J.Jack.J. said:
It's really weird -- my router is a d-link DIR615 and the D-Link
site asks which version out of B2 and D1 it is. But mine appears
to be neither: it says it's Ver. D4. The only download for this
version that I can find by Google is a fix for no sound, which
would for me be fixing something that ain't broke.
I have backed up all my important data. Is that what you meant? Does
Vista let me make a System Restore point (assuming this is
advisable)?
I was told that a recovery disk will do nothing more than what is
done by the inbuilt method of restoring the factory defaults, BTW.
(BTW I keep reading about people 'flashing the firmware', whatever
that means.)
This is what seems to be on offer:
http://support.thetechguys.com/layout.aspx?ID={ce1edcb1-b3b7-4a59-98e9-367deeaf807c}&CatID={c3d20537-a610-442e-860d-14c11a856263}
I'm afraid I am struggling to match them with your instructions.
I can tell you that I have had a crash involving a blue screen (I
think it was a 'dump' type of thing) which I imagine was either
symptomatic of some hardware problem -- HDD, I suppose -- or was a
cause of the problems in the MTF.
Several times I have had problems with my computer not completing
the boot sequence and instead switching itself off, which have been
resolved by taking the battery out and turning the power off for a
while. I wonder if it is the warm weather combined with something
like a faulty fan? Certainly the area near the fan has been getting
fairly hot (hotter than it should be?-- I don't know).
Imaging software? Is that the software that makes a .img file? (If
so, is it easy to return the data to its original format? I don't know
how to.) I think that is installed as standard on Vista, isn't it? The
only think is, I wouldn't know how to back up anything other than
data that I myself have put on my computer.
Doesn't zero-wipe mean a complete disk wipe?
The only info I can find on my HDD is that it's a
WDC WD 1600bevs-22rsto
-- so that's Western Digital?
Can you advise me as to how to go about getting the right disk
diagnostic software? Google doesn't seem to be helping very much.
With thanks again.
J.Jack.J. said:
One other matter: I wonder whether I am best advised simply leaving
things as they are, and not rocking the boat (which has proved
disastrous for me with previous computers). The router has been
doing OK for a while, with the exception of a very brief period. I
can (for some reason) now get my memory stick to show in My
Computer, even if it does have a habit of disappearing from there.
And if I change my mouse (a PC Line Laser), the mouse is recognised
and works. Maybe my mouse is faulty?
With thanks.
Are *you* better off not messing too much with it - maybe. You won't learn
anything and things won't get better (might deteriorate further even) - but
if you don't understand it and cannot seem to grasp it - maybe you'd be
better off getting help from someone you trust, close by who does grasp it.
Your router and computer are two separate things, however. Your computer
may connect to your router via a wire or via a wireless signal - but they do
not share anything more than that. Your computer should not need a
driver/software _specific to the router_ to connect. The computer will need
a driver for one or both the wired/wireless device in it that will be used
to then communicate with the router. You may need to configure the router
and you may need to configure the software for your wireless connectivity to
connect to said router - but these are still two separate objects working
together. Like your TV and the box/outlet it plugs into to get channels to
show up (or the antenna - if still old-school like that.)
Answering some of the questions you asked... For informational purposes -
helping you understand more:
That does not sound like your router (fix for sound). Always go to the
*manufacturer's web page* for drivers, firmware, etc. Don't just "Google".
;-) In the case where you know where to go for things, Googling is like
walking outside and screaming about it until someone throws an answer your
way just to shut you up... It might get you to the right place - but since
you should already know the right place to go - it is a waste of time.
Look on the bottom of your D-Link router:
http://www.dlink.com/support/faq/default.aspx?question=hardware+revision
The DIR-615 seems to have four supported revisions:
- DIR-615
- DIR-615 RevB
- DIR-615 RevC
- DIR-615 RevE
I don't know which you have. What does the bottom of your router say
specifically?
http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=565
Determining which Revision of the 615 you have is important.
Backing up your important data is important. Vista's built-in backup is
better than ntohing, not too much different than backing up by drag-n-drop
in some ways - but can include the system state.
If all you have is a recovery disk - that sucks - but does point to you
being able to tell everyone what make/model your computer is - as it is
obviously a third-tier OEM (to me anywy) that would be the type to include
such a crappy way to restore the system instead of actual installation
media. "Flashing firmware" and "updating the BIOS" are terms meaning
essentially updating the hardware's software... Your router - for example -
I was suggesting you getting the latest firmware for it. You would be
writing a new version of the software it uses to do *everything*. Your
computer motherboard (the board everything else plugs into) has a BIOS that
you could flash/write to as well - but we aren't going there just yet.
Again - unless "thetechguys" built your computer - this is *not* the
manufacturer's web page for your computer. What is the Make/Model of the
computer? Most likely the make is: Dell, HP, Packard Bell, IBM/Lenovo,
Gateway or something else? The model is usual obviously printed on the
front of the computer or top or somewhere similar - and definitely came in
any documentation/receipts you got with it. You need this to truly find the
proper and supported drivers for your system.
Blue screens can happen because of software or hardware or a mixture.
Without the specifics of the bluescreen - nothing is gained by knowing you
have had them other than confirming something is not quote right with this
machine.
Something like the Seagate Replica would be perfect for you. It can do the
complete backup for you without you having to know much of anything and the
steps to restore (even bare-metal) is quite simplistic.
"zero-write" (not wipe) is writing a zero to every part of the disk - making
sure *nothing* is left from the old system and in a way testing that every
part of the disk is usable. Gets rid of rootkits and such quite readily.
But yes - in simplistic terms - it is a complete (total) disk wipe.
The diagnostic utility for Western Digital drives can be found by visiting
the manufacturer's web page (Western Digital - notice a pattern of my going
to the source?) and their support/downloads section. From what you have
given - it is a SATA, laptop size (2.5"), "Scorpio Blue" drive.
http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=702&lang=en
You would want the "Data Lifeguard Diagnostic" download. Which one depends
on your backup state and confidence. Given your responses so far - I would
recommend the "For Windows" version for now - more later if necessary - but
you should not go doing the zero-write on anything at this time - you are
not ready for that.
Western Digital will even give you a copy of "Acronis True Image":
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en
(Since you asked about what imaging is, note the "Drive Image Backup"
description.)
End of that part...
So - that's some basics in answering your questions - let's go even more
basic instead of worrying too much with the above.
- What make of computer or laptop do you have? Dell? HP? Gateway?
Lenovo? Other?
- What is the model of the computer? It was likely sold to you as a "Dell
Inspiron ___" or "Lenovo ThinkPad ___", etc and so on... What is that?
- What specific Operating System do you have - all the blanks need to be
filled in:
Windows Vista _____ Edition with Service Pack _, __-bit
Start button --> RUN --> type in:
(No "RUN", press the WindowsKey+R at the same time.)
winver
--> Click OK.
That will give you (picture at top) the full name of the operating system.
That will give you (in the text) the Service Pack you have installed.
How to determine whether a computer is running a 32-bit version or 64-bit
version of the Windows operating system
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827218
Come back with that basic information.
