Random Question Thread: Tech

**Isiolia** · 2011-09-17 18:01

Well, the stuff you've found so far is probably on track - it's likely a corrupt system file or driver. Possibly something that a disk check can fix - if not it could indicate if the HDD is failing. I usually pull the drive and scan on another PC, but if that's not available then a boot CD would probably be needed, as you mentioned, if the recovery console is not installed.

While it usually results in a bluescreen/reboot, sometimes what I've seen is that XP installs on SATA hardware were done in ATA compatibility mode, and if the BIOS resets to AHCI mode, the system will crash during startup.

The standard reseating RAM, trying DIMMs one at a time, etc if applicable wouldn't hurt either, if you haven't already done so.

**Caiyuo** · 2011-09-17 18:12

Thanks, I appreciate the help. Any idea of what would cause a reset to AHCI mode? Heading back over with a slew of CDs and fingers crossed.

**Isiolia** · 2011-09-17 18:21

Originally Posted by Caiyuo

Thanks, I appreciate the help. Any idea of what would cause a reset to AHCI mode? Heading back over with a slew of CDs and fingers crossed.

I've only seen it on laptops, and ones that were in the hands of student athletes...so who knows at that point, lol. What's a lot more common for me is to see it crop up when a HDD imaged with XP is swapped into a machine that had a drive with 7 on it.

**Not Kuno** · 2011-09-18 09:43

Is there a program or something that if your computer is idle for X minutes, the volume on the computer will be increased? Was thinking about this today if it existed, but dr google doesn't have anything.

**Souj** · 2011-09-18 21:09

Is there any way to view pages from a website while offline? not like streaming stuff or videos, or working links.
Where I work, I can bring my laptop and get plenty of use on it, but there's no internet connection. Is there a way that I could somehow "save" pages, like wiki articles for later viewing? Or lets just say if i wanted to save the last 10 pages of this thread to read later. Is there a way? Aside from printscreen and saving in paint, or opening 10 tabs in the browser, all to different pages and not closing them.

**Kerberoz** · 2011-09-18 21:22

ctrl-s

**Edgie** · 2011-09-19 01:38

Is there such a thing as a virus that eats up hard disk space. I deleted some stuff the other day about 8 gigs worth, and by the next day i had very little space.

**Isiolia** · 2011-09-19 08:04

Originally Posted by Edgie

Is there such a thing as a virus that eats up hard disk space. I deleted some stuff the other day about 8 gigs worth, and by the next day i had very little space.

Short of a compromised computer being used as an FTP server I've never seen one (though it could certainly exist). What I've seen more often are programs with log file issues.

Try running WinDirStat (or similar) and see where the space is going.

**avelle** · 2011-09-19 08:57

What would people suggest for a mid to high end monitor these days? I currently have a 24" Dell from several years back that has served me extremely well, but I could really use a second display. I'd like to have something at least 24" or bigger (that's what she said) and I'd like to know what my options are. I'll likely make this new monitor my main display and put my Dell on backup duty so I'm looking for something nice.

**Isiolia** · 2011-09-19 09:10

My primary monitor is an HP LP247w that I've been fairly happy with (Newegg link). I have a ZR24w as well as a second monitor, which is also nice, albeit not as intense color-wise and with far fewer inputs (I bought it on an introductory price, when the 2475w cost more, if they were priced as they are now I've had just bought a second 2475w).

**avelle** · 2011-09-19 09:38

After looking at those prices (and realizing that I paid around the same for my current Dell monitor several years back) I decided to check Dell out again and it looks like they are running a sale until the 21st.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...=baynoteSearch

Any feedback on this display? The specs look pretty much identical to the 2475 linked above, with the ever so slight benefit that it would probably match my current monitor reasonably well.

**Isiolia** · 2011-09-19 09:46

I haven't used that one, but it looks like it should be good - at least in line with what you could expect for the price point.

**Purrrfect** · 2011-09-19 12:07

Originally Posted by avelle

What would people suggest for a mid to high end monitor these days? I currently have a 24" Dell from several years back that has served me extremely well, but I could really use a second display. I'd like to have something at least 24" or bigger (that's what she said) and I'd like to know what my options are. I'll likely make this new monitor my main display and put my Dell on backup duty so I'm looking for something nice.

Not sure how picky you might be, but I'm fairly annoyed that my second monitor is not the same model as my first. Different sizes/coloring just irks me, but once their bought you can't do a whole lot.

**avelle** · 2011-09-19 13:58

Went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Dell. It was priced competitively with the monitors Isiolia linked and I've been extremely happy with my current Dell so I figured why not. The Dell also seemed to have a 0 dead pixel guarantee, so that's a nice bonus as well.

**Caiyuo** · 2011-09-19 14:09

Originally Posted by Isiolia

I've only seen it on laptops, and ones that were in the hands of student athletes...so who knows at that point, lol. What's a lot more common for me is to see it crop up when a HDD imaged with XP is swapped into a machine that had a drive with 7 on it.

Thinking I'll have to pull the hard drive and tinker with it soon, the night I was there every boot CD I tried froze up before getting anywhere so I started to think the RAM may have been faulty, but then I was able to use an XP CD and run chkdsk from the recovery console and after it completed the computer booted with no problems and functioned fine before I left, but heard it froze again the next day.

**Caiyuo** · 2011-09-24 15:03

Originally Posted by Caiyuo

Thinking I'll have to pull the hard drive and tinker with it soon, the night I was there every boot CD I tried froze up before getting anywhere so I started to think the RAM may have been faulty, but then I was able to use an XP CD and run chkdsk from the recovery console and after it completed the computer booted with no problems and functioned fine before I left, but heard it froze again the next day.

Ran some tests recently and this is what has turned up. I'm curious because the tests seem to show different results every few minutes, one seeming horrible and the other just fine. Is it safe to say that the hard drive probably what the problem was in my earlier posts?

Kind of confused by the first screen showing "Health" since the error numbers seem awful, yet it's marked as "ok"

**jmc** · 2011-09-24 19:28

Router finally shit the bed....

Looking for a replacement one, and open to recommendations.

Will need a wireless N, gigabit port (I share alot of files via hardwire to multiple machines).... and not a linksys router lol

*edit*

Also, needs to have very good range........ this router will need to cover 3 floors of a single family house.

**Rellikard** · 2011-09-24 23:23

I'd only recommend a Linksys or Netgear router but since you don't like Linksys, here you go:

Netgear Router Wireless N600
4x Gigabit Ethernet Ports
USB port if you want to connect an external HDD to it or printer.
Should get you more coverage than the 3 floors you have.

**Poooter** · 2011-09-25 20:24

Quick question, doesn't belong here but i didn't want to make a whole new thread for it. For some reason i can't this question write in the program but it's to simple to figure out. Please let me know what you come up with:

Three classes of school children are selling tickets to the school play. The number of tickets sold by these classes, and the number of children in each of the classes have been read into these variables: tickets1 , tickets2 , tickets3 and class1 , class2 , class3 . Write an expression for the average number of tickets sold per school child.

I have (tickets1+tickets2+tickets3)/(class1+class2+class3)

Thanks for your help.

**Not Kuno** · 2011-09-25 21:10

Trying to help a friend make his entertainment room be awesome but I suck at some technical stuff and also I have no idea what is good. I want to know what a good sound system might be. I'd like at least 4 HDMI inputs and possibly some component or VGA/DVI inputs. Basically, the audio and video hooked up to one central piece of hardware instead of fiddling everything. It'll be for a pc, xbox, wii, ps3, cable box, maybe a few laptops etc. Any ideas on what might work? Would I need a sound system and something else also?

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