[dba-Tech] SOLVED!! Not Sure Quite What I'm Dealing With Here - Update 4

Rocky Smolin rockysmolin at bchacc.com
Sat May 14 09:32:14 CDT 2011


Wow.  Do you realize what new career you've just qualified yourself for? 

And now we know why Apple is so popular at home - plug and play - you can't
do anything wrong because you can't do anything except exactly what they let
you do.  Which is what most home users need.
 

R


-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris
Fields
Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2011 7:17 AM
To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] SOLVED!! Not Sure Quite What I'm Dealing With Here -
Update 4

Hello All,
 
I thought I would finish the story.  The Fields-Family computer has been
completely re-established.  It took doing the reformatting and
reinstallation sequence twice - not sure why, but there were other details
going wrong, too, that may have had an impact.  Anyway, first I copied all
the data files, documents, photos, music, videos, etc. from the
Fields-Family computer to an external hard drive.  Then, I did the complete
re-installation of WinXP-SP2, with full reformat of the hard drive.  Then, I
did the SP3 update.  I re-established drivers for the peripheral equipment.
I set up the Admin account separate from the Family account.  I got Vipre
installed, running, and regular scans scheduled.  Their copy of Office 2003
was not their original disk set and they had no idea where the original set
was.  I had a spare set, so I used that.

Along the way, I noticed that the wireless network connection kept dropping.
You already know that my DL-415 router at the POE was failing and I replaced
it with a NetGear WNDR3400 router.  Well, the DL-415 in my office was also
dropping the signal - I watched my link status monitor and saw the signal
drop out, then come back, repeatedly.  So, there is now a new WNDR3400 in my
office, too.  Also, I noted that the USB wireless adapter on the
Fields-Family computer wasn't functioning.  
I replaced that with another new NetGear adapter.  While I was buying that,
the store manager asked me if I wanted to invest $7 for a three-year
replacement guarantee, in case anything went wrong, or the USB connector
broke - and I burst out laughing, because that was exactly what had happened
to the old one.  It had apparently been bumped - no surprise there, with
active kids and the adapter sticking out from the front of the computer -
and the connector had a nice slope to it at about a 5-degree angle, rather
than parallel to the rest of the body of the device.  So, yes, I bought the
additional guarantee.  This new adapter came with a cradle, so, I used a USB
port in the back of the tower and placed the adapter in its cradle on a
shelf above the work-station.

With all this new equipment, I reconstructed the entire wireless network
- starting with the router at the POE.  With my new computer in my lap and
both new WNDR3400 routers sitting on the floor, I set the first one up,
named it, and created a new SSID name - made note of all the settings.
Then, I set the second one up, named it, and joined it to the new SSID -
made note of all the settings.  This router is cable-connected to the first
router, no placed back in my office where it belongs.  The DL-415 router in
the garage apartment is still working fine.  All the IP addresses are as
they should be, and the 128-bit security key is established for the whole
network.  It's working beautifully, now.

I've almost finished transferring the files and programs that I use all the
time to my new computer.  This five-year-old one will probably become one of
my student computers here in the little classroom I have in my home office,
or maybe it will serve as a sort of backup machine to use when I don't want
to risk harm to the new computer - haven't decided, yet.

Just wanted to let you know I got it all working again, and corrected some
errors along the way - such as making sure the girls are not working in an
administrator level user profile, and their wireless adapter is out of
harm's way - things like that.  Larry is working on the bookcase and work
station construction for the library in their house.  When that is
completed, the Fields-Family computer will go home, and I will have room for
one more student computer here.

Best regards,
T

>
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