Laptop issues and EQmod BSOD

[Carole]

Had a mixed evening last night - the first night I have been able to get out for weeks.  Not only the bad weather but as some of you know I have been having a difficult time with my mum, who I have had to get into a Home, and all the issues surrounding that have taken up my time and energy etc etc, not to mention my enthusiasm for going outside.

Problems:
I started off trying to do planets, and although Sharpcap was working OK to start with it suddenly stopped responding, and so I re-started, and then I kept getting the following message - Error - 8007003 cannot start graph.    I also tried K3 and it too said it couldn't make a graph.  The webcam was definitely still installed.  I then found the laptop was not responding to other commands, so after much huffing and puffing and re-booting, I plugged in my mouse, and it seemed to work better with that.  Eventually Sharpcap started working again and so did everything else.  Any ideas what might have caused this temporary blip?  I was starting to think the mouse pad left click was faulty.

Also couldn't get focus with a 2 x barlow on the ED120, so must try that in the daylight.

Good things
1) I did an alignment and on the whole the mount worked well (after previous issues), although the GOTO was not as accurate as it could have been and it went back to Park OK.

2) After deleting all the com ports (as per recent thread) I managed to finally get EQmod working, though I did that in the daylight this morning as too many other problems last night to want to try out anything new as well.  It is now on Com4 (instead of wanting to connect to Com20 - EQmod only goes up to Com16).  The mount responded.  So I now need to try this with the night sky and work out how to use it all.  I did this using PCdirect mode attached via the handset.  I did not want to buy the EQDir gadget until I had tried it all out.  

So mixed night all in all.

Carole

[Mac]

Any ideas what might have caused this temporary blip?

Nope but if you ever do find out, then you will become an overnight millionaire selling your answer to other's.

Its just windows, It hangs for no reason that you are aware of.

Mac.

[Carole]

Thanks Mac

Carole

[Carole]

Continuing on from above.  I now have EQMod working beautifully with CdC, but every time I use it, after about 5 - 10 minutes I keep getting the blue screen of death.  I have no other programmes running at the time.  I should add I am using the handset in PC mode and an RS232 cable. 

Adding this to the problems above I am wondering whether my laptop is due for a bit of a "service" and is finding things a bit too much.

I can do things like defrag, disk clean up, deleting unecessary files, but any other suggestions?  I have not long ago doubled my memory to 2Gb (I think it was 1Gb before).

I am not a computer expert, so if it's anything too complicated I'll have to get some help.
I have Registry Booster on my main desktop and still have the codes, do you think it might need a Registry clean up?

Thanks

Carole

[Mike]

What operating system are you using? If it is Vista then the BSOD is a 'feature'. Upgrade to Windows 7.

[Mac]

I have no other programmes running at the time

I'd check task manager first,
you'll probably find you have about 30 other programs running,
anyone of which / can cause BSOD,

You need to make a note of the details of the BSOD as it gives you a pointer as to what piece of software went Fut.
use your camera to take a photo, so much easier.

Post the details here, and we can have a look and point you in the direction you need to look at,

First question is normally, have you updated all of your current drivers ect.

Mac.

[Carole]

No, definitely had no other programmes running as that was all I was doing i.e. just learning to use EDMod and CdC.  

I have had this Vista Laptop for quite a long time now (2 1/2 years) and not had this problem with anything else.  

I have found the Dump files on the nights in question but can't open them, so have now adjusted the recovery tab not to re-start, so if it happens again I have time to take a photo but it's all gobbledegook to me.  

If it is Vista then the BSOD is a 'feature'. Upgrade to Windows 7.

Yes it's Vista
Upgrading to windows 7 will not be easy:
a) I don't know if it is possible as Mac tried to install Windows XP on this laptop and it could not be done, so might have the same problem upgrading.
b) I don't have enough skills to do it.
c) I don't want to have to re-install all the software and drivers over again.

I have just done a registry clean with Eusing Free Registry software.
Will do a defrag a.s.a.p.

[Carole]

have you updated all of your current drivers

Sorry to sound stupid here, but why do I need to upgrade drivers, the kit is working OK with existing drivers. 
EQMod is all new installation (after having deleted Com ports in order to do so as I had too many - makes me wonder whether this is anything to do with it.)

Carole

[Mac]

No, definitely had no other programmes running

Windows will have about thirty programs running before you even open your own program.
have a look at the task manager.
It's probably one of these thats caused the BSOD.

Sorry to sound stupid here, but why do I need to upgrade drivers, the kit is working OK with existing drivers.

Normally, BSOD are caused by driver conflicts, unless you get details of the BSOD then its realy needle in a haystack.
Not necessary the drivers for your kit, but the drivers for all the internal stuff, graphics, sound, ect,ect.

gobbledegook to me

but thats why were here, we read and understand gobbledegook , 

Mac.

[Rocket Pooch]

Carole,

Run CDC and EQMod with the simulator and the cable out for an hour or two this uses the CDC software fully, the EQMod drivers but replaces the cable bit.  If this does not blue screen then shut down start plug the cable in and run it again if it blue screens then its the cable driver, and I will almost bet any money its a pacific driver v3 with the problem.  But try it without the cable 1st.

Chris

[Carole]

Windows will have about thirty programs running before you even open your own program.
have a look at the task manager.

Will these be the start up programmes then?

That sounds like a good idea Chris, although I was running it last night (with mount attached) for about 45 minutes and no BSOD for a change, (I did do a registry clean as I said yesterday with Eusing free Registry cleaner so not sure whether that made any difference).

Will give that a go. 

Carole

[Mac]

I did do a registry clean as I said yesterday with Eusing free Registry cleaner

[Carole]

Well I have had CdC and simulator running for well over an hour and no BSOD as yet.

I am thinking the same as Chris, but is it because there is a driver problem or is it because I am using handset/PCmode and RS232 with serial adapter to USB I wonder +/- is all the cable stuff causing a driver problem?

I know I should really get the EQDir cable but wanted to make sure I could use it all before buying yet another bit of kit as already bought the game pad (which I've not set up yet).

Carole

[Rocket Pooch]

I did do a registry clean as I said yesterday with Eusing free Registry cleaner

[Carole]

Hi Chris and Mac, you have both pulled funny faces at doing a registry clean.  I don't understand computers sufficiently to know what is required here, so just trying anything, so is it the registry clean software you are frowning at or the fact that I did a registry clean?

I now have had CdC and EQMod running for 2 hours (or more) with the simulator, and no BSOD so I am thinking it must be to do with the cables I am plugging in.  What do you think?

Carole

[Mac]

playing with the registry is extremly dangerous, as its so easy to completly destroy the program you are editing.
as well as the operating system,
resulting in having to reinstall everything.

All the settings for everything is kept in there,
delete the wrong setting and you have a door stop.

As for letting software loose on it.............
Even i wouldnt do that.
it will only remove the junk, but even so the performance gain is not worth the risk.

Unless you have installed hundreds of fonts, and hundreds of pieces of software,
the registry will probably not be the source of the problem.

Mac

[Carole]

Ok Mac thanks.

Carole

[Carole]

OK, update.

I finally got myself one of those EQDirect cables from mount to laptop bypassing the handset.  Also got myself a game pad having tried previously to centre an object from the finderscope without one !!!! (say no more, those of you who use it will know what I am talking about).  

Tried it all out last night and all worked well, had it running the whole evening with no BSOD, so I think Chris was right that it was a hardware/driver issue.  

Well that's another milestone I have finally passed.  

Carole