Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by cactuscch2

[Partially solved] Acer i5 - No Bootable Device

cactuscch2 — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 20:19:22 +0800

Need help to diagnose "No Bootable Device" on Acer E14 (Core i5-5200U)

I've tried:
1) Boot into Safe mode - no response, still show up "No Bootable Device" error message

2) Insert a bootable Windows DVD into the laptop's built-in DVD-ROM, go to setup to select boot from Slim-type DVD-ROM, try to format the HDD and reinstall windows again - still failed. "No Bootable Device" error message again.

3) Repeat process no. 2, but use USB external DVD-ROM, still failed.

4) Dismantle the HDD, and plug into using a adaptor and connect to another laptop to see whats's in the HDD. It just looks like a normal directory with Program files etc. I run CrystalDisk to scan the HDD and it is "healthy" without any bad sector.

5) Plug in another empty HDD in the laptop and try to boot, but still "No Bootable Device" came out.

What could be the problem? What else can I do besides send in for diagnostic repair?

Replace shaver's battery

cactuscch2 — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:14:39 +0800

I've some extra
2 pcs of LADDA Ni-MH AAA HR03 1.2V 500mAh &
2 pcs of eneloop Ni-MH AA 1.2V 1900mAh battery lying around.

Plan to do some DIY project but I've zero knowledge on simple electronic theory.

Is is safe to replace the original Ni-Cd 2/3AA 400mAh 1.2V (2 pcs)?

Can use Ni-MH battery to replace Ni-Cd battery (Same 1.2V)? Will the charger able to recharge Ni-MH battery?

Network file sharing

cactuscch2 — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 20:41:42 +0800

Purpose: Let a small group of people share files during office hours, with the least amount of money spent. Security, speed & durability are less important.

Current Hardware: old Dell desktop with Windows XP Home, 40GB Hardisk, Foxconn G33M02 motherboard

Plan: Buy a WD Caviar Blue 2TB 3.5" Internal HDD - SATA III, plug in as a secondary HDD.

OS upgrade: don't want to spend money to buy original Windows. Tested Linux Mint before, and weird thing is only Windows XP & Mac OS can 'see' Linux desktop, other Windows 8, 8.1 & 10 can't 'see' Linux desktop in the network.

What other OS that will access this file sharing on this WinXP machine: Windows XP/ 7/ 8.1/ 10, MacOS

My question:
1) Can Windows XP Home support the above HDD as secondary HDD?

2) Can Foxconn G33M02 motherboard support the above WD 2TB HDD? (SATA III HDD on motherboard that supports SATA II)
( http://grea-ter.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-f...ifications.html This system board can support one ATA 133 device, four SATAII devices with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 or RAID 10. The SATAII connections feature Intel Matrix storage and Intel Rapid Recover technology.)

Network expert, kindly advise.

------ UPDATE ------
Installed the HDD as secondary drive, format is NTFS. Confirmed the mobo and WinXP support 2TB HDD. Win XP, 7, 8.1 & 10, MacOS can connect to the network.

Turboed Unifi 100Mbps NO free call?

cactuscch2 — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 17:13:42 +0800

Pay same price, new user has 600min free call but turboed customers don't have.

Can I request for it?

Turboed Unifi users locked in another 24 months

cactuscch2 — Sat, 01 Dec 2018 13:21:09 +0800

Log in unifi.my and found Service Start Date is 18 Nov 2018. Actually i subscribed to 10Mbps on Oct 2017.

So, all unifi users contract will be renewed and we are being locked for another 24 months?

Help me analyze HDDScan results

cactuscch2 — Sun, 21 May 2017 22:53:54 +0800

Took an old HDD from a laptop, planning to use it as a portable HDD to store some movies/ musics. format it and scan with HDDScan 3.3
Can I still use the HDD?

Open Disk
Test : RD-Read
Executing
Block start at 0 time 360ms
Block start at 32353536 time 60ms
Bad block found, start LBA : 32354816
Bad block found, start LBA : 32357888
Bad block found, start LBA : 32359168
Bad block found, start LBA : 32360448
Bad block found, start LBA : 59128576
Block start at 98215168 time 100ms
Block start at 98216448 time 72ms
Block start at 98217728 time 61ms
Block start at 100838656 time 188ms
Block start at 116512256 time 178ms
Block start at 116526848 time 51ms
Block start at 117882368 time 71ms
Block start at 118057984 time 246ms
Block start at 118315008 time 136ms
Block start at 122050304 time 1823ms
Block start at 122050560 time 101ms
Block start at 123642880 time 89ms
Block start at 123644160 time 84ms
Block start at 123645184 time 219ms
Block start at 123645440 time 57ms
Block start at 124322560 time 1701ms
Block start at 124322816 time 3011ms
Block start at 127215616 time 65ms
Block start at 127215872 time 1966ms
Block start at 127216128 time 177ms
Block start at 127216896 time 286ms
Block start at 127217152 time 1389ms
Block start at 127218176 time 313ms
Block start at 127218432 time 57ms
Block start at 127220736 time 949ms
Block start at 127221760 time 104ms
Block start at 127222016 time 89ms
Block start at 127223040 time 206ms
Block start at 127224320 time 191ms
Block start at 127225600 time 69ms
Block start at 127226624 time 96ms
Block start at 127232512 time 109ms
Block start at 127460352 time 481ms
Block start at 127461376 time 382ms
Block start at 127461632 time 378ms
Block start at 127461888 time 59ms
Block start at 127462912 time 180ms
Block start at 127481856 time 81ms
Block start at 127490048 time 1007ms
Bad block found, start LBA : 127490304
Block start at 127490560 time 68ms
Block start at 132266752 time 1690ms
Block start at 132267008 time 1744ms
Block start at 132268032 time 701ms
Block start at 132268288 time 79ms
Bad block found, start LBA : 132269312
Block start at 132270592 time 72ms
Block start at 132272896 time 150ms
Block start at 132273152 time 1157ms
Block start at 132688896 time 857ms
Block start at 132689152 time 67ms
Block start at 132690176 time 1334ms
Block start at 132690432 time 145ms
Block start at 132691456 time 90ms
Block start at 192890624 time 3023ms
Block start at 192891648 time 2995ms
Block start at 192892672 time 3017ms
Block start at 192893696 time 2751ms
Block start at 192894720 time 63ms

Open Disk
Test : VR-Verify
Executing
Block start at 0 time 350ms
Bad block found, start LBA : 32354816
Bad block found, start LBA : 32357888
Bad block found, start LBA : 32359168
Bad block found, start LBA : 32360448
Block start at 40807424 time 68ms
Bad block found, start LBA : 59128576
Block start at 97093120 time 68ms
Block start at 98212608 time 79ms
Block start at 98215168 time 57ms
Block start at 100838656 time 79ms
Block start at 100842240 time 57ms
Block start at 113180160 time 57ms
Block start at 116512256 time 103ms
Block start at 117201664 time 68ms
Block start at 117882368 time 68ms
Block start at 118057984 time 115ms
Block start at 118315008 time 92ms
Block start at 123644160 time 157ms
Block start at 123645184 time 102ms
Block start at 124322560 time 990ms
Block start at 124322816 time 1144ms
Block start at 127215872 time 1424ms
Block start at 127216896 time 246ms
Block start at 127217152 time 733ms
Block start at 127218176 time 457ms
Block start at 127220736 time 1535ms
Block start at 127221760 time 57ms
Block start at 127222016 time 145ms
Block start at 127223040 time 113ms
Block start at 127223296 time 67ms
Block start at 127224320 time 68ms
Block start at 127225344 time 68ms
Block start at 127226624 time 79ms
Block start at 127460352 time 448ms
Block start at 127461376 time 168ms
Block start at 127461632 time 289ms
Block start at 127462912 time 468ms
Block start at 127490048 time 135ms
Block start at 127490304 time 6299ms
Block start at 127490560 time 189ms
Block start at 132266752 time 846ms
Block start at 132267008 time 3021ms
Block start at 132268032 time 723ms
Block start at 132268288 time 256ms
Block start at 132269312 time 2301ms
Block start at 132270592 time 114ms
Block start at 132272896 time 113ms
Block start at 132688896 time 1235ms
Block start at 132689152 time 233ms
Block start at 132689920 time 68ms
Block start at 132690176 time 2189ms
Block start at 192894720 time 902ms

When I chose SMART extended self-test: result came back is
HDDScan S.M.A.R.T. Report
Model: Hitachi HTS543216L9A300
Firmware: FB2OC40C
Serial: 080523FB0200LCG45AXB
LBA: 312581808

Report By: HDDScan for Windows version 3.3
Report Date: 5/21/2017 10:54:18 PM

Num Attribute Name Value Worst Raw(hex) Threshold

001 Raw Read Error Rate 100 100 0000000000-0000 062

002 Throughput performance 100 100 0000000000-0000 040

003 Spin Up Time 253 253 0000040000-0000 033

004 Start/Stop Count 090 090 0000000000-4272 000

005 Reallocation Sector Count 100 100 0000000000-0000 005

007 Seek Error Rate 100 100 0000000000-0000 067

008 Seek time Perfomance 100 100 0000000000-0000 040

009 Power-On Hours Count 094 094 0000000000-0B2E 000

010 Spin Retry Count 100 100 0000000000-0000 060

012 Device Power Cycle Count 090 090 0000000000-4263 000

191 G-sense Rate/Servo tracking 100 100 0000000001-0000 000

192 Emergency Retract Count 100 100 0000000000-00AE 000

193 Load/unload Cycle Count 097 097 0000000000-9309 000

194 HDA Temperature 171 171 32 C 000

194 HDA Temperature Maximum 171 171 64 C 000

194 HDA Temperature Minimum 171 171 19 C 000

196 Reallocation Event Count 100 100 0000000000-0030 000

197 Current Pending Errors Count 100 100 0000000000-0005 000

198 Uncorrectable Errors Count 100 100 0000000000-0000 000

199 UltraDMA CRC Errors 200 200 0000000000-0000 000

223 Load Retry Count 100 100 0000000000-0000 000

Format & reinstall WinXP on old laptop

cactuscch2 — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:31:38 +0800

Got an old laptop Dell Inspiron 6000 series (Pentium 4, 1GB). The Windows is messed up with lots of unnecessary softwares. Wanted to format & reinstall WinXP for my parent to facebook.

Problems:
- Built in DVD-ROM is functioning partially - sometimes can read the WinXP disc, sometimes it detect the file content as TRACK00.cda
- BIOS can't boot from USB (i.e. can't install using USB pendrive)
- Plug in external USB DVD-Writer but Windows can't detect it during boot up (can detect it after Windows is running)
- Found the BIOS update from Dell website, but still it doesn't support "boot from USB"
(sorry my ignorance, I just click F2 to boot menu and no option for USB boot. After I tried F12, can see "boot from USB storage")

What else can I do to proceed with fresh Windows XP installation?

-------
I keep trying to force the DVDROM to run....the message came back is
"CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code:1"