Going from bad to worse...machine or Vista 64mb?

CharlesM

CharlesM

CharlesM

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Joined
27 Sep 2008
Posts
18
Hi,

I was really excited that a new machine, pre installed windows vista 64mb arrived yesterday at my door.

I've had nothing but problems since. I didn't buy from OcUK, I won't say where.

Booted it up, everything was fine. I bought some speakers from the same website and couldn't get them to work at all. This was my first and now just a minor problem. I grabbed some other speakers, plugged them in and they work. So probably just the speakers.

After rebooting a couple of times I then start getting the message S.M.A.R.T disk C drive failed. Press F1 to continue. So I press F1 and it takes me to Windows and I get an error message saying back up your files incase your hard disk fails. Yay let the fun begin.

I carry on as usual, I think to myself I'll see if I can get the internet working. I go out and buy a WN311B Netgear card. Pop the CD in, install it. Open the case, install the card. Guess what? Windows doesn't recognise the card.

Fine, I'll look for some drivers, maybe it needs updating to work with Vista. I upload a driver onto a USB and then stick the USB into my new computer. Guess what? The computer doesn't recognise the USB! Brilliant! Maybe it's the USB stick? I plug my ipod into the USB and still nothing. BOTH USB hubs don't work.

I knew computers could be a hassle but this is beyond a joke. Speakers, hard disk, netgear card and now the USBs.

Is it because of Vista 64? I know people say it's bad but some people said it works fine. I'm just so annoyed as I wanted this weekend to use it.

Any ideas/possible solutions to fix any of this?

Thanks for reading my rant!
 
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I would be the first to blame Vista, as I have had nothing but issues on every machine ive ever used it on... but unfortunately, this sounds more serious. Possibly a fault with the mobo or other components.

Send it back. If its new it isnt up to you to fix it.
 
My dad advised against it but people around here and on other forums said it's ok. On the Microsoft website it says the Netgear card works on 32bit but "unsure" about 64bit. Maybe I just need to think about another operating system.

I'm gonna give the guy who built it a call.
 
Ok, first off it sounds like you have a dead hard drive, SMART failures are NOT a good sign and you need to contact the builder about this. If you want to be more sure, then find out the manufacturer of the hard drive and download their diagnostic tool (usually very easy to find on their website), if it fails that then it is dead, get it swapped out!

Second, netgear not working. Is it an internal PCI or an external USB? 64-bit drivers should be available on the Netgear website, if they don't have any then it isn't compatible (unfortunately some hardware isn't but this is pretty darn rare nowadays).

Third, USB not working. What USB hubs? On the back of the motherboard or on the case? The case front hubs may have been wired up wrong or not connected at all, the ones on the motherboard I/O panel should ALWAYS work with Vista.

Is it because of Vista 64?
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Vista is a perfectly stable and reliable operating system, 99% (no that is not a scientific percentage but my opinion/experience) of the stability issues encountered are down to faulty drivers or hardware!
 
Update:

Phoned the guy up he said the hard drive might have been damaged in transit. He's posting a new one gonna be here by Tuesday.

It's internal PCI. The guy also said this should be working and said it could be down to the hard drive being dead? He said he has a similar card and it works fine in Vista 64.

Ok panic over about the USBs, the fricking cord wasnt plugged into the motherboard. Either it had a rough ride in transit or they forgot?

So basically it's the hard drive. The speakers for some reason work now so hopefully with a HDD swap the Netgear card will work and everything will be ok!

I'm supposed to be getting my Samsung 22" monitor today - chose Sat delivery - but no sign as of yet :(
 
Phoned the guy up he said the hard drive might have been damaged in transit. He's posting a new one gonna be here by Tuesday
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Sounds good.

It's internal PCI. The guy also said this should be working and said it could be down to the hard drive being dead? He said he has a similar card and it works fine in Vista 64.
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Providing you have the right drivers (and they are 64-bit drivers) then I see no reason why it wouldn't work. The hard drive could be messing Windows up yes but that is somewhat iffy as an explanation...

Ok panic over about the USBs, the fricking cord wasnt plugged into the motherboard. Either it had a rough ride in transit or they forgot?
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Forgot or didn't bother, who knows. If you connect it make sure it is wired up right (consult the manual if necessary) cos you can kill USB devices and/or burn out the header on the mobo!
 
Yeah I know I thought it was an iffy explanation.

Well I had the most up to date driver, it said it's ok with Vista but didn't specify 64bit or 32bit, but I'm told the WN311B is the only card that will work with the router - plus it's the fastest (as my computer is quite far away from the router).

I'm trying a hard disk with XP on it in the mean time just to make sure it's not the actualy netgear card that's faulty (although that's doubtful seeming as both green LED's are on).

I'll double check the lead thanks.
 
Just phoned up Overclockers and my monitor is unfortunately not being delivered today (despite paying extra for it to be) but Monday or Tuesday instead. What a joke this is turning out to be.
 
I think you need to stop blaming things and look at the facts. SMART errors, very bad, harddrive or southbridge to fault, most probably hdd. That's sorted though I guess.

If drivers arent specified 32 or 64bit, they're 32bit.

It sounds like wherever you got the machine from is a complete amateur to leave headers unconnected and to not check hardware with some basic smart/stress tests.

Blaming vista seems all too common these days ;)
 
CharlesM said:
Well I had the most up to date driver, it said it's ok with Vista but didn't specify 64bit or 32bit, but I'm told the WN311B is the only card that will work with the router - plus it's the fastest (as my computer is quite far away from the router).
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In my experience any wireless adaptor will work with any router so whoever is giving you this info is wrong.
The Netgear website says the adaptor is compatible with Vista and once again I have found that most modern hardware is compatible with 64bit. The website says the Netgear utility is 64bit compatible so the drivers should be OK.
 
Tetras said:
Vista is a perfectly stable and reliable operating system, 99% (no that is not a scientific percentage but my opinion/experience) of the stability issues encountered are down to faulty drivers or hardware!
Click to expand...

Or just maybe, the excessive hoops they have to jump through to get their hardware interfaced with Vista 64 and meet logo\WHQL requirements deters them? Especially given that the majority of people are on 32-bit operating systems...
 
Well I just tried the Netgear card with a new hard drive with XP on it and it didnt work then. Maybe it's just the card? I'm taking it back to PC world tomorrow, they said they can test it there and if it's faulty I'll get another.

Well I got it from a very reputable site and the guy said he had tested it all day. He blamed it all on transit which is iffy. Hopefully it'll all work out well with a new HDD and Netgear card. Fingers crossed...
 
Or just maybe, the excessive hoops they have to jump through to get their hardware interfaced with Vista 64 and meet logo\WHQL requirements deters them? Especially given that the majority of people are on 32-bit operating systems...
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Faulty, incomplete, non-existant, whatever :p The point is the OPs problems are not Vista as this shows:
"Well I just tried the Netgear card with a new hard drive with XP on it and it didnt work then".
Click to expand...

Maybe it's just the card
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Were there no unknown devices showing up in device manager at all? Usually you'd expect a PCI device of some sort with the usual (!) symbol.
 
It was just saying card not installed. Well it's either the motherboard or the card. I'll find out tomorrow when I go to PC World.
Thanks for the help.
 
Well got a new Netgear card and works with XP. So can't be the card or the motherboard.

Gonna stick in the old (faulty) Hard Drive with Vista 64mb on it to see if it works. If it doesn't it's either the fact the Hard Drive is faulty or Vista 64mb. But fingers crossed it works. Then I'll just need a new hard drive and I'll have a complete computer!
 
Ok it doesn't work with Vista 64. Saying the drivers wont install so I'm pretty certain the WN311B Netgear card just doesn't work with Vista 64mb. So guess I'll be using Windows XP for the time being.

Wierd. Phoned up Netgear and some guy that sounded like he had no idea what he was going on about said it should work with Vista 64mb. Back to it being the HDD. Need to sort this out.
 
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Can you give the exact message the drivers are giving you?

Are you using ones from the disc or the website?

Have you tried forcing an update through device manager, by selecting the unknown device and getting it to search on the Internet (or the driver disc)? Then you could just use the built-in Windows wireless network connection utility instead of any Netgear utility.
 
Sorry can't anymore, put XP in until my new HD arrives - just says it cant install as there aren't the right drivers.

Well the disc is version 1.4 or something stupid so I've been using the latest driver which is 6.0

Haven't tried that, but will be doing everything possible when my new HD arrives because I'd rather be using Vista than pay out for XP, or a new Card.
 
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