Ok, I just got the otehr computer back from the store yesterday, apparently the hard drive AND RAM had failed in it. Hmm...

So, I want to find a way to put a password protection so not just anyone can get onto the bugger.

It has Win98. I know about the networking password, but you can bypass through that. What I want is a password protection that will not permit Windows to fully load up and be usable unless the password is entered.
Anyone know how to do this, or if Win98 even CAN have this done?

Look at using a BIOS-level password. When the system starts booting, go into the BIOS/Setup (different computers have different methods of getting in there). You can then typically set a password on the setup program (obviously, you'd want to do that) and a startup password. Without entering the passwords, nothing loads on the system.

You could always upgrade to XP Home.

BTW, I've been in the computer industry over 13 years, and have built/repaired several thousand computers - I can't recall any time when the hard drive AND memory went on the system at the same time(well, except the time one caught fire). Did you get the old memory and hard drive back?

Darryl

Thanks for the reply on the password! I already got it blocked out using a Bios one.
Works great for what I want.


As far as the drive and memory...beats me.
It's a Gateway Performance 800 with a P3 chip.

The computer originally came with a Quantum Fireball 30G hard drive. After 6 months, it went bad. We took it into a Gateway store, and they replaced it with a Western Digital Caviar 40G drive. They said that there was a compatability issue with the P3 800mhz processor and the Fireball drive. Beats me!

For a little while now, we've been having problems, so I finally decided to just re-format the hard drive and re-install everything.
Well, during a GW-Scan test after writing the zeros and all, I got a 0557 code from the hard drive. This is apparently a failure. I tried to have it repair itself, but even after an apparent fix, and installing windows, the blue screen of death would still show up on the bugger. Finally, I called Gateway, they sent us out a replacement drive. It was a Quantum Fireball 30G. I forgot to mention that the same drive had issues initially, they thought I still had it. I put it in nonetheless, and tried it. No dice. Errors, and blue screens of death.
Finally, I took it to the Gateway Country store, and left it for service (still under the 3 year warranty).
They called Monday and said the hard drive (both the Caviar 40G and the NEW FireBall 30G that gateway sent me)had failed, as well as the RAM.

They said they didn't question why, just replaced it.
Now, here I am using it, so it must have been OK for now!

I know I might be opening a can of worms here but...

The problem is ITS A GATEWAY! No joke, they're the worst PCs I'm ever had to deal with, and I don't recommend them to anyone.

Darryl

I've heard that.....yet, WHAT makes a bad computer?? They all use the same components.....right?

It works, so that's good enough for us.

I'm impressed with Gateway's service though....that is for darn sure.

Quote

I would rather have a Gateway over my pile of crap Compaq. If you want a coomputer get a DELL. Now thats a machine.

Naw if ya want a real mean machine you need to go custom. Thats where the power is.

> Naw if ya want a real mean machine you need to go...

solaris on sparc (or even solaris on x86).

# date
Thu Mar 6 22:50:56 EST 2003
# uptime
10:50pm up 176 day(s), 3:04, 141 users, load average: 0.77, 0.79, 0.71
# psrinfo -v
Status of processor 0 as of: 03/06/03 22:51:03
Processor has been on-line since 09/11/02 20:47:12.



jim aka the wrooster

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No No No. Dell uses the "part of the day" system for building their computers. They buy whatever components are cheapest on any given day method. If you call in with an issue, they have absolutly no way of knowing what is in your system.

Not to memtion their commercials are really irritating.

I'm with Jester, go custom. You can get some really trick looking cases and components if you go custom.

Quote

I have to disagree with you here, Dell knows exactly what is in your system. And you can too, you just go to their website and punch in your service tag and its gives you a list.

Quality is what makes most of these mass produces systems bad. They buy the cheapest components, mount things incorrectly, don't ventilate the systems properly, and you're stuck with it. Truthfully, if you want to buy a mass-produced system, get a vendor's business line (not the consumer), they actually make those systems better.

But, I agree with several of you - build it yourself. Do a little research on components and the building process, and build it yourself. It is not difficult to do.

BTW, Wrooster, I would have expected your sparc to have a longer uptime - my NT webserver went almost a year without a reboot.

Darryl

If you want a real computer get a MAC.

Nomex Flame Suit going on.

If you want a real PC, I'll build you one. Here:
Includes build/Test/Shipping

FUTURE P4300W 7728T TRANSPARENT Side CASE
Intel P4 2.26GHz/512k 533FSB
Asus P4PE/R/L/F/SATA 845PE DDR SKT478 512MB PC2100/266
DDR Memory ME512DDR
Seagate 80GB Barracuda UDMA/100 7200/RPM ST38002
ASUS 52X CD-ROM
Samsung Combo DVD + CD-RW 32x10x40x + 12x
TEAC Internal 1.44, 3.5" Floppy Dr
ATI ALL-IN-WONDER® RADEON 7500 64MB
Netgear FA311TX PCI Ethernet Adapter
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 PCI SB0240
Altec Lansing 251 6 Piece 5.1 Surround Speakers
Logitech Cordless Access Duo Keyboard-Mouse Combination
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition

No Monitor

total = $ 1634.86

-Fiddler

Hey, at least Gateway's cow doesn't smoke pot like Dell's dude.