Computer Related > Unusual computer problem	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke	Replies: 22

New Wed 27 Apr 11 23:29   Unusual computer problem - RattleandSmoke

Not sure if this of any interest but there is a question I have myself about this. I had a client with a Sony Ebookreader, it would not work with one of her Windows 7 laptops but worked fine on all her other machines. She asked me to have a look, I reinstalled drivers and checked the chipsets etc were up to date. I checked for any conflicts and problems with the USB drivers all fine. I then discovered if it was plugged in the Windows wouldn't boot properly. So despite I knew it worked on four other PCs I decided to reply the cable on the Sony ebook reader and it solved the problem instantly. Now my question is what electrical explanation could their be for this? I am guessing that either the laptop for some reason is giving off a lot of electromagnetic fields which is causing the cable to not to work or the voltage of the data from the usb ports is not quite right causing resistance problems on the original longer cable. What do you think? amended typo in header Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 28 Apr 11 at 00:39 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 27 Apr 11 23:45   Unsual computer problem - smokie

I think she's tweaked it so it didn't work just to get you round her house. Another Rats-stalker (or maybe the same one??) ;-) Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Wed 27 Apr 11 23:48   Unsual computer problem - RattleandSmoke

Nope, I ended up taking the laptop and reader to home and in the end I thought I would try the biggest long shot ever and it worked. Just for my own knowledge would like to know why it solved the problem, obviously the shorter cable has less resistance but the other cable worked on four other PCs. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 00:21   Unsual computer problem - devonite

yep! tis strange! = i looked at a machine with a sata h/drive last week that refused to boot, tried different things with no joy! Took the sata cable out of my own machine and tried it in the non-booter and everything worked fine! - stranger still, when i put the "faulty" cable in my machine that worked perfectly as well, swopped them back and original prob re-occured sometimes i think things just like a change! Last edited by: devonite on Thu 28 Apr 11 at 00:21 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 07:32   Unsual computer problem - Fenlander

Similarly I'd been struggling to get both PC and laptop to recognise Mrs F's new Garmin satnav to do updates... despite trying two newish leads that worked with other Gramin devices. Was close to taking it back to Halfords when I happened to notice a new LG phone I'd bought had the same lead. Tried that and it worked perfectly. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 09:08   Unsual computer problem - Zero

Its the way it is. My Iphone refuses to synch with my main machine with some cables, but those cables will synch ok with my Laptop. I even worked it down to some cables on some USB ports, all would work fine on the laptop. Go figure. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 09:32   Unsual computer problem - spamcan61

With data rates forever increasing and cable manufacturers trying to make cables cheaper and cheaper then it's inevitable that now and again a cable that's so crap it can't even handle USB 2.0 data rates will turn up. I've got a 2m USB extension lead that doesn't work reliably, an external HDD plugged into it won't always be recognised. So the short answer is poor quality cables IMHO. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 12:11   Unsual computer problem - RattleandSmoke

I've had the problem with printer cables before never that a cable will work on 4/5 machines. I just cannot believe a brand like Sony would risk supplying cheap cables. Its a £200 ebook reader, not a some cheap Chinese tat. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 12:42   Unsual computer problem - rtj70

You say the laptop won't boot with the reader plugged in. That's because the reader's internal flash memory/drives (there's two - one holding the actual reader files and the other the install files for the drivers etc.) appear as USB flash drives to the laptop. The laptop has the external USB drive higher in the boot order so fails to boot up with the reader plugged in. But does the reader not even work after being plugged in after the laptop has booted? Whether it's related but I don't think the Sony eReader will charge over a USB cable if it's not really plugged into a computer. Plug it into a USB wall socket charger or car charger and it thinks it's plugged into a computer but does not charge. You can charge (and still use it for reading) when the 5.2v DC in socket is used for charging and you can get a USB cable for the eReader that plugs into the DC socket. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 15:00   Unsual computer problem - Zero

>> the install files for the drivers etc.) appear as USB flash drives to the laptop. >> The laptop has the external USB drive higher in the boot order so fails to >> boot up with the reader plugged in. >> Not always. I have a usb multicard reader (connected to an internal USB header) that sometimes wont allow the PC to boot beyond bios screen, and that a long way down the boot priority. I often come across defective USB stuff that wont allow a boot, sometimes its not even on the boot priority list! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 16:32   Unsual computer problem - FocalPoint

"I just cannot believe a brand like Sony would risk supplying cheap cables. Its a £200 ebook reader, not a some cheap Chinese tat." You're sure the Sony isn't made in China? Some of their stuff is. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 17:09   Unsual computer problem - rtj70

My Sony eBook reader (which was about £150 in Dec 2009) was made in.... China. It also has two flash memories that show up on the computer when plugged in - that's how I know it does that ;-) I know my work laptop is fine booting when something like an external USB drive is plugged in because that's how I have it configured. The Mac on the other hand would hang - it does too if the iPod touch were left plugged in. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 17:18   Unsual computer problem - John H

>> Its a £200 ebook reader, not a some cheap Chinese tat. >> You can feel smug calling their goods "tat", but the joke is on you. The Chinese are laughing all the way to the bank while you survive on credit card loans from money they lend to the West. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 17:28   Unsual computer problem - Stuartli

The Chinese and Taiwanese make a very large proportion of the computer and electronic goods and components we buy here, most with well known brand names on them.....:-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 18:45   Unsual computer problem - rtj70

You mean like the iPhone for example ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 18:58   Unsual computer problem - Zero

and the Macbook Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 19:09   Unsual computer problem - RattleandSmoke

My chineese tat I meant the cheap and nasty clone type things they make, not branded stuff made in China. The client charges via the mains anyway so that is not an issue. When booting it did boot into Windows 7 but it would freaze just before it asks for the password, as soon as you removed the device the login screen comes up. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 19:22   Unsual computer problem - rtj70

If you booted Windows 7 and plugged it in after it had finished booting - did it work with the original cable? I'd not think of booting with something like this connected. And why would you? If they charge it from the mains then it only needs plugging in when you want to manage the books. And to do this I find Calibre a better tool than the Sony supplied one. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 29 Apr 11 13:03   Unsual computer problem - RattleandSmoke

With the supplied cable it simply would not get to the login screen (tried to boot several times) if it was plugged in. It booted fine otherwise. The Sony reader software would crash with the original cable, I tried to write directly to the memory card and it then Explorer itself would crash. It was at that point I realised it must be a hardware problem rather than software. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 19:10   Unsual computer problem - RattleandSmoke

I like the way people automatically assume I was meaning anything made from China. While there is no doubt China makes a lot of good things they also make a lot of tat. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 19:17   Unsual computer problem - Zero

Like everywhere, even in China, you get what you pay for. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 20:14   Unsual computer problem - Dulwich Estate

I'm old enough to remember tat toys "Made in Hong Kong". Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 28 Apr 11 23:08   Unsual computer problem - Stuartli

>>Like everywhere, even in China, you get what you pay for. >> Agree, but normally not from the top brands...:-) Reply to this message | Report message