6.4 Fixing Device-Specific Problems

More often than not, problems are unique to a particular type of component. For example, modems often suffer the same types of problems, which don't necessarily affect any other types of hardware. The following guidelines should help you solve most component-specific problems (as opposed to general lockups or application error messages).

And don't forget that a non-functioning component can be a great excuse for an upgrade (see Chapter 5), especially considering that many of the following components are likely to be much cheaper than were the ones they're replacing.

6.4.1 Video Cards (Display Adapters)

Most likely, without the correct video driver installed, you still should be able to use Windows at a bare-minimum resolution of 640 X 480 with an 8-bit color depth (256 colors); this is a standard mode supported by all video adapters and is Windows' default display mode. If you can display this mode, but no others, odds are you don't have the proper drivers installed. In fact, nearly all video card problems are caused by faulty or incorrect video drivers.

Most modern video cards are based upon a certain chipset (controller), usually identifiable by the large, square chip in the center of the card itself. If the chip is covered with a sticker, remove the sticker to see what's printed on the chip surface. Common chipset manufacturers include nVidia, ATI, and 3D Labs. In many cases, Windows will be able to detect the type of chip even if it can't determine the specific make and model of the card. If you can determine the type of chipset your video adapter uses, you should be able to use either a generic video driver made for that chipset (typically available at the chipset manufacturer's web site), as well as a driver for another card that uses the same chipset.

If you know you are using the correct video driver, but can't use all of the resolutions it supports, make sure Windows is identifying your monitor correctly (see the next topic).

If you're trying to use Windows XP's support of multiple monitors, you need to be aware of a few things. Your system BIOS (see Appendix B) chooses which video card is your primary adapter (marked with a 1 in Display Properties) and which card is your secondary adapter (marked 2), some motherboards allow you to choose, and some do not. If yours doesn't, you may have to physically swap their positions in your computer if you want to make the other card the primary adapter. Because your primary video card does not need to support multiple adapters explicitly, but the secondary card does, you may have to swap them to get multiple-monitor support to work at all. One problem you may encounter is trying to negotiate one PCI card and one AGP card; if your motherboard's BIOS initiates PCI before AGP, your AGP card probably will never be the primary card. In this case, you'll either have to make do with what you've got or install two PCI cards.

Finally, if you're experiencing general video problems, such as display corruption, crashing, or poor performance, try disabling some features of your video driver. Such settings are typically found in Control Panel Display tab Settings Advanced. Other settings that can affect your display's stability and performance are located in Control Panel System Advanced Performance Settings Custom.

6.4.2 Monitors

If Windows knows what type of monitor you're using, it can determine which resolutions and color depths it's able to support. In Windows XP, monitors have drivers, although they do little more than inform Windows of the monitor's capabilities. Plug-and-Play monitors allow Windows to automatically identify your monitor, although a driver may still be required. To see if your monitor is properly identified, go to Control Panel Display tab Settings Advanced Monitor tab.

It's possible for your video card to generate video signals that your monitor isn't able to display, especially if your resolution, color depth, or refresh rate is set too high or if you're using an older monitor. Although a video card and a monitor don't have to be matched precisely to work, a monitor that can't support all of your video card's modes isn't a great choice.

You may be able to use a higher resolution or color depth with your monitor by lowering your video card's refresh rate, also found in the Monitor tab. You should also lower the refresh rate if you hear your monitor whistling; raise the refresh rate if the display flickers. Note that this typically doesn't apply to digital flat-panel monitors.

For problems using multiple monitors, see the discussion of video cards earlier in this section.

6.4.3 Motherboards

Motherboards can be finicky, but most problems are indeed caused by the components on the board, such as processors, memory, add-on cards, and the power supply, all discussed elsewhere in this section. Here are some motherboard-specific troubleshooting tips:

• It's possible that a problem is caused only by a misconfiguration in the motherboard's BIOS setup; see Appendix B for details.

• Your motherboard's chipset is responsible for coordinating the flow of data between your processor, memory, and PCI/AGP bus. Chipset manufacturers (commonly including Intel, VIA, and Serverworks) sometimes have newer drivers for some of the system devices upon which Windows depends; it's a good idea to look for such drivers if you're experiencing crashing or other problems.

• Check with the manufacturer of the motherboard to see if newer firmware (see Section 6.3.6 earlier in this chapter) for your motherboard is available; newer motherboards allow you to update the BIOS by simply downloading and running a small program.

   

  

  Upgrading your BIOS firmware can solve some problems, but you should only do so if absolutely necessary. Never install a BIOS not specifically written for your exact motherboard. A mistake can fry your motherboard and your warranty, leading to another, rather expensive, solution: replacement.

   

• Lastly, even the newest motherboards come with jumpers. If you're trying to solve a nasty problem, it's best to go through the "setup" portion of your motherboard's manual and verify that each jumper is set correctly.

6.4.4 Processors

There's really nothing you can do to diagnose a bad CPU chip (recognizable by frequent system crashes or your machine's not booting up at all) other than to simply replace it. If you have a dual-processor motherboard, you're fortunate in that you can remove only one of the processors to see if that solves the problem.

Otherwise, your best bet may be to take your motherboard, complete with CPU and memory, to your local mom-and-pop computer store, ask them to test it for you, and replace components as needed.

Improper or inadequate cooling is the main cause of a malfunctioning processor, so make sure those fans are firmly attached, free of excessive dust, and running smoothly.

6.4.5 Memory

Bad memory can manifest itself in anything from frequent error messages and crashes to your system simply not starting. Errors in your computer's memory (RAM) aren't always consistent, either; they can be intermittent and can get worse over time.

Any modern computer will use memory modules, but don't be fooled into thinking there's a well-established standard. Older machines use EDO or FPM SIMMs, newer ones use PC100 or PC133 DIMMs, and the newest machines, at the time of this writing, use RDRAM. Within each of those categories are different speeds, capacities, and even standards.

Problems due to using the wrong kind of memory are not uncommon, especially in generic and non-commercially built machines. To find out the type of memory you should use, consult the documentation that accompanies your computer or motherboard. If you have no such literature, check the web site of the computer or motherboard manufacturer and find out for sure before you just jam something in there. Odds are your friend's old memory modules will not only not work in your system, but may also potentially cause permanent damage.

The first thing you should do is pull out each memory module and make sure there isn't any dust or other obstruction between the pins and your motherboard (use a dry tissue or lens cleaning paper; don't use any liquids or solvents). Look for broken or bent sockets, metal filings or other obstructions, and, of course, any smoke or burn marks. Make sure all your modules are seated properly; they should snap into place and should be level and firm (don't break them testing their firmness, of course).

If all that is in order, there are three ways to determine if your RAM is actually faulty. The first way is to use a software testing program capable of checking physical memory. Use the program to run a continual test of your RAM and have it repeat the test many times, perhaps overnight. The problem with testing your RAM with any type of software is that not only are they not 100% reliable, but once you've found a problem, you need to follow the next method anyway to find and replace the faulty module.

The second method requires a friendly, patient, and helpful person at a small computer store a rare commodity these days, especially with the popularity of the large, faceless mega-super computer marts filled with inexperienced technicians. Look for a local mom-and-pop store, and see if they have a memory-testing device. These devices are too expensive for the average user, but most anyone who sells computer memory should have one. Take all your memory modules in and ask them to check them for you. Not only is this test very reliable, but they'll be able to instantly match whatever memory you need, at least in theory. Hopefully they won't charge you for this service, especially because they'll likely be selling you a replacement.

The third method of finding and replacing bad memory is to go to your local computer store and just buy more. It may only be necessary to buy a single additional module, because most likely only one module in your system is actually faulty (make sure you get the right kind). Next, systematically replace each module in your computer with the one you've just acquired, and test the system by turning it on. If the problem seems to be resolved, you've most likely found the culprit throw it out immediately. If the system still crashes, try replacing the next module with the new one, and repeat the process. If you replace all the memory in your system and the problem persists, there may be more than one faulty memory module, or the problem may lie elsewhere, such as a bad CPU or motherboard (or you may even find that you're not using the correct memory in the first place).

 

To eliminate the possibility of a given problem being caused by a device other than your memory, remove all unnecessary devices (internal and external) from your system before testing your memory.

 

You can, of course, also take this opportunity to add more memory to your system (possibly replacing all your existing modules). Adding memory is one of the best ways to improve overall system performance. Memory prices are continually dropping; at the time of this writing, the average megabyte of RAM costs less than one hundredth the price of when Windows 95 was originally released.

6.4.6 USB Controllers and Devices

USB is the answer to most of the headaches caused by serial (COM) ports, parallel (printer) ports, keyboard and mouse ports, and, in some circumstances, SCSI ports. USB is fully PnP-compliant, so not only should a USB controller not give you any trouble, neither should any USB devices.

Here are some USB-related troubleshooting tips:

• If you're having trouble with a device that connects to a serial or parallel port or if you've simply run out of free ports, USB will likely handle it with a serial-to-USB or parallel-to-USB adapter, available from most computer stores.

• Although most computers only come with one or two USB plugs, the USB system can handle up to 128 devices; if you've run out of plugs, a USB hub will expand your USB bus easily. Note that hubs can cause problems for some devices, such as uninterruptible power supplies, that may not support being plugged into a hub.

  Some hubs have their own power supplies, necessary to provide adequate power to devices that get their power from the USB bus.

• If can't get Windows to recognize your USB controller or any USB devices attached to it, try entering your computer's BIOS setup program (see Appendix B), and look for USB settings. Usually, it's a simply a matter of enabling the USB controller.

  Most systems also have a BIOS setting for USB "legacy" support; enable this feature only if you have a USB mouse or keyboard and you need to use them in an environment that doesn't support USB, such as DOS or earlier versions of Windows.

• Power Management is a common cause of USB problems; if Windows is able to shut down your USB controller to save power, it sometimes won't be able to power it back up again, which will prevent some USB devices (especially scanners) from working. To disable Windows' ability to manage the power to your USB controller or devices, follow these steps:

  1. Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc).

  2. Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers branch.

  3. Double-click the USB Root Hub device, and choose the Power Management tab.

  4. Turn off the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option, and click OK when you're done.

• Most modern USB devices and controllers are USB 1.1-compliant, but USB 2.0 devices and controllers are starting to show up. If you have a USB 2.0 device, you may have to install a USB 2.0 controller just to use it.

6.4.7 Hard Disks and Most Removable Cartridge Drives

These drives almost never need special drivers, unless they use some proprietary interface (such as your parallel port). Windows will support virtually all IDE drives right out of the box, as well as most SCSI controllers and devices.

Note that each IDE hard drive must be recognized in your computer's BIOS screen (see Appendix B) before Windows will even see it. Nearly all modern computers list all the attached internal drives before loading Windows, so if a particular device doesn't show up here, you'll most likely have to make a change in your BIOS setup (as opposed to making a change in Windows).

If Windows does not recognize your floppy or hard disk, you'll need to obtain a driver specific to the controller to which it's connected (see the following topic). If you continue to have trouble accessing the drive, make sure the jumpers are set appropriately and the cables are connected correctly.

Occasionally, a system will be in bad enough shape that it won't even boot. Although it's possible that the hard disk has crashed and is unrecoverable, it's just as likely that the motherboard or hard-disk controller has died. In this case, your best bet at recovering the data on that drive is to connect the drive to another functioning system and attempt to access the data there. See Section 6.5 later in this chapter for related information.

6.4.8 IDE Controllers

Most hard drives available today are the IDE/ATA /Ultra DMA type; the controllers for these drives are almost always built into the motherboard. If your motherboard develops a problem with the controller, you should be able to disable the controller and obtain a separate controller for a few bucks.

The most common problem, though, is with IDE cables. The cheap cables that come with most computers can develop flaws, causing symptoms ranging from occasional errors to Windows not being able to recognize a drive at all.

6.4.9 SCSI Controllers

Most SCSI controllers either are supported by Windows out of the box or have native Windows drivers you can use (which either come with the card or are available from the manufacturer's web site). For the most part, all SCSI controllers are fairly well supported, with recent drivers nearly always available. If you're experiencing a SCSI problem, you should first check to see if newer drivers for your card are available.

If you're unable to find drivers for your SCSI card, you may still be able to use it in Windows if you can find a driver for another card that uses the same SCSI controller chip (sometimes called a miniport driver). For example, you may have a sound card that has a built-in SCSI controller intended for your CD drive. If that SCSI controller chip just happens to be made by Adaptec, for example, you should be able to use a driver for the corresponding Adaptec product that runs off the same chip.

Next to drivers, the two most common problems with SCSI controllers and the devices that attach to them are bad cables and incorrect termination. When diagnosing any SCSI problems, it's best to have replacements handy for your SCSI cable(s), so you can easily swap them to help isolate the problem. The use of improper or non-SCSI adapters and connectors is also a common culprit; for example, you can't use a standard SCSI-III cable to connect Ultra160 SCSI devices.

As for termination, a SCSI chain (the long string of devices connected by cables) won't work properly unless it's correctly terminated. By either using the built-in termination on your SCSI controller and SCSI devices or attaching standalone terminators, make sure that both ends of the chain (but nothing in the middle) are terminated. Active terminators are best and are absolutely required for Ultra160 and Ultra320 SCSI buses.

The SCSI card itself should be terminated (or its self-termination feature be turned on), unless you have both internal and external devices, in which case, only the devices at the end of each side should be terminated.

For problems with specific devices connected to SCSI controllers, such as CD-ROM drives, hard disks, and removable drives, refer to the corresponding topics elsewhere in this section.

6.4.10 CD & DVD Drives, Recordable and Otherwise

Most CD-ROM drives don't need special drivers. In fact, if you plug in a CD-ROM drive and then start up Windows, it should detect it and display an icon for it in My Computer automatically. If your drive isn't detected, first check the controller. Most CD-ROMs connect to your IDE or SCSI controller; if your drive isn't recognized, most likely the controller isn't working or you don't have the right drivers for your controller installed, as mentioned earlier.

Common causes of problems include dirt and dust, not only in the drive but on the disks as well. A can of compressed air is a good solution to this problem.

Most CD drives are cheap and easily replaceable; if yours is giving you any trouble, throw it out and get a new one.

6.4.11 Tape Drives

Most tape devices don't require general-purpose drivers of their own, mostly because there is currently no standard for them. Any backup software that is compatible with your unit will come with its own drivers, which work with the installed controller to which your drive is attached.

If you have a SCSI tape drive, all you should need to do is make sure the drivers for the SCSI controller are working. The backup program you use will then come with generic drivers for SCSI tape drives (as does the backup software that comes with Windows XP).

See Section 6.5, later in this chapter, for more information on backup software.

6.4.12 Modems

If you're having trouble with a modem that is 32 Kbps or slower, throw it out immediately. You can get a brand new 56 Kbps modem for less money than it would cost in long-distance support calls to find drivers for the old one. If you only use your modem to connect to the Internet, consider a malfunctioning modem as an excuse to get DSL or a cable modem.

Settings for your modem can be found in Device Manager (devmgmt.msc); just open the Modems category, and double-click your modem to view its Properties sheet. The more interesting settings are as follows:

• The Speaker volume (in the Modem tab) is obviously self-explanatory. But not all modems respond to this setting. Furthermore, some modems use your PC speaker, which is controlled by the Volume Control (sndvol32.exe).

• The Maximum Port Speed (in the Modem tab) is the speed of the COM port used by your modem, not by the modem itself. Set it to 115200 in all cases. The COM port used by the modem is hidden in the Advanced Settings dialog; go to Advanced tab Advanced Port Settings. While you're here, set the FIFO (First In, First Out) buffers, push both sliders all the way to the right.

• The diagnostics tab provides information you can use to determine the model of and capabilities of your modem. The upper field contains the Hardware ID, which is your modem's Plug-and-Play signature (explained in Section 6.3.8, earlier in this chapter). The lower field (assuming you've pressed Query Modem) contains the results of several AT commands sent to it.

• The initialization string (required by some modems) is specified in the Extra initialization commands field under the Advanced tab. If you don't have an initialization string, leave this field blank.

• Finally, like other devices, the modem's driver and resources can be configured in the Driver and Resources tabs, respectively.

6.4.12.1 Getting the right driver for your modem

Windows might simply recognize your modem as a "standard modem" if it can't autodetect the make and model, even though a driver for your modem may be included with Windows. Although the "standard modem" driver isn't ideal, you can often get by with it in a pinch.

A driver made especially for your modem will usually yield the best performance and reliability, but if it's not available, you can sometimes use a driver for another product by the same manufacturer, as long as it's rated the same speed (e.g., 56 K).

If Windows doesn't identify your modem or if it identifies it as an "unknown device," there are two possibilities that could cause this problem. First, your modem could be a proprietary model (always something to avoid, although often inevitable in laptops), which you simply won't be able to use without a manufacturer-supplied driver. Second, the serial port to which your modem connected may be misconfigured or conflicting with another serial port in your system; see the discussion of serial ports in Appendix B for a solution.

Occasionally, a functioning modem can stop working temporarily. Modems constantly receive commands from your computer, so it's possible for the modem to become confused if it is sent a garbled or incomplete command. The easiest way to correct a confused modem is to turn it off and then on again. If the modem is an internal model, you'll need to completely power down your computer and then turn it on again; simply pressing the reset button or restarting Windows may not be sufficient.

If you know the software is installed and configured correctly, there are external factors that can either prevent modems from working or slow their performance. Start by removing all other electronic devices from the phone line, including answering machines, fax machines, autodialers, and standard telephone handsets. Any of these can actually interfere with the modem, preventing it from detecting the dial tone or causing it to hang up prematurely. Other factors include bad phone cables and wall sockets; try replacing your old phone cord with a brand new one, just long enough to reach the wall jack. A noisy phone line can also cause slow performance and frequent disconnects; contact the phone company to investigate.

If you have a DSL adapter or cable modem, these techniques most likely won't apply, because neither of these are technically modems; see Chapter 7 for help troubleshooting network and Internet connections.

6.4.13 Network Interface Cards (NICs)

In most cases, Windows will detect your network adapter and install the correct drivers for it automatically. However, there are so many different types and manufacturers of network cards and so many of those are completely proprietary, that you may be out of luck if you can't obtain drivers made specifically for yours.

Isolating networking problems can be especially difficult, because you're not dealing with a standalone device. If your printer stops working, you know immediately where the problem is; but if your network stops working, it could be your card, the network cable, the hub, your colleague's network card, your network drivers, your colleague's network drivers, or any number of other things. See Chapter 7 for detailed network troubleshooting assistance.

Because there are no "generic" or "standard" network drivers, if you can't find a driver for your network adapter, or if it has stopped working, just throw it out. Brand new Ethernet adapters are ridiculously cheap and most likely superior to the antique you'd be replacing.

If you're having problems with your network card in a desktop computer, try moving it to a diffrerent slot. If you're dealing with a network adapter built into your motherboard or laptop, check your BIOS (see Appendix B) for applicable settings, and contact your motherboard or laptop manufacturer for the latest drivers.

6.4.14 Sound Cards

It seems that the better sound card technology gets, the more troublesome these devices are.

In the old days, troubleshooting a sound card involved only eliminating conflicts by finding an IRQ that wasn't used by another device in your system. All modern sound cards are now plug-and-play, which leaves only the driver and its physical placement in your system to contend with.

If you're having problems, such as crashing when you try to play sound, or if you only suspect that your sound card is causing other, seemingly-unrelated problems with your system, start by moving it to a different slot. See Section 6.3.10, earlier in this chapter, for tips.

Old drivers are the most common cause of sound card problems; you should routinely check with the manufacturer of your sound card for driver updates.

6.4.15 Printers

Common printer problems involve bad cabling as well as bad drivers.

Whether you're using USB or an older parallel cable, bad cables are a frequent cause of problems. If Windows is having trouble recognizing your printer, or it seems to be printing too slowly, try replacing the cable.

Although USB doesn't have a practical limit on distance, parallel cables do. Some parallel-based printers won't function if they're too far away from your computer, so try a shorter cable. If you no choice but to keep your printer some distance from your computer, consider using a network print server, which entails connecting your printer directly to your LAN (see Chapter 7).

As with most other peripherals, getting the right drivers is essential. Now, Windows can print plain text (without fonts or graphics) on nearly any printer without knowing what kind of printer you have. If you don't have a driver made especially for your model, you still may be able to substitute another printer's driver. For example, if you have a Hewlett Packard 700-series inkjet printer, you might be able to get it to work with drivers for HP's 600 series.

Also, since many printers are compatible with Hewlett Packard's PCL printer control language (PCL3, PCL5, etc.), you may be able to use the driver for the classic Hewlett Packard Laserjet Series II (for laser printers) or the Hewlett Packard Deskjet (for inkjet printers). If you have a Postscript laser printer, you should be able to use the driver for one of the Apple Laserwriter varieties.

Aside from drivers and cabling, common printer problems involve incorrect paper: use laser paper for laser printers and inkjet paper for inkjet printers avoid the "multipurpose" junk. Also, the ink cartridges in inkjet printers are usually cheaply made and therefore are one of the first things to fail; simply installing a new ink cartridge will fix many printing problems.

6.4.16 Scanners and Cameras

Scanners not only require the appropriate drivers to function in Windows, but special scanning software as well; as with tape drives, the software and hardware are typically sold as a pair. If you can't find a driver or software that specifically supports your scanner, you're probably out of luck. However, because many companies simply repackage scanners made by other manufacturers, you may be able to obtain a driver from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the stuff under the hood.

As for cameras, because there are so many different kinds, probably the only productive discussion involves how they connect to your computer. Modern digital cameras either connect through a serial port, a USB port, or a FireWire port; any communication problems will probably be addressed by fixing the ports (or adapters, where applicable) themselves.

Scanners commonly are connected through USB ports but can also plug into parallel and SCSI ports; an older scanner may connect to a proprietary controller card. See "Printers" for help with parallel ports; "SCSI controllers" for help with SCSI; and "USB Controllers & Devices" for help with USB, all earlier in this section.

6.4.17 Keyboards

Most keyboards are exceptionally cheap and flimsy, a fact that has its pros and cons. On the plus side, if something goes wrong, it'll be easy and inexpensive to replace (see Chapter 5). However, cheapness has its price, and a cheap keyboard won't typically last that long.

Ever since IBM introduced their enhanced 101-key keyboard with two sets of cursor keys back in 1984, the Num Lock key on most keyboards is turned on by default, nudging users to use the standard cursor keys rather than the numeric keypad to control the cursor. This may seem an inconsequential setting, but it affects a basic function of the primary input device, the keyboard, and can therefore be quite important. Some of us prefer the numeric keypad, and therefore prefer NumLock to be turned off; others prefer the opposite. All that remains is to change the default setting. See Appendix B for details.

6.4.18 Power Supplies

Don't overlook the power supply! Every time I encounter a problem that seems to have no reasonable explanation, the culprit has been the power supply. I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy.

Say, all of a sudden, one of your storage devices (hard disk, tape drive, etc.) starts malfunctioning, either sporadically or completely. You try removing and reinstalling the drivers (if any), you replace all the cables, and you take out all the other devices. You may even completely replace the device with a brand new one and it still doesn't work. Odds are your power supply needs to be replaced.

Your computer's power supply powers all of your internal devices, as well as some of your external ones (i.e., the keyboard, the mouse, and many USB devices). If your power supply isn't able to provide adequate power to all of those devices, one or more of those devices will suffer.

The power supplies found in most computers are extremely cheap, a fact that ends up being the cause of most power supply problems. This means that it doesn't make too much sense to replace one cheap unit with another cheap unit, even if the replacement has a higher wattage rating.

While the wattage rating is important in this discussion, it isn't the only factor. A high quality 350 W power supply will be much more stable than a cheap 450W unit, so think twice before jumping on that twenty-dollar bargain. Tip: look for heavy power supplies with two fans.

Possible exceptions are portable computers, which may not have user-replaceable power supplies. However, the need for increased power is generally only applicable to a desktop system that can accommodate several additional internal devices, so the matter is pretty much moot.