[HOME] Fix your computer!

[DJ metadelic]

Awesome write up

And damn adam, that thing is badass in the oldest of school type ways lol. Nice.

[ibr_adam09]

Ok, I've pretty much been all over this thread, lol. I have another dumbfuck problem, sigh!

It's my laptop again, the one with the cd-rom problem.

All day for long hours I've been browsing on the webs. Had to go take a bathroom break, come back and my screen is all static ( like static on a tv ) only it's still. Not fuzzing and they were brown and black colors. Closed the lid to put it in sleep but it didn't reconize it and kept on running. ( even the screen was still on with the lid closed )

Turned off the laptop ( press and hold the power button )

Took the battery out too. Waited a few seconds, and power on.

It would power up for a few seconds, then turn off, and repeat. All without the screen even turning on.

If I hold the ctl + alt + del buttons, the computer will stay on and the fan will run quietly, but the screen is still black ( not even the backlight )

Could it be my screen or my hardrive crapping out ?

[Masamune]

Updated: Included two new programs with links in part 6.

Type-G, I'm working on a response for you, but I can't see the symbol, lol. My work computer has tight image restrictions and my internet is out at home

[TypeG]

what does the DNA symbol mean? i think it might be some sort of program or software, but i don't know.


later.

[Lil' Whitie]

wow, as a fellow computer repair man I can't agree more with your write up. I have a similar method to yours but am not as thorough and seem to get all the virus' clean. i also have ran a very long time with no anti-virus...anti anything with only firefox running. My step dad about had a heart attack when he found out.. I said you know I have had it this way for over 2 years and have had 0 virus'. You on the other hand have 2 or 3 virus programs and anit- malway, spyware..blah blah blah and a firewall.. and as i recall i've had to clean out your hard drive about 2 times last month alone... So who's more safe.. he just got angry and threw my computer against the wall and said to get a antivirus program or i can't use it.. i just chuckled and put avg free on their... oh and a quick link is www.free.avg.com than you don't have to search for the free version. and download the program not the installer. It is a bunch quicker in the end.

i hear on ya about that! i have been using firefox for the past three years. lol and i still can't beli e how ppl get their pc infected and they use program like norton and zone alarm and their pc is like super slow! lol

[Masamune]

Proof-read long posts and added some simple color-coding and pictures to make reading easier.

[C91BLX7]

oh no my megahutz gettin stoled by system idle process oh my gawd

[Phempa]

^^ As I see it, Dad's have no right telling kids how to maintain technology.

[immeraufdemhund]

wow, as a fellow computer repair man I can't agree more with your write up. I have a similar method to yours but am not as thorough and seem to get all the virus' clean. i also have ran a very long time with no anti-virus...anti anything with only firefox running. My step dad about had a heart attack when he found out.. I said you know I have had it this way for over 2 years and have had 0 virus'. You on the other hand have 2 or 3 virus programs and anit- malway, spyware..blah blah blah and a firewall.. and as i recall i've had to clean out your hard drive about 2 times last month alone... So who's more safe.. he just got angry and threw my computer against the wall and said to get a antivirus program or i can't use it.. i just chuckled and put avg free on their... oh and a quick link is www.free.avg.com than you don't have to search for the free version. and download the program not the installer. It is a bunch quicker in the end.

[Masamune]

USB when windows 98 was new was known as "Plug and Pray" as far as USB support went. It was very hit-or-miss. What you have is a very unique situation, as USB won't connect and more than likely the new machine will have a SATA drive rather than IDE (PATA for you nit-picky types). You could still use Knoppix on bootup and see if that would understand your USB harddrive. This isn't really a fix to the problem though. The true issue here is the USB 1.1 vs 2.0 problem. Transfer speeds for documents will be, for lack of a better word, abysmal. I mean if you have a few MB of data to move it shouldn't be that bad, but anything over 100MB and you're going to be sitting for a LOOOONG time.

Possible solutions:
-Knoppix (mentioned above)
-slave the old HD into the new computer and drag and drop the files (quickest, ultimately easiest solution)
-Attempt to network the computers together (absolute total last resort, good luck because that is going to be a nightmare to setup)

[CustomLowz]

Oh, why thank you. I'm flattered, but I still have lots of questions !

I did the method from above during 'boot up' and if you meant "clean" as in "no errors occurred", then I guess the driver is bad. BTW, a week or two ago I performed back to factory setting install and updated to Vista Sp2.



Til' this moment the CD-drive is garbage, oh well... Anybody wants to spare me a Cd-drive ?

Anyhow, new topic:

My dad has an old Emachines 'E- Monster 550' that running on window 98'. Yes, from factory and it's over 10 years old !
He only uses it for work to run a Retail ICE program. Ringing up customers, keep inventory, check monthly sales and such. That's all this computer did in its lifetime, never seen the beauty of internet and never had gotten a virus, It's a trooper !

He has finally decided to upgrade and get something a new, but he wants all of his files and other important documents left on the computer transer to a new one.

Here's the problem, I want to use my WD passport portable 320gb hard drive to collect the files; however the computer cant read/ doesn't know its connected to it.

I believe its because the computer is USB 1.1 and my drive is 2.0 ?!

That or I just don't know how to use Win98 because I know that I'm much more familiar with Xp and vista than that ol' crap, lol.

Pics for the imagery thinkers, haha;

I think you will need to download the appropriate drivers for the hard drive...

[ibr_adam09]

First and foremost, kudos for taking at least some steps on your own. You're already lightyears ahead of the average joe.

I would recommend using this method to check for errors. If it comes up clean then it's time to get a new CD drive.

Oh, why thank you. I'm flattered, but I still have lots of questions !

I did the method from above during 'boot up' and if you meant "clean" as in "no errors occurred", then I guess the driver is bad. BTW, a week or two ago I performed back to factory setting install and updated to Vista Sp2. The computer itself runs great, no problems.



Til' this moment the CD-drive is garbage (can't play/burn Cd's or DVD's) , oh well... Anybody wants to spare me a Cd-drive ?

Anyhow, new topic:

My dad has an old Emachines 'E- Monster 550' that running on window 98'. Yes, from factory and it's over 10 years old !
He only uses it for work to run a Retail ICE program. Ringing up customers, keep inventory, check monthly sales and such. That's all this computer did in its lifetime, never seen the beauty of internet and never had gotten a virus, It's a trooper !

He has finally decided to upgrade and get something a new, but he wants all of his files and other important documents left on the computer transer to a new one.

Here's the problem, I want to use my WD passport portable 320gb hard drive to collect the files; however the computer cant read/ doesn't know its connected to it.

I believe its because the computer is USB 1.1 and my drive is 2.0 ?!

That or I just don't know how to use Win98 because I know that I'm much more familiar with Xp and vista than that ol' crap, lol.

Pics for the imagery thinkers, haha;

[Masamune]

Guide is finished for now! Maybe sticky?

[Masamune]

People make this stuff WAY more complicated than it needs to be.

It is EXTEREMELY easy to keep your computer clean.

1. Reformat with a fresh copy of your OS.
2. Install all OS updates.
3. Install Firefox and Adblock Plus
4. STOP PIRATING STUFF USING LIMEWIRE!!!!! Use respected torrent sites, instead.

Use Firefox ONLY (NEVER open Internet Explorer), and regularly update your OS, and your computer will run like new for a long time. I've been running the same OS installs on two of my computers for years now, no antivirus program, no ant-spyware crap, no firewall.

If you use Firefox, and browse safe sites (no porn sites.... there are easier, safer ways to get porn on the web), then you will never have a problem.


I simply cannot understand how people can manage to get their computer infected. According to some, I run an extremely unsafe setup, and I've never managed to contract a virus or infection of any sort.

FIREFOX + ADBLOCK PLUS = THE ANSWER

I agree whole-heartedly with this post. Limewire, by it's very nature, is a free, open port into your computer. You don't have to download ANYTHING to get viruses from this mess of a program. Someone can simply choose to send you a file and you wouldn't even know it was there until the problems started to pop-up. Ditch Limewire people, it's time to move on...

[Phempa]

People make this stuff WAY more complicated than it needs to be.

It is EXTEREMELY easy to keep your computer clean.

1. Reformat with a fresh copy of your OS.
2. Install all OS updates.
3. Install Firefox and Adblock Plus
4. STOP PIRATING STUFF USING LIMEWIRE!!!!! Use respected torrent sites, instead.

Use Firefox ONLY (NEVER open Internet Explorer), and regularly update your OS, and your computer will run like new for a long time. I've been running the same OS installs on two of my computers for years now, no antivirus program, no ant-spyware crap, no firewall.

If you use Firefox, and browse safe sites (no porn sites.... there are easier, safer ways to get porn on the web), then you will never have a problem.


I simply cannot understand how people can manage to get their computer infected. According to some, I run an extremely unsafe setup, and I've never managed to contract a virus or infection of any sort.



FIREFOX + ADBLOCK PLUS = THE ANSWER