Computer General Discussion Thread

[Minoa]

Well I have to say, I'm not impressed with WebExtensions, it sucks. I say this because it has ruined the UI of NoScript and it may well be a long while before it is sorted out. The old UI of NoScript was good as it was, but isn't technically possible to implement anymore.

The regression of Greasemonkey is so noticeable that I switched to Tampermonkey.

User scripts have become essential for me when using YouTube at a time when Google is dragging their feet over the Drew Pickles speakonia videos and other shady stuff: to date I have added at least 75 channels to the blacklist script, which prevents channels from appearing in the recommendations and search results.

[Minoa]

I have been a bit grouchy recently because I wasted over three hours trying to get my new graphics tablet working. It works perfectly on a Mac, but not so on Windows: while the pen functionality is not an issue, the OS fails to recognise the tablet as a display in addition to the pen tablet functionality.

It turns out that I may need to get a specific kind of DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort adapter, and if that doesn't work then I need professional help with getting the computer to recognise the display part. It's not that I am an expert at everything!

[Grand Britannia]

My desktop took a surge because my surge protector died and the power went out before I could get a new one, now I have to hold down the power button to turn it on instead of pushing it once or else it doesn’t start.

Did the power supply get screwed?

[Immoren]

Is the reason why ATX supplies don't have built in power metering because it was not deemed neccessary, or there's some other complication I can't seem to think of.
Because you'd think i'd be easy to have volt and amp metering just before the stage where power gets split between different voltage outlets, but I guess not.

[Salandriagado]

Is the reason why ATX supplies don't have built in power metering because it was not deemed neccessary, or there's some other complication I can't seem to think of.
Because you'd think i'd be easy to have volt and amp metering just before the stage where power gets split between different voltage outlets, but I guess not.

It isn't split in that way: the decent ones have separate rails (and occasionally more than one at each voltage), so the only place that you could really measure it is off the wall, which would overestimate everything.

Also, because then the shitty PSU manufacturers would have to start admitting that they're lying with their voltage labels.

[Westom]

... now I have to hold down the power button to turn it on instead of pushing it once or else it doesn’t start.

Power switch is only a request to a power controller. That controller then decides if to honor a request. Power supply only powers on when that controller decides to order it. Your symptoms revolve completely around that controller.

Protector (if plug-in type) was defective when purchased. Worse, adjacent protectors might even make computer damage easier. Anyone can read its spec numbers. Most do not. How many joules does it claim to absorb? Potentially destructive surge is hundreds of thousands of joules. How many joules does that ineffective protector claim to absorb? Hundreds? Something completely different (called a surge protector) does claim to protect from actual surges. But you apparently do not have it.

A surge too tiny to overwhelm protection already inside every computer can also destroy near zero joule protectors. A word scam is relevant. Protector does nothing useful or affect operation of the power controller - a completely different and relevant device that most (who recommend that ineffective protector) do not even know of.

Nobody can say anything about that controller until you first provide some numbers that describes what it sees and what it is doing.

Ignore silly nonsense about power metering. No such thing exists.

[Nordengrund]

What is your preferred web browser?

At the moment, I'm using Firefox as my default, although I'm quite impressed with Vivaldi. The new Firefox Quantum is way faster, imo than the version that came before it, and now I feel like Vivaldi is a little slow for my liking, although still a pretty good browser. Brave is also a very good browser, but I don't know if I'd make it my default just yet.

[Corrian]

So ever since the power went out the last time, my speakers keep making a weird static buzzy noise here and there, off and on. I think I found out it was my cellphone interfering with it, but it didn't do this before until the power went out. My phone being close to it wasn't a problem at all until then. And from what I can gather, my sister and my dads computer speakers have been doing the same thing since then. Seems kind of...weird and I kinda want to know why.

Anyone know why this would be a thing?

[Soldati Senza Confini]

So ever since the power went out the last time, my speakers keep making a weird static buzzy noise here and there, off and on. I think I found out it was my cellphone interfering with it, but it didn't do this before until the power went out. My phone being close to it wasn't a problem at all until then. And from what I can gather, my sister and my dads computer speakers have been doing the same thing since then. Seems kind of...weird and I kinda want to know why.

Anyone know why this would be a thing?

I mean, I can't tell you what, exactly, is wrong with your speakers. I am not an repairperson at that fine of a detail.

What I can tell you is it probably has something to do with your speaker's electronics picking up signal it didn't before. In other words, your computer is fine, but your speakers got a bit messed up.

[Minoa]

What is your preferred web browser?

At the moment, I'm using Firefox as my default, although I'm quite impressed with Vivaldi. The new Firefox Quantum is way faster, imo than the version that came before it, and now I feel like Vivaldi is a little slow for my liking, although still a pretty good browser. Brave is also a very good browser, but I don't know if I'd make it my default just yet.

I'm still stuck with Greasemonkey in re Firefox, because at the moment Tampermonkey seems to allow user scripts to interfere with the built-in XML viewer.

[Corrian]

Anyone know why this would be a thing?

I mean, I can't tell you what, exactly, is wrong with your speakers. I am not an repairperson at that fine of a detail.

What I can tell you is it probably has something to do with your speaker's electronics picking up signal it didn't before. In other words, your computer is fine, but your speakers got a bit messed up.

The weirdest part is it seems to have started for almost everyone in my family after the power outage.

[Minoa]

Who remembers RealPlayer?

I remember it going into full-nag mode when the new version came out, yet everyone was using the RealMedia file format at the time because of the compression. I say this because I am creating a Windows ME virtual machine for fun, and I am stuffing it with bad software. Sadly, Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing doesn't work, so that has to go to Vista Starter.

[Zanera]

My C: drive wants to be a full little shit lately. I've done the Disk Cleanup stuff multiple times already. Can I delete the File Folders that are random numbers and letters? Looked it up and I didn't find anything very assuring.
Windows 7

[Minoa]

My C: drive wants to be a full little shit lately. I've done the Disk Cleanup stuff multiple times already. Can I delete the File Folders that are random numbers and letters? Looked it up and I didn't find anything very assuring.
Windows 7

Did you scan the computer with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM)? Randomly named file folders usually indicate malware, although this is not always the case.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

My C: drive wants to be a full little shit lately. I've done the Disk Cleanup stuff multiple times already. Can I delete the File Folders that are random numbers and letters? Looked it up and I didn't find anything very assuring.
Windows 7

Are they on your WINDOWS folder, or out of your WINDOWS folder?

A folder path would be nice.

[Zanera]

My C: drive wants to be a full little shit lately. I've done the Disk Cleanup stuff multiple times already. Can I delete the File Folders that are random numbers and letters? Looked it up and I didn't find anything very assuring.
Windows 7

Did you scan the computer with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM)? Randomly named file folders usually indicate malware, although this is not always the case.

I've been running a Symantec Full Scan and it ran through the file-folders and no risks came up. It's still going through the Program (x86) file-folder though, so I haven't gotten to the three random letter/number filename files.

My C: drive wants to be a full little shit lately. I've done the Disk Cleanup stuff multiple times already. Can I delete the File Folders that are random numbers and letters? Looked it up and I didn't find anything very assuring.
Windows 7

Are they on your WINDOWS folder, or out of your WINDOWS folder?

A folder path would be nice.

Computer > Local Disk (C:) >

[Minoa]

I'd like to try something fresh: have you tried running a tool called CrystalDiskInfo, a diagnostic tool that checks the health of your hard disk? While you are at it, is the hard disk in question nearly full?

Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/134735/how-to ... -is-dying/

[Alvero]

My C: drive wants to be a full little shit lately. I've done the Disk Cleanup stuff multiple times already. Can I delete the File Folders that are random numbers and letters? Looked it up and I didn't find anything very assuring.
Windows 7

Have you tried running TFC (Temporary File Cleaner)? Try googling it and look for a link from bleeping computer. That will get rid of temporary files for you, but don't go deleting folders if you don't know what they do.

[Seraven]

What is your preferred web browser?

At the moment, I'm using Firefox as my default, although I'm quite impressed with Vivaldi. The new Firefox Quantum is way faster, imo than the version that came before it, and now I feel like Vivaldi is a little slow for my liking, although still a pretty good browser. Brave is also a very good browser, but I don't know if I'd make it my default just yet.

Windows 10's internet browser.

[Zanera]

Got windirstat while MalwareBytes was sweeping my shit (found very few bad things) and apparently my Windows folder is being a little shit. Namely:

Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Windows > Logs > CBS
is 67.5 GBs.

winsxs is the next biggest, but is only 19.7 GBs.

Looked up a fix that involved turning off, TrustedInstaller (TI) in Modules Installer Properties, deleting CBS crap, and then turning it back on. I went to do so and TI is Stopped, and I can't Start it again or do anything else.

I'd delete the crap, but it might come right back the next time I get on, so I want finality and 67.5 GBs back.

[Minoa]

Got windirstat while MalwareBytes was sweeping my shit (found very few bad things) and apparently my Windows folder is being a little shit. Namely:

Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Windows > Logs > CBS
is 67.5 GBs.

winsxs is the next biggest, but is only 19.7 GBs.

Looked up a fix that involved turning off, TrustedInstaller (TI) in Modules Installer Properties, deleting CBS crap, and then turning it back on. I went to do so and TI is Stopped, and I can't Start it again or do anything else.

I'd delete the crap, but it might come right back the next time I get on, so I want finality and 67.5 GBs back.

You may be affected by this bug (not malware, but a ridiculous programming error in Microsoft’s part): https://www.computerworld.com/article/3 ... drive.html

Instead of pre-emptively deleting system files that you perceive as unnecessary, you may be better off using CCleaner.

[Zanera]

Got windirstat while MalwareBytes was sweeping my shit (found very few bad things) and apparently my Windows folder is being a little shit. Namely:

Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Windows > Logs > CBS
is 67.5 GBs.

winsxs is the next biggest, but is only 19.7 GBs.

Looked up a fix that involved turning off, TrustedInstaller (TI) in Modules Installer Properties, deleting CBS crap, and then turning it back on. I went to do so and TI is Stopped, and I can't Start it again or do anything else.

I'd delete the crap, but it might come right back the next time I get on, so I want finality and 67.5 GBs back.

You may be affected by this bug (not malware, but a ridiculous programming error in Microsoft’s part): https://www.computerworld.com/article/3 ... drive.html

Instead of pre-emptively deleting system files that you perceive as unnecessary, you may be better off using CCleaner.

Yeah, I looked up the problem and solutions and saw the legit one. I tried it (the above bolded), and that's what I was met with. Went ahead and deleted all the similar folders in the CBS drive that were piling up like spam in an inbox.

Last I looked windirstat says there's some room now, though I looked at Computer where it displays how full each drive is, and it's still around 11-10 GBs left on there.

I'm aware that this computer is starting going to shit. These problems are popping up at once.
Makes me want to get an Apple computer or whatever the fuck else doesn't have Windows...

[Minoa]

You may be affected by this bug (not malware, but a ridiculous programming error in Microsoft’s part): https://www.computerworld.com/article/3 ... drive.html

Instead of pre-emptively deleting system files that you perceive as unnecessary, you may be better off using CCleaner.

Yeah, I looked up the problem and solutions and saw the legit one. I tried it (the above bolded), and that's what I was met with. Went ahead and deleted all the similar folders in the CBS drive that were piling up like spam in an inbox.

Last I looked windirstat says there's some room now, though I looked at Computer where it displays how full each drive is, and it's still around 11-10 GBs left on there.

I'm aware that this computer is starting going to shit. These problems are popping up at once.
Makes me want to get an Apple computer or whatever the fuck else doesn't have Windows...

Reinstalling Windows from scratch may be the best option, but you would have to copy all the documents and other settings to an external drive before you make such a drastic move.

[Zanera]

Yeah, I looked up the problem and solutions and saw the legit one. I tried it (the above bolded), and that's what I was met with. Went ahead and deleted all the similar folders in the CBS drive that were piling up like spam in an inbox.

Last I looked windirstat says there's some room now, though I looked at Computer where it displays how full each drive is, and it's still around 11-10 GBs left on there.

I'm aware that this computer is starting going to shit. These problems are popping up at once.
Makes me want to get an Apple computer or whatever the fuck else doesn't have Windows...

Reinstalling Windows from scratch may be the best option, but you would have to copy all the documents and other settings to an external drive before you make such a drastic move.

I have some externals to do the drastics with, and there's signs of "you need a new shits cuz this computers getting old", but I think I could still boot up EAW: Thrawn's Revenge and play it fine ('fine' being heavily relative with this computer). Just, all the bugs seem to be catching up to my computer simultaneously I think.

[Minoa]

Reinstalling Windows from scratch may be the best option, but you would have to copy all the documents and other settings to an external drive before you make such a drastic move.

I have some externals to do the drastics with, and there's signs of "you need a new shits cuz this computers getting old", but I think I could still boot up EAW: Thrawn's Revenge and play it fine ('fine' being heavily relative with this computer). Just, all the bugs seem to be catching up to my computer simultaneously I think.

Only after 5-10 years is when I consider a new computer. I am not sure if this is asked before, but what is the model and year of manufacture?