The Computer Problems thread!

[bill]

Alrighty then. Does anyone know what to do if one's PCI video card is completely fried, and the on-board video won't work? I'm normally quite adept at fixing these magic boxes, but that usually requires a visual interface.

Merged into this topic.

[Xuzaf D]

I've had some problems starting both Norton Anti-virus and Zone Alarm. Zone Alarm won't start at all and Norton computer scans usually end with "windows is low on virtual memory..."

[ShadesFox]

Alrighty then. Does anyone know what to do if one's PCI video card is completely fried, and the on-board video won't work? I'm normally quite adept at fixing these magic boxes, but that usually requires a visual interface.

Get another video card?
The only other thing I can think of is to take the hard disk(s) out and put it into another similar computer.  With WinXP you will need a computer almost exactly the same.

I've had some problems starting both Norton Anti-virus and Zone Alarm. Zone Alarm won't start at all and Norton computer scans usually end with "windows is low on virtual memory..."

How much RAM do you have?  You may have to make the pagefile larger.

[Xuzaf D]

How much RAM? How would I check that? I'd probably know crap like this if this were my computer...

[DigitalMan]

Hmm... Well, I could use the 256MB card from this computer, and turn the Generally Omnipotent Device into the graphics workstation, but then I'd need a sound card with MIDI to turn this computer into the audio workstation. Not to mention longer cables... looks like it's eBay time.

How much RAM? How would I check that? I'd probably know crap like this if this were my computer...

Check System in Control Panel. You'll probably want Control Panel in "I know what I'm doing mode," AKA Classic View, instead of Category View.

[Xuzaf D]

Actually, I get lost on this computer because I'm a lesser user who isn't allowed into the upper files from my screen name. I haven't seen the big files in a few years.

128 MB

ack... I got that message again while I was typing. It says it's trying to fix the file size, but that obviously isn't changing anything.

[God-Beast]

i use windows 98...i used xp, 2000, linux....but 98 was the only that never gave up on me...the one that never freezed......NEVER!....the one that i can always count....and i don't even need windows update.....just a good avg anti-virus and a spywaredoctor....plus that to firefox, always using internet with mind! (don't go often to crack numbers sites)

WINDOWS 98 FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DigitalMan]

Well my Windows XP computer never gave up on me, either Until I switched which PCI slot the video card was in and then reformatted. I find it odd that it was fine until I reformatted, normally computers don't like it when you change the cards around

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

PS I'm planing on painting the computers cover,  mostlikely my bunny pirate flag that shouldn't damage anything right?

As long as you keep the paint out of the works, it should be fine.

And yes, the battery is probably what doesn't work, and all you need to replace to get it working again. Find a laptop store and ask them about methods for keeping battery life working for longer, though.

[Alan Garou]

My computer is tried to get me to commit suicide. Whenever I opened a new internet window, it suddenly closed ALL of my internet windows. I just got it fixed yesterday. And here's something I thought up for this thread:
Signs Your Computer Has Gained Sentience

1.   It deletes its "uninstall" programs
2.   It tries to edit your posts to improve humor
3.   It goes into "sleep" mode at night
4.   It organizes files by subject and tone
5.   Your internet crashes right before you send an important e-mail
6.   It recommends upgrades for itself
7.   It tells you to get dressed
8.   Suspicious charges on your credit card bill
9.   It tells you it has a virus, then hides the antivirus program
10.   You find sites in your Favorites folder that you've never heard of
11.   The CD drive tries to shut on your hand
12.   It corrects your spelling so people can actually understand you
13.   The dial-up noise sounds like voices
14.   When you check for viruses, you hear a sneeze
15.   It calls you a pervert for surfing porn sites
16.   It makes obscene sounds when you plug in a USB device
17.   The "off" button stops working
18.   The volume reaches painfully high levels by itself
19.   Your mouse starts moving of its own accord
20.   It sends insulting e-mails to your office
21.   Your fax prints out death threats
22.   The screensaver changes to look like two eyes
23.   You get spam e-mail after you unplug it for a while
24.   Unsettling text documents appear out of nowhere
25.   It adopts a James Bond-style accent
26.   The power cables untangle themselves
27.   You constantly get tripped by wires
28.   It tries to lock up when you look at this list
29.   Your screen degausses while you're going to the restroom
30.   The fax tries to close on your hand
31.   Your graphing calculator acts like it's in love
32.   The wireless mouse tries to run away
33.   When you pull up the Word paperclip assistant, you find out it's dead
34.   Your Windows and Linux icons move to opposite sides of the screen
35.   It pulls up websites that recommend disproven, harmful medicines
36.   Your robot vacuum tries to run over the cat
37.   It tries to shut down whenever you use "l33t"

[thegayhare]

PS I'm planing on painting the computers cover,  mostlikely my bunny pirate flag that shouldn't damage anything right?

As long as you keep the paint out of the works, it should be fine.

And yes, the battery is probably what doesn't work, and all you need to replace to get it working again. Find a laptop store and ask them about methods for keeping battery life working for longer, though.

thanks learch  I just ask cause with the solo I know the battery wasn't the problem since I'd replaced the main one and the Cmos battery and it still wouldn't run on it
it could detect it  and even charge it
I ran the battery learning software and it told me the thing should run for two hours but it just wouldn't... part of the reason I got rid of it, that and my sister cracked the LCD... this new one is nice though much lighter then the gatway though the scarcity of usb ports annoys me still

oh well

one more question If I get a wireless networking card for it.  since it's an older machine will I need an Older card or would a fairly new one work?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Uh. as long as it fits in a port, it should be ok with a newer one.

If you've only got one USB port, you may wish to enquire after either a PCMCIA USB card, or an external (powered) hub... but that depends on precisely what hardware you're planning on using it with, and with it...

[DigitalMan]

Well, found out what was wrong with the video card. Apparently, the fan over the GPU is actually rusted to the point of being immobile - how that happened, I have no clue. But apparently it went as such: computer turns on, and runs for a while; DM tries to do something graphical; GPU overheats, screen blanks, video driver gives a STOP error (that I couldn't see, but Windows told me about); computer starts up again and process repeats. And finally at some point the GPU fried permanently.

So there goes my shiny rather-new card Now I'm using an ancient 64MB card, from the time when slow low-power cards needed a fan, and it's sucking power and updating the screen at a whopping 10fps. So glad this isn't my 3D Studio computer...

[Tapewolf]

In case anyone's curious, I managed to make my nVidia card behave itself and not disable the 3D core after playing Deus Ex or Thief for more than 15 minutes.  There seems to be some kind of conflict within the AGP system that causes it to lock up after a random amount of time (race condition?).  With the AGP multiplier turned down to 1x in the BIOS, it behaves itself although the frame-rates probably suck (I haven't really benchmarked it).  I'll have to see if I can find some utility to let me force it to some other rate like 2x and see if that stops it halting...

[thegayhare]

Hello all

The bunny seems to have anouther problem

It seems every time a try and use the charactor tool one my model collection I get an error message

Here is the error



anyone have any Idea what I should do?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

ntdll.dll?

What the heck is it doing messing with that?

... actually, find that dll, all versions of it, and have a look at the info on it. You may find there's a new verison of it that's been updated, and your charactertool.exe is expecting the old version. If you look around, there maybe a copy of the old one in the recovery folders in \windows\$foldername$\... somewhere.

[thegayhare]

I don't know what does the ntdll.dll govern?

Charactor tool is a program that lets you veiw  3D models as they would look in game (for this particular game)

mainly I uses it to test new skins

but I think you might be right I did a search and it seems the ntdll.dll file thats on my C: drive (basicly the older OS) is a few KB smaller then the one on my (the active OS)  it must have happened when I installed service pack

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Right. In that case, you can put the old ntdll.dll into the directory where the charactertool.exe file is, provided there isn't any other one there already.

the app will load from right next to it in preference to the one in the system folder. Usually.

That may well fix your problem.


ntdll.dll -sounds- like one that is part of the OS. Deep kernel foo. Don't mess with it, type stuff.

[thegayhare]

Nope that didn't work... sorry

[thegayhare]

Yeah it's me again
Sorry every bunny

Umm this time it's about my laptop again

Everything is running fine the new battery is great and it's all shiney... cept for one thing...

It seems that the DVD rom can't detect dvds  I mean compleatly like they arn't even there

Anything else works fine it's just dvd's I'm not sure if it;s a codec problem or what but any help ould be apreciated

[Azlan]

Do a seance on the laptop.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

*whaps Azzie*

Critical question time, Bunnyboy - are you sure it -has- a DVD drive, and not just a CD drive? It's possible that it's supposed to ship with a DVD, but you've been done, depending on where you got it from, etc etc. Or it's not supposed to have a DVD drive at all...

Have you tested with a normal (either audio or data) cd?

[thegayhare]

*whaps Azzie*

Critical question time, Bunnyboy - are you sure it -has- a DVD drive, and not just a CD drive? It's possible that it's supposed to ship with a DVD, but you've been done, depending on where you got it from, etc etc. Or it's not supposed to have a DVD drive at all...

Have you tested with a normal (either audio or data) cd?

Yeppers I have tested it Data and audio cd's work fine and It does have a dvd drive

The hardware profile lists it as a Compaq DVD-rom DRD-U424

[thegayhare]

welp while searching for a updated driver I came a cross some one with the same problem

Apearently, DVDs and CDs are read by differnt lazers
Apearently in this case what happened was that one of the lazers gave out and the other still works. 

so it looks like I need to replace the dvd drive

[admford]

same thing happened with my old PowerBook Hare. Optical drive cut out reading and writing DVDs. Replaced it three times in two months, on average the optical drive lasted maybe a week. In the end I think it was the I/O controller on my PowerBook that actually damaged the drives (since they all broke the same way and very quickly).

[xHaZxMaTx]

Not really sure where else to put this...

Anyone know where I could get a free program that will burn gapless CDs?

[Vidar]

Have you tried Feurio?

http://www.feurio.com/

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

If you're using linux, there's lots of them.

However, since you're under windows, I'm unable to remember any - can't be bothered dealign with the crappy interface long enough to write anything of use, when I can make, check, and write a standard cd image in less time on linux using only the command line.

But that's just me... :-)

[Farinata]

Not really sure where else to put this...

Anyone know where I could get a free program that will burn gapless CDs?

I use a free program called CD Burner XP Pro which can be found here: http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

I've personally never used it for gapless CDs but it specifically has an option for that (select burn-at-once, it's in the help files). The help file does however warn you that your CD burner has to support gapless burning, I don't know anything about that. The software is free though so you can give it a shot.

[xHaZxMaTx]

Vidar, that program isn't free, but thanks anyway.

Farinata, I'm downloading that program right now, thanks.