Like most you have followed the unwritten code of industry in upgrading your computer every year or two. What this has left you with are three or four computers, useless parts, and several monitors lying around your house. You keep meaning to do something about them, but figuring out just what to do with them can be a source of stress.

Why Would you Pay?

If you’ve done any research on the subject, you’ll find that most computer recycling companies charge money. It’s even worse if any of those old computers work. You can’t bring yourself to throw out something which still works.

No Thank you Ma’am

Getting the trash collectors to pick up the old cases can be even trickier. Most won’t take anything which isn’t bagged, and you have to triple-bag cases because their sharp corners will cut the bags. They also don’t take old monitors. You can’t just bag them up because they could cause an explosion when they’re crushed. Many states also have laws against putting monitors in the trash.

So, what do you do with all these old things?

There are several options available to you. You can haul them to the dump yourself, pay to recycle them, donate the working parts to charity, or just leave them where they are. All have their advantages and disadvantages, but the decision is completely up to you.

Donating: Should the computers or monitors still work, your best option is to donate them to charity. Your local Salvation Army thrift store would more than likely love to have them. There are plenty of people out there who don’t own a computer, or can’t afford to buy one. Even with the relatively low prices of modern PC’s, some people just can’t justify the expense of a new computer in their budget.

Here are a few things to remember when donating a computer. Go through the hard drive. Delete, uninstall and remove everything but the operating system. Most people remove everything by formatting the hard drive, but this presents a problem for the organization. How does this private charity show a prospective buyer that the system or monitor actually works? They don’t usually have a few dozen copies of an operating system lying around.

It’s also a good idea to include the CD’s, manuals, and cable which came with the computer. Most of the people buying or receiving these old computers have little to no knowledge or experience with them. They wouldn’t know how to download a device driver, and how would they find out if this is their first and only computer?

If you won’t donate out of a sense of giving, then do it for greed aspect. You can use the donation as a tax write-off. Just be sure to get a receipt from the organization you donate the items to.

Selling: Trying to sell that old computer or monitor is usually simple, but many people make a huge mistake when trying to do so. They price the items too high. Just because the computer was bought for 600.00 four years ago doesn’t mean it’ll get that much now, or even two thirds of that price.

First, during those four years, several more generations of the computer may have some out. Second, prices of computers and monitors have come down. You can buy a brand new computer with an operating system for 399.00, and that’s with a monitor included. Third, you have to consider depreciation. Just like your car depreciates several thousand dollars the second you drive it off the lot, a two to four year old computer just isn’t worth what it was when you bought it.

Set a realistic goal when selling. A Pentium 3 with a 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM, a 20GB hard drive, Windows 98, and a 17 inch SVGA monitor might net you 100.00 on a good day.

Throwing Out: When choosing this option, keep in mind that you’ll have to take those old monitors to the dump yourself. Older analog monitors present an environmental danger when crushed or broken. Most state laws put them in the same category as old lead paint canisters, and asbestos insulation. There will almost certainly be a separate bin or drop-off point for them. Still, it’s better to donate them if they still work.

My Favourite Dust Collectors are my old Intellivision and My just as old Commodore 64

Regardless of what you decide, anything is better than leaving them sitting around in your home collecting dust.

There is one more option available to you however. You don’t need any specialized knowledge to repair those old computers to get them working again. Most computers need nothing more than a new hard drive, a new processor, or some other peripheral to make them work. It will basically be a “learn-as-you-go” scenario, but that knowledge will help you in the future. Almost everything on the computer is plug and play.

You should install your speakers with the computer turned off, so start with the power off. Depending on the speakers you have, follow these directions as closely as you can. Make sure that all of the wires and cables are plugged in securely.

1. Plug the power supply for the speakers into the speaker that has the input for it.
2. Plug the second speaker into the one with the power input.
3. Depending on the type of computer you have, the small jack where you plug the speaker into your computer should be labeled in some way. Look for a tiny icon of a speaker or headphones. If you do not have an icon, look for text such as audio out or sound out.
4. Plug the power cord into the outlet. Use a surge protector if you have one.
5. Turn the speakers on.
6. Restart the computer.

Check the Statue of the Speakers in the Device Manager

If the above set of directions has not resolved the problem, it is time to check the status of your speakers in the device manager. Follow this new set of directions to do so:

1. Click Start.
2. Click My Computer.
3. Click Manage or System Information.
4. Click hardware.
5. Click Device Manager.
6. Click Sound, video, and game controllers.
7. Click on the text that is describing your speakers. You might have to double click to open up the Properties dialog box for the speakers
8. Click on the “General” tab.
9. In the middle of the dialog box, you should see the status for the speakers. It should state that the device is working properly or it isn’t. Click Troubleshoot.
10. Follow the prompts as they appear.

Check the Status of the Drivers for the Speakers in the Device Manager

If the above set of directions has not resolved the problem, it is time to check the drivers for your speakers in the Device Manager. Follow this new set of directions to do so:

1. Click Start.
2. Click My Computer.
3. Click Manage or System Information.
4. Click Hardware.
5. Click Device Manager.
6. Click Sound, video, and game controllers.
7. Click on the text that is describing your speakers. You might have to double click to open up the properties dialog box for the speakers
8. Click on the “Drivers” tab.
9. In the middle of the dialog box, you should see the status for the speaker drivers. It should state that they are working properly or they aren’t working properly. Click Troubleshoot.
10. Follow the prompts as they appear.

Hopefully, one of the strategies here helped you out with this problem. Write back if you need more help.

The “No Audio Device” Message

What exactly does it mean when the computer generates a “no audio device” message? Typically, this message appears when the computer cannot detect an audio device that is functioning properly. As a result, you will not get any sound from the computer.

Disconnect and Reconnect Your Sound Device

Sometimes all it takes is a simple removal of the sound device and a reinstallation. It is possible that the files associated with your device have become corrupt and need to be reset.

Check the Drivers

You can learn more about your audio device by following these steps:

1)      Click Start.

2)      Click Control Panel.

3)      Click Sound, Speech, and Audio Devices.

4)      Click Sound and Audio Devices.

5)      Click Hardware and look through the information provided.

It is possible that the drivers for your audio device have become outdated or corrupted. In either case, you need to update the drivers in order to fix this particular problem. Visit the website for the manufacturer of the sound device that you are using. If you discovered that your drivers for your sound device are faulty, uninstall them before obtaining fresh drivers.

Troubleshooting Faulty Sound Drivers

Some troubleshooting options are located within the “Sound, Speech and Audio Devices” section. To access this, click on the “? sound” at the left hand side of the area underneath the title “Troubleshooters.”  A new dialog box opens. Click in front of the selection that describes the current problem. Click “Next.” A list of options appears for solving the sound problem or investigating it further. Read through all of the options before making your choice so that you get the closest scenario. Hopefully, this helps in solving the problem.

Check the Sound Card

Since it is possible for the sound card to have come loose from its position, you might want to check to see that the sound card is securely in place.

Check the CD Drive

Use the Device Manager to check out your CD drive and follow the troubleshooting tips while you are at it. Perhaps this is something that can be fixed easily.

Default Device Setting

You’ve done some good troubleshooting to start with. From your information, we can eliminate the speakers or connections as the problem because you can hear the start up sound. The easiest thing to try first is to check the default device setting. Go to Start and then Control Panel and click on Sound and Audio Devices. Click on the Audio tab and see if you can use the arrow to choose another default setting.

Update Drivers

I’m guessing that the solution is going to be to update the audio drivers. Microsoft prefers that you use their Update Wizard that is already on your computer. Go to Start then Control Panel and choose System. Click on the Hardware tab. Expand the Sound, Video and Game Controllers option. Double click on the sound card and click on drivers. Choose Update Driver. From here, you will follow the Wizard’s instructions to update your drivers.

Chipset Driver

If updating your audio driver still doesn’t get you the sound you need, you may need to reinstall the motherboard chipset driver first. From your description, your driver is a Via.

Computerhope.com has a page of chipset drivers for download including the Via for your system. Reinstall this driver and then follow the directions above to reinstall the audio driver.

Once you’ve updated your drivers, your high def audio should work fine. If you’re still having problems let us know, along with some specific system information and any error messages and we should be able to help you further.

Booting Up into Safe Mode

One of the first steps to take when the computer isn’t functioning properly is to see if you can get it to start up in safe mode. This mode uses the least number of programs and resources, making it easier to get into when problems occur. Depending on your computer’s manufacturer and system, you should be able to get into safe mode by turning the power on and then pressing the “F2,” “F8,” or “F12″ key on the keyboard. If you can get into safe mode, use the directions provided below to use “System Restore.”

How to Use System Restore

1)      Click Start.

2)      Click All Programs.

3)      Click Accessories.

4)      Click System Tools.

5)      Click System Restore.

6)      Select “Restore my computer to an earlier time,” and click on next.

7)      Follow the prompts.

If this strategy works, then you can stop here. If not, check out a few of these other options.

Use a Boot Up or Installation Disk to Restart the Laptop

If you can find your boot up or installation disk for your laptop, you can use it to start up your laptop. Read through these directions before starting so you don’t miss anything. Turn the power button on and insert the disk. Immediately press the ESC key on the keyboard and press the F1 key as soon as the words “check system” appear. This will allow you to change the option for booting up from hard drive to CD drive. Next, use the system restore option so you don’t have to go through this again.

Replace the Power Cord

On the off chance that the power cord was damaged, you need to replace it. In fact, the transformer or bulky part of the power cord might have been damaged when the power went off and then back on. The transformer is only designed to deal with so much voltage. Consider plugging the laptop into a surge protector from now on. For now, buy a new power cord and see if that solves the problem.

Tips to Prevent Overheating

• Keep the area clear around the computer. The air needs to circulate in order to keep the computer cool.
• When using a laptop, never sit it on soft, fluffy surfaces such as upholstered furniture or bedding. This will cause the laptop to overheat and create problems for you.
• Remove dust and loose dirt from the computer. It’s important to use a can of compressed air to do so.

Too Much Voltage

If you are using different electrical outlets to supply power to the computer at different times, that could account for the fact that the overheating only occurs some of the time. If the voltage is too high, the power lead will heat up to the point where it might melt the plastic. This is something that you want to avoid at all costs. The outlet might be supplying too much voltage. For example, you might be getting 240 volts instead of the 120 volts that the computer is probably designed to use. The transformer or the bulky part of the power cord should indicate the voltage that it has been designed to use.

In order to check out the voltage coming from the outlet, you can get a licensed electrician to check it out. I had to have an electrician rewire one of my outlets that was acting hot and cold. I wasn’t using it for my computer, but the scenario is similar. Sometimes the electrical item that I had plugged into it worked fine and sometimes it didn’t. The electrician discovered that the wires had loosened themselves behind the outlet and they would occasionally spark. I had that fixed quickly. You can also check into getting a voltage regulator for the outlet that you will be using with the computer.

Faulty Fan

Every computer comes with an internal fan to help maintain the computer’s temperature at an optimal level. The fan typically comes with the power supply. It should be operating in a way that releases the hot air out of the computer’s case. Check to see if you can feel hot air being released. If not and you can’t hear the fan, then you might have a faulty fan and need to replace it in order to bring back proper ventilation.

Faulty Power Supply

If none of the above seem to be at issue here, you might just have a faulty power supply. If you think this is the case, get a replacement and try it out.

Faulty Computer

I also want to suggest that you google your specific model of computer or visit the manufacturer’s websites. In the last 3 or 4 years, at least two major brands (Toshiba and Dell) have had issues with some of their computers. In some cases, these problems involved power or battery issues. Even if your warranty is no longer any good, you might be able to discover what is causing the problem with your particular computer.

Onscreen Keyboard

Using your mouse, click on Start and then All Programs. Click on Accessories and then click Accessibility. You will see an option for an onscreen keyboard. This is a handy feature for people who have mobility problems or typing issues, but it will also help you when your keyboard isn’t working.

Once you have some access to your laptop, you need to make sure that you haven’t accidentally disabled the keyboard. The combination of keys fn+f11 or f13 will disable it - try that combination again to see if you can get it back.

Check for Spyware

Malware can often cause keyboard issues. Many programs put tracking on your keystrokes and this can disable your keyboard. Run all of your spyware programs and see if that works for you. If you don’t have a good antivirus program, you can try Antivirus Plus, Ad-Aware and McAfee as a start. Running more than one program increases your chances that you will find all viruses and spyware on your machine.

Check Keyboard

You can also see if your computer is recognizing your keyboard. Go to Start and then Run. At the dialog box, type in: dermgmt.msc. Press Enter. See if you have a keyboard listed (if you are using a USB external keyboard, you should see two). You may see an error message that there is a device driver error. If so, you need to uninstall and then reinstall your keyboard driver.

Reinstall Device Driver

If you do think you need a new driver, it is easy to do. You can uninstall any drivers that are on your computer by going to the Device Manager. Go to Start, then Control Panel. Click on System and then select the Hardware tab. Click on Device Manager. When you find the driver for the keyboard, you can just right click to uninstall. You then need to get a new driver. Go to this list to find Compaq Presario drivers. Download the new driver and install it and your keyboard should start working again.

Replace the Keyboard

If all else fails, you can replace the keyboard on your laptop. You may need to do this because of power issues or if something has been spilled on the keyboard and can’t clean it enough to get it to work. This might be more than you want to tackle, but there is a good Manual for replacing the keyboard on most Compaq models at that site. You can usually find one for under $100.

I don’t think it will come to replacing the keyboard. Try some of these other solutions, and I’ll bet you are up and typing in no time.

Let’s quickly review the steps that you are taking to install your new ink cartridges.

1. Make sure that the power cord is connected and turn the printer on. Turning the printer on is important to move the print heads to the correct position to receive the new cartridges. If the print heads don’t move, you can make them move manually by pressing the Red Ink Button on the left hand side of the printer control buttons on the top of the unit.
2. Open the top of the printer and then raise the ink cartridge clamps that hold the cartridges in place. Shake the new ink cartridge a few times and then take it out of its package, being careful not to touch the green chip on the side. Take the yellow tape off of the bottom of the ink cartridge.
3. Insert the cartridge into its holder, and press it firmly into place. You will hear a click when the cartridge is properly inserted.
4. Now close the clamp and the cover, if the clamp won’t close easily, check that the cartridges are properly inserted. Once the printer is closed, press the Start button and the printer will charge and configure the cartridges. Wait until the power light stops flashing and don’t turn the unit off until the charge is complete.

Update Your Epson Printer Drivers

It is also possible that you need to update your printer drivers, especially if you have recently upgraded your operating system. Epson offers drivers, updates and other software options that are available here. You can input your operating system on the left hand side of the page, and then choose the appropriate drivers for your system.

Reinstall Your Epson Printer Software

Without knowing more about the details about your error message and the process you’ve followed to troubleshoot your problem, it is also possible that you have a bad install of your printer software. You can try to resolve this error by removing your printer program files completely using Windows Add/Remove and then reinstall your printer software installation CD. Follow the steps as instructed by the installation wizard completely to ensure there are no problems. Then check for driver updates to make sure that your configuration is optimized.

VGA stands for Video Graphics Array, which is a graphics system that is the predominant display format for PCs. A VGA error most likely relates to a problem with your graphics card. If you have recently formatted, added or removed any graphic or video components, you might have installed a corrupt file or removed something imperative.

Find Information about your Graphics Card

If you have recently installed a new graphics or video card, or if you haven’t updated your drivers recently, try this first. Windows has a diagnostic tool built in that can detect and report the make and model of your graphics card. Click once on the Start button, then select Run. An Open dialog box will open, enter dxdiag and then press OK. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool will open now, and you should select the Display tab. In the Device section, you can see the details of your graphics card.

Updating Graphics Card Drivers

Now that you have this information, you can check for any updates that might be available for your graphics card. Visit the manufacturer’s website and look for information about drivers on either the support pages or through a site search. If any driver updates are available, download them to optimize your graphics card.

Using Windows System Restore

In the event that something undetectable has happened and damaged the card or saved corrupt files, you can use Windows System Restore to return your computer to previous settings, before the problem arose. Windows includes a System Restore function that periodically records the settings and configurations of your computer if you should ever want to turn back time and return your computer to an earlier reality.

1. Open the Start Menu, and then select Help and Support
2. Find the Pick a Task tab, and select Undo Changes to Your Computer with System Restore
3. The System Restore Wizard will open, and you can follow the prompts to turn back your computer’s settings. Using the calendar, choose a day before you began getting the error message, and the system will revert to that time.

***It is really important to realize that restoring your computer to an earlier time will remove all changes that you have made since then, so make backup copies of all your recent settings on removable disks or a flash drive to reinstall after. System Restore does not affect your data.

Replace your Video Graphics Card

It is also possible that your graphics card is fried, and might need to be replaced. If none of these other steps work to repair the error, you might need to consult a technician or a computer shop to get a new graphics or video card.

The computer system no longer recognizes the DVD burners, which is why they no longer work. This is also why you are not seeing an icon for either DVD burner in “My Computer.”

Troubleshooting Failed DVD Burners: Identify the Yellow Warning Code

One of the best methods for identifying the problem with a failed DVD burner is to identify the yellow warning code that appears when you access the Device Manager. Once you have the code, you will have a starting place for resolving the issue. If you double click on the tiny yellow warning code for each DVD burner, you should be able to see a code number with an explanation of the problem. For example, code 39 is used to indicate that the device driver might be corrupted or missing. To fix this, you simply reload the drivers. Check to see what code and explanation is listed for your DVD burners so that you can take appropriate measures to rectify the situation.

Troubleshooting Failed DVD Burners: Installing Updates for the Operating System

One of the first issues that you can deal with is the installation of current updates for your operating system. The operating system and the drivers for your computer’s hardware must get along. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple update for the operating system. Check the website for yours to see if there are any current updates that you can download. If there are, then you should install them.

Troubleshooting Failed DVD Burners: Operating System Registry Issues

Issues with DVD programs can arise when registry entries become corrupted. On occasion, this can occur when removing a DVD or CD burning program from your computer. If you have recently removed a DVD or CD burning program, read the article here: Microsoft Support to see if it applies to you. It provides a detailed explanation for resolving the issue.

Troubleshooting Failed DVD Burners: Installing Updated Drivers for DVD Burners

In some cases, the manufacturers of DVD burners update the drivers. It is also necessary for you to update the drivers. Additionally, drivers can sometimes become corrupted and you need to uninstall the bad ones and reinstall fresh drivers to resolve issues with them.