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Byteback
Chipset versus motherboard
QUESTION: What is the difference between a chipset and a motherboard? What is the approximate price at which I can buy a motherboard with a PCI express slot?
Asad Rauf Khan
Lahore
EDITOR’S REPLY: Chipset boards can be defined as motherboards with designated groups of microchips that are designed to work with one or more related functions. A motherboard chipset has both a general definition and a specific definition that varies from one manufacturer to the other.
Generally speaking, a motherboard chipset controls the features and abilities of the motherboard. If you understand which chipset a motherboard uses, you know a good deal about its potential features and abilities before even reading the motherboard’s specifications.
Modern motherboard chipsets nearly always consist of two separate chips. These two chips are called the north bridge and the south bridge. Together, they handle all communications between the processor, Ram, video options, PCI slots, Bios, ATA controller, USB ports, integrated modem, integrated Lan port and integrated sound. The chipset also determines the type of Ram that can be used.
There are a dozen or so reputable motherboard manufacturers and about a half dozen popular chipset manufacturers. The most popular chipset manufacturers are Intel, SiS and VIA. Intel and AMD provide specifications to the chipset manufacturers who, in turn, develop and sell chipsets with various features and abilities to motherboard manufacturers. Intel and AMD also create their own chipsets.
The basic difference between the chipsets and other boards is the degree of specialisation. Chipset boards tend to build everything into microchips — from processors to sound cards to modems. This, while increasing benefits to the end user, sometimes comes at the cost of increased speeds, bugs or general issues. It is also important to realise that chipsets are not like your motherboard BIOS which can be updated to add features.
Chipsets are also unlike a CPU chip, which can be removed and changed. Chipsets cannot be updated without replacing the entire motherboard. For prices, visit www.beliscity.com.
Yahoo! Messenger
I cannot open the setup file when I download Yahoo! Messenger 8.0 from the following link: C:\Documents and Settings\MARYAM\My Documents\yahoo\Yahoo! Messenger 8_0_0_508 Beta - 7_5_0_819 Free Download - Softpedia.htm. Please help.
Mansoor Ahmed Sandeelo
mansoor_sandeelo786@yahoo.com
Instead of trying to download through Torrents software, please visit http://messenger.yahoo.com/. Download the latest version of Yahoo! from there.
Download speed
I have a Pentium III having 500MHz and 256MB Ram with a satellite internet connection. Whenever I download something, the speed starts from about 40kb/sec and decreases to about 1KB. How can I increase it?
Ahsen Ali
chatwid_cancer@yahoo.com
I don’t know if you have a shared system or an exclusive one, nor am I sure whether this happens with all your files or just specific servers. You also did not specify the speed of your satellite connection.
40KB is just a single burst that you get in the start. It’s the consistent speed that determines the quality of your connection. In this case, the only thing I can advise you to do is to get your satellite modem checked. That might be the problem.
If you have a shared system — if you are sharing your bandwidth with other users — then you should try upgrading it to a faster link. If this happens with specific servers only, then this is a problem of limited bandwidth.
File errors
1. Whenever I install Windows Media Player 9, the following error message is displayed: “Extracting file failed. It is most likely caused by low memory (low disk space for swapping file) or corrupted cabinet file.” How do I solve this problem?
2. When I install Max Payne 1 the following message appears: “F:\Install.exe is not a valid win32 application.” Will it run well on my PC with the following specifications: 128MB Ram, 333MHz processor speed and no 3-D card?
Muhammad M.H.
handsom_007ever@hotmail.com
Both your problems occur because you are trying to run software made for advanced systems on systems that cannot support it. Windows Media Player 9 will work best with Win2K or WinXP, while Max Payne does require a Pentium III at the very least. Please upgrade your system if you wish to run these software.
Hidden files
I sent you a query related to the hidden files and tried following the procedure given by you some weeks ago. When I double-clicked on My Document folder, the tools option was not there. What do I do now?
Quratulain Syed
Karachi
We’re giving the procedure for all Windows OS. Please find yours in the list below:
Windows 98
1. Open My Computer.
2. Select the View menu and click on Folder Options.
3. Select the View tab.
4. In the Hidden files section select Show all files.
5. Click on OK.
Windows ME
1. Open My Computer.
2. Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
3. Select the View Tab.
4. Under the Hidden files and folders tab, select Show hidden files and folders.
5. Uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
6. Click on Yes to confirm.
7. Click on OK.
8. Click on Start, Programs and Accessories and open Windows Explorer.
9. Select a hard drive from the left-hand-side of the Windows Explorer window.
10. Select View the entire contents of this drive.
WindowsXP
1. Click on Start.
2. Open My Computer.
3. Select the Tools menu and click on Folder Options.
4. Select the View tab.
5. Under the Hidden files and folders tab select Show hidden files and folders.
6. Uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
7. Click on Yes to confirm.
8. Click on OK.
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