error message

Hi everyone
I gave my old computer to a neighbor kid and yesterday they called me and said it wouldnt boot up and was giving this error message-PXE-E61-media test failure-check cable
PXE-MOF:exiting LANDesk (R)
Service Agent
The computer is an ibm-windows ME
Does anyone know what this means?thanks

 

Hi Rita,

I found this about that message. Also I read somewhere about a defect ribbon cable or harddisk failure.

http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.cfm?catid=32&threadid=53873

Gerard

 

Thank you Gerard
I read the link you posted.If it was a hard disk failure is the computer shot?or can it be fixed?What is a ribbon cable?

 

ribbon cable is the data cable

 

thanks I looked it up also,so I guess to fix it,there would be a trip to the shop huh?I didnt find what causes this cable to fail.Does it just wear out?

 

I am not saying that cable causes the failure. Normally it sits there connected and stay connected for ever. But if you messing around in the box or disconnect and connect later manually there might be a failure.
Can you start that machine with a floppy? If so can you see the harddrive?

 

I dont know if it will start with a floppy or not,havent been over there just talked to her on the phone.I will go over and check it out this eve and see.thanks Gerard.

 

Ritaann,

From experience, I can also add, even a little tear, crack or hole means the ribbon should be replaced BEFORE you do anything else. If that's the problem, it might be the ONLY problem. And wouldn't that be nice!!?

Went through a whole bunch of changes, newbie-er than I am now, only to find out half the stuff I replaced wasn't the problem.

Hope that is the answer! What a nice neighbor you are!!

Marja

 

Hi Marja
and thank you!I hope it's something,that the whole computer isnt shot,and I hate to think I gave her a complete lemon.It worked fine when I had it but I wanted one with more memory and windows XP instead of ME.It had 128 ram and I figured it would be awhile before it would quit working.Guess a person never knows when they'll go on the blink,but I didnt purposely give her something about to break-I hope she understands that.you have a good day

 

I would apologize to the neighbor, take back the PC, and donate it to charity. It's a win-win solution.

Betcha the kid did something to the PC. Personally, I think your neighbor lacks common sense. Why would you give her a defective PC? And I'm sure she knows that you're not in the PC repair business. It's okay for the neighbor to ask about the fault. But she should close the issue once you've told her that you're not aware of this problem with the old PC.

 

Hi Nod32
She didnt accuse me of giving her a defective pc--I was just hoping she didnt think I did.shes only a 14 year old kid and wanted it only for games mostly.if it didnt cost to much I'd get it repaired(depends on price)you have a good day

 

If the kid didn't attempt to mod the PC, then I suspect the problem may be a loose board/connector/RAM module. Reseat everything inside/outside the PC. The kid won't get far with 128MB RAM. This PC will run office and surf the web. But I doubt if it will handle post 2001 games. I take it that you've wiped the HD and reloaded WME?

 

no,i didnt do anything to it just gave it to her like it was,it was fine last time I used it and she's used it probaly a month before this happened,said she just went to boot it up and it wouldnt do anything but give that message.She isnt even online just plays games and used the encarta to do homework.I figure maybe it just wore out but with no knowledge of computers to speak of I dont really know.

 

Well, it's very rare for IDE cable to go bad. I'd reseat the two IDE cables inside the PC. One IDE cable will be connected to the HD, and the other to the optical drive(s). If that doesn't fix the problem, then you should leave the "fixing" to her parents.

Don't trouble yourself with this problem. The PC didn't cost them any $. No harm, no foul.

 

Hi nod32_
I know your right,it's not my fault and there's no way I could fix it myself.I could do brain surgery just as well as I could fix it Thanks for the reply
Rita