Resolved Computer screen covered with multicolor things - no access ar all...

I have Dell, winXP home ed, Desktop, IE6.

Hello, suddenly my computer screen is covered with multicolor little things and it's NOT accessible at all. The techi recommended to me is out of town.

Please someone could tell me what you think it might be and if it's something I could fix?

I don't know if the following is related to the above, but it started by showing from time to time a partial "Safe Mode" screen with large print, etc. I'd reboot the computer and sometimes it'd work again, but, it has finally settled with the multicolor screen and no way to access it.

Thanks ever so much for any suggestions. Adela

P.S. I'm using the computer at an internet cafe so I hope to hear from someone today? I also tried to save this into my flash drive but…this too is not doing its job. How does one save to flash drive? I plugged it in and it was acknowledged on the screen, but I don't see the button to save on my flash drive...

 

I would probably suspect a problem with the graphics drivers. Try booting into Safe Mode (tap the F8 key at startup just before you would normally see the Windows loading screen). If you have DSL or Cable internet (not Dial-up), if that works, if you select Safe Mode with Networking, you should be able to connect to the internet.

[You should put your system specifications in your user profile so that we could offer advice with information about your internet connection.]

Does the screen change during startup? Could the monitor itself be broken? You would need to borrow a different monitor to test it or (again we do not even know if it is a laptop or a desktop) if it is a laptop, you could try connecting a monitor to it.

For the flash drive...
On the page you are looking at now, go to File -> Save As. See if you can direct the "save" to the flash drive (it may be drive E: ). If the flash drive runs a program ( "the button ") the cafe owner has possibly disabled any programs running from an external drive. Probably best to ask the owner/manager.

 

Thanks so much Mattman! My computer goes in and out...more out than in, so I write quickly before it fails on me again. My computer info is below, and I hope it's the right one. You are right that I should put it in my profile which I'll do as soon as I either fix or buy a new one. It's a Dell desktop. (I gathered the info from Belarc's as I'm not good at the technical side)...

Dell Dimension XPS
Motherboard: Intel SE440BX-3

T448Mhz Intel Pentium III
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache

40.05 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
27.61 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

I also found this info that perhaps is better?:

[MS WinXP Home 2002 - SP2; OE 6; IE 6; MS Office; Dell Dimension XPS T448MHz Pentium III; 384MB RAM; high speed cable; Lexmark Laser printer "Optra E310 "; Windows Media Player; Adobe Reader 8; Adobe Flash Player 10 Activex..]

I will follow your good advice and will report back to you. As to when this strange screen happens, yes, it is at startup. The monitor is in good condition and I think it's a good one, but you are right that testing it with a laptop may give more of a clue. The only person who was willing to come over and do it...has a good heart but didnt quite know what to do. I'll have to find out who else could help me with this.

And also thanks so much for showing me how to use my flash drive!

Paul, how can I contact you at WindowsBBC from another place where I'll be using a computer, without having to register again?

I'm surprised that this time my computer remained good for a longer time! Thank you so very much for all your help!

Adela

 

Well done (so far ) Adela.

Your system is relatively old now and if I was to get that much service from one of mine, I would be very pleased. It also sounds to be a problem that does not happen all the time, consider that the hardware is failing.

I don't recommend that you spend any money on it, rather, save towards your next computer.

Are you booting into Safe Mode? It is still unstable there? If so, that would add weight to my suspicion that hardware is failing.

Get your system specifications in your user profile when you have sorted out your current problem/s. Here is a guide
http://www.windowsbbs.com/adding_system_specifications.html
The specs you put in were quite good.

My best suggestion for how to try and get the system stable would be to enter your Service Tag information at the Dell website
http://support.dell.com/
Follow the Drivers & Downloads link to "Find my Service Tag" or use "How do I find my Service Tag ". Get whatever drivers or software you can for Windows XP, but they don't tend to support older systems (guess why ).
If you get another Dell as your next computer, at least that searching and surfing around Dell may give you some background.

If you do think that the system is getting close to breaking down, back up your data, then you can do some "experiments" to try and repair it, still, don't expect that it may have much life left, although, at least trying to fix it may be invaluable experience.

Since it is getting quite old, expect that you will need to replace it (soon!). If you back up your data to transfer to a "new system ", then you can experiment on this one and maybe learn something in the process.

Matt

 

Well...finally my nice techi returned from his trip and fixed my computer temporarily so I could use it to finish up certain things I needed and to look for a new computer. It was a faulty videocard, the monitor was good. He found and bought for me ($8) a used videocard and told me to buy a DVI ($10) and now I'm rolling again!

You are right that I need a new computer NOW! I called Dell and found a tower (all I need) for around $400 and free shipping (!!!) with 3 gigs RAM; DVD+WR; 500 gigs hard drive; and Intel Pentium Dual Core. The model is: Inspiron 537S. Does this sound good to you? And do you think I might 've missed asking them what other features it has?

Thank you for reminding me to get my new system specifications in my profile which I'll do as soon as I buy the new computer, and thanks again for the Guide which is of great help! And also thanks so much for the directions to get to Dell as I'll need them if I buy the new CPU from them.

I may be able to use the same Service Tag I got when I bought this old puter 9-1/2 years ago... lol! I would've loved to experiment on my computer but I had some things I needed to finish PLUS, backing up, which I didn't do for sometime (and I'll do right now). So I called my techi.

Matt I'm so very grateful to you for all your valuable advice! Thank you VERY much!!! Adela

 

That's OK Adela.

Here's a review and specs for the Inspiron 537S
http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/dell-inspiron-537s/4505-3118_7-33703095.html
http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/dell-inspiron-537s/4505-3118_7-33703095.html

Could you talk your techie friend into building one (with you)? That way you can choose your own parts. Just a thought.

Dells are quite good they allow you a lot of your own "adaptation" of the system, a lot of others make you do it their way (eg. only offer a "recovery" system where you lose all your data, rather than being able to use repair utilities to get your system back).

If you ask for help here and you have an OEM computer, often we can only direct you to their Support system and if it is out of warranty, you might be on your own. Their support seems to run out quickly (driver updates, etc), guess why? To their credit, Dell run a self-help forum (Dell Community Forums), although their help is often limited.

I'm glad I was sort of help, keep in close touch with your techie friend

Matt

 

Thank you again Matt for the very useful link you sent me where I could compare the Inspiron 537S with the Gateway SX2800-01...AND the Acer Aspire AX1700-U3700A. All under $500 and free shipping (with Dell somewhat higher).

The reviews seem to lean towards Gateway, but their smaller CPU they say gives no room for later upgrading... Also Gateway doesn't have the Intel Pentium Dual-Core which I learn is very important. The Acer has it. Gateway has instead an Intel Core 2 Quad and they say this is faster! The rest of the specs just drove me bananas as some were in one but not in the others, etc. i.e., these 2 items were in the Gateway but not in the Acer, are they important?:

Connection - IEEE1394 Firewire Rear: 1
Connection - DVI HDMI Digital Display: 1 (Gateway has 2)

Since my puter is ok now, I'm not in a hurry to have to work with Vista about which I heard consistent complaints! But I will buy a new one as soon as I decide which of the 3 companies is the best for my needs while I continue using my WinXP till its total demise lol... My techi lives out of town, but I don't wish to make my own computer.

It seems repair utilities are very important to recuperate lost files, so I'll have to look for this item when I buy it. I wouldn't know very well how to adapt the computer's insides to my needs though, but thanks for alerting me.

I was lucky to have Dell's tech support after my warranty expired, via phone and/or emails, etc.

Please forgive my lengthy message. You needn't answer as you've already helped me so much, unless you want to. Thanks again! Adela

 

Adela, you are digesting the information very easily.

IEEE 1349 Firewire is a connection process similar to USB. Firewire is commonly used to connect digital cameras or video cameras.
HDMI is a connection that transports both graphics and audio via the one cable.

You would not like to build your system, ask the techie if he/she would build one for you. You might know an acceptable recompense .

OEMs, for the way they have performed in the past, I "like" Dells, IBM/Lenovos and Compaqs. All of those are run on large business systems, they have good support. If you have problems, there should(?) be information at their website. If you ask someone for support, they should/could/might be able to find the information on their website. Details...good luck...you will still need to do it their way.

Matt

 

Thank you for your useful info again! As to "you are digesting the information very easily." ... I wish I did! Choosing a computer is a mystery to me and a difficult one!

Oh I'm sure if my techie builds me one he'll charge whatever is proper though not abusively as others do, but I prefer to buy it since he's always so busy and on the run, and I don't know when he would finish it... and yes, I'll resign to their doing it their way... lol!

Gateway is not in your list. If you were in my place would you choose Dell over Gateway or Acer? Price range is similar but the latter 2 give more (and I think better) "insides" than Dell...or I may be quite wrong.

I didn't mean to ask more questions, Matt, and I shouldn't have, but I won't consider it improper if you don't answer...

Gratefully yours, Adela

 

Matt and Adela - I know it's not appropriate to interject something that is not pertinent to the thread at hand - but I wanted you both to know that I think this had been an excellent thread to follow. The questions and responses are informative and responsive - Matt's responses understandable and pertinent and Adela's questions indicative that she? is doing the necessary research and follow up to keep up with Matt's suggestions.

 

Hi Robert, you're a Dell user, any comments on your experiences?

Adela, now that you've made me investigate more closely, I see that there is an Asus included in the reviews (not Acer!). Actually, that would go straight to the top of my list. The reason for that would be that I expect they will offer the best "after-warranty" support. They offer driver updates for many years, whereas I think you will find the others stop supplying updates rather quickly. I also expect their system to be the most "repairable ".

People buying an OEM system look at the purchase price, which is often very low. Yes, they bulk-buy parts and if you look closely you will mostly find they are cut-down versions of retail market systems. They are modified a lot of the time so you cannot buy replacement parts from anywhere except them (and the price might make your eyes pop out ). Asus are motherboard manufacturer's, if the support for that system is the same as their retail motherboards you should be able to keep it running for many years.

When Microsoft offer updates (Service Packs, etc), you want to be able to go to system manufacturer's website and find driver/software updates that should run with Windows Updates. How often do we see here "I ran Windows Updates and now it won't boot. My system is a XYZ OEM and they don't offer repairs to Windows, only re-imaging the C: drive and all data will be lost ".

It costs money to build and update drivers.

OK, I went to the Asus website and looked up drivers for the CM5570. They offer Windows 7 drivers, you might want to check the other manufacturers' websites. MS released Vista before it was completely finished. I have no problem with Vista since SP1, but it's User Account Control still annoys people. For a beginner, I think UAC is excellent. If you work with it, it will keep your system very safe.

That's from my point of view and experiences.

Matt

 

Adela and Matt,

My wife and I have 2 Dell desktops about 5 years old and a fairly new Inspiron laptop and we are quite pleased with them. We got lots of memory, processing power, and hard drive space up front which I think has made a difference in performance. I had one of the desktop monitors go south early on but once I convinced the Dell tech support that I had a bad monitor, I had a new one (refurbished maybe? - I don't know) within two days. I have been able to solve all other problems I have had using this Board - including a power supply that died 6 or 8 months ago.

So I can't tell you much about continuing, day to day, support from Dell. I do maintain an external hard drive (lesson learned from the power supply failure) with hard drive images and backups of files so I am not quite so concerned about having to fix a hard drive problem.

If I were buying a new computer today, I can't say I would definitely get another Dell - I would do exactly what you are doing and ask questions and do some research - and not become fixed on a brand name as to whether it is a Dell, Asus, HP, etc.

 

Hello Robert...what a nice message you sent Matt and me! Thank you! Matt is a knowledgable and awfully kind person with tons of patience, and I feel I've taken advantage of him as I'm desperate to find the right computer! Adela

 

Hi Matt, I swear I'll give you a break from asking so many questions, and thanks so much for asking Robert's opinion on my behalf too.

I found the Acer and Gateway computers at the reviews in the great link you had sent me but it seems I missed the Asus. These 2 were reviewed against each other (Acer I learned is also a Gateway product). I'll look into Asus which I never heard it before. I'm sure there must be hundreds of unknown but good computers. Being I know little or nothing I wanted to go with Dell, so I will find out from them why their Inspiron 537S doesn't compare well with Gateway and Acer (and maybe also with Asus). After-warranty support is terribly important too.

I learned many things from you Matt, and one that scares me is to get an OEM and to be left behind without support. I guess it's worth it to pay a little more and buy from a large manufacturer.

I'm so relieved you say Vista works better now with SP1! I'll also research the UAC since you say it's good especially for a beginner.

Thanks lots for all your help that took your time and patience, for which I'm now in a better position to choose, and I also have your messages to consult when I need to remember something.

Adela

 

Hello again Robert, and thanks so much for helping with your opinions!

If you are as lucky as I am, your Dell desktops may last you over 9 years. My Dell desktop is over 9-1/2 years old and still kicking!!! But, not wanting to push my luck, I'm as you know, searching for a new one. As to after-warranty support, I've been receiving their support via phone, email, etc. At the 1st or 2nd year I seemed to have issues with the mouse, and they immediately would send me a new one each time I complained! LOL! A monitor is much more expensive + shipping etc. yet they sent it to you in 2 days, even if it may be a refurbished one! Fantastic! Of course I have no other companies to compare Dell with...

Yes, this Board has many knowledgeable and wonderful "geeks" to give good help. I don't know what I'd do without this help. Oh my, did you lose everything when you had the power supply failure???

That's the perfect thing to do. I intend to use my old HD as "slave" and save everything automatically, none of all that saving by hand this and that. Of course, much more perfect would be to keep it outside of the computer, but maybe I'll think about it for a near future.

You are right to research before buying something, although it IS such a dizzying headache! Also, many times what was good at one time doesn't translate into being good at all times. So, since my old computer has been fixed, I can take another little time to search and find the RIGHT one...besides Dell.

I appreciate your opinions a lot, Robert. Thanks so much! Adela

 

Adela,

Glad to be able to contribute something on this Board. The pros are usually so quick and thorough, I don't get a chance.

No, I didn't lose everything. Through troubleshooting help from this Board, I installed a new power supply and was able to get my unit back up and running. However, the uncertainty was enough to prompt me to get the external hard drive to protect myself.

 

"Glad to be able to contribute something on this Board. The pros are usually so quick and thorough, I don't get a chance. "

Yes they are! You made the most excellent move to get an external hd... Adela

 

Hello, sometime ago I posted a problem at the forum thread below. All helped me a lot, but in particular, I wanted now to thank and tell Mattman 2 things:

(1) how I solved the problem (for which I owe him). I had to have a techi come in who the same as Mattman, said it was the video card and, knowing I'm short of funds, he took me to a store where I was able to buy a used one for $8! We came back and he installed it but I needed an adaptor on the monitor which I got in the neighborhood store for $9 and it has been working beautifully; and

(2) that I followed his suggestion to post in my profile my computer data by using the link he gave me, but when all this data came in...I
didn't know how to get it as it looked like a (sometimes repetitive) jungle of words, phrases, etc.

I thank you a lot for this opportunity to tell Mattman that all he recommended was true! I'm sorry it took me 30 days to come back
to the thread, but I was having some family problems. Thanks again!

Adela

 

That's good that you got it going. It is not getting any younger though, so you should keep saving towards your next computer, another (major) breakdown could happen any time. It is quite old in computer years

Here is what I expect you could put in as your system specifications from what you included earlier and here
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dkub/specs.htm
my comments are in bold font.

PC Make and Model: Dell XPS T??? [I expect a T450 from the CPU speed]
Motherboard: Intel SE440BX-3
Processor: 450MHz
Memory: 384MB
Video Card: [Your new one] Type AGP 2X
Hard Drive #1:[I can't see a brand or model] 40GB
Power Supply: 200W
Operating System: Windows XP Home SP2

If you could add that basic information, it would be very helpful.

Matt

 

Thank you so much Matt! You are right about my old computer, and yes, I'm saving the money to buy a good one when this one dies! I'm backing up regularly now so I don't worry.

Oh that's very easy to put the link in my profile and just type in the little changes in the specs.

I shall mark this thread "Resoved" now with my thanks again! Adela