Problems With Your Pc
Lt_Patch
Join Date: 2005-02-07 Member: 40286Members
Join Date: 2005-02-07 Member: 40286Members
in Tech Support
<div class="IPBDescription">Read this first</div> I don't know if anyone can sticky this, seeing as there's not one here already...
It has come to my attention (even after only being here for 6 weeks) that many people are trying to get technical help for their PCs, without actually telling us what the spec is. This isn't so bad for purely software issues (But can be handy for sourcing recommended driver and software updates), but it is totally lethal for hardware related issues. These can be impossible to diagnose, without actually knowing what hardware you have got.
Therefore, I think this is neccessary. Below, I've made a list of what people need to have handy if they need technical support. This isn't a random, informed list. This is from someone who actually has to give support to people over the phone.
<u>Things you need to know <b>BEFORE</b> posting your request...</u>
1. The <u>exact</u> make, and model of your motherboard.
2. The <u>exact</u> make, and model of your CPU.
3. How much RAM is installed in the PC
4. The <u>exact</u> make, and model, and driver version of you graphics card.
5. Any other PCI-Express/PCI/ISA devices on the system
If you don't know these things, then go to <a href='http://www.lavalys.com' target='_blank'>Lavalys.com (Link to Everest homepage)</a>, and download Everest Home Edition. Everest is Freeware, and will tell you everything about your PC. It can ever generate a report, which you could post up, or email to someone, upon request.
Being armed with just information isn't really enough. You need to have prepared somewhat also.
<u>Things you need to have done <b>BEFORE</b> posting your request...</u>
1. Make sure you have updated <b><u>ALL</b></u> your system drivers for you PC. Everest can help you in this case, as it will give you possible download locations for each part in your PC. I would personally recommend <a href='http://www.guru3d.com' target='_blank'>Guru3D.com</a> for graphics and motherboard drivers (Guru3D.com normally only have top-end Intel, and nVidia chipset drivers stored). Other than graphics, and Intel/nVidia chipset-based motherboards, the recommendation is the manufacturers' website, which Everest will give you.
2. If the problem is due to a VPU recovery error (nVidia users ignore this line) Then see if you can reproduce the error in any other games. Make a note of the resolution, color depth, and filtering methods used on the image, ex 1024x768, 32bpp, 2xAA, 4xS Aniso. Set another game to those exact settings, then play away, and see if you can get the same error. If not, then try playing HL1, with no mods loaded at the same graphics detail. If you don't get the error, then try NS again, but with different detail seets, ex different resolution, different filtering methods, turning off AA, or Aniso.
3. nVidia users should try the above, but without the VPU revoery error (nVidia doesn't produce the VPUR technology, it is ATi specific)
If, having done all the steps above, something still isn't right, then post away.
However, if the problem is a POSTing error (ie, another PC isn't starting up properly) Then open the cover, and get as much reasonable detail as possible. This should include
1. Make/model of the motherboard (this will be printed on the surface somewhere)
2. Make/model of graphics (again, printed on the PCB. Manufacturer name normally on the HSF itself.)
3. Make/model of CPU (Make should do, if you don't know the model, or don't fancy like removing the CPU HSF, getting the details, repasting the HSF, then reattaching it)
4. Any other PCI-Express/PCI/ISA devices present.
POSTing errors are accompanied usually with a series of beeps, which could be either long, or short beeps. Like Morse code. Write these down if they occur, and post them up as well.
Armed with all this information, then people will be able to help you with your problem, be it on this forum, or over the phone with a tech support person. We all need the same info, and that list above is what we need.
Hopefully, if this gets stickied, then it should be the end of all the "we need more information than that" replys that we are used to, and the problems will get sorted out quicker.
It has come to my attention (even after only being here for 6 weeks) that many people are trying to get technical help for their PCs, without actually telling us what the spec is. This isn't so bad for purely software issues (But can be handy for sourcing recommended driver and software updates), but it is totally lethal for hardware related issues. These can be impossible to diagnose, without actually knowing what hardware you have got.
Therefore, I think this is neccessary. Below, I've made a list of what people need to have handy if they need technical support. This isn't a random, informed list. This is from someone who actually has to give support to people over the phone.
<u>Things you need to know <b>BEFORE</b> posting your request...</u>
1. The <u>exact</u> make, and model of your motherboard.
2. The <u>exact</u> make, and model of your CPU.
3. How much RAM is installed in the PC
4. The <u>exact</u> make, and model, and driver version of you graphics card.
5. Any other PCI-Express/PCI/ISA devices on the system
If you don't know these things, then go to <a href='http://www.lavalys.com' target='_blank'>Lavalys.com (Link to Everest homepage)</a>, and download Everest Home Edition. Everest is Freeware, and will tell you everything about your PC. It can ever generate a report, which you could post up, or email to someone, upon request.
Being armed with just information isn't really enough. You need to have prepared somewhat also.
<u>Things you need to have done <b>BEFORE</b> posting your request...</u>
1. Make sure you have updated <b><u>ALL</b></u> your system drivers for you PC. Everest can help you in this case, as it will give you possible download locations for each part in your PC. I would personally recommend <a href='http://www.guru3d.com' target='_blank'>Guru3D.com</a> for graphics and motherboard drivers (Guru3D.com normally only have top-end Intel, and nVidia chipset drivers stored). Other than graphics, and Intel/nVidia chipset-based motherboards, the recommendation is the manufacturers' website, which Everest will give you.
2. If the problem is due to a VPU recovery error (nVidia users ignore this line) Then see if you can reproduce the error in any other games. Make a note of the resolution, color depth, and filtering methods used on the image, ex 1024x768, 32bpp, 2xAA, 4xS Aniso. Set another game to those exact settings, then play away, and see if you can get the same error. If not, then try playing HL1, with no mods loaded at the same graphics detail. If you don't get the error, then try NS again, but with different detail seets, ex different resolution, different filtering methods, turning off AA, or Aniso.
3. nVidia users should try the above, but without the VPU revoery error (nVidia doesn't produce the VPUR technology, it is ATi specific)
If, having done all the steps above, something still isn't right, then post away.
However, if the problem is a POSTing error (ie, another PC isn't starting up properly) Then open the cover, and get as much reasonable detail as possible. This should include
1. Make/model of the motherboard (this will be printed on the surface somewhere)
2. Make/model of graphics (again, printed on the PCB. Manufacturer name normally on the HSF itself.)
3. Make/model of CPU (Make should do, if you don't know the model, or don't fancy like removing the CPU HSF, getting the details, repasting the HSF, then reattaching it)
4. Any other PCI-Express/PCI/ISA devices present.
POSTing errors are accompanied usually with a series of beeps, which could be either long, or short beeps. Like Morse code. Write these down if they occur, and post them up as well.
Armed with all this information, then people will be able to help you with your problem, be it on this forum, or over the phone with a tech support person. We all need the same info, and that list above is what we need.
Hopefully, if this gets stickied, then it should be the end of all the "we need more information than that" replys that we are used to, and the problems will get sorted out quicker.
Comments
Bit overkill for this sort of game though. The problems are usually all variations on a theme, and there's limited use in knowing the player's exact motherboard model, shoe size, and last time s/he had a tetnus shot.
Still, it would do no harm to have the information.
Hmm. Unless the user fried something sensitive whilst fiddling round in the inside of her/his PC...
It's prudent to know as much as you reasonable can about a person's PC if you need to give them technical help. By saying that there is "limited use" in knowing motherboard details is the complete antithesis here. Tech support is all about gathering as much technical info as possible that may have a bearing on what could be a possible fix. If you don't need the information, then it is better to have gotted the information, and not needed it, than to have needed the information, and not gotten it. So no, it doesn't harm to have the information.
Why would the user have fried something by fiddling inside the PC looking for details if the system doesn't POST. Branding on motherboards are designed to be read without touching the board itself, presuming the user doesn't have the worst cable-routing skills in the known universe.