Tag Archives: dell

dell inspiron 530s loud fan

Computer Aid Posted on by

Customer asked me to install a new PC (Dell inspiron 530s), and to transfer files from her old PC.

It seems like a reasonable system (3GB ram, vista home premium, core 2 duo, etc)

Once I connect everything, I fire it up, and I notice the CPU (or PSU) fan are very noisy (running at full speed). I would expect the fan to go quiet after a few seconds.

Anyway, I decide to worry about it last, as I have a lot of configuration to do (remove norton, and some other junk, and then install/configure antivir, defender, spyware blaster, winpatrol, bhodemon, office, etc).

I also don’t have a crosover ethernet cable with me… So I’m reduced to copying about 15Gb of music files using my 1GB usb drive… painfully time consuming!

I then run out of time, so I ask Andrew to track down the solution to the noisy fan.

I suspect its a bios problem, or a faulty motherboard/fan

Andrew downloads and installs an updated bios ( http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19675114-Dell-530s-very-noisy )

And now, the PC is very quiet.

I wonder why Dell would ship PCs with a such an obvious software fault?

Many users would struggle to fix this type of problem.

problems with wireless bluetooth keyboard and mouse

Computer Aid Posted on by

This is the second time I’ve installed a new Dell PC with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I wonder if anyone else is having the same problems?

During the initial startup (while windows XP/vista completes its installation & asks about timezones, etc), the mouse and keyboard work just fine.

But after the usual restart, dell insists on running a post-setup utility to configure your bluetooth, during which you completely lose keyboard and mouse functionality.

Its at precisely this point, that the utility asks you to “click OK” or just locks up. Grrr

I also find these new PCs lack the usual PS2 plugs for keyboards and mice (so I now have to hunt around for a usb mouse / keyboard)

In one case, I still couldn’t get the acer utility to do its job… I had to go to the vista control panel, run device manager, and manually install the bluetooth driver…

The keyboard was easy enough (the blootooth code is printed under the keyboard)…

But the mouse had NO indication of the bluetooth code (neither in/around the mouse, nor in the paperwork).

I try to tell the setup program to use no bluetooth code, but it doesn’t work… but it eventually does after the 4th try (and switching off my mobile, bluetooth headset, and the bluetooth keyboard!)

My first exposure to bluetooth keyboards and mice has not been a good one!

dell AIO 810 (scanner won’t work: device is not available)

Computer Aid Posted on by

I connected a new Dell 810 multi function printer connected to a customers new Dell XP system, and it would print, and copy, but scanning wouldn’t work (the software would give the error: device is not available

The software would give an error, and no amount of uninstalling and reinstalling software and drivers would make it work (even with the latest software from the dell website).

The best Dell support could muster was to use MS paint to scan via the twain interface.

After some prior work in trying to make an Epson 3490, I suspect there is a problem with the PC running on an Athlon 64 X2 processor (but cannot confirm it)… I’d really like to know if its the processor, the motherboard, or something else…

epson 3490 scanner (escndv.exe problem and maybe an amd athlon issue)

Computer Aid Posted on by

Another odd problem:

Customer would like me to setup his new system (he got it a few months ago, so it didn’t get incapacitated with Vista 🙂 )

So I start the Dell (with 1GB RAM, and a nice quick Athlon 64 X2 processor), and it goes through the usual customer screens (enter your location, etc). It all goes smoothly except for the bluetooth mouse and keyboard (thats another story!).

Anyway, its all running smoothly, and I’m then asked if I can get the epson 3490 scanner working (he wants it setup, as it it has a backlight for scanning negatives).

The Epson software installs without a hitch, but when I try to run it, it says something like: escndv.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close.

I download the latest software from the epson website, but I get the same thing.

OK, I uninstall the software, and then remove any leftover files/folders, and also scan the registry, removing any epson scanner entries. I then install the latest software and: same problem…..

I take it back to the office, and it works just fine on my old P4 1.8Ghz system (after I realise there is a lock switch under the scanner (doh!)).

I take it back, and it still doesn’t work.

The customer previously rang dell support (to get scanning working on his dell multifunction printer/scanner), but they were also confused and couldn’t help (except to use microsoft paint to scan via the twain interface).

I thought it was a good idea, so I also tried MS paint and managed to get a scan from the 3490…. interesting, but the twain interface doesn’t allow for switching on the negative backlight.

I try the customers laptop, and it also works perfectly… at least he now has a way of scanning his negatives.

It suddenly dawned on me that this might be because his dell system uses an AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor.

It just might be a coincidence, as I’ve never seen an AMD/Intel compatibility problem before.

I wonder if AMD / Dell / Epson know about this problem?

HP Media centre PC (and Yellow pages)

Computer Aid Posted on by
Client calls wanting some help setting up a HP media centre PC into his home theatre. My number was given to him indirectly via my yellow pages listing.
I won’t say exactly how, because:
  • a “competitor” might be reading
  • this might lead to an increase in high income customers being directed towards Computer Aid.
The yellow pages were distributed only a few weeks ago, & I chose just the minimum free ad, since the category is swamped with large colour ads.
But I will purchase a larger image ad in the local area Yellow pages (due out in about 4 months time).
Anyway, I setup the Media centre software. The client is computer savvy, & learns enough that he is happy to “play” with the system over the weekend & learn its full capabilities.
He also wants me to help with a printer problem on another PC upstairs: He has 2 PC networked (an IBM, and a Dell laptop with a printer), but the IBM cannot print… I do the usual ping tests (all fine), do a windows “find computer” but the laptop doesn’t show up when the IBM searches….but the IBM shows up when the laptop searches…. hmmm.
I look at the laptop more closely, & notice that its quite slow… I check the background processes & see a lot of spyware running… Given that it has Norton running, I assume that 1 or 2 malware infections have slipped through, so I disable most from starting, but after a reboot, there are still some popups & printer doesn’t work.
Client agrees I can take the laptop for a careful cleanup & tuneup.