses software called “simple fund” (by BGL), but they have been unable to use it during the first month since it was installed.

BGL says its a firewall issue, and when I get there, I find I need to get a handle on windows server 2003, plus a cisco 837 modem/router, in order to verify any firewall blockages.

I need to make sure that there are no firewall causing a problem… The customers XP firewall is already disabled, and server 2003 also has no firewall running.

But the Cisco 837 is something else… No simple web-interface for configuration… its all done via telnet.

This looks like something you would use for an office of 20 – 100 people (not a small firm of 5 people).

Anyway, after a lot of “studying the manual”, I eventually realise that I cannot run some commands, because they are “privileged”, and I need a password to be able to run them… The documented password doesn’t work, so I need to check with the ISP. The ISP actually has remote access to the router, and is able to confirm that it has no firewall.

OK, so its back to BGL, for some software support.

I call the support line, and arrange for a tech to call me the next day, at 12:30 pm.

I arrive at the customer at 12:00, and get setup… By 1:15 pm, I start wondering when I’m going to hear from BGL… a call to a more senior BGL representative, gives us some more information: the techs are at lunch, so they cannot help until they get back…

I soon get a call from a tech, and after explaining about the firewalls, we start looking into other possible causes.

It soon becomes obvious that the Cisco VPN client is responsible for the connection problems.

A reinstall of the part of the application that installs the vpn client should fix it… but it doesn’t.

Reboot the PC… but still no joy

I’m told to uninstall the vpn client, reboot, then run the installation again… but no luck

Since the uninstall doesn’t seem to work correctly (it gives error messages, and remains in the add/remove list), I tell the tech it looks like a manual uninstall of the vpn clients is probably called for.

I’m told where the install executable for just the VPN client can be found (on a local server), and we try using that, but still no comms.

After some consultation with his “peers” the tech sends me instructions on how to manually remove the vpn client (registry editing, remove dlls, etc).

I then install the vpn client, and still no go.

I’m then told I should install the latest VPN client (ie go from 4.0.4 to 4.8.x)

After a few hiccups finding someplace where I can download the VPN client, I install it. Before the installation, it tries (and fails) to remove the prior version… It then wants to restart the PC… after which the cycle repeats, until it becomes blatantly obvious that I need to do another manual removal of the cisco vpn client.

After the manual uninstall, I install version 4.8.X. After that, the cisco VPN client starts correctly.

And after a few confusing moments (when it looks like its still not working), simple fund is finally communication with the ATO.

After all that, I’m asked to setup a new employee on the server, and look into why a particular PC is running slow.

I setup the new user.

The PC is slow because it only has 256MB RAM (whereas all the other PCs in the office have 768 MB Ram)… So some more RAM is arranged.

I leave around 6:30 PM… a long and frustrating day… but a good result at the end!

Secretive hosting / website design companies

Computer Aid Posted on by

Recently, I’ve had a few business customers ask about improving their websites, but not willing to go back to their original hosting / website design companies (for various reasons).

It seems to be common practice to make it difficult for customers to find a better hosting / website design solution.

One practice is to “hold on” to domain information, which a customer can use for pointing their domain name to another hosting company.

Most customer are not aware that domain data, hosting solutions, and actual website content are 3 totally independent aspects of a website.

Nowadays, domain names and hosting solutions are so cheap, that I recommend most customers handle their own domain registration and hosting (or at least keep the details, so that they can ask someone to change them on their behalf.

This gives the customer complete control over how they want their website to look… If they decide that a website design company are not listening to them, then they just get someone else.

But when a website design company decides to handle the domain registration and hosting for a customer, then many start charging highly inflated prices for the hosting and domain registration. Sometimes its just a historical price calculation that hasn’t been adjusted for todays financial realities… other times, its knowing that the customer doesn’t understand what he is paying for, and doesn’t even know what to ask, in order go gain some control over their own website.

So, I ask on behalf of my customers, and I usually get long delays, and various excuses, before I get any meaningful replies (And I can understand why: who wants to give away a very good source of profits).

The mobile phone industry was in a similar state: phone numbers could not be transferred, so many businesses wound up being “locked” to a phone company.

It took legislation to fix that problem… at least with domain names (and hosting), the true owner can usually regain control over the domain, irrespective of a third company being uncooperative.

Anyway, getting cpanel and ftp access is usually not too hard, but domain access seems to be the most difficult, but fortunately it can be forced to be repointed to a new hosting solution (by the authorised owner).

Cannot get a Dlink wireless card to work.

Computer Aid Posted on by

I hate it when I can’t solve a problem.

Customer has 3 PCs, and a Dlink wireless router.

2 PC’s have wireless Dlink cards, and one is connected via ethernet.

Neither wireless PCs could connect properly with the router (despite a good signal strength).

Just before I arrive, the customer reformats and reinstalls windows on 1 PC, and it can now work on the wireless network.

He can’t reformat / reinstall XP on the second PC, as he needs it for work.

I check the router/AP settings, and everything is fine.

I then re-configure the PC wireless settings (WPA-PSK-TKIP), but it doesn’t work.

I restart the PC, and the router, but no go.

I move the PC into the same room as the router, but no go.

I connect the ethernet cable: and it works fine.

I download and install the latest Dlink drivers (via microsoft update), but still no go (even after another restart). It detects the Routers SSID, I try to connect, and after a minute, I just get the list of detected network SSIDs again (with none connected).

At this point, the customer reckons he can just swap ethernet cables, as that will allow him to do what he is aiming for… although a wireless connection would be much more convenient.

pinnacle pctv usb stick (antenna quality)

Computer Aid Posted on by

I’ve not seen many TV tuners for PCs, but generally, I don’t like the idea.

I just had a customer ask me to check his USB TV tuner, as he can only get SBS… The unit has a socket for an external antenna, and they supply a small antenna, slightly bigger than those from a wireless router.

So I plug in the antenna, but get no TV stations at all. I figure: I know my main TV antenna (on the roof) provides a good quality picture, so I plug it into the PCTV stick.

Yep, I get all the channels (ABC, 7, 9, 10, SBS), in analog, digital, HD, so it works really well. It just seems a tad pointless to me, as I’d rather watch TV the “traditional” way… even though I occasionally download a TV program/show… I still like to sit on the couch, and be free to move around, rather than have to lug a delicate laptop with me.

IE7 missing tab bar (and favorites) after infection removal

Computer Aid Posted on by

Another difficult problem.

This time, after starting IE7, there is a whole toolbar missing (the one with the tabs, favorite shortcuts, and links like “home, print, etc”.

All it had was the address bar, search bar, forward back refresh and cancel buttons.

It was the aftermath of a spyware infection… so I couldn’t get to the internet properties via control panel (the IP window would only appear for a split second).

I installed windows defender, and it removed about 5 dangerous programs…

Next, I tried firefox, and that worked perfectly.

I try uninstalling IE7, but the uninstall fails.

I also couldn’t download IE7 from Microsoft… the download window wouldn’t appear…

But I eventually got it to download via firefox…

I eventually managed to reinstall IE7 (via the downloaded ie7 setup file), and that fixed things… and many other problems resolved themselves at the same time (ie backspace key to go back to the previous page wasn’t working).

I left both ie7 and firefox, and the customer could then choose which one he liked best.

Another overheating Athlon laptop

Computer Aid Posted on by

Customer was having trouble running MS office on a Toshiba laptop. On closer inspection, I found I couldn’t run some parts of the control panel , and IE was behaving strangely.

Customer didn’t need the data on the laptop, so I decided a clean install of XP.

That was the start of a few problems (if I had known, I probably would have said throw the laptop in the bin).

First problem was that the DVDROM drive was having problems reading CDs… maybe it was a DVD only drive, so it couldn’t read CDs, but it could read CDs sometimes. Anyway the DVD drive is on its last legs.

I try installing XP, but partway through, it complains about not being able to find a file… try again, and this time it spontaneously reboots in the middle of the installation.

I notice that the cpu fan is blowing some very hot air… so the Athlon CPU (and/or DVD drive) could be be struggling (on a very warm 30 degree day).

I point a 12″ cooling fan towards the laptop, and this time XP installs correctly.

I then install office, XP updates, and my usual security software (defender, antivir, etc)

I then connect it to my wireless network via my trusty netgear WG111v2 usb wireless adapter…. but the adapter doesn’t connect properly (it will see the WAP, and even connect sometimes), but no network traffic coming in…

I try the next usb port, and it connects without a problem.

Ok, flaky DVD, USB, CPU, low memory (196Mb RAM)… at least it works, but I tell the customer that if it breaks down in the future… its best to toss it out (or I could use it for parts, and I’ll pay a modest fee for it).

Files and settings transfer wizard freeze

Computer Aid Posted on by

A customer purchased a new PC, and wanted to copy her information from her old PC to the new PC.

This was time for the trusted windows xp “Files and settings transfer wizard”.

I started it, but soon realised it wanted to copy 2.5 Gb of data (and I only had a 256Mb memory stick…)… and it looked like it was going to take hours to create the transfer file.

It didn’t take long to find that most of the data was music files. So I move the music files to a different “holding” area, then run FASTW again… this time it generates a 400Mb file… still too big for my usb drive, but OK for a CDROM

So I burn the CDROM, copy the file to the new PC, run FASTW to restore the settings, and then wait. And wait. And wait…

After 45 minutes (and no visible disk activity after the first 20 minutes), I decide to restart the PC. The restart works well, and all the settings were transferred across.

I try to copy the music files, but for some reason, cannot burn a dvd, so I work on the old PC from my workshop… I manage to copy the music to a DVD, then load the music to the new PC a few days later.

setup netgear wg302 wap

Computer Aid Posted on by

A business customer would like to get his new wireless router to work with various laptops and PCs.

The old router had died, and they had lost confidence in their original tech support company.

I configure the router without much trouble, I then plug it into the main ethernet switch, and place it in a central and elevated position within the office area.

I setup a nearby PC with no trouble.

I then setup a laptop about 10 meters away (with no obstacles or walls), and things start getting more difficult. It struggles to get a good signal. I unplug the wireless mouse, and the signal gets better for about 1 minute. After a restart, its back to a poor signal again.

I check the original PC, and its still going well on its wireless signal.

After a while, I decide to leave the laptop, and try 2 different laptops in the reception area (with a wall between the laptops and the WAP.

But they also get a very poor signal, and cannot connect.

Out of desperation, I restart the WAP (power off for 10 seconds).

I try the first laptop, and it finally connects reliably. The signal is still low, but the internet connection doesn’t drop out. Given the distance, (and proximity to a window), I guess it could be channel interference from other wireless signals nearby.

The two reception laptops also connect fine.

I also connect an office laptop (with obstacles like the metal PC case and 2 walls, and about 6 meters), and it also connects reliably (again with a low signal strength).

Its odd that the WAP somehow decided to only allow 1 PC to connect, and then remained invisible to other PCs.

Update: I have since returned for other work, and the wireless router blocked another PC during my time there. Again, another restart was needed. I’ve told the customer to keep an eye on it. If it plays up some more, they might just toss it and get a different brand (They don’t want to be “off the air” while the router is being repaired under warranty).