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

[ShyGuy]

Mop it up, I think it's time for Linux!

[BlackNMild2k1]

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....


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.

[Ceric]

Installing Kapersky.   I blame you if this doesn't work out bustin

[ShyGuy]

Kaspersky is owned by the Russians! get ready for Putin to read your email! Instead of the NSA

[BlackNMild2k1]

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.

[BranDonk Kong]

Is "auto arrange icons" checked on your desktop? To be honest, I think I've had this happen with every recent version of Windows.

[BlackNMild2k1]

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.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Downstairs computer issue again... I really don't want to wipe this computer and start from scratch.

this is what happens alot.


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.

[BranDonk Kong]

Hopefully that's it - could be classic shell maybe, but I've never had an issue with it.

[BlackNMild2k1]

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.

[Plugabugz]

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?

[Shaymin]

Rough guess: Hard drive was toast (or at least the boot sector).

[BlackNMild2k1]

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....

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

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.

[Shaymin]

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.

[azeke]

- A good drive imaging program that lets me get back up and running quickly, that basically explains the process like I'm five

Of what i used, Acronis products (i think it's called True Image) are the best.

[Nile Boogie Returns]

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.

[BlackNMild2k1]

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.

[Triforce Hermit]

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.

[oohhboy]

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.

[Triforce Hermit]

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.

[BranDonk Kong]

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).

[Triforce Hermit]

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.

[oohhboy]

If it is a RAM issues http://www.memtest.org/ has just the tool to find it. Use the pre-built ISO 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.

[ShyGuy]

Firefox has blocked Flash and I've never been happier!