To all the computer geniuses...

[Westley]

I'm a little impaired. I just got a Dell 3000- and I'm going to put an ATI radeon 9800 in it. However, I need to make sure the RAM is up to a gig- how can I do that without looking at the chips?

[Epee Scherma]

Go to system properties, and it will say right in the first window along with your OS, registration, and processing speed. You can access system properties in the control panel or right clicking on "my computer" and clicking on properties.

[Amadeus]

oh, oh! here's a tougher one:

my cd/dvd drive has suddenly stopped working. As in, it works (i can hear it), but the computer refuses to recognize its existance. Device manager says that it recognizes the driver for the cd player, but cannot find the device. I opened up the computer (laptop), and took out the cd drive and put it back in, to make sure the connection is secure.
do i have to replace it or something? or is there some better option?

Also, since i opened the computer, the speakers don't work. Did I screw those up, too?

[LUDICROUS]

My knowledge is hardly vast, but it sounds like a software problem there.

Regarding speakers, maybe the speakers themselves are just stuffed?

[Amadeus]

My knowledge is hardly vast, but it sounds like a software problem there.

i hope so. but windows is really trying to tell me that it's the device itself.

Regarding speakers, maybe the speakers themselves are just stuffed?

what does "stuffed" mean, in terms of speakers?

[LUDICROUS]

The wiring inside them might be broken, stuff like that..mechanical problems.

[Amadeus]

The wiring inside them might be broken, stuff like that..mechanical problems.

awwwwww that's no fun

[Larrison]

Had a similar problem once -- computer wouldn't recognize I had a second CD-ROm drive in the machine.

What to do..
First go in and wiggle all the connectors, blow out the dust etc. Half the time its a lose connection. Check all the connectors to see if that solves the problem. IF that doesn't work keep going..

Secondly, go in and UNPLUG the device (pull the power plug and unhook the ribbon connector). Reboot your machine. Turn it off again, and rehook up the device, and boot the machine again. Does it see any device at all?

If it doesn't recognize the device, and it did previously, one of two things is wrong -- either the connecting wire is hosed, or the device itself. Depending upon the device, it might be cheaper to get a new one and put it in the machine and check to see if its recognized. A new CD-ROM should cost around $50 and might be less than that. But it could be the ribbon connector is hosed.

In my case, I finally figured it out it was the cable -- intermittantly the computer would recognize the drive. Finally traced it to a wire broken in the ribbon cable connecting the drive to the mother board (took the ribbon cable out and noticed it had some very sharp bends it in, which overly stressed the wires). Went to the local computer shop, bought replacement ribbon cable and installed it for like $15. Haven't had any problems since then...

[Aqua_volans]

oh, oh! here's a tougher one:

my cd/dvd drive has suddenly stopped working. As in, it works (i can hear it), but the computer refuses to recognize its existance. Device manager says that it recognizes the driver for the cd player, but cannot find the device. I opened up the computer (laptop), and took out the cd drive and put it back in, to make sure the connection is secure.
do i have to replace it or something? or is there some better option?

Also, since i opened the computer, the speakers don't work. Did I screw those up, too?

get a new sound card driver. and run DOS to check wats wrong. dunno wat DOS ur using so can't give intructions

[Westley]

Okay, my question now is- can any computer use a PCI Express card?

[Black Jeebus]

Sure if the motherboard has a PCI Express slot!

[secretly]

Sure if the motherboard has a PCI Express slot!

...or you could try to hammer it into a regular PCI slot like someone did in her pc hardware class

*whistles innocently*

[cornflower]

Here's an even tougher question:
There seems to be electric sparks and smoke spewing out of the back of my CPU... help?

[JackOfHearts]

Here's an even tougher question:
There seems to be electric sparks and smoke spewing out of the back of my CPU... help?

For starters: Let me just be the first to congratulate you on your decision to get a new computer.

[Aqua_volans]

Here's an even tougher question:
There seems to be electric sparks and smoke spewing out of the back of my CPU... help?

hmmm. thats tough. something is probably shorting
open up the comp and run it. see whats giving the sparks and if you can see, separate the shorting parts and insulate them, replace if it does not work. as long as its not the motherboard or processor it can't cost too much.

[VELISARIOS]

Hello Westley try this link http://www.dell.com/
Here try to download the manual of your PC and you will see if your MB support PCI cards.
Now about the RAM go to 'my combuter' right click and go to properties. There you will see the RAM.

CU.

[Larrison]

Here's an even tougher question:
There seems to be electric sparks and smoke spewing out of the back of my CPU... help?

Ahem... did you order the "smoking" or "non smoking" option on that machine?

[Larrison]

Hello Westley try this link http://www.dell.com/
Here try to download the manual of your PC and you will see if your MB support PCI cards.
Now about the RAM go to 'my combuter' right click and go to properties. There you will see the RAM.

CU.

No.. PCI-E won't work in a PCI slot. PCI-E is the new standard to allow higher bandwidth connections, which is particularly useful with the new advanced graphics boards. You'll need a PCI-E socket on the motherboard to use a PCI-E card. I don't believe that you can put a PCI card in a PCI-E socket and make it work, and definitely a PCI-E board will not work with a PCI socket.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Um, yeah.... I tried to shut down my computer... and it refused to. A screen popped up, and it said "Neener Neener, I'll never die", so I unplugged it... well, it didnt turn off. It changed and said "You fool". This is about when I get scared. Um, it wont shut down at all, and I'm on my other computer. Any tips?

[Amadeus]

Um, yeah.... I tried to shut down my computer... and it refused to. A screen popped up, and it said "Neener Neener, I'll never die", so I unplugged it... well, it didnt turn off. It changed and said "You fool". This is about when I get scared. Um, it wont shut down at all, and I'm on my other computer. Any tips?

appease it by feeding it any younger siblings...