Not Biggy, just 'odd'.

[W5LZ]

I sort of lied, it is a biggy to me. But...

I like to play with APRS. Want to use a received signal to do it, not the internet stuff. So, set up a laptop to do it with in the truck. After the 'normal' problems setting up a computer with Vista (or any other OS, but like to 'dis' Vista), it worked just fine.
UNTIL, I did the recommended up-grade for the sound card. Then, the associated program which converts the sound card to a TNC couldn't even find the sound card, much less even work! What's with this? So, spent at least 4 days looking for a 'fix'. There are others who have had this problem so got all kinds of recommendations for how to 'cure' it. None worked, and a few of them caused other problems. Did you know that there are over 75 different 'patches' from the manufacturor for this particular problem? That does not include those patches from Microsoft. After working my way through some not 'small' part of that list of things to try, I gave up. Actually, didn't give up, just got mad about the whole thing. Called the manufacturor. Was asked if I had made a recovery disk when I first got the laptop. I had. Was told to 'recover' it to it's original configuration to get the 'old' sound card driver, since they do NOT furnish it anymore. Hey! Didn't think of that. But then I got to thinking about exactly what that would mean. As in, what about the other things I loaded on to, and use, with the laptop? The customer service 'person' said, "Oh, it will be gone. You'll have to load them again.". Well, some of those thingys were a 'one time deal', you know? I'd have to buy the @#$ things again?! I politely said thank you and broke the phone when I hung it up. *You believe that, right? The 'polite' part?*

Cured the problem the easy way. Didn't say 'cheap' way, or the 'smart' way, just the easy way. Bought another laptop. NOT the same brand, and made sure it did NOT have the same sound card in it! (Another long story there, you don't wanna hear it.)
So, best advice I can think of is do not get an HP, Compac, computer with a 'Conexant' sound card. But if you do, and if it want's to up-grade the sound card drivers... DON'T! You -WILL- regret it.
Ain't all this stuff fun?
- 'Doc


After reading this my conscience is bothering me so I'll add this part. Compac/HP are not all bad. They do just what they are supposed to do, some of those things they do very well. Others not so well, kind of. One or two features that I really miss having. There are a few areas where I do think they could use a little 'attitude adjustment'. But then, they ALL could use a little of that at times. I can tell you that before making any further 'up-grades, I will also be doing a 'recovery' thingy first! That is such a 'comforting' thought, ain't it? This 'stuff' is still 'fun', ain't it?

 

[Moleculo]

Yeah I know how that goes. After I got vista on this machine I couldn't monitor the input of the soundcard anymore. The vista drivers don't support it with the built in sound card. Not a biggie, except that now I can't send audio from my rig to the computer and hear it through Remote Desktop anymore from another computer. I used to like to play around at work like that. The fix is to get a new soundcard

 

[W5LZ]

The new, or separate sound card was one of the options I looked at. The problem with that, with the laptop, in the truck, would be that it's another piece of stuff I'd have to carry around or make room for. Which says nothing about finding one which just ain't gonna happen around here (yeah, order it). That would have been a much 'cheaper' alternative. And then I start wondering if it's even gonna work with this machine/program. Oh well. It keeps me out of the casinos! Which brings to mind another story! I do have to go to the casinos in connection with my part-time work. Noticed today that they now have new uniforms for some of the employees (female/long legs/fat distributed in the right places!). I think it's just a very good idea. It isn't that you get to see more than usual (less, actually), just the packaging.
- 'Doc

 

[W5LZ]

Another Up-Date

Decided that since I couldn't un-do the sound card up-date I'd just up-date the whole @#$ computer. I did. Got another laptop. That was about a month ago. Finally got everything transfered to the new one, working just fine! ... Till yesterday, when the 'Pepro' APRS to sound card TNC thingy reverted to the '30 day demo' version. What's with that?! So, after making several down loads of the same program, thinking there must be an up-grade, I had to go back to the 'free' version which while still a good program, definitely can't be compared to the 'Pro' version. Worked fine. So, asked about it on the 'SV2AGW' forum. Got several replies saying 'theirs' did the same thing. Well, 'SHIRT!'. So emailed the program's maker. Asked him what the problem was. Also sent the required information he usually asks for. Got a reply back that contained a new 'registration key'. Seems I forgot that if you 'move' the registered program to a machine it isn't registered to, it won't keep working (reverts to the demo after 30 days). Yeah, yeah, it's spelled out in the original agreement, but who remembers everything, right? Everything working as it should now. Got a headache from beating my head on the desk.
I just love this $||*T, don't you?
- 'Doc


(They say that the mistakes are what you will remember, and enjoy the most in later years. I'm going to be so happy that I'll probably have to wear a diaper!)