Random Question Thread: Tech

[MaachaQ]

A few weeks ago during an argument, the top of my laptop was slammed shut. When things calmed down I opened it again and discovered that programs were locking up, and then the whole computer locked up. The computer had not hibernated when the lid was shut; I had disabled that setting because of a weird display driver problem where the screen would not turn back on when resuming from hibernation. I held the power button down to turn it off and was unable to get windows to boot from that harddrive again. I had an old harddrive that was still configured for this laptop (it was the laptop's main drive until February when I got this new bigger drive) and the laptop was able to boot fine using the old drive. My problem now is how to recover files from the bad harddrive. Can anyone recommend the steps I should take to save some things that were not backed up? Mainly what I'm worried about is some pictures and video files that I had recently copied off my cameras to the laptop drive and deleted to make space before our vacation ><

[Astarael]

A few weeks ago during an argument, the top of my laptop was slammed shut. When things calmed down I opened it again and discovered that programs were locking up, and then the whole computer locked up. The computer had not hibernated when the lid was shut; I had disabled that setting because of a weird display driver problem where the screen would not turn back on when resuming from hibernation. I held the power button down to turn it off and was unable to get windows to boot from that harddrive again. I had an old harddrive that was still configured for this laptop (it was the laptop's main drive until February when I got this new bigger drive) and the laptop was able to boot fine using the old drive. My problem now is how to recover files from the bad harddrive. Can anyone recommend the steps I should take to save some things that were not backed up? Mainly what I'm worried about is some pictures and video files that I had recently copied off my cameras to the laptop drive and deleted to make space before our vacation ><

the easiest way is to connect the non-working drive to the laptop (or any other machine), via a USB adapter. You can buy them for like $10 (here's what you're looking for on english ebay)

This will show your the broken hard drive as an external drive that you can just go to in My Computer and browse through like you would any flash drive or external HDD. You should be able to browse to the user files and into your pictures to take them off.

This is all assuming the hard drive is still physically intact and it's just a software issue. If the hard drive was damaged physically, you're probably screwed.

[Isiolia]

Hello, I'm having trouble running programs and applications on my laptop (Windows 7) as apparently it keeps telling me 'COMCTL32.dll is missing.' It won't load my firewall, anti-virus, xi, etc nor download anything, even doesn't allow me to do a system restore to roll it back to an earlier date. I've had a look at some solutions but I can't do anything as most of them suggest I download a registry cleaner or to reinstall the missing .dll file which it won't let me do as I always get a message saying said file is missing. Tempted to take it into a pc shop and have them look at it but thought I'd ask here first!

Try snagging this http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html and see if you have any odd shell extensions. From what I can find, one of the causes of that issue is a program trying to use an old version of that DLL, usually for contextual menu options. If you installed something recently that added to the right click menu options that could be culprit. 'course, you could have a corrupt registry or malware or something too, hard to say for sure.
Still, I wouldn't bring it to a shop unless you have no options to reinstall yourself (and even then).

[Mojo]

I was wondering if the USB connections on a monitor still work if you connect to a DVI port using a VGA/DVI adapter. The DVI is the type of connection on the computer, VGA comes off the monitor with the USB.

[hey]

Obviously not. Why are you using vga...

[Isiolia]

I was wondering if the USB connections on a monitor still work if you connect to a DVI port using a VGA/DVI adapter. The DVI is the type of connection on the computer, VGA comes off the monitor with the USB.

Most I've seen just have a USB hub built into them, and require that you run a USB cable to the computer for the ports to work anyway. Was it working previously with just the VGA connection, or is there a USB B connection on the monitor too?

[Mojo]

Obviously not. Why are you using vga...

Because most KVM switches use VGA (DVI ones are fucking expensive) in which the USB is routed through the VGA, like a monitor. Mostly trying to decide on which KVM to buy. Might have to just get a tangly one where USB cables are built into it for each computer.

[Cail]

i need a free CD burn program, for both creating music cd's+data cd's. Help!

[Elizara]

The best one I've seen is CDburnerXP. Mind, the installer does use OpenCandy so be careful when you install so you don't install things you don't want. (It will offer but I don't see anything harmful about it; at least it doesn't install unwanted crap without asking you.)

[Devolver]

I'm having a hell of a time setting up my wireless networking at home. Everything was fine until I found out that one of my neighbors lives close enough to leech off my connection and I decided to put WEP on the connection

The setup that I have is modem to a Netgear WGR614 v9 Wireless G router, then a Netgear n150 acting as a repeater in @ the other end of the house. Now before this setup worked great, but with WEP security activated on the WGR, I can't seem to get it to communicate with the n150.

I've tried entering in the same SSID for both boxes, entering in the same WEP key for each, and just doing nothing at all to the n150, and no matter what I do, it just wont repeat the WGR.

Now when I put the SSID of the n150 the same as the WGR, I can scan and see it, but it comes up as a non-protected connection, which cant connect to anything.

The WRG is fine. I have a computer hardwired to it, and a laptop running off the wireless it provides fine.

What the hell do I need to do to get my n150 to act as a repeater to my WGR when its WEP protected?

[hey]

Not sure what your issue is, but don't use wep, it can be cracked in a couple of seconds.

[Devolver]

I would be more worried if I lived in a more populated area. My neighbors knowledge about computers and networking is as vast as looking at a network and seeing its unprotected. I was talking to them a few months ago about opening some ports on their router (back when they even had internet) for their Wii, and I might as well of been speaking Greek to them. Hillbilly country bumpkins, etc.

If I can get this to work for WEP, I'll for sure bump up the protection just for completion sake, but for right now I'm losing my mind to just figure this crap out.

Edit: I feel like this problem is something real basic that is preventing the 2 boxes from communicating, but I can't just put my finger on it.

[Guitarman]

Hey guys. I keep getting an error saying "display driver has stopped responding and has recovered" on my nvidia 580 card. the screen goes black for a second and this pops up. It happens fairly frequently. Does anyone have any experience with this? By my search on the web it seems a very widespread issue, yet theres a hundred supposed recommendations on what to do to fix it. Please help!

[hey]

yet theres a hundred supposed recommendations on what to do to fix it. Please help!

Because there are a hundred different causes. The card could be dying, could be bad settings, could be bad drivers. First thing to do is try newer/older drivers, and if you're overclocking it, put it back down to stock.

[Astarael]

I'm having a hell of a time setting up my wireless networking at home. Everything was fine until I found out that one of my neighbors lives close enough to leech off my connection and I decided to put WEP on the connection

The setup that I have is modem to a Netgear WGR614 v9 Wireless G router, then a Netgear n150 acting as a repeater in @ the other end of the house. Now before this setup worked great, but with WEP security activated on the WGR, I can't seem to get it to communicate with the n150.

I've tried entering in the same SSID for both boxes, entering in the same WEP key for each, and just doing nothing at all to the n150, and no matter what I do, it just wont repeat the WGR.

Now when I put the SSID of the n150 the same as the WGR, I can scan and see it, but it comes up as a non-protected connection, which cant connect to anything.

The WRG is fine. I have a computer hardwired to it, and a laptop running off the wireless it provides fine.

What the hell do I need to do to get my n150 to act as a repeater to my WGR when its WEP protected?

One simple thing to try; Often when you change your router security settings, devices that were previously connected to it will sometimes insist on trying with the previous security settings and refuse to recognize the new one in a current profile. Try removing the profile fully (Is this possible in a repeater, does it have an interface you can access? or maybe a factory reset), then reconnecting as usual.

[Tyr]

Having a lot of problems with my volume settings -- my computer (Windows 7 Laptop) will randomly mute itself then unmute in 2-3 second intervals. You can assume how annoying this is when trying to listen to something...

The problem seems to only occur when I have it on battery power. Any idea the cause/solution?

[Nitsuki]

After failed attempts in google, i might as well ask here.

In windows 7, is there any possible way to keep the volume fixed at a certain level so that way i can just use the dial on my pc speakers to raise/lower volume? It's rather annoying working with both.

[hey]

Er, just don't change it?

[Caiyuo]

Yeah, is there something else adjusting the volume within Windows? I do the same thing, leave volume at around 80/100 and just use the dial on the speakers.

[Nitsuki]

I actually wanted to avoid doing that, but i'll leave the windows volume at 50 then. lol thanks