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"new" computer



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 20th 17, 06:25 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Bill Cunningham[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 42
Default "new" computer

Someone gave me a small tower that is a news computer than what I have.
It looks like it might use USB 3.0 now can USB 2.0 sticks work in that? That
tower says Windows 7. So if I can get it running, that's the main problem.

He said he was using it and it just shut down. He turned it back on a
while later and a red light came on for a while. Then it turned green. I've
not familiar with these newer towers. They seem to be getting smaller and
cheaper though. New around 200-300 USD.
Might anyone happen to know what that means? I will have to have someone
look at it.

Bill


  #2  
Old May 20th 17, 06:47 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Paul[_28_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,467
Default "new" computer

Bill Cunningham wrote:
Someone gave me a small tower that is a news computer than what I have.
It looks like it might use USB 3.0 now can USB 2.0 sticks work in that? That
tower says Windows 7. So if I can get it running, that's the main problem.

He said he was using it and it just shut down. He turned it back on a
while later and a red light came on for a while. Then it turned green. I've
not familiar with these newer towers. They seem to be getting smaller and
cheaper though. New around 200-300 USD.
Might anyone happen to know what that means? I will have to have someone
look at it.

Bill



It could be a Dell with the four (diagnostic) LEDs.
There is a table of data available, for what the LED
color codes mean at startup.

And if it's a Dell, certain models are subject to
leaking capacitors. Take the side off and visually
inspect the motherboard for trouble.

*******

USB3 ports tend to have a blue tab inside the
connector, while USB2 have a black tab. But this color
coding scheme isn't followed all the time. USB3
connectors have nine electrical connections.

You can see in the USB3 motherboard-side connector
here, there are four "springs" for the USB2 contacts
of a USB3 connector, and five "lands" for the USB3
electrical connections.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U..._Buchse_13.jpg

On a USB3 Flash stick (which mates with that connector),
there are four "lands" near the front (for USB2 electrical
connection) as well as five "springs" deep in the throat
of the USB3 key connector. If you purchase a cheap low-quality
USB3 flash stick with a *plastic* barrel instead of the
standard metal barrel, the plastic bends enough, that the
"springs" in the throat of the barrel, snap off. Don't
buy a USB3 flash, unless it has a metal barrel! You can spot
some of the plastic ones, at Walmart.

With the nine connections, the USB "negotiates" but
chooses not to use both interfaces at the same time.
If only USB2 electrical connections are available,
then only the USB2 is used for transfers. If both
USB2 and USB3 electrical connections are available,
the computer switches to USB3 mode and only the
USB3 part carries packets. The USB2 portion can remain
"quiet". The nine signals are there, to support all
possible combinations, for backward compatibility.

Paul
  #3  
Old May 20th 17, 08:39 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Bill Cunningham[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 42
Default "new" computer


"Paul" wrote in message
news
It could be a Dell with the four (diagnostic) LEDs.
There is a table of data available, for what the LED
color codes mean at startup.


[...]

HP product number SH864UC#ABA if that says anything.

Bill


  #4  
Old May 20th 17, 08:55 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
John McGaw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 732
Default "new" computer

On 5/20/2017 3:39 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"Paul" wrote in message
news
It could be a Dell with the four (diagnostic) LEDs.
There is a table of data available, for what the LED
color codes mean at startup.


[...]

HP product number SH864UC#ABA if that says anything.

Bill


Like this?

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product...065894/manuals
  #5  
Old May 20th 17, 09:00 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Bill Cunningham[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 42
Default "new" computer


"John McGaw" wrote in message
...
On 5/20/2017 3:39 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"Paul" wrote in message
news
It could be a Dell with the four (diagnostic) LEDs.
There is a table of data available, for what the LED
color codes mean at startup.


[...]

HP product number SH864UC#ABA if that says anything.

Bill


Like this?

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product...065894/manuals


Yeap. I couldn't find anything on HPs site for this computer I did get this
page,

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-com...37uaaba/specs/

It mentions USB but not if it's 2 or 3. I will probably have to have somone
look at it.

Bill


  #6  
Old May 20th 17, 09:08 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
John McGaw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 732
Default "new" computer

On 5/20/2017 4:00 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"John McGaw" wrote in message
...
On 5/20/2017 3:39 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"Paul" wrote in message
news It could be a Dell with the four (diagnostic) LEDs.
There is a table of data available, for what the LED
color codes mean at startup.

[...]

HP product number SH864UC#ABA if that says anything.

Bill


Like this?

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product...065894/manuals


Yeap. I couldn't find anything on HPs site for this computer I did get this
page,

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-com...37uaaba/specs/

It mentions USB but not if it's 2 or 3. I will probably have to have somone
look at it.

Bill


AFAIK, the URL I gave should have all of the available information for that
system. Not saying that it will be useful but it should be good for a start.
  #7  
Old May 21st 17, 02:33 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Paul[_28_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,467
Default "new" computer

John McGaw wrote:
On 5/20/2017 4:00 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"John McGaw" wrote in message
...
On 5/20/2017 3:39 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"Paul" wrote in message
news It could be a Dell with the four (diagnostic) LEDs.
There is a table of data available, for what the LED
color codes mean at startup.

[...]

HP product number SH864UC#ABA if that says anything.

Bill


Like this?

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product...065894/manuals


Yeap. I couldn't find anything on HPs site for this computer I did get
this
page,

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-com...37uaaba/specs/


It mentions USB but not if it's 2 or 3. I will probably have to have
somone
look at it.

Bill


AFAIK, the URL I gave should have all of the available information for
that system. Not saying that it will be useful but it should be good for
a start.


One of the items on that page is the hardware reference:

"Hardware Reference Guide - HP Compaq 8000 Elite Small Form Factor PC 4.67MB"

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01957825

Note - when you download that, the file is missing the file extension. It
needs to be renamed to "c01957825.pdf" .

*******

Quoting from that manual:

"The Power On Light is normally green when the power is on.

If it is flashing red, there is a problem with the
computer and it is displaying a diagnostic code.
"

Now, normally, that would be "flash-flash-flash" then "delay".
Each group of flashes could be a digit.

The manual does not have a table of values! Boo and Hiss!

*******

We move on to the next manual. Same deal. When it downloads, it needs
to be renamed to "c01960471.pdf" . See Page 47, entitled
"4.5.3 System Status"

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01960471

Power LED blinking behavior - green = good
flashing RED = bad, count the flashes

Blink Associated
Count Message Action Plan

2 Processor thermal shutdown Check air flow, fans, heatsink
3 Processor not seated Check processor
4 Power supply overload failure Check system board problem
5 Memory error Check DIMMs, system board
6 Video error Check graphics card or system board
7 PCA failure detected by BIOS Replace system board
8 Invalid ROM checksum Reflash BIOS ROM
9 Boot failure Check power supply, processor, sys. bd
10 Bad option card Replace option card [USB3 card???]

HTH,
Paul



  #8  
Old May 21st 17, 08:16 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Bill Cunningham[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 42
Default "new" computer


"Paul" wrote in message
news
John McGaw wrote:
On 5/20/2017 4:00 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"John McGaw" wrote in message
...
On 5/20/2017 3:39 PM, Bill Cunningham wrote:
"Paul" wrote in message
news It could be a Dell with the four (diagnostic) LEDs.
There is a table of data available, for what the LED
color codes mean at startup.

[...]

HP product number SH864UC#ABA if that says anything.

Bill


Like this?

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product...065894/manuals

Yeap. I couldn't find anything on HPs site for this computer I did get
this
page,

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-com...37uaaba/specs/

It mentions USB but not if it's 2 or 3. I will probably have to have
somone
look at it.

Bill


AFAIK, the URL I gave should have all of the available information for
that system. Not saying that it will be useful but it should be good for
a start.


One of the items on that page is the hardware reference:

"Hardware Reference Guide - HP Compaq 8000 Elite Small Form Factor PC
4.67MB"

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01957825

Note - when you download that, the file is missing the file extension. It
needs to be renamed to "c01957825.pdf" .

*******

Quoting from that manual:

"The Power On Light is normally green when the power is on.

If it is flashing red, there is a problem with the
computer and it is displaying a diagnostic code.
"

Now, normally, that would be "flash-flash-flash" then "delay".
Each group of flashes could be a digit.

The manual does not have a table of values! Boo and Hiss!

*******

We move on to the next manual. Same deal. When it downloads, it needs
to be renamed to "c01960471.pdf" . See Page 47, entitled
"4.5.3 System Status"

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01960471

Power LED blinking behavior - green = good
flashing RED = bad, count the flashes

Blink Associated
Count Message Action Plan

2 Processor thermal shutdown Check air flow, fans, heatsink
3 Processor not seated Check processor
4 Power supply overload failure Check system board problem
5 Memory error Check DIMMs, system board
6 Video error Check graphics card or system
board
7 PCA failure detected by BIOS Replace system board
8 Invalid ROM checksum Reflash BIOS ROM
9 Boot failure Check power supply, processor,
sys. bd
10 Bad option card Replace option card [USB3
card???]

HTH,
Paul


Yes. TY Paul.
Bill


  #9  
Old May 21st 17, 08:17 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Bill Cunningham[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 42
Default "new" computer


"John McGaw" wrote in message
...

AFAIK, the URL I gave should have all of the available information for
that system. Not saying that it will be useful but it should be good for a
start.


Yeah it does! My link didn't. But yours certainly did.

Bill


  #10  
Old May 22nd 17, 01:47 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
~misfit~[_16_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 158
Default "new" computer

Once upon a time on usenet Paul wrote:
[snipped]
On a USB3 Flash stick (which mates with that connector),
there are four "lands" near the front (for USB2 electrical
connection) as well as five "springs" deep in the throat
of the USB3 key connector. If you purchase a cheap low-quality
USB3 flash stick with a *plastic* barrel instead of the
standard metal barrel, the plastic bends enough, that the
"springs" in the throat of the barrel, snap off. Don't
buy a USB3 flash, unless it has a metal barrel! You can spot
some of the plastic ones, at Walmart.


This is pure gold - thanks Paul. I recently bought a 64GB USB3 Lexar S37
'jumpdrive' but only because, when I checked it in the shop it had a metal
connector. (Earlier versions had a plastic one.)

They're not a bad stick for the money, especially in the 64 and 128GB sizes
(smaller sizes are much slower). However they have a swizel / retraction
mechanism which shouldn't be used and should be defeated at the earliest
opportunity with glue or tape... The internal mechanism for the retraction
is extremely flimsy but, when defeated the stick seems fine*.

* Unless idiots don't check orientation repeatedly and use 'moron force' to
try to push the stick in upside down. Then it can still break the small
plastic parts within and the connector retracts, never to be seen again.
However you can't protect idiots from themselves and often I think that the
world would be a lot better off if no effort was made to do so - especially
with potentialy lethal devices.
--
Shaun.

"Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy
little classification in the DSM*."
David Melville (in r.a.s.f1)
(*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)


 




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