Need tech support? post it here!

[dieblucasdie]

Actually, I asked her again, and it's not really a problem printing out of CS2, it mainly happens when she prints out of Quark, a program I know next to nothing about.  Since it's OK from Illustrator and not OK from Quark, I'm thinking it's not the driver??

[diesel_powered]

Sounds like a problem with Quark's color management then, which I can't really help you on. As a fellow graphic designer, tell her to chuck quark and get InDesign.

[FreddyKnuckles]

Freddy needs some tech supporty!

So my DVDRW drive (CyberHome 16x +/- R/RW 8.5 GB Dual Layer) no worky.  

When I go into My Computer, and look at it, it calls it a CDRW drive, even though it isn't, and I can burn no dvds.  Help?

[diesel_powered]

Sounds like you needy a driver updatey. Check the manufacturer's website.

[dieblucasdie]

Sounds like a problem with Quark's color management then, which I can't really help you on. As a fellow graphic designer, tell her to chuck quark and get InDesign.

Well we have InDesign but not everyone uses InDesign, ya dig?  Hopefully this latest round with CS2 is where InDesign finally delivers the knockout punch, though.  

CS2 is shiny.

[FreddyKnuckles]

Sounds like you needy a driver updatey. Check the manufacturer's website.

did that, but she still doesn't work.  now something really weird happens

when the drive is empty (no dvdr inside), I go to my computer and it says its the same ol' dvdrw drive (me happy).   But as soon as I put a dvdr inside, the drive magically changes to a puny CDrom drive!!!!!!!!!!!

[dieblucasdie]

OH IT'S THAT PROBLEM YOU HAVE A DELL HAHAHAHAHAHA!

This happens ALL THE TIME with Windows XP.  Dell sends out new drives every day for this problem and it never fixes it.  I emailed you some steps you can try, but 90% of the time nothing works except an OS reinstall.  Sorry bro.

[FreddyKnuckles]

nooooooooo

[dieblucasdie]

Seriously, this is so funny to me.  This problem has been the bane of my existence for the last two years.  I've spent hours and hours of my life fighting this thing.  There's some stuff that will fix it sometimes, but, again, 90% of the time an OS reinstall is needed.  FUCK MICROSOFT!

[diesel_powered]

Sounds like a problem with Quark's color management then, which I can't really help you on. As a fellow graphic designer, tell her to chuck quark and get InDesign.

Well we have InDesign but not everyone uses InDesign, ya dig?  Hopefully this latest round with CS2 is where InDesign finally delivers the knockout punch, though.  

CS2 is shiny.

Oh believe me, I know... It's just that InDesign is sooooooo much better.

[FreddyKnuckles]

chris, there was no load or restore defaults option, and i friggin searched that bios page up and down.  Also, in device manager, do I uninstall the drive, or just disable it?

[dieblucasdie]

Nah, remove it, and restart.  There's definitely a defaults option in the BIOS, I use it everyday because it's the first step Dell Tech makes you do.  It might say, "Load Setup Defaults" or "Restore Default Settings" or something like that.  Dedending on your BIOS version, it might just be an option when you go to exit the BIOS.  It's usually by the Exit options.

Edit:

Here's how to restore defaults for every given Dimension system:

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1035262&l=en&langid=1&c=us&cs=19&s=dhs

Most of the time you can just hit ALT-F and hear it beep.

[FreddyKnuckles]

ah man.  looks like OS reinstall it is... I was probably due anyway.  I think the nerdlinger below me will probably lend me one of his portable 20gigs and between that and my mini, I should be able to get most of the important stuff off my puter.  dangit though.

[dieblucasdie]

Yeah, there's more crap you can try, but honestly, an OS reinstall will be faster than the godforsaken troubleshooting tree on this puppy.

[diesel_powered]

Just out of curiosity, can this happen with DVD-ROM drives as well?

This whole problem is making me wonder if it's my DVD-Rom drive that's toasted or just Windows that's fucked up.

[alexandra]

HAHAHA. well, most likely, as a general rule, Windows is fucked up.

[dieblucasdie]

Yeah, it's a specific XP problem where you can see the DVD-Rom in My Computer, but when you put a disc in, it suddenly changes to plain ol' CD-Rom.  I've seen it sooooo many times.  You have no idea how angry ppl are when Dell Tech has told them they just need a new drive and then I tell them they need an OS reinstall.

[FreddyKnuckles]

Yeah, I narrowed my necessities down to just under 20 gigs of files.  Gorram it all though.  serious.  I just have to wait for my nerdlinger neighbor to come home so I can ask him if I can upload all of that to one of his puters.

how does one go about reinstalling an OS anyway?

[dieblucasdie]

You should have some discs that came with your computer.  The Dells come with a purple one that says "Windows XP" on it.  Put it in the drive and boot from it.  Follow the onscreen instructions.  It's pretty easy.  As long as you're backing up anway, make sure you do a full format and reinstall.

When you go through that and Windows is all installed, insert the Dell Resource CD so you can install all the drivers.  You should also have a bunch of CDs with Office or Wordperfect and/or other programs the computer came with.  Just install the ones you use and don't worry about the other ones.

Sometimes there's a separate CD for the modem driver.  Install it if you want, but you don't use dialup so who the fuck cares.

[alexandra]

so, in translation, stick the coaster in to computer.

[FreddyKnuckles]

on the brightside, all of those cd's are in billings.

[dieblucasdie]

You could borrow any WinXP CD from anyone, and download the drivers off dell.com  

Alexandra will probably tell you to install Linux, but don't do it.  It's a 100% proven fact that if you install Linux, you will never get laid, ever again.

[alexandra]

PLEASE. well... maybe that's true for the dudes but not for the chicks.

and pat has his squirrel

[Andrew_TSKS]

i'm pretty sure alexandra would have sex with him if he had linux on his comp.

or i guess i should say that if she turned him down, his having linux installed would not be the deciding factor.

[diesel_powered]

on the brightside, all of those cd's are in billings.

Isn't it always that way? Or in some corner of your house where you would never think to look. I got so pissed at my last windows install because I didn't have all the discs with all the shit I needed that it finally overcame my laziness and I bought a CD wallet to put all that shit in.

And it takes a lot to overcome my laziness.