Troubleshooting Tips for a New Sound Card Troubleshooting Tips for a New Sound Card

Troubleshooting Tips for a New Sound Card

 

No sound is heard from audio (music) CDs
Various conditions may cause this problem. To troubleshoot, check the following:

• Microsoft Volume Control or your mixer program mute options and volume sliders.
• Connect headphones to the stereo phone jack on your CD-ROM drive’s front panel; adjust the volume control settings on the drive. If there is sound from your headphones, check the CD audio cable connection from the CD-ROM drive to the audio card.
• Ensure the speakers are properly connected to the audio card’s output connector.

Joystick port is not working
To troubleshoot, check the following:

• The audio card joystick port conflicts with another joystick port in the system. Disable the audio card joystick port, and use the system’s joystick port.
• The joystick drivers, MSJSTICK.DRV and VJOYD.VXD, may not be installed. Uninstall the joystick, then reinstall to load the drivers. The drivers should come with the driver CD or floppy diskette with your sound card.

Computer hangs or restarts during installation
A hardware conflict may cause the computer to hang or restart during the installation procedure. Check the following to resolve the conflict:

• A hardware conflict with another device in your system.
• Previously installed sound card hardware or software needs to be removed.
• The audio card is not seated in the slot properly.
• PCI bus mastering devices may be interfering with the operation of the audio card. Temporarily remove non-essential PCI bus mastering devices.

Resolving hardware conflicts
Hardware conflicts occur when two or more devices contend for the same resources. Conflicts between your audio card and another device may occur regarding the I/O address, IRQ line, or DMA channel:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and select Properties. The System Properties dialog appears.
2. Click the Device Manager tab. In the Device Manager, a plus sign(+) represents an expandable list of items. A minus sign (-) represents an expanded list. A circled exclamation mark denotes a conflict.
3. Double-click Sound, video, game controllers. A list of multimedia devices appears.
4. Select your audio card.
5. Choose the Propertis button.
6. Click the Resources tab.
7. Uncheck the Use automatic settings option.
8. Change "Settings based on:" if alternate settings are available.
9. Determine the conflict by reviewing the "Conflicting device list".
10. Select the conflicting item in the "Resource Settings" list.
11. Click the Change Settings button.
12. Use the mouse to select a new setting.
13. Select OK to close each of the properties windows, and restart your computer.

Audio card is not automatically detected
To manually configure your audio card for Windows 95/98:

1. Click "Start" on the taskbar, and select Settings from the Start menu.
2. Select Control Panel. The Control Panel group appears.
3. Double-click the Add New Hardware icon. The Add New Hardware Wizard dialog appears.
4. Select Next to continue.
5. Choose Yes to have Windows search for new hardware, then select Next
6. Select Next to continue.
7. Select Finish, and follow the prompts to complete the new hardware installation.

CD does not automatically run when you insert it in the drive
To enable the "Audio insert notification" feature:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and select Properties. The System Properties dialog appears.
2. Click the Device Manager tab. A list of devices appears.
3. Double-click CD-ROM, and select your CD-ROM drive.
4. Choose the Properties button. The CD-ROM drive properties dialog appears.
5. Choose the Settings tab.
6. Click the "Auto insert notification" option to enable.
7. Select OK until all Properties dialogs are closed, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

No sound is heard from speakers
Verify the following:

• Check the Microsoft Volume Control or the Audio Mixer Program mute options and volume sliders.
• Ensure the speakers are properly connected to the audio card’s output connector.
• Check the volume control and power connection of the speakers, if they are amplified. (Refer to the speakers documentation for detailed information).
• Ensure a hardware conflict does not exist between your audio card and another device in your system.
• PCI bus mastering devices may be interfering with the operation of the audio card. Temporarily remove non-essential PCI bus mastering devices. If the device is a display card, upgrade the display card drivers, or set the card to the default Windows VGA mode.

If you are experiencing no sound only during audio CD playback, see "No sound is heard from audio (music) CDs" above.

Static sounds are heard in wave files
Check to see if the static sounds are heard in all wave files. If the difficulty occurs only with certain games, refer to the software manufacturer’s documentation. To troubleshoot static sounds heard in all wave files:

• Try different resource settings for the audio card, or set the card to use low DMA.
• Move the audio card to another PCI slot. Feedback from the power supply or another device may be responsible.

 

Storing Information on Your PC

You do not have to lump all your files in your computer’s internal hard disk drive. If you are a file hoarder, you will eventually reach the limit of your hard disk drive capacity. You can easily remedy the problem of low storage space by making use of removable media devices. Removable media devices are a great alternative place to store extra files and data. You may also use them to create back ups of important and sensitive files. In the event of a total computer crash, you will not lose all of your files if you diligently back up your data.

There are many removable media devices available in the market today. Among the most popular ones are CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and USB flash drives.

* CD

CDs or compact discs are the most popular type of removable media. They rendered the floppy disks obsolete several years ago. While very affordable and in large supply, CDs sadly have short life spans.

In order to read or play a CD, your computer should be equipped with a CD-ROM drive or a CD writer. CD-ROMs will simply allow you to read data on a CD. If you want to read and write data on a CD, you will have to get a CD writer.

* DVD

DVDs, also known as digital versatile discs or digital video discs, are similar to CDs but these removable media devices are able to store more information — roughly six times as much as CDs can hold. While CDs can only accommodate a few hundred MB, DVDs can hold between 1GB and 17GB of data. CDs and DVDs are virtually of the same shape, size, and look. With their large capacity, DVDs are usually used to store movies and videos.

In order to play a DVD, you will have to have a DVD-ROM drive. If you want to be able to store files in a DVD, then you need a DVD writer. For faster copy and playback speeds, you can get a DVD-RAM drive.

* Blu-ray Disc

Like CDs and DVDs, Blu-ray discs, also known as Blu-rays or BDs, are optical storage media. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays all have the same standard dimensions. When it comes to storage capacity, however, Blu-rays are king. A two-layer Blu-ray disc can accommodate as much as 50 GB of data.

Blu-rays are typically used to store high-definition videos. A blue-colored laser is used to read and transfer data on Blu-rays — thus, their name. DVDs, on the other hand, use a red laser. In order to read data on a Blu-ray disc, you need a BD-ROM drive. A BD writer is needed for writing to Blu-rays.

* USB Flash Drive

USB flash drives are compact, thumb-sized removable media devices that use flash memory to read and record data. They can act as mini hard disk drives and hold gigabytes of data. To use a USB flash drive, you need only plug it into a computer’s USB port. You can then copy, transfer, and delete as many files as the flash drive can accommodate. When attached to a port supporting USB 2.0 technology, USB flash drives can read and write data faster than optical drives.

 

How to save Space on You Hard Drisk Drive

Low on hard drive space? Here are three quick fixes to your problem!

* Delete Unused Files

The first and most obvious step to take is to delete your unused files. Over time, we hoard files that we had a need for, but do we really need them now? If you examine your old files, you will notice that you no longer use many them. Old programs are stored in your program files that have never been run in years. These old files and programs are simple taking up precious space in your hard drive. To quickly free up some hard drive space, simply delete unnecessary files and uninstall those programs that you no longer use.

* Zip Your Files

Another way to free up space on your hard drive is to zip those files that you seldom use. Files that are zipped are compressed into smaller files that take up less space. After zipping, your files will be stored inside a zipped folder and you can safely delete the original files.

If you ever need access to your zipped files, you can quickly do so by unzipping your zipped folders. To zip and unzip files and folders, you will need a zipping software such as WinZip. A free trial version of WinZip is available for download on the Internet.

* Transfer Files

If you want to hold on to all of your files and free up hard drive space at the same time, you can transfer those files that you do not immediately need to a separate storage device. An external hard disk drive is a high capacity storage device that can store as much information as your internal hard drive can store. For those with smaller storage needs, CDs and DVDs will do. One great storage media that you can easily slip inside your pocket is the USB flash drive. Now greatly improved, USB flash drives are capable of storing several dozen gigabytes of information.

With an uncluttered hard drive, you can immediately store new important files and keep your files and folders organized.

 

Three Common Computer Hard Drive Types Based on Internal Interface

Are you thinking about a PC Computer Hardware upgrade? Consider upgrading your hard drive. There are different types of internal hard disk drives available on the market today.

For desktop systems, there are three common computer hard drive types based on how they are internally connected to the motherboard: the IDE hard drive, the SATA hard drive and the SCSI hard drive.

* IDE Hard Drive

The IDE hard drive has been around for more than 30 years. It is also known as a PATA hard drive. IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics and PATA stands for Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment. With IDE being a relatively old technology, you may want to consider a computer hard drive upgrade and buy the newer and faster SATA hard drives.

* SATA Hard Drive

SATA or serial ATA is the latest computer hard drive interface. Modern motherboards come equipped with SATA connectors. With these motherboards, you can hook as many as six SATA hard drives in one computer.

SATA hard drives are available in two versions: SATA 150 and SATA II 300. They are connected to the computer motherboard via cables which are thinner compared to the wide ribbon cables used by IDE hard drives. Consequently, SATA hard drives can improve the flow of air inside your computer case and minimize overheating issues.

You can buy a PCI SATA controller card if want to use a SATA hard drive in an older motherboard that does not have SATA connectors.

* SCSI Hard Drive

The SCSI hard drive is faster than the IDE hard drive, although not as efficient as the SATA hard drive. SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface. SCSI hard drives are sometimes called “scuzzy” hard drives based on how SCSI is pronounced.

SCSI hard drives require the use of an SCSI Controller. The SCSI Controller can be built directly onto the motherboard, or added as a PCI or PCI Express adapter card. Many computer motherboards do not have a built-in SCSI Controller. To address this problem, SCSI hard drives are usually sold with a controller card.

When doing a computer hard drive upgrade, consider these three computer hard drives carefully. Among the three, the SCSI hard drive is the most difficult to install because of its unpopular interface.

 

How to Clean Your Laptop Computer keyboard

Laptop computers are bombarded with plenty of dust and dirt if you take them out with you often. Dirt and grime love to accumulate around and in between your laptop keyboard keys. If you want your laptop to be free from dust and germs, you need to clean the keyboard.

Before you attempt to clean your keyboard, make sure that your laptop is turned off and unplugged to avoid electrical shocks which can easily fry your laptop’s internal components. In addition, remove all your laptop accessories and peripherals, including any removable media devices.

On some laptops, it is easy to remove the keys and replace them. On others, this may not be so simple. If you are not sure whether you should remove your laptop keyboard keys, it is better to leave them alone. You can check your laptop manual for keyboard cleaning instructions.

If you decide to leave your laptop keyboard intact, you can still effectively clean it. You can begin by tilting your laptop and directing a can of compressed air against the keys. You can already dislodge a lot of foreign particles in this manner. For tough dirt and grime, you can use cotton swabs slightly moistened with isopropyl alcohol.

If you remove the keyboard keys, you can do a more thorough cleaning. Take note of the key orientation before you take out each key so you know how to reassemble the keyboard. Using a screwdriver or small knife, you can gently pop off the keyboard keys. The space bar and other large keys like the ‘enter’ and ’shift’ buttons are usually difficult to remove so it is better to leave them in place.

Set aside the removed keys and hand wash them. You can wipe the exposed keyboard clean by using a soft cloth. You can also use a mild cleaning solution — Just make sure that you apply it sparingly on your cleaning cloth and not directly on the keyboard.

Once everything is squeaky clean, allow the keyboard and keys to dry completely before reuniting them. Do not close the lid while your keyboard is drying.

You now have a clean laptop keyboard!

 

How to Clean Your Desktop Computer Keyboard

Desktop computer keyboards easily get dirty especially if many people share the same workstation. It is a good thing that cleaning a computer keyboard is a pretty straightforward task. There are two ways that you can take when cleaning your computer keyboard: You can do a light cleaning or you can do a major cleaning.

For a light cleaning, you can simply turn your keyboard upside down and gently whack it against your legs. Make sure the keyboard is disconnected from your computer when you do this. You will be surprised at the amount of foreign material that can be dislodged in this manner. To further aid in loosening foreign objects, use a can of compressed air.

You can scrub away dirt and grime stuck on keyboard keys by using a cotton swab moistened with water or isopropyl alcohol.

For a complete and thorough cleaning, you can pry off your keyboard keys using a screwdriver or other lever. Do not forget to note the position and arrangement of the keys when you do this! You can take a picture of your keyboard so you can remember where to pop back each key once you finish cleaning.

Do not force out any key if it is difficult to remove. If you have difficulty prying out the space bar, you may as well just leave it be. The space bar is generally difficult to replace and prone to breaking due to its long length.

After you remove all of the keyboard keys, use compressed air to clear out debris within the keyboard frame. Using a moist cloth, gently wipe away any remaining dirt and dust. Make sure your cleaning cloth is only damp and not wet.

After dealing with the keyboard frame, you need to clean and wipe each key individually. This makes for a tedious and very boring task. If you are feeling lazy, you can place the keys in a net bag and wash them in the washing machine.

After everything is clean and dry, reassemble your keyboard, plug it back in your computer, and resume working!

 

Three Simple Computer Maintenance Tips

Caring for your computer is an essential task if you want a machine free from errors. A well-maintained computer can service you for a long time with few problems, if any. Here are three simple things that you can do to keep your computer healthy and fit.

* Clean Your Computer

Clean your computer not just on the outside, but also on the inside. Dust and dirt can coat your computer components and cause them to overheat. They can also weigh down the blades of your computer’s internal fans and hamper the flow of air within the system, which aggravates overheating issues.

When you dust off your computer, do not forget your internal components. You can easily blow away dust and debris from inside your computer case by using a can of compressed air or a small hand-held vacuum cleaner.

* Organize Your Hard Disk Drive

Boost your computer’s performance by organizing the files on your hard disk drive and performing hard drive checks. You can do this by deleting data that you no longer need and running Window’s disk cleanup and disk defragmenter utility tools. It is advisable to defragment and check your hard drive for errors once a month.

* Back Up Your Data

Backing up your data is an integral part of computer maintenance. This is doubly important for corporate workstations and the personal computers of professionals who bring their work home. In the rare event that your computer bogs down, you will still have access to important files, especially your work files. You can back up your computer files by copying them to any of the many media for file storage available today such as external hard drives, CDs and DVDs, and USB flash drives.

There are many more things that you can do to keep your computer in tip-top condition! Take good care of your computer and it will reward you with smoother operations and a longer lifespan.