The Tech Question Thread

[Conspicuously Absent]

Dos: use Dosbox in windows, just drag and drop folders you want it to "pretend" are drives.

Wireless Encryption, look in the security settings for your router. That said, don't bother. 99% of people don't give a shit, and the other 1% have the tools that exploit the weaknesses in the protocol and can crack it in about 15 seconds.

 

[dorian gray]

The wife thinks we have a virus on our computer. What do we need to do?

btw, I like coffee.

 

[swizzlenuts]

Virus Scan or reformat.

I like coffee too.

 

[dorian gray]

wtf is Virus Scan?

Seattle's Best seems to be.....well, the best

 

[Reign in Acai]

My dsl keeps on disconnecting every couple minutes. AT&T sent me this piece of shit modem...

(Rated 2.6 out 5, a little generous imo)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7331452&type=product&id=1126591859340


I believe I also need a new phone filter, as there's a wall of static resonating from the speaker. Coffee kicks ass!

 

[Dark One]

DSL is the new dial up when it comes to internetting. Switch to cable or FiOS if/when you can.

dorian, is Seattle's Best something you can get at a supermarket or is it limited to a chain store?

 

[dorian gray]

I get it at Kroger.

 

[Dark One]

Cool I'll be on the lookout for it. Thanks for the tip.

 

[dorian gray]

No worries.
Breakfast Blend works for me.

 

[Dark One]

Love Starbucks' Breakfast Blend so that sounds like a winner. Though their House Blend is utter shite.

 

[Thanatopsis123]

Here's my tech problem. I have a feeling I'll just have to try those Geek Squad people out though.

When I turn on my laptop (Inspiron E1705) and the initial startup begins (the logos show) I see a series of green vertical dots. It looks like it is loading up fine other than that. The Windows load bar below the logo moves and all seems well other than the green dots. Then when it would be going farther than that (log on to a user and go to desktop) it becomes either black or kind of a brownish black with horizontal lines and then turns to black.

I can start it up fine in safe mode and the screen looks okay. I tried doing a system restore and it worked once but then the next time I started it up it was messing up again. Doing a system restore again has not worked again. Plugging in an external monitor and pressing Fn+F8 has the same results (green dots with logos and then total failure).

I have no idea if this is software or hardware related and can't seem to find a solution to it anywhere.

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

if it works in safemode its software, probably a driver or some other program.

Reformat always works grand, if thats not an option, take an XP/Vista disk (whatever you use) and do a repair install. Keeps your data and sometimes help.

Or boot up to safe-mode, hook up an external drive, back up your shit and re-install.

wtf is Virus Scan?

Online and free: housecall.trendmicro.com
Free: http://free.avg.com/
Also Free: http://www.avast.com/

 

[Thanatopsis123]

take an XP/Vista disk (whatever you use) and do a repair install. Keeps your data and sometimes help.

How do I do that? I just pop in the disk and find a "repair install" option? I tried getting the newest driver for my video card but that didnt' help. I guess I'll give this a shot.

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

repair install: throw the disc in the drive, it should ask you if you want to boot from the disc, press a key to do that, then in there somewhere you see the option...

XP Repair install

Please read carefully and make sure you followed the warning links before initiating the Repair Install. You can print a text version for reference. repair.txt

1. Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.
2. When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
3. Press Enter to start the Windows Setup.

To setup Windows XP now and Repair Install , press ENTER. do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R".
4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations.
5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the options, END setup. After the reboot read Warning#2!
6. Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot. Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact.







reinstalling drivers won't do much if something is corrupt. Plus removing drivers compeltely is a pain in the ass.

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

for all dorian's computing needs:

 

[cthulufhtagn]

lmao

i love coffee...time to make a pot

 

[einride]

Here's my tech problem. I have a feeling I'll just have to try those Geek Squad people out though.

When I turn on my laptop (Inspiron E1705) and the initial startup begins (the logos show) I see a series of green vertical dots. It looks like it is loading up fine other than that. The Windows load bar below the logo moves and all seems well other than the green dots. Then when it would be going farther than that (log on to a user and go to desktop) it becomes either black or kind of a brownish black with horizontal lines and then turns to black.

I can start it up fine in safe mode and the screen looks okay. I tried doing a system restore and it worked once but then the next time I started it up it was messing up again. Doing a system restore again has not worked again. Plugging in an external monitor and pressing Fn+F8 has the same results (green dots with logos and then total failure).

I have no idea if this is software or hardware related and can't seem to find a solution to it anywhere.

most likely your graphics card is dying, bad VRAM or the like

since this is a laptop you are what americans quaintly refer to as shit outta luck, send it in for repair or buy a new one

xp repair won't fix it

 

[Thanatopsis123]

Yeah, XP repair was a horrible idea. Now that problem is happening half way through the repair and I can't get it to even start in safe mode. Instead, it always tries to complete the repair and inevitably fucks up.

Fantastic.

 

[dorian gray]

ha, yeah, last time I had a laptop, some soldering came loose at the power source and that was the end of the $1000 laptop. Solder. $1000. Gone.


*ftr, I did try repairing the solder with a standard soldering iron. You can imagine the outcome.

 

[dorian gray]

OK, so I heeded the advice and it seems to be working. Thanks.

Next question: how do I rid this computer of all vestiges of ever having been on any kind of pron site before the wife notices and the Third Inquisition begins?