All 33 entries tagged Computer Stuff
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- It turns itself off at random intervals (It's either the processor or the RAM or the power supply… I think)
- Sometimes only one speaker works and I have to prod the headphone socket to make it work again
- It's over a year old!
Might get a Mac Mini – it's unix-based but well supported (not to mention super cool looking!) so it could be the best of both worlds. Any Mac users want to comment? Only problem with that is I'd then have to use a USB caddy for my 180gb drive and I'm not sure if I could cope with the constant noise!
Other options are:
- Wait until my current PC dies completely
- Try to fix the problems myself
- Pay someone to fix the problems
- Get a new PC
- Just use my laptop for everything
(My PC is primarily used for playing & storing videos & music as it is high spec – my laptop is used for work and is good but not great spec) |  |
AVG just ran it's scheduled scan, and for some reason I decided to click on the Results button. What comes up is a 3-col table of the main files and registry keys scanned ("Object"), the Result (all "ok"), and Status ("Scanned" or "Quick checked"). So far so good.
Now, if you click on any of these a Details button appears (yes, appears, it wasn't greyed out so you'd know it's there, but never mind that's not the point). If you then click this Details button, you get a popup box, as you might expect, which says similar to the following:
Object: c:\windows\regedit.exe
Result: ok
Where's The Detail?! That's less information than is in the main table! Who took the time to program that little feature? |  |
Writing about web page http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/about.html
While I'm writing about useful programs, here's another one I've discovered in the last few days.
If you have multiple computers on your desk (I have my desktop and my laptop) just run the Synergy server on the main one and the client on the other[s] and you can jump between them as if they were one computer.
Now I effectively have three monitors! |  |
Writing about web page http://users.forthnet.gr/pat/efotinis/programs/taskarrange.html
Just found this very useful program while putting off more revision. Should be useful next time I'm doing lots of tasks at once.
Unfortunately it doesn't work with UltraMon, but since I keep most things on the primary monitor that's not much of a problem. |  |
I got a new keyboard today, but the software for it's not all that flexible. Unfortunately, without the software running half of the buttons don't work, but with it running the Play button loads Windows Media Player instead of iTunes. Because the software handles it, TweakUI can't fix it either, and I can't replace wmplayer.exe without disabling Windows (System) File Protection. So, here's a workaround for anyone with a similar problem:
iTunes
- Run regedit
- Browse to
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- Create a new key called
wmplayer.exe
- Create a new string value called
Debugger
- Set the value to
"c:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe"
- Test it (no restart required)
- Exit Registry Editor
The same thing applies for making the Calculator button launch PowerToy Calc too. Of course your keyboard may be more flexible.
Winamp
For Winamp there is an additional complication: The "Debugger" is passed the filename as a parameter. iTunes ignores this but Winamp thinks it's a filename and tries to play it. Here's how to do this for Winamp:
- Download ProgLauncher
- Extract ProgLauncher.exe and Notepad.cfg somewhere. I chose the Winamp folder. Rename Notepad.cfg to ProgLauncher.cfg (or whatever you want as long as they match).
- Open ProgLauncher.cfg in your favourite text editor
- Change the first line to
Winamp.exe (may need the full path)
- Change the second line to
""
- Change the third line to whatever path you want (e.g. the full path to
My Music )
- Save and close the file
- Run regedit
- Browse to
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- Create a new key called
wmplayer.exe
- Create a new string value called
Debugger
- Set the value to
"c:\Program Files\Winamp\ProgLauncher.exe" (change as necessary)
- Test it (no restart required)
- Exit Registry Editor
Please let me know if this helps you (comments below), or if I've missed anything, etc. |  |
Once again I have installed Linux, and this time I am happy so far. The proper nVidia drivers are bundled, NDIS config is now graphical, and they even added the option for users to enable the network so I don't have to edit the config file manually any more.
I've just installed all updates to the (rather minimal) packages I installed, and since the anorien server is internal it took less time to download the 233 MB than it did to install them! I'll miss this network next year!
Anyway, back to configuring it… |  |
... are more trouble than they're worth!
My 160Gb drive, which I bought only a month ago, broke while I was transporting it this weekend. When I had it at home it was fine, when I plugged it in here it was broken. Recover and format both failed, so it's now unusable. Fortunately it was mainly full of videos (replaceable), but I did lose some of my photo collection. Luckily I have copies of the best ones on my internal HDD for my screensaver.
This is the second external drive of mine that's broken, excluding the one that was DOA, and Richard's drive broke just last week. I'm now going to go out and buy a load of DVDs – at least when they break it only costs 25p to replace and theres a lot less data lost!
It has a 2 year manufacturer's warranty, but as it's sold as internal I don't know if they'll fix it. I'll find out when I have less other stuff to do, like burning DVDs. Oh and revision. |  |