Random Question Thread: Tech

[Fottiti]

I've just recently reinstalled reformatted PC since ffxi and a number of other windows things had been corrupted after several years of abuse. Trying to figure out whats the best driver and settings to use for ffxi.

I have a dell xps m1530, 2.5ghz duo core, 4gb ram, and a geforce 8600M GT GPU. The default driver on factory image runs ffxi terribly and I'm not really sure what other settings are optimal.

I don't really play any other PC games except ffxi, the rest is mostly word/excel/email so I would like ff to run as well as possible. Any suggestions for drivers/settings would be great.

[Callisto]

Got a BSoD'd computer gifted to me as a toy to tink with...but I'm not sure exactly how to tell what part of the computer is borked? Can someone give me a rundown of where I should start checking? I figured the ram would be the obvious start points, but I don't know what the signs are of the cpu being borked, or how exactly to go about using memtest.

[Caiyuo]

Sometimes the BSOD error code actually directs you to where it origniates. I think a general memory test can be done within a windows recovery prompt, either prior to booting or booting into a windows install CD, or the actual "memtest86" or whatever it is can be booted to from a CD I think

[Blabj]

Does it BSoD for a split second or does it freeze on it? When it does a quick restart can be any number of things, ranging from a corrupted file system to hardware malfunction.

Try replacing memory modules, ensuring the CPU is correctly seated and make sure the pc is being fed enough power... In my experience these are usual culprits.

[Callisto]

Long post incoming:

Alright, so I've established that hard drives hate me the last two days, but I'm basically just trying to see if someone can give me english explanations for what the fuck has been going on the last two days, mostly so that I know for future reference since I may need to do something of the sort again.

The story: got a sata hdd from a salvaged machine, in fine working order, but had been used as a windows boot disk, and I wanted to use it as pure storage, so I needed to take the partitions out and reformat it to wipe it. Figured since it was a secondary drive and not the one my OS was running out of, Disk Management would be fine. Pop it open, go to delete the partitions, as soon as I delete the second one(yes, I made quintuple sure I was deleting it from the secondary drive, not my main one that I was running out of), my Windows shit the bed. Totally froze, then when I would restart it wouldn't let me past the 'Welcome' screen that comes after you log in. Checked the main drive out using a Win7 install disc, everything appeared fine, both partitions were still there. There wasn't anything in terms of data really on it so I just went ahead and did a fresh install.

Question 1) What in the fuck happened there? As far as I know, I did nothing that was even interacting with the main drive, much less something that could corrupt my Win7 install.

So after 2 reinstalls(first one was wonky since I didn't wipe partitions to blank and start clean), everything works fine. All my shit is reinstalled, 2nd drive is formatted for storage, everything works perfectly. In a totally unrelated development, my g/f's hard drive appears to be dying. I think no biggie, we have a spare drive, even though I just reformatted it there's nothing on it, w/e. I back up all her shit to my main drive, shut down, open case, take out the spare drive, touch absolutely nothing anywhere remotely near the main drive, close case, restart.

DISK BOOT FAILURE, PLEASE INSERT BOOT DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

My main drive won't boot. BIOS recognizes the drive fine, drive integrity seems ok, just won't boot. Take my machine apart piece by piece, put it all back together to make sure I didn't just miss a loose connection somewhere...and no dice. So now I'm reinstalling for the third time since last night.

Question 2) What in the fuck happened there? As far as I know, I did nothing that was even interacting with the main drive, much less something that could corrupt my Win7 install.

Not really looking for solutions, fresh install seemed to work fine, everything seems okish now...but I'm really at a loss in terms of understanding how in the fuck the drive that I'm not touching at all keeps shitting itself. I was intending on adding another 2nd drive to the machine for extra storage soon, but I don't want to have to reinstall every damn time I want to add or remove a storage drive. Anyone able to explain wtf went on so I know what not to do next time?

[Cephius]

Windows management sucks for formatting drives but it shouldn't have caused your issues. Though, sometimes in disk management it'll arrange your disks in order of SATA port and not drive letter, so it's possible you accidentally formatted your system drive. Not to accuse you of being a derp but the fact your drive shit the bed as soon as you tried to format is a coincidence too obvious to ignore.

Not sure what happened in the second case, though I would run a S.M.A.R.T test on your hard drive (if it supports it) to check its health. Also to make sure your case isn't contacting the motherboard and causing a short... though I doubt that's the case.

[Callisto]

Windows management sucks for formatting drives but it shouldn't have caused your issues. Though, sometimes in disk management it'll arrange your disks in order of SATA port and not drive letter, so it's possible you accidentally formatted your system drive. Not to accuse you of being a derp but the fact your drive shit the bed as soon as you tried to format is a coincidence too obvious to ignore.

Not sure what happened in the second case, though I would run a S.M.A.R.T test on your hard drive (if it supports it) to check its health. Also to make sure your case isn't contacting the motherboard and causing a short... though I doubt that's the case.

A short may have actually potentially been it, right before the last install I found a screw that was holding the mobo to the case that had come loose and was possibly floating around on the mobo. idk what all needs to touch what to cause it. As far as the accidental thing of hitting the wrong drive, definitely could not have been the case. I deleted a partition, but didn't reformat it, and they're two totally different sizes so it was easy to tell them apart...after things shit I used win7/ubuntu install discs to see if anything looked off and it showed my main drive with both partitions intact and the 2nd drive with only one intact partition. I would have honestly prefer that I just herp'd that whole bit and hit the wrong drive just because it would have been a sensible explanation, lol.

[Cantih]

Ok, with Google Maps, way back when, I grabbed a really handy custom map someone did of the LA Metro Rail/Subway system. But the Expo Line is finally gearing up, and whoever made the map has disappeared, and it isn't editable.

Now, I'm trying to find if anyone else has done something similar, and I've been clicking everything for the past hour, and where the flying fuck can I find other public custom maps on Google Maps?

[Gryffes]

My random Q, system parts will all be here tomorrow, except my SSD.

If I install windows 7 on random HDD and when the SSD arrives, format the HDD and put windows 7 on the SSD, will I run into any activation bullshit problems?

[Isiolia]

Nope. You can go 30 days without activation anyway (more if you want to futz with it). I'd wait to activate it until you're sure nothing has to get RMA'ed at least.

[rezn0r]

if you haven't before, install win7 from a usb stick to the SSD and watch how fast you get an erection

[Kaisha]

Going to be doing a cleaning of my PC sometime soon since it's got a good layer of dust inside, and has been running with the fans pretty loudly when under load. Was mainly wondering if I should order some thermal paste and reapply a fresh layer of that to the CPU during the process? It's not had it done in over four years. Mainly trying to get this thing to run cooler in general. May consider getting another fan on the rear of the case to help with the flow.

Just taking the side panel off made a difference in the noise it creates.

[Cantih]

Now, I'm trying to find if anyone else has done something similar, and I've been clicking everything for the past hour, and where the flying fuck can I find other public custom maps on Google Maps?

Well, I went and made a custom map to layer on top of the old map (which was fucking hard to find, they moved the multiple map display from where it used to be), so that's solved.

Still haven't found where to find new maps though. =/

[Senji]

Going to be doing a cleaning of my PC sometime soon since it's got a good layer of dust inside, and has been running with the fans pretty loudly when under load. Was mainly wondering if I should order some thermal paste and reapply a fresh layer of that to the CPU during the process? It's not had it done in over four years. Mainly trying to get this thing to run cooler in general. May consider getting another fan on the rear of the case to help with the flow.

Just taking the side panel off made a difference in the noise it creates.

If you used a HQ paste it really shouldn't need it if it wasn't messed with. Some stock stuff or unknown origin, yeah.

Dust will choke, not enough fans can choke. Is this a modern case? Antec 300's are on sale every other week for 40 bucks.

[Ophannus]

I tried searching forums but couldn't find a definite answer. I don't know a lot about computers but How do I get a better FPS in FFXI with a relatively new desktop?
windows 7
Pentium Dual Core E5300 2.60 GHz
4.00GB RAM
NVIDIA GeGorce 7050/ NVIDIA nForce 620i
Internet running at 54 Mbps

I wanna make the graphics better and run faster. I feel like even though my system is barebones by 2011 standards it should be running a 10 year old game way smoother than it is now. I have massive slowdown during Fire spells and run 25-27 FPS normally and 14-17FPS in combat. Only running AIM in background... Advice? Sorry if this is in the wrong thread, couldn't find anything in the stickies.

[Blabj]

FFXI is just a flawed game technically, it's nowhere near optimised, even by 10 years ago standards...

It's performance is based pretty much exclusively on the power of your CPU, assuming no obvious bottlenecks, such as too little RAM, seriously lacking graphics or horrendous latency.

[Isiolia]

I wanna make the graphics better and run faster. I feel like even though my system is barebones by 2011 standards it should be running a 10 year old game way smoother than it is now.

The long and short of it is that your GPU is bottom of the barrel by 2007 standards (and is barely an upgrade from the 6150 GPU from earlier than that), and FFXI has never taken good advantage of hardware. You -might- have better luck with newer drivers, but your best bet is to put even a $60 GPU in the system as that'll spank the crap out of what you have now.

[Kerberoz]

Steady framerate, decent resolution, more than a few characters on screen.

Pick 2. You're never going to get all 3, no matter what hardware you're running.

[Blarg]

How do I apply a certain microsoft.net framework? I am trying to get a game crack to work and it requires framework 3.5 and in my folder windows>microsoft.net>framework I have a bunch of version folders as well as a 4.0 so I'm guessing that means I am currently running 4.0 so that's probably why the crack isn't working. How do I go back to version 3.5?

[Purrrfect]

Some of the frameworks are not inclusive of previous version numbers. I know 2.0 does not include 1.1 parts, it is possible 4.0 does not have 3.5 and you would need to install 3.5 in addition to the 4.0 you currently have.