Is there any reason why you can think this happens? I operate on Windows XP, my brother is on Windows Vista. Our actual internet box is a DSL Frontier box. This is connected to the Linksys.
Your router is probably misconfigured. Go to your router's configuration interface and reset it to the defaults. Then change only the necessary settings and leave the other ones alone.
Also, your ISP might be dicks, but there's only a small chance of that. Even if they aren't dicks Frontier DSL is slow poop. Get thee a cable modem.
My family is far too poor to afford a cable modem. Trust me, they tried. We've tried the default settings thing before, that makes it work immediately, and then everything stops working again the next time we have the same issue (one person is online, the other person tries to connect). I could try it again, and probably will later today when no one is using the internet, but that seems to not be the issue Also, for once, I have failed at grammar. I feel useless.
If you can't get your nvidia driver to work, then you should disable all the fancy desktop effects. If you leave them on, then it's going to try to render the fancy effects using whatever busted ass video driver is actually working, and that is ruining your X. Either get your nvidia to work, which should be really simple using the graphical restricted drivers manager tool thingy. If not, then disable all fancy effects in the appearance settings.
Actually the restricted driver tool is what I try to use, and after attempting that with either of the two drivers offered is when the errors occur upon rebooting, telling me I can either view the error logs (which tell me about the kernel not starting and the version number mismatch) or restart again with a default configuration without the drivers. I have the fancy effects disabled, but I may have missed some options somewhere. I'll try and get the error logs tomorrow and post them to see if they shine some light on the issue.
I'm working on my laptop build, and I have a few questions for the gurus of the FRCF:
1) Creative X-Fi ExpressCard: The Dell I'm getting (Studio XPS 16) comes with "Hi-Def Audio 2.0," but I want to run Boxee so i can use my laptop as a TV Media Center. Should I spring for an X-Fi, or is it not worth it? 2) Processor: I want to play some recent games. Any suggestions on what Core 2 Duo would be appropriate? 3) RAM: For CAD, games, and hi-def media, how much would you suggest?
I'm working on my laptop build, and I have a few questions for the gurus of the FRCF:
1) Creative X-Fi ExpressCard: The Dell I'm getting (Studio XPS 16) comes with "Hi-Def Audio 2.0," but I want to run Boxee so i can use my laptop as a TV Media Center. Should I spring for an X-Fi, or is it not worth it? 2) Processor: I want to play some recent games. Any suggestions on what Core 2 Duo would be appropriate? 3) RAM: For CAD, games, and hi-def media, how much would you suggest?
Sounds to me like you don't want a laptop. If you want something powerful enough for CAD, Hi-Def video, and games, it's going to be one gigantic, heavy, and hot laptop with a uselessly short battery life. For the price of one such laptop, you could multiple desktops/netbooks. Perhaps getting a desktop and a netbook instead of a gigantic laptop will serve your needs?
I'm working on my laptop build, and I have a few questions for the gurus of the FRCF:
1) Creative X-Fi ExpressCard: The Dell I'm getting (Studio XPS 16) comes with "Hi-Def Audio 2.0," but I want to run Boxee so i can use my laptop as a TV Media Center. Should I spring for an X-Fi, or is it not worth it? 2) Processor: I want to play some recent games. Any suggestions on what Core 2 Duo would be appropriate? 3) RAM: For CAD, games, and hi-def media, how much would you suggest?
Sounds to me like you don't want a laptop. If you want something powerful enough for CAD, Hi-Def video, and games, it's going to be one gigantic, heavy, and hot laptop with a uselessly short battery life. For the price of one such laptop, you could multiple desktops/netbooks. Perhaps getting a desktop and a netbook instead of a gigantic laptop will serve your needs?
Perhaps. Although, I don't have time to order parts for a desktop, and the laptop itself comes with a nicely discounted ($200 off) netbook, which I suppose is Dell's way of saying, "Yeah, we know this is staying in your dorm."
Perhaps. Although, I don't have time to order parts for a desktop, and the laptop itself comes with a nicely discounted ($200 off) netbook, which I suppose is Dell's way of saying, "Yeah, we know this is staying in your dorm."
Well, if you've made up your mind, those small details you asked about really don't matter all that much.
The X-Fi is probably a waste of money unless you have a sound system that uses dts or dolby digital or something really fancy. You'll probably just run a simple cable from the headphone hole on your laptop to the TV.
The CPU really doesn't matter. Just pick whichever one is the default. Only upgrade it if the price difference is negligible. If it's a Core 2 Duo, it already rocks.
With the RAM, 4 gigs is probably a good number. However, it might be a better idea not to buy that RAM from Dell. Go on Newegg and/or crucial.com and see what the RAM costs. If you can get it from them cheaper than from Dell, then only get the minimum RAM that Dell offers and buy the rest after-market. It's easy to install, and you might save a bunch of money.
Also, who says you need to order parts for a desktop? Why not get a Dell XPS desktop with netbook? The desktop will probably have a better price/performance ratio than the crazy laptop.
You'd be surprised; the price for an equivalently configured desktop is the same if not slightly more. There's some mad discounting on the laptop right now. But I am considering it.
EDIT: Wow, turns out the extra price, on further examination, was due to the forced bundling of a monitor. Found a tower that, when configured with some gaming gear, comes out to $500 less. Win. Will get a netbook separately.
You'd be surprised; the price for an equivalently configured desktop is the same if not slightly more. There's some mad discounting on the laptop right now. But I am considering it.
EDIT: Wow, turns out the extra price, on further examination, was due to the forced bundling of a monitor. Found a tower that, when configured with some gaming gear, comes out to $500 less. Win. Will get a netbook separately.
Yeah, I was going to say. There is no way that a gaming desktop is as expensive as a gaming laptop.
I've found that with computer animation (which takes a beast of a machine), it's better to have a big bad desktop full of power, coupled with a cheap, small, and very light laptop for on the go.
Are you really going to do CAD when you are out and about?
Are you really going to do CAD when you are out and about?
No. Quite likely not.
So after all the posts, I reevaluated my needs (yeah, CAD on the go is definitely not one of them) and decided I'd be better off with an ultraportable that could handle some mildly-taxing processes while maintaining 5 hours of battery life or so; the Studio 14z XPS 13 is what I found and looks to be an all-around better fit than one huge laptop and one small, convenient one. I'm going to assemble a desktop over Christmas break.
So after all the posts, I reevaluated my needs (yeah, CAD on the go is definitely not one of them) and decided I'd be better off with an ultraportable that could handle some mildly-taxing processes while maintaining 5 hours of battery life or so; theStudio 14zXPS 13 is what I found and looks to be an all-around better fit than one huge laptop and one small, convenient one. I'm going to assemble a desktop over Christmas break.
There's a difference between an ultra portable and a netbook. An ultraportable is a serious laptop with lots of power. It just happens to be small and expensive, and usually has better battery life because you put bigger batteries in it, sometimes two batteries.
A netbook is also a small laptop, but it is weak sauce. It has enough HP to browse the web and do other mundande tasks. It has a normal battery, but it lasts a long time because the hardware is so weak.
Having an ultra portable and a powerful desktop is awesome. That's what I have. However, it's also expensive, like $3000 expensive for both machines. This is why the desktop/netbook suggestion is given more often as it will probably only cost you about $1500 in total.
Having an ultra portable and a powerful desktop is awesome. That's what I have. However, it's also expensive, like $3000 expensive for both machines. This is why the desktop/netbook suggestion is given more often as it will probably only cost you about $1500 in total.
I realize this. However, the laptop is being bought for me as a gift for college, so I have the ability to get an ultraportable. The desktop will come out of my own pocket, but I'm more than willing to accept that.
The Studio 14z I just configured is about 4 lbs, has 5 hours of battery life (on an 8 cell battery), 5 gigs of ram, and is clocked at 2.2 GHz with a nVidia 9400M G for graphics tasks. The optical drive is an external eSATA unit which will probably stay in my room most of the time.
Rather than having a problem with my computer, I would like to ask about the very best ways to prevent problems. I just got a new laptop and I want to give it the utmost care and a good, long life. I'm not as tech-savvy as I could be, so I would love to hear some tips. What's the best (free) anti-virus program? I'd been using Avast before this one. Is it better than the default McAfee that I have now? What's the best way to systematically keep my computer free of spy/ad/malware? This or any other advice would be most appreciated. Thank you!
Anti-virus: AVG is usually the default (It's free.) but I've heard good things about Eset (Formerly NOD32, non-free.) in terms of speed. I recently heard that using an account that isn't the administrator can help. Don't install programs unless they come from a site you trust. You could get a USB drive and give Ubuntu a try.
What's the best way to systematically keep my computer free of spy/ad/malware? This or any other advice would be most appreciated. Thank you!
Use an up to date browser (latest IE, Firefox, Opera, etc) and default to being suspicious about ANY link on the internet. This will prevent you from getting crap in the first place. You therefore don't really need a virus scanner, though if you feel uneasy and want some peace of mind you can still install one (ClamWin is an OSS non-on-access-resource-hogging AV). Most, if not all, anti-virus software use crappy detection methods anyway, giving a bunch of false positives and failing to detect actual viruses. No matter which AV you get though, turn off the on-access/on-the-fly scanning. It's a useless resource hog. Just manually scan a downloaded file before opening.
Also, regularly de-fragment your partitions, Google for info on how to schedule a task that de-fragments your partitions weekly or so. Oh, and don't use an administrator account.
1. Get Firefox 2. Get AVG Or ClamWin 3. Get Spybot Search and Destroy. Keep the immunizations up to date. Scan every now and then. 4. Get CCleaner. Run it every month or so. 5. Either use built in defraggers or get a defragger online (defraggler, auslogics disk defrag), use them as often as CCleaner
I've been doing that and my Laptop is running as good as it has since I got it 2 years ago.
If you're really at risk of getting a virus then get the above mentioned free AVG or for an excellent antivirus with a small footprint, get NOD32. On my new computer I have not installed an antivirus, I do this with confidence using the following -
- Non Administrator account - Leaving UAC on (Vista) - Using Firefox with the following plugins - Adblock Plus and the best of all NoScript - CCleaner - Defrag as often as possible - Customise power settings to your specific needs - Have a USB key for debugging or in case of catastrophe which should include an install of some form of Linux, I also have one with FreeDOS, Spinrite, Memtest, Glary Utilities, a file recovery program (PC Inspector File Recovery or Recuva) - Setup a backup routine on a regular basis, my computer usually does this overnight, once a week. - Update as often as possible
When I first read this thread I was very confused. I mean, wasn't defragmenting your hard drive something you did in like 1998? But after some reading it turns out that NTFS is in fact a monster, with awesome quotes such as:
It is impossible to say that NTFS prevents file fragmentation. On the contrary it fragments them with pleasure. NTFS fragmentation can surprise any person familiar with file system operation in half a year of work. Therefore it is necessary to launch defragmentation. But here all our problems are not ended, they only start...
Well then! Thanks everyone for giving me the heads up on that. Guess it's time to run the ol' defragmenter when I get back into Windows.
Have any of you had problems with Civ 4 Colonization on Windows 7 RC 1, If it makes a difference I have a 945 Intel Integrated Express Graphics chip, and am running it off Steam. I have checked the interwebs and the steam service forum, but none of them mention the error I have, were the program crashes when you start a game
Well then! Thanks everyone for giving me the heads up on that. Guess it's time to run the ol' defragmenter when I get back into Windows.
NTFS isn't that bad, as long as you regularly de-fragment it. People complain that takes hours, but this is because they have not done so for quite a while, thus the fragmentation starts piling up. De-fragmenting once a week should result in the de-frag operations to not take that much time any more. Now if only I could remember where I read that article.
So, I came home from school for the weekend to my new laptop, which I promptly got started configuring. However, I neglected to notice a little slip of paper Dell hid in the box with the manual saying that the battery should be charged for 12 hours straight before attempting to run the computer on battery power. Is there any cause to think my use of the battery without having done that yesterday is going to result in a dead chunk of lithium sometime in the next two months?
Rather than having a problem with my computer, I would like to ask about the very best ways to prevent problems. I just got a new laptop and I want to give it the utmost care and a good, long life. I'm not as tech-savvy as I could be, so I would love to hear some tips. What's the best (free) anti-virus program? I'd been using Avast before this one. Is it better than the default McAfee that I have now? What's the best way to systematically keep my computer free of spy/ad/malware? This or any other advice would be most appreciated. Thank you!
Don't listen to these people. Anti-virus anti-spyware software is completely unnecessary. All it does is slow down your computer with useless bullshit. Even if it claims to have detected and cleaned a virus, it can't be trusted. Once you have any sort of infection, the only way to be actually clean is to reformat the machine.
Of course, it's very easy to keep away viruses and malware.
1) Always get all Windows and software updates immediately. 2) Always be behind a NAT router. 3) Always use encryption when necessary. 4) Have a really difficult password, and don't write it down anywhere or tell absolutely anybody, even people you trust completely. 5) Use any browser other than IE6. IE7 and 8 are fine as security goes, but Firefox/Chrome/Safari are still a better experience. 6) Don't download any e-mail attachment EVER. 7) Don't install stupid shit EVER.
Rather than having a problem with my computer, I would like to ask about the very best ways to prevent problems. I just got a new laptop and I want to give it the utmost care and a good, long life. I'm not as tech-savvy as I could be, so I would love to hear some tips. What's the best (free) anti-virus program? I'd been using Avast before this one. Is it better than the default McAfee that I have now? What's the best way to systematically keep my computer free of spy/ad/malware? This or any other advice would be most appreciated. Thank you!
Don't listen to these people. Anti-virus anti-spyware software is completely unnecessary. All it does is slow down your computer with useless bullshit. Even if it claims to have detected and cleaned a virus, it can't be trusted. Once you have any sort of infection, the only way to be actually clean is to reformat the machine.
Of course, it's very easy to keep away viruses and malware.
1) Always get all Windows and software updates immediately. 2) Always be behind a NAT router. 3) Always use encryption when necessary. 4) Have a really difficult password, and don't write it down anywhere or tell absolutely anybody, even people you trust completely. 5) Use any browser other than IE6. IE7 and 8 are fine as security goes, but Firefox/Chrome/Safari are still a better experience. 6) Don't download any e-mail attachment EVER. 7) Don't install stupid shit EVER.
To be totally honest, this is what I've been doing since I reinstalled Windows about 3 months ago, and I've had absolutely no problems.
Comments
We've tried the default settings thing before, that makes it work immediately, and then everything stops working again the next time we have the same issue (one person is online, the other person tries to connect). I could try it again, and probably will later today when no one is using the internet, but that seems to not be the issue
Also, for once, I have failed at grammar. I feel useless.
1) Creative X-Fi ExpressCard: The Dell I'm getting (Studio XPS 16) comes with "Hi-Def Audio 2.0," but I want to run Boxee so i can use my laptop as a TV Media Center. Should I spring for an X-Fi, or is it not worth it?
2) Processor: I want to play some recent games. Any suggestions on what Core 2 Duo would be appropriate?
3) RAM: For CAD, games, and hi-def media, how much would you suggest?
The X-Fi is probably a waste of money unless you have a sound system that uses dts or dolby digital or something really fancy. You'll probably just run a simple cable from the headphone hole on your laptop to the TV.
The CPU really doesn't matter. Just pick whichever one is the default. Only upgrade it if the price difference is negligible. If it's a Core 2 Duo, it already rocks.
With the RAM, 4 gigs is probably a good number. However, it might be a better idea not to buy that RAM from Dell. Go on Newegg and/or crucial.com and see what the RAM costs. If you can get it from them cheaper than from Dell, then only get the minimum RAM that Dell offers and buy the rest after-market. It's easy to install, and you might save a bunch of money.
Also, who says you need to order parts for a desktop? Why not get a Dell XPS desktop with netbook? The desktop will probably have a better price/performance ratio than the crazy laptop.
EDIT: Wow, turns out the extra price, on further examination, was due to the forced bundling of a monitor. Found a tower that, when configured with some gaming gear, comes out to $500 less. Win. Will get a netbook separately.
Are you really going to do CAD when you are out and about?
So after all the posts, I reevaluated my needs (yeah, CAD on the go is definitely not one of them) and decided I'd be better off with an ultraportable that could handle some mildly-taxing processes while maintaining 5 hours of battery life or so; the Studio 14z XPS 13 is what I found and looks to be an all-around better fit than one huge laptop and one small, convenient one. I'm going to assemble a desktop over Christmas break.
A netbook is also a small laptop, but it is weak sauce. It has enough HP to browse the web and do other mundande tasks. It has a normal battery, but it lasts a long time because the hardware is so weak.
Having an ultra portable and a powerful desktop is awesome. That's what I have. However, it's also expensive, like $3000 expensive for both machines. This is why the desktop/netbook suggestion is given more often as it will probably only cost you about $1500 in total.
The Studio 14z I just configured is about 4 lbs, has 5 hours of battery life (on an 8 cell battery), 5 gigs of ram, and is clocked at 2.2 GHz with a nVidia 9400M G for graphics tasks. The optical drive is an external eSATA unit which will probably stay in my room most of the time.
I recently heard that using an account that isn't the administrator can help.
Don't install programs unless they come from a site you trust.
You could get a USB drive and give Ubuntu a try.
Also, regularly de-fragment your partitions, Google for info on how to schedule a task that de-fragments your partitions weekly or so. Oh, and don't use an administrator account.
1. Get Firefox
2. Get AVG Or ClamWin
3. Get Spybot Search and Destroy. Keep the immunizations up to date. Scan every now and then.
4. Get CCleaner. Run it every month or so.
5. Either use built in defraggers or get a defragger online (defraggler, auslogics disk defrag), use them as often as CCleaner
I've been doing that and my Laptop is running as good as it has since I got it 2 years ago.
On my new computer I have not installed an antivirus, I do this with confidence using the following -
- Non Administrator account
- Leaving UAC on (Vista)
- Using Firefox with the following plugins - Adblock Plus and the best of all NoScript
- CCleaner
- Defrag as often as possible
- Customise power settings to your specific needs
- Have a USB key for debugging or in case of catastrophe which should include an install of some form of Linux, I also have one with FreeDOS, Spinrite, Memtest, Glary Utilities, a file recovery program (PC Inspector File Recovery or Recuva)
- Setup a backup routine on a regular basis, my computer usually does this overnight, once a week.
- Update as often as possible
Of course, it's very easy to keep away viruses and malware.
1) Always get all Windows and software updates immediately.
2) Always be behind a NAT router.
3) Always use encryption when necessary.
4) Have a really difficult password, and don't write it down anywhere or tell absolutely anybody, even people you trust completely.
5) Use any browser other than IE6. IE7 and 8 are fine as security goes, but Firefox/Chrome/Safari are still a better experience.
6) Don't download any e-mail attachment EVER.
7) Don't install stupid shit EVER.