Illinois - Setup and Maintenance

Power Supply fan won't turn off when computer is shutdown

2009-07-30T16:16:30Z

I have a computer that every time I shut it down ( go to start then shutdown) the power supply fan won't go off. Everthing else turns off though. I looked in the BIOS didn't see anything about power options for fans or power supply. I even changed power supply's and it still does it. Does anyone have any ideas what can cause this and how to correct it. The only way it will turn off is by manually unplugging it. Could this be a motherboard issue?

Re: Gates HUG Grant - What Computers are You Considering

2007-10-02T11:39:53Z

Centurion Guard does have a networked software product that we've been using. You can disable it on all the computers from your server, allow your computer to update and then enable it. Deep Freeze has the same capabilities and I hear it may be simpler to use.

We're discussing getting a laptop and wonder how other small libraries with PAC laptops manage them. Our library is part of a larger building and the laptop would be used in another room across the entrance hall.

Has anyone considered Velocity Micro machines? They've been getting good press lately.

Linda

Re: computer rotation

2007-08-16T18:40:45Z

Your wasting your time if you are rotating new computers to staff first then moving them to public access.

Time to install in configure a computer for use is around 6 hours.

New computer going to it's staff spot = 6 hours
Clean computer and configure for Public access spot = 6 hours
Clean computer and configure for IPAC or HIP terminals = 6 hours.

Looking at 18 hours or so of tech time todo a trickle down rotation.

You will save time and money by buying what you need for a spot and riding it out till it doesn't do it's job anymore.

Re: Old Gate granted computers

2007-06-14T18:02:44Z

Oooh, good question. We never dealt with this question when the program was still going, since the models with Centurion Guards were too new.

My guess is that you could either leave it with the PC if you donate it, or you could certainly also pull it out and use it on another computer in your library. One issue is that will leave a hole in the front of the computer, unless you still have the spare drive bay cover that should have been in the original box.

At the end of the reinstalling Windows process I outlined above, the CG will no longer have any affect on the hard drive. The only thing it will still do is to lock out the DVD drive by cutting the power to it. If someone wants, they can install the software back on - either via the disk if you have it, or they can get it from www.centuriontech.com. That would return it to full functionality.

A couple of points if you want to remove the CG and use it on another computer:
- Make sure you remove the extra long floppy cable with it - you will need to replace this on the Gates computer.
- You will also need to remove the PCI card that is attached to the box with the lock. Also attached to this card is the power cable going to the DVD. You should unplug that at the back of the DVD and plug in any other handy power connector coming from the power supply.

Re: Old Gate granted computers

2007-06-14T17:04:27Z

What do we do with the Centurion locks?

Re: Old Gate granted computers

2007-06-14T16:41:37Z

Yes, it will get rid of all of that. the process should be something like:

-Boot up to the Windows CD (not the upgrade disk)
-Go through the initial screens , choosing options to install Windows, not repair the existing installation.
-You come to a screen showing the current partitions on the hard drive, there will be at least 2.
-Delete all existing partitions and logical drives. You have to do this one by one - usually last ones first.
-Once you have a blank drive with no partitions, choose to create a new partition and use the default size it gives you. This will make the entire hard drive one partition.
-You will need to format the new partition. In this case it is probably best not to do the Quick format. So this step may take quite awhile - you can just leave the computer and come back later.
-Proceed to install windows on the newly formatted C: drive. Just accept all defaults and leave the administrator password blank.

Dale

Re: Old Gate granted computers

2007-06-14T16:06:34Z

We will be doing the same at our library, can I assume that reloading only the OS will take care of all of the profile restrictions and other security that is currently on these machines?

Re: Old Gate granted computers

2007-05-24T15:33:55Z

Yes, there are. The restrictions have to do with the software licensing.

The operating system is licensed for each specific machine, and should go along with the machine wherever it goes.

All other software is on a non-transferable license to the library and specifically intended for use on public access computers.

So assuming you have the Windows disk, what you should do is reformat the entire drive and reinstall just Windows. At that point you can install any of the applications on other computers if you want. If you no longer have the Windows disk, then you are best off just wiping the hard drive completely.

Dale

Old Gate granted computers

2007-05-24T14:31:01Z

We have several computers that were granted to us through the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.

Are there any precautions on donating these to another facility or selling them at an auction??

Thanks for the information

Re: computer rotation

2007-04-23T23:43:23Z

Thanks so much for your reply about computer rotation. I know the headache it can be to reconfigure computers in order to pass them along to a different use in the library. I will save this information to use as we wrestle with the best solution for our library rotation.

Re: Ubuntu

2007-04-11T17:32:29Z

Our library is total Linux. Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper Drake on the staff and public access computers and Debian Sarge on my web server.

It can be done.

The money that I saved by not purchasing microsoft stuff was wonderful. I ordered all my machines with no operating system and that saved money. After the first machine (learning experience) I now have the setup time - install Ubuntu, install updates to Ubuntu, install internet filters, install flash -- start to finish 3 hours. I can setup multiple machines at the same time because the procedure is the same for all.

It's great.

I have a background in computer science and that was very much in my favor. But I also found that the Ubuntu and Debian forums are full of people that are very friendly and VERY helpful. I was also fortunate to have the help of some gurus in Alabama. John and Anthony and Trevor. But it mostly came from me and having access to the forums.

I have looked in webjunction and did not find very much support regarding Linux. I hope that changes soon.

Re: computer rotation

2007-04-09T20:17:58Z

We used to do a rotation scheme with the newest computers going into the computer lab and older ones rotating out to reference computers and branches but it made the rotation seem unending and numbers were always confusing every year. I finally switched over to a system where once the computer is installed it stays there for 4 years and is replaced with a new computer. I have my different years of computers mixed in all places but summer rotation runs so much faster and I know exactly what is getting replaced where all the time.

Granted I'm in a situation where I know next year all my circulation machines have to be replaced at once but I'm glad I know this plenty of time in advance to prepare.

Re: Gates HUG Grant - What Computers are You Considering

2007-03-23T16:37:35Z

Thank you for the info and link. I just purchased a Dell Inspiron E1705 laptop and ordered the Vista Premium Home Edition. The laptop has 2GB RAM, but I need to check the Video Ram. Have been concerned about how the Vista was going to perform with other applications like DreamweaverMX, PhotoshopCS2, etc. Any advice?

Re: Centurion Guard Instructions

2007-03-20T18:55:27Z

Hey Chad -

For NC, I think that would have been a part of the Windows 2000 Upgrade instructions (you were part of the 9 states that got a slightly different model than other states did), and I don't recall that we ever actually posted those on PAComputing. There are some supporting documents, but I don't think there is anything that describes installing them.

Anything I can help with?

Dale

Centurion Guard Instructions

2007-03-20T18:06:00Z

Does anyone know the whereabouts of the old PDF that shows how the Centurion Guard drives are installed (I just need something from it for reference)?

Thanks!

Re: Problems with Lenovo

2007-01-29T19:45:22Z

Welcome lstfler!

I don't have any experience with Lenovo's, but if it is happening to multiple computers, I would guess you might have a bad driver somewhere, or possibly a rogue program. You might want to update your drivers and bios to the latest that Lenovo has on their site.

Can you give us some more info on the configuration? What OS are they running? Memory configuration? Hard drive size, etc.?

Have you checked for any forums specifically for Lenovos? This may be a known problem.

Good luck on it.

Wendell

Re: Locked out of Bios with a bad hard drive

2007-01-29T19:36:11Z

Deb, are you still having problems?

Removing the battery should not affect anything but the bios. It is there to keep the bios info alive and that is pretty much all it does. In fact, after this amount of time, it might be a good idea to just replace the battery anyway.

I am pretty sure there is a jumper on those 4600's. We don't have those anymore, but the Gateway site should have the info you need.

Wendell

Problems with Lenovo

2007-01-18T19:08:42Z

Hi, I am new to this forum, heck I am even new to just working in a library. Anyway, the library that I work at has recently purchased a number of Lenovo 3000 J Series with the AMD Sempron processors. We have had them out for public use since late November, and we have had constant trouble with the machine freezing up. Mostly they will freeze up if no one has signed into them or used them for more than an hour. Other times the computers will just freeze, often when the patron's are using the internet on them.

Our tech department has tried to work out the bugs, and has tested replacing different parts of the computers on machines, buit nothing has solved the problem.

We thought that it might be the mice on the computers, specifically the USB ports, but the computers still froze up when switched back to using traditional mice.

Has anyone else had trouble with Lenovos?

Thanks

Re: Hitachi dvd-Rom GD 8000 Drive Not Working

2007-01-15T19:16:34Z

Thanks will give it a try and let you know what works!

Susie

Re: Hitachi dvd-Rom GD 8000 Drive Not Working

2007-01-15T18:57:27Z

OK, so definitely this is a Windows issue of some sort.
Try poking around a little again in Disk management (it may help to have a CD in the drive while you do this).

Right-click on the drive and see if you can manually assign a drive letter (I think it should be F on this model - check the good one)
Or right-click and go to Properties and see if you can find anything useful under the Hardware tab - I think there is a Troubleshoot button - though I've never had much luck with those.

Worst case - yes you can definitely re-image from either a saved image, from the Windows 2000 Upgrade DVDs, or from the drive of the unaffected computer. These were all originally identical images, so the only things you should need to change on each pc afterward are the computer name and ip address.

Dale