Diagnose this

[aRGee]

I ordered a Netgear router and I think I will exchange this modem. All I have to do is take it in to the local TWC office and they will swap it out.

[irata]

I ordered a Netgear router and I think I will exchange this modem. All I have to do is take it in to the local TWC office and they will swap it out.

Let us know how it goes, Argee...

[aRGee]

New Netgear should be here Friday.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122326&cm_re=router-_-33-122-326-_-Product

BTW, here is a quote from someone reviewing the router I am getting and his problems with Linksys. Exactly the same thing I seen.



"Other Thoughts: I previously bought a Linksys wireless router which constantly dropped connections, and would slowly degrade to 10% of the speed my cable modem was capable of. I'd have to reset it hourly to get speed back up... and watch it slowly degrade again. Talk about frustrating!

I was afraid it was just the nature of Wireless-N, but then after hearing about similar problems from friends with Linksys, I went out and bought this NetGear product.

I'm happy I did! All my connectivity and speed issues have disappeared, and I couldn't be happier! Definitely recommend picking this up if you're looking for a full featured wireless router!"

[aRGee]

New router works like a charm. Internet speed is rock steady, no slow drop off like the ole Linksys.
Its a simultaneous dual band N 2G and 5G network and you can use both bands at the same time for greater bandwidth but for the life of me I cannot figure how to do that. Perhaps that feature is only for the wired netwrok as for my wireless I see two distinct networks. The Xbox360 does support the 5G wireless N and its lock on that network. The PS3 does not support that and is lock on the 2G network.

It has a neat traffic meter which monitors how much data you upload and download in whatever set time period you preset it to. Thus if they start charging by how much bandwidth you use per month or you have a bandwidth usage tier, this router can and will notify you that you are approaching your monthly alotment by a flashing light on the router and I guess an automatic email.

It is "green" and lowers its power usuage automatically if it detects little or no traffic routing thru it.

Really sweet piece of equipment.

[aRGee]

After al these upgrades and the like it seems my main PC might have just died today for good. I was in game LOTRO ad just switching characters. Whn it went to load the new character in, he screen went black and the machine froze. I had to do a power down to turn it off. Upon reboot I got thru BIOS and a message said it could not find a bootable disc. Hmmm. So, I went to my recovery disk and restarted the machine but this time it would not even do a BIOS check. The fans were all spinning and the USB ports had power but that was it. I removed all RAM an I did get the beeps one gets when there is a ram problem and then reseated the RAM and same got the previous results ala not doing a BIOS check. I reseated the video card, checked the CPU but could not find anything and I am out of ideas.
Perhaps the motherboard is shot but I have had it up to HERE with this Gateway. I think a new I7 machine is in the near future.

[splusmer]

Yikes!  (Splus looks at Gateway under desktop and over at Gateway laptop) 

Okay, I'm "A+ certified" and I'm not sure what to day.  CPU fan, maybe?  But I wouldn't think that would kick in so immediately unless there's a fail-safe in your BIOS (but I've never heard of such a thing for fans).

[Jaded]

On the plus (?) side, if you get a new machine you can probably take some of those upgrades with you.

Still the timing sure does suck. Sorry to hear the bad news, aRGee.

[irata]

After al these upgrades and the like it seems my main PC might have just died today for good. I was in game LOTRO ad just switching characters. Whn it went to load the new character in, he screen went black and the machine froze. I had to do a power down to turn it off. Upon reboot I got thru BIOS and a message said it could not find a bootable disc. Hmmm. So, I went to my recovery disk and restarted the machine but this time it would not even do a BIOS check. The fans were all spinning and the USB ports had power but that was it. I removed all RAM an I did get the beeps one gets when there is a ram problem and then reseated the RAM and same got the previous results ala not doing a BIOS check. I reseated the video card, checked the CPU but could not find anything and I am out of ideas.
Perhaps the motherboard is shot but I have had it up to HERE with this Gateway. I think a new I7 machine is in the near future.

Sounds like the power supply, Argee... Luckily, you can get a new one for. About $40-$50.  The behavior you describe sounds consistent with a "blown" ps unit.  Just replace it, and you should be golden.

If it was the motherboard, you wouldn't eve het any video.

Good luck!

[aRGee]

Well I have no video as it does not even bring the monitor out of sleep mode. No output what so ever. The power supply in it is only a couple months old but I am going to put the old one in this wekend to see if that is it. The motherboard is only 80 bucks or so as well.
BUT, wifey is being oh too nice and wants me to buy a new machine as she says "thats your hobby and what you enjoy so go for it!"

Irata, you know anything about IBUYPOWER machines? Price seems right. I am looking at this I7 unit, water cooled, 1TB HD. Video card could be better but I got the 5850 to pop in it. Power supply is beefy as well and lots of room in the case which is nice. Low 900 dollar range for price.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5376870&csid=ITD&body=MAIN

I am going to research POWERSPEC as well as I have had two of their machines and the last one I bought five years ago is still running like a champ albiet I have updated the graphics card a few time and put a new PS in. Old 3GHz early P4.

[aRGee]

Put another power supply in and still nothing, no bios load in and no signal sent to the monitor. I then took the CPU fan off and fired the PC up and noticed the CPU does get hot.
The only thing left that I can think of is a bad motherboard.

Things I tried with no positive results:

Changed/reseated RAM
changed video card
changed Power supply.

Powerspec has this machine http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0321347 and the local MicroCenter has 5 of them in stock.

 Even with a new PC I still would like to get the Gateway back up and running. I do think I will order a new motherboard and try that.
 

[irata]

Put another power supply in and still nothing, no bios load in and no signal sent to the monitor. I then took the CPU fan off and fired the PC up and noticed the CPU does get hot.
The only thing left that I can think of is a bad motherboard.

Things I tried with no positive results:

Changed/reseated RAM
changed video card
changed Power supply.

Powerspec has this machine http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0321347 and the local MicroCenter has 5 of them in stock.

 Even with a new PC I still would like to get the Gateway back up and running. I do think I will order a new motherboard and try that.
 

Replace the video card, and you have a decent, all-around gaming system, up to current specs.

I really thought you were getting some video, and therefore believed it was your power supply that had gone bad.  But no video, even with a new PS, means the motherboard is fried.  So go ahead and buy that PowerSpec beast.

[aRGee]

I did get the Powerspec. Its in a nice big case with lots of room which I like. Makes it oh so much easier to work in. I swaped out the video card and put the 5850 in.
Wow! That I7 processor is amazingly fast. At 1280x960 LOTOR runs at a staggering 135 FPS or better and at 1600x900 at max detail I get 95-105 FPS. The Quad Duo core in the other machine was pulling around 55-60 FPS at that setting.

I will get the Gateway back up and running later this Spring. A new motherboard runs about 100 bucks but I want to let the old wallet rest a while now.

[irata]

I did get the Powerspec. Its in a nice big case with lots of room which I like. Makes it oh so much easier to work in. I swaped out the video card and put the 5850 in.
Wow! That I7 processor is amazingly fast. At 1280x960 LOTOR runs at a staggering 135 FPS or better and at 1600x900 at max detail I get 95-105 FPS. The Quad Duo core in the other machine was pulling around 55-60 FPS at that setting.

I will get the Gateway back up and running later this Spring. A new motherboard runs about 100 bucks but I want to let the old wallet rest a while now.

Congrats on the new beast, Argee! I was just looking at the LOTR screen you posted. 

I was looking at a gaming rig from Systemax at CompUSA (yes, we have one down here -- after the bankruptcy, they function as outlet stores for TigerDirect.) It has a nice case, lots of pretty lights and a see-through side panel to let you see the innards at work.  But it's only a Core i5, which means no multi-threading.   

[Jaded]

Congrats on the new rig, aRGee!!