Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by eclectice

Please redirect to topic HP Compaq CQ40-410TU

eclectice — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:24:10 +0800

For those users who own HP Compaq CQ40-410TU model only, please redirect your problems to this forum topic in Mobile Computing Section:

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/976329

This post is meant as a placeholder for users in Technical Support section to redirect their problems to appropriate section to discuss issues/problems with HP Compaq CQ40-410TU only.

Thread is closed for posting for my intention to work.

Investigating issues with HP Compaq CQ40-410TU

eclectice — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:39:45 +0800

Guys, I need some information from those who only has HP Compaq CQ40-410TU to state:
1) their battery information (part number, serial number and its stated Watt-Hour (Whr) information plus country of origin)
2) Operating system installed (since the model I have is pre-installed with FreeDOS where the user is allowed to install other operating system)
3) DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM memory installed (brand, model info, part number and size)
4) sound driver (version number and the stated device info name from the Device Manager if you are using Windows OS)

Compaq Presario CQ40-410TU Notebook PC (NU249PA) - Specifications
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/vn/en/ho/WF...56-3925664.html

Compaq Presario CQ40-400 Notebook PC series- Models
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/vn/en/ho/WF...18-3884556.html

If you happen to upgrade your system (RAM, HDD, battery), please state your latest and complete laptop specifications.

How to know that you are a HP Compaq CQ40-410TU user?
Check at the bottom of your laptop base, there is a HP sticker in white color. You can see the stated laptop model information.\

HP Parts page:
http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main?...x=5&submit.y=10

HP Compaq CQ40-410TU is using:
1) Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset
2) Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core "Penryn (45nm)" Processor T4200 OEM (2.0GHz, 1MB Cache, 800 MHz FSB) - it is not a Core 2 Duo (C2D) CPU!
3) Standard 6-cell battery SPS-BATTERY,6C,2.2AH,LI, 47WHR (P/N: 487296-001)
4) Standard SDRAM DDR2-6400 (800MHz) SO-DIMM Memory module SPS-MEM MOD,SODIMM,1GB,PC2-6400 (P/N: 482168-003)

Mobile CPU benchmark and guide:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Proces...ist.2436.0.html - this benchmark confuses T4200 as "Merom" when in fact it is "Penryn" processor - 45nm technology
http://allyncs.com/docs/IntelProcGuide.html

QUOTE

The Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset, featuring the Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 4500MHD, delivers:

* Microsoft Windows Vista* Premium support with the highest level of Microsoft Windows Aero* experience
* Blu-ray* logo capable HD video playback, with native support for Blu-ray drives
* Great 3D graphics performance, delivering over 3X scores on 3D Mark* 06◊
* Intel® Clear Video Technology for excellent video quality

The Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset features hardware based decoding for Blu-ray content, dual-channel DDR3 and DDR2 memory support, 1066 MHz system bus, PCI Express* x16 graphics port and PCI Express x1 I/O ports, Serial ATA, and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connectivity.

http://ark.intel.com/chipset.aspx?familyID=35509
http://www.intel.com/products/notebook/chi...45-overview.htm
http://www.intel.com/Assets/PDF/datasheet/320122.pdf

System Memory
• Supports DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM
• Support for DDR2 at 667 MHz and 800 MHz
• Support for DDR3 at 667, 800 and 1066 MHz
• One SO-DIMM connector (or memory module) per channel
• Two Memory Channel Configurations supported
— Dual-channel Symmetric (with Interleaved access)
— Dual-channel Asymmetric (with or without Intel® Flex Memory Technology)
• 8-GB maximum memory support
• 64-bit wide per channel
• 256-Mb, 512-Mb, 1-Gb, and 2-Gb memory technologies supported
• Support for x8 and x16 DDR2 and DDR3 devices
• Support for DDR2/DDR3 On-Die Termination (ODT)
• Supports partial writes to memory using data mask signals (DM)
• No support for Fast Chip Select mode
• No support for ECC
• No support for 1N operation

Exclusive to GM45 chipset:
• Support for DDR3 at 667 MHz when FSB is 667 MHz only

SDRAM SO-DIMM Memory upgrade options (non-ECC) supported by GM45 chipset:

DDR2-667 (PC2-5300, PC2-5400) - supported by Intel T4200 800 MHz FSB
DDR2-800 (PC2-6400) - supported by Intel T4200 800 MHz FSB
DDR2-1066 (PC2-8500, PC2-8600)

DDR3-667 (does it exist??? - Support for DDR3 at 667 MHz when processor FSB is 667 MHz only) - supported by Intel T4200 800 MHz FSB
DDR3-800 (PC3-6400) - supported by Intel T4200 800 MHz FSB
DDR3-1066 (PC3-8500)

I need to investigate the following issues:
1) While playing a media file (any format), the PC hangs after a few minutes of play. The BSOD reported driver issue and the Windows Reporting reports Windows Kernel-Power failure.
2) audible popping audio sound coming from Altec Lansing speakers during Windows starts and Windows shutdowns.

I also like to hear stories from CQ40-410TU users when using:
1) Windows XP 32/64-bit (all known service packs)
2) Windows Vista 32/64-bit
3) Windows Vista 32/64-bit SP1 (SP2 will be released soon)
4) Windows 7 32/64-bit (when using Windows Vista drivers from HP link for this model http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663 . Please state your Windows 7 build number)

As at 2009-03-25, this laptop model has:
1) limited/non-existant Windows XP drivers support (just HP Wireless Assistant software) http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
2) limited/non-existant Windows 2000 drivers support (just HP Wireless Assistant software) http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
2) complete Windows Vista 32-bit drivers http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
3) complete Windows Vita 64-bit drivers http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663

HP link for this laptop model:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product...n〈=en&cc=us

BIOS versions:

F.30 (released 2009-03-09) - SP42636.exe, (1/1 , 3.64M)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
# Improves the quality of the HP Logo.
# Improves the time required for the Power-On Self-Test (POST).
# Fixes an issue where the results of the Memory Diagnostic cannot be recorded in the "Diagnostic Logs" page of the Setup menu.
# Fixes an issue where the notebook is automatically awoken if the notebook is in Standby mode and the "battery remaining capacity" reaches three percent.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where the wireless state may not be reported correctly in the Wireless Assistant or Connection Manager when the Wireless button is pressed.
# Fixes an issue where an inaccurate error message is inadvertently displayed when the user performs a "Startup Check" (by pressing the F2 key) during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) for a notebook/laptop with only one hard drive.

F.24 (released 2008-12-12) - SP42276.exe, (1/1 , 4.11M)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
# Removes "CNB1" from the "Product Configuration ID" that is displayed in the Setup Utility menu.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where notebooks with an Avermedia Karn TV Tuner Card installed may stop responding (hang) if the "Card Reader Power Saving" feature is enabled in the Setup Utility.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where the the battery status is not updated, or where the following buttons do not respond (notebooks may have some or all of the buttons that follow): Q-Button/Media Smart, Mute, Volume Up/Down Slider, Skip Back/Rewind, Play/Pause, Skip Forward/Fast Forward, Stop, and/or Wireless On/Off.

F.22 (released 2008-11-14) - SP41806.exe, (1/1 , 4.16M)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
# Adds support to enable the system to boot from an external USB CD-ROM device.
# Adds "Product Configuration ID" to the Setup Utility menu.
# Fixes an issue where battery charge information is reported incorrectly to the Passmark BatteryMon Utility.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where the notebook stops responding (hangs) in the Setup Utility menu. Fixes an issue where the keyboard NumLock LED does not work correctly after rebooting the notebook to DOS mode.

F.14 (released 2008-11-14) - SP41537.exe, (1/1 , 4.15M)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
# Fixes an intermittent issue where the Wireless button may not work on Compaq Presario notebook models.

F.13 (released 2008-10-13) - SP41415.exe, (1/1 , 4.15M)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
# Adds a feature to the Setup Utility that enables users to stop testing during the Memory Test by pressing the ESC key.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where the notebook may hang (stop responding) if the F9 hotkey is pressed to load a default value in the "Main" page of the "Diagnostic Logs" sub-menu.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where the notebook may hang (stop responding) when upgrading the BIOS version.
# Fixes an issue where there is a delay of two to four seconds after pressing the notebook power button before the notebook actually powers on.

F.12 (released 2008-09-12) - SP40749.exe, (1/1 , 3.24M)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
# Adds support for new serial Intel Core2 Processors.
# Removes the "Virtualization Technology" option from the Setup menu if the processor does not support this feature.
# Adds a feature that enables the notebook to boot from an external USB CD-ROM drive.
# Changes the Wireless button LED to amber when the notebook is in DOS mode.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where "water ripple" marks may show on the display when the notebook is in DOS mode.
# Fixes an intermittent issue where the TV tuner device is inadvertently listed in the Wireless Assistant Utility.

F.04 (released 2008-08-28) - SP40621.exe, (1/1 , 2.32M)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663
# This package contains the WinFlash Utility and a System BIOS image for the supported notebook models and operating systems. The WinFlash Utility is used to locally flash the System BIOS (ROM) on notebooks operating in a Microsoft Windows Vista Operating System environment.

Some information are obtained from HP website and remains exclusively owned by HP.

List of reported issues from LYN's own sources:
1) http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...&#entry24625968
2) http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/977027

Windows XP drivers for HP Compaq CQ40-410TU (so far; properly tested)

NOTES:
1) This laptop does not have the modem card. If you look on the right side of the laptop, the modem telephone port is covered with a plastic. So, don't waste time to install a modem driver.
2) This laptop does not have Bluetooth card. So, don't waste time to install Bluetooth driver
3) Please install Microsoft Installer 3.1 first:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=en

1) IDT (SigmaTel) HD Audio driver
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp38501-39000/sp38558.exe Updated!
http://downloads.zdnet.com/abstract.aspx?k...s)&docid=633505
CAUTION: You need to install Microsoft Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) Bus driver first before installing IDT HD audio driver
~~ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp32501-33000/sp32646.exe~~
Don't use the given UAA driver above. You need to install the correct UAA driver for your Windows OS
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888111
Currently, there is no Microsoft UAA driver for Windows XP SP3 as it has been reported that Windows XP SP3 had broken the UAA driver. Please use UAA driver for Windows XP SP2 given in the link.

Major problems with Sigmatel audio card
http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic117340-7.html

UPDATE:
thanks to t3chn0m4nc3r for giving this link:
http://www.ziddu.com/download/2780664/CQAu...lution.rar.html

Inside the RAR file there is an audio patch and devcon patch file. Devcon file will solve issue with KB835221 (missing PnP function id). Follow the given instruction below
a) You must install two patches first from Microsoft: KB835221 (UAA version 1.0) and then kb888111 (UAA update version 1.0a)
b) Install the IDT HD Audio driver (you can use your Vista driver from HP site as well)
c) Extract CQAudioSolution.rar
d) Extract devcon.exe self-extracter from Devcon folder extracted in c)
e) Copy devcon.exe from extracted folder in (d) to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32
f) Run Audio path from extracted Audio Path folder in c)
g) Restart
h) You should be able play sound with IDT HD Audio after restart.

However, in Device Manager, there is a exclamation icon on "Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus". This is installed by KB835221 patch. Just ignore it. The CQAudioSolution will make sure that there is no more issue with missing IDT HD Audio when restarting after installing the IDT HD Audio driver.

Devcon utility is actually created by Microsoft:

QUOTE

DevCon is not redistributable. It is provided for use as a debugging and development tool. You can freely modify DevCon for private use. The sample demonstrates how to use the SetupAPI and CfgMgr32 functions together effectively to enumerate devices and perform device operations.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311272

To avoid "End program - Sigmatel - IDT -SysTray" issue during shutdown, just disable this system tray application "Sigmatel - IDT -SysTray" in this registry path
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run";
with something like "sstray.exe". Just put a comment with ";" in front of the file path of "sstray.exe" entry.

This system tray is not so important anymore. You will do just fine with the standard Windows XP Volume control although it has disabled the "Advanced Controls" option. By disabling it, you won't get that "End Program" issue during Windows shutdown

2) JMB38X Card Reader Host Controller Driver
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp40001-40500/sp40221.exe

This card reader is a standard feature in HP Compaq CQ40 series

3) Cyberlink Youcam Software and Driver
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663 SP42568.exe, (1/1 , 46.06M) - this Vista software can be installed on Windows XP

4) PM45/GM45 Chipset, Intel GM45 integrated GPU (GMA 4500MHD) and Intel Matrix Storage V7.0 driver (suitable for GM45/PM45 chipsets only)
Below is the link to Intel GM45/PM45 chipset, Intel GM45 integrated GPU and Intel Matrix Storage V7.0 driver to resolve issue with SATA installation
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/CS-029319.htm

QUOTE

The Intel® Matrix Storage Manager is designed to provide
functionality for the following Storage Controllers:
RAID Controllers:
- Intel® ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E SATA RAID Controller
- Intel® ICH8R/ICH9R/ICH10R/DO SATA RAID Controller
- Intel® ESB2 SATA RAID Controller
- Intel® ICH7MDH SATA RAID Controller
- Intel® ICH7R/DH SATA RAID Controller

AHCI Controllers:
- Intel® ICH10D/DO SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ICH10R SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® EP80579 SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ICH9R/DO/DH SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ICH8M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ICH8R/DH/DO SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ESB2 SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ICH7M/MDH SATA AHCI Controller
- Intel® ICH7R/DH SATA AHCI Controller

NOTE: Please match the correct Intel Matrix Storage driver to the correct chipset so that it matches the correct SATA RAID/AHCI Controller of the chipset. Read the README.txt below for installation guide

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/17412/eng/readme.txt

How to create Windows XP CD with SATA support (when you don't have a floppy disk drive for F6 mode Windows CD Setup):
a) To slipstream the SATA driver using nLite, you can refer to this LYN guide made by SFX http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/935575

b) To slipstream the SATA driver when you don't have NLite utility (use this extra guide here http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=414 and complement it with the instructions below)

QUOTE

7.3 To install the RAID driver on Windows* XP, as outlined in the Microsoft
document 'Deployment Guide Automating Windows NT Setup',
use the supplied TXTSETUP.OEM file included in this
package and insert the lines shown in step 7.3a and
7.3b below into the UNATTEND.TXT file. This method is
available for Microsoft* Windows* XP and
Windows Server 2003. Before you begin, iaAhci.inf,
iaAhci.cat, iaStor.inf, iaStor.cat, iaStor.sys, and
Txtsetup.oem files will need to be extracted from the
setup files. To extract these files, use the method
described in section 7.2 above.

7.3a Systems Configured for RAID Mode
Note: An example is shown below. Depending upon your system
hardware configuration, please update the text
with the correct RAID controller name using the list in the
Overview (Section 1) of this document.

// Insert the lines below into the UNATTEND.TXT file

[MassStorageDrivers]
"Intel® 82801IR/IO SATA RAID Controller" = OEM

[OEMBootFiles]
iaStor.inf
iaStor.sys
iaStor.cat
Txtsetup.oem

7.3b Systems Configured for AHCI Mode

Note: An example is shown below. Depending upon your system
hardware configuration, please update the text
with the correct AHCI controller name using the list in the
Overview (Section 1) of this document.

// Insert the lines below into the UNATTEND.TXT file

[MassStorageDrivers]
"Intel® 82801IR/IO SATA AHCI Controller" = OEM

[OEMBootFiles]
iaAhci.inf
iaStor.sys
iaAhci.cat
Txtsetup.oem

If you have accidentally installed the Vista-based GPU driver provided by HP for your laptop in Windows XP, you can't easily remove it from Device Manager. It will give a warning that this driver is required to boot the computer. So, you need to restore to the last good restore point to remove the GMA4500MHD GPU Vista driver from Windows XP Device Manager.

5) Realtek RTL8102E/8111C Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC Driver

Direct Realtek's website Windows XP sources (grab it while you can) - Driver_XP_5708_0120.zip
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downlo...02E(L)/RTL8101E

6) Broadcom Wireless LAN
Link provided by popothegreat (compatible with most HP CQ40 models)
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp42001-42500/sp42486.exe

Alternative driver sp39243.exe:
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp39001-39500/sp39243.exe

My other alternative link (sp39912.exe)
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/generic...=reg_R1002_USEN

7) HP Wireless Assistant software (optional)
You can use sp39374.exe:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar...product=3925663

Direct link:
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp39001-39500/sp39374.exe

8) Alps Touchpad
SP25796.exe
http://tinyurl.com/115AU-alps-touchpad

Check in the "Apfiltr.inf" for the correct ALPS touchpad GUID

QUOTE

ClassGUID = {4D36E96F-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

9) The HP Application Launch Buttons - the well-known 7 unknown devices in Device Manager for CQ40 models (HP Quick Launch Buttons)
Link provided by popothegreat:
http://rapidshare.com/files/144763668/Btn_..._app_direct.rar
This file comes with one MACHINE.INF file and one DRVBCK.PDB file. Update the driver of "Unknown device" from Device Manager and refer the file path of the INF to update it to "HP Application Launch Button".

Alternatively, you can get:
http://www.filefactory.com/file/869018/n/7...own_devices_rar
http://www.mediafire.com/?nnnzjmojcjy

Most of HP drivers with "SP" prefix are actually self-extracting packagers. You can extract them manually with 7Zip software and use them to identify Window XP driver

Experience with Windows XP (all service packs)
1) IDT HD Audio driver produces audible popping sound sometimes but it is tolerable
2) Media files play smoothly with KMPlayer 1432
3) Quality of Cyberlink Youcam webcam video is mediocre (need to adjust some video settings to be acceptable when in low-light situation)

Experience with Windows 7 Beta build 7000
1) Standard sound driver produces audible popping sound and it is eliminated after installing Vista-based IDT HD Audio driver (and updated by Windows Update)
2) Media files playback with KMPlayer 1432 hang after a few minutes with reported Windows-Kernel-Power issue after BSOD error. - possibly a GPU driver issue since Windows 7 comes with pre-release WDDM 1.0 GMA 4500MHD driver
3) Desktop interaction is very fluid
4) Fast start-up
5) Fast shutdown
6) Automatically identify correct USB-based HP printer driver
7) Quality of Cyberlink Youcam webcam video is acceptable (over-burnt, chromatic effect)
8) Windows 7 detects most of the hardware except some issues with chipset and audio (even suggested a proper download link from the hardware vendor)
9) HDMI is properly supported

Experience with Windows 7 RC build 7100
1) Perfect! Issue in Beta build 7000 has been solved with proper pre-release WDDM 1.1 GMA 4500MHD driver

How to physically identify Kancil gearbox

eclectice — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:54:29 +0800

I need to know how to identify L2 gearbox (half-cut) for use on stock Kancil's 850EX manual engine?

Physical differences between:
1) gearbox on 660 manual and 850 manual
2) stock Kancil gearbox and L2 LSD gearbox

How do you identify them by just looking at them?

Any picture will be nice.

Updated:

After googling the images (pwehh, it is so difficult to find a good picture), at last I got the LSD gearbox picture...

http://kotikumpun.blogspot.com/2008/04/l5-...t=1209462780000
Images owned by the Kotikumpun for information purpose only.

Now, I need to find the stock gearbox engine...

Falsifying speed-ticketing to hit your enemies?

eclectice — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:11:18 +0800

QUOTE

WEB EXCLUSIVE -- Local teens claim pranks on county's Speed Cams

By Joe Slaninka

Special to the Sentinel

As a prank, students from local high schools have been taking advantage of the county's Speed Camera Program in order to exact revenge on people who they believe have wronged them in the past, including other students and even teachers.

Students from Richard Montgomery High School dubbed the prank the Speed Camera "Pimping" game, according to a parent of a student enrolled at one of the high schools.

Originating from Wootton High School, the parent said, students duplicate the license plates by printing plate numbers on glossy photo paper, using fonts from certain websites that "mimic" those on Maryland license plates. They tape the duplicate plate over the existing plate on the back of their car and purposefully speed through a speed camera, the parent said. The victim then receives a citation in the mail days later.

Students are even obtaining vehicles from their friends that are similar or identical to the make and model of the car owned by the targeted victim, according to the parent.

"This game is very disturbing," the parent said. "Especially since unsuspecting parents will also be victimized through receipt of unwarranted photo speed tickets.

The parent said that "our civil rights are exploited," and the entire premise behind the Speed Camera Program is called into question as a result of the growing this fad among students.

The Speed Camera Program was implemented in March of this year and used for the purpose of reducing traffic and pedestrian collisions in the county. Cameras are located in residential areas and school zones where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or lower. A $40 citation is mailed to the owner of the car for violating the speed limit in these areas.

The Montgomery County Police said they have not seen or heard of this prank occurring but said they will keep an eye out for people committing the crime.

"I hope the public at large will complain loudly enough that local Montgomery County government officials will change their policy of using these cameras for monetary gain," the parent said. "The practice of sending speeding tickets to faceless recipients without any type of verification is unwarranted and an exploitation of our rights."

Edward Owusu, Assistant Principal at Wootton High School, said that he heard of local students pulling the prank when the school received a call from a parent informing them of its occurrence. "I have not heard of this happening among students at Wootton," Osuwu said. "It is unfortunate that kids have a lot of time on their hands that they can think of doing such a thing."

Montgomery County Council President Phil Andrews said that the issue is troubling in several respects. "I am concerned that someone could get hurt, first of all, because they are speeding in areas where they know speeding is a problem," he said.

Andrews also said that this could hurt the integrity of the Speed Camera Program. "It will cause potential problems for the Speed Camera Program in terms of the confidence in it," he said.

He said he is glad someone caught it before it becomes more widespread and he said he hopes that the word get out to the people participating in this that there will be consequences.

http://www.thesentinel.com/302730670790449.php

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/12/21/1751210

How to recognize the sound of failing HDD

eclectice — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:31:16 +0800

I find the need to put this link to help people to recognize the sound of failing HDD. I wish I can put this in the How-To forum thread but I don't find it is necessary to create an article of my own.

http://datacent.com/hard_drive_sounds.php

It is discussed in \.:

http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardware/08/11/12/004220.shtml

Will Malaysian Broadband ISPs charge by byte soon?

eclectice — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:35:22 +0800

What if Malaysian broadband ISPs start to charge by bytes you use (sort of Internet metering like a water meter) to follow suit with U.S.A broadband ISP counterparts?

QUOTE

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/technolo...2783&ei=5087%0A

Charging by the Byte to Curb Internet Traffic

By BRIAN STELTER
Published: June 15, 2008

Some people use the Internet simply to check e-mail and look up phone numbers. Others are online all day, downloading big video and music files.

For years, both kinds of Web surfers have paid the same price for access. But now three of the country’s largest Internet service providers are threatening to clamp down on their most active subscribers by placing monthly limits on their online activity.

One of them, Time Warner Cable, began a trial of “Internet metering” in one Texas city early this month, asking customers to select a monthly plan and pay surcharges when they exceed their bandwidth limit. The idea is that people who use the network more heavily should pay more, the way they do for water, electricity, or, in many cases, cellphone minutes.

That same week, Comcast said that it would expand on a strategy it uses to manage Internet traffic: slowing down the connections of the heaviest users, so-called bandwidth hogs, at peak times.

AT&T also said Thursday that limits on heavy use were inevitable and that it was considering pricing based on data volume. “Based on current trends, total bandwidth in the AT&T network will increase by four times over the next three years,” the company said in a statement.

All three companies say that placing caps on broadband use will ensure fair access for all users.

Internet metering is a throwback to the days of dial-up service, but at a time when video and interactive games are becoming popular, the experiments could have huge implications for the future of the Web.

Millions of people are moving online to watch movies and television shows, play multiplayer video games and talk over videoconference with family and friends. And media companies are trying to get people to spend more time online: the Disneys and NBCs of the world keep adding television shows and movies to their Web sites, giving consumers convenient entertainment that soaks up a lot of bandwidth.

Moreover, companies with physical storefronts, like Blockbuster, are moving toward digital delivery of entertainment. And new distributors of online content — think YouTube — are relying on an open data spigot to make their business plans work.

Critics of the bandwidth limits say that metering and capping network use could hold back the inevitable convergence of television, computers and the Internet.

The Internet “is how we deliver our shows,” said Jim Louderback, chief executive of Revision3, a three-year-old media company that runs what it calls a television network on the Web. “If all of a sudden our viewers are worried about some sort of a broadband cap, they may think twice about downloading or watching our shows.”

Even if the caps are far above the average users’ consumption, their mere existence could cause users to reduce their time online. Just ask people who carefully monitor their monthly allotments of cellphone minutes and text messages.

“As soon as you put serious uncertainty as to cost on the table, people’s feeling of freedom to predict cost dries up and so does innovation and trying new applications,” Vint Cerf, the chief Internet evangelist for Google who is often called the “father of the Internet,” said in an e-mail message.

But the companies imposing the caps say that their actions are only fair. People who use more network capacity should pay more, Time Warner argues. And Comcast says that people who use too much — like those who engage in file-sharing — should be forced to slow down.

Time Warner also frames the issue in financial terms: the broadband infrastructure needs to be improved, it says, and maybe metering could pay for the upgrades. So far its trial is limited to new subscribers in Beaumont, Tex., a city of roughly 110,000.

In that trial, new customers can buy plans with a 5-gigabyte cap, a 20-gigabyte cap or a 40-gigabyte cap. Prices for those plans range from $30 to $50. Above the cap, customers pay $1 a gigabyte. Plans with higher caps come with faster service.

“Average customers are way below the caps,” said Kevin Leddy, executive vice president for advanced technology at Time Warner Cable. “These caps give them years’ worth of growth before they’d ever pay any surcharges.”

Casual Internet users who merely send e-mail messages, check movie times and read the news are not likely to exceed the caps. But people who watch television shows on Hulu.com, rent movies on iTunes or play the multiplayer game Halo on Xbox may start to exceed the limits — and millions of people are already doing those things.

Streaming an hour of video on Hulu, which shows programs like “Saturday Night Live,” “Family Guy” and “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” consumes about 200 megabytes, or one-fifth of a gigabyte. A higher-quality hour of the same content bought through Apple’s iTunes store can use about 500 megabytes, or half a gigabyte.

A high-definition episode of “Survivor” on CBS.com can use up to a gigabyte, and a DVD-quality movie through Netflix’s new online service can eat up about five gigabytes. One Netflix download alone, in fact, could bring a user to the limit on the cheapest plan in Time Warner’s trial in Beaumont.

Even services like Skype and Vonage that use the Internet to transmit phone calls could help put users over the monthly limits.

Time Warner would not reveal how many gigabytes an average customer uses, saying only that 95 percent of customers use under 40 gigabytes each in a month.

That means that 5 percent of customers use more than 50 percent of the network’s overall capacity, the company said, and many of those people are assumed to be sharing copyrighted video and music files illegally.

The Time Warner plan has the potential to bring Internet use full circle, back to the days when pay-as-you-go pricing held back the Web’s popularity. In the early days of dial-up access, America Online and other providers offered tiered pricing, in part because audio and video were barely viable online. Consumers feared going over their allotted time and bristled at the idea that access to cyberspace was billed by the hour.

In 1996, when AOL started offering unlimited access plans, Internet use took off and the online world started moving to the center of people’s daily lives. Today most Internet packages provide a seemingly unlimited amount of capacity, at least from the consumer’s perspective.

But like water and electricity, even digital resources are finite. Last year Comcast disclosed that it was temporarily turning off the connections of customers who used file-sharing services like BitTorrent, arguing that they were slowing things down for everyone else. The people who got cut off complained and asked how much broadband use was too much; the company did not have a ready answer.

Thus, like Time Warner, Comcast is considering a form of Internet metering that would apply to all online activity.

The goal, says Mitch Bowling, a senior vice president at Comcast, is “ensuring that a small number of users don’t impact the experience for everyone else.”

Last year Comcast was sued when it was disclosed that the company had singled out BitTorrent users.

In February, Comcast departed from that approach and started collaborating with the company that runs BitTorrent. Now it has shifted to what it calls a “platform agnostic” approach to managing its network, meaning that it slows down the connection of any customer who uses too much bandwidth at congested times.

Mr. Bowling said that “typical Internet usage” would not be affected. But on the Internet, “typical” use is constantly being redefined.

“The definitions of low and high usage today are meaningless, because the Internet’s going to grow, and nothing’s going to stop that,” said Eric Klinker, the chief technology officer of BitTorrent.

As the technology company Cisco put it in a recent report, “today’s ‘bandwidth hog’ is tomorrow’s average user.”

One result of these experiments is a tug-of-war between the Internet providers and media companies, which are monitoring the Time Warner experiment with trepidation.

“We hate it,” said a senior executive at a major media company, who requested anonymity because his company, like all broadcasters, must play nice with the same cable operators that are imposing the limits. Now that some television shows are viewed millions of times online, the executive said, any impediment would hurt the advertising model for online video streaming.

Mr. Leddy of Time Warner said that the media companies’ fears were overblown. If the company were to try to stop Web video, “we would not succeed,” he said. “We know how much capacity they’re going to need in the future, and we know what it’s going to cost. And today’s business model doesn’t pay for it very well.”

Breaking News: Intel P45/G45 Express Launch Soon

eclectice — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:50:43 +0800

Breaking news...for more, please read the article at

http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/Intel_...Preview/?page=1

QUOTE

Intel P45 / G45 Express Launch and Technology Preview
Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - by Chris Connolly

Today at Computex, Intel has officially launched their updated lineup of x45-series chipsets, which will likely be the last major mainstream chipset launch from Intel on the Core 2 platform as we know it today. The names and specifications of these products have been rumored and reported on for the past few months, although today everything is set in stone and products are beginning to hit the market. The products which are launching today will make up the lion’s share of Intel’s chipset lineup until their next generation high-end X58 chipset launches with the Core 2’s successor, codenamed Nehalem.

While all of these new chipset products which are being launched today are based on the same core architecture, Intel has segmented this one architecture into four individual products. Those four products are the G45 Express, G43 Express, P45 Express, and the P43 Express. As implied by this naming schema, these four products are very close in terms of features, capabilities, and performance. The P45 and P43 products are the “high-end” and “low-end” models which do not have integrated graphics support, while the G45 Express and G43 Express are the “high-end” and “low-end” models which do have Intel’s new integrated graphics engine, the X4500 / X4500HD.

While it’s always exciting to see new chipset products launched from Intel, it’s important to keep in mind that this newly launched family of products is aimed at the mid-range market, replacing the Intel P35/G35 products which are out today. Intel is still keeping the X48 Express chipset as their high-end product of choice, whereas the G45/P45 series products will fall one notch below, bringing almost all of the features of this high-end product to a much broader audience. These newly launched chips will be the big-sellers which will be seen in most Intel systems throughout the next year. Feel free to take a quick glance at how the specifications of these new chipset products line-up.

Overview:
[attachmentid=498871]

P45 Chipset (for dedicated GPU support for Nvidia and ATI):
[attachmentid=498875]

G45 Chipset (with integrated Intel GPU):
[attachmentid=498873]

Notes: these P45/G45 chipsets are meant for desktop platform; similar mobile platform will be PM45/GM45 respectively. Technologically, both desktop and mobile platforms are the same except for the CPUs that will use the chipsets and the number of subsystem components will be reduced for mobile applications.

Dell & HP laptops: How to Get and Keep Windows XP

eclectice — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:53:07 +0800

Yes, you are right! Windows XP will bye-bye you by June 30, 2008. Long live Windows XP...

If you still want to live with Windows XP, go and get the downgrade option from Dell and HP before January 2009.

QUOTE

How to Get and Keep Windows XP After June 30

Microsoft may be sunsetting XP, but you'll still be able to buy it on some new systems--and support isn't going away for several years.
Preston Gralla, PC World
Monday, June 09, 2008 5:00 PM PDT

Windows XP is dead ... long live Windows XP. You may have heard that as of June 30, you're no longer able to buy the operating system or obtain support for it. But that isn't quite the case. In fact, you'll be able to buy XP on certain mainstream PCs at least until January 31, 2009, and possibly beyond. The cutoff date is even later for some ultra-low-cost notebooks such as those made by Asus: They'll sell with XP until June 2010. As for technical support, that has a lot of life left as well--officially, Microsoft will provide at least some forms of support until 2014.

Given the confusion about XP's future, we decided to lay out your options for buying XP and getting support for it beyond the official sunset date for the OS.

Not Dead Yet
Microsoft's public statement seems to leave no wiggle room. It reads, "Windows XP will no longer be available for purchase from Microsoft for general retail and OEM partners as of June 30, 2008."

But that simple statement hides plenty of loopholes. First, retailers and PC makers can still sell the Windows XP software, and Windows XP PCs, after that date, as long as they purchased the products before June 30. If a retailer stocked up on copies of XP before June 30, it can sell XP for as long as those supplies hold out. The same holds true for PC manufacturers.

An even bigger loophole--something called downgrade rights--will allow people to get Windows XP on new PCs, even after computer makers' stock of Windows XP licenses runs out. An OEM such as Dell can sell you a PC that starts out with Vista Business or Vista Ultimate on it, and then downgrade the operating system to Windows XP Professional before shipping the machine out to you. In the box, you will receive discs for Vista, XP, Vista drivers, and XP drivers. That way, if you decide you'd prefer Vista, you can use the installation disc and drivers to upgrade to that OS.

You can do this only with Vista PCs for which the OEM has decided to offer downgrade rights, however. A Dell spokesperson says that Dell will provide the option for its XPS line of gaming PCs (the XPS M1730 laptop, XPS 630 gaming desktop, and XPS 730 gaming desktop), for its line of Vostro small-business PCs, and for enterprise customers. Dell won't offer the choice indefinitely, though--only through January 31, 2009.

HP also offers a downgrade option on its business desktops, notebooks, and workstations, and will continue to do so until at least July 30, 2009, says a company spokesperson. As with Dell PCs, when someone buys a system, it will have XP Pro installed, and will come with discs for both XP and Vista.

January 31 of next year is also the last date you'll be able to buy XP on a machine from a "system builder"--a company that builds no-brand custom PCs from components and purchases Microsoft software from a distributor rather than directly from Microsoft itself.

If you buy an ultra-low-cost PC--which Microsoft describes as a notebook with "limited hardware capabilities" intended for entry-level buyers or people seeking an inexpensive second system--you're in luck. Such laptops, including the popular Asus Eee PC, can be sold with Windows XP until June 2010. The notebooks must have small screens and low-powered CPUs to qualify.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,146330/article.html

Sweden awards five 4G mobile licences

eclectice — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:25:38 +0800

QUOTE

Sweden awards five 4G mobile licences
Published: 8 May 08 14:53 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/11626/

Five bidders have paid �226 million ($346 million) for fourth generation (4G), super-fast mobile telephony licences, the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) said on Thursday.

Telenor seeks TeliaSonera merger (29 Apr 08)
TeliaSonera beats profit expectations (25 Apr 08)
France Telecom confirms interest in TeliaSonera (18 Apr 08)

The five were Swedish-Finnish group TeliaSonera, Norway's Telenor, Sweden's Tele2, Intel Capital Corporation and HI3G Access (Hutchison Whampoa Investor), PTS said.

According to Telenor, Sweden and Norway are the first two countries in Europe to assign 4G licences in the 2.6 GHz band.

The licences last for 15 years.

"The use of mobile broadband services has increased dramatically during the last few years. By making the frequencies in the 2.6 GHz band available to market players, PTS provides opportunities for end-users to gain access to high capacity mobile communications services," Marianne Treschow, the director general of PTS, said in a statement.

In a separate statement, TeliaSonera, seen as a possible acquisition target by France Telecom, said it would "be able to build a next generation super-fast mobile broadband network, offering access speeds of more than 100 Mbps.

"The frequencies now received will enable TeliaSonera to build a mobile network that is more than 10 times faster than today's networks," the group said.

"This is the most important spectrum auction since the 3G frequencies were distributed," Telenor Sweden's chief executive Johan Lindgren said.

"With this spectrum we will be able to provide high-quality mobile broadband," he added.

AFP (news@thelocal.se)

http://www.thelocal.se/11626/20080508/

And, one of the players, Telenor is Digi's parent company before the "49% share" exercise. I can't wait to see a better 3G service offered by Digi. I hope it won't be sabotaged anymore.