Windows XP upgrade now i have big issues!

[leavitt]

I recently upgraded my 2 year old Gateway computer. Components added are as follows:

Soyo Dragon Ultra KT333 platinum motherboard
AMD Athlon XP 2100 processor
Western Digital 80 GB special edition hard drive
Windows XP from ME
512 MB PC2700 memory

I am also still using my old 20GB hard drive.

I had a friend help me do the installation of everything at his office. This motherboard has onboard audio that worked at his office. When I got home and plugged everything in I had no audio. I've done everything from uninstalling all audio drivers to reinstalling Windows XP. The sound is enabled in the BIOS and nothing is muted anywhere that i can find and i have plugged the speakers into the line out for the motherboards sound. I also have installed the latest drivers for the audio for this motherboard. I even installed my old soundcard and still no sound. Anybody have any ideas on what is wrong or what i can do to fix it? Trying to play games without sound is a real bummer!
I also have another problem that as of yet i have not been able to fix. I can not get back onto the internet (i am online at work). I have DSL. The modem is an Actiontec USB which i have the latest XP drivers for. Ohh yeah i am using AOL also but in my defense i have never experienced another ISP so i guess ignorance is bliss!?!? I've never encountered problems with AOL so far. Anyways I am able to setup my DSL modem and use the software to load up AOL but after entering my username and password it won't connect. In network connections it shows an icon for my DSL connection as well as a LAN connection. The Lan connection has always had a red x through it and says that a network cable is unplugged. Is that a problem? Once my modem gets connected the DSL icon says it is enabled and everything looks fine. Once again i have tried uninstalling and reinstalling both the DSL modem and the AOL software. I have even tried using one of those free AOL discs to setup a dial up connection using my old modem. Going that route I can get into AOL but an error message pops up saying that there is a problem with my computer and that i will need to log off and restart my computer. What is weird is that i can access my email at that point but can not surf the web at all. Also with this modem installed it has that same red x through the icon saying that a network cable is unplugged.
Also after clearing the CMOS my computer now thinks it has an Athlon XP1500 instead of the 2100. OHH i really need help!
Ok so those are my issues.........if anybody can help i'd really appreciate it!!!! I've spent a good 30 hours the past 2 weeks uninstalling and reinstalling drivers and trying every combination i can think of to get these two problems fixed to no avail! I have finally admitted to myself that it has me beat. Soyo's website suggests updating the BIOS and updating to the most current drivers before contacting them with issues. Is updating the BIOS something i should do? I was also thinking of doing a clean install of XP but really don't want to go that route if it is not needed.
Please help!!!!!!!!!

 

[bhxtyrant]

ok i dont have a clue about the problem with aol known as ao-hell by me lol or why it thinks your processor is an xp1500 instead of 2100 but i might have an idea about the sound issue when your buddy set up the computer and hooked up the speakers and everything worked fine are you using the same speakers of a different set?because i had the problem before also and a pair of speakers i had without a built in audio control would not work when i switched to my older set of speakers with onboard amp and volume control they work fine.hope that helps

 

[leavitt]

Thanks for the response. My friend used a pair of speakers that he had lying around. My speakers I am almost positive have a built in power source but i could be wrong. I'll have to check when i run home for lunch.

 

[Bob S]

Can't say I know most of your problems, but clearing the CMOS means everything goes to the default, except the CPU speed, date, bus speed, etc. The BIOS does not read your CPU and set accordingly, you have to tell it what you are running and your clock speed, etc. Clearing the CMOS on an Athlon BIOS will revert to 1500X. Change what you need to.

Just a thought, for the sound, make sure it looks good in System Manager. If so, take the card out and delete in safe mode. Shut down, reinstall card and bootup. What speakers you use should have nothing to do with getting no sound. Quality of sound is a different story.

Finally, your DSL provider should have given you a utility to setup and configure your connection.

 

[bossdodgers]

Have you checked what your clock speed is actually set to in the cmos as xp2100 clock speed is actually 1.73

Just a thought

 

[RobbieSan]

also, although this may sound insulting but not meant to be, double check that you have the proper audio cables plugged into the right jacks or you'll run into problems..

 

[bruce_ers00]

You mentioned you had a red X through your LAN connecting in Windows XP (my network places). The error your getting is "network cable unplugged" or something to that effect. A question to ask yourself, do you have a network card installed (appearantly so)? I believe you mentioned originally your DSL modem is USB therefore your not using an ethernet card. If this is the case, try uninstalling the modem software/drivers. Go through the registry (after backing it up) and deleting any hardware/software references to the USB modem. Reinstall the modem software then plug the device back into Windows XP. Hopefully that will work. If it doesn't and your DSL modem has an ethernet port, I would suggest obtaining an ethernet cable and plugging your modem into your existing ethernet card. I was with a DSL provider (other than AOL) and if you install the modem hardware (via USB) before installing the drivers, you have to call tech support to get rid of the reference to the device. Windows will install it incorrectly. You then have to reinstall the software and then the hardware. I found that deleting the entries from my registry and then reinstalling the software (first) and the hardware (last) that the modem was installed correctly. Let me know if this helps.

edited for typographical errors

 

[bruce_ers00]

In regards to your sound issue. This is only a suggestion: Although Bob_S is right about speakers not having anything to do with sound, rather than sound quality this is not always the case. Depeding on the sound device used (in this case, on board sound) if the speakers your using are simple (simple, referring to no external power source) and the on board device itself does not work with these types of speakers you will not get any audio. Hopefully this makes since. It sounds a little weird but it's worth a try. Try using speakers with an external power source rather those speakers that are without. Check the type of speakers your friend used when he put the system together.

 

[leavitt]

Thank you all for your responses. Hopefully tonight I will have some time to try your suggestions. Those that I haven't already tried that is. I've also thought about reformatting my main hard drive (the slave is currently reformatted and empty) and doing a clean install of XP. Does anyone think this is a good idea or just another waste of time? Also can I do that? reformat and then reinstall XP? If so are there special considerations besides backing up my files? Thanks again for your responses!

 

[leavitt]

Ok I was able to fix one of my issues at lunch. My computer now reads my CPU as the 2100 once again. I only had to switch the FSB setting from 100 to 133 in my BIOS. Thank you!
Now my speakers do have a volume control on them so i assume that means they have an internal power source correct? I did recheck and i am plugged into the correct port on my motherboard. I have onboard audio. I also in safe mode removed all mention of the audio from my computer. First i went to Add/Remove programs, then device manager, and finally even the registry. Then i rebooted and reinstalled the drivers. Still no sound! Thanks to all of you with suggestions! Got any others?

 

[leavitt]

Ok over the weekend I did a clean install of XP and returned my motherboard to the store i bought it from. After installing the new motherboard I still have no sound. I have though been able to get my DSL connection working again after the clean install. So if anybody has any new ideas on what to try to fix my sound I'd love the suggestions!

 

[renakuajo]

buy new speakers!!! LOL

or borrow ones from a frienda and try it

 

[Bob S]

Good advise, when in doubt, swap out parts. Borrow speakers that you know work.

 

[leavitt]

I've been trying to find someone to let me borrow a set for awhile now! thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[renakuajo]

thats true i got similar problem and nothing work till i change the damn speakers that was the problem

 

[leavitt]

If it can only be so easy.........I'd love a reason to have to upgrade my speakers!

 

[Arthurking]

Do you have access to a microphone?
If so connect this to the mic in jack , open the sound recorder program under accessories/entertainment , then hit the record button. The thin green line should go squiggly if your o/b sound is working, if this is the case , 'GET NEW SPEAKERS'.

 

[leavitt]

Hi Arthurking. Thanks for the suggestion. i will give it a try assuming i can find someone with a microphone. Would a microphone from a Kaareokee machine work?

 

[Arthurking]

Ummm , you need a microphone that has the small 3.5mm jack on the end. I'm thinking that the karaoke machine may have the larger 6.5mm end. if you can fit the plug into the back of the computer (near the speaker's plug) then, yeah any microphone will do the job.

 

[leavitt]

Just for kicks i plugged in a pair of headphones and they work! So now i guess i get to go buy a new set of speakers. Thanks everyone for your suggestions and help. I believe all of my problems have been solved. for now........