Computer General Discussion Thread

[YellowApple]

Looking at a new monitor. Which one should I get:
https://www.pccasegear.com/products/362 ... ng-monitor or
https://www.pccasegear.com/products/323 ... ng-monitor or
https://www.pccasegear.com/products/370 ... ng-monitor
Budget is $1000 AU.

For that money, I'd just buy a top-of-the-line GPU and, like, 50 monitors from the local thrift shop ;)

Between those three, though, I'd probably go with the ViewSonic.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Is the laptop meeting the right system requirements? The system requirements are usually the bare minimum: usually one needs a lot more for maximum settings: this is why I just went straight to 6700K, which was Intel's most powerful i7 at the time, largely due to my photo editing, virtual machines and virtual servers.

Could also just be overheating, considering it's a laptop.

Yea, laptops don't tend to do great with heat.

The cooler you can keep your computer is generally the better.

Also, Linux, always use a Linux distro if you want a less demanding OS that will not spike your computer's temperature as a punishment for just existing.

[Minoa]

Cross-quoted for better relevance:

Google Home has been indoctrinated by alt-right propaganda!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39181722

Recalling from the Tay saga, this is why I am insisting in Windows 10 Enterprise when 2020 comes, which allows me to not have all these "Smart" features like Cortana, as well as disable telemetry.* The problem is I can't get it retail, even just one perpetual licence for just one computer. The best retail version is Pro, which doesn't let you disable telemetry.

* It is also because I do large-scale virtualisation like a malware analyst or a curator that regularly relives operating systems from the past.

[Industrial Republics]

Cross-quoted for better relevance:

Google Home has been indoctrinated by alt-right propaganda!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39181722

Recalling from the Tay saga, this is why I am insisting in Windows 10 Enterprise when 2020 comes, which allows me to not have all these "Smart" features like Cortana, as well as disable telemetry.* The problem is I can't get it retail, even just one perpetual licence for just one computer. The best retail version is Pro, which doesn't let you disable telemetry.

* It is also because I do large-scale virtualisation like a malware analyst or a curator that regularly relives operating systems from the past.

Good luck, Microsoft is going full Apple route. Closer of all avenues and slowly boiling away any privacy.

[Minoa]

Cross-quoted for better relevance:

Recalling from the Tay saga, this is why I am insisting in Windows 10 Enterprise when 2020 comes, which allows me to not have all these "Smart" features like Cortana, as well as disable telemetry.* The problem is I can't get it retail, even just one perpetual licence for just one computer. The best retail version is Pro, which doesn't let you disable telemetry.

* It is also because I do large-scale virtualisation like a malware analyst or a curator that regularly relives operating systems from the past.

Good luck, Microsoft is going full Apple route. Closer of all avenues and slowly boiling away any privacy.

That sounds pessimistic like my mind, although I just got out of bed.

[Nordengrund]

Can I do that on safe mode? Some features work on normal mode but won't work on safe mode and vise versa.

Explorer/File Browser does work in safe mode.

If it doesn't, I would use a live USB/CD at that stage to retrieve your photos first.

As a side note, I need to know exactly what errors you are getting when working in normal startup. Is it a stop error? Are there any error messages? Are there any messages claiming that your system is infected (a sign of rogue anti-viruses)? And is it Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10?

There's nothing claiming that my system is infected. As for Win+R, what do I type in?

Also, how can I check on my hard drive to see if it is failing or not?

The photos aren't super important, they're just pictures I took on a trip.

[Minoa]

Explorer/File Browser does work in safe mode.

If it doesn't, I would use a live USB/CD at that stage to retrieve your photos first.

As a side note, I need to know exactly what errors you are getting when working in normal startup. Is it a stop error? Are there any error messages? Are there any messages claiming that your system is infected (a sign of rogue anti-viruses)? And is it Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10?

There's nothing claiming that my system is infected. As for Win+R, what do I type in?

Also, how can I check on my hard drive to see if it is failing or not?

The photos aren't super important, they're just pictures I took on a trip.

In Run, type "explorer" and press enter.

For checking the health of the hard disk, I use CrystalDiskInfo.

[Nordengrund]

I did that, but it says the server process could not be started because the configured identity is incorrect. What does that mean and what do I do about it?

I can go to browse on Run, and find where my pictures are stored, and the folders displays them, but whenever I click on the folders, it says they are empty.

Mozilla and Chrome say I need to update plugins or add ons to watch videos that are part of my online homework. It said the same thing when I went on to a school computer. Is this a sign of a virus?

[Minoa]

I did that, but it says the server process could not be started because the configured identity is incorrect. What does that mean and what do I do about it?

I can go to browse on Run, and find where my pictures are stored, and the folders displays them, but whenever I click on the folders, it says they are empty.

Mozilla and Chrome say I need to update plugins or add ons to watch videos that are part of my online homework. It said the same thing when I went on to a school computer. Is this a sign of a virus?

Quoting from Chuck GCS at Microsoft Community Support (sadly, no direct link to their post, dated 21 December 2014):

From the run command, type "msconfig" and press enter.

Under the Boot tab, check "Safe boot" and select "Active Directory Repair" under it, and click Apply.

You might have to reboot twice.

As for Mozilla and Chrome, they will inform you if Flash is out of date. Only download the new version of Flash from the official website (and uncheck any offers).

[Nordengrund]

I did that, but it says the server process could not be started because the configured identity is incorrect. What does that mean and what do I do about it?

I can go to browse on Run, and find where my pictures are stored, and the folders displays them, but whenever I click on the folders, it says they are empty.

Mozilla and Chrome say I need to update plugins or add ons to watch videos that are part of my online homework. It said the same thing when I went on to a school computer. Is this a sign of a virus?

Quoting from Chuck GCS at Microsoft Community Support (sadly, no direct link to their post, dated 21 December 2014):

From the run command, type "msconfig" and press enter.

Under the Boot tab, check "Safe boot" and select "Active Directory Repair" under it, and click Apply.

You might have to reboot twice.

As for Mozilla and Chrome, they will inform you if Flash is out of date. Only download the new version of Flash from the official website (and uncheck any offers).

Thanks! I did ask around on the Microsoft Forum, but my thread seems to be dead.

[Minoa]

Quoting from Chuck GCS at Microsoft Community Support (sadly, no direct link to their post, dated 21 December 2014):

From the run command, type "msconfig" and press enter.

Under the Boot tab, check "Safe boot" and select "Active Directory Repair" under it, and click Apply.

You might have to reboot twice.

As for Mozilla and Chrome, they will inform you if Flash is out of date. Only download the new version of Flash from the official website (and uncheck any offers).

Thanks! I did ask around on the Microsoft Forum, but my thread seems to be dead.

From what I have read, Microsoft Forum seems to be unattractive due to widespread use of stock/scripted replies by team members.

[Salandriagado]

I did that, but it says the server process could not be started because the configured identity is incorrect. What does that mean and what do I do about it?

I can go to browse on Run, and find where my pictures are stored, and the folders displays them, but whenever I click on the folders, it says they are empty.

Mozilla and Chrome say I need to update plugins or add ons to watch videos that are part of my online homework. It said the same thing when I went on to a school computer. Is this a sign of a virus?

Quoting from Chuck GCS at Microsoft Community Support (sadly, no direct link to their post, dated 21 December 2014):

From the run command, type "msconfig" and press enter.

Under the Boot tab, check "Safe boot" and select "Active Directory Repair" under it, and click Apply.

You might have to reboot twice.

As for Mozilla and Chrome, they will inform you if Flash is out of date. Only download the new version of Flash from the official website (and uncheck any offers).

Actually, Chrome is different now: it has Flash built in, so you can just go to the about:plugins page and do it from there.

[Nordengrund]

I tried running CHKDSK, but my PC said I do not have sufficient privileges. I made sure I was running Adminsitrator.

[Minoa]

I tried running CHKDSK, but my PC said I do not have sufficient privileges. I made sure I was running Adminsitrator.

Hi, this is because of User Account Control.

When you type "cmd" in the Start Menu, right click on the result and select "Run as administrator". When the command prompt window opens, type:

Code: Select all

chkdsk /r

"/r" tells "chkdsk" to locate and recover bad sectors.

[Ashihara no Nakatsukuni]

Quoting from Chuck GCS at Microsoft Community Support (sadly, no direct link to their post, dated 21 December 2014):

From the run command, type "msconfig" and press enter.

Under the Boot tab, check "Safe boot" and select "Active Directory Repair" under it, and click Apply.

You might have to reboot twice.

As for Mozilla and Chrome, they will inform you if Flash is out of date. Only download the new version of Flash from the official website (and uncheck any offers).

Actually, Chrome is different now: it has Flash built in, so you can just go to the about:plugins page and do it from there.

And we don't know if it was actually asking for flash, it could've been something much worse... java.

[YellowApple]

Actually, Chrome is different now: it has Flash built in, so you can just go to the about:plugins page and do it from there.

And we don't know if it was actually asking for flash, it could've been something much worse... java.

Or even worse than that...

...Silverlight.

[Nordengrund]

I tried running CHKDSK, but my PC said I do not have sufficient privileges. I made sure I was running Adminsitrator.

Hi, this is because of User Account Control.

When you type "cmd" in the Start Menu, right click on the result and select "Run as administrator". When the command prompt window opens, type:

Code: Select all

chkdsk /r

"/r" tells "chkdsk" to locate and recover bad sectors.

I can't access the Start Menu

[Ashihara no Nakatsukuni]

And we don't know if it was actually asking for flash, it could've been something much worse... java.

Or even worse than that...

...Silverlight.

True, this is an educational institution so that is entirely likely. I think a lot of places were moving to Blackboard, which required java.

[Minoa]

Hi, this is because of User Account Control.

When you type "cmd" in the Start Menu, right click on the result and select "Run as administrator". When the command prompt window opens, type:

Code: Select all

chkdsk /r

"/r" tells "chkdsk" to locate and recover bad sectors.

I can't access the Start Menu

I have previously asked if you used Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10, because I am aware of https://www.tenforums.com/general-suppo ... rking.html but it relates to Windows 10.

[Nordengrund]

I can't access the Start Menu

I have previously asked if you used Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10, because I am aware of https://www.tenforums.com/general-suppo ... rking.html but it relates to Windows 10.

I have Windows 10.

[Salandriagado]

Hi, this is because of User Account Control.

When you type "cmd" in the Start Menu, right click on the result and select "Run as administrator". When the command prompt window opens, type:

Code: Select all

chkdsk /r

"/r" tells "chkdsk" to locate and recover bad sectors.

I can't access the Start Menu

Press Win+R instead to get the run dialogue.

[Nordengrund]

I can't access the Start Menu

Press Win+R instead to get the run dialogue.

When I do that it doesn't give me the option to run as admin. That is the method I use the first time

[Minoa]

I have previously asked if you used Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10, because I am aware of https://www.tenforums.com/general-suppo ... rking.html but it relates to Windows 10.

I have Windows 10.

Then https://www.tenforums.com/general-suppo ... rking.html may apply to you. Sorry I am feeling very depressed (but no crisis at this time). If you have to reinstall Windows, I would definitely retrieve those photos via Knoppix live CD. Don't wipe anything until you take out the files you need from the disk.

[Hirota]

So I've just had the privilege of meeting the stupidist fuckin person ever. I work in IT, and I've seen and been asked everything (including the famous "where is the any key?") - but this is a new breed of idiot.

User from Finance came up to desk, saying their account is locked. It's a fairly standard thing so I check in AD, and it isn't. I tell the user, offer to reset their password, but she insists it's locked. After pointlessly showing her that she isn't locked, I go to her desk to see something like this.



I somehow managed to explain without my usual patronising tone that she just needs to do ctrl+alt+del and enter her password.

So for all of you thinking you don't know IT at all - believe me, if you have basic reading skills you know more than this particular user.

[Saiwania]

Adobe needs to get their house in order in my opinion. Half the time, I'm unable to download software from the free downloads section of their website. Instead, when I click the link it redirects to the front page and I'm forced to go to third parties such as FileHippo to get an up to date version of Adobe Flash, AIR, Shockwave and so on. On rare occasions, I'm not able to find it on FileHippo either. I actually care about keeping all of my non-legacy applications current with the latest stable releases and go out of my way to only use trustworthy websites.

I've switched over from using Secunia PSI 2.0 to FileHippo App Manager, it performs way faster so I have no regrets so far, Secunia PSI 3.0 proved unsatisfactory. Should've used this program a while ago if it has existed for long.