Topic: I have computer related questions. Can you help?

[BranDonk Kong]

You know my PC at works (used to be my home PC) is weird - it's a Dell E521 (BTX!) w/ Athlon X2 6000 CPU - the best heating solution I have found (which keeps it very cool) is actually a Core 2 Duo heat sink which actually only covers about 60% of the IHS. It's a fucking huge heat sink though.

Anyway, I was busy working on a Haskell project, I did download the guide for your motherboard but never had a chance to look until you figured it out. Never installed thermocouples on a PC before, didn't have a display. Good job figuring it out, hope you applied the thermal paste properly!

[BlackNMild2k1]

Thermocouples? these things?

Do they look like this?



Place them where you want to monitor your temperatures. CPU, Video Card, Chipset Cooler, Case, Power Supply.

I didn't install them yet. now that I know what it's called I can look it up though. They are just dangling in the case right now. and I didn't need any thermo paste as the CPU fan combo came with it already applied.
Are you saying I need to apply the thermo strip for the CPU between the CPU and fan?
because I really don't want to undo those 2 again as I don't know where my Arctic Silver is at and don't feel like tearing through the garage to find my old box of computer stuff from my last 2 or 3 computer builds.

[BranDonk Kong]

No you don't have to do that. I didn't realize you bought an HSF combo that came with it already applied. I don't know where to put those - is your display showing temps, and if you, say, put your hand around the tip (OF THE THERMOCOUPLE GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER) does it change? Either way I can't see this being accurate or really having any point. The CPU and GPU have (and many other components) have built-in thermometers that will be way more accurate.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'm assuming I can just lay them next to what I want to measure, as it displays on the front of the case.

[bustin98]

http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/apevia_x-jupiter_computer_case_review/index5.php

This shows an installation of the heat sensors.

[BlackNMild2k1]

http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/apevia_x-jupiter_computer_case_review/index5.php

This shows an installation of the heat sensors.

Thanx, that helps, I will attempt that next time I decide to go inside my computer.

[ShyGuy]

I finally did phase one of my 2014 upgrade for the PC. Gigabyte 990FX board, FX-6300 CPU and 8gb of Gskill RAM.

Best part? I didn't have to change a single thing in my Linux install. Just plugged it in and it found everything, no reinstall needed

Need to upgrade my HD, case and video card next.

[Plugabugz]

I need to install an SSD in 2014. I bumped the PC up from 8gb to 16gb of RAM already so this is the final piece left.

[BlackNMild2k1]

That's where I'm at right now.

new rig w/ 16GB of RAM
6 core 3.8ghz AMD cpu

I just found out that my 7750 1GB video card doesn't support GPU acceleration though (that's what the AMD software told me atleast). That was something I think I overlooked, not sure if I'll need it though.
I also overlooked that my selected motherboard didn't have onboard video.... that was quite the ordeal. thought I was going crazy.

[ShyGuy]

GPU acceleration with what application? CS6? I believe it should.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Quick question:
Windows 7 can network/file/printer share with Windows 8 right?


edit: and before I push Win 8 on this computer, this is the problem I'm trying to work around.


Windows logs onto the profile after about 3-4 minutes of waiting for it to load, and says that you have been logged onto a temporary profile:



anyone know how to address this? delete the profile and start a new one?
I think all the other profiles work fine.

or should I just go ahead and push Win 8.1 onto the computer?

[BranDonk Kong]

It should be compatible, even XP should work. I haven't shared a printer on a network in 10 years though, been using WiFi printers for a long time.

[BlackNMild2k1]

My Windows 8.1 install has failed 4 times now at 96% complete.

so now I'm doing a backup disc for some reason, even though I'm almost sure there is nothing on that computer I wish to save, just incase it fails on a complete wipe and install that I'm going to try next.
I kept trying to do the "save personal files" route as there may be a few small things I've overlooked.

Looks like the backup will take atleast 7 DVD's though... I don't have that much stuff on there that I need a 7DVD backup file. WTF Windows. couldn't I have gotten an option for basic backup?

[BranDonk Kong]

Are you using a legit version of Windows 8.1 (not that it should make a difference)? I get all Microsoft OSes for free through my school, so I can probably hook you up. Come to think of it though, the 8.1 download always stops at 100% but never completes.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ok, I've got Win 8.1 up and running on this computer. OMG do I hate the new interface. whose idea was this ****!?

anyway, onto things that matter....
1) It does not recognize my wireless adapter, so luckily I had a range extender near by that I can plug an ethernet cord into (using for the old Bluray player in the living room).

2) I cannot do 1080p on my 1080p monitor I have hooked up to this computer. WTF, it's either
1024x768 or 1280x1024

those are the 2 problems I've run against in the first 5 minutes of having this computer up on 8.1
I'm sure I'll be back in here with more very soon.


edit: 1 worked itself out after being connect through the range extender for a while. Problem 2 is still annoying me though.

edit 2: Why is my computer now a large mouse and keyboard driven non-touchscreen tablet? Who's idea was this?

edit 3: see next post

[BranDonk Kong]

BnM - install Classic Shell (classicshell.com, I believe) immediately. You get the start menu back (and can highly customize it too), and you can also assign the start screen to like shift+windows if you want.


You probably need to install the drivers for your GPU then you can set it to 1080p.

[BlackNMild2k1]

 a forced restart (I guess windows was updating in the background) has fixed that resolution issue.

So Classic Shell is the way to get my start button/menu back?
http://www.classicshell.net/  <---??

I got it to boot to the desktop, that tablet interface is not for me. But it should come in handy for other more limited users.

Anything else I should know to get my Win8 setup as close to Win7 as possible?


edit 1: is there anyway to make the apps on the Win8 start screen larger so fewer apps take up more of the screen?

edit 2: Is there a way to make the windows opaque? I don't like the solid color border on my windows. Why is Win8 moving backwards on some things?


edit 3: Can I join my Win 7 homegroup on my Win 8 computer, or do I have to join my Win 8 group from my Win 7 computer? or is it not possible either way, because I can't get them to join, but we can share printers on the same network.
-more details: Win 8 is not detecting the Win7 Homegroup. It says there is currently no home group. pics incoming.

Win 8 PC:



Win 7 PC:



edit 4: Nevermind, on the homegroups, my computers are just messing with me. they were hitting sleep mode too quickly or something, so I had to run upstairs and wake the computer and then run downstairs and access the homegroup window before the screen shut off on the downstairs I guess. Which is weird because they don't go to sleep in under 30 seconds.... They are just messing with me.

[BlackNMild2k1]

This "log into your Microsoft account" for all these app downloads is bullshit.
I'm setting up the second account in the computer, so I only need a few, but I don't want to create that email address ahead of time and I didn't want to use mine because it would log all of the activity for this account to my newly created MS Live account.... This is a pain in the ass.


Now I'm being forced to change it to MS account for the log in on the second acct too... This is bullshit.
I want a local log-in, not a MS account log in. HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THESE FORCED OPTIONS!!!?

[ShyGuy]

Microsoft needs to realize that times have changed and start putting Windows 8 out on iPhones and the PS4. Bill Gates needs to step down and they need to start money-hatting Steam and Google for Windows Exclusives. Also, get rid of name Windows 8. It's stupid and all the hard core computer users will associate it with Windows Vista.

[NWR_insanolord]

Didn't Bill Gates step down like 15 years ago? Hell, Ballmer's currently in the process of stepping down.

[oohhboy]

You just got shyguyed.

[BlackNMild2k1]

"new" computer, different problem.

this one is an old Dell netbook mini Inspiron 910
It has an Intel Atom dual core 1.6Ghz cpu and a miniscule amount of ram (1GB) and storage (3.4GB @ 100% usage).

Can't get on the internet because it doesn't have enough memory to open the browser.
Problem is that it's using Ubuntu 8.04, which I am very unfamiliar with, so I either want to put windows on it (XP/7/8.1) or a clean install of the most recent version of Ubuntu it will run and a little instruction on how to go about that.

Anyone have any experience with one of these little laptop things?
Which is the best route to take? I don't know how to use Linux, it's all foreign to me, so I wasn't sure what I could delete and what I couldn't delete. I just wanted a fresh install or a move to Windows.

[BranDonk Kong]

Just download the newest Ubuntu on a flash drive, it's pretty simple to set up. It's very much like OSX. Windows will never run good on a system like that (to be fair Ubuntu might not run that well either) - but if you're using it for web browsing, then there's no reason to bog it down with Windows. It's not that hard to get started with Ubuntu, you can find tutorials for just about anything, and it will help you a lot down the road to learn.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The installation of 12.04 is requiring 4.4GB of free space (which I don't even have 1kb of space), even though the documentation online says 44MB is all that's needed....
and requires an internet connection... (but no wifi support, or atleast not one I can get to work :/ )

Problem is how do I format this damn thing so that I have some space?
there appears to be no personal stuff on the computer. no pics, music, documents, games, files, nothing, but the entire 3.8GB HDD is in use.

The HDD Assesment says that DISK IS BEING USED OUTSIDE OF PARAMETERS
Looking at the SMART data it says that Attributes: 32,41,46,48,54 are Failing and Attributes 68 & 111 have failed in the past while 178 = used-reserve-blocks-chip has failed in the past

Does this mean that the HDD is no good and needs to be replaced? or is this stuff that a Format may fix? and how do I format this thing, because it won't let me do it from the 12.04 running off the HDD, and I can't figure out how to do it before it boots into Ubuntu 8.04 on the HDD or 12.04 on the USB.

HELP.

[BranDonk Kong]

HDD could be going to ****, I'm no professional with HDDs though, I ride them till the wheels fall off.