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Diagnosing or Troubleshooting a Motherboard Fault

rob — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:03:00 +0000

A computer motherboard fault can be hard to determine without full testing software. So how can you start to diagnose possible faults with a motherboard in the home or office environment? The following guide sets out some of the tests you do to determine if the motherboard is indeed at fault.

The first place to start when diagnosing a computer motherboard fault is to examine the power and installed devices. Many problems with a motherboard can be down to power and other factors. The motherboard may not be the fault.

After installing a replacement motherboard or building your own computer the computer fails to start. Is there any power to the computer? Check the fuse for the device power cable, to be sure swap the power chord with one from another device such as, the computer monitor or printer as long as you know they are working. If there is power then what happens when you press the power button. Do any of the computer cooling fans run? If not then check these are connected correctly.

It is at this point that I would recommend disconnecting everything from the computer, external devices first and try starting the computer again. If the PC still will not boot up then disconnect all internal devices noting the locations and orientation of the connectors. Try to start the computer again. If it fails to start then you could be looking at a faulty motherboard but could also be poorly configured BIOS which is used to set up the motherboard when building a computer. Check with the manufacturer’s website or the manual for a guide to setting up the motherboard BIOS especially how to configure the processor and memory. Also check the heat sink is mounted correctly on the CPU or processor as this can also prevent a system from starting.

Does the motherboard POST? POST means power on self test. Motherboards carry out this test in the first few seconds after the power on button for the computer is pressed. It can be recognised as a beep shortly after powering up the computer. During POST the motherboard carries out a number of basic tests on its self to make sure it is ready to start. If a motherboard passes this test there is usually a short beep and text is written on the computer display. Some manufacturers replace this writing with branding. If a problem is detected during post then there will be a number of beeps to signify what type of fault there is. I.e. a mixture of short and long beeps may point to a problem with the CPU or memory. They may not be installed or seated correctly.

Some manufactures do not use beep codes anymore but the motherboard may have a series of lights or LEDs on the motherboard that can be used to determine a fault.

If a motherboard fails to POST and does not give out a series of error beep codes and it is receiving power then it is probably faulty.

Other considerations when diagnosing a motherboard fault.
It is quite common to blame a motherboard fault after a motherboard replacement. After replacing a motherboard it is best practice to re-install the operating system and software. The motherboard is a major part of the computer and contains many components that require drivers installed by the operating system during installation. If the operating system is not re-installed it may become buggy and unstable i.e. the computer keeps crashing.

Another over looked problem when diagnosing motherboard faults is too not having enough power to the board or devices. This can result in problems and may prevent the computer from booting. This should be considered especially on self build PCs. Check that your power supply can handle the motherboard and connected devices.

Expansion cards and connected internal cables can cause issues if not connected properly check all connectors and refer to the motherboard manual if unsure.

Sometime you may experience a problem when replacing a motherboard where the hard disk drive is not detected. This is usually a BIOS issue and should be corrected by visiting the manufacturers website or reading the manual to ensure your have configured the Hard Disk capabilities correctly.

Click here for more information about POST and BIOS Beep Codes

IvoryEgg has a wide range of motherboards from the leading manufacturers, ASROCK, ASUS, MSI, GigaByte, Intel and more.

Micro ATX, ATX Computer Cases - The ATX Form Factor Explained

rob — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:54:00 +0000

What is the ATX form factor and why is it important when purchasing a new computer case or motherboard?

The ATX form factor is a way of measuring computer component sizes. In computers it is commonly used to determine the size of the computer case and the computer motherboard. There are a number of form factors in use today, Micro ATX (mATX) and ATX.

Micro ATX Cases and Motherboards
These are the smaller of the two form factors and are used to build small computers used as desktops or sometimes as media centre PCs. Being small does not mean that they aren’t powerful. Micro ATX motherboards can usually handle the same size processors (CPUs) as their full sized ATX counterparts. Where they may lack when compared to ATX motherboards is the amount of expansion slots, ports or memory slots they have. This is purely down to the size of the board.

Micro ATX cases can be difficult to work with. There is now a lot of room inside when trying to fit all the components. It is important to consider air circulation inside the case to prevent heat build-up which can lead to system instability.

ATX Cases and Motherboards
Unlike the mATX cases and motherboards, the ATX form factor is the larger format and allows more expansion slots and ports to be manufactured into the motherboard. This cases and motherboards would be typically used for multimedia and gaming PCs as they can fit extra devices such as graphics cards, sound cards and extra hard disk drives.

When buying cases and motherboards the following rules apply. A mATX or ATX motherboard can be fitted into an ATX computer case but only a mATX motherboard can be installed in a mATX or Micro ATC case.

More Information about the various form factors can be found at Wikipedia (ATX form factor).

IvoryEgg have a wide range of ATX and Micro ATX (mATX) cases available for order as well as an extensive range of ATX and mATX motherboards.

Power Surge Protection and UPS for the Home

rob — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:40:00 +0000

When power surges or failures happen from time to time they can cause so much damage to electrical equipment around the home. They can cause unsaved data on computers to be lost or worse by corrupting the operating system by not powering off or shutting down correctly. Other items may be damaged by a surge of power either during operation or after a complete power failure and the supply is returned. If you are around when it happens you may be able to turn off or disconnect everything but the chances are you may not be home when it happens.

Home electronics can be protected very easily using a good power surge protector. These are essentially power extension sockets with a number of sockets for the devices to be plugged in. This is connected to the power outlet and stands between the devices and the power source. It the event of a power surge the power surge protector will prevent the power surge reaching the electronics and causing costly damage.

Having even basic entry level power surge protection will prevent damage from power surges, spikes and lighting strikes.

Surge protectors come in 2 varieties. Either as a multiple power strip with surge protection or as a single outlet which is connected directly to the outlet and allows the connection of a normal multi power outlet strip or 4-way as commonly known.

When it comes to buying a power surge protector then buy one appropriately rated for your equipment and never overload or join multiple surge protectors together.

Un-interruptible power supplies or UPS as they are known are simply a big battery for your computer. The basic principle is to connect the UPS to a power outlet and then connect the required devices to the UPS unit. This will depend on how many power outlets are built into the UPS. It is important that you can connect the computer base unit and its monitor at the very least to enable you to shut down your computer safely. In the event of a power failure the UPS will kick in and continue to power the computer and monitor for a short time.

Depending on the size of the UPS the battery may last only a few minutes. This is enough time to save any data and shut down safely without causing damage to the computer. Some UPS systems have a cable that attaches to the computer and with installed software will shutdown the computer automatically when a power failure is detected by the UPS. The PC will also reboot when the the power supply is returned.

UPS can be expensive and is usually the reserve of business systems and server rooms but there are a number of home user versions available to purchase. Be sure to check out the power consumption of any devices to be connected and make sure the UPS is rated to give enough time to take action.

It is worth mentioning that UPS batteries will fail over time and need to be replaced. It is worth considering this if investing in a system for the home.

IvoryEgg have a wide range of power surge protection and UPS systems

CES 2012 roundup and news, Ultrabooks lead the way

rob — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:45:00 +0000

Well after an exciting week at CES 2012 where Microsoft announced it would be its last year at the show we have a roundup of some of the announcements from the leading innovators of technology for the coming year.

As predicted, small, lightweight and thin was leading the way with the latest offering of Ultrabooks which will be hitting the shelves over the next 12 months.

Intel Raises Bar on Smartphones, Tablets and Ultrabook™ Devices announcing that the Utrabook to Completely Redefine PCs by leading the industry to re-invent personal computing again with the creation of the new category of Ultrabook devices, delivering a computing experience in thin and elegant designs. In just eight months, and built on broad consumer appeal, the category has gained strong momentum with a total of more than 75 ultra sleek, ultra responsive and secure Ultrabook systems expected to ship this year from industry partners.

HP Envy 14 Spectre, which is HP second offering in the Ultrabook category the Spectre scores not by being the slimmest or most powerful laptop in its class but because of its novel construction. HP has equipped this laptop with a glass-topped lid and a glass-covered wrist rest area and touchpad. Beneath the glass, Intel 'Ivy Bridge' chips, USB 3.0 and HDMI connectivity complete with a 14in screen in a 13in chassis.

Samsung Releases Next Generation Series 9 Laptop Featuring a slim, Aluminium Body featuring one of the thinnest, lightest laptop form factors ever. "When designing the new Series 9, we focused on improving key elements that our customers loved in the original award winning Series 9, including the sophisticated, lightweight design," said Todd Bouman, vice president of product marketing at Samsung Enterprise Business Division. "Our engineers worked very hard to develop the amazingly thin form factor and one of the most compact chassis in the world, which allowed us to house a 15-inch display in a 14-inch chassis. We also made changes to the new model based on customer feedback, such as the inclusion of a 1600x900 high resolution screen, to truly make this a top-of-the line, irresistible laptop that represents the ultimate in Samsung precision engineering and premium design."

Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra
Not officially an Ultrabook or at least Acer's trick to avoid the Intel trademark. Regardless it is still impressively slim. Acers 15in notebook computer based on the latest Intel chips, USB 3.0, HDMI, solid-state storage, Dolby Home Theatre surround sound and large multi-touch touchpad. Acer has still managed to squeeze an optical drive which separates it from most Ultrabooks.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF700T
Asus' current Transformer Prime, the TF201, is an impressive enough device, but ASUS showed off one of the follow-up products its working on. The TF700T is based around a 10.1in touchscreen. But this one has a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. Like the current Prime, the new TF700T has an Nvidia five-core Tegra 3 processor. It will run Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich too.

Dell XPS 13
An Ultrabook from Dell, its new XPS Ultrabook is stylish and is more compact than its rivals. Dell claim the machine has a 13in screen in an 11in form-factor.

Away from the mobile computing and Ultrabooks which were expected to be popular at this year’s show there were one or two other surprises and exciting announcements.

Sony announced a Crystal LED TV a 1080p set packed with more than six million "ultrafine" LEDs, three each of red, green and blue hue to create each of the panel's 2m-odd pixels. Visitors' eyeballs confirmed the picture it produces is stunning. Will Sony be able to match the price of its rivals' OLED offerings?

Samsung announces set-top "boxless" viewing in all its Smart TVs in 2012 This year, Samsung will embed the RVU protocol in its entire line of Smart TVs. Based on industry standards such as DLNA and UPnP, RVU allows a set-top box server to provide a complete, multi-room viewing experience that includes DVR services across all the connected TVs in the home through a single set-top box.

“Many homes today have more than one TV to cater to the different needs of everyone in the family. By working with a leading provider like DIRECTV, we’re able to offer consumers enhanced convenience in access so they can enjoy the content they desire from any room in the home, any time they choose,” said Stephen Goldstein, vice president of Samsung Electronics America. He went on to say, “Making DIRECTV features and content available on Samsung TVs through the RVU server allows consumers to enjoy our innovative service without the need for additional set-top boxes. We are pleased to see our successful partnership with Samsung expand to include support for RVU in its 2012 Smart TV model range.”

Capable of supporting multiple connected televisions simultaneously, DIRECTV’s HR34 Home Media Centre HD-DVR enables the set-top box UI and features to be displayed directly on Samsung Smart TVs. DIRECTV customers can enjoy the full DIRECTV experience, including DVR services, live pause abilities on all screens in the home, 200 hours worth of shared storage, picture-in-picture capabilities and the ability to record up to five shows at once. Samsung’s RVU-compatible Smart TVs will be available in spring 2012.

There was also an innovative exciting development in device protection HzO’s WaterBlock™ protects devices at molecular level to make them waterproof. They demonstrated this technology by dropping a playing iPod into a fish tank of water with no damage.

IvoryEgg.com have a wide range of computer equipment available and will continue to bring the latest products, Laptops, Netbooks, Tablet PCs, TVs, Desktop and Barebones PCs to the consumer.

The Year Of The Ultrabook?

Admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:05:00 +0000

Is 2012 set to be the year of the Ultrabook? Well Intel hope it is. The Ultra portable laptop is set to take off in the following year with sales expected to rise to 2015.

These super slim rivals to the Apple Macbook Air are starting to emerge from the major manufacturers with Dell, Samsung and HP entering the arena. Promising to pack the latest technologies including Intel’s upcoming “Ivy Bridge” processors these laptops will be a must for mobile computing.

HP is planning to reveal more info about their latest Ultrabook, the “Envy Spectre” is the second offering from the biggest manufacturer and full details will be announced at the forthcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Samsung are due to release their NP530 model which should be available in Europe in February. This offering is promising a 1.6GHz Core i5, 4Gb RAM and comes in at 1.4kg.

Some models such as the Acer Aspire S3 range of Ultrabooks are available with good specifications, Core i5 processors, Solid State Drives and 13” displays. Full specifications of these machines at Ivoryegg.com below:

Acer Aspire S3 951 2464G
Acer Aspire S3 951 2464G – Solid State Drive
Acer Aspire S3 951 2634G

With laptops becoming big and bulky in comparison to other mobile devices the Ultrabooks promise to breathe new life into this market.

IvoryEgg supply laptops, netbooks, tablets, Ultrabooks and other mobile computing devices.

Is 2012 The Year Of The Cheap Netbook?

rob — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:31:00 +0000

The outlook for 2012 is more mobile computing. 2011 really was the year for tablets and smartphones with sales rising sharply and many people making the move to mobile computing.

In 2012 the forecast is more of the same with a few new innovations which are likely to take off such as the Ultrabooks which are lightweight thin and ultra portable. Offering such as the transformer prime which it is essentially a laptop with detachable screen which becomes a tablet.

So what does this mean for the Netbook? These small ultra portable devices were all the rage over the last couple of years but sales are set to decline.

This may not be a bad thing though. It may mean that manufacturers have to sell off their stocks at a reduced price bringing cheap Netbooks to the buying public. These models will no doubt be slightly out dated but upgrades can be easy way to increase the power of the device.

So why would you want a cheap netbook? It may be that you want to use a mobile device such as a tablet but require a full keyboard to make life easier. Netbooks usually have a good battery life making them good for taking out and about. They also come with a variety of operating systems such as Windows 7 or Linux based systems .

Overall a cheap netbook is a good buy but we will have to see what happens to them over the next year as they will no doubt come down in price as other devices come to market.

IvoryEgg have a wide range of Netbook computers in stock so watch this space for cheap netbooks.

All You Need To Know About KVM Switches

Admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:16:00 +0000

A KVM switch allows multiple computers to share common peripherals such as the computer's keyboard, mouse and display or monitor. KVM switch boxes come in many shapes and sizes and deciding what type and size needed for your situation can be confusing if you do not know the features and connection types available.

It all starts with the ports
Usually KVM switches are described and retailed by the type and port numbers available. A 2 Port KVM Switch will support up to two computers sharing the peripherals and a 4 Port KVM Switch will support up to 4 PCs sharing the peripherals.

KVM Switch Types
In order to understand the various types of switch available, it is necessary to split them into two groups, commercial and home user. The commercial KVM switches usually have 4, 8 or 16 ports and are usually used to control multiple server systems with one keyboard, mouse and monitor. These can be chainable and expandable making upgrading capacity for future PCs or servers a simple task.

There are also commercial systems available that are bought as modules. There will be software or a control box that allows switching between server systems and runs over existing network cabling making it simple to roll out across large server rooms. These systems are referred to as CAT5 KVM Switches.

Home user systems usually come as 2 port KVM switches. They allow two PCs to share common resources and are usually required as a space saving device. It is also much cheaper to buy a KVM than purchase a second keyboard, mouse and monitor. Why you would need one at home is debatable but they can be useful.

It may be that you have computer used for gaming and another for business or office work. Using a KVM in this situation would make sense. Another use for 2 port KVM switches is when you have a desktop and a laptop PC. By using a KVM switch it is possible for the laptop to use the resources of the PC without the need for unplugging all the required peripherals that would require the desktop to be powered down.

How do they work?
In a home user 2 port KVM switch scenario, the switch box is connected to a spare USB port and / or the PS2 connectors used for older keyboard and mouse connections. A cable will also be connected to the computers display or video output. This is repeated on the second machine that is to share the devices. The keyboard, mouse and monitor are then connected to the 2 port KVM switch allowing them to be shared by both computers.

Depending on the type of KVM being used, there may be a number of buttons on the switch to allow simple switching between the two computers. Some KVM switches come with software which once installed, allows keyboard shortcuts to be used to switch between the PC units.

Commercial systems are very much scaled up versions of the home user KVM switch except for the CAT5 systems which require a small switch device connecting to the ports of the PCs / Servers and a CAT5 cable chain each one together. These devices can then be accessed either by a control box or across the computer network making management a much easier task.

Final Note
When purchasing 2 port, 4 port or larger KVM switches you should always allow for expansion if you think you may need it. Are you likely to need peripheral sharing capacity for more devices in the future? This is especially important in commercial setups.

It is also very important to note the type of ports required by the connecting devices. The older PS2 keyboard and mouse connections on PCs are slowly on the decline, many servers and desktop PCs come without the older connector and rely on USB for keyboard and mouse connectivity. If you have a mixture of devices you may need multiple KVM switches to meet your needs. Video connectors have also changed over the years with DVI-D now common on a lot of PCs. All these ports and connectors need to be carefully considered when researching and purchasing the different types of KVM switch.

View all KVM switch equipment at IvoryEgg

Add Your Own Personal Touch With The Wacom Pen Bamboo Tablet

Admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:17:00 +0000

Wacom Pen Bamboo Tablet

Get started with the power of pen technology – and add your own personal touch. The latest generation of Bamboo Pen lets you personalise everything you do. Annotate live during your presentations to highlight important content and make sure you get your point across. The Bamboo Pen tablet is your ultimate digital tool with a full version of ArtRage 2.6 software included.

Designed for both left- and right-handed use and for both Mac and PC, there are simply no restrictions. You can take and make notes directly on your documents; draw; paint and share spontaneous ideas digitally. A variety of exciting, fun Bamboo apps are kept ready for download which help you to use the digital pen in a fun and entertaining way.

Click here for full specifications and pricing

Smart Design and Function - HP Slate 2 Tablet PC

rob — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:12:00 +0000

HP Slate 2 Tablet PC

The HP Slate 2: The Right Business Touch. The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC is ideal for people with jobs that frequently take them away from a traditional desk, yet need to remain productive in a familiar Windows environment. Optimized for Windows 7 Professional, the HP Slate 2 is also intended for those who use custom applications that must operate in a Windows environment.

Featuring Windows 7 Professional and/or other operating systems
The familiar Windows® desktop look and feel keeps professionals productive while on the go. The HP Slate 2 combines an 22;6 cm (8.9") diagonal tablet with Intel processor capabilities and wireless functionality — from Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WLAN to optional HP Mobile Broadband featuring 3G.

Enhanced Touch Capabilities
Work intuitively. Use your fingers to browse documents, spreadsheets, applications and more on the multi-touch display. Typing is made easier with the Swype onscreen keyboard.

Handwrite on Your Digital Tablet
Prefer a pen? Handwrite messages and notes using the tablet, HP Slate Digital Pen (optional) and Evernote software.

Smart design and function
With a starting weight of only 0.69 kg (1.5 lb), the HP Slate 2 offers a lightweight design and miniature size. Polish the presentations you carry to all your meetings with the HP Slate 2. Show training or product videos and stream video from the web on the HP Slate 2.

Added Security
The HP Slate 2 addresses potential security concerns with a tablet this mobile. The TPM Embedded Security Chip helps keep the data on your HP Slate 2 protected — from email to info on your hard drive.

Music the way artists intended
Hear music and audio files like you were in front of the artist. Present multimedia presentations with crisp sound and vibrant tunes with SRS Premium Sound.

Click here for full specifications and pricing

Brilliant Quality Images With Sony's DSC-W570 Black Digital Camera

rob — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:03:00 +0000

Sony DSC-W570 Black Digital Camera

Brilliant quality photos and HD video

Light compact and beautifully styled the Cyber-shot™ W570 digital camera lets everyone capture detail-packed still images and HD video. Features like Sweep Panorama expand shooting possibilities while iAUTO takes care of adjusting settings for great results without fuss.

16.1 megapixels 5x optical zoom/25mm wide angle HD movie 6.7cm LCD Sweep Panorama and iAUTO

High quality Carl Zeiss? lens with 5x optical zoom
Shoot extra-wide images with Sweep Panorama
Clear smooth HD movie recording

Experience the whole picture
Now it's easy to grab breathtaking wide-screen views of that landscape or city scene. Sweep Panorama mode shoots a high-speed burst of frames as you sweep the camera from side to side (or up and down!). Images are stitched together automatically by the camera to create one amazing panoramic image.

Better looking pictures made easy
Not sure how to pick the perfect camera settings to suit a particular scene? Don’t worry help is at hand. Intelligent Auto (iAUTO) mode automatically adjusts exposure and other camera settings for optimum results in a wide range of shooting situations.

Pack more into every scene
Dramatic landscapes architectural shots interiors and even family scenes can produce disappointing results when a scene gets cut off at the edges. A wide angle lens lets you pack more into the picture without having to stand further back from the subject.

Upload the moment
Upload those memories to your favourite sharing sites on the web with a few mouse clicks. PMB Portable software inside the camera lets you select and transfer photos and video clips to any web-connected PC: it’s great if you’re travelling and have a few minutes to drop into the nearest web caf?.

Click here for full specifications and pricing