Wake On Lan setup has locked the laptop

On 2/4/2018 4:00 PM, Paul wrote:
mike wrote:
On 2/4/2018 2:25 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
Brian Belliveau wrote:

My guess is that I've checked a box that said something like 'wake only
on magic packet'.

I've never seen a machine that has such a setting to ignore all wake-up,
boot, reset and power-on options *except* WoL ...

+1
I've used WOL. Never had it stop booting from the power switch.
I do have a UEFI system that went into a state similar to
yours after a win 8.1 installation.
If all else fails, there are processes intended to fixup
borked UEFI.
"crisis recovery" is a place to start searching.
I never made any of them work either.

I'm curious. Did you re-flash the BIOS to escape ?
And if so, how ?

We discussed this a while back.
Computer was without hard drive.
This is a Gateway sx2110g-uw308 sx110_HE1200 system that's nearly
invisible on the web.
Probably didn't sell enough to evoke interest.
Has the locked UEFI that won't let you turn off secure boot.
This was my first
experience with UEFI.
Booted from CDROM.
I installed win8.1.
Ran fine initially.
Rebooted.
Nothing, except the fan ran for a few seconds.
Tried crisis recovery, but the system never even flashes
the light on the flash drive. I tried everything I could find
with no success.
In the process, I did discover a bios that claimed to let you
turn off secure boot and use linux. Wish I'd found that first
before I tried to install win8.
Gave up.
This thread has me thinking about trying again, but it's a total
waste of time. Even if I get it fixed, it's gonna go back into the
attic. This is one of those times when FREE is a BIG waste of time.

My second UEFI experience has the same problem.
I'm not a fan of UEFI.

A lot of BIOS, they may provide a way to re-flash the
BIOS if the BIOS is still running. Not very many work
if the BIOS is broken.

I have one machine here, with an independent chip that
flashes the BIOS. And since the machine is UEFI, I'm
still waiting for it to brick, so I can try it out.

The UEFI variables are supposed to be stored in NVRAM.
That's a portion of the BIOS flash chip. It's not clear
whether "zeroing" that area is sufficient (the UEFI can
rebuild it). Or, it needs an initial set of variables
stored in it. In which case, a BIOS flash might recover
it.

It's unclear to me what the 256 byte CMOS RAM does in the
UEFI world. Or for how much longer chipsets/Southbridge/PCH
might have that 256 byte RAM. It's not hurting anything,
but you know how Intel thinks... They're the deprecators-in-chief
of the computing industry.

Paul

Brian Belliveau wrote:

On 2018-02-04 4:20 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

Do you really need the downstairs computer to go into sleep, hibernate,
or power off mode? Why not leave it powered on all the time? You can
leave the computer running but, as mentioned, configure the hard disks
and monitor to power off so save on the costs for electricity to those
devices.

I do leave my stuff on all the time. It's just that that machine puts
itself to sleep after 5 minutes. I've told it to never go to sleep, with
or without line power, but I think it's a teenager - it just won't listen.

Have you ever customized the BIOS settings? What you configure for BIOS
settings, or even for the defaults, the computer does not use those
settings in the EEPROMs. The settings get copied into the CMOS table
and why there is a CMOS battery. If the CMOS table gets corrupted, a
hash should indicate the fault and force a load of settings from
EEPROMs. However, if the CMOS battery is crap then you don't know what
is getting stored and saved in the CMOS table.

How old is the downstairs computer? CMOS batteries might be rated for
up to 8-10 years but, in fact, they start getting too week after 5 to 6
years. About every 5 years, the CMOS battery should get replaced. For
a desktop, it's an easy task. For laptops, netbooks, ultrathins, and
anything thin and encapsulated, changing the CMOS battery could require
a hell of a lot of disassembly. If that host never travels, you can
continue using it with a bad CMOS battery as long as it always has power
(so get it on a UPS). Else, you get the default settings from EEPROM
when it gets cold powered up.

With a desktop, there should be a 2-pin header on the motherboard you
can short (using a jumper or carefully with a metal screwdriver) for
just a little bit. Short the pins for about 5 seconds to clear the CMOS
table. That will force the default settings from EEPROM to get copied
into the CMOS table.

You cannot use a USB flash drive on the downstairs computer to copy the
movie and then use the USB flash drive on your laptop?

Sneaker-net would be fine - but I can see it on the network, so no real
need.

So you have a shared drive to the downstairs computer but it seems the
real problem is the downstairs computer doesn't stay up. If it won't
stay up reliably, I can't see how it could be reliably awakened from
that unwanted sleep, hibernate, or power off mode.

If you're trying
to use your downstairs computer as a file server, it really shouldn't be
getting slept, hibernated, or powered off.

Not a server. Just my second tier computer, about 8 years old. It is
very good for playing movies - had been using a tablet, but that has to
stay portable with me. Plan here is to have a system the whole family
can make use of.

Sure you are. You want to retrieve a file (or stream it) to your other
computer, so the source of the copy or playback is the downstairs
computer so that's your server.

That the downstairs computer won't stay always-on would be what I'd be
checking what was wrong. It if can't stay up, I doubt it would be
reliable as to when it was down.

Have you tried booting it into Windows safe mode to make sure you don't
have some startup program putting that computer to sleep or powering it
down? Or is the problem the downstairs computer goes unresponsive, not
that it is sleeping, hibernating, or powered down?

Is the downstairs computer hung (instead of sleeping, hibernating, or
powered off)? Clear all system, application, and security logs in Event
Viewer, reboot Windows, wait for that host to go into an unwanted sleep,
hibernate, or power off state, reboot to get back into Windows, and see
if there were any critical errors logged at the time the computer went
unresponsive.

One and only issue is that it is completely locked up and inaccessible.
My plan at this moment is to pull the battery out tomorrow, and hope
that resets the BIOS.

Only if the CMOS battery is weak or dead in the host would removing the
main battery cause the settings saved in the CMOS table to get reloaded
with a copy from the EEPROMs for the BIOS. For laptops, it's a bitch to
get at the CMOS battery. For desktops, it usually a coin cell battery
in a holder: power down, remove the side panel, and replace the battery.
Laptops often require cutting through the case (and reuse the cutout as
a cover) or rather extensive disassembly to remove the motherboard to
get at the other side where is the battery. Users are often unaware
that there is a battery inside that will go bad after several years.
They do not last forever.

I'm NOT talking about a main battery in a laptop. The laptop can run
just off A/C power with a dead or missing main battery (although some
laptops won't start if the main battery is missing even if it is dead).
You can easily use the laptop without a main battery and buy a new one
that fits the laptop. Those last maybe 5-6 years (although capacity
drops off after 3-4 years), about the same time when you need to replace
the CMOS battery.

On 2018-02-04 6:14 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

Have you ever customized the BIOS settings? What you configure for BIOS
settings, or even for the defaults, the computer does not use those
settings in the EEPROMs. The settings get copied into the CMOS table
and why there is a CMOS battery. If the CMOS table gets corrupted, a
hash should indicate the fault and force a load of settings from
EEPROMs. However, if the CMOS battery is crap then you don't know what
is getting stored and saved in the CMOS table.

How old is the downstairs computer? CMOS batteries might be rated for
up to 8-10 years but, in fact, they start getting too week after 5 to 6
years. About every 5 years, the CMOS battery should get replaced. For
a desktop, it's an easy task. For laptops, netbooks, ultrathins, and
anything thin and encapsulated, changing the CMOS battery could require
a hell of a lot of disassembly. If that host never travels, you can
continue using it with a bad CMOS battery as long as it always has power
(so get it on a UPS). Else, you get the default settings from EEPROM
when it gets cold powered up.

I think you are ignoring the core issue. The computer downstairs is a
BRICK. It does NOTHING at the moment. And I can't get it to do anything
but nothing

With a desktop, there should be a 2-pin header on the motherboard you
can short (using a jumper or carefully with a metal screwdriver) for
just a little bit. Short the pins for about 5 seconds to clear the CMOS
table. That will force the default settings from EEPROM to get copied
into the CMOS table.

So you have a shared drive to the downstairs computer but it seems the
real problem is the downstairs computer doesn't stay up.

The real problem is that it is not up, won't try to get up, can't be
persuaded to get up. It's a brick.

If it won't
stay up reliably, I can't see how it could be reliably awakened from
that unwanted sleep, hibernate, or power off mode.

It has been and is reliable as a computer. It lacks the defense against
idiots screwing with it. But I'll take something away from this in due
course.

If you're trying
to use your downstairs computer as a file server, it really shouldn't be
getting slept, hibernated, or powered off.

Not a server. Just my second tier computer, about 8 years old. It is
very good for playing movies - had been using a tablet, but that has to
stay portable with me. Plan here is to have a system the whole family
can make use of.

Sure you are. You want to retrieve a file (or stream it) to your other
computer, so the source of the copy or playback is the downstairs
computer so that's your server.

No. The computer I'm at right now serves up some 20 terabytes of movies,
music, and reading material to whomever in the house would like it.

That the downstairs computer won't stay always-on would be what I'd be
checking what was wrong. It if can't stay up, I doubt it would be
reliable as to when it was down.

When I set up this Wake On LAN, and let the computer 'go to sleep', that
was the end of it. The beginning of the issue I'm dealing with.

Have you tried booting it into Windows safe mode to make sure you don't
have some startup program putting that computer to sleep or powering it
down? Or is the problem the downstairs computer goes unresponsive, not
that it is sleeping, hibernating, or powered down?

There is no capability to boot, because, and I can't stress this enough,
it is a brick.

Is the downstairs computer hung (instead of sleeping, hibernating, or
powered off)? Clear all system, application, and security logs in Event
Viewer, reboot Windows, wait for that host to go into an unwanted sleep,
hibernate, or power off state, reboot to get back into Windows, and see
if there were any critical errors logged at the time the computer went
unresponsive.

One and only issue is that it is completely locked up and inaccessible.
My plan at this moment is to pull the battery out tomorrow, and hope
that resets the BIOS.

Only if the CMOS battery is weak or dead in the host would removing the
main battery cause the settings saved in the CMOS table to get reloaded
with a copy from the EEPROMs for the BIOS. For laptops, it's a bitch to
get at the CMOS battery. For desktops, it usually a coin cell battery
in a holder: power down, remove the side panel, and replace the battery.
Laptops often require cutting through the case (and reuse the cutout as
a cover) or rather extensive disassembly to remove the motherboard to
get at the other side where is the battery. Users are often unaware
that there is a battery inside that will go bad after several years.
They do not last forever.

I have no reason to suspect the battery is an issue. If anything, if it
was 'dead' I would be saved the hassle of diving in to get at the battery.

I'm NOT talking about a main battery in a laptop. The laptop can run
just off A/C power with a dead or missing main battery (although some
laptops won't start if the main battery is missing even if it is dead).
You can easily use the laptop without a main battery and buy a new one
that fits the laptop. Those last maybe 5-6 years (although capacity
drops off after 3-4 years), about the same time when you need to replace
the CMOS battery.

It's a Toshiba Satellite C670

But no matter what, please be assured that I do appreciate all of you
who have tried to help, and I will advise on the outcome of tomorrows
surgery.

Brian

Brian Belliveau wrote:

On 2018-02-04 6:14 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

Have you ever customized the BIOS settings? What you configure for BIOS
settings, or even for the defaults, the computer does not use those
settings in the EEPROMs. The settings get copied into the CMOS table
and why there is a CMOS battery. If the CMOS table gets corrupted, a
hash should indicate the fault and force a load of settings from
EEPROMs. However, if the CMOS battery is crap then you don't know what
is getting stored and saved in the CMOS table.

How old is the downstairs computer? CMOS batteries might be rated for
up to 8-10 years but, in fact, they start getting too week after 5 to 6
years. About every 5 years, the CMOS battery should get replaced. For
a desktop, it's an easy task. For laptops, netbooks, ultrathins, and
anything thin and encapsulated, changing the CMOS battery could require
a hell of a lot of disassembly. If that host never travels, you can
continue using it with a bad CMOS battery as long as it always has power
(so get it on a UPS). Else, you get the default settings from EEPROM
when it gets cold powered up.

I think you are ignoring the core issue. The computer downstairs is a
BRICK. It does NOTHING at the moment. And I can't get it to do anything
but nothing

Didn't know that.

Disconnect all hard drives (just remove the power connector to them).
Disconnect all other internal drives (e.g., optical). Disconnect all
USB-attached devices (e.g., printer, scanner, flash drives, HDDs) except
for the mouse and keyboard. If you added a video card but the
motherboard has onboard video, remove the video card. Remove and reseat
all memory sticks. For a computer whose CMOS battery is over 5 years
old, replace it: remove the CMOS battery, short the 2-pin CMOS header on
the mobo, wash your hands, and insert a new CMOS battery. When you
apply power, and at a minimum, make sure the CPU fan starts spinning.
If the computer won't power up, some PSUs require a minimum load to
recognize they are supposed to continue supplying power so connect power
to just one internal HDD/SDD. When you boot, check the POST screen
appears showing the BIOS information. If that shows up, go into BIOS
and reset to the optimal settings (do not overclock). If you cannot
even get to the POST screen, could be your PSU is what is bricked.

No. The computer I'm at right now serves up some 20 terabytes of movies,
music, and reading material to whomever in the house would like it.

To whomever /over the network/? If so, it's a server. Workstations can
be client hosts, server hosts, or both.

I have no reason to suspect the battery is an issue. If anything, if it
was 'dead' I would be saved the hassle of diving in to get at the battery.

How old is the downstairs computer?

It's a Toshiba Satellite C670

Oooh, that's a laptop. It'll be a bitch to get at the CMOS battery.
You also will have problems to perform the above troubleshooting steps
unless you start dismantling the case.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear... cmos+battery

While it is possible to disassemble the laptop to replace the CMOS
battery, that's for hobbyists or professionals. A shop could do it but
they'll charge something like $100 for a $2 battery replacement just
because of the time to disassemble and reassemble and then test. If the
PSU is at fault, yes, it can be replaced but it'll be pricey and, again,
you'll have to disassemble and reassemble the case along with doing some
soldering.

http://www.totaltechnik.de/WebRoot/S...0/IMG_0380.JPG
(click to enlarge)

That might be your motherboard. The CMOS coin cell battery is at the
top left corner. It is next to the memory slot. It's possible that the
backplate cover to access the memory slot(s) lets you get at the CMOS
battery, too. It could happen but I wouldn't bet on it. Laptops,
netbooks, tablets, and the like are so hard to work on that I figure
they are 5-year disposable computers. If I get longer than that, well,
I've gotten a bit more time before having to replace it. If the PSU is
working, though, I'll keep a couple around to use as a substitute
desktop PC (it never wanders) until I fix my real desktop PC. Actually
that's the only reason I keep around an old clunky heavy laptop.

Have you ever used a can of air to blow out the dust from the exit port
for the CPU fan? If it is plugged, even if the CPU fan is spinning,
there will no air flow, the CPU will heat up rapidly, and the BIOS will
shut down the computer to keep it from burning up.

Got a friend that is a computer guru and likes to fix this stuff? Got
any neighborhood wizkids you could bribe with some money? I don't see
any working models sold at eBay, just folks selling off parts or as-is
units. Doesn't look like anything on which to waste much more than
pocket change. You might want to check Craigslist for a desktop PC from
a nearby seller. I've gotten some monitors that way and they've been
good buys. Unless you're really tight on space, go with a desktop that
you can work on a LOT easier rather than get another laptop. Doesn't
sound like that downstairs laptop was ever travelling.

Brian Belliveau wrote:

It's a brick.

Remove CMOS battery, if it's a laptop remove main battery too, unplug
all SATA/IDE cables, remove all memory, unplug everything USB except a
wired keyboard, then turn it on ...

Do the LEDS on the keyboard flash at power on? Does it beep?

On Sun, 4 Feb 2018 11:39:21 -0700, Brian Belliveau
wrote:

In trying to keep a remote computer (Toshiba laptop) from going to sleep
and making its files inaccessible,

Anyone able to set me straight? Thanks for any help.

Go into setup and set sleep time to never.

On Sun, 4 Feb 2018 23:02:06 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:

Brian Belliveau wrote:

On 2018-02-04 6:14 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

Have you ever customized the BIOS settings? What you configure for BIOS
settings, or even for the defaults, the computer does not use those
settings in the EEPROMs. The settings get copied into the CMOS table
and why there is a CMOS battery. If the CMOS table gets corrupted, a
hash should indicate the fault and force a load of settings from
EEPROMs. However, if the CMOS battery is crap then you don't know what
is getting stored and saved in the CMOS table.

How old is the downstairs computer? CMOS batteries might be rated for
up to 8-10 years but, in fact, they start getting too week after 5 to 6
years. About every 5 years, the CMOS battery should get replaced. For
a desktop, it's an easy task. For laptops, netbooks, ultrathins, and
anything thin and encapsulated, changing the CMOS battery could require
a hell of a lot of disassembly. If that host never travels, you can
continue using it with a bad CMOS battery as long as it always has power
(so get it on a UPS). Else, you get the default settings from EEPROM
when it gets cold powered up.

I think you are ignoring the core issue. The computer downstairs is a
BRICK. It does NOTHING at the moment. And I can't get it to do anything
but nothing

Didn't know that.

Disconnect all hard drives (just remove the power connector to them).
Disconnect all other internal drives (e.g., optical). Disconnect all
USB-attached devices (e.g., printer, scanner, flash drives, HDDs) except
for the mouse and keyboard. If you added a video card but the
motherboard has onboard video, remove the video card. Remove and reseat
all memory sticks. For a computer whose CMOS battery is over 5 years
old, replace it: remove the CMOS battery, short the 2-pin CMOS header on
the mobo, wash your hands, and insert a new CMOS battery. When you
apply power, and at a minimum, make sure the CPU fan starts spinning.
If the computer won't power up, some PSUs require a minimum load to
recognize they are supposed to continue supplying power so connect power
to just one internal HDD/SDD. When you boot, check the POST screen
appears showing the BIOS information. If that shows up, go into BIOS
and reset to the optimal settings (do not overclock). If you cannot
even get to the POST screen, could be your PSU is what is bricked.

No. The computer I'm at right now serves up some 20 terabytes of movies,
music, and reading material to whomever in the house would like it.

To whomever /over the network/? If so, it's a server. Workstations can
be client hosts, server hosts, or both.

I have no reason to suspect the battery is an issue. If anything, if it
was 'dead' I would be saved the hassle of diving in to get at the battery.

How old is the downstairs computer?

It's a Toshiba Satellite C670

Oooh, that's a laptop. It'll be a bitch to get at the CMOS battery.
You also will have problems to perform the above troubleshooting steps
unless you start dismantling the case.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear... cmos+battery

While it is possible to disassemble the laptop to replace the CMOS
battery, that's for hobbyists or professionals. A shop could do it but
they'll charge something like $100 for a $2 battery replacement just
because of the time to disassemble and reassemble and then test. If the
PSU is at fault, yes, it can be replaced but it'll be pricey and, again,
you'll have to disassemble and reassemble the case along with doing some
soldering.

http://www.totaltechnik.de/WebRoot/S...0/IMG_0380.JPG
(click to enlarge)

That might be your motherboard. The CMOS coin cell battery is at the
top left corner. It is next to the memory slot. It's possible that the
backplate cover to access the memory slot(s) lets you get at the CMOS
battery, too. It could happen but I wouldn't bet on it. Laptops,
netbooks, tablets, and the like are so hard to work on that I figure
they are 5-year disposable computers. If I get longer than that, well,
I've gotten a bit more time before having to replace it. If the PSU is
working, though, I'll keep a couple around to use as a substitute
desktop PC (it never wanders) until I fix my real desktop PC. Actually
that's the only reason I keep around an old clunky heavy laptop.

Have you ever used a can of air to blow out the dust from the exit port
for the CPU fan? If it is plugged, even if the CPU fan is spinning,
there will no air flow, the CPU will heat up rapidly, and the BIOS will
shut down the computer to keep it from burning up.

Got a friend that is a computer guru and likes to fix this stuff? Got
any neighborhood wizkids you could bribe with some money? I don't see
any working models sold at eBay, just folks selling off parts or as-is
units. Doesn't look like anything on which to waste much more than
pocket change. You might want to check Craigslist for a desktop PC from
a nearby seller. I've gotten some monitors that way and they've been
good buys. Unless you're really tight on space, go with a desktop that
you can work on a LOT easier rather than get another laptop. Doesn't
sound like that downstairs laptop was ever travelling.

You sound like you know about computers.
I have an early 2009 Apple Xserve which has two quad core Xeon
processors. It runs but there is no power to the second processor.
What could cause that?

Lucifer Morningstar wrote:

On Sun, 4 Feb 2018 23:02:06 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:

Brian Belliveau wrote:

On 2018-02-04 6:14 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

Have you ever customized the BIOS settings? What you configure for BIOS
settings, or even for the defaults, the computer does not use those
settings in the EEPROMs. The settings get copied into the CMOS table
and why there is a CMOS battery. If the CMOS table gets corrupted, a
hash should indicate the fault and force a load of settings from
EEPROMs. However, if the CMOS battery is crap then you don't know what
is getting stored and saved in the CMOS table.

How old is the downstairs computer? CMOS batteries might be rated for
up to 8-10 years but, in fact, they start getting too week after 5 to 6
years. About every 5 years, the CMOS battery should get replaced. For
a desktop, it's an easy task. For laptops, netbooks, ultrathins, and
anything thin and encapsulated, changing the CMOS battery could require
a hell of a lot of disassembly. If that host never travels, you can
continue using it with a bad CMOS battery as long as it always has power
(so get it on a UPS). Else, you get the default settings from EEPROM
when it gets cold powered up.

I think you are ignoring the core issue. The computer downstairs is a
BRICK. It does NOTHING at the moment. And I can't get it to do anything
but nothing

Didn't know that.

Disconnect all hard drives (just remove the power connector to them).
Disconnect all other internal drives (e.g., optical). Disconnect all
USB-attached devices (e.g., printer, scanner, flash drives, HDDs) except
for the mouse and keyboard. If you added a video card but the
motherboard has onboard video, remove the video card. Remove and reseat
all memory sticks. For a computer whose CMOS battery is over 5 years
old, replace it: remove the CMOS battery, short the 2-pin CMOS header on
the mobo, wash your hands, and insert a new CMOS battery. When you
apply power, and at a minimum, make sure the CPU fan starts spinning.
If the computer won't power up, some PSUs require a minimum load to
recognize they are supposed to continue supplying power so connect power
to just one internal HDD/SDD. When you boot, check the POST screen
appears showing the BIOS information. If that shows up, go into BIOS
and reset to the optimal settings (do not overclock). If you cannot
even get to the POST screen, could be your PSU is what is bricked.

No. The computer I'm at right now serves up some 20 terabytes of movies,
music, and reading material to whomever in the house would like it.

To whomever /over the network/? If so, it's a server. Workstations can
be client hosts, server hosts, or both.

I have no reason to suspect the battery is an issue. If anything, if it
was 'dead' I would be saved the hassle of diving in to get at the battery.

How old is the downstairs computer?

It's a Toshiba Satellite C670

Oooh, that's a laptop. It'll be a bitch to get at the CMOS battery.
You also will have problems to perform the above troubleshooting steps
unless you start dismantling the case.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear... cmos+battery

While it is possible to disassemble the laptop to replace the CMOS
battery, that's for hobbyists or professionals. A shop could do it but
they'll charge something like $100 for a $2 battery replacement just
because of the time to disassemble and reassemble and then test. If the
PSU is at fault, yes, it can be replaced but it'll be pricey and, again,
you'll have to disassemble and reassemble the case along with doing some
soldering.

http://www.totaltechnik.de/WebRoot/S...0/IMG_0380.JPG
(click to enlarge)

That might be your motherboard. The CMOS coin cell battery is at the
top left corner. It is next to the memory slot. It's possible that the
backplate cover to access the memory slot(s) lets you get at the CMOS
battery, too. It could happen but I wouldn't bet on it. Laptops,
netbooks, tablets, and the like are so hard to work on that I figure
they are 5-year disposable computers. If I get longer than that, well,
I've gotten a bit more time before having to replace it. If the PSU is
working, though, I'll keep a couple around to use as a substitute
desktop PC (it never wanders) until I fix my real desktop PC. Actually
that's the only reason I keep around an old clunky heavy laptop.

Have you ever used a can of air to blow out the dust from the exit port
for the CPU fan? If it is plugged, even if the CPU fan is spinning,
there will no air flow, the CPU will heat up rapidly, and the BIOS will
shut down the computer to keep it from burning up.

Got a friend that is a computer guru and likes to fix this stuff? Got
any neighborhood wizkids you could bribe with some money? I don't see
any working models sold at eBay, just folks selling off parts or as-is
units. Doesn't look like anything on which to waste much more than
pocket change. You might want to check Craigslist for a desktop PC from
a nearby seller. I've gotten some monitors that way and they've been
good buys. Unless you're really tight on space, go with a desktop that
you can work on a LOT easier rather than get another laptop. Doesn't
sound like that downstairs laptop was ever travelling.

You sound like you know about computers.
I have an early 2009 Apple Xserve which has two quad core Xeon
processors. It runs but there is no power to the second processor.
What could cause that?

Without much details, a guess would be a voltage regulator on the mobo.
I've not worked much on any Apple stuff. As I recall, those didn't have
any fans directly on the CPU heatsinks but used a bank of tiny fans off
to the side. You sure the CPU didn't burn up? That it's not scorched?

From the date, although a couple years after, could be "capacitor
plague" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague and
https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...ms-capacitors),
plus I don't know of a capacitor using paste that won't eventually dry
out. Some caps are sealed but most are not. As they dry out, their
internal resistance goes up making them useless. Good paste caps should
last 20 years so it's a bit soon if good quality caps were used in the
Apple unit. When looking around the mobo for bad caps, it could be
black, brow, yellow or white paste that oozed out (and often from the
bottom so you have to look under the cap which can be tough unless it
used outward from underneath). Even a bulging cap is a bad one.

Did you check some simple stuff, like ensuring the heatsink (with CPU
underneath) was torqued down? Wasn't that CPU using pads and the socket
had the pin grid? Whichever had the pins, I'd remove to check none had
been bent (assuming the problem started from day one instead of cropped
up sometime later). Okay, an even more obvious inquiry: it is a dual
processor mobo and there is a physical CPU in the 2nd socket, right? I
recall a long skinny PSU box (that could be slid out) but recall nothing
about how it connected to the mobo.

Sorry, but we didn't use any Apple stuff in the alpha lab or on our
workstations so anything with that rack server would've been some
oddball experience. I can't remember working on onboard Xeon mobos but
instead Slot2 Xeon mobos. In fact, I remember the hold-down brackets on
the Slot2s sometimes cracked and I had to makeshift some wide zip ties
to keep the card in the slot. Is there a BIOS setting for enabling the
CPUs? I couldn't tell you if this unit even has anything like BIOS to
let you alter its behavior. Either we built our own test beds in the
alpha lab but there were some servers we never touched (I wasn't about
to toy around with $30K servers back then).

Lucifer Morningstar wrote:
On Sun, 4 Feb 2018 23:02:06 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:

Brian Belliveau wrote:

On 2018-02-04 6:14 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

Have you ever customized the BIOS settings? What you configure for BIOS
settings, or even for the defaults, the computer does not use those
settings in the EEPROMs. The settings get copied into the CMOS table
and why there is a CMOS battery. If the CMOS table gets corrupted, a
hash should indicate the fault and force a load of settings from
EEPROMs. However, if the CMOS battery is crap then you don't know what
is getting stored and saved in the CMOS table.

How old is the downstairs computer? CMOS batteries might be rated for
up to 8-10 years but, in fact, they start getting too week after 5 to 6
years. About every 5 years, the CMOS battery should get replaced. For
a desktop, it's an easy task. For laptops, netbooks, ultrathins, and
anything thin and encapsulated, changing the CMOS battery could require
a hell of a lot of disassembly. If that host never travels, you can
continue using it with a bad CMOS battery as long as it always has power
(so get it on a UPS). Else, you get the default settings from EEPROM
when it gets cold powered up.
I think you are ignoring the core issue. The computer downstairs is a
BRICK. It does NOTHING at the moment. And I can't get it to do anything
but nothing
Didn't know that.

Disconnect all hard drives (just remove the power connector to them).
Disconnect all other internal drives (e.g., optical). Disconnect all
USB-attached devices (e.g., printer, scanner, flash drives, HDDs) except
for the mouse and keyboard. If you added a video card but the
motherboard has onboard video, remove the video card. Remove and reseat
all memory sticks. For a computer whose CMOS battery is over 5 years
old, replace it: remove the CMOS battery, short the 2-pin CMOS header on
the mobo, wash your hands, and insert a new CMOS battery. When you
apply power, and at a minimum, make sure the CPU fan starts spinning.
If the computer won't power up, some PSUs require a minimum load to
recognize they are supposed to continue supplying power so connect power
to just one internal HDD/SDD. When you boot, check the POST screen
appears showing the BIOS information. If that shows up, go into BIOS
and reset to the optimal settings (do not overclock). If you cannot
even get to the POST screen, could be your PSU is what is bricked.

No. The computer I'm at right now serves up some 20 terabytes of movies,
music, and reading material to whomever in the house would like it.
To whomever /over the network/? If so, it's a server. Workstations can
be client hosts, server hosts, or both.

I have no reason to suspect the battery is an issue. If anything, if it
was 'dead' I would be saved the hassle of diving in to get at the battery.
How old is the downstairs computer?

It's a Toshiba Satellite C670
Oooh, that's a laptop. It'll be a bitch to get at the CMOS battery.
You also will have problems to perform the above troubleshooting steps
unless you start dismantling the case.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear... cmos+battery

While it is possible to disassemble the laptop to replace the CMOS
battery, that's for hobbyists or professionals. A shop could do it but
they'll charge something like $100 for a $2 battery replacement just
because of the time to disassemble and reassemble and then test. If the
PSU is at fault, yes, it can be replaced but it'll be pricey and, again,
you'll have to disassemble and reassemble the case along with doing some
soldering.

http://www.totaltechnik.de/WebRoot/S...0/IMG_0380.JPG
(click to enlarge)

That might be your motherboard. The CMOS coin cell battery is at the
top left corner. It is next to the memory slot. It's possible that the
backplate cover to access the memory slot(s) lets you get at the CMOS
battery, too. It could happen but I wouldn't bet on it. Laptops,
netbooks, tablets, and the like are so hard to work on that I figure
they are 5-year disposable computers. If I get longer than that, well,
I've gotten a bit more time before having to replace it. If the PSU is
working, though, I'll keep a couple around to use as a substitute
desktop PC (it never wanders) until I fix my real desktop PC. Actually
that's the only reason I keep around an old clunky heavy laptop.

Have you ever used a can of air to blow out the dust from the exit port
for the CPU fan? If it is plugged, even if the CPU fan is spinning,
there will no air flow, the CPU will heat up rapidly, and the BIOS will
shut down the computer to keep it from burning up.

Got a friend that is a computer guru and likes to fix this stuff? Got
any neighborhood wizkids you could bribe with some money? I don't see
any working models sold at eBay, just folks selling off parts or as-is
units. Doesn't look like anything on which to waste much more than
pocket change. You might want to check Craigslist for a desktop PC from
a nearby seller. I've gotten some monitors that way and they've been
good buys. Unless you're really tight on space, go with a desktop that
you can work on a LOT easier rather than get another laptop. Doesn't
sound like that downstairs laptop was ever travelling.

You sound like you know about computers.
I have an early 2009 Apple Xserve which has two quad core Xeon
processors. It runs but there is no power to the second processor.
What could cause that?

Well, it doesn't use VRMs. It looks like VRD (voltage
regulator down) which is part of the motherboard. If the
design had used VRDs, those can be unplugged and removed,
leaving a CPU "high and dry".

https://images.macworld.com/images/r...1_original.jpg

Look for how the power gets to the VCore block next to each
processor.

Check the user manual, to see if there is a jumper to "enable" a
CPU or not. It could be that the processor is logically disabled
somehow, and it actually has power. Place a hand on the two heatsinks,
and see if one of them is ice-cold. Maybe the ice-cold one is CPU1,
while the other is CPU0.

On dual socket machines, the chipset comes off one of the CPUs,
so CPU0 must be installed first, as otherwise the machine could
not boot. The CPU1 on the other hand, might not have any I/O off
its bus. You need a block diagram for the product, to understand
whether CPU1 gates anything on the machine or not. But usually,
you populate and power CPU0 first, leaving CPU1 as sort of an
"optional" part of the product. (Tyan, on their motherboards,
they used to give a nice block diagram so you could understand
the dependencies. I would not expect Apple to do this, except
in some text in the user/maintenance manual.)

As is usual with servers, the pictures available aren't very
good, so it's hard to spot little details like hidden jumper plugs,
power connectors, and so on.

Paul

On 02/04/2018 02:10 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

[nip]

You should already know the IP address of that host. After all, you set
it up. If you have it get a dynamically assigned IP address from your
router's DHCP server, it could change because, well, it's dynamic. You
should go into the IPv4 and IPv6 settings and not use DHCP and instead
assign that host a static IP address (probably outside the range served
by the DHCP server in your router).

I prefer to leave DHCP on and make the static assignment in the router.
This makes network maintenance easier by keeping all such information in
one place.

[snip]

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"The true contrast between science and myth is more nearly touched when
we say that science alone is capable of verification." [George Santayana
(1863-1952), "The Life of Reason" (1905-1906)]

Mark Lloyd wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

You should already know the IP address of that host. After all, you set
it up. If you have it get a dynamically assigned IP address from your
router's DHCP server, it could change because, well, it's dynamic. You
should go into the IPv4 and IPv6 settings and not use DHCP and instead
assign that host a static IP address (probably outside the range served
by the DHCP server in your router).

I prefer to leave DHCP on and make the static assignment in the router.
This makes network maintenance easier by keeping all such information in
one place.

The OP didn't identify his router so it is unknown if his router can
assign IP address by MAC, plus we don't know his intranetwork so we
don't know if there is a switch or other router between his host and the
WAN-side router which means the MAC isn't going to get routed to the
final router where you doing all your maintenance.

When I had a better router in the past, yep, I did what you mention,
too. I didn't have to putz with the hosts. That router also let me
control isolation between the Ethernet ports so my hosts were protected
against those of my family. The router and firewall in the ISP's cable
modem is pretty dumb. Rather than complicate the network by adding
another but more robust router in my subnet that goes to the WAN-side
router/cable modem, I just setup static IPs back on my hosts. I don't
have a huge number of hosts to manage at home. Sounds like the OP is
also asking about a home setup.

On 2018-02-05 1:45 AM, Andy Burns wrote:
Brian Belliveau wrote:

It's a brick.

Remove CMOS battery, if it's a laptop remove main battery too, unplug
all SATA/IDE cables, remove all memory, unplug everything USB except a
wired keyboard, then turn it on ...

Do the LEDS on the keyboard flash at power on? Does it beep?

Absolutely nothing except the one power light flashing (mocking) five
times on power button pressing.

On 06/02/2018 01:53, Brian Belliveau wrote:

Absolutely nothing except the one power light flashing (mocking) five
times on power button pressing.

Well in that case the machine is dead and so you need to buy a new one
from DELL so that it comes with a one years' warranty and you can pay a
premium to get 3 or 4 years' extension.

How much do you know about machines? If you have the necessary tools
then open the box and see what the hell is happening. Repairing a dead
donkey is not advisable unless you have a money plant at home.



--
With over 600 million devices now running Windows 10, customer
satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

Brian Belliveau wrote:

On 2018-02-05 1:45 AM, Andy Burns wrote:
Brian Belliveau wrote:

It's a brick.

Remove CMOS battery, if it's a laptop remove main battery too,
unplug all SATA/IDE cables, remove all memory, unplug everything
USB except a wired keyboard, then turn it on ...

Do the LEDS on the keyboard flash at power on? Does it beep?

Absolutely nothing except the one power light flashing (mocking) five
times on power button pressing.

Brian,

Long shot but have you tried holding the power button for 20 seconds or

longer?


JT

--

In article , brian-bellivea...
@SPAMshaw.ca says...

On 2018-02-05 1:45 AM, Andy Burns wrote:
Brian Belliveau wrote:

It's a brick.

Remove CMOS battery, if it's a laptop remove main battery too, unplug
all SATA/IDE cables, remove all memory, unplug everything USB except a
wired keyboard, then turn it on ...

Do the LEDS on the keyboard flash at power on? Does it beep?

Absolutely nothing except the one power light flashing (mocking) five
times on power button pressing.

So I suspect the blinking 5 times is some code from the BIOS. Is it and
what does that error code refer to?

Can you remove the hard disk and try it in an enclosure on another pc to
see if it's anything "different" than it should be?

Can you remove laptop's cmos battery as well as it main battery so it
"hopefully" gets reset to default startup sequence?

If none of that worked for me I think I'd be salvaging parts out of the
laptop and it would hit recycle dealer.