FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 056 (06/05/97)

FLY DRIVE

I have a 386 computer with a 40MHz processor and a 14-inch monitor. As a retired pilot, now aged 61, I do not intend to go into computing too seriously, but my main interest is in flight simulation, word processing and later on, connection to the Internet. Bearing in mind that the 386 was a hand-me-down gift, and that I could go out and buy a new outfit if I wanted to, do you think it would sensible to upgrade my present machine? Mechanically the tower case is a large one, with plenty of room for any additional hardware.

R.H. Statham, Langport, Somerset

A

#Flight simulation software is becoming increasingly realistic and reliant on PCs with good graphics capabilities, so you really should be thinking about a fast Pentium multimedia machine. In order to upgrade your present PC, to meet current and future needs, you would have to replace the motherboard and processor, graphics card and hard-disc drive, install a CD ROM drive, sound card, at least 16 megabytes of RAM memory and Windows 95 operating system. In other words, the case is about the only thing you’d be left with, from your current system. Since this is one of the least expensive components in a PC you might as well resign yourself to buying a new machine. It will almost certainly work out cheaper, if you take into account the amount of time and effort you would save in building and configuring a new home-brew machine, as well as all the ‘free’ bundled software. Moreover, upgrading your old machine will leave you without any service or backup. You can find P166 machines selling now for around £1000. Most PC packages include a built-in modem, so you won’t have to wait, to visit the vast number of aviation-related sites on the Internet.  

HOT AND BOTHERED

My 133MHz PC has just begun behaving very strangely. The problem first started a few days ago, when I tried to print a document in Microsoft Word 6. The print out was complete nonsense, when I tried again the program froze. I re-booted the machine, but this time Windows 95 refused to load. Various error messages kept appearing and eventually, suspecting the worse, I tried to re-install Windows. This failed too. I gave up, but when I tried half an hour later, the machine behaved completely normally. It has happened twice since then, usually after the machine as been on for a couple of hours. The problem usually disappears if it is switched off for an hour.

Stephanie Lucas, Littlehampton, W.Sussex

A

The symptoms you describe are the sort of thing that can happen if the processor overheats. The usual cause is a failure of the on-chip fan. The  blades can become clogged with dust, the motor or wiring can fail, or cables can interfere with the movement of the fan. A complete electrical failure is a possibility, though most fans are powered from the supply leads to one of the other disc drives. They're relatively cheap and easy to replace.  If the fan appears to be functioning correctly then it's a job for an engineer.

FLAT SPIN...

I am considering buying  a new 14-inch monitor for my PC, can you tell me if the new  'flat screen' LCD displays are any good, and whether or not they justify the extra cost?

Lee Sheldon, Colchester, Essex

A

LCD monitors are expensive, current models are selling for between £2000 and £3000, or about ten times as much as a normal CRT monitor, of equivalent screen size.  Performance isn't as good either, colour fidelity and contrast are inferior to CRT-based monitors, and they have a shallower viewing angle.  In their favour they take up a lot less desk space, power consumption is a lot lower, and they do not emit any harmful radiation. Prices will fall, but it will probably be several  years before flat screen monitors are a mainstream computer peripheral.

SPEAKERS CORNER

I have recently installed a sound card in my 386/33 PC, having previously used the PC speaker sound driver, for system audio. I installed the driver software that came with the board as per instructions, but the sound card doesn't make so much as a peep. I've given up with the sound card makers helpline number, which is permanently engaged. Have you any ideas?

R. Berne, Southend, Essex

A

Did you remember to remove the PC speaker driver from the system? Check the drivers listed in Control Panel, if it’s still there your new driver won’t be used. Double check the port address and IRQ settings in the configuration menu, try all the different permutations if necessary. If the speaker 'pops' when you boot up the computer, that's a fairly good sign, that the card and cables are connected up properly. If not try re-seating the card in another slot, but if that doesn’t work then the card itself may be faulty.