D-Link Print Server DPR-2000 - Windows 7 Printer Not Responding

I have a client who is running a HP 4250 Laserjet, with no network in the printer, this is the non 'N' version from HP. The printer runs fine when plugged into the USB port through Windows 7 and all is great. Client wanted to share the printer but not be reliant on a computer having to be on to be able to send print jobs.

The D-Link DPR-2000, slow print.

I thought I would try out a D-Link print server DPR-2000 to do the job, this way all users on the network can access when the computer isn't on, and this device will serve the print jobs.

After installing the device (not hard, one plug into the USB and other into network) and setting it up getting the users printing, over the coming days users noticed the computer being very slow, and printing was taking ages. I sort of didn't believe them as I was using a couple of computers and everything was running quick for me. That is until you click on the print button, the Windows print screen screen would take about 30 seconds to a minute to come up and the program in the background would usually say 'Not Responding' and grey out like its going to crash.

You will be waiting for this screen a lot with the DPR-2000

Puzzled I tried to search for answers thinking that this was a network issue with the computers, I had AVG running so I tried opening up IP ranges, turning off the firewall completely and nothing. I also had a look for firmware updates for the DPR-2000 of which I found none. Last resort was to remove the print server all together and use Windows to share the printer. Now there are no speed issues or anything no, 'Not Responding' errors etc.

So you buy a device to do one thing and it can't do it as well as Windows built in print serving, poor form D-Link. I will refrain from purchasing your products in future.

PC turns on sometimes, others no chance.

I had a client give let me look at their old computer which would not switch back on following a hard unexpected shutdown. Where clients monitor was still on saying 'No signal detected'. The client then tried to turn the computer back on with no success, nothing at all, no sound of the computer attempting to boot, seemingly no power.

The computer is around 4-5 years old so first thought was the motherboard or power supply. Upon receiving the computer I attempted to start it up, and it did, got into Windows Vista (yuck!) and then I was able to use as normal.

So quickly I copied all the content from the PC to a USB drive just in case this was a fluke. Turns out it was a fluke, as I tried to shutdown and then turn the PC on again I witnessed what the client described, no power, no lights.

Since at this stage I was thinking definitely power supply and motherboard and that it could cost a bit to replace if its a motherboard that has become faulty, the client decided not to proceed with diagnostics and that they would buy a new PC, the most important part was the data is recovered. Fair enough, so I gave the  PC back and everyone was happy.

Seeing as though the client had the computer originally built by a friend who knows hardware, the client took the computer back to their friend to get a second opinion. Long story short the friend apparently found what the issue was, the CMOS battery had died or become faulty. Usually when this happens I find the BIOS tells you that the battery is low or CMOS memory mismatch etc, this computer no signs.

Standard CMOS Battery

Replacement of the battery is cheap, so just another thing I can check in the future when diagnosing faulty hardware next time.

Overheating Acer 5741 series

Looked at a random switching off issue on an Acer 5741 Laptop the other day. Clients main use of the computer is as a media center and was saying that is would randomly shut down when it had been on for a while. 

This was actually the second Acer machine I looked at as I had another client with a similar problem in an All in One (Z5610( which turned out to be a heat issue, so for this case that's where I headed first.

The laptop has an intel i3 inside and and Nvidia GT320 so I suspect one of these to be the culprit, I set out trying to replicate the issue and get the laptop to shutdown. So let the torture begin, I used Prime95 for CPU stressing and FurMark to test the video card. Both are free and push your components to the limit. I first ran each test independently and the CPU was close to max hovering around 70 degrees under stress, video card was at around 75 - 80 degrees. So for a laptop I thought these were fairly high.

I couldn't get the laptop to shut down on me though.

That is until I tried running both tests at the same time, within about 30 seconds the computer shut down, the heat caused by both components must have freaked the fan out and the CPU jumped to around 90 degrees before shutting down.

Problem found, now to find a fix, I ventured to google to find instruction on how to open the laptop, quickly I found an awesome Services Guide which step by step tells you how to disassemble the system and put it back together, with pictures, great news. Now the plan was to go in look at the heat contacts on the CPU and Video card and clean/re-apply thermal paste to the contacts. Close it back up and test.

Opening was easy and as soon as I got to see the CPU and Video card it was quite evident what the problem was.

CPU Before

CPU After

Seems as though Acer had been quite sloppy when applying this in the factory as that did not look right to me at all. So began cleaning both the CPU, Video card and the heat sinks.

Heat Sinks before

Heat Sinks after

Applied Artic Silver Thermal Paste and sealed the laptop back up. Booted the system and went straight back to the CPU stress testing, CPU is now hitting 45-55 degress instead of 70 under stress. Video card also has improved 55-65 under stress whereas before it was closer to 80. Now the big question will it still restart running together. The answer no, I ran the test with both components under stress for 30mins and the CPU didn't come within 20 degrees of where it was before the clean out.

So another computer saved from the scrap heap where Acer staff reported this was a software error.