Re: JAWS problem on new HP laptop

  • From: "Greg Epley" <gregepley@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 19:57:22 -0600

It will be a few days before we can run this trial, but I will pass along 
the results as soon as we can get them.
-Greg

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary King" <w4wkz@xxxxxxxx>
To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 4:27 PM
Subject: Re: JAWS problem on new HP laptop


> If you can use another computer to get your work done, uninstall JFW
> completely and let your wife use the computer for an extended period to 
> see
> if it still freezes up.  If it does, you'll know it's not a JAWS problem.
> If it doesn't, JAWS is at fault, and you can hope that JFW V.6.0 will 
> solve
> the problem.  Or you can go ahead and write to FS describing your computer
> hardware and software to see if they have a clue.
>
> Gary King
> mailto:w4wkz@xxxxxxxx
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Greg Epley" <gregepley@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 4:05 PM
> Subject: Re: JAWS problem on new HP laptop
>
>
>> Thanks for your help anyway, yes, it's going to be a tough little bugger
> to
>> find.  Next time I have a chance to try it and it seizes up on me, I'll
> try
>> letting it sit longer and keep periodically checking it to see if it 
>> comes
>> back on its own.  If I get some results there I'll update you on that.
>> -Greg
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "John Miller" <n1umj@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 3:55 PM
>> Subject: Re: JAWS problem on new HP laptop
>>
>>
>> > OK,  sorry can't help, if it came back I'd say there was a problem
>> > possibly
>> > hardware related as I just went through this but if it's just freezing,
>> > I'd
>> > have to look at it. Due to laptops all being made different and nothing
>> > much
>> > generic on them, it's tougher to diagnose them but good luck, sounds
> like
>> > something that should be fixable, it's just a case of finding the
> problem.
>> > ----- Original Message ----- 
>> > From: "Greg Epley" <gregepley@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> > To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 4:34 PM
>> > Subject: Re: JAWS problem on new HP laptop
>> >
>> >
>> > Hi,
>> > I've tried letting it sit for several minutes and it never returned to 
>> > a
>> > state where any sort of input was possible.  Have not let it sit any
>> > longer
>> > than that.  I am forced to hold in the power button in order to get it
> to
>> > go
>> > down.
>> > -Greg
>> >
>> > -Greg Epley
>> > Thinkzo Systems
>> > Web: http://www.thinkzo.com
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message ----- 
>> > From: "John Miller" <n1umj@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 2:19 PM
>> > Subject: Re: JAWS problem on new HP laptop
>> >
>> >
>> >> Now, when it freezes like that, does it come back on it's own? or do
> you
>> >> have to restart the machine?
>> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> >> From: "Greg Epley" <gregepley@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> >> To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> >> Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 2:42 PM
>> >> Subject: JAWS problem on new HP laptop
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Hello,
>> >> Before I describe the problem I'm having with a new laptop system and
>> >> JAWS,
>> >> here is the currently working laptop system for your reference:
>> >> JAWS 5.10.383
>> >> Windows XP Home Edition, SP2
>> >> Dell Inspiron 4000
>> >> Intel Pentium III 900MHz
>> >> 512Mb RAM
>> >> ATI Rage Mobility M3
>> >> ESS Maestro PCI Audio
>> >>
>> >> And here is the new laptop system that the problem is occuring on:
>> >>
>> >> JAWS 5.10.383
>> >> Windows XP Home Edition, SP2
>> >> HP Pavilion ZV5210US
>> >> AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+
>> >> 512Mb RAM
>> >> NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go 64M
>> >> SoundMAX Digital Audio
>> >>
>> >> Again, the software above has all been running fine on the Dell
> mentioned
>> >> above; I am also using the same speech synth on the HP as the Dell, 
>> >> but
>> >> have
>> >> tried using Elloquence and had the same problem.
>> >>
>> >> I thought perhaps someone here on the list might know of what is
> causing
>> >> the
>> >> conflict as the FS support database mentions no conflicts with the
> exact
>> >> hardware components on the HP system, or that perhaps someone had this
>> >> same
>> >> system and could help me troubleshoot the issue.
>> >>
>> >> I haven't contacted FS yet about this problem because I have no 
>> >> control
>> >> over
>> >> who responds to the support request, and I need someone I can count on
>> >> who
>> >> can get to the crux of the problem and get it fixed rather than 
>> >> blindly
>> >> grasping at straws, having no more idea than I do how to fix it.  I
> don't
>> >> need that; I can do plenty of that without anyone's help if I want.  I
>> >> want
>> >> to see what sort of response I get from list members first and then
>> >> proceed
>> >> from there.
>> >>
>> >> The problem:
>> >> I can be working along on the HP, when suddenly the whole system just
>> >> seems
>> >> to seize up.  JAWS stops talking; my wife reports the mouse pointer
> still
>> >> moves using a regular mouse or the touchpad, however, the mouse cannot
> be
>> >> used to open the start menu or anything, and neither an external full
>> >> size
>> >> keyboard or the laptop keyboard will function.  I therefore can't try
> to
>> >> launch Microsoft Narrator to see if it will talk.
>> >>
>> >> The above "seize up" occurs at random times.  I have kept records
> showing
>> >> I
>> >> ran these sessions:
>> >> 1 hour 52 min.
>> >> 49 min.
>> >> 6 min.
>> >> 10 min.
>> >> 52 min.
>> >> 25 min.
>> >> 58 min.
>> >> 1 hour 6 min.
>> >>
>> >> The last four usage sessions were run with the system being powered up
>> >> from
>> >> cold early in the morning and shut off around 6:30-7pm; so for the 
>> >> last
>> >> two
>> >> usage sessions for example, I ran 58 min. with no seize up, then the
>> >> system
>> >> just sat there until late afternoon/early evening, then I had a seize
> up
>> >> after 1 hour 6 min.; all the other times listed, I turned the system 
>> >> on
>> >> from
>> >> cold and used it for the time listed before it seized up.
>> >>
>> >> I have checked the system several times and compared how hot it got
>> >> compared
>> >> to the Dell, and the HP system is running far cooler, even when
> comparing
>> >> both laptops just sitting there doing nothing.  So that and the random
>> >> times
>> >> listed would seem to indicate the problem isn't heat related.
>> >>
>> >> There is nothing in any kind of diagnostic I have run on the HP to
>> >> indicate
>> >> any kind of hardware failure or conflict of a hardware nature or a
>> >> software
>> >> driver.
>> >>
>> >> Personally I feel the problem is JAWS and not some flaw in the 
>> >> computer
>> >> components.  Perhaps it is the processor, but as Windows XP SP2 seems
> to
>> >> have no issues otherwise, and the problem only occurs with JAWS usage,
>> >> that
>> >> would seem to indicate the issue is JAWS related.  If it is the
>> >> processor,
>> >> FS had better get their act together and get this figured out and
>> >> working,
>> >> because anyone shopping for a system is going to start ending up with
>> >> processors like this.
>> >>
>> >> Perhaps it is the SoundMax audio or the specific model NVIDIA  video
>> >> card.
>> >> The video intercept installed fine and has reported no problems under
> any
>> >> resolution or quality I've tried.  The sound has performed fine 
>> >> running
>> >> various applications other than the fact that I can't hear JAWS any
>> >> longer
>> >> once the system seizes up.  Again, if the problem is due to one of
> these
>> >> devices, FS had better get to fixing it as best they can; laptops
> aren't
>> >> like desktops; you pretty much end up with integrated sound and video
> you
>> >> have no choice over.
>> >>
>> >> I have an investment in the JAWS software of well over $1,000 at this
>> >> point,
>> >> and while I understand FS can't test or force their software to work
> with
>> >> everything, I likewise shouldn't be pinned down to only buying 
>> >> machines
>> >> with
>> >> certain processors or sound or video cards.
>> >>
>> >> The system is going nowhere.  I am keeping the system, even if it 
>> >> takes
>> >> FS
>> >> several years to come up to the state of the art processor and other
>> >> components in this HP laptop.
>> >>
>> >> I want to be very careful what I enable, disable, install or 
>> >> uninstall,
>> >> lest
>> >> I end up having to clean install a brand new laptop all because no one
>> >> here
>> >> on the list or at FS has any more idea than I do what is causing the
>> >> problem
>> >> and are just blindly grasping at straws to fix the problem.  I don't
> need
>> >> the latter; something is causing this problem and there is some way to
>> >> fix
>> >> it that doesn't require grasping at straws to fix.
>> >>
>> >> At this point I'd appreciate any constructive, positive feedback I can
>> >> get
>> >> on this seizing problem, as I'd like to begin getting full use out of
> my
>> >> brand new laptop.  No one is going to change my opinion of FS products
> so
>> >> let's just stick to the problem at hand and leave it at that.
>> >>
>> >> Oh BTW I should add that I checked the BIOS settings and there does 
>> >> not
>> >> appear to be anything in there that would seem to be something I could
>> >> disable or change that could solve the problem.
>> >>
>> >> The problem also does not appear to occur while using any particular
>> >> application (such as IE, Outlook Express, etc.).  I do not own any
>> >> competing
>> >> screedn reading product, and as the trial times for Dolphin's HAL and
>> >> G.W.
>> >> Micro's WindowEyes are only 30 minutes long, it would take me quite a
>> >> long
>> >> time running 30 min. sessions to try to stumble across one of the
> seizes
>> >> that might occur within that short time frame.  Besides which, one of
> the
>> >> things FS did a really good job on was the keyboard layout for JAWS 
>> >> vs.
>> >> the
>> >> competitors products.  I think this is just a matter of isolating what
> is
>> >> causing the problem, and perhaps FS fixing some flaw in their product
>> >> that
>> >> doesn't like the processor, sound card or video card on this HP 
>> >> laptop.
>> >>
>> >> The problem also doesn't appear to occur in a reproducable manner;
> i.e.,
>> >> I've had it seize up when I was really typing fast, but also when I
>> >> wasn't -
>> >> perhaps when I was just hitting one key after several seconds.  There
> is
>> >> just no pattern to it; it is like playing Russian roulette with my
> work -
>> >> do
>> >> something and save, do something and save, do something and BOOM -
> seize
>> >> up
>> >> without any warning.
>> >>
>> >> I haven't received my JAWS 6 shipment yet, so have no idea if JAWS 6
>> >> would
>> >> resolve the problem.
>> >>
>> >> Again, please offer any constructive, positive feedback if you think
> you
>> >> have any ideas as to what might be causing the problem.  I have client
>> >> work
>> >> I am trying to complete so please bear with me if I don't respond back
>> >> quickly; I will try suggestions as soon as I can and get back to any 
>> >> of
>> >> you
>> >> as soon as possible.
>> >> -Greg
>> >>
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