Apple PowerBook Adapter Story Part II

The story was not ended! After got new power adapter and replaced the old one, I was aware of my PB temperature has been significantly lower than before. I guess the reason of high-temperature was the old power adapter malfunctioned.


Why I know the PB temperature is not as high as before? Because the internal fan is not working so often now! ^_^


BTW, the Apple PowerBook Power Adapter could issue student discount. I got it around $74 (including tax). ^_^

Apple Powerbook Power Adapter DEAD!!! >_<

My Powerbook Power Adapter got a very serious problem - the line is somewhat not functioning well.

The following part is from another user at store.apple.com website:

What happpened?
Written by JG from Moreno Valley
Every laptop needs a power cord and these cords tend to get moved a lot. So why the fragile cord? I had THE SAME thing happen to my cord. I moved my PowerBook off of my lap to stand up and saw the LED go out at the connection site to the Mac. I thought it had unplugged itself, but no. It is dead. And pretty expensive to replace. I still don't understand what happened. I love my laptop but the fact that I cannot get around buying another presumably equally fragile cord makes me very unhappy.


I cannot agree JG anymore! Unfortunately, I have to save my data in my powerbook as well. I will have to go to Apple Store tomorrow and get a new power adapter ($79).

New BLOGGING TOOL! : Publish Blog via ecto!

Just got an idea about post blog much easier via ecto! Hopefully it will be a big help for me about publishing my BLOG!

Here is the web-link:ecto 2.3.9

Skype in Powerbook with Logitech Freeman Bluetooth Headset

I have been using Skype as my 'International Phone call service provider' and free computer-to-computer voice chatting software. The voice quality is really great and the price even could compete the cheapest phone card service I have used.


When I use Skype on my Powerbook, I use it with my Logitech Freeman Blutooth Headset. Compared with its forth gerneration - the Logitech Mobile-Pro Headset, it is more strong in carrying, in wearing, and in easy-using. (The Mobile-Pro is very good in sound quality but very easy mis-use-broken. ) If you would like to use the bluetooth accessories with your computer, I would strongly recommend the device to you. ^_^








By the way, Skype had been bought by eBay few days ago. Let's see what gonna happen the future.....

My iPod 40 GB Comes Back!

• iPod Fix Plan! 3rd Gen. 40GB change screen!
  

I broke my iPod 3rd Gen. 40 GB screen for a long time. I decided to replace the broken screen with another good screen on my 'Baterry-DEAD' iPod 3rd Gen. 10GB.

After 20 minutes following the introduction by Internet articles - mostly the articles are teaching about 'How to change the dead Battery (by iPodBattery.com)'- I successfully switched the screens of my iPods!

I also found that the Battery on eBay was sold around USD 15. Maybe next time I should get a new battery and another good screen to fix my 10 GB iPod.


Well, now you know that I can fix iPod.........I am hoping your iPod will work flawlessly forever! :D

I can enjoy my iPod again! ^_^



iPod 10GB (left) and iPod 40 GB (both 3rd Gen.) - after switching the screens.

Apple Store Special Deal!

On the right, down side at the Official Apple Store Online, a good bargin price. Just got an iPod Shuffle 1GB for USD 99.

Using Laptop as a DVD player.....but FAILED! @_@

This afternoon I've tried to switch my Compaq laptop monitor to my Sony television - via ATI Radeon® Xpress 200M 'S' TV Out port - just like a DVD player, connect to TV and play DVD. Nevertheless, for certain unknown reason, I failed.

I tried to connect on 'External CRT Monitor' - it worked perfectly in both monitor switching or using dual (extended) monitor.

The only thing I am not sure was that I was using my Mac Powerbook 'S' TV Out connect-line with my Compaq laptop - the 'S' connect-line worked flawlessly with my Powerbook. However, based on 'last experience of switching RAM', I am not so sure about whether the line could be compatible with my Compaq laptop or not.


Emm...I will try it again some day when I have another 'S' TV Out connect-line. Well, it will be another story. ^_^




Monitor Switch!

Ram/Memory Diagnostic! What a Tough Work!

• Summary

I refreshed my brain and got my memory back about how to do the RAM/Memory Diagnostic on PC again. The skills I had already known when I was a R&D engineer in Taiwan.


I used two tools as following:

1. Microsoft Official Tools
Windows Memory Diagnostic

2. MemTest86 - A Stand-alone Memory Diagnostic Tool
Memtest 86



Both tools would take a while - from few minutes to an hour - to finish the diagnostic job. Just be patient if you want to do the RAM test.

Here are other tool collections......More Tool Collections at 'SnapFiles'

• Full Story about WHY:

I have been using my Powerbook around 2 years with 1.25GB RAM ( 1 piece of 1GB, another piece of 256 MB) and both of RAM are working smoothly.

Since I got my Compaq laptop, which equiped 512 MB RAM (2 pieces of 256 MB), lots of daily works have been switched to Windows world. Thus, I decided to reblance my RAM setting - both Powerbook and Compaq V2000 laptop using the same RAM spec - PC 2700, CL 2.5

After easily switching RAM on both laptops, I happily used my Compaq - and Windows just crashed suddnetly - with 'PHISICAL RAM ERROR' in typical Windows XP Kernal Panic screen - yep, you are right, the white words and blue background one.

My first thinking was that I might damage the RAM during the switching processes - might be some things happened, or some ESD (ElectroStatic Discharge) damage the RAM accdiently.

Then you guys know. Did the search on Google and found out 'the forgotten solutions' as I had listed above.

• Conclusion:

1. The 1 GB RAM (originally installed on Powerbook) was not able to pass full-test on both Tools.

2. The 512 RAM (2 pieces originally installed on Compaq Laptop) passed sucessfully.

3. I switched the RAM back to their origional places, and then everything was going well surprisingly.

Although the RAM Specfication of both laptops are the same, I believe there is still something missing. For certain unknown reason, the MAC RAM seems to be different from the PC's side. Two yeas ago, I had tried uning regular PC's RAM on my previous iBook - that was totally fine.

Emm....I wondered someone could answer me the question.

Konfabulator, I am back!

Before I upgraded my MAC OSX from Panther to Tiger, I had used the Konfabulator at my Powerbook. After the Tiger released, I switch from Konfabulator to the Dashboard - the integrated OSX function with almost same tool even having better functions.


Now I am back. Since I got my Compaq V2000 series laptop, I am back to Windows -- therefore I am back in using Konfabulator as before.


As the Dashboard at Tiger, Konfabulator could be programmed by user. I am thinking about building my own widget someday -- both on my Powerbook and Compaq Laptop!




The Screen Shot:


Konfabulator at my Compaq Laptop

VNC at MAC OSX

I got a new Compaq laptop for my incoming MS.MBA life, and I didn't want to leave my Powerbook on my desktop alone. Therefore, I setup the OSXVnc on my Mac-Tiger, and UltraVnc on my Compaq laptop using the remote control. (Actually, I had tried RealVNC and UltraVNC -- finally I choosed UltraVNC.)


Something funny was that I couldn't connect my OSXVnc when I was outside of my apartment-local-network -- I successfully did the connection in local network via my Compaq Laptop.

The final answer was not because anything worng in my OSXVNC or UltraVNC setting -- it was because Comcast CABLE Service BLOCK the VNC-service-port. The reason I gave up RealVNC was Ultra VNC was a little bit faster and easy to setup service-port.


Finally, after 12 hours from starting, everything was working correctly.


This might be my first MIS class before my MS.MBA program.


Result:



OSX at VNC Screen Shot



Related websites:









OSXVNC & RealVNC website









UltraVNC website

My first Blog-Post

This is my first Blog post....just wondering what I am going to share with my friends.....

Maybe I should leave the question and think it again tomorrow.


Good night.