AUGUST 2004 MAXIMUM PC 23

Got PC problems?

Maximum PC is here to help

with answers to the 34 most

common computer ailments!



TROUBLE-

SHOOTING

GUIDE

Our cardinal rules of engagement

regarding the troubleshooting of any

PC problem can be succinctly stated:

1) Know the symptoms.

2) Isolate any and all variables

3) Double-check the obvious—like

cable connections.

4) Diagnose the problem

5) Fix the problem.

If only it were as simple as this.

PCs are complex creatures and as

such, fixing them is often an

arduous, head-banging task that

feels more like guesswork than an

actual repair.

But with this said, we frequently

receive the same questions about

the same problems. Thus, we’ve bun-

dled up answers to the most com-

mon questions. So let’s dispense

with the pleasantries and jump into

the problem-solving ASAP, shall we?

GENERAL SYSTEM

TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM

My fan is whirring loudly.

What’s up with that?

DIAGNOSIS

There are a few

possible causes here.

The most likely is that your system and fans

are clogged with dust, which makes them

less efficient. If this is the case, the fans have

to work harder to keep up with the load. To

fix it, clean your fans.

After you clean your fans, check the tem-

perature around your PC. Some computers

get louder as they get hotter because the

fans spin faster to keep the system cool. You

can fix this by cooling down the climate

around your system or by adding fans that

are quieter.

PROBLEM

I have four pieces of RAM

installed and I’m pretty

sure that at least one is bad. What’s the best

way to test RAM for errors?

DIAGNOSIS

Since you have four

pieces of RAM, you

can install just one DIMM in your mother-

board at a time and run the machine

until it crashes.

This isn’t a completely reliable way

to test RAM, though. As an alternative,

download Memtest86 ( http://www.memtest86.com )

and create a bootable CD. Memtest86 does

a fair job. It runs several test patterns

through the RAM. If a piece of RAM passes

these tests, swap it with another DIMM and

continue your tests.

Even better than Memtest86 is Ultra-X’s

RAM Stress Test Pro 2, which is a self-booting

diagnostic plug-in card. This card uses a

comprehensive set of test patterns to assess

your memory, and we’ve found that it fi nds

bad pieces of RAM that other testers miss.

Keep in mind that it may not actually be a

stick of RAM that’s bad. The problem may in

fact be a bad DIMM slot. If all four pieces of

RAM pass the test, you may have to rerun

them in each individual slot on your

motherboard.

Finally, your motherboard’s BIOS usually

sets RAM timing by reading the SPD setting

on the module. If the SPDs are set too

aggressively (we’ve seen this), it may cause

problems. You should consider going into

the BIOS and manually tweaking settings

such as your CAS latency to a more

conservative setting.