Computer help thread for the ignorant

[Angel]

Mmmmm

[BioTech]

What do you need help with Angel?

[Angel]

Everything..

Spybot..How can it help my computer..

What does it do..Think it cleaned out my computer

Surprised i'm still on the net

http://www.safer-networking.org/

[Raj]

subtle sweetie :wink:

i will get to it :obey::obey::obey::obey::obey::obey:

[Angel]

My mediaplayer is a part of Win XP

Can i delete it ?

VLC What,why and how ? :crazy: :crazy:

Can you keep up raj ?

[Raj]

virus
a virus is a piece of code [usually hidden in some thing else] which is damaging to your PC and spreads via execution of its code

free antivirus scanner [i use this BTW; please feel free to recommend others]

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5#avg-free

if you are already using a virus scanner and you arer happy with it thats fine, if you have one running you dont like then remember to uninstall it first otherwise your PC will get very huffy

trojan
is a kind of virus so called because it is like a trojan horse [looks useful until you open it and then it can be very nasty indeed]

spyware
are pieces of code that you normally get [and agree to hidden in the EULA -end user license agreement] with programs that you think may be useful and which collect information about what you do on the net and send it back to the people who created the code
adware
is embedded in programs and is used to target ads at you - does this by collecting information on where and what you do on the net
malware
this is the malicious form of the two abobe - the most common example is a dialer hijacking code - you visit a website , it downloads to your machine and then everytime you try to do something you end up at a website you have no interest in eg a porn site

free adware/spyware/malware removal tools include:

spybot search and destroy http://www.safer-networking.org/ [choose your own language:wink:]

Adaware personal edition
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
download link
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5

anyone else have any comments /suggestions?:groucho:

[Raj]

My mediaplayer is a part of Win XP

Can i delete it ?

yes
go to start menu
go to control panel
go to add/remove programs[wait for this to load]
go to add remove windows components
go to the bottom of the list and untick windows media player
hit the next button
it will be removed [might ask you to confirm]
gone



VLC What,why and how ? :crazy: :crazy:

Can you keep up raj ?

VLC home page
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

my preferred media player so i am biased

requires less system resources to run than other media players and is free

windows download link is
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html
choose a source and download [to somewhere you can find it]
once it is downloaded double click on it and it will install itself [i let it associate itself with all the files it wants to BTW][one of very few programs i allow to do this]

NB if you decide to use this you will have to paste the new radio link into it as follows:

1- open VLC studio
2- select the File drop down menu
3- select open network stream (Ctrl +N)
4- open the file tab in the Open window
5- paste the link in the box
6- hit return
and off you go:horay::horay::horay::horay:

alternatively just right click the link and off you go :groucho:

[globalloon]

two other useful tools are

google toolbar: http://www.google.com/tools/firefox/toolbar/index.html which blocks all kinds of spyware

and zonealarm http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

adaware hasn't found anything since i've been using these two, and it saves you from doing all those long boring scans

[Angel]

yes
go to start menu
go to control panel
go to add/remove programs[wait for this to load]
go to add remove windows components
go to the bottom of the list and untick windows media player
hit the next button
it will be removed [might ask you to confirm]
gone




VLC home page
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

my preferred media player so i am biased

requires less system resources to run than other media players and is free

windows download link is
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html
choose a source and download [to somewhere you can find it]
once it is downloaded double click on it and it will install itself [i let it associate itself with all the files it wants to BTW][one of very few programs i allow to do this]

NB if you decide to use this you will have to paste the new radio link into it as follows:

1- open VLC studio
2- select the File drop down menu
3- select open network stream (Ctrl +N)
4- open the file tab in the Open window
5- paste the link in the box
6- hit return
and off you go:horay::horay::horay::horay:

alternatively just right click the link and off you go :groucho:

I thought the mediaplayer was using more space..No need to delete it then..
I also have Itunes...I like that one
And have quicktime..Dont think i use it very often and it take a lot of space..Can I delete that???

I need space on my harddisk,but i dont know if I can delete anything
My computer come up with pop-ups that there are not enough space on my harddisk(is it called harddisk in the UK)
I delete Cookies and temporary internet files 2-3 times a day,drives me crazy...

[Raj]

well spotted glo
:oh_god::oh_god::oh_god:
i totally failed to put up a firewall and zonealarm is a great one [we have a hardware firewall but used to use zonealarm before we got it]

is the toolbar good?

[Angel]

I have the google toolbar..I like that too..

Didnt do any good at the link i tried on Level-1 yesterday though:groucho: :groucho:

Lot of pop-ups

[Angel]

have firewall too (i think)

[Raj]

I thought the mediaplayer was using more space..No need to delete it then..
I also have Itunes...I like that one
And have quicktime..Dont think i use it very often and it take a lot of space..Can I delete that???

I need space on my harddisk,but i dont know if I can delete anything
My computer come up with pop-ups that there are not enough space on my harddisk(is it called harddisk in the UK)
I delete Cookies and temporary internet files 2-3 times a day,drives me crazy...

mediaplayer does take up space but microsoft dont want you to remove it so they tell you it doesnt

uninstall quicktime by going to the add/remove program box and scrolling down the list until you reach quicktime
then click on the remove button and it should uninstall

[Angel]

Ill try..

If it crashes my computer ill see you sometime in the future:cry: :cry:

[Raj]

i use this one:

http://www.ccleaner.com/

just dont tick any boxes it doesnt and always let it back up the registry if it asks to

start with the cleaner tabs
after that go to the issues tabs [spring cleans the registry for bad links, etc]

if you are unsure what to do at any point always ask here first :groucho:

[Angel]

It say i need Quicktime to use itunes ?

[Raj]

dont know dont use itunes - anyone?

[Angel]

To late:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Raj]

here is my favourite free drive defragmenter

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Diskeeper_Lite_d1207.html

pick a download link and off you go

[disk fragmentation can slow down your pc and/or crash/freeze it - try this and find out how bad it is ;)]

[i dont use the one built into windows because ti isnt as good]

[Raj]

To late:cry: :cry: :cry:

you can download it off the web i think

[Raj]

here in fact

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

[Angel]

Have installed the vlc..
Looks a bit messy i think,
it can play,but ill have to learn to use it better..

[Raj]

should just click on the link on the front of level-1 for example and it should open a dialog box asking if you want to open with VLC or whatever - select open with VLC and hit ok and that should be you :groucho::groucho::groucho:

[Angel]

It looks so messy..

I had all the sets seperated in who made them..Now they are scattered all

over the place..Hate that:hopeless: :hopeless:

Have some CD's..can i put them in the VLC ?

[Raj]

make a new folder called music on the drive

[my computer, click on harddrive, make newfolder]
and put them all in there - if for some reason you need to get them off you will have them in your folders regardless of program changes and dont need to hunt around the drive for them

:flowers::flowers::flowers::flowers::flowers:

dont know about cds - still play those on my stereo :scared::scared::scared:

[Angel]

dont know about cds - still play those on my stereo :scared::scared::scared:
I havent got one anymore:hopeless:

[Raj]

I havent got one anymore:hopeless:

ok well i will go and find out and let you know :groucho:

[Raj]

yes

i did it by going to my computer and right clicking on the cd drive and then selecting the open with VLC option

also open vlc , open directory, my computer, cd drive, ok worked

:bounce_fl:bounce_fl:bounce_fl:bounce_fl

there is probably a more elegant way but i havent found it yet:groucho:

[Angel]

Thanks:love: :love: :love:

[Angel]

I know you say the sound is better on VLC and it can play more different files..mp3,ogg and so on..But its skipping when i move the mouse..Like when you jump next to a record player and the needle jumps..

Any tips ?

[Raj]

have you rebooted your pc recently? if not do so now :groucho:

and if you havent defragmented your hardrive do that too :groucho:

both of these may help

[Angel]

okay

[Angel]

Is it possible to copy everything I have on my harddrive to a new one

without loosing any information?

[Shit Robot]

i use a programme called Drive image,It goes on two floppy disks,you boot from the floppy and then it lets you make an image of your entire hard drive and everything on it which you can then restore to another drive.I suppose you would need an intermediate level of Coputer literacy to use it,could senfd you the files later if you like.Also I think Norton Ghost does the same thing but I dont have that.

[Angel]

Thank you GoodDog

:love:

[Raj]

yes it is angel and GD´s way is as good as any :wink:

[Angel]

It's working raaa raaa raaa raaa

[chillidog]

Sorry i cant help angel,computers confuse the out of me.I need a bit of help myself.I dont know what i've done but my computer is running really slow whenever i do anything?All i can think of was i downloaded 2 programs at the weekend and wondered if they might be the cause.The fist one was an ad-ware program i downloaded from a site ive used quite a lot never had any problems with and i scaned for virus and nothing.The second was an on-line game from a site i'd never used but again no virus' found.I dont know weather it could be some of the files i quarentined on the ad-ware,or something to do with the game,or none of the above.Oh yeah my computer used to block links to other things and i would have to hold down ctlr and then click to access anything,it doesn't do this anymore and i haven't changed any anti-virus settings?Any advice on this would be appreciated just thought i might aswell ask before i just uninstall them,cheers :bounce_ci

[Raj]

hey chillidog

hows about some more info please:groucho:

what programs did you install and what isnt working right? where from did you get them?

and which antivirus do you use?

and then we may be able to help you :wink:

[Raj]

It's working raaa raaa raaa raaa


raaaraaaraaaraaaraaaraaa

[chillidog]

sorry bit vague!
the game was F.E.A.R combat,which i downloaded from www.fangaming.com (http://www.fangaming.com)

the other ad-ware was AD-Aware SE personal 1.06 which i downloaded from download.com

i've got norton anti-virus
now my computer just takes ages to load anything and it doesn't seem to be blocking pop-ups or at least its not blocking half as much as it used to and as i said i havn't altered its settings.hope thats a bit more usefull if not dont panic i'll just get rid and buy an anti adware(any recomendations?)not fussed about the game it was free and i was bored:hopeless:

[Raj]

Adaware should be ok

try uninstalling the game though :groucho: :groucho: :groucho:

i personally wont give norton houseroom as it is a horrible system hog

anyway uninstall the game and get back to me :crazy_fre:crazy_fre:crazy_fre:crazy_fre

[Agent Subby]

My computer packed up last week. Just no power from the CPU. Anyway after several 'troubleshooting' exercises whilst on the phone to the Dell technician she told me it was the 'mother board' that was the problem. Anyway it's been returned within 4 days in full working order. But I was just wondering as my PC is only 5 months old, why would something like a 'mother board' just pack up? Is it me tweaking too much or a common problem?? Jeez I was just about to sell the whole package (including printer, wireless router and 2 dongles) for £150 as well. Can't be that bad a problem though because the potential buyer is still pestering me for the sale.

[Raj]

motherboard could go as the result of a power surge [do you have a power surge protection plug board for it?] or it could have been the power supply that went and took the motherboard with it [hard to tell without taking it to bits and testing it myself :wink:] but it does happen and as long as all the bits are checked before reassembly it should be fine now [ie. if it is behaving itself now dont fret:groucho: ]

[chillidog]

nice one raj uninstalled the game back to normal speed :horay: i kept getting shot anyway:rant: what anti-virus would you recomend?I just got that because it was there,thought they would all be same sort of thing :question_

[Raj]

i use AVG free edition - check earlier parts of this thread :groucho: for the link :wink:

oh and if you are going to change be sure and follow the instructions in the readme file in your Norton folder to uninstall the norton AV before you install the new one or your computer will swear at you forever :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

[Shit Robot]

oh and if you are going to change be sure and follow the instructions in the readme file in your Norton folder to uninstall the norton AV before you install the new one or your computer will swear at you forever :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

:laugh_at::laugh_at::laugh_at::laugh_at:I Remember that well!

[chillidog]

:lol_fast: cool cheers i've wrote the stuff down,i know if i do it now thers a strong posabality it would go horribaly wrong so i'll leave it untill tomorow :idea:

[Agent Subby]

motherboard could go as the result of a power surge [do you have a power surge protection plug board for it?] or it could have been the power supply that went and took the motherboard with it [hard to tell without taking it to bits and testing it myself :wink:] but it does happen and as long as all the bits are checked before reassembly it should be fine now [ie. if it is behaving itself now dont fret:groucho: ]

Funny you should mention a power surge because the night it packed up my bedside lamp(the touch type) kept going brighter without me touching the damn thing.
Jeez I knew all along I should have taken the 'signalling and telecomunications' career path with British Rail instead of some boring job at a bank:hopeless: . Didn't think I'd get my physics O'Level at the time of the job offer (which was needed). Yup bloody sods law, I ended up passing it. Too late was the cry!!:weee:

[Raj]

thats usually the cause AS:wink:

you can buy surge protectors for about 15 pounds in good electrical retailers which are sacrificial [they will blow before the surge gets to your PC] and if you do get one make sure it is one with a light that tells you when it is blown

:groucho: :groucho: :groucho:

[Agent Subby]

99% will be selling my computer but that info will sure help in the future raj. Cheers matey.:wink:

[Angel]

Raj,

For the first time today have i heard the set that you and NoName

played for my birthday..

I love it..Thank you guys :love: :love: :love:

[chillidog]

allright bit stuck again :you_crazy i just braught a graphics card for my computer which im going to attempt to install,i've read all the manuals etc..the only thing i'm a bit worried about is they keep saying to use an anti-static ristband and a foam matt(which i dont seem to have!)because the static can ruin it.I was just wondering if 1:their over doing it to cover themselves just incase and the risk isnt that bad or 2:the next best thing to foam i could use that i might have laying about(sponges maybe?).Cheers!

[chillidog]

hmm that was easier than i thought :pee:

[Raj]

antistatic wristband for the cheap skate - get a length of electric flex, strip one end bare for 10 cm and wrap round you wrist :wink: attach other end of length to something you know has an earth point [bare metal on radiators, kitchen taps, etc

or just touch the baremetal item of your choice [make sure it is earthed] before handling the sensitive bit of equipment in question :wink:

[ you do this to discharge the static electric field that most people have to some degree, as computer parts can be fried by even a small electric discharge to them :groucho:]

[chillidog]

:lol_teeth cheers mate,i managed to improvise with sponges,gaffa tape and radiator :coin:(cheapskate!!i know nothing!) worked first time :ty_ty:

[Raj]

glad to hear it mate and now you know what to do next time you need one :groucho:

antistatic mat is anything that doesnt conduct electricity [ paper will do at a tight pinch; rubber mat is ideal :groucho:]

[noname]

My computer packed up last week. Just no power from the CPU. Anyway after several 'troubleshooting' exercises whilst on the phone to the Dell technician she told me it was the 'mother board' that was the problem. Anyway it's been returned within 4 days in full working order. But I was just wondering as my PC is only 5 months old, why would something like a 'mother board' just pack up? Is it me tweaking too much or a common problem?? Jeez I was just about to sell the whole package (including printer, wireless router and 2 dongles) for £150 as well. Can't be that bad a problem though because the potential buyer is still pestering me for the sale.
Usually mobo's go due to the power regulation capacitors (the ones around the CPU socket) burning out - or in some cases plain melting (literally - was a common prob a couple of years ago, due to a company copying (badly cos the design snaffled was in pre release testing and tweaking) another co's design). Many companies save on production costs by getting cheap components here...

If your PC just packed up (ie totally dead when button pressed), it could also have been the standby/power on/power good signal rail that the PC uses to do all that soft powering up and power saving ATX stuff.

First place I'd look in that scenario though (intrigued to hear Dell support didn't) would be the actual PSU - again a place costs are cut (a false saving in my experience), and far more likely to fail due to heat etc...

If you "tweak" though, you can goose it unless you know what you're doing (overclocking is a favourite for this, as the correct balance of power-driving speed-heat dissipation is a tricky one for the inexperienced...:weee::weee::weee:. Watchword here is do your research thoroughly before trying it, and expect it to cost you - then when it doesn't cos you got it right, it will be a nice surprise instead of the alternative...:crazy_dru:crazy_dru:crazy_dru)

[noname]

allright bit stuck again :you_crazy i just braught a graphics card for my computer which im going to attempt to install,i've read all the manuals etc..the only thing i'm a bit worried about is they keep saying to use an anti-static ristband and a foam matt(which i dont seem to have!)because the static can ruin it.I was just wondering if 1:their over doing it to cover themselves just incase and the risk isnt that bad or 2:the next best thing to foam i could use that i might have laying about(sponges maybe?).Cheers!
OK - "anti static wristband" is a cool way to get you to pay for a piece of equipment you don't need. All it is, is a cable linking you to an earth point, so any static charge build up - like you get when you are wearing woolen socks, and have a viscose carpet then zap a mate, or when you rub a balloon on your hair and stick balloon to wall - can drain away to ground...

The way to deal with this without being conned for equipment (this is for UK users BTW, and other countries (spain etc) that use common earth in domestic supplies - ie 3 pin plugs) is to leave the case plugged into the wall socket while working, but TURN THE SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION. The common earth is thus still connected (the switch only uncouples the live from negative - earth is left intact). Then any time you touch an unpainted metal part of the case, you will earth any residual static...:weee::weee::weee:

For people in other countries, where an earth system isn't used (2 pin plug system with no earth collar) - you can touch a copper radiator pipe, or tap regularly (these are also earthed due to rushing water creating static charge).

The only people that need a static wristband are the ones who habitually have light bulbs explode on them, or cause random disturbances in their PC's karma just by being angry at it - I live with one of these, and it can get expensive on light bulbs - our solution is that I do hardware - she does software for the most part (she can blow expensive silicon wafers just by giving them a funny look too :crazy_dru:crazy_dru, and till systems in shops fail regularly when she goes near. I put it down to Quantum - the scientists method of saying "haven't a clue, but at least I've named it:wink:" without looking silly...:weee::weee::weee: )

But to get back to the point - the risk of static discharge ruining silicon is real enough - you can build up a charge of several thousand volts in the wrong circumstances. With logic gates being so small that they had to use lower frequency light in the etching lasers to make them, cos the visible light spectrum was too broad (we're talking Picometers(one trillionth of a meter) here, a potential that size just blows them apart...

As for foam mats - the theory here is non-conductive material (rubber is good too. Plastic is also generally good.) Anything to stop any charge making it to a ground (and therefore draining through the equipment to the ground in one big zap, unleashing all of it's current (usually only microamps), but with a huge potential (ie the voltage) which can be anything up to about 20KV (this is the bit responsible for the blue spark when you zap your mate:weee::weee::laugh_at::laugh_at:))

This has degenerated into a bit of a waffle, so I shall stop here (sorry - I get carried away:hopeless::weee::hopeless:)... If you want more info, or clarification on any of it, let me know. Also any help on the nuts & bolts of PC building - always happy to wax lyrical (ahem), and I've probably made most of the mistakes by now - should be able to help others not make them....:weee::weee::weee:. Hope this helps tho'...raaaraaaraaa.

[chillidog]

Raj,Noname cheers for all the help much appreciated :horay: raaa

[Raj]

my pleasure mate :groucho:


never feel that a question is too stupid too ask - no question is stupid if you dont know the answer:wink:

[chillidog]

never feel that a question is too stupid too ask - no question is stupid if you dont know the answer:wink:
I'll have to remember that one :biggreen:

[noname]

np m8...:wink:

[Tank Girl]

I cant be arsed to read all 5 pages ....

so sorry if this is answered some where in them

I'm wanting to up load an image from 'photobucket' for my signature, I tried to put the (I think correct ) URL add but one said it had been deleted by photo.. and the 2nd just had a square with a red cross in it..............

can any one tell me what I am doing wrong? :hopeless:

ta

[noname]

I cant be arsed to read all 5 pages ....

so sorry if this is answered some where in them

I'm wanting to up load an image from 'photobucket' for my signature, I tried to put the (I think correct ) URL add but one said it had been deleted by photo.. and the 2nd just had a square with a red cross in it..............

can any one tell me what I am doing wrong? :hopeless:

ta

Did you use the [IMG] tag button in the editor? The URL needs to be exactly right as well, including the http:// in front of it. And the photo has to be somewhere readable in public mode on the web...

[Tank Girl]

thanks for your reply! :smile:
but I still dont get it, either its the time of night and I really need some sleep or it's just me and computers not being in synk :you_crazy I'll try and have another go at it later

[Raj]

for those as may want it here is the link for audacity:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=6235&package_id=6294&release_id=375038

[sound editing freeware]

raaaraaaraaa