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What's going on with my computer? (The computer help thread)

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  • Tried moving your xyzabc.default folder to somewhere else?
    I'm not following.
    She means your firefox profile. Have you tried getting a packet sniffer?
  • edited March 2009
    New Question
    Got an old 300GB external drive (Maxtor OneTouch II w/USB & Firewire) which I'm trying to get working (once I get this shredded screw out). The drive sounds fine so I think it's the SATA/IDE to USB & Firewire converter that's died. It doesn't show up in any form when plugged into a computer (even under the hardware manager) and just sits there flashing.
    Do you think it's the HDD or the converter?
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • Hey, this isn't really a computer problem, but it is computer related.

    Do you guys think I could recover this disk somehow?

    image

    It had, like, all my files on it.
  • edited March 2009
    Do you guys think I could recover this disk somehow?
    Magic and/or time travel. How'd it get like that?
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • Hey, this isn't really a computer problem, but it is computerrelated.

    Do you guys think I could recover this disk somehow?

    [img]

    It had, like, all my files on it.
    Dude, if your drive can't play it, it's the drive that's broken, rather then the disk.
  • How'd you get the picture of your keyboard on the disc?
  • Do you guys think I could recover this disk somehow?
    Uhh, no. That part that's all scratched off? That's where the data was.
  • How'd you get the picture of your keyboard on the disc?
    And his forefinger. Damn, now I wonder if I have a useless old CD to dump in Cola or whatever the heck you did.
  • I'm getting low level fast popping sounds and a fuzzy ring trough my headphones with an external usb sound card. Doesn't show up in recordings just through the headphones.
  • Uhh, no. That part that's all scratched off? That's where the data was.
    I'm not that clueless. It got a scratch on the top, which I made a bit wider, and then the rest of it peeled off in about three big chunks. After that I thought I'd post something silly, so there you go.

    Plus it looks cool when I do this:

    image
  • edited June 2009
    This weekend I developed a problem with Google. Whenever I try to go to Google, my browser will say "This Page cannot be displayed". I've tried to root out any malware, and I think that my computer is free of any malware at this time. I checked my connection and I pinged Google, and things check out fine on that front. Also, another computer at my home using my connection can get to Google easily.

    All other websites come up just fine with the exception of torrent sites like Isohunt and Pirate Bay. If I try to go to them, I just get a blank screen with a "Done" message at the bottom of the browser.

    I've searched around on the internet for an answer to this problem, but I've not been successful in finding an answer. Does anyone know how to fix this issue?
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • I've tried to root out any makware, and I think that my computer is free of any malware at this time.
    You're probably wrong. The only way to be sure you've rooted out all the malware is to format the drive and reinstall the OS.
  • I've tried to root out any makware, and I think that my computer is free of any malware at this time.
    You're probably wrong. The only way to be sure you've rooted out all the malware is to format the drive and reinstall the OS.
    Okay . . . is there anything that can be done short of formatting the drive and reinstalling the OS?
  • edited June 2009
    Okay . . . is there anything that can be done short of formatting the drive and reinstalling the OS?
    Backup first. Don't get malware in the first place.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • Whenever I try to go to Google, my browser will say "This Page cannot be Displayed.
    Check whether you can go to Microsoft's, Symantec's, Norton's etc sites. If they are blocked as well, then it is very likely that you still have malware on your system.

    Like Scott said: the procedure for this 1) buy external HD 2) move documents and files over 3) nuke the OS and reinstall
  • No mention of contacting his ISP and checking the hosts file after clean up, and instead just instantly implying to nuke the OS. If you can't access a site it can mean a variety of things, possibly malware related but the malware possibly has been removed in the purge, that doesn't mean stuff gets cleaned up after the malware. Scott, check yourself, you sound like a broken record, and it's unrelated.
  • Have you attempted to connect using another computer on the same network? Sometimes it's worth doing seemingly redundant tests.
  • RymRym
    edited June 2009
    No mention of contacting his ISP and checking the hosts file after clean up, and instead just instantly implying to nuke the OS.
    If there is any evidence that you have ever been compromised by malware, a nuke is the only safe option.

    To see what's going on at the low lever, try a packet sniff with Wireshark. See if the GET request is getting an answer, and if the answer contains a web page. If it does, look to your browser and DNS. If it does not, look to your network settings or ISP.
    Post edited by Rym on
  • If you can't access a site it can mean a variety of things
    If you can access the rest of the internet but not Microsoft or any of the major anti-virus vendors, it only means one thing, and the correct response is to nuke the OS.

    I mean, that's like an hour worth of work in exchange for peace of mind.
  • While you're at it, grab a copy of Ubuntu and use a spare 10gb to test it out.
  • If you can't access a site it can mean a variety of things
    If you can access the rest of the internet but not Microsoft or any of the major anti-virus vendors, it only means one thing, and the correct response is to nuke the OS.
    Well, the only thing I can't access is Google (and Pirate Bay and isoHunt), and while it might be trivial for you to nuke an OS, my computer kung fu is nowhere near as strong as yours. In fact, my computer kung fu is pretty damn weak. So, I was hoping to get an answer more along the lines of: "Reset your Router" or something like that.
    To see what's going on at the low lever, try a packet sniff with Wireshark. See if the GET request is getting an answer, and if the answer contains a web page. If it does, look to your browser and DNS. If it does not, look to your network settings or ISP.
    See, this just makes me think you're just making up Star Trek-like technobabble to make fun of me. Shall I de-polarize my dilithium crystals and splice into the warp core while I'm at it? /sarcasm - but seriously, what are you talking about?
  • Reset your Router
    Reset your OS.

    But in all seriousness, nuking your OS may be a bit too much until you gain more evidence that it's malware that is on your system. Do a full scan of your computer with your anti-virus. You do keep your computer up to date, right?
  • Well, the only thing I can't access is Google (and Pirate Bay and isoHunt), and while it might be trivial for you to nuke an OS, my computer kung fu is nowhere near as strong as yours. In fact, my computer kung fu is pretty damn weak. So, I was hoping to get an answer more along the lines of: "Reset your Router" or something like that.
    Is really easy to nuke the OS. Put in the CD-ROM. Restart the computer. Follow the instructions on the screen. Ubuntu is actually easier to install than Windows XP or Vista. Windows 7 is a great improvement, and it is just as simple to install as Ubuntu.
  • To see what's going on at the low lever, try a packet sniff with Wireshark. See if the GET request is getting an answer, and if the answer contains a web page. If it does, look to your browser and DNS. If it does not, look to your network settings or ISP.
    See, this just makes me think you're just making upStar Trek-like technobabble to make fun of me. Shall I de-polarize my dilithium crystals and splice into the warp core while I'm at it? /sarcasm - but seriously, what are you talking about?
    In very basic terms he's telling you to use a third party program to see if your computer is getting anything other then the miscellaneous packets that are received when you have an Internet connection. From there it's just a matter of if you are, check your computer if you aren't, check your ISP

    There's more to it then that but thats the basic idea of it I believe, unless I also misunderstood. You just need to implement it
  • edited June 2009
    Well, the only thing I can't access is Google (and Pirate Bay and isoHunt),
    You wouldn't have had a spat with your parents by any chance? In addition to malware (unlikely if you can access Microsoft etc), the only other (reasonable) thing that disables sites this selectively would be content filtering like OpenDNS.

    Did any of your "friends" have access to your machine (e.g. while you were in the bathroom)? If you know what you're doing, setting up this sort of prank doesn't take more than a few seconds.
    Post edited by Dr. Timo on
  • You wouldn't have had a spat with your parents by any chance?
    HungryJoe has his own house.
    In addition to malware (unlikely if you can access Microsoft etc), the only other (reasonable) thing that disables sites this selectively would be content filtering like OpenDNS.
    Which is why I said, contact the ISP or check the hosts file.
  • edited June 2009
    Actual quote from a co-worker today. "The tech guy says he has to wipe the system, but I use Endust wipes on it once a week."
    Post edited by Kate Monster on
  • edited June 2009
    HungryJoe has his own house.
    He built it with his own two hands, back in his day, Long before the war.
    Post edited by Churba on
  • HungryJoe has his own cave.
    Fixed. They didn't have houses back then, dumbass.
  • You wouldn't have had a spat with your parents by any chance?
    You could always ask his mom...
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