Community Forums => General Chat => Topic started by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 12:03:19 PM
Title: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 12:03:19 PM
I have a 2 computer questions.
1st question: I just bought a new memory card for my computer Nvidia 9500 dual screen or something like that. The reason I bought it is because I wanted the dual screen set up between my WS monitor and my HDTV. The problem is that when I move videos over to the HDTV from monitor and fullscreen them I want to continue to surf the net on the computer monitor at the same time. Right now, if I have fullscreen on the HDTV and click on anything on the monitor, it exits fullscreen mode on the HDTV. Do I need to do dual desktop mode to make that work? I ask because it took me a while just to get the setup where the dominant screen(monitor w/ icons and task bar) was on the right and the HDTV was on the left, so when I move my mouse off the left side of the screen it would show up on the HDTV. I really don't want to mess with it again if I can help it.
2nd question: This is kinda related to the 1st question, but not really. I want to upgrade my processor in my computer to a Core2Duo (mainly so that multi tasking on two screens don't affect each other). If I upgrade my CPU, do I have to re-install everything?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Caliban on May 01, 2009, 12:53:48 PM
If I upgrade my CPU, do I have to re-install everything?
No.
Also make sure to know what kind of socket your motherboard has, so you don't end buying a processor that plugs in another kind of socket.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on May 01, 2009, 01:02:43 PM
What you want to do should be possible. I just tried it out with my two monitors here at work. I don't see why one of the monitors being an HDTV should mess anything up. What app are you using to play the video?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on May 01, 2009, 01:27:29 PM
I have this exact same issue. What I can figure out is that the video card knows the TV is a TV and not a true monitor. Yes, I have an HDTV LCD tv, and I am using an HDMI connection from the card to the tv. It might be bacause I am using HDMI instead of DVI, I don't know.
I just ended up saying screw you and connected my 360 to the PC as a media extender and now everything is great :)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 01:28:42 PM
Thanx Caliban
UPB: All sorts of apps. - Netflix, youtube, other sites that play videos/movies/shows The problem is I have it set up as one really wide desktop spread over 2 monitors and putting fullscreen would mean that the whole screen is covered. what I'm thinking is: If I'm clicking on something on the other screen that would void the rule of fullscreen and it the video reverts back to normal. I'm also thinking that a more capable processor might also solve the problem, and I planned on upgrading anyway, just need an excuse to do it sooner rather than later.
I guess I will try out the dual desktop thing and see how that works out.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on May 01, 2009, 03:46:32 PM
UPB: All sorts of apps. - Netflix, youtube, other sites that play videos/movies/shows The problem is I have it set up as one really wide desktop spread over 2 monitors and putting fullscreen would mean that the whole screen is covered.
The same thing happens in my situation with youtube. This is probably a web browser thing. Try a dedicated video playing app like Windows Media Player to see if that works.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 04:15:50 PM
I'll give that a shot, but I have a new question. edit: Internet explorer stays at fullscreen, so maybe it is a browser thing
I have a socket 775 motherboard that on the box says it is core2duo ready. can I get a socket 775 core2quad instead since its almost the same price and not have an issue?
& do you think there is a big difference between a Core2Duo @ 2.93/3.0Ghz($30 difference) and a Core2Quad @ 2.33/2.5Ghz($20 difference)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: DAaaMan64 on May 01, 2009, 05:14:35 PM
Warning, reinstalling the stock heat sink on a c2d is annoying. Also You main not see to much performance increase for you basic stuff like web browsing.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 05:21:06 PM
I'm not looking for a web browsing boost. I want to run videos/games full screen on one the HDTV while leaving an open browser up on the monitor. I don't want one to affect the other.
I also want to do a little bit of future proofing, cause I might get into some sort of video/music editing, and I might start gaming more on this computer. So I should probably go with the C2Quad?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: DAaaMan64 on May 01, 2009, 05:46:24 PM
Personally, CPUs are really really powerful these days. Other portions of hardware (esspecially HDs) is what really holds you back. If you are in a money crunch the C2D will do fine. But if not go with the C2Q.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 05:49:37 PM
so on a socket 77f board, I shouldn't have a problem with a socket 775 compatible C2Q?
thats good to know. I think I'll wait another week and see if tiger Direct has another sale though.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on May 01, 2009, 05:56:54 PM
so on a socket 77f board, I shouldn't have a problem with a socket 775 compatible C2Q?
thats good to know. I think I'll wait another week and see if tiger Direct has another sale though.
You've got to look up the specs for your board to see if the Quad is even truly compatible. Better to not assume things based just on the product series numbers.
I've had problems with boards in the past where I couldn't jump to the next step simply because it was made during a fringe period before newer standards were finalized and on the market.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 06:15:44 PM
the board is ready for C2D, you think C2Q might be a problem?
I really don't want to start from scratch with a new motherboard. Not right now atleast. all that I went through to get this computer working the first time, hardware and software installation was a nightmare.
I'll look it up later, I gotta finish my Chuck marathon. I'm on the last episode of s1
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 01, 2009, 07:24:09 PM
I just checked my motherboard CPU support list http://www.ecsusa.com/ECSWebSite/Support/CPU_Support_Model.aspx?detailid=704&MenuID=69&LanID=9
It looks like it supported every Core2 that they tried, but the list looks incomplete compatible w/ Intel Core 2 Quad processor Q6700 = $209
thats more expensive that some of the newer models that come packaged with fans. Whats the difference between Kentsfield (listed C2Q) and Yorkfield?
I was hoping to get something in the $150-180 range when its on sale for about $120-150.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on May 02, 2009, 10:11:35 AM
How old is your motherboard? Just because it can fit a C2D or C2Q doesn't mean it will take advantage of what those CPUs can offer. Also, if you bought the 9500 at a store, I'd take it back and save up a little more and get an 8800 or 9800 instead, look online. An 8800 is typically a much better card than a 9500 - it's the 2nd number that counts. Yorkfield is a newer revision of the CPU with a larger cache.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 02, 2009, 11:21:39 AM
Also, if you bought the 9500 at a store, I'd take it back and save up a little more and get an 8800 or 9800 instead, look online. An 8800 is typically a much better card than a 9500 - it's the 2nd number that counts. Yorkfield is a newer revision of the CPU with a larger cache.
Well I bought it online (TigerDirect) & it does what I want, besides, this is just the 1st computer that I built. I think I'm gonna give it to this girl in trade for a new QuadCore starter Kit on TigerDirect @ some point in the near future. So I'm gonna take everything that I've learned upto this point (including this thread) & build something better.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on May 03, 2009, 11:14:17 PM
Tiger Direct typically sells old outdated stuff at (seemingly) big discounts. They used to be better than they are now. I'm not trying to talk you out of upgrading your current PC - upping the CPU is basically the cheapest option, so by all means go for it. Get your CPU from Newegg.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 07, 2009, 03:52:39 PM
I have a new (actually old) problem. My computer has an issue with random freezing. Its not very common but very consistent. In other words it doesn't happen often but I can predict situations when it will happen. (downloading & opening certain threads)
Do you think upgrading the CPU to a Core2 would solve this issue?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: DAaaMan64 on May 07, 2009, 04:05:55 PM
Can you describe it better? What happens if you use a different browser? A hardware change should really do that for you, it *sounds* software related.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on May 07, 2009, 04:06:46 PM
If your CPU is the cause of your problems, then it's most likely because it's getting too hot, and a more powerful CPU will generally be hotter. However, it's more likely to be a software problem, especially if it's predictable.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 07, 2009, 04:22:11 PM
Happens alot when downloading torrents. Especially if the downloading gets to fast, I have to throttle it. Also happens when opening certain threads(usually with lots of pics in them), but not all the time.
I figured it was software related, but the question is what software? could Azureus (aka Vuze) be part of the problem? Threads freeze in both FF & IE. Certain threads will freeze every time while other threads will freeze randomly if... say I have... Outlook open or something.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: KnowsNothing on May 07, 2009, 04:46:23 PM
Holy god do not use Vuze...Azureus used to be good but it's a completel pile of **** now. I don't know the best program out there, but in windows I tend to prefer uTorrent and in OSX I use Transmission. Transmission isn't the greatest or most feature-filled app out there, but I always get MUCH faster speeds with it for some reason, even with closed ports.
As for your freezing problem...how are you connected to the interwebs? Are you by any chance using a USB WiFi dongle? I know it's a stretch, but I have had the exact same problem as you (regarding torrents, especially) with two different USB dongles...I'm never using one of those things again.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on May 07, 2009, 05:11:52 PM
uTorrent is great.
SeaMonkey is great.
IE7 crashes my 8-core CPU 16GB RAM Workstation at work.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 07, 2009, 05:39:39 PM
My Azureus is now called Vuze but the look and the options never changed. It's a very different program than what my friend uses that is callled Vuze, even when his is in advanced mode.
I guess I'll make the switch to uTorrent like I almost did oh so long ago. I heard it was like Azureus lite anyway.
As for my connection, I'm on a wireless connection from the router upstairs to the wireless card I installed in my computer. D-Link DWL-G510
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on May 08, 2009, 03:08:13 PM
Definitely use uTorrent. If it's bandwidth killing your system, you might just need new drivers for your DWL-G510.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 08, 2009, 07:41:52 PM
Here is an example of a thread I can't enter. computer freezes immediately as it starts to load.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Caliban on May 08, 2009, 08:46:15 PM
o-m-g
lolz
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on May 08, 2009, 09:31:49 PM
Yes, yes... I can see why your computer freezes. I think you are overclocking and the cpu just can't handle the heat.
Time to install some liquid cooling.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 08, 2009, 10:44:01 PM
I knew someone would comment on the content of the linked thread instead of the possible problem. I almost edited in a comment of my own just to beat anyone else to it, but why not let you have your fun?
So any ideas on what is loading that would make my computer freeze?
'll keep clicking things and see what other threads make it freeze so you have more than one sample.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on May 08, 2009, 11:02:14 PM
Oh, you were serious?
Did you try other browsers?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 08, 2009, 11:17:56 PM
It was freezing in both IE & FF, but now it loads in both.
I used to have this same problem with my old computer, but all my hardware is new and I barely have some of the same software as before. Is there another program that can detect software incompatibility?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Caliban on May 08, 2009, 11:20:13 PM
Have you ran a virus scan? It might be something using up all your RAM. Do Ctrl+dAlt+Del, check the processes and see if you see anything unusual.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 08, 2009, 11:39:19 PM
I have McAfee it finds nothing Malwarebytes finds nothing trojan finder finds nothing Adaware finds nothing that MS onecare scanner... nothing
I just uninstalled azureus(utorrent replaced it) and restarted before trying that thread again. do you think that could be a reason why it didn't freeze? Azurues & AdAware are the only two programs that were brought over from my old computer, besides the same disc of windows that I used to install the OS
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 10, 2009, 05:55:27 PM
Another tread that that freezes me up. IE & FF. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=361166 anyone have any ideas?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on May 10, 2009, 06:13:36 PM
Rather then start a new thread, I have a problem. Due to a lack of funds, I got a 2GB memory card from PNY (it was $6.50, although I think I should have spent the extra $3.50 to get a 2GB SanDisk card). Besides the problem copying Wii files to it (only some of my Virtual Console games can be copied or moved), the bigger problem is with my PC. When I put it into my laptop, nothing happens. It doesn't recognize the card at all, I know my laptop reads SD cards because I used to have a 512MB SanDisk brand SD card before it was stolen. Any suggestions?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Caliban on May 10, 2009, 08:42:49 PM
Have you tried looking here: http://www3.pny.com/support/support.aspx?UserID=16553145&SessionID=BxaI9YYKNz8BEVekWvg2
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on May 11, 2009, 12:49:31 AM
when you say freezes, does it hardlock so the the keyboard and mouse don't respond? What type of CPU do you have?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 11, 2009, 01:24:38 PM
when I say freezed, I mean I have to so a hard reset of the computer (pushing the reset button).
Advanced Performance Series CPU: Intel P4 641 3.2GHz
It doesn't appear to be directly from Intel (Tiger Direct refurbished?), my next CPU will be brand new in an Intel box, no excuses.
Title: Help me buy a new CPU
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 10, 2009, 09:53:59 AM
Another sale from Tiger Direct. This time its an Intel CPU brand New and in the box
Does this sound like a good deal or should I hold out for longer?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on June 10, 2009, 12:24:23 PM
Looks like a good deals. Seems people are saying it has features that newer models are missing. BTW, NewEgg has it at the same price with free shipping.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 10, 2009, 01:11:18 PM
Looks like a good deals. Seems people are saying it has features that newer models are missing. BTW, NewEgg has it at the same price with free shipping.
I'm assuming you looked it up just now, so do you have a link? Does anyone know if a CPU comes with that coolant gel, or do I have to get more for the CPU switch??
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on June 10, 2009, 04:58:05 PM
I haven't seen CPUs come with gel, but they should come with a packet of heatsink grease. Is that what you're talking about?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 10, 2009, 05:23:04 PM
yeah, the heat sink grease. I forgot what it was called.
Would you recommend a certain type over another?
And is there any difference between Dual Core and Core2Duo other than branding?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 10, 2009, 05:32:13 PM
Whatever you want to call it, it should be in the box if you buy the retail version. There's generally no reason to buy anything else.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 10, 2009, 05:39:16 PM
Last time I did a cpu install, my friend brought his own grease and said it was way better than the stuff the cpu had come with. That's why I asked.
But is there any real difference between Dual Core & Core2Duo? Cause I kinda wanted a Core2Duo just because it sounds better... damn marketing.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on June 10, 2009, 06:02:09 PM
Thermal Paste is typically Lithium Grease. This is a compound that will not dry but stay liquid or semi-liquid for a long time. The purpose of Thermal paste is to conduct heat from the CPU to the heatsink. The liquid fills in any microscopic gaps between processor and heat sink so that you don't get any pockets of extremely hot air against the CPU.
While Lithium Grease is white in color there are other heatsink compound variants. A popular variation is silver based thermal grease which uses Silver as its base ingredient. Silver is a highly heat conductive metal and the theory is that it will transfer heat more efficiently. They also make Copper and Gold based thermal compounds.
Most new heat sinks ship with a packet of paste or a pre-applied layer of compound. There are also thermal tape variants which are more solid but serve the same purpose; to give full contact on the surface of the chip and to conduct the heat.
A thing to keep in mind when dealing with Thermal paste is you often want to remove the old paste and apply new when installing a new processor. This ensures full contact. Chemical removal of previous Thermal compound is recommended as removing with a razor blade has the risk of put a nick in your heat sink, which can lead to a heat pocket.
Another important item when dealing with the new application of grease is not to apply too much. This is a common mistake. You only need a thin layer over the top of the CPU (1mm thick) Too thick a layer of thermal compound causes the grease to act as an insulator rather than a conductor. A tiny packet of thermal compound has enough grease for a dozen processors.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 10, 2009, 06:03:39 PM
Last time I did a cpu install, my friend brought his own grease and said it was way better than the stuff the cpu had come with. That's why I asked.
But is there any real difference between Dual Core & Core2Duo? Cause I kinda wanted a Core2Duo just because it sounds better... damn marketing.
The grease thing is kind of like Monster branded cables. The products target the same enthusiasts who like blue LEDs in their power supplies.
I have no idea what the technical differences are, but Wikipedia says:
Quote
In terms of features, price and performance at a given clock frequency, Pentium Dual-Core processors are positioned above Celeron but below Core and Core 2 microprocessors in Intel's product range.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 10, 2009, 07:21:58 PM
I did a little sleuthing on my own, and it seems the only differences is power consumption, as Core Duo & Core2Duo were designed with use in laptops in mind.
I don't know how accurate that is, but I really don't know who to ask.
and after some looking around on newegg... I think I might have picked a winner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115206 only $40 more. You think its worth the extra $40 or should I just get the other one?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on June 10, 2009, 11:00:06 PM
Core 2 Duo is the newer generation of dual core cpus from Intel. They have an improved architecture that has better performance. With the same specs, a Core 2 Duo is slightly faster due to the optimization.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 10, 2009, 11:48:35 PM
OK. I'm gonna buy it tomorrow.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 14, 2009, 10:31:59 PM
New problem. Different Computer.
Laptop won't boot up windows. Gets a blue screen for a split second and then restarts. I'm pretty sure I just need a boot disc for it, but where can I download one that I can trust? Windows XP is the OS.
I tried to hook a USB cable up to it thinking I could access the HDD and save some of the data, but that has been unsuccessful. I don't have a Windows disc to perform a repair install, so my only two options that I can think of are 1) remove the HDD, turn it into an external then hook it up to my PC or 2) Find a XP boot disc that will let me get the computer up and running.
Does anybody know where I can find one that is trust worthy? I don't want to put my computer at risk to save someone elses.
edit: nevermind, problem solved.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 23, 2009, 05:49:14 PM
So I finally get around to installing my new CPU (Core2Duo) only to find out that it doesn't come with the cooling gel.
I thought somebody in this thread said that whatever gel it comes with should be good, implying that it would come with it.
Now I have to wait till tomorrow when I can goto Fry's.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 23, 2009, 06:40:53 PM
Are you sure it's not already applied to the bottom of the heatsink assembly? Did you buy a retail box or an OEM one? OEM stuff comes with nothing extra on the assumption that you have vast quantities of it on your assembly line.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 23, 2009, 06:44:30 PM
I got the retail box. Blue Intel box with a 45nm sicker on the outside.
When I open it up, there is a fan and a processor and they both look dry. No gel applied or included in the box.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on June 23, 2009, 06:52:55 PM
Intel is learning to save money by putting OEM products in pretty retail boxes.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 23, 2009, 07:09:39 PM
I got the retail box. Blue Intel box with a 45nm sicker on the outside.
When I open it up, there is a fan and a processor and they both look dry. No gel applied or included in the box.
Just to be clear, there's just smooth, bare metal on the heat sink?
You can probably just borrow your friend's stuff again. It doesn't take much, so those little tubes can go a long way.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 23, 2009, 07:41:01 PM
(http://i43.tinypic.com/344ds8j.jpg) ^^Looks like a little rubber pad when viewed up close.
(http://i42.tinypic.com/e8k8bp.jpg) ^^smooth brushed metal with some text
(http://i41.tinypic.com/b4cdqw.jpg) ^^The retail box that it came in. Only other thing in the box besides the plastic case the fan and CPU cam in was the instruction booklet
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 24, 2009, 03:54:43 PM
What does it mean if I can't get my current fan to disconnect from my current CPU? Its almost like its glued together.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 24, 2009, 04:02:03 PM
It pretty much is glued together by the solidified thermal grease.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 24, 2009, 04:05:31 PM
how do I get it loose without destroying it?
is this why people use more expensive thermal grease?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on June 24, 2009, 04:08:18 PM
Small flat tip screwdriver usually works. That rubber looking pad will melt and form a conductive seal on the CPU. It would smush if you stuck your finger on it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 24, 2009, 04:17:38 PM
Whats a good way to remove the excess dried up thermal grease?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on June 24, 2009, 04:23:23 PM
lint free cloth and small amount of citrus based cleanser.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 24, 2009, 04:32:33 PM
I have no citrus cleanser, nor Rubbing alcohol, what else would work?
(I'm trying to avoid another trip to the store if possible)
I have some Lemon Oil Old English Wood Polish.... its citrus based!! I don't think I should use that though.
edit: I have to leave the house now anyway, so what exactly is the best thing to use?
a quick google search suggest acetone or rubbing alcohol. What comes recommended?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on June 24, 2009, 04:45:19 PM
I use orange cleaner. Windex would probably work in a pinch
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 24, 2009, 05:31:41 PM
That rubber looking pad will melt and form a conductive seal on the CPU.
D'oh! I missed that last night. Yeah, that was the thermal compound, BnM.
Why do you need to separate the old CPU and heat sink, anyway?
The CPU is latched down inside a metal enclosure and the fan was on top of that. I couldn't get the latch open because the fan was in the way, and when i did finally get it open I couldn't remove teh CPU because the the fan was still attached to it.
Either way, I was just gonna re-use the same fan, but cleaning it off is more of a hassle that I bargained for right now, so I'm just gonna remove the mother board and use the heatsink that came with the CPU.
This whole project just makes me wish I bought a new motherboard and started from scratch. This whole day isn't going as I planned at all.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 24, 2009, 08:06:19 PM
I accidentally touched the MB CPU connector while trying to remove the metal flap that hold the CPU down so that I could get all that hardened grease off of it. Is that gonna pose a problem?
After all that work and checking for compatibility before hand, it turns out that the board doesn't support the chip because it runs at 266mhz bus speed or something.
Now I need to re-connect the old CPU and Fan (which was a bitch the first time around). and just get a new motherboard to go with this CPU. Now I wish I had sprung for the Core2Quad instead. >:(
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on June 24, 2009, 08:34:07 PM
Did you send an ESD to the board while touching the socket? keep your power supply plugged in to a grounded outlet and touch its metal once in awhile to ground yourself.
1066mhz bus.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 24, 2009, 08:43:14 PM
I don't think I've ever upgraded a CPU without upgrading the motherboard. I'd probably have to upgrade yearly to be able to do so without running into some kind of problem, even if the CPU socket's supposedly the same.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 24, 2009, 09:13:09 PM
The board seems to work fine. After checking the MB manufacture site again, I bought the wrong CPU (one above what I was supposed to get) and the only thing I can even find available thats compatible (C2Quad) is $199.00
That wouldn't be a problem if I could return the CPU I just bought & just add more money to an exchange.
I wish I could clean my old cpu so i can use my own computer
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on June 25, 2009, 10:20:10 AM
For future reference, if you use GooGone or the like to clean your CPU/heatsink, then you need to go back and thoroughly clean that crap off with rubbing alcohol. Also, I'd recommend getting some Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste, the stuff that ships on the packaged heatsinks is usually not that great, though of course it still works. You can get it online for pretty cheap, of get it at Radio Shack for $10. Put a rice-grain sized drop on the top of the CPU die, then use a credit card or a razor blade to spread it evenly, and paper thin across the CPU, corner to corner.
Title: I got the gunk off the fan.
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 25, 2009, 12:11:51 PM
Wanna know how I got my fan clean (CPU is next), I told this girl I gotta go to the store to buy some Rubbing Alcohol, and she told me to use hers. But since she had that, I told her that Acetone was actually recommended. She said she has that too, and handed me Nail Polish Remover. The other girl that was there told me not to use that stuff because its not strong enough, and to go to her house and use her salon strength "Pure Acetone" since she used to do nail a while back.
So I take her keys and go pick it up from her place, but I wasn't very good at getting the gunk off and was trying to resort to chipping at it with the screwdriver (it was on there thick, my friend had said he put a little bit too much on). Well anyway, I met the other girl back at ther house later to give her her keys back, and brought the fan and the CPU. So far she has cleaned the Fan spotless in about an hour and she is gonna do the CPU today!!
Too bad I already ordered a replacement CPU (C2Quad 6700) since I really want to upgrade the performance of my computer. C2Duo is gonna get put in the next computer I build maybe later this fall. Current Pentium D I have wil probably get tacked onto my MB and see if I can get a 3rd computer up and running in my house just for fun.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 01, 2009, 08:15:32 PM
Got the Quad core installed. it starts the initial boot up just fine and recognizes the processor, but now it won't boot from my HDD.
It says "Reboot and select proper boot device or or insert proper boot device into selected drive"
I've hit F8 and selected both HDDs that I have installed (because I don't remember which is which) and get the same result with both. What do I do?
Edit: issue resolved. Now posting from my Quad core computer :D
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on July 01, 2009, 11:59:29 PM
Tight work. I'm going to install a Quad Core in my laptop when I get some extra money. Gotta keep up with the Joneses.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 02, 2009, 01:28:07 AM
It was a stupid problem too. I'm surprised I didn't catch it earlier, but if I didn't spend the greater part of the afternoon playing Tiger Woods, I might have figured it out sooner.
The power cable came unplugged from the main HDD and thats why it kept trying to boot from the secondary one. durp de durr
Title: Wireless Router issues. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 02, 2009, 01:18:56 PM
Final issue with this computer, i hope.
I got tired of always losing reception from the router to my computer downstairs, so I decided to upgrade my router to one that was still supported by its manufacturer with updates and new drivers.
I tossed my old D-Link DI-524 for a brand new Linksys WRT54GL with two antennas for better reception.
Now my problem is that I still have a D-Link wireless card in my computer downstairs (didn't think that would be a problem) and i keep a strong signal, but i keep losing a connection. I'm constantly having to disconnect and reconnect from my computer downstairs.
What are the things I should check for? & Should I just get a new wireless card to match my router?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on July 02, 2009, 01:31:02 PM
The fact that "matching" seems to be necessary indicates the routers/cards are made of fail.
Should've just bought a NetGear router, and automatically play nice with everybody.
/netgear fan since 1999
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on July 02, 2009, 02:05:57 PM
Go into the properties of the wireless card. You should see a tab called wireless connections or something (second tab). Its a list of all the connections you have connected to. There's probably only one in there unless you have connected to a neighbor's.
Delete it, then go into the wireless connection wizard and reconnect to the network. This should clear it up for you.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: kraken613 on July 02, 2009, 02:09:08 PM
I have used Linksys for years and love them. You should not have to do buy a matching one. I have used different brands with different routers all the time. They all work the same pretty much.
Ok, first I would say change your wireless channel. Do you have it protected? You know how to log into your router right? 192.168.1.1 Then if you have no password it will be linksys and password will be admin.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Patchkid15 on July 02, 2009, 02:33:01 PM
Linksys is my brand of choice, i just upgraded to one of their newer model Routers...Works perfectly with my USB wireless adapter
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BwrJim! on July 02, 2009, 03:14:01 PM
One thing I noticed too is the pieces on a wireless network seem to take time before some of them begin to like each other more. Usually about a 2 week period. One way you can help troubleshoot is to completly dump any trace of current drivers of the dlink card. Then of course get some drivers, first try a generic version of your hardware, since you already know what it is, using a generic driver may increase compatibility and what not. Grabbing the latest drivers from the manf and a clean install works a lot of times as well.
But, I would just give them some time first.. time to handshake, make friends. Or you could reset your router settings to basic for a sec, establish that a good connection can happen and then start the lockdown. but there are so many things, you may just want to google a network test and run it on your equipment.
Netgear has almost always been a solid choice but my brand preference landed with linksys before cisco took em over. still though I am running a wrt54g and this is the second time that linksys has had a hit and miss attitude. So, I am going to the netgear side next time, is there by chance a recommended one on the cheap side of things?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 02, 2009, 07:04:33 PM
I went with Linksys because I was having reception problems & it has two antennas. My router is upstairs and my computer is below alot of other A/V equipment. I already bought an antennae extender for my computer, so I was hoping that wasn't the issue anymore.
The main reason I finally hooked up the linksys though, is that I'm trying to do more work from home and needed to hook up an inexpensive phone line. So as soon as I got the Quad up and running, I plugged in the Magic Phone Jack, but the connection would slow (like when I try to watch Netflix movies sometimes) to the point where it wouldn't work. The problem kept happening after I switched routers, and the final nail in the coffin was my internet completely dieing on me earlier this morning.
I've got the Comcast issue fixed, and my router seems to be working just fine right now, but I haven't tried making a call on my Magic Jack yet, so I don't know if the problem is fixed. Just the fact that the Linksys is only giving me a low signal strength with 18mbs right now is kinda irritating me. How do I ensure a High signal strength on a clear sunny day? I'm the only one using the router in the house.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 06, 2009, 06:22:05 PM
Alright. I've had enough of trying to get the D-Link & Linksys to hand shake. I just uninstalled my D-Link and then reinstalled all the drivers and now I have a slightly better connection. But instead of dealing with this headache, I'm just gonna buy a new wireless card for my PC and use my D-link in a different PC that I'm gonna build from left-over parts later.
Which Linksys wireless card would any of you recommend? remember that I have a Linksys WRT54GL and am looking for the best performance compatibility.
edit: Should I invest in a Wireless N router & a compatible wireless card while I can find the router for $40?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 06, 2009, 10:56:58 PM
I just looked into a few Wireless N router that broadcast in the 5Ghz range.
Does anyone know if that is the route to take or is there a cheaper and quicker solution to my problem?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 07, 2009, 12:27:14 PM
that sounds good to me unless you want to run a cable.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 07, 2009, 01:54:03 PM
Wireless N w/ 5Ghz range is pretty expensive and might have to wait a bit.
$150-250 for the router and $60-90 for the wireless card, and thats for the Draft 2 which still isn't even a finalized standard. What is the deal with Wireless N anyway? why is it still in the experimental stage with no set standards?
I've decided to try a few router setting tweaks and cordless phone base placement experiments first and see if I can fix this problem without spending anymore money.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 07, 2009, 02:12:15 PM
Ok. I just found the answer to my problem, and thought I should post it just incase anyone else runs into something similar.
My wireless is broadcast on 2.4Ghz and so is my cordless phone.
the answer to my solution is to either 1.) go experiment by changing the channels on my router and phone (keeping them 5 channels apart). some phones tend to change channels automatically so it can be a problem
2.) Buy a new cordless phone. They have 5Ghz phones and the new standard Dect 6.0 lots of 5Ghz phones also operate on the 2.4Ghz range and may still cause interference, Dect 6.0 operates on the 1.9Ghz range and is considered "wireless-friendly"
3.) Go with Wireless N, a 5Ghz draft 2 version that can be kinda expensive and unecessary, and is still using un-standardized specs. meaning future Wireless N products may not be fully compatible.
----------------------------
So as soon as I make it home today, I will be going with option 2, as the girls house I'm at, who got her Magic Jack after me and bought a new cordless phone to go with it, doesn't have any of my problems. When I was checking her equipment, her phone said Dect 6.0 on it, but I had no idea what that was, as I haven't used a house phone in almost 4 years (strictly cell phone). She got her phone for $20 from Wal*Mart, so I'm just gonna find me a good Dect 6.0 phone like hers.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Stogi on July 07, 2009, 03:45:06 PM
Dude, why didn't anyone tell me Rihanna had nude pictures out?!
*checks photos*
Meh...I've had better.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shift Key on July 08, 2009, 05:20:15 AM
3.) Go with Wireless N, a 5Ghz draft 2 version that can be kinda expensive and unecessary, and is still using un-standardized specs. meaning future Wireless N products may not be fully compatible.
I found a good B/G/N router for AU$140 (Linksys) over six months ago. Don't let the "Draft 2" spec worry you - aside from one driver issue with Vista, it's working perfectly.
Massive throughput gains over G. Better coverage (multiple antennae). And its becoming a standard feature with laptops too. Any changes between now and the finalization of the standard will be backwards compatible with existing hardware.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 08, 2009, 05:34:34 AM
I went with option 2 and bought a Panasonic DECT 6.0 phone. It no longer interferes with my wireless signal, but I was still having handshake problems between my Linksys router and D-Link wireless card.
My next step is to go buy a linksys wireless card. Wireless N will be saved for a future upgrade during richer times. I'm pretty tapped at the moment thanks to all my frivolous spending over the last few weeks.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 11, 2009, 11:10:15 PM
I found the perfect router, but I already spent all my money and I'm not sure if I can still return the one I bought.
Either way, with my computer, if its not one problem, its m*****f***** nother....
Now my "Wireless Network Connection" software is malfunctioning. My internet says its connected wirelessly, but I get no internet connection. When I goto repair or disable/reconnect by right clicking the icon on the tray, it gets stuck in the disabling phase. When I try to close the program, it won't close. When I goto "view wireless networks" so I can see my router I'm connecting to, I try to click disconnect and then connect again, but it get hung up in the authorizing phase and never actually connects.
I've tried resetting the router first, and still have either of those two problems still. The only fix is to reset the computer for a fresh connect. Is it the computer? Is it the router? Do I need to do a windows repair job?
p.s. this started to happen after I uninstalled all the software for my wireless card and reinstalled it, then ran the home network setup through windows to try and force a handshake between D-link and Linksys. I can only reconnect on a reboot now, but when its connected, it works fine. After long periods of inactivity is disconnects and thats where the problem starts.
Anybody know what I should do? My phone is hooked up through the internet and I need the connection on at all times.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: stevey on July 19, 2009, 04:49:10 PM
Now my "Wireless Network Connection" software is malfunctioning. My internet says its connected wirelessly, but I get no internet connection. When I goto repair or disable/reconnect by right clicking the icon on the tray, it gets stuck in the disabling phase. When I try to close the program, it won't close. When I goto "view wireless networks" so I can see my router I'm connecting to, I try to click disconnect and then connect again, but it get hung up in the authorizing phase and never actually connects.
I've tried resetting the router first, and still have either of those two problems still. The only fix is to reset the computer for a fresh connect. Is it the computer? Is it the router? Do I need to do a windows repair job?
p.s. this started to happen after I uninstalled all the software for my wireless card and reinstalled it, then ran the home network setup through windows to try and force a handshake between D-link and Linksys. I can only reconnect on a reboot now, but when its connected, it works fine. After long periods of inactivity is disconnects and thats where the problem starts.
Anybody know what I should do? My phone is hooked up through the internet and I need the connection on at all times.
Maybe a shot in the dark, but people with defective nVidia cards have reported wireless problems that can only be fixed by restarting their computers (although no one seem to be sure of what the connect is) and their is a growing number of nVidia cards in desktops that are starting to fail.
Next time it acts up, check your cards temperature...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on July 19, 2009, 05:06:18 PM
RROD
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 19, 2009, 06:04:28 PM
After tinkering with it for a while, the internet would sat connected during the day and the connection would only die at night time, which was acceptable since I'm not working then anyway(and probably not at home.)
After a few days of morning resets, the computer is working perfectly now with need for a reset anymore.
So I'm guessing that it was a handshaking problem like someone mentioned earlier.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on July 19, 2009, 09:22:20 PM
There was a problem, but you're still unaware of the solution. That is a problem.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 19, 2009, 09:29:11 PM
It is. I was prepared to spend more money(that I don't have) to buy a same brand wireless card and that might not even have solved my problem. But they are playing nice together now and as long as they are doing that I have no problems right now.
The next upgrade I plan on doing is from WinXP up to Win7 whenever that is released.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on September 21, 2009, 08:36:01 PM
New Problem, different computer.
This one is for a Laptop.
Problem: Laptop keeps randomly shutting off like it's power cycling. power light will go off, laptop shuts off immediately then power light comes back on right away.
Additional Info: The battery on this laptop no longer holds a charge and is always plugged in. It also has a tendency to overheat if not properly ventilated with a fan pointing at it, and will shut off when that happens.
Question: Does anyone know what is happening and know how to fix it? Is it as simple as getting a new laptop battery? or is the laptop on it's last breaths?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: stevey on September 21, 2009, 08:50:31 PM
Have you tried removing the battery and turning it on while plugged in without it? Or is it the same results.
That should tell you if it's the battery or some worse internal electrical short...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on September 23, 2009, 12:04:51 AM
Yes, if the battery doesn't work, then don't even try using it. It could be something as simple as a short where the power supply plugs into the laptop. It's a very common problem.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on September 23, 2009, 12:58:56 AM
I took the battery out and the computer has been working fine again.
Thanks for the help.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 04, 2009, 03:00:30 PM
You folks seem pretty experienced in the realm of computers so perhaps you could help me with my problem?
As I understand it, my sound card doesn't work because there is no driver for it installed. When I google searched for "multimedia audio controller driver" I came across and downloaded this one:
http://ac97-audio-codec.en.softonic.com/
However, when I went to install it, a message came up which said something along the lines of it being not compatible with Windows XP, and if I install it then it could cause system instability. I chose to attempt to install it anyway, and then the computer restarted.
Is this driver the wrong one or is something else the problem?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 04, 2009, 03:01:41 PM
The driver is wrong. What kind of computer is this? A brand or custom built?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 04, 2009, 03:02:42 PM
I'm afraid I don't know that. How could I find out?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 04, 2009, 03:10:03 PM
Does it say Dell or HP on the outside?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 04, 2009, 03:23:55 PM
The computer itself does not have any brand name on it. It was given to me so I know not of its origin. But I do know that the hard drive was formatted before it was given to me, thereby deleting all of the previous owner's data.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 04, 2009, 04:02:36 PM
Is the sound card built into the motherboard or is it a standalone card?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 04, 2009, 04:51:33 PM
I used driver scanner to solve some problems I had related to drivers http://www.uniblue.com/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 04, 2009, 11:35:21 PM
I used driver scanner to solve some problems I had related to drivers http://www.uniblue.com/
That program costs money. Is there a free solution?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 05, 2009, 12:21:58 AM
well.....
I've told you a good program, and I vouched for it's usefulness I leave it up to you to figure out how to get the program.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 05, 2009, 12:51:21 AM
I have used a for pay program called Driver Agent. http://driveragent.com/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on October 05, 2009, 01:02:02 AM
Uninstall the driver you downloaded for your soundcard...and run Windows Update. Have it search for all hardware and software updates, it should find the drivers you need.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 07, 2009, 05:02:59 PM
Uninstall the driver you downloaded for your soundcard...and run Windows Update. Have it search for all hardware and software updates, it should find the drivers you need.
The driver was never installed because the computer restarted. Windows Update didn't find anything which needed an update.
Thank you for trying to help guys, but I guess I'll just have to use my other computer when I want sound.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on October 07, 2009, 05:13:46 PM
Open up the Device Manager then remove any traces of improperly installed sound devices (hardware/driver oddities are recognized and shown as exclamation points).
Next, tell us the model # of the motherboard (if you can open it up and read it off the hardware), and we'll manually find the drivers related to that board, cuz THAT'S the surefire way to go about this.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 07, 2009, 05:27:40 PM
Open up the Device Manager then remove any traces of improperly installed sound devices (hardware/driver oddities are recognized and shown as exclamation points).
Next, tell us the model # of the motherboard (if you can open it up and read it off the hardware), and we'll manually find the drivers related to that board, cuz THAT'S the surefire way to go about this.
Unfortunately I don't think I can do that one. I took off the casing and there is a big metal sheet on one side of the board, and I didn't see any numbers on the other side. It looks like the board is connected to the metal sheet so I don't think I could remove it, at least not without taking the whole thing apart which probably isn't something I should do.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 07, 2009, 05:53:08 PM
Open up the Device Manager then remove any traces of improperly installed sound devices (hardware/driver oddities are recognized and shown as exclamation points).
Next, tell us the model # of the motherboard (if you can open it up and read it off the hardware), and we'll manually find the drivers related to that board, cuz THAT'S the surefire way to go about this.
Unfortunately I don't think I can do that one. I took off the casing and there is a big metal sheet on one side of the board, and I didn't see any numbers on the other side. It looks like the board is connected to the metal sheet so I don't think I could remove it, at least not without taking the whole thing apart which probably isn't something I should do.
Shine a light in and take a picture of the non-metal sheet side. Post the picture.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on October 07, 2009, 10:06:16 PM
When you fire up the computer, hit the Delete, F2, or F12 keys at the first (BIOS) screen, it's usually one of those three that takes you to the settings. It should say the motherboard model somewhere in there - just don't change any settings, and when you exit, make sure you choose "do not save settings" or whatever the "no" choice is.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on October 07, 2009, 11:58:46 PM
You know, I don't think I've ever seen mobo model info inside system BIOS, ever. So I just look for the board print.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on October 08, 2009, 12:49:55 AM
Maybe it's just the PC model for "factory" PCs. I'm pretty sure my old A-BIT board with an Athlon Thunderbird 1Ghz CPU displayed the board's name in the BIOS. Anyway, just go with the flashlight idea.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 12, 2009, 08:06:39 PM
I'm sorry I'm a bit late on this but here's the picture you requested:
Can you see what it is you are looking for? If not then I can try taking another one.
Can you try taking a picture of the part of the board that has a brand like name on it, I think it would be close to the fan and probably covered by the think flat grey wires.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 12, 2009, 08:16:15 PM
I did not see any words or numbers anywhere on it but I can take a closer look and see if I can find anything.
It will have to be later though because I'm not touching any of that stuff when the computer is on.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 12, 2009, 09:01:36 PM
Hmm 478 motherboard, Intel chipset, black PCB. I could probably detective this out.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on October 12, 2009, 09:53:28 PM
You've got plenty of spare PCI ports - there's a $30 Creative Labs soundcard (Rocketfish-branded) at Best Buy. It's probably worth checking out if you can't resolve your current issue. Here's a link (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9180405&type=product&id=1218047304449) - it only has a 2.9 rating on the site, but keep in mind most of the reviewers are complete morons. I'm going to buy the 7.1 Rocketfish card in a couple weeks (when I get my Reward Zone gift certificates) - it's the same exact card as the Creative-branded one, only without the shell and the $100 price tag.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 12, 2009, 11:43:24 PM
You've got plenty of spare PCI ports - there's a $30 Creative Labs soundcard (Rocketfish-branded) at Best Buy.
I didn't really want to spend any money on this but I might do that if this annoys me enough.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 13, 2009, 01:49:47 AM
So, you have an Intel d845pebt2 motherboard. You can download the sound drivers here: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=899&DwnldID=12170&lang=eng
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on October 13, 2009, 03:07:38 AM
So, you have an Intel d845pebt2 motherboard. You can download the sound drivers here: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=899&DwnldID=12170&lang=eng
I got the ball rolling in the right direction. Hopefully it's a Strike.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 13, 2009, 03:31:46 AM
Wonder Twins Unite!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 13, 2009, 04:00:35 AM
I still don't get how you knew what her mobo mod# was.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 13, 2009, 11:39:02 AM
I'm Batman.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 13, 2009, 07:35:30 PM
Thank you for tracking that down ShyGuy, but unfortunately it has the same problem as the other driver I tried. When I go to install it I get this message:
If I click to continue then the computer will restart.
Any ideas?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 13, 2009, 09:24:18 PM
Your computer is confused. As the Intel link shows, you have an Analog Devices sound chip on your motherboard. Your PC is convinced it has a Realtek sound chip. You may need to manually force it to use the AD audio drivers.
Try clicking on stop installation and proceed with downloaded executable.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 13, 2009, 09:37:37 PM
Try clicking on stop installation and proceed with downloaded executable.
What would it be named/looked like? There's a whole mess of files and folders that came with it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 13, 2009, 09:53:09 PM
setup.exe?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on October 13, 2009, 10:20:11 PM
Ha ha, I'm sorry, it was mixed in with a bunch of other stuff I downloaded so I didn't see it. I downloaded it again to a different location so I could see what came with it.
It works now! Thank you for your patience, I'm sure it's annoying working with someone who doesn't know what they're doing...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on October 14, 2009, 12:08:39 AM
You did it, Batman.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on April 04, 2010, 04:52:53 PM
Ugh, got a more serious problem this time. I'm not sure if any of the lot of you will be able to help me with this one, but I figure it can do no harm to ask.
So I go to turn on the computer today, and it doesn't get past the "Windows XP" screen with the blue loading bar. I waited a good ten minutes; it rarely takes longer than one minute so there must be something wrong. I turn it off for a few minutes, then try it again. This time I'm greeted with a message which says, in so many words, that Windows was interrupted upon starting up. There are options to start Windows normally, start with last known good configuration, and start in Safe Mode. I choose the configuration one, and the same thing happens: doesn't get past the loading screen. I turn it off for a few minutes and then try Safe Mode, and get the same result.
Any ideas?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: stevey on April 04, 2010, 04:57:47 PM
start with last known good configuration
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on April 04, 2010, 05:04:37 PM
I tried that and it still didn't get past the loading screen. I waited ten minutes.
Perhaps I should just give it a rest for a while?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on April 04, 2010, 05:27:56 PM
Pop in your windows disc and do a repair.
Be sure to have your windows registration number handy just incase. it should be on a metallic sticker somewhere on your computer if it was brand manufactured.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on April 05, 2010, 01:15:19 AM
I don't have a Windows disc, but I might be able to borrow one.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: D_Average on May 18, 2010, 09:59:32 AM
Ok. This is really embarassing but I need some help with a Facebook question. There a girl at work I'm intersted in that I looked up on facebook. I have not friended her yet. Howver. Her wall is open to the public. Because I find her status updates so intersting I started checking it quite a bit along with the pics on said wall. So my question is, is there any way shed be able to tell I was looking? I know Facebook does not allow apps that would but is there a common work around for this a computer savy girl would know about or am I just being paranoid? She removed the wall from the public yesterday and I'm fearing the worst. If so she's gonna think I'm like the dude from American Beauty.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on May 18, 2010, 02:08:33 PM
Cyber stalking... She knows everything, it's time to turn yourself in.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on May 18, 2010, 03:13:44 PM
Login as a girl.
Works in other parts of the Internet. Guys love [the online] you, and girls welcome you.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: D_Average on May 18, 2010, 03:19:11 PM
Seriously guys. Is there any way she would know? I'm not looking to snoop anymore just need to know if I've completely blown my shot.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on May 18, 2010, 03:24:43 PM
Nope, they can't see you. She doesn't know unless someone else ratted you out.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: D_Average on May 18, 2010, 04:01:27 PM
Phew!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 31, 2010, 12:28:16 AM
What do you do if you forget your windows log-on password and you can't log on without it?
serious question. need help.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on July 31, 2010, 02:05:19 AM
Isn't there a password hint? You can try booting via Windows CD or DVD and doing disabling the password. I'm pretty sure it's about as simple as that.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 02, 2010, 09:05:20 PM
I guess I might as well ask this... though I expect the answer will be "no," assuming anyone will even respond.
Is there any simple way to get a Windows 98 computer to recognize a 40GB hard drive?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 02, 2010, 09:17:07 PM
Windows98SE can see partitions of around 138GB. The simple answer is just plugging it in. If this didn't work, then the issue might be your motherboard. BTW, the original version of 98 has a limit of 64GB. So, you're still golden.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 02, 2010, 09:19:01 PM
I put the hard drive in. The computer recognizes it on the startup screen (the black screen with white letters), but it doesn't show up anywhere else, such as in "My Computer" or the hardware list.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 02, 2010, 10:54:26 PM
I copy and pasted this. Its been too long since I've even seen a Win98 machine:
In Windows 98/Me, you have to partition and format your hard drive manually. It isn't that hard really; we'll start with the portioning process, which uses a DOS-based utility called FDISK. WebTechGeek.com
The Steps:
1. From within Windows, click the Start button and select Run. When the Run dialog box appears, enter FDISK into the Open box and click OK.
2. When FDISK starts (in a DOS window), you'll be asked if you want to enable large disk support. Answer Yes.
3. The FDISK menu is now displayed. Select the drive you want to partition, and then choose option 1 (Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive).
4. When asked if you want to use the entire drive for your DOS partition, answer Yes. (If you're asked whether you want to enable FAT32 support, also answer Yes.)
5. After the partition is created, follow the onscreen prompts to exit FDISK and restart your computer.
6. After your new drive has been partitioned, you have to format it for use. To format a new hard drive manually. Format a Computer Hard Drive or Disc Drive:
Note: Don't run FDISK on an existing hard disk drive, unless you're really sure you want to return your hard drive to its original from-the-factory condition. Partitioning the drive will delete all data on the drive!
A. From within Windows, open My Computer.
B. Right-click the drive you want to format, and select Format from the pop-up menu.
C. When the Format Local Disk dialog box appears, select the File System you want to use (only select NTFS if you're running Windows XP; for older operating systems, choose FAT32), enter a label for the disk, select the Quick Format option, and then click Start.
D. After your new drive has been partitioned and formatted, it's ready to store whatever data you need stored. Format a Computer Hard Drive or Disc Drive.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 02, 2010, 10:59:42 PM
Thanks, but it looks like that isn't what I'm looking for.
Is there any way to use it with Windows 98 without formatting/deleting all the data? The reason I want to connect it is to get files from it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Caliban on August 02, 2010, 11:00:59 PM
Just a hunch, but did you set it as the slave drive?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: kraken613 on August 02, 2010, 11:06:27 PM
I guess I might as well ask this... though I expect the answer will be "no," assuming anyone will even respond.
Is there any simple way to get a Windows 98 computer to recognize a 40GB hard drive?
There is a simple way to solve your problems.
Get off of Windows 98 and get a new computer. That OS is 12 years old and not officially supported by Microsoft anymore and hasn't been since 2006.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 02, 2010, 11:21:42 PM
The drive has to be formatted in FAT32 for Windows98 to read it. Is it possible that the drive originally came from an OS newer than Win98/ME? Or from WinNT? If so, you are more than likely out of luck. If the drive was originally from Win98, its possible that the boot sector is damaged, which could be solved by software. I don't know of any of the top of my head, maybe some others here can give some suggestions.
Quote
Just a hunch, but did you set it as the slave drive?
It seems good since she did see it in BIOS. Win98 just doesn't recognize it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 02, 2010, 11:28:46 PM
The drive has to be formatted in FAT32 for Windows98 to read it. Is it possible that the drive originally came from an OS newer than Win98/ME? Or from WinNT? If so, you are more than likely out of luck.
It's from a WinXP that no longer functions. So I guess it'll work only in WinXP machines without formatting?
Just a hunch, but did you set it as the slave drive?
I don't know what that means. But, if it means anything, I replaced a different hard drive ( not C) because there were no open plugs.
And I would like a new computer (I'm using an XP machine right now that has various issues, including that it doesn't recognize any new hardware which is why I can't put the hard drive in question into this computer), but I don't think a computer is worth paying for. I'm just waiting until someone I know buys a new computer, and I can take their old one. That's how I got all of my previous computers.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: kraken613 on August 02, 2010, 11:36:49 PM
You can get cheap nettops/desktops for about $300-400.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 02, 2010, 11:55:09 PM
Does your computer have a CD-ROM and do you have access to a CD burner (either on that computer or a different one)? If so, you can use a linux live cd to access the file, then copy them to another device. You just put burn an image to a CD, pop it in the drive, then depending on your boot settings it should start up automatically. You can then access the hard drive and copy the files wherever you want. The livecd itself doesn't actually install anything on your hard drive, it a standalone operating system that runs entirely from the CD. It doesn't leave anything behind when it is done besides the changes you explicitly make.
I recommend Parted Magic (http://partedmagic.com/). It is free, very small, light on resource usage, works on most computers, and has a good set of hard disk tools. It is also compatible with both windows NTFS (what windows nt, 2000, xp, and later use) and fat/fat32 partitions (which windows 98, ME and earlier use).
So in this case you can connect the drive, put the disc into the computer you want to move the files to, then run the livecd. It will give you some options when booting up, just go with the defaults (just hit "enter" when you see a prompt). Once it boots, you will be in a graphical desktop not fundamentally dissimilar from windows. there will be icons on the desktop for the various partitions it can see. Double-click the drive you want to move the files from and the drive you want to move the file to, then just drag and drop. I've done it even from drives windows cannot access.
If that doesn't work, then the hard drive likely is corrupted. There are tools on the disc to recover damaged partitions, but lets not get into that unless you absolutely need it.
Depending on how much of the hard drive is used, you can even copy the files over to a new partition without deleting them. This involves resizing the partition, creating a new one in the empty space, moving the files over, deleting the old partition, then resizing the new partition to fill the space. This is not guaranteed to be 100% safe but I have done it dozens of times and never had it fail on me before. It is better to just get the files off, though.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 03, 2010, 12:12:40 AM
This CD drive does say it can write CDs and DVDs, but I haven't ever used it so I don't know if it works. I'd have to get some blank discs to find out. I might try that, but it sounds a bit complicated. There's nothing on the hard drive I need right away, so I might just wait until I get another computer.
See where it says jumper block on that image? On the back of your hard drive there should be a schematic as to how to position the jumper plugs so as to make your hard drive identified either as Master or Slave. The distinction exists so that there is no confusion on boot up because both hard drives are connected to the same IDE cable.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 03, 2010, 12:25:09 AM
They're connected with different cables. Is that an issue?
EDIT: If it matters, it was the primary (C) drive of the computer from which it came. Since it would be a secondary drive in the computer I'm moving it to, do I have to reposition the jumper plugs like what you talked about? Though I don't even know what that means...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 03, 2010, 12:42:18 AM
It isn't very complicated, at least not really any more complicated than moving files around within windows.
There should be a 4x2 grid of pins. There may be a small rectangular piece of plastic connecting two of those pins (it would be roughly 1/4 in by 1/8 in with the final dimension being variable). There might also be a diagram showing various 4x2 grids of dots, each with (or without) a rectangle outlining two of the dots. If there is such a diagram, you want to move (or remove) the rectangular piece of plastic so it is on the same pins as in "slave" diagram. If there isn't a diagram, try removing the rectangular piece entirely. If there isn't a rectangular piece or a diagram, or if removing the rectangular piece online, then you may have to search online for your hard drive model number.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 03, 2010, 12:43:48 AM
Buy a USB external enclosure. Anyone think that might work?
But honestly, just upgrade your OS. Take the activation key from your old XP machine and use it on this current machine.
If you need a new computer, you can put one together that's decent for pretty cheap.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 03, 2010, 12:48:12 AM
This CD drive does say it can write CDs and DVDs, but I haven't ever used it so I don't know if it works. I'd have to get some blank discs to find out. I might try that, but it sounds a bit complicated. There's nothing on the hard drive I need right away, so I might just wait until I get another computer.
It isn't very complicated, at least not any more complicated than moving files around within windows.
They're connected with different cables. Is that an issue?
It shouldn't be, as long as windows 98 supports the connection type which I am not sure about. There are probably 4 or 5 different connection types (although probably only 2 or 3 that you are likely to see in a desktop system). If the connection is a ~3/4 in by 1/18 in rectangular piece of plastic with a slit in the middle I might be worried, that is SATA which may be too new for windows 98 (although I don't know for certain, this BIOS may take care of that so the OS doesn't have to worry about it).
EDIT: If it matters, it was the primary (C) drive of the computer from which it came. Since it would be a secondary drive in the computer I'm moving it to, do I have to reposition the jumper plugs like what you talked about? Though I don't even know what that means...
There should be a 4x2 grid of pins on the back of the drive. There may be a small rectangular piece of plastic connecting two of those pins (it would be roughly 1/4 in by 1/8 in with the final dimension being variable). On the drive's labelling there might also be a diagram showing various 4x2 grids of dots, each with (or without) a rectangle outlining two of the dots. If there is such a diagram, you want to move (or remove) the rectangular piece of plastic so it is on the same pins as in "slave" diagram. If there isn't a diagram, try removing the rectangular piece entirely. If there isn't a rectangular piece or a diagram, or if removing the rectangular piece doesn't help, then you may have to search online for your hard drive model number.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 03, 2010, 12:50:04 AM
If you need a new computer, you can put one together that's decent for pretty cheap.
For someone who doesn't know what a jumper configuration is I think building a computer is a bit much.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 03, 2010, 12:55:17 AM
Okay. So it's set as a primary drive; are you saying that if I change the jumper configuration to make it a "slave" drive, the computer might recognize it?
For someone who doesn't know what a jumper configuration is I think building a computer is a bit much.
I've built several computers, including the one I'm using now, from parts that I got out of the various computers I've received over the years. Building a computer is fairly easy, you just put everything in where it fits.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 03, 2010, 05:03:33 PM
Most PCs of the day have two IDE channels. Each channel is connected by a bus and a ribbon. The ribbon is the long flat grey cable that connects to the devices. The bus is the long black or beige connector on the motherboard. Each IDE can have a primary device and a number of slaves. If you have two CDRoms (such as a CD Burner and a DVD drive), one is set as primary, the other set as slave. Same logic for harddrives. And you can mix and match. You can have a harddrive on the same channel as a cdrom.
Want to know if you have the drives set up correctly? Look at the setup of BIOS. Normally, when you see the black screen with the white wording, look for what enters setup. Could be F10, could be Delete. Could be F2. Once in the BIOS setup, look for IDE configuration, something along those lines. This will tell you what it sees as far as what is primary and what is secondary or slave. If it says [Not detected] but you have something plugged in, then you know you do not have the pins set correctly. I don't recommend playing with the pins right off the bat because there could be an auto-detect setting that works just as well.
The issue though is you have already said that the drive came from an XP machine, so more than likely it is formatted with NTFS and not FAT32. It is entirely possible that an XP drive can be configured with FAT32 but its not the default setting, someone would have to know to format it that way. And the only reason for formatting it with FAT32 is backwards compatibilty. FAT32 does not allow for security to be set on files, while NTFS has room for permissions.
Yay! A bunch of stuff you probably don't need to know or care about...
Anyway, I like the idea of the Linux cd burner, especially since its free. I like the idea of getting someone's old PC less, cause unless a full wipe is done on their drive before you start using it, you never know what trouble you are inviting.
BTW, while 98 cannot read XP, XP can read 98... just another tidbit if you were wondering.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 03, 2010, 08:46:52 PM
So if I'm understanding this, I can't connect the hard drive to my Win98 machine. I guess I'll just have to wait until I get another computer.
Thank you for your responses Bustin88 and TheBlackCat.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 07, 2010, 08:08:23 PM
Okay, now a different question... Is it possible to recover data from a hard drive with corrupted sectors? I'm guessing the answer is "no" but I figured I'd ask anyway, in the off chance there's stuff to attempt.
Someone suggested this to me though it seems extreme:
There should be a 4x2 grid of pins on the back of the drive. There may be a small rectangular piece of plastic connecting two of those pins (it would be roughly 1/4 in by 1/8 in with the final dimension being variable). On the drive's labelling there might also be a diagram showing various 4x2 grids of dots, each with (or without) a rectangle outlining two of the dots. If there is such a diagram, you want to move (or remove) the rectangular piece of plastic so it is on the same pins as in "slave" diagram. If there isn't a diagram, try removing the rectangular piece entirely. If there isn't a rectangular piece or a diagram, or if removing the rectangular piece doesn't help, then you may have to search online for your hard drive model number.
Thanks for this, I changed the plug as you said and now it is recognized in my WinXP machine. However, it looks like it is corrupted! But that's what I wanted to know. It's from another computer I had, a WinXP machine that was working great, much better than my current one, but then one day it wouldn't start up and got stuck on the Windows startup screen. I didn't think it was a virus, though it probably would be better if it were, since then I could've gotten my stuff...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 08, 2010, 02:51:53 AM
Parted magic has excellent tools for recovering data from a corrupted partition. The tool you want is called TestDisk. There are windows versions available, but I would recommend against using them in case it is a virus. There is also Scrounge NTFS,
What makes you think it isn't a virus? Parted magic also has virus-scan capabilities, and since it is linux-based there is no risk of the virus spreading. The tool is called ClamAV. That means you can load the hard drive, recover the data, and scan it for viruses, all without putting any other systems at risk.
If you were to do it within windows there is always the possibility that it will re-infect any computer you try to view the files on. I know someone who had that happen to him, and he is the head of IT for a company. The moment the operating system mounted the drive the virus infected the computer.
Actually, about a month back one of my co-workers was complaining that her computer was acting strange. I checked and found out her virus-scan software hadn't update in 11 months. I got really suspicious when not only would the software not update, I couldn't even manually access the websites for the anti-virus software she had installed in order to manually update.
So I booted a Linux partition I had set up for a previous user of the computer, ran some virus scan software from there, and found the system not only had hundreds of viruses, but several rootkits. A rootkit is a particularly vicious type of virus that alters the fundamental behavior of the operating system in in order to make itself invisible to the system, including virus scan software. That makes it essentially impossible to detect from within the operating system, but it is easy to detect from another operating system not affected by the rootkit. Once there is a rootkit, the operating system is pretty much beyond saving (or rather it is far more work to save it then to start over from scratch), so I copied the users' documents to the Linux partition, scanned them thoroughly for viruses, then tried to reinstall windows from scratch. However, the windows XP install disk corrupted the hard drive's partition table. Linux had no problem with it, but windows refused to install on the drive at all (this is not the first time this has happened, another guy I know has the same problem). So I booted back into Linux, burnt the files to DVD, stuck a partition magic disk I had laying around in the drive, booted it up, created a new partition table, then installed windows just fine. It was quite an ordeal though.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 08, 2010, 02:26:53 PM
For starters, not only is it a seven-year-old hard drive, but it is a Maxtor brand which, from what I've read, is a brand with durability issues that's prone to corruption. Also, if this were some all-infecting virus, wouldn't it have spread to the other two hard drives that were in the computer? Both of them work without issue, one of which is in use in this computer and has been for some time. Lastly, this isn't the first time this has happened. The computer had stopped working once before, and so I gave it to someone who knows about this stuff to see what he could do. He said something about how some small part of Windows was installed on a bad sector and it was only a matter of time before it stopped functioning. He reformatted and reinstalled Windows, but it didn't take, so he gave it back to me and said it wasn't going to work. I tried it one more time before scrapping it, and it worked! He said that, simply put, due to the damage to the hard drive, it shouldn't have been working. I just passed it off as a miracle and thought nothing of it.
I guess it could be a virus as I've no idea of the extent of what they can do. But because of the reasons I stated, I think it's just plain ol' corruption. It happens.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 08, 2010, 07:44:02 PM
Very well. After what I have seen and experiences I have heard from others I personally wouldn't risk it, but it is up to you.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on August 08, 2010, 10:12:33 PM
If I let horror stories stop me from doing things, I'd never leave the house.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 09, 2010, 12:26:01 AM
I'm not saying it should stop you from doing things, just that if you are going to be recovering the files then doing a virus scan on top of that can't hurt. Even if a virus wasn't the cause of the problem, it is still a good opportunity to do a check under controlled conditions.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 09, 2010, 11:03:48 PM
I need some quick advice and help from you guys.
I've just been offered a chance to build a computer & a server for a small business and network all the computers together for a pretty good price.
Question I have since I've never built a server and have only networked my own computers at home, is what do I need to know about servers? How are they different from a regular computer? Do I need a different motherboard?
Also creating a VPN (Virtual Private Network). I know there is eventually gonna be a need for over the internet networking and if I could set up his network to support it from the start then that would be a huge plus for me.
Please help. ASAP.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 10, 2010, 02:01:42 AM
Technically any computer can act as a computer as long as it has the correct software, it depends on the company's needs. Specialized server hardware is available, I think it gives benefits like integrated hardware firewalls, modularity and scalability, and faster networking performance. It also depends on the operating system they want to use. Linux is by far the best for servers, but if they are intent on using windows then you have additional security concerns and to worry about and it may limit your processor options. It also depends on the networking services they want. Is it only VPN, or do they want file sharing as well? What VPN software are they planning to use? Will the server serve files, and if so what protocol do they want to use and will it only do so with local computer or will it need to do so with computers on other networks? If the latter, how do they want to do the authentication? Do they want to support single sign-on for all computers on the network? What operating systems do they need to support on client computer? None of these are serious concerns on desktop systems since generally desktop operating system interact well over networks, but I think they make more of a difference with servers.
I am not an expert on servers, I have never set one up myself, but I have done considerable research on specific issues of relevance to me so I might be able to offer advice on certain issues if I know more about the constraints you are facing.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 10, 2010, 05:26:47 AM
It's only for 3 people and 3 computers in the office, but there may be some working from home at times that would need access to the network. It's a small business and I my girl just started working for this guy so she recommended me to build and setup an inner office network for him instead of paying some schmuck $1200+ to network them for him.
They will mostly be using programs like PeachTree (for Payroll) & Quickbooks for accounting and need to have up to date records regardless of what computer is being used at the time. He mentioned wanting a server, but I don't know if he knows what that means as I could probably just set up the main computer with a backup drive and network all that other computers to that one.
I figure if I do it that way I can just use a regular wireless router and just plug everything in and do remote access from there to gain remote access to the network instead of a VPN tunnel using a much more expensive router. (If it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, then.... HAHA I fooled you. because I feel like I'm just talking out of my ass right now & it's late and I'm sleepy)
I'm sure a simple windows based computer with a single log-on to the network (only 3 people will be accessing it mostly from within the office), but I don't have all the details since i haven't talked to the owner myself yet. The job is basically mine and I would like to do a good job especially since it will be my first time playing IT for someone other than myself, close friend or family member, so I really appreciate any help you can give.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 10, 2010, 03:48:04 PM
I could probably just set up the main computer with a backup drive and network all that other computers to that one.
So they need a file server. And it sounds like they will only want to serve files to computers on the local network (VPN computers are essentially part of the local network so I am not differentiating the two from this regard).
I figure if I do it that way I can just use a regular wireless router and just plug everything in and do remote access from there to gain remote access to the network instead of a VPN tunnel using a much more expensive router.
A wireless router will only work so long as people are in range, which they wouldn't be. You would need a VPN tunnel no matter what. The question, though, is why you need a router to begin with. For the price of 4-port router you could get an 8 or maybe even 16-port switch and use the computer as the router. That would be slightly more difficult, but a lot cheaper. It is easy to do under Linux but I don't know how to do it under windows, you may need the windows server edition which I am not familiar with.
I'm sure a simple windows based computer with a single log-on to the network (only 3 people will be accessing it mostly from within the office), but I don't have all the details since i haven't talked to the owner myself yet.
As I said, it doesn't really matter from that perspective whether you use windows or Linux, since they both support the same file-sharing protocols. But Linux is more reliable, more secure, easier to maintain, cheaper up front (free), and lower costs long-term. However, not all software necessarily runs on it (although most enterprise-level software does nowadays since a lot of companies are switching mission-critical systems to Linux).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 10, 2010, 03:58:24 PM
I was thinking a router since there may be laptops brought into the office that would need access without having to physically plug in.
but those laptops(& home PC's) are the same reason why I was thinking VPN access so they could do some work from home or on the road.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 10, 2010, 06:22:23 PM
There's a couple of different ways you can go. First, you can have a simple file server PC or you can do a full blown Small Business Server. Doing programs like Quickbooks and Peachtree, VNC is the way to go either way as you'd have to connect to a mapped network drive. Doing Small Business Server, you could do Exchange Server and also manage users and their access to the network (a bit of an overkill for 3 people). A server is just a computer that serves data to other computers. No special hardware or setup to qualify a PC as a server other than the sharing. What you will want to consider is how the data is backed up. I recommend a Raid1 for backup in case of hardware failure and another drive for daily backups.
Logmein is also an alternate way to work from anywhere if the user's computer is left on (for those not on a laptop).
Remember to get enough licenses for the accounting programs to cover all the computers that will be using it, though thats probably already done.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 10, 2010, 08:42:13 PM
I don't think VNC is the way to go, I am pretty sure the professional versions of those programs already support accessing the data stored on a server from within the program's own interface. There is likely a server version of the program that manages the data and client versions that access the data from the server version.
As for more general file-sharing, connecting to a mapped network drive is not really any harder for the users than VNC and the former is much faster and more flexible. So I am not sure what benefit VNC would give them.
I also agree that an exchange server is overkill, and RAID is good for storage.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 10, 2010, 11:36:48 PM
VNC for the outside the network users, not inside. For those laptops when at home.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 11, 2010, 01:30:58 AM
Why wouldn't they just use VPN?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 11, 2010, 01:49:15 AM
VNC = Virtual Network Connection?
what the difference between VNC & VPN?
& I've never really understood what RAID was even though my computers both support RAID 0&1 or something like that. Anyone care to explain?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 11, 2010, 02:43:50 AM
Vnc is a system that allows you to share a desktop over a network, so you can see your screen from one computer in a window on a different one. So it is totally unrelated to VPN.
There are different types of RAID, but what RAID1 means is, in short, that you have two or more hard drives that contain the exact same data. Any data written to one is written to the other, any data deleted from one is deleted from the other, and so on. That means if one fails you still have a complete copy of all of your files. There isn't even a primary and secondary hard drive, they are both identical in every way and are seen as a single disk by the operating system. It doesn't help with viruses or user error or anything like that, but it does help with hard drive crashes and other hard drive hardware failures.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 11, 2010, 09:46:53 AM
Derr.. I meant VPN, not VNC. Don't know why I was typing that. Multiple times even.
Wiki has a good article explaining RAID, though its still a bit dry.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 11, 2010, 01:21:38 PM
I think TheBlackCat explained it well enough. It makes sense now.
So VNC is like LogMeIn, right? Speaking of LogMeIn, my girl is trying to install it on one of her work computers and it keeps saying she needs a proxy to install the software. Why would she need a proxy to install software?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 11, 2010, 10:23:08 PM
Haven't had that issue. Since its at work, maybe there is a firewall, or they are using a proxy (network server) to access the web.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 12, 2010, 05:37:24 AM
I just got back from their office and i spent the last 4 hours trying to get an XP machine and a Win7 machine to network with each other to share files and the printer(hooked up to the XP machine).
I was unsuccessful, but I got the Win7 Machine to finally see the XP machine even though it couldn't access it. But it was late so I gave up.... I had been dazing starting at about 1.5 hours in after trying to figure out why Quickbooks couldn't access the internet and LogMeIn needed a proxy.
There were no viruses according to MS Onecare, the windows firewall had the program as an exception and I saw no virus protection software of any kind on the computer. They were also using a 2wire modem/switch/wireless router box from AT&T that both computers were directly plugged into. Win7 had no problems with either software mentioned above, but XP was not allowing it.
Any suggestions?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 12, 2010, 01:19:18 PM
First things first, get virusscan software NOW. Not having virus software on a windows computer is, frankly, insane.
Second, are both computers fully up-to-date in terms of windows patches and service packs?
Can one of the computers talk to the other, or is blocked both ways?
Have you tried pinging the IP address of one computer from the other?
Have you tried directly connecting the two computers to each other? If they are both using gigabit network cards that should be possible.
Is the router firmware up-to-date? Can you get AT&T to rent you a newer model? Can both computers connect to the internet? You are going to need a 4-port router at the very least anyway, perhaps you can go ahead and get it now and see if that works better.
Are you sure the passwords are set up correctly?
What if you connect the printer to the Win 7 box instead? Does that change anything?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 12, 2010, 02:19:25 PM
WinXP is fully up to date SP3
Win 7 can see the XP computer but can't communicate with it. XP does not see the Win 7 computer
I'm not 100% sure how to ping the IP address, but I did type the address of each computer into the other ones browser. no luck. I did not try connecting them directly, but they are both plugged into the same AT&T 4port Ethernet(wireless)Router/switch and show up as part of the same network when in the router software. When trying to view the shared content of each computer from the router software, only the Win7 will load the shared folder when viewing from the Win7 computer, WinXP will not load anything and errors.
There is something wrong with the XP machine as it denies internet access to quickbooks even though IE works fine and it won't let you install LogMeIn because it ask for a proxy. As far as I could tell it was only using Windows FireWall and I made sure Quickbooks had all the exceptions it could possibly need, but it was late so I didn't exhaust every possibilty like turning the firewall off to see if that was even the problem.*
The owner now wants me to upgrade his XP machine(max it out) and probably install Win7 on it, but I'm thinking he should just get a another new computer and transfer over the old quickbook files and wipe that old HDD and use it for backup instead. It would make everything so much easier.
*The "owner" that uses that computer has been caught browsing porn and my guess is that there is a trojan or worse buried somewhere on the computer (there is no virus software afterall) that is blocking things.
I'm going back tonite(earlier than last nite), so I will put AVG on there and see if I can connect the printer to the Win7 machine.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 13, 2010, 02:26:40 PM
Ping is easy. Goto Run -> type CMD to open a command window -> type PING [IP ADDRESS] or conical name: PING www.yahoo.com It will give 4 attempts to 'ping' the address, returning a message of success or failure. Success will come with how long each communication took in milliseconds.
Scan the computer with Spybot and Adaware along with AVG. Seems they all have their own set of viruses and programs that they see. HijackThis is also a decent program that will show you inconsistencies in the Registry and hidden installed programs. It won't remove programs, just delete lines in the registry. But you can make note of them and remove them yourself.
Try winsockfix if you have issues connecting to the Internet. It resets all the protocols to factory default. It may clear up the proxy issue too.
In Windows 7, try adding the name of the XP computer to the user list. Try mapping a network drive too. Don't browse for it, just type the name of the computer followed by the name of the shared folder. \\COMPUTER NAME\FOLDER Sometimes specifying the computer name will kick it into gear.
================================================================================================= ============================= Ignore this if you are using a gigabit network card ============================== ================================================================================================= If you connect computers directly you need to use a cross cat5, not a straight. :D There are 4 pairs of wires in a cat5: Orange Orange/White Green Green/White Blue Blue/White Brown Brown/White
In a straight wire, the sequence is (both ends) in an RJ45 connector: OW O GW B BW G BrW Br Crossed: GW G OW B BW O BrW Br - OW O GW B BW G BrW Br Cat5 is also called a patch cable, that term may be more familiar to you, but a patch cable can also refer to the cable that connects a phone to the wall jack. So a cat5 (category 5) is more specific in terms of shielding and number of pairs. Lots more info on this subject out there, but this is enough to get you through most situations. ================================================================================================= ========================================= End ignore this ============================================ =================================================================================================
If you upgrade the XP machine to Win7 make sure it have plenty of RAM. At least 2GB if not more. Too many XP machines out there only have 256MB of RAM. But I agree with your assessment that a new computer made specifically for Win7 is the ideal.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: MegaByte on August 13, 2010, 02:38:32 PM
If you connect computers directly you need to use a straight cat5, not a crossed. :D There are 4 pairs of wires in a cat5:
It shouldn't matter, gigabit network cards are supposed to automatically detect whether they are using ordinary cat5 or crossover cable and and change their behavior accordingly.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 13, 2010, 05:02:41 PM
I did not know the gigabit cards would auto negotiate crossed or straight.
But I did have a situation where some fool created a network on cable where there were two computers on one network cable. That's fine for 100 base, but when I replaced the 100base switch for a 1000base switch, the cards did not stay at 100, which is the most the cabling would support. I had to specify at each PC the speed to run at. Just saying the auto-negotiate is not a fool proof method and not to be trusted at all times.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 13, 2010, 05:55:55 PM
Well they are taking my advice and ditching the jacked up XP computer for a new Win 7 computer since parts and labor for upgrading and reinstalling would probably cost the same either way.
So I think I'm gonna go network the two computers later tonite and copy over the important info that they need off of it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 14, 2010, 05:08:39 AM
new problem, different computer.
I get Norton for free through Comcast and for a while now Norton Anti-Virus (my anti-virus software) & Windows Security has been telling me that I don't have any virus protection on the computer.
so I've contacted Norton about this since the program was obviously not working right, even after several installs (and I've had this problem on atleast 3 different computers) and they took remote control and got the program working again.
Now my computer started blue screening and after another tech remote take-over about a week ago, my computer will no longer boot up.
I've booted it up in safe mode and ran a Norton scan(since that's all I have...) and it found 66 issues during the scan before it froze.
So my question is, can I remove that HDD and stick it into another computer to scan safely or would that infect the other computer (where Norton is working fine) just by being attached? Should I just partition the drive and try to install Win7 on it or would I need to fix the HDD first?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 14, 2010, 12:26:11 PM
There is a very serious chance it will infect the other computer as well. I strongly recommend against connecting to any other windows computer, in fact I would disconnect any ethernet cables connected to it since it could spread the infection over the network and/or might be used as part of a botnet.
I will give you the same advice I gave mop it up: get a Linux livecd like parted magic that has virus scan software built-in and do the scan from there. That is the only safe way to do it. Well, you could also install Linux on a second partition, install it on an external hard drive, or use Linux from a live USB, but those are all more difficult options. But doing the virus scan from Linux is the only safe way to do it (or you could use another non-windows OS, but Os X costs a lot and can't be installed on most hardware and other Unix-like oses have no real advantage over linux).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: DAaaMan64 on August 14, 2010, 06:59:13 PM
What? Viruses don't just activate or run themselves. At some point you have to tell the code to run. Just plug that bitch into another computer and scan it or grab your data. Then I would wipe that thing.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on August 15, 2010, 12:21:54 AM
What? Viruses don't just activate or run themselves.
Depending on your windows version and autoplay settings they most certainly can.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 15, 2010, 02:05:06 AM
I'm gonna get an external enclosure and hook it up to a old laptop and scan it from there.
If the laptop gets infected... no one cares. I'll just wipe that and try again. But there may be some data on this drive that I want and I can't even boot the computer up anymore. It was my #1 computer until the one I just built (and my girl got a new laptop the other day too).
Do you think I can just partition the drive and install Win7 on that computer and then virus scan it? I really don't think there is anything too important on the drive, so I won't shed a tear if I never see it again.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 15, 2010, 07:07:10 PM
The other computer at my moms house just bluescreened too.
won't boot past the intel inside screen. what can I do? I'm blaming Norton for this becuase we've had nothing but problems with this program on every XP machine I've installed it on.
Help me please.
I have the HP recovery disc & the the WinXP disc, but it's no good since it will not boot past the first screen on start up.
edit: Computer fixed, and 1st computer is about to get formatted and have Win7 installed next time I go there. Hopefully that solves all problems.
Norton is still saying that there is no virus protection though. If it wasn't free I wouldn't use it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: DAaaMan64 on August 16, 2010, 12:30:36 AM
What? Viruses don't just activate or run themselves.
Depending on your windows version and autoplay settings they most certainly can.
You can't autoplay a hard drive you plugged into with SATA/IDE.
So I should plug it into the other computer that bluescreened earlier today? take what I want to keep and then wipe it and install Win7?
Oh man, your computers just **** on you don't they? What the hell browser are you using that you have all these problems? Also note that a lot of the time Blue screens are caused back bad hardware, not just software and viruses.
As far as what you should do, just listen to BlackCat, if autorun off a sata/ide harddrive is some how possible like he is sure of, just do it the safest way possible.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 16, 2010, 01:56:53 AM
I blame it on Norton honestly. That's when all the problems started.
The 1st computer was barely ever used and only left on because Magic Jack was hooked to it, the upstairs I fixed but it's because My mom downloads crap and ignores the pop-ups warning her of stuff.
When I was on that computer everyday, there were never any problems. But the installation of Norton is when everything started to go wrong. but only on the XP machines.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: DAaaMan64 on August 16, 2010, 03:11:00 AM
How to keep a computer running nice in 2 steps:
1. Don't use Internet Explorer. (Use Chrome, FireFox, Opera, or something else.) 2. Use your best judgement about what you download, don't download a ".exe" unless your sure of what it is and where it comes from.
Advanced suggestions: 1. Learn to use msconfig + google. (msnconfig can be used by pressing start -> run -> msconfig. Under the Startup tab, carefully manage what is starting up with your machine. You can google process your not sure about. 2. Learn to manual eliminate threats. Computer running weird / slow? Look for a weird process running in Task Manager, google the name of the ".exe". That will tell you if it is a safe exe. If it is dangerous, if simply kill the process and delete the .exe wherever you find it. If you can't kill or delete it, reboot in safemode and delete the bitch. Also look into turning of shitty slow services if your really in need of speed. (You shouldn't be)
I run a Windows machine with and without a virus scanner. I do not need to constantly reinstall windows or "run scans" or any of that bull ****. All I do is the above.
GL
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 16, 2010, 12:49:22 PM
let me give a more detailed description of what happened.
2 computers in the house, both on XP. Upstairs (my moms) & downstairs (mine). My mom uses IE even though I tell her not to and provided her with FF & Chrome. McAfee always did a decent job of keeping the computer clean, backed up with Malwarebytes and System Mechanic Pro.
Downstairs my computer was always fine. Never a problem. Used only FF & Chrome. McAfee, Malwarebytes & SysMechPro.
Comcast decides that they don't want to give McAfee for free anymore and Norton was now their provided PC Protection package. so you are forced to switch. I install Norton on both machines. After about a week or 2, both Windows Firewall and Norton Total Care (or whatever it's called) says that "There is no Virus Protection on Your Computer". So I uninstall and re-install Norton on both machines. a few days later, same problem. So I contact Norton about it, and they do some remote access to look at the downstairs computer (I'll just mimic whatever they do on the upstairs if necessary) and they uninstall MalWarebytes saying that it is incompatible.... uninstall and reinstall Norton again. the next time I visit my moms house a week or 2 later, the computer isn't responding and I find out that it had blue screened.
So i reset it and it loaded up fine but now I see the "There is no Virus Protection on Your Computer" message again. I start looking at all my programs again (no one has used this computer since the last time I used it with the Norton guy), notice nothing out of the ordinary and then my computer bluescreens again. I reboot and contact Norton again dropping the blame on them for their faulty software supposedly not doing what it's supposed to do (Norton telling me there is no virus protection when Norton is the Virus protection) and they take remote control again. several blue screens later, all he did was uninstall and reinstall Norton and leave the case as "Open" since after 2 hours of nothing, I had better things to do than watch him not do anything to fix my problem that his company and their software created.
in the meantime, it's running smooth on the Win7 machine, so I decided to just install Win7 like I meant to many months ago.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: MegaByte on August 16, 2010, 04:42:25 PM
Norton fucking sucks. It's screwed up a number of computers in my office. I used to recommend Kaspersky back when there was a free version available, and the same with Avira, but nowadays, Microsoft's own offering is pretty good (coupled with Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware) http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on September 11, 2010, 11:32:11 AM
I got a new problem that I can't seem to fix.
Windows 7 Ultimate on my computer and recently the energy saver option just stop working. I checked the settings (which seem to be fine) and even turned on the screen saver, but neither of them work.
all night the monitor will stay on if I don't manually turn it off. Any suggestions?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on September 11, 2010, 05:02:29 PM
Can you try a different monitor?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on September 11, 2010, 05:24:44 PM
No, but i've been reading about this online and I'm certainly not the only one having this problem. http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7desktop/thread/c91674b0-110d-4503-b7ff-037b6eb507dc
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on September 12, 2010, 12:49:45 PM
turns out that it is my magic jack causing the problem.
solution: Unplug it, forward all your calls to your cell phone or let them goto voicemail.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on October 06, 2010, 03:28:18 PM
DAMN IT. Windows will no longer even boot up for me. I no longer have the start up disc (and they no longer make it since my laptop is about 5 years old). Gateway is willing to do it remotely, but for $99 and I don't have that. I don't want to lose everything saved on the hard drive. BTW, I typed this on my DSi.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 06, 2010, 03:31:03 PM
virus? can you remove your HDD and hook it up to another computer?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on October 06, 2010, 10:29:41 PM
I don't have access to another PC (except at school).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 06, 2010, 11:07:43 PM
better get a friend to download a Windows disc so that you can do a repair on your system.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TheBlackCat on October 06, 2010, 11:24:01 PM
Have you tried using a bootable CD like parted magic and a USB hard drive?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: greybrick on October 07, 2010, 12:08:29 AM
Microsoft's own offering is pretty good (coupled with Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware) http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/ (http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/)
That is some sound advice, the difference between these and Norton is just phenomenal.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Kytim89 on October 07, 2010, 09:22:47 PM
I have a 120 GB external HDD(2.5 laptop ATA) that whenever I plug it into a computer it says that a drive for the device can not be found and it does not show up in My Computer. Does anyone know how to fix it?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 07, 2010, 09:29:24 PM
have you tried downloading the driver so that it can be found?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Kytim89 on October 07, 2010, 09:53:40 PM
have you tried downloading the driver so that it can be found?
How would I do that? Also, if I plugged this hard drive into a machine, would it be able to read the HDD?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on October 07, 2010, 10:50:33 PM
Find the make and model of the hard drive...and download the driver from the manufacturer's website. If you can get the driver, and the HDD actually works...then it should be able to be read by a "machine" I suppose.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 30, 2010, 04:43:48 PM
So I finally got a new HD for my busted computer at my mom's house: refresher for those that are interested: http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=28060.msg629381#msg629381
I go to boot up the computer and nothing shows up on the screen for the first 10 attempts but the fans are spinning and the Disc drives light up, so I kow it's not the power supply. I then hook the monitor up to a laptop to make sure it's not the monitor, and the monitor works fine. so I finally hook it back up to the computer and it boots, but says the bios is bad and need to be setup again. so I set the date and time, made sure it was reading the HDD and CD drives and then saved and exited.
so it's starts to load the windows disc and that's when I get the BLUE SCREEN of DEATH again. So that proves that it wasn't a Virus on the old HDD and instead is a BIOS error of some sorts right?
How do I fix that or can I even fix that? any suggestions?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: MegaByte on October 30, 2010, 06:36:34 PM
It could be a lot of things. Could be bad RAM - run memtest86+ to check Could be bad capacitors -- do you see any leaking/rust/corrosion on the motherboard capacitors? If the computer is from the early-mid 2000s, that was a big problem. Could be a partially-failing power supply (hard to diagnose without proper equipment). Could be a failing/overheating CPU or CD drive.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on October 31, 2010, 01:58:43 AM
It could be a lot of things. Could be bad RAM - run memtest86+ to check Could be bad capacitors -- do you see any leaking/rust/corrosion on the motherboard capacitors? If the computer is from the early-mid 2000s, that was a lp big problem. Could be a partially-failing power supply (hard to diagnose without proper equipment). Could be a failing/overheating CPU or CD drive.
.... :(
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on November 05, 2010, 07:31:04 PM
It could be a lot of things. Could be bad RAM - run memtest86+ to check Could be bad capacitors -- do you see any leaking/rust/corrosion on the motherboard capacitors? If the computer is from the early-mid 2000s, that was a big problem. Could be a partially-failing power supply (hard to diagnose without proper equipment). Could be a failing/overheating CPU or CD drive.
Is memtest86 in the C: dos prompt? because I can't boot into windows. I already formatted that HDD twice because I thought it was a virus. I have not seen and rust or corrosion anywhere on the motherboard. power supply... I do have an extra one somewhere, but I need to find it. so I can try and swap it out. CPU seems to be running fine from what I had last checked about the temp in the BIOS, but there is 2 CD droves and 1 was either working or not working depending on the mood it had that day.
If I were to completely disconnect it (it is old and has been transfered from original computer up through all the upgrades), you think that might actually solve the problem? I have just ignored it for so long(I've been using the other faster drive) that I've almost forgotten it was even there.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on November 05, 2010, 10:51:30 PM
Bad caps can also be indicated by popped out tops. They don't always leak.
At this point, it sounds like bad hardware. Did you take off all PCI cards? Try re-seating the CPU. Look for any brown discoloration on the CPU. Re-seat the memory. If there are two sticks, try with only one installed.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on November 05, 2010, 11:13:01 PM
Ok, Ill try everything tomorrow.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 01, 2010, 12:05:58 PM
Do you mean right click is disabled by Group Policy on your domain profile? It can be bypassed, but it is complicated.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: vudu on December 02, 2010, 09:15:07 PM
I inherited an old laptop from work. It has one HDD partitioned into two separate drives. I want to delete the partition. Drive D (half of the partition) is currently blank.
I downloaded a program called EASEUS Partition Master (http://www.partition-tool.com/). It looks like it can do the job, but I don't know for sure. The instructions are simple enough (http://www.partition-tool.com/easeus-partition-manager/help/deleting-partitions.htm), but it says:
Quote
If you delete partition, all the data will be lost. Make sure you have backup for your data.
I'm not sure if this means I'll just lose data on the empty partition I want to delete (which is fine) or if I'll lose data on the entire HDD (which is not fine). I got this used laptop as-is, which means I don't have any of the system discs and can't reinstall MS Office (or any other program) if I screw something up.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: UncleBob on December 02, 2010, 09:41:32 PM
My 1998 Computer knowledge says that the only way to delete a partition on a HD is to reformat the entire drive. 2010 applicability of this knowledge my vary.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 03, 2010, 12:43:20 AM
save the license numbers from your programs and re-install (by downloading it) later?
or you could just use Open Office which supposedly works with MS Office files and it's free.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 03, 2010, 12:48:42 AM
Just use Disk Management from inside Windows, you don't need any fancy partitioning software, especially if the drive is already setup with 2 partitions. You can delete the empty partition and then extend the system partition to take up the whole drive, or you can leave them separate.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: vudu on December 06, 2010, 09:42:29 AM
Thanks Brandogg!
I wasn't able to figure out how to extend the system partition using Disk Management, but it did let me delete the one I wanted to get rid of. I was then able to use Partition Master to extend the system partition.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 06, 2010, 12:01:14 PM
Glad he could help. Now maybe someone can help me out.
Every once in a while my mouse cursor will malfunction and change into a either a series of dotted lines, continue to be the pointer with a dotted line right next to it or sometimes turn into a block of some sort. I can fix it with a restart, but I was wondering if there is a way to stop it from happening at all.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: greybrick on December 06, 2010, 10:56:50 PM
If I play any game for around a minute (Minecraft or Crysis, doesn't matter) the screen will eventually be marred with some spatterings of purple or green pixels. Usually, these pixels are drawn in along contour lines withing the image currently being displayed.
Doing other things, like watching Hulu, won't mess up the computer, which leads me to believe I am only running into problems with things that run in 3d. My temperatures seem fine, around 65 F.
Maybe my Nvidia 8800 GT has begun to flip out, or at least I suspect that's what the problem is. I do have the most recent drivers... le sigh.
EDIT: Now the screen will be filled with any number of graphical wonders, and then throw my computer into a crash. Sometimes, I can recover from it with a quick leap to the task manager, but it is always crippled after the save.
Perhaps this is the universe's way of telling me I need to study for finals. Universe, just let me F*** my own life up, okay?!
Final update:
Yep, busted graphics card. Fortunately my dad had an untouched 9500 sitting in a drawer so I can get by for a while.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shorty McNostril on December 08, 2010, 06:10:51 AM
Glad he could help. Now maybe someone can help me out.
Every once in a while my mouse cursor will malfunction and change into a either a series of dotted lines, continue to be the pointer with a dotted line right next to it or sometimes turn into a block of some sort. I can fix it with a restart, but I was wondering if there is a way to stop it from happening at all.
Is the functionality affected, or purely the appearance of the pointer?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 08, 2010, 12:31:59 PM
it makes clicking on things a little difficult sometimes because you cant tell where the tip of the pointer is, but other than that, it works all the same.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 17, 2010, 12:17:27 AM
DLNA - How do I make my PC compliant?
My phone is DLNA and I figure that would allow me to do some wireless swapping between my phone and my computer, and maybe a future TV upgrade for the livingroom.
So what do I need to do to make my current computer DLNA compliant?
Do I need additional hardware, because that is a deal breaker (for now). Is it just software that runs on the network and anything connected to that network?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on December 19, 2010, 09:20:14 AM
Nero Media Home http://www.nero.com/enu/mediahome4-introduction.html
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: vudu on January 16, 2011, 09:09:55 PM
I was attempting to install some new RAM into a laptop I just bought--and failed miserably, but that's another story all together--and noticed something interesting. I was following an online guide and noticed that the laptop in the guide has a chip of some sort that my computer doesn't have.
Can anyone tell me what this is? My laptop has the plug that connects to the chip but it's just hanging there empty.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 16, 2011, 10:16:40 PM
Could be several things - but I would take a guess that it's WiFi or possibly BlueTooth. Looks like a pretty dated laptop...and you shouldn't need to do anything to the keyboard area to install more RAM.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 16, 2011, 10:39:02 PM
I would tell you what it is, but you torture me in the funhouse of horrors.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: vudu on January 16, 2011, 10:41:08 PM
I would tell you what it is, but you torture me in the funhouse of horrors.
Oh, come on! Half of those weren't even me! And the last one definitely wasn't! (Title change wasn't me either.)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 16, 2011, 11:48:13 PM
Branndogg is right, it's the Bluetooth module http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Wireless-355-Bluetooth-Module-Inspiron-Vostro-XPS-/130461549145?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e601d4259
Now change my title back to I'm Batman please.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 17, 2011, 12:07:37 AM
It holds two sticks of RAM. One is under a latch on the bottom of the laptop. The other is under the keyboard.
That has to be one of the most retarded things I've ever heard. They must have been on crack when they designed that laptop, or just assumed that people would never want to upgrade.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Caliban on March 07, 2011, 02:03:47 PM
I want to buy a laptop, and I've been interested by either of these 2:
I intend to use it for video/photo editing (biggest reason for purchase), internet browsing, and music/video playback, so I'm inclined to get the i3-380M because it comes with 6GBs.
The screen at 15.6" is fine because I don't want to lug around a laptop. At 5.5 pounds that's a good weight.
Price is obviously a factor because I don't want to pay more than $700 (taxes included, 13% where I'm at).
Should I be worried in any way that it comes preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit?
I would like to read your opinions. Thank you.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on March 07, 2011, 03:03:53 PM
Should I be worried in any way that it comes preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit?
Only if you would prefer Windows 7 Ultimate. Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit is a pretty great OS and basically the standard now.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: MegaByte on March 07, 2011, 03:57:59 PM
If you need Remote Desktop, Home Premium doesn't have it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on March 07, 2011, 04:52:08 PM
There are other (better) third party options for that kind of stuff. Some free, some not, but it's not a very important feature for most users.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Caliban on March 07, 2011, 10:59:43 PM
I don't really need remote desktop, I think. I was just wondering because I wasn't aware that the laptop comes with an install partition.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: stevey on May 17, 2011, 09:00:56 PM
BUMP! Can anyone give some advice on Hard drive problems? I got an warning that the "current pending sector count" hit 5 and then after a few days it continued to increase until it was at 15. What makes me worried is when I tried to write a file to a sub directory, it instantly became corrupt and unreadable; Deleting and rewriting caused the entire sub-directory to corrupt and whenever I try reading it, windows tells me to "format the disk before using it". I tried to do a disk scan but that caused the count to rapidly increase to 0x92 so I stop it before it finish since I didn't know if I was just find bad sector that weren't there a month or so ago or creating them. Now the drive read speed dropped below 1MB/s and I'm stuck. Does anyone know of a way to improve the read speed to what it was so I can dump the data off to a replacement before it inevitably dies and what is going on with it in general? (In case that it might be useful here's the S.m.a.r.t. data before (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/n64/HD2TB.png) after scan (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/n64/2TBHDD.png).)
Edit:fix spelling mistakes
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on May 17, 2011, 11:48:49 PM
replace the drive or take that drive to a new system and hook it up as secondary to start the recovery attempt.
Here's an old tip from the IBM hard drive guide back in the 90s: seal the drive in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer overnight. Pull it out and recover the data as quickly as possible
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on May 18, 2011, 09:54:02 AM
I've never seen the freezer trick actually work. If you're going to try it though, you really should use a vacuum sealed bag (or at least press/suck all of the air out of a zip-lock) so as to not get any condensation inside of your drive.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on May 18, 2011, 11:56:54 AM
Theirs also the dropping the drive flat trick but thats for a clicking probably because what your really doing is unjamming the reader arm.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on May 18, 2011, 12:25:54 PM
I've used the freezer trick to success a few times.
Another official IBM trick was the to swing the drive in a figure eight motion to unstick the reader arm.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 31, 2011, 06:57:18 PM
I'm having a major Chrome issue right now.
On one forum my browser will double the page length in white space. sometimes tripling it, shich makes the page length very long when you are using autopager like I do.
On this forum is taking my post and making new threads or new post out of them. I edited a post in the AMazing deal thread, deleted what was said and replacing it with something else. I come back just now only to realize that it didn't delete it, but instead made another post right after it.
It did something similar with the PS4 cell news yesterday when it made a new thread when I hit post inside the existing PS4 thread.
So if i uninstall Chrome and then reinstall chrome, will it delete all my saved stuff? or should I find a way to back that up first (which I would probably do for passwords and stuff anyway)?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: stevey on July 08, 2011, 08:56:58 PM
My retarded sister got a pop up in April saying some **** about virus on her computer and to buy some Microsoft security software to fix it. Guess what, she DID and gave either her credit card or debt card info to it! Now it broke window's safe mode, is prevent anything from being run (Firefox/real anti-viruses/task manger) saying they all have worms, randomly sounding "pig noise like squeal" alarms, and some pop up about child porn being found on her computer. My concerns are:
1) Are there any virus that actually do download CP?! (should I file some sort of police report?) 2) Should I do a clean install of Windows XP or Ubuntu 8.10 3) Am I over reacting by nuking her old install and is there some sort of free boot disk virus scanner out there that will fix this Trojan/rootkit?
All my hate!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shaymin on July 08, 2011, 09:15:20 PM
1) No, but it's best to assume the worst when dealing with stuff like that. Right now, your sister's PC is some hacker's bitch.
3) Nuking the old install is the only way to be sure. Also, try this: http://connect.microsoft.com/systemsweeper (http://connect.microsoft.com/systemsweeper) (you'll need to burn it to disc or a USB key and change her PC to boot from it to run it).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on July 08, 2011, 10:59:12 PM
Check out rkill on Bleepingcomputer. It shuts down malware processes and allows normal clean up tools to do their jobs. Be sure to read up on it though, it can be tricky.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 18, 2011, 12:34:05 PM
I have a question.
I have a computer upstairs with the modem and a wireless router. I also have a computer downstairs connected wirelessly.
My internet connection is **** in the garage and I have a spare router that I want to use with the downstairs computer. I want to put a Wii in the Garage, but I'm afraid it will get no signal.
Q: Is it possible to use the second router as a Wifi repeater effectively extending the signal?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 18, 2011, 01:28:34 PM
Yes, if the router has bridging mode.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on July 18, 2011, 01:32:32 PM
And if it doesn't support bridging? If it's even a somewhat decent router, you can probably get something like DD-WRT (open-WRT, Tomato, etc) onto it. Then you'll have all the options you need!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 18, 2011, 01:51:34 PM
The second router is a linksys wrt54g. But I'll have to check the options when I get home. Is there an easy guide to bridging the routers that some one can point me to?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 18, 2011, 03:19:02 PM
Im pretty sure that router can take DDWRT.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on July 18, 2011, 03:51:36 PM
The WRT54G is pretty much the router for DD-WRT, hehe. You'll have to make note of what revision it is though. Version 5 and newer have substantially smaller on board memory to utilize, and thus require micro versions of the firmware to work properly.
Here (http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Bridge) is a pretty thorough rundown of how the Bridge mode will work in DD-WRT.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 19, 2011, 11:34:11 AM
Why does the custom firmware thing have to be so complicated? after reading part of the dd-wrt wiki, I'm afraid I'm gonna brick my router and I'm unsure if I want the custom FW.
But after some research, I can't find any other way to bridge the router.
So let me explain how far I've gotten at this point. 1. I've read some/most of the wiki page 2. I've located the download link to the FW I need. (I should download it to the computer connected to the router, but I haven't done that just yet) 3. I've gained access to the router locally (but doing that disconnects internet access, which is why I haven't done #2 yet)
I'm guessing what I need to do next is a Hard reset (30-30-30) and then install the FW?
What I haven't been able to really figure out is that it tells me to change the IP address of the computer and I don't know how to do that.
edit: I have a Linksys WRT54G v1.1 this is the link to the custom FW wiki page for that router http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G_v1.0_%26_1.1 (http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G_v1.0_%26_1.1)
Should I just follow that or do I need to read the whole "Peacock" thread too?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on July 19, 2011, 11:49:47 AM
Why does the custom firmware thing have to be so complicated? after reading part of the dd-wrt wiki, I'm afraid I'm gonna brick my router and I'm unsure if I want the custom FW.
But after some research, I can't find any other way to bridge the router.
So let me explain how far I've gotten at this point. 1. I've read some/most of the wiki page 2. I've located the download link to the FW I need. (I should download it to the computer connected to the router, but I haven't done that just yet) 3. I've gained access to the router locally (but doing that disconnects internet access, which is why I haven't done #2 yet)
I'm guessing what I need to do next is a Hard reset (30-30-30) and then install the FW?
What I haven't been able to really figure out is that it tells me to change the IP address of the computer and I don't know how to do that.
edit: I have a Linksys WRT54G v1.1 this is the link to the custom FW wiki page for that router http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G_v1.0_%26_1.1 (http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G_v1.0_%26_1.1)
Should I just follow that or do I need to read the whole "Peacock" thread too?
BnM, change the IP of the Computer in Windows? Its fairly simple.
Start -> Control Panel -> (Their is another place right here in Win 7 but I can't remember it. Also has Network in the name) Network Connections -> Local Area Connections (Whichever one is active in Win 7) -> Properties -> Internet Protocal or TCP/IP 4 Double Click and then choice Use the Following IP Address and your good to go. Now I'm doing this all from memory but that should be right are the names will be really close.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 19, 2011, 01:03:49 PM
I just want to post what I'm about to do here because I'm nervous that I'm not doing something right, forgetting something or gonna somehow brick my router.
1. Disable my wireless connection on this computer 2. access the Linksys GUI and restore factory defaults 3. do a hard reset 30-30-30 to be safe 4. install v24_mini_generic 5. do a soft reset 6. restore factory defaults 7. install v24_standard_generic 8. FW reset (hold reset for 30 on power up)
9. now I can start figuring out how to do the actual bridge... Does that sound about right?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on July 19, 2011, 01:39:58 PM
That conceptually sounds right but I've never personally done this type of Firmware swapping on a Router.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on July 19, 2011, 06:46:04 PM
That sounds right.
It's very difficult to hard brick your router by installing DD-WRT. The worst thing that will happen is you'll have to telnet into it and force the firmware.
Your other option is to buy a dedicated bridge or a more expensive router that supports said mode out of the box.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 20, 2011, 02:54:00 AM
It took me a while to get it all working, but it's up and running.
I thought I had bricked the router during the DD-WRT install, but a soft reset fixed the issue. Then it took me forever to get the bridge working. The tutorial step-by-step left out a bunch of stuff that was explained in the video. Once I followed the video it was all working again.... except that I can't change the computer's IP address back to auto because the internet won't work.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 03, 2011, 01:54:57 PM
It stopped working as a repeater... but I've given up on that for now.
New problem. My sister's laptop has a broken 17"screen (haven't looked at it yet, don't know if it's physically damaged or just stopped working), how much would it cost to fix/replace that?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on August 03, 2011, 02:39:12 PM
Don't buy laptops. They're overpriced junk prone to extreme damage.
That said, physically replacing a laptop screen is generally not too difficult. Most repair shops will charge an arm and a leg for it because of the time involved however. Likewise, the parts are generally outrageous unless you can find a junked machine on eBay to strip the screen from.
Since you don't actually even know what's wrong, it could be something much simpler. The cable could have come loose from the motherboard. The video drivers might be corrupt. Hell, she could have accidentally switched it over to an external monitor with a keyboard shortcut.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on August 03, 2011, 05:04:56 PM
Yeah, but any of the physical problems, even lose cords. Can be a royal pain to get at in a laptop.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 03, 2011, 05:19:31 PM
I've partially dis-assembled a laptop before, so if I could get a replacement screen for fairly cheap, then I will find the patience to install it and save $500 in buying a new one instead.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on August 03, 2011, 09:55:04 PM
I replace laptop LCDs all the time, it's typically a simple 25 minute job or so. Save money and don't get the cable with it (assuming the LCD isactually bad). Most of the time it's as simple as popping off the top bezel that covers the keyboard screws, unscrewing the keyboard and then maybe 10 more screws in the top assembly. Depending on the resolution of the screen you'll be looking at probably $70-120 for the LCD, and remember that laptop manuufactuers typically don't make the LCDs themselves (unless it's Toshiba or Samsung maybe).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 03, 2011, 10:03:42 PM
If I gave you the laptop model, would that help?
Maybe if the LCD is cheap enough, you would be willing to put it in for another $20-$30 on top of it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on August 03, 2011, 11:26:59 PM
It's really simple usually but shipping costs would probably make this pretty expensive. I'd be happy to do it if you want though, what is the model?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 04, 2011, 01:36:03 AM
HP dv7-3085dx
I'm about to see if i can power it up and find out whats wrong with it.
edit: can't find the power cord right now. So I can't even be sure what is or isn't wrong with it (my sister is very computer illiterate)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Stogi on August 04, 2011, 04:01:19 PM
This won't help at all, but I had a laptop break in half on me. For a while I just plugged the bottom portion into a TV.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 04, 2011, 08:01:47 PM
I'm about to see if i can power it up and find out whats wrong with it.
edit: can't find the power cord right now. So I can't even be sure what is or isn't wrong with it (my sister is very computer illiterate)
I haven't found the power cord yet, but this is what my sister says is wrong with it.
There is a black spot on the whole left side of the screen from the power cord hitting it and cracking a pressure point.
Now I realize that it should still work fine if she hooks it up to her TV, but she is like me in that we love to multi-task. But as soon as she finds the powercord, I will show her that she can still use the computer.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on August 04, 2011, 09:31:23 PM
Yeah the LCD must be bleeding (it is liquid after all). If you want to replace the LCD here is an incredibly simple guide (http://www.insidemylaptop.com/remove-lcd-screen-inverter-board-hp-pavilion-dv7-notebook/). You don't even have to remove anything other than the front of the LCD bezel (assuming you don't replace the cable, again, saves a bit of money). I've done one of those before, took about 5 minutes. You can skip the inverter part - this would actually be a great start for getting into computer/laptop repair. My least favorite thing is replacing actual charger ports, that can be a real pain in the dick.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 04, 2011, 10:52:09 PM
$92 for a screen w/ free shipping on ebay and an incredibly easy guide to follow for what looks like an incredibly easy thing to fix.
Thanx.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: stevey on August 05, 2011, 01:22:33 AM
Anyone know of any good disk partition recovery tools? My newest external drive's ntfs partition vaporized taking over 2TB data with it and testdisk/windows/linux keeps saying it's completely raw. :-\
Why do hard drives hate me so much? Sure, there was a storm last night but it work fine for most of the day afterwards...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ThePerm on August 05, 2011, 04:49:40 AM
so yeah the forums changed, and the adds are now so annoying i don't want to use the website, could someone help me with blocking this stuff?
nevermind, i just installed aurora and disabled javascript in firefox.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 05, 2011, 05:06:09 AM
AdBlock Plus has kept me 98% ad free for years.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ThePerm on August 05, 2011, 05:09:26 AM
yeah, i used to have the old forum theme and that stopped the adds, but fail its removed. And the aurora fix didnt help because it shares the same settings as firefox. I'll try adblock plus, and dl chrome
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on August 05, 2011, 09:24:19 AM
Yeah, Adblock Plus cleaned all of them away in my Firefox.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 05, 2011, 11:09:44 AM
Meh, I'm one of the IE holdouts and I am going to have to switch to Firefox while visiting the site. Adblock does work well.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on August 05, 2011, 11:11:33 AM
Yeah the LCD must be bleeding (it is liquid after all). If you want to replace the LCD here is an incredibly simple guide (http://www.insidemylaptop.com/remove-lcd-screen-inverter-board-hp-pavilion-dv7-notebook/). You don't even have to remove anything other than the front of the LCD bezel (assuming you don't replace the cable, again, saves a bit of money). I've done one of those before, took about 5 minutes. You can skip the inverter part - this would actually be a great start for getting into computer/laptop repair. My least favorite thing is replacing actual charger ports, that can be a real pain in the dick.
I followed this guide. extremely easy job. Hardest part was getting the screen bezel off since it felt like you were breaking stuff the entire time.
Turns out that the screen video input for the replacement screen was on the wrong side. Had to contact the ebay seller who is gonna send the extension cable, so everything should be all good.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 03, 2011, 06:26:23 PM
So some day last week, my G: drive disappeared. My G: drive is where I keep all my stuff, files, videos, pics, etc etc.
I've been meaning to get around to opening up the computer, but there was nothing on there that I needed immediately, so I've been putting it off.
Out of fear of the worst (dead drive) I decided to rule out anything else I could before opening up the dungeon to do open heart surgery. So I've run several different virus checkers.... nothing of not found.
Them today, out of no where, my G: Drive is back as if it just took an extended vacation and forgot say something. Everything is in tact and it works as good as it always has. So WTF is up with that?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 04, 2011, 02:47:39 PM
Spotty connection caused by dissimilar metals?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 04, 2011, 04:59:36 PM
Could be a cable was slightly loose or something, but it could also be your drive going out. Might want to run some hard drive diagnostic tools.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 04, 2011, 05:03:47 PM
I don't see any included with Win7, can you recommend one?
edit: I haven't run a diagnostic on the HDD yet, but it is working better now than it has in months. very quick response when starting a video file. It used to take a few seconds before it would start.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on December 15, 2011, 09:27:51 PM
This is probably a long shot, but I guess it can't hurt to ask.
I think my computer got infected with something. My guess on the source is a spam email, I sometimes click these by mistake trying to click something else, and that's one thing that happened a couple days ago.
I have Microsoft Security Essentials and since two nights ago it's been periodically removing something. It's always the same two items, though one at a time, and it appears every 15-30 minutes. The item names are Win32/Cridex.B and Win32/Obfuscator.QG. The exact location they appear in changes slightly each time, so it's obviously recreating/moving itself every time that MSE removes it.
I ran a full scan with MSE and it didn't find anything beyond those two items, which of course still returned later. I downloaded the two programs on Microsoft's page (link (http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/worms-remove.aspx)) and they found the same stuff, so it still came back. I also tried the free version of Hitman Pro and all it found were tracking cookies, as well as using SpyBot though I don't think that one is even supposed to block this sort of thing.
So... I'm not sure what to try next but it seems it must be something more major. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ymeegod on December 15, 2011, 09:47:00 PM
Well I just googled in the file you were talking about and it appears to be an worm that reappeared on 12/8/11. AhnLab-V3 is an antivirus program and it should remove the worm since they updated on 12/12/11 that they found the solution to your worm.
I'm sure other antivirus software will be updated as well if you care to wait.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 15, 2011, 10:22:16 PM
The best way to get rid of a virus is to use a second computer that you know is clean. Take the drive with the infection out, pop it in the other computer (after updating all of the anti-malware/anti-virus software) and then run a full scan on the drive.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on December 16, 2011, 01:19:48 AM
Download rKill from Bleeping computer, save it to your desktop. Start the computer in safe mode. Run rkill to make sure there isn't anything funny running.
Clear all temp directories as this is a launching point for many viruses.
Do a scan with an anti-virus. Also use malwarebytes anti-malware.
If items are removed, celebrate. Restart computer normally. Create a new user and set it with administrative rights. Give it a difficult password. Then change your account and change the account type to a limited account. Restart one more time and use the new account only for installing programs and updates.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on December 26, 2011, 06:54:54 PM
Whoops, I forgot to respond back to this thread. Thanks for the responses guys.
Someone else I had talked with pointed me to Malwarebytes, so I tried that and it seems to have worked. I haven't had any issues or seen a trace since then.
Create a new user and set it with administrative rights. Give it a difficult password. Then change your account and change the account type to a limited account. Restart one more time and use the new account only for installing programs and updates.
Wow, you're pretty careful. It's probably not a bad idea, but I don't know how to set up accounts. Maybe someday if I'm really bored, I'll try figuring it out.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on December 28, 2011, 09:07:25 PM
Wow, you're pretty careful. It's probably not a bad idea, but I don't know how to set up accounts. Maybe someday if I'm really bored, I'll try figuring it out.
Or if you get another virus... ;)
Really, with most of my clients, it takes two times before they become believers. I understand how some functions of computers can be daunting, and that's what virus writers take advantage of.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 01, 2012, 12:54:02 AM
I have a rather puzzling problem that I hope you guys can help me with.
I have a secondary 1TB HDD in my computer. When I check the available space it says there is always very little space, so I the other day deleted 56GB of files....
I've since downloaded maybe 5-6GB of data in it's place.... I'm out of space again.
I highlite everything on the drive and it says I have 156GB of stuff on my G: drive, but when I do a property check I have used 930GB of space.
Did I do something wrong or is there a **** load of missing space on my HDD?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on February 01, 2012, 10:56:01 AM
There may be issues with the partition table, or you have a file unrecognized/hidden by Windows. If you don't need what's on there a low level format/zero-write will probably clear it out.
I have used DBan, and it takes a while depending on how many passes you use. You will need to have Windows re-format it afterwards.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 01, 2012, 10:10:41 PM
JFC DBan could take years on a 1TB drive.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 01, 2012, 10:31:26 PM
I'm gonna get another TB HDD and copy what I want to keep over and then format to see of that fixes it.
maybe I'll try what you suggested... if a regular format isn't enough.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 01, 2012, 11:25:07 PM
Regular format is probably enough, you don't even need to do a full format.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on July 09, 2012, 04:10:23 AM
I am having computer problems. I know for a fact that nothing malicious is causing this. One day the speakers and webcam stopped working. Plugging in headphone won't work, and the laptop now thinks that they don't exist anymore. Installing new drivers didn't help either.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on July 09, 2012, 09:57:11 AM
Is anything disabled in the Device Manager? You might need to update the actual chipset drivers for your motherboard, or it could be that all of those devices are run from a daughterboard on the laptop, which may have possibly gone bad. Check to make sure all of your USB ports are in good shape - sometimes the plastic "divider" that the cable clips onto (and the internal pins are attached to) can break off, and then if someone tried to plug something in the pins can get pushed around the outer shielding, which shorts them out. That could cause all of those devices to stop working too.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on July 09, 2012, 10:34:30 AM
All USB ports works fine. It seems like every is enabled in the Deice Manager. Would it help to know that it gets a BSoD probably every two to three days?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on July 09, 2012, 11:19:10 AM
Check your capacitors. Look for the tops to be popped out, or even leaking. The capacitors are the round cylinders with flat tops soldered to the motherboard by two wires. Generally there are several lined together, though some can also sit alone.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 10, 2012, 02:51:33 AM
I hope you guys can help with this one.
I have a video file on my computer that I can't delete. I've tried all that I could think of (wan't much) to delete this file, but it will not delete. I just tried to drag and drop it into the garbage bin, but my wireless mouse twitched and dropped it onto the desktop. Now I have the same video file in 2 different places on my computer, and I can't delete either of them.
What do I do?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on July 10, 2012, 03:10:16 AM
Stop downloading so much embarrassing pornography... :P
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on July 10, 2012, 03:24:43 AM
If you were on a Mac I'd tell you to head to the command line, but I don't know what the Windows equivalent is.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: nickmitch on July 10, 2012, 04:50:10 AM
There's a command line on Windows. I think the delete command is just "del."
http://commandwindows.com/runline.htm (http://commandwindows.com/runline.htm) I think that's it. If it's still current.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 10, 2012, 10:29:45 PM
Stop downloading so much embarrassing pornography... :P
Its actually an episode of Thundercats. It plays fine, but I watched it weeks ago. Its gotta go now and make room for other videos.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on July 11, 2012, 01:32:53 AM
You're supposed to hoard media, not purge it after viewing. Storage is cheap, start organizing. ;)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on July 11, 2012, 02:36:41 AM
Speaking of storage, I'm trying to make a decision and I figured I'd get some advice from the good people of NWR (and Morari).
Sometime next month I will be swapping out the optical drive in my laptop for a second storage drive. The question I'm faced with is what drive that should be a 256 GB SSD or one of these 750 GB hybrid drives (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/hybrid-hard-drive-flash-ssd,3116.html).
I will be booting from this drive, and I want something significantly faster than the 5200 RPM drive I'm using right now. I know the SSD will be faster, but the hybrid's almost three times the storage, a bit cheaper, and still considerably faster than what I have now.
I'm having a hard time deciding between the two, and any input anyone here could offer would be welcome.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Morari on July 12, 2012, 02:21:12 AM
An SSD is certainly going to be faster than a traditional spinning disc. The hybrid will be almost equally so. Personally, I would opt for a smaller SSD to load up just the OS and some RAM heavy, yet essential programs... like Photoshop. I'd install everything else to a much larger (and cheaper) SATA drive. As for media storage, I'd keep that external for safety's sake.
That said, 5200 is pretty slow by today's standards. You're generally only going to see those speed in storage-centric externals, or cheaper laptops. You can upgrade to a faster platter and probably notice at least a bit of a difference. Also keep in mind that you be seeing bottlenecks elsewhere, and while a faster drive may help, it might not be as glorious as hoped for.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on July 12, 2012, 02:37:33 AM
My current hard drive is 5200 because it's a 1 TB notebook drive. If I'd had a faster option I'd have taken it, but I wanted the capacity. I think this is the main bottleneck, because my processor's outdated but still decent (2.96 Ghz Core 2 Duo) and I've got 8 GB of RAM. Right now I'm leaning toward the SSD, because based on the benchmark tests I've seen it's going to be considerably faster than the hybrid and I'm not hurting too much for space.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: oohhboy on July 12, 2012, 03:02:18 AM
Your first instincts were right, go for the SSD. You already know what you want and need. The Core 2 duo might be "old", but an SSD will make any operating system snappy unless it's tied to a Celeron. There aren't any real catch me you haven't noticed. Just make sure any program that needs a scratch disk or virtual memory doesn't use the SSD. You will also need to make some changes to some of your habits to make sure you don't save to the SSD unless you have no other option. While they have improved, SSD are still way behind when it comes to the number of writes they can perform.
Since you will have two drives, stick a back up OS in it for a handful of GBs.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 15, 2012, 12:26:07 PM
There's a command line on Windows. I think the delete command is just "del."
http://commandwindows.com/runline.htm (http://commandwindows.com/runline.htm) I think that's it. If it's still current.
I've managed to delete the content of the file, but the icon won't go away. It was an .mkv file, and for some reason the the majority of those will will open in DivX with no sound and require the download of another driver, so I instead just manually open it in VLC where it will have sound, but now I can't get rid of it.
Keeps saying (http://i46.tinypic.com/a9v8l.jpg) notice how the file size in only 78 bytes now.
p.s. The file is not in use, and I've even tried rebooting and attempting to delete first thing before doing anything else.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on July 15, 2012, 12:58:04 PM
What about CCleaner? Doesn't that rid of anything?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on July 15, 2012, 02:43:40 PM
Write down the file path, start the computer in safe mode command line, manually delete the file. You will have to use the short style naming convention. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.3_filename
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on August 14, 2012, 08:32:08 PM
I know some people have a problem with iTunes, but I need help (I have general computer problems, but will ask those later). For a few days iTunes kept freezing. Now I have it working again, but every podcast downloads slowly (like it will say a 200MB podcast takes hundreds of hours), before just timing out. I don't want to have to download all of my podcasts straight to my iPod Touch, anybody know what I should do?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on August 14, 2012, 08:58:07 PM
Ditch the iPod and get a Galaxy S Player...or just put them on your phone.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 28, 2013, 12:00:53 AM
Does anyone know how to set up a working VPN through Win7?
I've followed 3 different guides which all pretty much tell me to do the same thing, but in the end, it doesn't work.
Why am I trying to do this you ask? Yesterday ISP started tracking torrenters and may start doing the new "6 strike" rule which could lead to throttled internet if flagged.
I wish to avoid being flagged for my downloading habits, especially when the software used to "enforce" this new policy is very faulty and not 100% reliable (HBO.com got flagged for streaming it's on content through HBOgo - it's own website).
so can anyone help?
I keep getting this error (http://i46.tinypic.com/30t5thy.jpg)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on February 28, 2013, 12:05:27 AM
Speaking of the new 6 strikes rule, I laughed when somebody on Facebook (on my local Occupy page) started bitching and complaining about it and openly admitted that its because he downloads content illegally, and when I told him to just buy it legally he tried to justify his actions by saying he can't afford to legally pay for music/movies/programs. I think if you download stuff illegally, then your ISP is well within its right to limit your Internet speed (and I think they should be able to cut you off entirely).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on February 28, 2013, 12:06:45 AM
BnM, this is definitely a question better suited for a different forum. Or, at the very least, ask Morari in a PM. ;)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 28, 2013, 12:11:55 AM
why in a PM? there is nothing illegal about setting up a VPN, and I'm not doing it for any illegal reasons.
I don't pirate movies, music & games through the internet, I just want to make sure I don't get a false positive while streaming media or from my usual daily/weekly downloads.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on February 28, 2013, 12:13:30 AM
No, it's not that. I just don't think anyone on the forum knows the answer to that question besides maybe Morari, and wouldn't be better to get his attention by PMing him?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on February 28, 2013, 12:14:56 AM
You can first check to see if your ISP is participating since not all ISPs are doing the six strikes rule, and even some that do have different punishments (AT&T won't throttle your speed).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on February 28, 2013, 12:17:24 AM
How would one even check that? My ISP is a extremely tiny one based in my town of 500 people.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on February 28, 2013, 12:41:44 AM
Look up Logmein's himachi software. Easiest VPN ever.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: TJ Spyke on February 28, 2013, 12:48:54 AM
How would one even check that? My ISP is a extremely tiny one based in my town of 500 people.
Then you should be fine. From what I can find, 5 ISPs are participating right now. Four of the five are AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, and Time Warner Cable. They have the option to terminate service to violators, but none of them plan to do that.
Verizon is the only ISP that will cap customers' data speeds. Before doing so, Verizon will issue a series of alerts and then force repeat-offender FiOS customers to watch instructional videos about copyright and legal methods of downloading content. If customers continue pirating content, their connection will be capped at near dial-up speeds for 2-3 days. Verizon customers will get two weeks' notice before any slowdown occurs, providing a window to appeal piracy accusations. Customers of any ISP can appeal a copyright alert for a $35 fee, which is waived if their appeal is granted or if they express financial difficulties.
Time Warner Cable will not throttle customers' data plans or terminate service. Time Warner Cable customers accused of piracy will receive a series of alerts which, if they are ignored, will lead to customers experiencing a browser lock until they call Time Warner Cable representatives for an instructional conversation about copyright and legal methods of downloading content.
Comcast won't cap Internet speeds, either. Instead, repeat offenders will be first made to confirm receipt of stern warning emails. If their unwanted behavior continues, they will encounter persistent in-browser alerts, deletion of which will require a call to Comcast Security Assurance. CSA will discuss copyright issues and legal downloading alternatives with Comcast customers before deactivating the alerts.
AT&T is also choosing not to throttle users' speeds. AT&T customers accused of piracy will receive a series of alerts. If an accused customer continues illegally downloading content after receiving four such alerts, AT&T will demand they "take an extra step to review materials on an online portal that will educate them on the distribution of copyrighted content online" before they can access other websites, according to a company statement. AT&T noted the program is focused on "customer education rather than punishment."
It also only applies to wired Internet, so services like AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless are not affected.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on February 28, 2013, 12:52:12 AM
They seem to like giving people plenty of chances. I seriously hope my ISP can't see what I download. :P
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 28, 2013, 01:11:36 AM
check out http://whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup (http://whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup)
it missed me, but not by as much as I would like.
edit: It's not working. Can't figure out how to make it work. It says it's running, but I'm not sure how to register my computer as running through the VPN using the Virtual IP address.
edit2: my Himachi VPN has no network access. how do I fix this?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Plugabugz on February 28, 2013, 05:03:51 AM
I use a VPN (to the USA) because Netflix UK is terrible and things like Hulu (and a number of youtube videos) are region locked.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 28, 2013, 06:25:06 AM
I've been considering setting it up so I can do it to bypass blackouts on NHL GameCenter Live and MLS Live.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on February 28, 2013, 01:54:17 PM
edit: It's not working. Can't figure out how to make it work. It says it's running, but I'm not sure how to register my computer as running through the VPN using the Virtual IP address.
edit2: my Himachi VPN has no network access. how do I fix this?
I gave the himachi suggestion not knowing your full situation. There needs to be a himachi host, you then connect clients to the host. It isn't a fully featured stand-alone VPN client.
You may want to do a port check and confirm your ISP allows VPN connections through residential service.
http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/port-scan/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 28, 2013, 08:53:44 PM
edit: It's not working. Can't figure out how to make it work. It says it's running, but I'm not sure how to register my computer as running through the VPN using the Virtual IP address.
edit2: my Himachi VPN has no network access. how do I fix this?
I gave the himachi suggestion not knowing your full situation. There needs to be a himachi host, you then connect clients to the host. It isn't a fully featured stand-alone VPN client.
You may want to do a port check and confirm your ISP allows VPN connections through residential service.
http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/port-scan/
"***.**.**.*** is responding on port 1723 (pptp)."
what now?
I've already enabled it on the router. I installed the Hamachi. I did the VPN setup through windows... what's next?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: stevey on February 28, 2013, 09:20:40 PM
Which VPN provider/host are you using?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 28, 2013, 09:44:09 PM
Guide me stevey, I have no idea what I'm doing.
I was trying to use Hamachi through Log-me-in, since I already have log me in on the computer.
I also tried the basic windows7 VPN, but I couldn't connect it to the internet.
I'm not sure what to do next.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: shingi_70 on February 28, 2013, 10:07:18 PM
Guess thi the thread for this but I got a new Laptop today.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on March 01, 2013, 01:33:59 AM
How many pieces of technology do you acquire every year, Shingi?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: shingi_70 on March 01, 2013, 08:56:14 AM
Usuallly one or two things. This year is looking to be a lot though as I current have on my docket New Laptop (already got) Lumia 510 Nextbox A down payment on a used car during the fall. What ever the next nexus device is coming this fall and maybe an Oyua.
I happen to be a twenty year old commuter college student who gets refund checks every few months aside from my regular job. This enables me to pick up a lot of pieces of tech and whatnot.
Looking for a replacement battery for my old laptop an HP z2000. The one that current is in it doesn't have that great of a charge. Looking for one of those and I plan to add ram and wipe the harddrive before letting my cousin have it as his first laptop.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 05, 2013, 09:29:21 PM
So I decided to build a new computer. 6 core 16GB RAM AMD FM3 machine.
Not the most intense research put into it as it was done with the need of meeting a deadline and I need a new computer asap.
Problem is the motherboard I bought.... It doesn't have a regular VGA 15 pin female connector, it has a male DB 9 pin connection. and the male connectrs usually have the screw, the females usually have the socket. This male connection has the female screw socket...
so I had to hunt down a converter.... and then I had to saw the screw sockets off of the female adapter so that it would fit onto the male motherboard connection for video. I also have a Radeon 7770(7750?) hooked up, but it needs to be installed first... I think.
Problem: I get no video. I've tried 2 different cables and 2 different monitors, both of which I know work. It's possible the adapter is bad I guess.... I knew I should have bought 2 The motherboard is lighting up, the fan on the video card is spinning and so is the case fan which is plugged into the motherboard.
So my Question: I'm going to go get another adapter and try it out just incase i damaged the first one. But is it more likely that the motherboard has bad video or that the CPU is not working?
If the motherboard were working properly, it should output the motherboard logo on startup and have to bypass the bios screen regardless of the CPU? or does it not boot without a functioning CPU at all?
MSI 970A-G46 AMD 9 Series Motherboard - ATX, Socket AM3+, AMD 970 Chipset, 2133MHz DDR3 (O.C.), SATA III (6Gb/s), RAID, 8-CH Audio, Gigabit LAN, USB 3.0, SLI/CrossFireX Ready (970A-G46) (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1963472&tab=7&SRCCODE=WEBLET101SATSFY&cm_mmc=Email-_-WebletMain-_-WEBLET101SATSFY-_-Satisfy&utm_source=EML&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=WEBLET101SATSFY)
edit2: (http://i.imgur.com/OdMwshF.jpg)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 05, 2013, 09:36:10 PM
Most likely nothing will happen if the CPU is bad (besides error codes through beeps or certain LEDs when you turn it on). Are you sure that's a VGA port and not a serial (I can't imagine any computer from the past 10 years of so having a serial port) port? Does the board have on-board graphics? That sounds really, really weird. Even without drivers though the motherboard should be able to send video through your ATI video card by default, as long as it's being detected.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 05, 2013, 09:41:18 PM
Show all of your specs broseph.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 05, 2013, 10:25:51 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/OdMwshF.jpg)
It's a serial port, I didn't think to check it before, because... well, just because I didn't think I had to. I'm not sure how to get video as the video card is attached and the fan s running.
Maybe I should start by returning the CPU? specs below, let me know what you think.
Specs:
CPU: AMD FX-6100 X6 3300MHZ 14MB 95W AM3+ (3.3Ghz 6 core, 8MB L3, 6MB L2, 95W) (https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1239961) Motherboard: MSI 970A-G46 9 Series AM3+ Motherboard (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1963472) Video Card: ASUS HD7750 (1GB GDDR5 - 820Mhz) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007RFYEQW/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) RAM: 2xCORSAIR Vengeance 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) = 16GB total (8GBx2) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233218) SSD: OCZ Vertex 2 OCZSSD2-2VTX100G 2.5" 100GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227938) HDD: Toshiba Desktop 7200 2.0TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive PH3200U-1I72 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009E6J1DI/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Case: NZXT Guardian 921 RB ATX Mid Tower Case, Black 921RB-001-BL (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004351H9G/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
3rd HDD is my current 1x1TB that I will be moving over, along with my 2 DVD burners as soon as this computer is proved to be up and running.
There are also some cords attached to the case that I'm not sure what to do with. I think they are for temperature.... but I'm not sure how to attach them.
edit: added links. and obviously, current prices likely do not reflect price I paid. most items were bought on sale or during Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 05, 2013, 10:56:00 PM
It's hard to say. You should be getting video since this has no on-board VGA or anything. Do you get any beeps or any LEDs lighting up when you boot the system? I've had a couple issues in the beginning building PCs in the past, but the manual should have some decent troubleshooting tips.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 05, 2013, 11:01:28 PM
I'll read through it some more tonite and get back to you in the morning.
and there is no speaker attached to hear any beeps. all the little LED's on the mother board itself are lighting up and the Videocard is powered as the fan is spinning.
I also forgot to mention that I'm using a 450W power supply from a much older build. Corsair I believe. I'll double check when I go back downstairs. I believe it's the same one as my current build as well.
PSU: Corsair VX450W
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 06, 2013, 01:07:31 PM
ok, so I read through the manual for the motherboard and the only thing I changed was the position of the RAM from slots 1&2 to 2&4 for dual mem mode, even tried just 1 stick in slot 1.
the 4 lights on the motherboard indicate that the CPU is up and running, so it comes down to the GPU/Vid Card or the PCI slot on the motherboard not outputting.
So my next thing I try will be inserting a different video card, which means I have to take it out of this computer.... if that doesn't work, then I till have to tear it all down and ask for another motherboard, will probably ask for a new CPU too while I'm at it since they both came from the same place.
wish me luck. Or is there something I am overlooking?
Here is the manual for the motherboard for all those wanting to play along at home: http://static.highspeedbackbone.net/pdf/M452-6253%20-%20datasheet.pdf (http://static.highspeedbackbone.net/pdf/M452-6253%20-%20datasheet.pdf)
edit: No luck with the alternate video card. I guess my last option is to replace the Motherboard & CPU....
any suggestions? things I should try before tearing it all apart and sending it back?
edit2: I'm also gonna put the new video card in the working computer and make sure that is working too since I'm gonna be returning things. All previous builds went much smoother than this one so far.....
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 06, 2013, 03:48:18 PM
Plug in a keyboard and see if the num lock and caps lock keys react. If they do, the system is going through post but not outputting video.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 06, 2013, 04:50:24 PM
The lights on the keyboard flickered at the first moment of start-up, but no response from them afterward.
Edit: New video card is working fine in old computer, so it's definitely the motherboard and/or cpu.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 07, 2013, 01:45:01 AM
OK, got the computer up and running, new problem.
I have 3 HDD"s hooked up through SATA (Sata 2-4) DVD Drive1 is on Sata1 and DVD Drive2 is in Sata.
On the COMPUTER window it only shows the SSD HDD in Sata2 (C:) D: & E: are the 2 DVD Drives. F: is the reserved space on the SSD
Under Device Manager is shows the 2nd HDD - 3TB on Sata3 as working properly. but I have no idea on how to access it. I cannot locate the 1TB HDD I transferred over from ther old computer. It is on Sata4
I need to access that 1TB because it has all my programs and stuff saved on it. How do I access them?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 07, 2013, 02:00:51 AM
What was the problem causing the new system not to boot?
What does your BIOS say in regards to hard drive detection?
What does the Windows Disk Management say in regards to hard drive detection?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 07, 2013, 02:36:12 AM
The non boot was a stupid CPU thing. it wasn't locked down completely or something. I unhooked and rehooked everything. then it worked. cpu was the last thing I messed with before it worked.
I'll reboot into the BIOS right now, but I think it only reads the first 2 (SSD & blank 2TB)
I don't know how to access the Win Disk Mangament in Win7. Quick search revealed nothing. Device manager only showed the 2, can only access 1.
edit: The BIOS reads everything except the old 1TB on SATA4. I'm gonna power down and make sure it's all 100% plugged in.
edit2: 1TB found and accessable. how do I access the new 2TB and format it for use? it's in the BIOS and in the Device Manager, but I can't locate it in the system otherwise. it hasn't been formatted yet and has no drive number.
edit3: Everything is good. All HDD's are present and accounted for. Computer is up and running fine. -Just need to figure out how to get my monitor to display at full screen (there is a border all around - it's set to overscan right now to get as close as possible). I switched from VGA/DVI connection to HDMI for my monitor. Kept VGA/DVI for my TV (saving those HDMI slots for other stuff) -And I need to replace my Widgets/Gadgets that used to be on my desktop :( apparently they were a security risk and MS discontinued them in favor of apps that are only on Win8.... I really liked my Clock, Weather and All CPU Meter that tracked CPU and RAM usage. let me know when Chrome or FF was hogging all my resources.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 07, 2013, 12:05:01 PM
You can right click on Computer, choose manage and click on Disk Management.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 07, 2013, 12:24:35 PM
I had to go to start search > computer management > disk management.
Because simply typing it in wasn't good enough for Windows. Some quick Google searches after I knew what I was looking for filled in the details. Thanx for the help all that chimed in.
It's it worth upgrading to Windows 8.1?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 07, 2013, 02:41:31 PM
Get Start 8. Best thing for Windows 8. http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 07, 2013, 05:14:07 PM
I use Classic Shell (it's free and does the same thing). BNM, you don't have to do that, you can just right click on "Computer" and choose "Manage" like every version of Windows.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 07, 2013, 05:37:29 PM
I use Classic Shell (it's free and does the same thing). BNM, you don't have to do that, you can just right click on "Computer" and choose "Manage" like every version of Windows.
Well, why did you all have to have lives last night and not stay in and walk me through this stuff?
now since you're here. The case I have has 3 connectors that I'm guessing are temperature guages for the display on front of the case. Only the case doesn't tell you were to connect them and there is no mention of such things on the motherboard manual either.
You don't know where that should go do you?
and is there a replacement for desktop gadgets in Win7? I'll look into upgrading to Win8, but then I'll have to upgrade my computer downstairs too, so that will come at a later date and time.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 07, 2013, 05:46:09 PM
Place them where you want to monitor your temperatures. CPU, Video Card, Chipset Cooler, Case, Power Supply.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 07, 2013, 06:03:40 PM
yes they do, and do I put it on the CPU between it and the fan or just near it?
I'm guessing general vicinity should be good enough.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on December 07, 2013, 07:28:05 PM
Reading this has been entertaining. It's great that you are getting a hands on crash course on building a computer. SMH on converting serial port to vga...
I know you are shooting for price, but I generally stay away from AMD due to heat issues.
As for upgrading to Win8.1, yes, do it. Though things change from 8, they are good changes. Read this:
So, make sure you have a good external drive for backups. I recommend the Seagate Expansion. USB 3.0 and the 4TB is $150 on Amazon. I also recommend RAID 1 for your data drive, but you'll have to get an identical in size hard drive, and then you'll have to save all the data somewhere while the array builds as it will wipe the info. Finally, I recommend Norton or Kaspersky Anti-Virus. Make sure you turn on Boot scanning, which fights off Rootkits. I've seen 100 computers in the last 6 months in my shop and any AV program you name I've seen except those two. Granted, my town is not a great slice of the Internet, but it is a bit of info. Norton 2013 is $15, 2014 is $20 on Amazon (get 2013 cause it upgrades to 2014 after install).
Backups are best in triplicate, so use a cloud backup for the important stuff.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 07, 2013, 07:48:05 PM
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!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 07, 2013, 10:23:22 PM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 08, 2013, 12:46:42 PM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 08, 2013, 12:58:54 PM
I'm assuming I can just lay them next to what I want to measure, as it displays on the front of the case.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on December 08, 2013, 03:05:38 PM
Thanx, that helps, I will attempt that next time I decide to go inside my computer.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 08, 2014, 12:50:23 AM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Plugabugz on January 08, 2014, 09:08:06 AM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 08, 2014, 12:00:14 PM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 08, 2014, 04:32:52 PM
GPU acceleration with what application? CS6? I believe it should.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 14, 2014, 09:37:08 PM
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:
(http://i.imgur.com/EH6GDoh.png)
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?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 15, 2014, 09:54:20 AM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 16, 2014, 10:44:36 PM
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?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 16, 2014, 11:06:44 PM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 17, 2014, 05:21:50 PM
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
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 17, 2014, 06:41:05 PM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 17, 2014, 07:14:39 PM
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/ (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: (http://i.imgur.com/DYXcYVB.png)
Win 7 PC: (http://i.imgur.com/99W9p7t.png)
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 17, 2014, 10:52:17 PM
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!!!?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 18, 2014, 12:16:19 AM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help
Post by: NWR_insanolord on January 18, 2014, 01:37:24 AM
Didn't Bill Gates step down like 15 years ago? Hell, Ballmer's currently in the process of stepping down.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: oohhboy on January 18, 2014, 06:19:32 AM
You just got shyguyed.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 23, 2014, 04:59:00 PM
"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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 23, 2014, 06:03:13 PM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 24, 2014, 06:28:23 PM
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.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 24, 2014, 06:40:44 PM
HDD could be going to ****, I'm no professional with HDDs though, I ride them till the wheels fall off.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 24, 2014, 06:52:34 PM
Yeah, I just finished the self test and figured out that the screen I was on was a window (it was cut off on the right side) so that I could grab and move with the mouse and actually read the results.
Surface of the disc is bad and they recommend replacing the drive... So much for salvaging this piece of crap into a small mobile media player with a fairly large mobile screen. at least not without putting money into it first.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 24, 2014, 07:00:18 PM
If you want to familiarize yourself with Ubuntu I would recommend using VMWare on your PC to make a virtual machine and give it a whirl. I haven't been using it since I don't have to (had to compile Filezilla for Windows...in Linux...in a WM on Windows) but I really liked it a lot. If I spent a few weeks using just Ubuntu I'd probably never go back (aside from having to use things like Visual Studio 2013).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 24, 2014, 07:34:11 PM
Ununtu from the flash drive seems to work on it just fine, I just wish Dell has some actual useful spec on the machine so that I didn't have to open it up before purchasing a replacement drive for it.
I don't know if it's an SSD or not, even though I suspect it is, but I also don't know if it's SATA II or III as a SATA II drive might be a little cheaper for more GB's than a SATA III. This isn't my computer, so I'm only trying to put in it what will be at it's best use, and the owner is on a budget.
edit: It appears that this thing takes a Half Mini 2 PCIE Solid State Drive. and a 32GB version of one of these will cost at least $55.00 on Amazon and a 64GB was 74.99. Guess I should upgrade the RAM while I'm in there up to 2GB for $25. it's all incredibly easy to replace too. Although she could spend a little more than double that (~$220+) and just get a chrome book.... This is still the cheaper option though. budgets gotta budget.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 24, 2014, 08:03:41 PM
The Inspiron 910 uses an SSD on a mini PCIe card. You can get a 32gb version for about $50. Not sure how big a pain it is to replace the drive in one of those. Some Minis have an easy access panel, some of them you have to pull the motherboard.
edit:
found a video, looks easy enough.
You could bump the RAM to 2gb at the same time.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 24, 2014, 08:12:28 PM
Ha, I was in an open edit when you posted. saw the same thing and came to the same conclusions.
thanks. I think I'll slap a 64GB SSD in there and 2 GB of ram. she should then have no issues with her Ubuntu 12.04. It seemed pretty straight forward, unlike 8.04 which was just empty and confusing for a first time user.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 24, 2014, 10:22:04 PM
Quick Question: 64GB from an unknown for $75 (mixed ratings) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KWD0Z2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A34JWT04R7KMFW (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KWD0Z2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A34JWT04R7KMFW)
32 GB from Samsung for $46 (w/ shipping) http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-PCI-E-mSATA-Solid-MZMPA032HMCD/dp/B00B47I00U/ref=pd_sbs_pc_5 (http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-PCI-E-mSATA-Solid-MZMPA032HMCD/dp/B00B47I00U/ref=pd_sbs_pc_5)
I'm not sure which one to go with.
Also for my Wii project, I'm looking to enclose an old 500GB IDE HDD Am I gonna find anything better than this? $14.39 (seems like a good deal, but I don't want to buy crap if I can avoid it) http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5-2-5-inch-USB-2-0-IDE-SATA-HDD-Hard-Drive-Disk-External-Case-Box-Enclosure-/141028272244?_trksid=p2054897.l4275 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5-2-5-inch-USB-2-0-IDE-SATA-HDD-Hard-Drive-Disk-External-Case-Box-Enclosure-/141028272244?_trksid=p2054897.l4275)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 24, 2014, 10:31:36 PM
I bought an enclosure years ago but it was when they were pretty new and it was like $40. I also bought an external DVD-ROM enclosure for my Xbox 360 when I did a dual fan mod back in the day.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 27, 2014, 06:16:42 PM
Just my luck. I get the parts for the Dell mini, install them, boot up, install Ubuntu everything is fine so far... except I can't get the wireless internet to work. The Broadcom wireless drivers won't install.
I look up the solutions online, but it's in some programming language for an already unfamiliar OS. I can kinda follow it, but this is just more complicated than it needed to be. So I have it wired for now while it's updating everything.
I've attempted 1 of 3 possible fixes and just need to reboot and try again. It was some command to uninstall/remove the driver... my results weren't as they explained, so I don't know if it worked, but the computer is installing all the updates right now (343MB worth), so I'll reboot after that.
Why does everything have to be more complicated than it should be?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 27, 2014, 06:55:06 PM
what flavor of Ubuntu?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 27, 2014, 07:51:37 PM
12.04 since it was the LTS version
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 27, 2014, 08:57:12 PM
did you find this thread?
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2161433
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 27, 2014, 09:06:22 PM
I did not find that thread, I found something entirely different. With many step directions that are not working. I will halt on what I was doing and try that instead as it looks much simpler and more specific.
That was a bust. It's like it doesn't even recognize the wireless card or something. It's not finding any of the wireless signals around.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 27, 2014, 09:53:24 PM
If you type the lspci in the terminal it will list detected devices. The wireless chip should be listed in there. It looks like a broadcom chipset.
Two other things. Make sure it isn't disabled in BIOS, and make sure it didn't become unseated or lose its antennae wire connections when you installed the larger SSD.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 27, 2014, 10:03:10 PM
it looked all tight and secure as the chip under the RAM (I believe) it had two wired screwed into it that looked like antenna, but I'll double check. I'm rebooting right now after trying one of the lengthier methods that require me to gedit and all that to not block the wireless.
This is getting frustrating. I could never work IT.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 27, 2014, 10:06:50 PM
Think of the high you will have once you fix it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 27, 2014, 10:08:35 PM
And we have LIFTOFF!!!!
Finally.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 27, 2014, 10:10:09 PM
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 27, 2014, 10:15:27 PM
Now install Steam and throw on some indie games.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 27, 2014, 10:39:24 PM
I'm not sure this thing could run Tetris in color....:P
Although I do have plenty that I have never played. Damn cheap Humble Bundles and Steam Sales.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on January 29, 2014, 09:43:03 AM
... Why does everything have to be more complicated than it should be?
Because its Open Source.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 01, 2014, 10:53:38 PM
I just installed Win 8.1 on my primary computer after a positive experience with the OS on the other computer I installed it on. (Thanks BDogg - classic shell really does make a difference too). My Win7 install has been giving me issues on this new computer, so before I just settle into it, I might as well start with a new OS on a new build and just get used to that instead.
I rally love the Netflix app on here. the setup is nice. and it's it took 2 seconds to accidentally figure out how to flip it over to the other screen too. Super smooth installation, unlike the other computer. took all of 10 minutes and I was up and running. no problems at all. it even configured everythign for me and brought over my background from the other computer.
Now I'm off to install classic shell on this computer. I just stopped in this thread to look for the link, so I decided to post about it while I was here.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Sarail on February 01, 2014, 11:09:51 PM
BnM, did you download that classic shell thing from .com or .net? Both are sites with downloads for bringing back the start menu, but .net's looks like the actual Windows 7 shell.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 01, 2014, 11:11:39 PM
BnM, did you download that classic shell thing from .com or .net? Both are sites with downloads for bringing back the start menu, but .net's looks like the actual Windows 7 shell.
I used .net http://www.classicshell.net/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Sarail on February 01, 2014, 11:12:44 PM
Ah, thanks. Any clue how it handles multiple monitors?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 01, 2014, 11:15:52 PM
the task bar is at the bottom of both screens.
I use Ultramon to manage my monitors, but it doesn't appear to be updated for Win8.1 just yet, so I can't remove the duplicate taskbar on my TV (it only shows the icons on the left, none of the stuff on the right, like the clock on the volume.), but it's really not that big of a deal.
edit: I just installed Ultramon, and now I can't figure out how to switch the Netflix app back up to the TV (monitor 2). but it installed all the drivers and Win8 handled the dual monitors just fine.
edit2: and the command to move Win 8.1 App to second screen is.... drumroll please..... Win Key+"P" then click on extend. it will move the app you are in to the other monitor and leave your desktop on the primary monitor.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 07, 2014, 11:26:22 PM
Another issue.
Using the first computer I put Win8.1 on. the computer is connected to the internet, but the only browser that will let me navigate it, is IE Chrome will endlessly be loading, IE finds the page right away, but IE will not let me install any other browser.
My Norton is active, and scans daily, same with my Malwarebytes. I'm about to run a scan right now, but thought I would put that out there just incase anyone else has had this problem and/or knows what the issue is.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 08, 2014, 12:07:17 AM
Get rid of Norton. If you have Windows 8 you don't need to install any antivirus, unless you do really shady stuff. If Chris Pirillo (remember him from TechTV?!!) says you don't need it...then I believe him.
I've only used Microsoft Security Essentials/Windows Defender/Microsoft AntiSpyware for the past 9 years (since it was released)...never gotten a virus.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 08, 2014, 12:08:48 AM
I wish I could remember what the bug with "waiting for cache" in Chrome was, but it is something that occurs on Windows 8 and 8.1 for some reason. It's a simple 1-click fix - you might want to just make sure you didn't block it in your firewall settings or something though.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Oblivion on February 08, 2014, 12:31:51 AM
Are you ever going to stop having computer problems?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 08, 2014, 12:48:58 AM
Are you ever going to stop having computer problems?
I wish.
I have 2 computers on 8.1 right now. upstairs and downstairs. upstairs is having the "waiting on cache" problem in Chrome downstairs is having the "IE is the only browser your allowed to use anymore" problem.
The mini Dell is working fine BTW. no issues so far. I kinda figured out all I need to know to have it operate the way it's intended user is using it for, so we are good on that front.
I'm having issues on my phone too, but that's mostly with Swype jumping back and erasing words at it's leisure, constantly... it's very annoying, and fucks up all sorts of post from the phone. But I don't know if anyone can actually help with that one. I think it has to do with autocorrect, but I disabled all autocorrect on my phone.
And Norton is only on this downstairs computer, and it has to come with the Comcast Security suite which is FUCKING ANNOYING. you're right, I'm uninstalling that **** right now. maybe that's part of the problem.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 08, 2014, 01:07:30 AM
I went to the control center > programs window and tried to uninstall Constant Guard Suite from Comcast.... nothing happened for ever.
I ctrl/Alt/Del > Task Manager > Norton -End Task
all of a sudden the installer for Firefox popped up 6 times (because I kept clicking on it earlier because it wouldn't even show up in the IE download)
Norton restarted itself, and that interrupted the firefox installation.
i task managered it again, and immeidately unstalled it before it blocked the operation somehow.
Now I'm posting from Chrome again. weeeeeiiiiiiirrrrrd huh. (FF installed and MS Office also installed - was blocking me from doing anything outside of IE.... WTF!?)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on February 08, 2014, 06:30:25 PM
Two problem with Windows 8, no problems with Linux... ;)
Do you have some weird proxy settings in place?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 08, 2014, 07:30:11 PM
I just had another issue, where certain Youtube videos would have no sound in Chrome, but I solved that issue by installing Firefox and installing Flash again under FireFox (because it was already present in Chrome according to the message on adobe when I tried to update it in Chrome). Now those certain videos play audio just fine in Chrome.
I thought that was kinda weird.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on February 08, 2014, 08:23:17 PM
Weird. Chrome has its own built in flash extenstion/api called Pepper.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 08, 2014, 09:04:39 PM
Get rid of Firefox next.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 09, 2014, 01:02:38 AM
Firefox is my back up browser for when chrome is failing me.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on February 09, 2014, 01:09:16 AM
I can't get it to run on Linux, but I had it recommended to me by a coworker.
supposedly its a super light weight Chrome that still uses all the same extenstions/add-ons/etc.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 11, 2014, 10:20:47 PM
It's not the cache either. Open up IE and go to settings > Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings and uncheck "Automatically Detect Settings" - I'm pretty sure that's how you fix it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 11, 2014, 10:37:02 PM
It's not the cache either. Open up IE and go to settings > Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings and uncheck "Automatically Detect Settings" - I'm pretty sure that's how you fix it.
It's been done, now we wait and see.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on February 13, 2014, 11:22:45 AM
I know I'm a little late but I've started growing fond of Maxthon.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 25, 2014, 02:37:11 PM
Good news is that I haven't had the "waiting on cache" thing anymore
Another issue I would like resolved asap.
The computer isn't locking itself when it goes to sleep. The option is checked. Yet it continues to not do it on it's own. I have to Windows L to make it happen, otherwise it just wakes up to my screen, even on my 2nd computer where I am not the only user of the computer.
(http://i60.tinypic.com/wivyao.jpg)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 27, 2014, 07:35:58 AM
I installed Linux on my Chromebook tonight in anticipation of Steam Home Streaming, and I'm having a hell of a time with some of this. I know we have a couple people here familiar with the OS, so my simple, maybe stupid, question is is there an Applications folder here somewhere or do I have to use the purple search thing if I want to launch something not in the bar?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 27, 2014, 08:01:16 AM
Ubuntu? I think it kind of depends on the app/program, I can look it up on my VM in a little bit (been a while). You can usually just open a terminal and type the name of the program though (full "name" like Google Chrome).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 27, 2014, 08:17:22 AM
Yeah, Ubuntu, 13.something. There's a kind of launcher search thing but it's kind of slow on this hardware.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 27, 2014, 11:40:05 AM
Yeah, you can open Ubuntu Software Center and click "Installed" but you'll only see programs that were...installed by Ubuntu Software Center. I'm not a huge fan of shortcuts, but really just making a folder on you desktop and dragging/dropping programs into it is probably the easiest solution. I'm sure there's a better way though. I'm on 12.04, gonna upgrade. If you have a good video card the Windows Key + W "snap" feature is my favorite thing to do (just like in OSX).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 27, 2014, 12:20:03 PM
I've spent the better part of the last 15 hours on this and it feels like I haven't accomplished anything. Every time I think I've figured something out it seems like three new problems pop up. I've gotta say, this really is reinforcing my love of OS X.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on February 27, 2014, 10:49:43 PM
Ubuntu's interface is a little obtuse at times. Why not try Mint? or Kubuntu?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 28, 2014, 06:13:44 AM
I'm not sure there are versions of those that work on Chromebooks. Anyway, I'm beginning to get the hang of it. Right now I'm trying to set it up to connect to a Wii remote and it keeps telling me I need uinput, but apart from that things are going pretty decently. I've got Wine up and running a bunch of games from my childhood: SimTower, SimCity 2000 and Escape Velocity Nova.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 28, 2014, 08:00:08 AM
Which Chromebook are you using?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 28, 2014, 08:15:59 AM
The Acer C720.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: pokepal148 on March 15, 2014, 07:55:14 PM
I have a 10 year old desktop (dell dimension e521) that has somehow managed to avoid the scrapyard until now and my mom plans to get rid of it so I'm wondering how to salvage the hard drive without damaging it and if there Is anything else worth saving.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on March 15, 2014, 10:29:03 PM
First locate anything on there worth saving. copy it to a DVD/CD or external storage of some sort.
Format the HDD, then use it as a backup drive into whatever other computer or backup for HDD for your Wii or something (if it's compatible).
I imagine it's not a very large HDD, maybe 100GB?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: pokepal148 on March 16, 2014, 01:58:52 AM
First locate anything on there worth saving. copy it to a DVD/CD or external storage of some sort.
Format the HDD, then use it as a backup drive into whatever other computer or backup for HDD for your Wii or something (if it's compatible).
I imagine it's not a very large HDD, maybe 100GB?
250 but there's a 10gb partition.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on March 16, 2014, 10:05:53 AM
Most likely a recovery partition. If you put the HDD in another Windows PC (as a secondary drive) you can get rid of that partition with Diskpart...just make sure you're choosing the correct drive.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on March 17, 2014, 10:55:36 PM
So, I haven't been on these boards much mainly because I'm busy with work. I have a shop in a town that doesn't have a competitor, so I see a lot of systems. And I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't work in regards to virus and malware, ransomware, encrpyted files, whatever. If you can think of it, some kid is going to find it and get owned like a bitch.
Anyway, here's some observations:
Windows 8 gets viruses. And it's a pain in the ass thanks to the limited boot options.
I recommend Norton or Kaspersky. Enable Boot Time Protection. I have seen every other av solution out there get infected, the worse offenders are the free ones. Theoretically every av is vulnerable though.
If you have Java installed, keep it updated. The majority of infections come through an old version of Java. And uninstall those old versions, too. Or just get rid of it completely.
Stop browsing the web as the administrator. The Limited Account User can find porn and warez just as easily.
Bleepingcomputer.com is a great resource for programs. Tweaking.com also makes an awesome program for getting things back in order after an infection.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on March 18, 2014, 11:31:10 AM
I just can't ever think of going back to Norton. Its most of the time has been worse than the virus its suppose to be protecting from in my experience. Such a resource hog. I haven't tried Kaspersky.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on March 18, 2014, 09:47:54 PM
Norton 360 is the resource hog. The plain anti virus and the Internet Security packages are lightweight.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on March 19, 2014, 10:27:29 PM
So, I haven't been on these boards much mainly because I'm busy with work. I have a shop in a town that doesn't have a competitor, so I see a lot of systems. And I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't work in regards to virus and malware, ransomware, encrpyted files, whatever. If you can think of it, some kid is going to find it and get owned like a bitch.
Anyway, here's some observations:
Windows 8 gets viruses. And it's a pain in the ass thanks to the limited boot options.
I recommend Norton or Kaspersky. Enable Boot Time Protection. I have seen every other av solution out there get infected, the worse offenders are the free ones. Theoretically every av is vulnerable though.
If you have Java installed, keep it updated. The majority of infections come through an old version of Java. And uninstall those old versions, too. Or just get rid of it completely.
Stop browsing the web as the administrator. The Limited Account User can find porn and warez just as easily.
Bleepingcomputer.com is a great resource for programs. Tweaking.com also makes an awesome program for getting things back in order after an infection.
This fascinates me as it used to be a primary part of my job when I worked for a repair shop, but now I cover schools in a school district.
Back in the day I used to make a disc called a "Must Have Cd" that had a collection of utilities and anti virus. The world of anti virus changes so often that the I eventually moved to a thumb drive, which I had to maintain so it wouldn't get infections.
What are the hot tools nowadays? Back in 2011 before the business closed, it was: Malware Bytes, (which I still use) SpyBot Search and Destroy, Hitman Pro, Microsoft Security Essentials, (which got crappy over time as they all seem to do) and Combofix.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on March 19, 2014, 11:29:46 PM
I use RKill, TDSS Killer, Adwcleaner, JRT, Revo uninstaller, Malware Bytes, and Tweaking. Norton is used for external scans. I also do some good ole fashion detective work of digging through the registry for crap, loading the hive to another system. I haven't had a need for Spybot in quite a while. Hitman Pro is also redundant. ComboFix is still something but I only use it if it seems nothing else is working, probably used it once in the past 4 months. Security Essentials is in the same boat as AVG and Avast, far too easy for the viruses to get past.
I have my thumb drive tool box, but only use it after a drive is scanned by my scanning pc.
Covering schools can be quite a challenge. I know maintaining the wireless network is quite a task depending on the budget you're given. I'm sure there are some kids that do their darndest to **** things up too.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on March 20, 2014, 01:06:15 AM
Ah yeah, I've used RKill and TDSS Killer. Revo uninstaller is still very handy. I've always maintained that having redudant backups and being able to lose the rebuild your system at any time is the best protection against not only viruses but hard drive failures and other trouble.
Actually, covering the schools is cake compared to working on the front lines in a computer shop for 16 years. We got some crazies, let me tell ya. On the other hand, the wireless has been half-down district wide all week. Thanks 3rd party service providers!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: shingi_70 on March 20, 2014, 01:39:41 PM
So i'm going to school for computer science but my major computer classes won't start until after i transfer out of CC next year. I'll be taking a intro to Java class over the summer but wanted to know where would be a good website to start Java or coding now.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on March 21, 2014, 12:06:36 AM
This is my teacher's website for the Java 1 class I took when I started.
http://cs.fit.edu/~pbernhar/teaching/cse1001/
It's not exactly what I would call a tutorial, but if you are by any chance using Robert Sedgewick's book in your class ("Introduction to Programming in Java, An Interdisciplinary Approach," Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne, ISBN 978-0-321-49805-2. ) then they should go kind of hand in hand.
There's also a guy on YouTube named Derek Banas that has a **** ton of really good Java (and Android) tutorials.
Stack Overflow can help you out a lot, and if you have any questions I'd be happy to help, I'm almost done getting my CS degree (though I'm not exactly an expert).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on March 29, 2014, 05:02:12 AM
It's not the cache either. Open up IE and go to settings > Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings and uncheck "Automatically Detect Settings" - I'm pretty sure that's how you fix it.
This worked for a while but the problem is back again. I checked these areas again and it's still unchecked, so I'm not sure why it's happening again. Any suggestions?
This "waiting for cache" thing literally cripples my computer for about a minute or more randomly without warning.
I'm testing out the clearing the google cache thing again and see how long that works (if it works) as it didn't last time.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on March 29, 2014, 10:14:06 AM
Delete your profile? Maybe an extension is causing the issue?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on March 29, 2014, 11:17:26 AM
My log-on profile for Win 8?
Well, I have been meaning to setup an Admin profile and not use the admin profile for a while now... If it starts up again, that is exactly what I'll do.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on March 30, 2014, 01:31:18 AM
I'm sorry, the profile in chrome.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on April 06, 2014, 03:24:22 PM
So, update support for Windows XP ended yesterday. It also said that support for Security Essentials will end, which I'm not sure means I can't use it anymore or just that it won't be updated either.
Without updates, can anyone suggest what I can do to help protect my computer from potential problems?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 06, 2014, 04:13:49 PM
Windows Defender is still supported...it's built in to Windows 8. Just upgrade your OS, XP died years ago, even if support just ended.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Mop it up on April 07, 2014, 05:41:10 PM
Even if the computer had the specs to upgrade (it doesn't), I don't want to spend any money on it. This is my desktop, I already have a Win7 laptop, but I prefer to use the desktop at home.
If I never use an Internet browser, is it still risky to use non-browser programs that use the Internet for something?
This will hopefully just be temporary until I can get another desktop from someone, I'll be asking around and seeing if anyone bought a new computer recently. I've never paid for a computer in my life since people tend to view even a couple years old computer as worthless, and I'm not about to start now.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on April 07, 2014, 07:27:11 PM
there are free anti-virus programs out there. I'm sure the majority of them are better than nothing. and there are always other ways on the internet of getting things that don't require a monetary transaction...
Comcast gives you Norton for free if you're a subscriber.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on April 07, 2014, 08:33:31 PM
Mop it up, I think it's time for Linux!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on April 25, 2014, 01:39:34 PM
Win 8 install on my downstairs computer is pissing me off.
1. Chrome seems to be fucked up on here. Tabs will sometimes disappear so I can't see what tab is what, and then the X and minimize and widow boxes in the top right corner will sometimes disappear. 2. Random pop up boxes, such as a windows alert, will have the options blacked out so you can't read what you need to click.... "is OK here... or over here.... oops did I click cancel... I can't tell!!!" 3. MS Word WILL NOT LET ME SAVE MY WORK!!! WTF I just typed out half of a long ass document... and it won't let me save it. it just doesn't respond when I click save. I clicked save as, and tell it where to put it, and then it just does nothing. I want to restart the computer, as that sometimes fixes the issue, but I can't even copy it into Wordpad as that won't let me save either.
atleast I can get autopager to work on this computer.... :moonface:
edit: I just had to email it myself so that I can recover my work on my upstairs computer (which isn't suitable for work stuff since it's not at a desk.)
edit2: To make it even more frustrating, Wordpad & notepad (the other program I tried to save it to) won't even close now... I'll have to force close them through the task manager. WTF is up with this computer. Do I need to run a virus check on here? Malwarebytes is fully operational and Windows Defender might be the only virus program... I'll have to check and see if Norton is still running, but it will have to wait.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Ceric on April 25, 2014, 07:26:54 PM
Installing Kapersky. I blame you if this doesn't work out bustin :P
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on April 26, 2014, 10:08:28 AM
Kaspersky is owned by the Russians! get ready for Putin to read your email! Instead of the NSA
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 28, 2014, 03:44:44 PM
Windows 8 question (yes again)
every now and again the computer either updates and restarts, or it just restarts for whatever reason. The problem is that 3 out of 4 times it will rearrange the icons on my desktop.
I've saved the locations through a 3rd party app (never had this problem in Win7) but is there any way to not have to rearrange my desktop icons all the time? It's getting annoying.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on May 28, 2014, 05:25:26 PM
Is "auto arrange icons" checked on your desktop? To be honest, I think I've had this happen with every recent version of Windows.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on May 28, 2014, 07:47:17 PM
Auto Arrange is not selected, but align to the grid is. It's also not sorted by anything either.
I believe I checked all the obvious possibilities, but I must be missing something.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 03, 2014, 10:55:18 PM
Downstairs computer issue again... I really don't want to wipe this computer and start from scratch.
this is what happens alot. (http://i59.tinypic.com/14l4k7n.jpg)
there are lots of graphical errors, like overlapping icons, and clickable areas blacking out so you can't read them or just not showing up at all. it's quite annoying.
any ideas on how to fix?
This computer has an Nvidia graphics card installed that worked just fine when Win7 was installed. The screen shot above was downloading a Win Update for the Nvidia Graphic Adapter, in hopes that maybe it was the issue or something, but I'm not all that hopeful.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on July 03, 2014, 10:59:39 PM
Hopefully that's it - could be classic shell maybe, but I've never had an issue with it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 03, 2014, 11:23:55 PM
It looks like that might have fixed it.... for now. Will have to wait and see what happens after the next reboot. It's always something inbetween these 2 computers.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Plugabugz on July 04, 2014, 04:15:22 AM
I had an old computer that when you turned on the power the machine itself wouldn't turn on and boot into windows, and often took upwards of 45 minutes of on-off-on-off repeatedly to work. The machine received power but the monitor didn't wake and load into the BIOS and onto windows.
Replacing the graphics cards and power supply units made no difference. Eventually i replaced it because it was frustrating, but what else could it have been?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shaymin on July 04, 2014, 06:28:18 AM
Rough guess: Hard drive was toast (or at least the boot sector).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 09, 2014, 09:48:37 PM
It looks like that might have fixed it.... for now. Will have to wait and see what happens after the next reboot. It's always something inbetween these 2 computers.
update: did not fix it. but there are 864MB of updates ready for download, so I guess I'll give those a try while i'm on here....
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: marvel_moviefan_2012 on August 10, 2014, 02:08:41 PM
I guess this is as good a place as any. I have an old Windows PC that I converted into a Linux machine a couple of years ago. I forget the exact specs it was I think 2GB RAM, a 3.something dual core CPU. Anyways I stuck it in a box with all my other stuff when I was kicked out of my apartment last winter and I just now got around to cleaning up my room and getting all my old stuff situated. I want to set up the old PC and make use of it again but I have some issues with Linux.
I mostly want to use it as a digital video work station as I did before. I have a DVR/Video Capture device I want to instal and connect various sources to in order to record video footage. I don't know much about Linux so I was curious if an expert here might be able to help, if I am using software made for Windows am I going to be able to find software that is equal on Linux? Or is there an easy work around like some sort of virtual windows type thing?
If I have drivers on disc but they are made for Windows is it going to be a real hassle finding drivers for my device or should I just give up and track down a copy of Windows XP? I forget what it was the CPU, the video drivers, but for some reason it would not take Windows 7 when I tried, could have been the copy I was using not sure. Anyways I am going to try setting it up this week maybe later today if I get around to it. When I do I will be back with more questions, and observations so if there is a computer expert willing to help please check this thread.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shaymin on September 11, 2014, 10:46:35 PM
I bought a new laptop a few months ago used, and it turns out the hard drive on it has some, um, issues. I'm seeing a lot of program freezes (Firefox and annoyingly, Audacity) and a preliminary CHKDSK in Win 7 got it stuck at 10%. I can't afford to take it out of commission long, so I'm thinking I need to swap in a new drive.
Here's what I need: - A good drive imaging program that lets me get back up and running quickly, that basically explains the process like I'm five - The courage to open my one and only laptop (I seriously don't trust myself, and may chicken out and bring it to a local shop)
Really though, the first one is the biggest priority.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: azeke on September 11, 2014, 11:08:42 PM
I bought a new laptop a few months ago used, and it turns out the hard drive on it has some, um, issues. I'm seeing a lot of program freezes (Firefox and annoyingly, Audacity) and a preliminary CHKDSK in Win 7 got it stuck at 10%. I can't afford to take it out of commission long, so I'm thinking I need to swap in a new drive.
Here's what I need: - A good drive imaging program that lets me get back up and running quickly, that basically explains the process like I'm five - The courage to open my one and only laptop (I seriously don't trust myself, and may chicken out and bring it to a local shop)
Really though, the first one is the biggest priority.
Although imaging a a HD is fairly easy, if your data is THAT important (and who's ain't?) I'd recommend taking it to a local place and give them the $$$ to make sure your good. Or get a dummy HD and mess around with it until you feel comfy enough to tackle the task for reals. I do Data Backups for a living and I hate to lose someones stuff so I'm extra carful in this regard.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on March 24, 2015, 10:44:48 PM
Quick question, but I need a better modem/wifi router than the crap that Comcast has supplied.
What is the best modem and/or wifi router combo I can get for around $150-$200 maybe a little more if it's worth it.
Something Docsis 3.0 I believe is the requirement for Comcast.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Triforce Hermit on April 28, 2015, 08:06:02 AM
Okay, so my rotor on my CPU fan is dying and I need to replace. Problem is I don't know what to replace it with. I try to find a guide to see what I need and I get scattered in 20 directions. I want to try and get one that isn't so loud when it the heatsink heats up. If someone could try and point me in the right direction, that would be helpful. I'm in a learning process of computer hardware. The current CPU fan and heatsink model I have is a Dell XPS 435 9000 Heatsink Cooling Fan and Shroud 4 Wire Assembly P281K. I would prefer to keep it with 4 wires for the speed adjuster if possible.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: oohhboy on April 28, 2015, 08:38:11 AM
Had a look at it and you shouldn't have a problem replacing it with any standard 4 wire/pin heatsink of reasonable quality sans overclocking. Unless you are thrashing your machine you should bearly hear it anyway. In your motherboard settings you might be able to set the fan to have a less aggressive ramp up curve so it doesn't hit full tilt until it really gets warm. The Shroud is a joke.
Just grab a stock Intel heatsink or something and some good thermal paste. Spread it nice and thin, real thin. If you done it right the CPU idling temp should be 30c. 40+c means you need to try again as you have imperfect contact.
In case you are confused, the heatsink and fan are considered one unit so when the fan goes, you replace the entire thing.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Triforce Hermit on April 28, 2015, 09:41:10 AM
Thanks for the quick reply! I just needed to make sure I was buying the proper part and everything. Everyone recommends Arctic Silver thermal paste so I plan on using that. Found a cheap fan and heatsink and plan to order it this weekend hopefully though I might try Radio Shack, they might have it cheaper since they are going out of business.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 29, 2015, 06:53:22 PM
Just be careful when you take the heat sink off. Try to twist it left and right a little bit to loosen up a little first in case it's really adhered to the heat spreader on the CPU. Not very likely to be the case, just worth a mention. I would use Newegg for the fan and the thermal paste. Arctic silver is nice, but it's not ideal for chips with heat spreaders on them (at least from my past use and from other people's usage).
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Triforce Hermit on June 25, 2015, 05:45:14 AM
Ugh, this has been going on all week. It started with just my computer shutting down randomly while playing a game. It did this twice and then was fine. Now for 3 days straight in the morning, it will blue screen and do a beep code saying it can't detect RAM. It does this a few times and then works fine for the rest of the day. This morning I try to wake it up and it says it can't get out of hibernation mode. Hasn't crashed this morning yet (I just got up though).
The first of the three days of blue screen, I ran an anti-virus and malwarebytes and cleaned the computer out. It then started running extremely slow and I had to do a reboot.
So I'm asking. If this is my RAM, how can check whether it is the chips or whether its the slots on the motherboard? Because I don't have the money for a new motherboard. I checked task manager and it still is reading the RAM.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: oohhboy on June 25, 2015, 06:44:22 AM
If it is a RAM issues http://www.memtest.org/ has just the tool to find it. Use the pre-built ISO (http://www.memtest.org/#downiso) so you can boot off it to do the best test. Leave it to run for an literation or two. You shouldn't see any errors. A quick thing you can do before the test is to reseat you RAM by pulling them out and reinstalling them. You shouldn't need to use much force and take the time to visually inspect them for dust/corrosion/damage.
If one of the sticks are faulty, then find it by running the test one stick at a time.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 15, 2015, 10:29:45 PM
Firefox has blocked Flash and I've never been happier!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 22, 2015, 07:30:35 PM
Anyone running Windows 10, and can they answer a keyboard shortcut question for me (actually for a blind computer tech) He needs to know how to get to the Ease of Access center. It used to be Win+U then Alt+N
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: bustin98 on August 15, 2015, 02:41:42 PM
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on November 15, 2015, 01:03:57 AM
I have an issue with Win 10. I've downloaded it to 2 of 3 computers so far, and I'm holding out on computer #3 as the issues w/ computer #2 make me want to switch back to Win 8.1
I run a Plex server off Computer #2 at my girls house, but Win 10 keeps randomly resetting the computer, which means it won't wake up when we try to access it remotely anymore as it's either not on or not logged in.
and the much lessor issue is that it will go to sleep, and when it wakes up, it's not at the log-in screen like it's supposed be. I can see that being an issue at some point, with it being a shared computer, w/ kids in the house as well.
Anybody got solutions to this problem? my Plex server not being available at random to all TV's in the house, or even from my phone on the go is a HUGE issue for me right now, and will force me back off of Win10.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on November 15, 2015, 01:08:46 AM
Haven't had the pleasure of that issue, but if it's an upgrade install, then I'd recommend trying a clean install. But you'll lose everything, so it's not a great solution, especially if it doesn't work.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on November 15, 2015, 11:48:42 AM
i looked deeper into the issue (google search) and several video suggested unclicking the "Fast Start-Up" box under power options.
So I did that, and now I will see if that fixes the problem.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: michaelbaysuperfan616 on November 15, 2015, 07:37:28 PM
I am scared to do the upgrade on my Windows 7 Laptop. has anyone had any experience with it is it a smooth transition where I can upgrade but not have to do a full fresh install? Will I need to dig up my Windows discs to find the serial number or will it fill that in automatically?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on November 15, 2015, 09:19:42 PM
As long as its a legit install, you won't have to do anything, at all. Just do the upgrade..
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on November 16, 2015, 07:07:47 AM
So i found out the error I'm having is Memory_Management, and the BSOD upon reset tells me to search for it.
several resources online say it's either an hardware error or more likely a driver error, since it didn't exist in Win 8.1. I checked the video, monitor and HDD drivers... with no luck. they suggest using the "verifyer" but so far the places I checked haven't detailed how to find that in Win10 as it's not the same as in WinXP-Win8.
It's super early in the morning and I was coming to the computer for something else entirely, but here I am dealing with this yet again. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on November 16, 2015, 09:20:59 AM
Update: I ran the verifier, and my computer entered an endless endless reboot, reload verifier, error, reboot, rerun verifier, error cycle.
It suggested a reset my computer back to fresh install, which I decided to do since there was nothing of importance on the main drive anyway.
I'm hoping it doesn't get stuck, as I'm letting it do it's thing while I go to work.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: michaelbaysuperfan616 on November 16, 2015, 09:34:11 AM
As long as its a legit install, you won't have to do anything, at all. Just do the upgrade..
Let me clarify, my PC came with Windows 7 preloaded, then I had a ton of major errors that made using it next to impossible so I contacted Samsung to order replacement installation discs because the partition had become corrupted also. Those new discs have a different serial number than the original that came with it, so if I upgrade and then for whatever reason need to re-install using the discs and upgrade again will that be a problem? But now that I typed it out, I guess not.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on November 16, 2015, 11:09:09 AM
Update: I ran the verifier, and my computer entered an endless endless reboot, reload verifier, error, reboot, rerun verifier, error cycle.
It suggested a reset my computer back to fresh install, which I decided to do since there was nothing of importance on the main drive anyway.
I'm hoping it doesn't get stuck, as I'm letting it do it's thing while I go to work.
Update 2: Reset of computer also failed.... I think I accidentally deleted the Win8 install when trying to make space on the 120GB SSD installed, so it optioning me to go back to Win7 but I think i'm just gonna pop the Win8 disc in and give it a fresh install.
I think I'll hold off on Win 10 upgrade on my main computer for a while.
edit:
This is hilarious. so I get the verifier to run, I read the dump file, find the problem driver, but can't fix it.... (potential problem file = rt640x64.sys). So i decide to reinstall Win 8, but for some reason Win 10 won't let me boot from the disc, and it won't let me roll back to Win 8 (because it's not there) not Win 7 (as it will just boot back into 10).
So I guess my only other option is to just wipe the drive and do a fresh Win 8 install until MS forces Win10 back on me again early next year as a Windows auto-update.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 12, 2015, 08:52:03 PM
I keep trying to update to the latest version of Win 10 ver 1511 (OS Build 10586) but it keeps having a error.
I was hoping updating to the latest build would solve the random restart issue, and I already fixed the problem with the computer going to sleep and never waking up when trying to remotely start Plex player from another device.
I'm currently on Build 10240.
Any idea on how to get the update to take place successfully?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shorty McNostril on December 13, 2015, 03:30:42 PM
Are you just using the Win update method?
If you are, give the MS media creation tool a go. I had an error too but the tool went through no problems.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 13, 2015, 10:14:13 PM
I've never used the media creation tool before, but it looks like it's usually for win 10 installs. I'm researching it now, but....
Do I just download the tool and go from there, or do i also need to download the update in some form?
I'm trying the MS suggestion of doing the update in safe mode (w/ networking), but it won't connect to the internet for the update... So now in back to looking in deeper to the MS creation tool route.
edit: Is using the Media Creation Tool going to do a fresh install of Win 10 w/ the update already included? or is it just going to force the update?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shorty McNostril on December 13, 2015, 10:33:29 PM
It can do a fresh install if you so desire, but it will give you the option to upgrade rather than full rebuild.
Just download the tool and run it. It'll download a Win 10 build and then any relevant updates to the current build. Select the "upgrade" option when prompted and it will do the rest.
I updated to the current Windows 10 build using that same tool and it worked just fine.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 13, 2015, 10:40:17 PM
Well, I just did it, and it told me there was an error and to restart and try running it again...
the only good thing that has come of Win 10 so far is that my HOLA app started working. other than that, I would jump back to Win 8.1 with the quickness... but it won't let me. and booting from a disk isn't working either.
rebooted and got the same error again: (http://imgur.com/RqD6ApY.jpg)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Shorty McNostril on December 14, 2015, 02:12:39 PM
Well, I just did it, and it told me there was an error and to restart and try running it again...
Damn. I'm afraid I've got nothing for you then. Never seen that before. :(
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 14, 2015, 04:37:33 PM
I guess a fresh install is my best option. I'm gonna get MS in the phone first and see if they can fix it without me wiping the harddrive and starting fresh again.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on December 14, 2015, 10:50:39 PM
Have you tried the factory reset option? I think Windows 10 has that.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 15, 2015, 12:54:33 AM
I was trying not to reset everything first.... not that I have much of anything of importance on the main drive anyway.
But I'm sure that will be an eventual option since a downgrade doesn't seem to be an option w/o a c:\format C: command first.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 17, 2015, 10:42:08 PM
Anybody know a good VPN service?
trust.zone is only $2.99mo if you buy a whole year, so I was wondering if someone more familiar with what makes a good VPN could give some insight.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on December 17, 2015, 11:32:48 PM
Edward Snowden uses https://www.hidemyass.com/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: lolmonade on February 22, 2016, 12:35:42 PM
Finally took the plunge recently to build my own computer. Got everything finally assembled Saturday evening and got Windows 10 installed. Install graphics drivers, install steam & my copy of civ 4, run Civ 4, and boom, everything looks clean and runs great.
So yesterday night, I decide to boot up skyrim. The intro starts, and everything looks pretty damn great, then all of a sudden, and sorry for a poor description of this, but the game character models start going all to hell, and black and white little boxes start fuzzing all over the place on my screen.
I exit the game, and they still end up on my desktop background. concerned, I shut down the computer & restart, but it's still there?!?!.
Google fu claims the following possible culprits:
1) The Graphics card wasn't pushed into its slot securely enough, and once I got a more hardware intensive game running, exposed the issue. 2) The graphics card is busted & needs replacing. 3) Possible motherboard failure.
I'm going to attempt #1 above first, but thought I'd run it by any potential tech experts here. Any help appreciated, thanks.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: michaelbaysuperfan616 on February 22, 2016, 02:00:21 PM
Be sure to double check the slot you inserted the video card into and clear it for obstacles, dust, contaminants, etc, and try unplugging it and plugging it back in but make sure it is in there snug and that everything "clicks" into place however it is supposed to, depending on the card slot you have. I haven't installed a new graphics card in a very long time so I don't know if things have changed but the card shouldn't display anything if it isn't inserted all the way.
You might need to fiddle with the BIOS settings make sure all your speeds are matched up properly and check with whoever makes the game you are having trouble with and see if there is a known issue related to that glitch and see if they have a patch to fix it. Also as always double check to make sure your drivers are up to date and everything in the settings is correct.
Without knowing specifics, what card you have, the details of the mother board, etc, it's really hard to narrow things down further than that. But I had a video card installed in an old desktop machine that had a piece of gravel stuck in the slot and it caused the thing to over heat a lot, not the same as what you are having but worth a shot just make sure you blow it out with a can of dust spray or whatever you use these days.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: lolmonade on February 25, 2016, 08:24:31 AM
Quick update - it was definitely a faulty graphics card, got the replacement in yesterday, plugged it in, and everything runs smooth (including Skyrim).
Thanks for the feedback, Michaelbaysuperfan616.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Wah on February 25, 2016, 06:19:57 PM
want to know what's the difference between a 32-bit os and a 64-bit os?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on February 25, 2016, 07:54:42 PM
Mainly, at least for end users, it comes down to how much memory your PC can use (assuming it's Windows). A 32-bit Windows system can only use 4GB RAM, because 2^32 (32 bits) = 4294967296 bits = 4GB, so that's the most memory that can be mapped (to a process in Linux, or to the entire OS in most version of Windows). A 64-bit system can theoretically have up to 1.84 x 10^19 bits of RAM (16 Exabytes - or 16 billion gigabytes) - which is about 17 times as much RAM as there was on the entire planet in 1981). 64-bit programs are more efficient, assuming they make use of the memory space, and they can only be run on 64-bit OSes. There's more to it than that, but those are the basics of it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Wah on February 25, 2016, 07:56:32 PM
Because with my 32-bit I cant play subnautica or MGS:V, fallout 4 :'( well time to save up for a new pc
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on March 07, 2016, 02:50:57 AM
Well, aint this some ****....
I come home to see my computer finally having it's go at the Win 10 update i've been avoiding since it' was being force advertised on my perfectly fine Win 8.1 computer. I disabled auto-updates a long time ago too... I didn't want this upgrade to happen.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 10, 2016, 11:16:45 PM
Got an issue... could use some advice.
Win 10 (against my will) Malware Bytes was active and using Win Defender for virus protection.
about a month or 2 ago, my computer would start randomly restarting, or going to sleep and need me to physically push a button on the case to wake it up (as opposed to just moving the mouse or hitting a button on the keyboard)
I kinda shrugged it off as Win10 issues, as it stopped happening as frequently recently, but for the last 3 or so weeks, I've now been getting random popup tabs when I click on links. All the links are related to "fixing Win 10", "clean reinstall for Win 10" and other such related topics. I sometimes have to close these window/tabs 2-3 times (w/ pop up windows confirming I want to leave the page) before I'm able to open the link I selected.
I recently installed a Chrome App - Free VPN for um... reasons. and i tried to only use it when ... um reasons applied... but I would sometimes forget and leave it running for extended periods of time. Problems may have started before this, or after, I don't really remember, but I've uninstalled the VPN and installed Norton. My Malwarebytes also expired during this time, but it has since been renewed. They both keep finding issues, and removing them, but they always come back. I've run them both in safe mode as well.
What program should I run to attempt to fix this? and I'm not 100% against a fresh Win 10 install... but I'm not even sure how to do that, as I never had the installation stuff for it in the first place.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 11, 2016, 12:16:51 AM
You're in my wheelhouse!
Quick and Dirty, Scan with Hitman Pro, follow up with a Malware Bytes re-check. www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro
Time to get serious, move onto Combofix, it's a little more involved. http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/
Need more? an oldie buy goodie is Super Anti Spyware. http://www.superantispyware.com/
Scan in safe mode with network support if needed.
If you know the name of what plagues you, checkout Bleeping Computer virus removal guides http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 11, 2016, 02:27:10 AM
I'm running down your list now.
I remember superantispyware. does that do something different than Malwarebyte? I'm currently running the malware re-check and have the Combofix page up and ready for step 3.
while I'm doing that, is there a good Free VPN? I was just using ZenMate VPN off the chrome store.
Also have Hola installed. should I stick w/ one of those or delete them both and try something different?
edit: HitmanPro discovered about 2 dozen tracking cookies.... Malwarebytes was ran, but computer started freezing up again once I ran HitmanPro, so I didn't see the results.
I tried to run Combofix, but it doesn't support Win 10 yet. so I guess I can try SAS, but I always thought that was to MWB as McAfee was to Norton I guess it may catch something different, and therefore worth a shot.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 11, 2016, 11:27:31 PM
With a serious investation, They can all catch something different.
Hitman Pro is a fast scan, trying running it again.
If things are too messed up, you can try making an Eset disk. http://www.eset.com/sg/support/sysrescue/
I don't use much in the way of VPN, I've used Hola with mixed results. I use TOR if I need to be anonymous, but It's not good for streaming in my experience.
It's possible you have hardware issues going on as well with the restarts, but I would verify all the malware is gone to know for sure.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 12, 2016, 10:33:46 PM
nothing seems to be working, and I'm not logging into my usual websites for shopping and bill pay on this computer (my main computer) till it's fixed, so it looks like a clean install of Win 10 will be happening this weekend.
many minor things have been screwed up since the forced Win 10 upgrade anyway, so maybe this is for the best....
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on July 13, 2016, 12:37:13 AM
Sometimes that is the quicker solution. I once fought with an infected computer for 24 hours...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 13, 2016, 03:42:13 AM
I reinstalled FF, and it seemed to work just fine, so I'm deleting chrome for now, restarting, running virus checks, then reinstalling if everything is still good.
FF isn't getting the random pop-ups, but damn is this browser choppy.... it keeps stalling and then jerking. it loads slow, and I'm watching my resources that are barely being used... so it must be the browser right?
So now I'm test Driving Opera (Dev version) for that free VPN access I was looking for. I might try re-install chrome tomorrow .
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 14, 2016, 04:22:07 AM
all issues have ceased since I stopped running Malwarebytes and uninstalled Chrome.
Opera runs quick and smooth, and is currently set as my default browser. auto ad-block and built in VPN (used with the click of a button) is certainly nice.
So chrome reinstall has hit a backburner for now. Opera is running the show for now.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 18, 2016, 12:29:31 AM
Windows did it's update in the background w/o my consent, yet again, even though I had the settings set to notify me to make arrangement (as that is apparently the lowest level setting I could choose from.)
Now Opera started acting weird. Mostly delayed with random pop-ups like what was happening to Chrome before I deleted it. So I reinstalled Chrome, worked perfectly fine for the 2 last days, but now I've gotten 2 random computer freezing glitches again like it used to do sometime ago (pre-post edit... I just scrolled back up and I was complaining about this ONLY 1 month ago. I thought it was longer now)
So I guess a Win 10 fresh install may happen next weekend when I have plenty of free time. for a 3.3Ghz 6core 16GB Ram computer, I really shouldn't have problems surfing the internet while watching a video (stored locally or streaming from the internet) at the same time. It's just ridiculous.
If a fresh install doesn't work, then I will probably swap my other computer into this one's place, and see if the same issues arise with long term usage.
edit: I've actually been forced to use MS Edge in the meantime, as it's the only browser on my computer that doesn't grind everything to a halt... FML. LOL
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 18, 2016, 09:57:22 PM
Something else is going on here...
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 19, 2016, 12:01:48 AM
All the safe mode virus checks turned up nothing. I haven't had these issues till Win 10 force stealth installed itself.
So either a clean install fixed most these issues, or it's hardware problems. But the current situation is frustrating as all hell.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 19, 2016, 01:06:47 AM
If I were you, I would try a USB stick or Live CD of Linux and see if the problems go away.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 19, 2016, 01:35:27 AM
If I were you, I would try a USB stick or Live CD of Linux and see if the problems go away.
I'll look into that for next weekend when I have all day basically tear my computer down.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Stratos on August 19, 2016, 07:37:59 PM
Read an article today that the Widows 10 Anniversary Update broke a lot of features (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3109695/microsoft-windows/win10-anniversary-update-woes-one-step-forward-two-steps-back.html) on a lot of people's computers. They just discovered it broke web cams (http://www.theverge.com/2016/8/19/12562780/microsoft-windows-10-anniversary-update-webcam-freezing) on some systems.
Really hate that it forces the updates. Especially hate the fact it is pushing MS Edge. I worry that Windows 10 may eventually drain my battery faster on purpose in an effort to make me switch.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 20, 2016, 11:59:52 AM
Oh BTW... MS Edge browser is missing some features that I've grown used to in EVERY OTHER BROWSER I'VE USED for years. unless I just haven't figured out where they are....
for example, I can't right-click the back button to bring up a history of links to take me directly back to the beginning of whatever I've been clicking on. I also can't right click an image and copy it's location, nor open it in another tab/window.
I almost can't wait to figure out how to do a fresh install and start this Win 10 thing from scratch. Or maybe I'll just go back to Win 8.1, where I was before MS tricked my computer into upgrading when I wasn't around to say no.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on August 20, 2016, 12:37:54 PM
I would never go back to 8.1 over 10. Then again, my only issues are horrendous boot times and the occasional mouse cursor disappearing (lock/unlock brings it back). I do hate some of the apps though, like the calculator...and I wish the ages-old sound recorder was still there. Oh well, time to move on to Linux.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 20, 2016, 01:20:02 PM
1 allowed to use my computer all ways I see fit... Win10 seems to be against that.
And now edge is becoming a laggy browser. Something is constantly holding up me typing this message. I have no idea what is loading every few seconds, and all my typing has a 1-10 second delay right now if the words even bother to type at all.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 23, 2016, 03:38:52 AM
so I was tryingto get my scanner to work, which hasn't worked since my forced Win10 "upgrade", and this is what I discovered.....
I should probably preface this with over the last 2 weeks or so, around 10:30-12:30am, my computer would suddenly "lose internet connection" but all other connected devices are wirelessly connected just fine. This computer is the only one physically plugged into the router, so no reason it should lose connection. But I know it's not the internet, because it's not just a matter of the internet not working, the entire computer becomes almost non-responsive unless I reboot.
so what does this mean, because I know this is far from normal (http://i.imgur.com/AWjQHW3.png)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 23, 2016, 11:50:44 PM
With a serious investation, They can all catch something different.
If things are too messed up, you can try making an Eset disk. http://www.eset.com/sg/support/sysrescue/
This is what it has come to.... last resort before a full system wipe and clean install.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Stratos on August 24, 2016, 12:37:02 AM
How did those all get there?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 24, 2016, 01:03:58 AM
I have no idea. Had to hook up computer B, while computer A runs through some test.
**** was unbearable, almost usable, and completely untrustworthy. I don't want to type in any passwords for any site with financial info, and that image about was the final push to finally begin a deep cleansing of the computer.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 24, 2016, 01:53:04 AM
You and your dang VPNs!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 24, 2016, 02:14:43 AM
is that what all those are?
I was worried something took over my computer. still needs to be cleaned, wiped, scrubbed, etc etc.
gonna finish this eset scan (which won't let me clean, but maybe at least identify the problem), then run the mem test over night, then the drive scan in the morning. and if all that doesn't identify a problem I can fix, then clean slate this weekend.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 26, 2016, 11:19:55 PM
So I switched to computer B last night... I connected all cables from computer A to computer B, and everything ran fine. The only new addition to computer B was Opera developer edition.
I get home from work today, and computer B has crashed, citing that it is over clocking, but Win10 was immediately trying to upgrade from the moment I plugged in the internet.... It tried to boot after several restarts ave said something about a "boot_bug" but I didn't write it down before it attempted to restart again.
Now I'm lucky if the computer makes it to the bios screen. WTF. What do I do now!!!?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 27, 2016, 02:27:43 AM
UPDATE:
I got Computer A up on a fresh Win10 install right now.
hesitant on if Opera was part of the other computers problem, but I didn't want to reset it as Win10 was going to update whether I wanted it to or not. It reset while I was at work.... and now that computer (B) is dead. So I truly want to believe it was Win10 and not Opera.
Guess I better go set up a Restore point right now so I have something to go back too....
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 27, 2016, 03:48:42 AM
Is computer B overclocked?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 27, 2016, 10:10:36 AM
No. I don't even really know how to overclock, and never mess with the start up bios stuff.
All I know is that at some point while I was at work, Windows 10 restarted, which was what I was avoiding until I could fix Computer A. it's 2 options would have been "Update and Shutdown", or "Update and restart".
so I imagine it updated and couldn't restart while i at work. Would a windows update **** my computer up like that!? although I do have to admit that the version of Opera I had on Computer B for all of a single night, started acting like Chrome on Computer A before that crashed, where I would click a link, and it would redirect me to some other site that would never load. So I have no idea if that computer somehow got infected too, or if Opera was factor in Computer A getting worse (even though it was having those problems long before I put Opera on it)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 28, 2016, 03:13:57 PM
Whoa, I'm on fresh install. Only putting programs back on this computer as I need/use them.
But I just went to a website I've frequented all the time, and when I went to click on a link, an ad redirect pops up in a new tab. It's a blue screen with a phone number, and a man starts talking saying "You computer is infected with a virus and your harddrive will be deleted if you close this window., blah blah blah" on repeat over and over again.
So when I try to close the window, another small window pops up that say [stay] or [leave] and I try not to click either as I'm sure it's some sort of trick... even though I know that a feature of Chrome. I keep trying to close the entire tab, but now the tab keeps replicating itself, and there are 3 of these guys talking now as if they were doing a new version of Row Your Boat.... so I had to start the task manager and shut down all of Chrome to get it to go away. I restarted Chrome, checked my AdBlock, something was disabled/failed to update (i corrected that) and am now running a full scan with Win Defender.
Guess I better get Malwayebytes or Super Anti-spyware back on my computer asap too.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 28, 2016, 08:38:14 PM
Are you activating a virus when you restore your data files?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 28, 2016, 08:56:09 PM
Chrome auto re-populates itself with my extension when I log into it, but it's all extensions I've had forever a day.
the only programs I've re-installed are the same ones I've had on my computer for years. and they've all been scanned for virus dozens of times over.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Wah on August 29, 2016, 12:07:08 AM
Get Mal-ware bytes best anti-virus software out their it's a free 30-day trail but you can still use it's scan feature after it's expired, it's what I sue to clean my torrents all the time. Cough I don't try out things first through torrenting and then buy them, what are you talking about?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: lolmonade on October 10, 2016, 10:33:29 AM
So...maybe not directly computer related. I bought a house and am getting cable/internet installed tomorrow. That said, just realized with separate rooms and larger spaces, that my modem is going to be a room away from my entertainment center, and opposite ends of the rooms.
Typically I have had my consoles hard-wired to the internet, and I'd like to avoid having to do wi-fi for the ones which I play a decent amount online. Does anyone here have any good online resources or personal anecdotes for wiring ethernet cords through a house without causing a bunch of damage? Basement is unfinished, so it'll be fairly easy to route stuff through the basement. Thinking I might just need a handful of fairly long ethernet cords to snake between the holes I'll have for both the coaxial cables required for the cable box and modem to be connected to in separate rooms, but I wonder about the mess of cords I might make in doing so.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on October 10, 2016, 07:51:55 PM
Residential is a pain if the walls are already built.
If you basement ceiling is high enough, get some of this: http://www.trenchltd.com/obo-magic-basket-tray/obo-magic-basket-tray/ I like the baskets better than conduit. Drill a hole and Snake your Cat6 up through the interior walls to a wall box. fake edit: This guy is doing something similar: http://www.ruffhi.com/Computer-007.html
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 24, 2018, 03:13:39 PM
This latest Windows update, that I repeatedly have tried to stop, as I have for every previous Win10 update... including but not limited to the upgrade to Win10 itself, keeps freezing my damn computer when it fails to install.
I've tried to block all updates with the delay button, but something happened, and now I can no longer select the "delay updates" button, so the update just continually fails to install, and my computer freezes... beyond frustrating, and I do not want to jump through hoops to fix this when my computer was already running good enough before MS had to force push all their updates onto my damn computer in the first place.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: oohhboy on January 24, 2018, 10:25:07 PM
It's the meltdown/spector update. It's fucked a lot of people up and down the industry. They rushed the initial patch and are now rushing out hotfixes which are making their own messes.
One way you might be able to bypass your problem would be a reinstall from a "Fresh" ISO direct from MS. They aren't as good as Apples which always contains the most up to date version of everything but if it does include the current patches it will allow you to get out of the broken patch loop you are in.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: ShyGuy on January 24, 2018, 11:36:13 PM
Guess who has to reapply all the BIOS updates he did over the last two weeks at work...
(https://i.imgur.com/SwuXJ7h.gif)
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 25, 2018, 03:16:24 AM
I went to the MS site and downloaded the update and manually installed it. once I did the manual download and installed, it cancelled the Win10 automated one, and I was able to restart at my leisure. Been working fine ever since.
There should be a class-action against MS for all this force update BS. I didn't even upgrade my computer to Win10 in the first place..... Windows waited till a day when I left it on, and could cancel the upgrade because I wasn't home. When I came home **SURPRISE** you now are on Win10!!!
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: Stratos on January 25, 2018, 05:11:56 PM
I seem to recall a reversion option for windows though. On our old computer half the stuff wasn't working and I rolled it back to 8.1 through the settings. Or did they remove that option?
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on January 25, 2018, 08:20:01 PM
I seem to recall a reversion option for windows though. On our old computer half the stuff wasn't working and I rolled it back to 8.1 through the settings. Or did they remove that option?
It expired after 30 days I think. Something I was willing to live without weren't there, so I just rode it out. By the time I was fed up and wanted to switch back, it was too late. So I just got used to it.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on January 25, 2018, 10:30:50 PM
I mean in their defense, it's a free update and aside from the Meltown/Spectre and other security patches, Windows 7 is dead.
Title: Re: I have computer related questions. Can you help?
Post by: oohhboy on January 25, 2018, 11:31:26 PM
As much as I wanted to stay on Windows 7 the writing was on the wall and made the switch with an older code using a loophole saving me $200+ NZD. Windows update 7 included has always been a **** show so I am never surprised. It is "better" on 10 but that is likely because they are hiding errors.
