The Ask anything about computers thread

[yankswn23]

I have seen we have various threads about computer help, what to buy? various terms, differences between MAC and PC, I made this thread for anyone that wants some of us with computer experience to answer some of those who need some advice or help trouble shooting..

Jason

[yankswn23]

See now no one has any questions.. this thread was brillant..

[BronxBaumer]

Good job Jason. All questions answered!

[YankeePride1967]

my keyboard is dirty, would a glass of water help to clean it out?

[YASS]

my keyboard is dirty, would a glass of water help to clean it out?

No, that won't work. Water, by itself, won't do the trick.

I use vinegar mixed with pine tar (about a 90/10 mixture) to clean mine. Just let it soak for a couple of hours, then wring it out and you're good to go.

[4bronxbombers]

So impatient.

[ManilaYankee]

Why is a guy named Mac work for Dell?

[YankeePride1967]

No, that won't work. Water, by itself, won't do the trick.

I use vinegar mixed with pine tar (about a 90/10 mixture) to clean mine. Just let it soak for a couple of hours, then wring it out and you're good to go.

Is there any regulation as to how much of the keyboard can be covered in pine tar?

[Ct.Fan]

ok....I'll bite.... I have a desktop running windows XP (sp2) and it will not boot up. It appears to be a disk problem or maybe it's shot? The message reads: "insert boot media"? Of course the guy who built it for me has disappeared and after working well for several years now it won't boot up. I run a wireless router for the house and it is still working fine connected through this desktop...sending this via my home wireless on my laptop. Easy fixes?

[yanksphan]

Check the BIOS to see which devices are configured as boot devices.

It may have somehow changed to removable media (CD-ROM) and needs to be changed back to the HD with the operating system installed on it.

[yankswn23]

ok....I'll bite.... I have a desktop running windows XP (sp2) and it will not boot up. It appears to be a disk problem or maybe it's shot? The message reads: "insert boot media"? Of course the guy who built it for me has disappeared and after working well for several years now it won't boot up. I run a wireless router for the house and it is still working fine connected through this desktop...sending this via my home wireless on my laptop. Easy fixes?

It sounds like a hard drive failure, or your boot settings changed, is it trying to boot from the CD? Best case would be go into the CMOS settings, it could be ESC, F10, F12 one of those when you start up, there should be somewhere in there an option to check the validility of the HD..as well as an option to see what the boot order is, it should be Cd, then HD then Network or something similar, if the problem is with the Cd drive try using the HD as the first option and see if that works, also try booting from the windows cd that will tell you if the cd drive is an issue..

[yankswn23]

No, that won't work. Water, by itself, won't do the trick.

I use vinegar mixed with pine tar (about a 90/10 mixture) to clean mine. Just let it soak for a couple of hours, then wring it out and you're good to go.

I like using the Cans of air they really seem to get all the dust out but make sure you hold them parallel to the keyboard with the keyboard standing straight up or you can spray freon all over your keyboard..

[Ct.Fan]

It sounds like a hard drive failure, or your boot settings changed, is it trying to boot from the CD? Best case would be go into the CMOS settings, it could be ESC, F10, F12 one of those when you start up, there should be somewhere in there an option to check the validility of the HD..

doesn't appear to trying to boot from the cd......from the settings I looked at? How do I check the validity of the hard drive in CMOS? Thanks!.....I can have a tech take a look at it, but I'm not looking forward to the hassle!

[yankswn23]

doesn't appear to trying to boot from the cd......from the settings I looked at? How do I check the validity of the hard drive in CMOS? Thanks!.....I can have a tech take a look at it, but I'm not looking forward to the hassle!

you have to get to the BIOS setup screen, when you start your computer it will quickly say something like hit f1 to go into setup..

[Ct.Fan]

you have to get to the BIOS setup screen, when you start your computer it will quickly say something like hit f1 to go into setup.

Yes...I've been through the setup...I think I'm screwed. I don't have the windows disk, and it appears to be a hard drive failure. Cha Ching!

[BronxBaumer]

New harddrives are only about 50-100 dollars if you find a good deal. Would you like me to post some links?

[YASS]

Yes...I've been through the setup...I think I'm screwed. I don't have the windows disk, and it appears to be a hard drive failure. Cha Ching!

BronxBaumer is right. New hard drives are cheaper than ever ... but if you don't have the install media to reinstall your OS and all your stuff ... I hate to say it, but you might be screwed.

May I recommend some backup software for next time?

[yankeeschic12324]

How do I disable stuff that starts up when I turn the computer on? I don't need every program to pop up and start when I turn on the computer...

[YASS]

How do I disable stuff that starts up when I turn the computer on? I don't need every program to pop up and start when I turn on the computer...

There are two places to look:

1. Hit the Start button, and then click "Run...". In the dialog box that appears, type "msconfig". That'll bring up the msconfig utility. Click on the "Startup" tab and just disable the startup items you don't want.
2. Also check the "Startup" folder in your start menu. Just delete anything from that folder that you don't want starting up when the computer boots up.

[SalingerNY]

How do I disable stuff that starts up when I turn the computer on?

It just thinks you're sexy. Not much you can do to control that.

[Sam18]

It just thinks you're sexy. Not much you can do to control that.

Acid to the face.

[yankeeschic12324]

It just thinks you're sexy. Not much you can do to control that.

Thats what I figured

[NYYFAN]

Will porn effect my hard drive?

[yankeeschic12324]

There are two places to look:

1. Hit the Start button, and then click "Run...". In the dialog box that appears, type "msconfig". That'll bring up the msconfig utility. Click on the "Startup" tab and just disable the startup items you don't want.
2. Also check the "Startup" folder in your start menu. Just delete anything from that folder that you don't want starting up when the computer boots up.

Thanks!

[SalingerNY]

Will porn effect my hard drive?

Ask Sam.

[yankswn23]

There are two places to look:

1. Hit the Start button, and then click "Run...". In the dialog box that appears, type "msconfig". That'll bring up the msconfig utility. Click on the "Startup" tab and just disable the startup items you don't want.
2. Also check the "Startup" folder in your start menu. Just delete anything from that folder that you don't want starting up when the computer boots up.

What I was going to say.. there are also some services that start up when your computer starts that may be hidden in msconfig or in the startup folder, also be careful what you remove some programs may not work correctly..

If you really want to get down in dirty you can right click My Computer/Manage/look under Services and applications/Click on the + sign next to services and then if you click on services..you can see what gets automagically started when you start windows

[yankeesAZ]

Will porn effect my hard drive?

Unfortunately, some good drugs come with side effects.

[Scottish Yankee]

I just got a Mac, and have been trying to download Windows Media Player so I can watch MLB.tv once the game coverage starts, but it won't work when I try downloading from the Microsoft or Apple sites.

Anyone know of any decent alternatives that will let me watch the games???

[yankeeschic12324]

What I was going to say.. there are also some services that start up when your computer starts that may be hidden in msconfig or in the startup folder, also be careful what you remove some programs may not work correctly..

If you really want to get down in dirty you can right click My Computer/Manage/look under Services and applications/Click on the + sign next to services and then if you click on services..you can see what gets automagically started when you start windows

I tried and the programs I disabled still start up with the computer...

[Casey at the Bat]

I just got a Mac, and have been trying to download Windows Media Player so I can watch MLB.tv once the game coverage starts, but it won't work when I try downloading from the Microsoft or Apple sites.

Anyone know of any decent alternatives that will let me watch the games???

The program you are looking for is called Flip4Mac. Its a free plugin that will convert all wmv files to quicktime files so you can watch them on your mac. It runs in the background, and you will never even know it is there.

Microsoft stopped developing WMP for the Mac at least a year ago, maybe more. Their official solution is to get Flip for Mac.


...btw, there seems to be a new player for mlb.tv this year. I tried it out a few days ago and it seems to work better on the mac than the old player. I don't know if it is using the flip4mac plugin though, cause as I said... the plugin runs in the background.

[Scottish Yankee]

Thanks - I'll try the new player on its own first to see if it works, and if not, will get it working through Flip4Mac.

Will let you know whether it works alone or not once I've tried it.

[YASS]

I tried and the programs I disabled still start up with the computer...

Hmmm ...

Are you using XP or Vista?

[yankeeschic12324]

Hmmm ...

Are you using XP or Vista?

XP....

[YASS]

XP....

The only thing I can suggest is that you try it one more time, and immediately reboot.


Are the startup programs that didn't go away part of applications you know and trust? The only reason I ask is that some viruses or trojans have the ability to restore themselves after they've been removed from the startup list.

[yankeeschic12324]

The only thing I can suggest is that you try it one more time, and immediately reboot.


Are the startup programs that didn't go away part of applications you know and trust? The only reason I ask is that some viruses or trojans have the ability to restore themselves after they've been removed from the startup list.

I think I'll try again. Its my music program that keeps starting up.

[YASS]

I think I'll try again. Its my music program that keeps starting up.

If that doesn't work, I've got one more thing you can try, but it involves editing the registry, and that's not something you should do without good reason.

Oh, one other thing: Make sure you disable all the occurrences in the startup list. Some programs insert themselves more than once, so make sure you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the list.

[yankeeschic12324]

If that doesn't work, I've got one more thing you can try, but it involves editing the registry, and that's not something you should do without good reason.

Oh, one other thing: Make sure you disable all the occurrences in the startup list. Some programs insert themselves more than once, so make sure you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the list.

I don't even know what half the programs listed are..

[YASS]

I don't even know what half the programs listed are..

Well, there are options there, too.

You can google them, or you can PM me a list and I'll try to help out.

[yankeeschic12324]

Well, there are options there, too.

You can google them, or you can PM me a list and I'll try to help out.

I'll PM you...

[yankswn23]

I tried and the programs I disabled still start up with the computer...

Which programs are they? Maybe I can help that way?

[yankswn23]

Most programs after they startup show in the task bar after they are opened during startup.. for instance yahoo messenger..

right click on "the program icon in the taskbar" this is next to the date and time, then you might see an option that is checked for startup when windows starts or something like that, if not there might be a settings option, click on that and look for an option that says startup automatically or something like that, this is usually a checkbox for most programs then it will stop starting when windows starts.

[yankeeschic12324]

Most programs after they startup show in the task bar after they are opened during startup.. for instance yahoo messenger..

right click on "the program icon in the taskbar" this is next to the date and time, then you might see an option that is checked for startup when windows starts or something like that, if not there might be a settings option, click on that and look for an option that says startup automatically or something like that, this is usually a checkbox for most programs then it will stop starting when windows starts.

YASS helped me out. Thank you though

[xenadanielle]

I am finally getting around to asking you something here! If you recall I am the noob MacBook owner from the LOT.

Anyhoo--I have tried to find this out by reading other Mac-related forums but I am sort of confused by what I've found: is there any way to get web pages in full screen mode in Safari?

[shotz]

great thread i have a question. when you defrag, should you hit analyze and then defrag or does it matter? and when your done doing all this, restart or shut down and start comp up again or what?

[yankswn23]

great thread i have a question. when you defrag, should you hit analyze and then defrag or does it matter? and when your done doing all this, restart or shut down and start comp up again or what?

U usually analyze because sometimes you don't need to defrag also it might come up with a hard drive error which could corrupt data by moving it to different area's of your hard drive..

I think it auto restarts when it is done but I restart is needed..

[yankswn23]

I am finally getting around to asking you something here! If you recall I am the noob MacBook owner from the LOT.

Anyhoo--I have tried to find this out by reading other Mac-related forums but I am sort of confused by what I've found: is there any way to get web pages in full screen mode in Safari?

Not sure in Safari, Ill check when I get home, I think the option is there in Mozilla Firefox which I use because some plugins I used with windows works better in firefox..

[Casey at the Bat]

I am finally getting around to asking you something here! If you recall I am the noob MacBook owner from the LOT.

Anyhoo--I have tried to find this out by reading other Mac-related forums but I am sort of confused by what I've found: is there any way to get web pages in full screen mode in Safari?

If by "full screen," you mean the web page taking up the whole screen (like it can do in a windows environment), with no browser or menu bar visible at all, I don't think so, at least not without using the Zoom function in the Universal Access control panel.

I could be wrong, but I have never found a way for it to work on a mac, regardless of browser, so I don't think it can be done.

[BronxBaumer]

http://haoli.dnsalias.com/index.php?...132&Itemid=132

Saft will allow full sceen.

[Casey at the Bat]

http://haoli.dnsalias.com/index.php?...132&Itemid=132

Saft will allow full sceen.

I just downloaded the Saft demo. It works pretty stinking well. Cool!

[fredgmuggs]

Another question for the computer gurus: If given a choice between a laptop that has a Intel 1.66GHz dual core processor and Windows XP Home and 1GB DDR2 RAM... or a laptop with the same processor and Windows Vista Home Premium and 2GB DDR2 RAM which way would you lean with everything else being the same including price?