Archive for March, 2008

A client called with the above issue. When trying to shut down the computer, it would automatically restart. That was interesting, and figured it would be something simple. It was, but I still had to go to the client to resolve it.

Some of the most common factors from what I gathered and researched thru Google, is the “Automatically restart on Error” setting, as well as the APM setting.

If you’re getting the “It’s Now Safe To Turn Off Your Computer” message and having to manually hit the power off button to shut down, no worries. It’s not a big issue, try these steps:

Click [Start] [Control Panel] [Performance and Maintenance] [Power Options]
The Power Options Properties Property Sheet will open.
Click the APM tab and check the box to [Enable Advanced Power Management Support]

Select the APM tab and check/uncheck [Enable Advanced Power Management Support].

It should be noted that some users have solved the shutdown problems via enabling while others have achieved success via disabling. Experimentation with the APM and ACPI settings may provide a solution.

Startup and Recovery Options: By default, XP is configured that when a system failure is encountered the system automatically restarts. This behavior may at times be desirable, especially if a system is unattended and and a reboot is necessary to restore a system to operation. Unfortunately, it also makes it very difficult if not impossible for a user to read the messages that are presented that may provide clues to a shutdown problem. To prevent the system from automatically restarting:

Right click [My Computer] click [Properties] and select [Advanced] tab.
Click the [Settings] button in the [Startup and Recovery] section.
Remove the checkmark from [Automatically Restart] in [System Failure] section.

Pay particular attention to these messages as they may provide valuable clues to shutdown issues.

So, what worked for me…. very simple. It was an IBM/Lenovo workstation and what I found out was that the system setup in the BIOS was configured to have the Wake On lan enabled. Disabled the setting and that was it. See the computer was always connected to the network, directly to the Linksys router. Because the connection was always on, the wake on lan setting would kick the pc on again.

Easy!!!

I was asked this question the other day. “How can I make this phrase a link to a site”?

It’s very simple really…. just a little html code and you’re set.

The code you will want to use to make this happen is the following:

<a href=”http://www.nameofthesite.com”>The phrase you will like to use here</a>

That html code will turn “The phrase you will like to use here” into a link that will send the reader to the site named above.

This code you can use on your MySpace, Facebook, and other sites that will allow html tags. Even my comments box below allows you to. Go ahead and try it!!

I recently had an issue on the bench with a Windows XP computer that had spent about an hour downloading updates and then returned an error that they were not installed.

Wait, WHAT!? MS Windows XP not working, noooo. I’m being sarcastic I know, but in this field… you see enough things that’ll drive you to drink.

Ok, I used trusty Google and here’s what I found that fixed it, not just on one machine but several others that I’ve tried it on.

First, download “Dial-A-Fix” here -> Download 

When you run Dial-a-fix, it is a simple tool that is run in 5 different steps. When the screen opens, I usually just check them all and let it run. You do not have to choose Flush Software Distribution, as a matter of fact, DON’T.

Second, download Microsoft’s latest Update Agent here -> Download

Download and install the lastest Update Agent. The package is just a simple install.

Last, download Microsoft’s KB927891 Update here -> Download

After downloading this update and running the install, perform a restart.

Now attempt to download and install the updates…. easy fix, huh!?

Let me know how you make out…. ciao!