Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day #45


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Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day

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*1. FLOPPY REPLACEMENT--PART 1 OF 4

So far, only Apple Computer is bold enough to offer a personal 
computer without an integrated floppy drive (that is, the 
popular iMac). PC makers still seem tied to the past. They 
include a floppy drive on every desktop and notebook PC. 

Unless you still use floppies on a regular basis, make sure the 
new notebook you are considering allows you to remove the floppy 
drive (hopefully in module form) and replace it with a more 
useful component (like an optical storage drive, battery module, 
or hard drive). When traveling, you don't want to carry any 
unwanted components.

--by Dean Andrews


*2. FLOPPY REPLACEMENT--PART 2 OF 4

On a desktop system, if you plan to remove the floppy drive 
altogether and replace it with another, more useful component, 
first check the size of your floppy bay. Many PC makers have 
shrunk the size of the floppy drive bay so that few other 
components will fit into it. You don't want to remove it before 
you know some other device will take its place.

--by Dean Andrews


*3. FLOPPY REPLACEMENT--PART 3 OF 4

Check your PC's BIOS before you disable and remove your floppy drive. 
Often, a PC's BIOS is set to look for a floppy drive as the first 
bootable drive in the boot process. That's why you can boot off of a 
floppy disk while troubleshooting a hardware problem. Make sure to 
disable this setting before you go through the trouble of removing 
your floppy drive.

--by Dean Andrews


*4. FLOPPY REPLACEMENT--PART 4 OF 4

One way to go with floppy replacement is to make a single drive 
perform double duty. For example, Imation's Superdisk drive lets
you read and write floppies as well as 120MB SuperDisk media, 
all on one drive. This might save space within your PC's case 
so you can use your floppy drive bay for another purpose. 
Find the Superdisk at

http://www.superdisk.com

--by Dean Andrews


*5. IPAQ TIPS--PART 1 OF 6

--by Dean Andrews

Compaq's new Pocket PC, the IPAQ, has arrived. If you buy one, 
don't expect to start using it immediately--at least, not if you
want to connect it to your PC to upload, download, and 
synchronize files--unless you have a USB-ready PC running 
Windows 98 or Windows 2000. 

The cradle included in the box features a USB interface. You can
order a serial interface cradle from Compaq.


*6. IPAQ TIPS--PART 2 OF 6

--by Dean Andrews

If you don't look carefully at the Getting Started Guide for 
your Compaq IPAQ Pocket PC, you might miss a crucial first 
step. Before you can use or charge the battery, you must first 
open a tiny sliding door on the bottom of the device and use 
the stylus to turn the enclosed switch to On. 

You won't have to use this switch again, unless you need to 
store the device for an extended period of time. But if you 
don't turn the switch on, you'll think you've got a broken IPAQ.


*7. IPAQ TIPS--PART 3 OF 6

--by Dean Andrews

If you own a Windows CE device older than your new Compaq IPAQ,
it's possible you have an older version of the ActiveSync 
software needed to synchronize files between the IPAQ and 
your PC. 

You must remove this older version of ActiveSync and install 
the new ActiveSync 3.1 that comes with your IPAQ device. 
Otherwise your file synchronization process will not work.


*8. IPAQ TIPS--PART 4 OF 6

--by Dean Andrews

If you plan to use the USB cradle included with your new Compaq
IPAQ, make sure you install the ActiveSync 3.1 software on your
PC BEFORE you attach the USB cradle to your PC. 

If you install the cradle before the software and a bogus USB 
device record gets created, you'll have trouble linking your 
IPAQ and your PC. 


*9. IPAQ TIPS--PART 5 OF 6

--by Dean Andrews

If you continue to have problems using your USB cradle to 
synchronize with your PC (and you're running Windows 98), try 
installing the USB Viewer utility that comes with the Sample 
Resource Kit on the Windows 98 CD-ROM. This requires a separate 
installation, and you must install the software directly from 
the Windows 98 CD. 

Once installed, the USB Viewer will tell you what devices are 
active on your USB bus and what, if any, problems the bus 
is having.


*10. IPAQ TIPS--PART 6 OF 6            
 
--by Dean Andrews  
    
You might be tempted to carry your new Compaq IPAQ around in 
your pocket without the carrying case or the Style Pack plastic 
sleeve (both are included in the IPAQ box). Don't. The IPAQ's 
docking port is exposed on the bottom of the unit. Your pocket, 
backpack, or purse might contain objects or dust that could 
damage the docking port. Both the carrying case and the Style 
Pack protect the docking port.
