The Official Computer Tech Support Thread
 

The Official Computer Tech Support Thread

Ok folks, I know there are several members here, myself included, who are pretty savvy in the computing and
networking areas. Instead of having individual threads pop up from time to time regarding computer-related issues,
I figured there should be a dedicated thread that can better serve the site and its members, should the need arise.

Post your technical issues here, and our team of surprisingly non-Indian professionals will do our best to assist.




Thanks!
- Your friendly MB tech support department

im on first question. i will edit it in 2 secs :D

edit:

well its kind of been a problem ever since i got this laptop...
just havent sorted it out yet.
when i plug my opid into itunes this comes up

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/v...tunesbroke.jpg

and when i press it to open itunes up it comes up this...

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/v...x/36fb626e.jpg

i'm just to lazy to take this up to Best Buy and have them look at it / risk them deleting my hard drive, but lately my laptop screen has been flashing on and off, like if I'm playing music the screen wil go black but I can still here the music and will stay so until I restart.
Oter times it just flickers.

It's plugged into the wall so the battery is always charging so it can't be that.

Any Ideas?

im having a similar problem to Btown when i start up the laptop screen goes off for a second, then back on n doesnt do it again or sometimes it goes off twice when i first start up :(
any ideas ?

More than likely your problem lies in a physical connection between the screen components and the rest of the computer. The only real way to test that is by opening up the computer and testing the connections. If the connections between the screen and the motherboard check out end to end, you might be looking at a harder issue to deal with that might involve hard-to-replace components, specifically because it's a laptop.

If you feel like you can do it, try to do your physical checking first before you go pay money to have it looked at. If you're not comfortable doing that, there are instructional resources available on the web that can help.

There's also the possibility that your graphics card is failing, but you should get some kind of message on the screen alluding to the fact that there is no input, although I'm not sure if that's usually the case in laptops.

Have you tried doing what it suggests: uninstalling iTunes and then reinstalling?

solved this one myself just there..

btw my laptop is just new.. like about a month old...

Looks like a bit mismatch. Are you running Vista 64bit? If so, then the 32bit version of iTunes isn't going to work. If that's the case, then you need to install the 64bit version of iTunes in order for it to operate properly.

Edit: You said you solved it?
Cool... but are you using 64bit Vista or 32? Just wondering.

yeah i had tryed that a few times i had downloaded the wrong verison of itunes for my comp spec :( problemo solved :D cheers anyways!

So... that's a yes to 64bit then

yeah.. what does that even mean?

XXbit basically refers to the way your specific operating system works with the computer processor and vice versa. Without getting too deep with it, Vista 64bit is capable of handling a lot more than 32bit versions, but it's pretty exclusive when it comes to which 32 bit programs are capable of being run in a 64bit environment.
That means that most of the software you put on your computer will have to be 64bit compatible. It will say that on the computer requirements when you buy the software or download it.

Just try to remember that part and you'll be alright.

Boring Info for the Post!
We usually never had a problem with running 16bit software (software made for like, windows 95 etc..) in a 32bit OS like XP because of backward compatibility. It's not really feasible though, because the processor has to make two passes for every one line of 16bit code, effectively slowing the processing speed down by half its ability.
Now Vista is basically cutting out backward compatibility in that sense, eliminating compatibility with 16bit all together, and providing virtual environments for running legacy programs.

Most computers do that during startup. It's not a problem unless everything is completely loaded up and running and you're getting blackouts, like Btown. His is actually a problem.

Anyone have any thoughts/info/experience with the new OS Windows 7?

I've just only heard about it being on the way. Not much else.
Word is, it's supposed to be the antithesis of how poorly designed Vista was in regards to compatibility and core functionality.
At this point, I would be happy without additional bells and whistles just to see the advantage of an operating system that's capable of meeting any demand and also being structurally sound and compatible with at least a majority of what us consumers have come to trust.

Vista was a rushed, poorly constructed marketing strategy that failed, and Windows 7 is supposed to be the rectifying solution. As far as I'm concerned, I'm sticking with XP until W7 proves to be what it should be.

you wouldn't know anything about ubuntu would you? D:

Specifically how to get Wine to work

I don't have much personal experience in Linux beyond basic operation, but using something like Wine as a software solution to be a compatibility layer is bound to be a little tricky when it comes to the way windows-based programs are coded with OS specifics in mind, and trying to translate those programs to operate in a non-native environment.
It might be hit or miss with some programs, depending, but I think you may be at the mercy of the functionality of such an interpreting/processing proxy like Wine as to what it's capable of delivering in terms of operable ability.

You have to realize that there are certain aspects of OS-based programs that are completely dependent on the resources and interactions provided by the OS it was made for, so short of rewriting the program itself, sometimes it's just not possible for the interpreting layer (ie., Wine) to provide the kind of environment a program needs.

I just wanna play starcraft :(

You try looking around on the web to see if there were any specific solutions?

See if you can't search around and look for "windows starcraft on ubuntu".
Might find what you need.

:laughing:@ NOn indians.WTF..

:subscribes:


just in case.

Yeah i'll figure it out.

I wish i had chosen to set it up so i could dual-boot xp and ubuntu. Instead i was like "**** it" and just installed ubuntu without realizing i lost my XP disc. Don't get me wrong, it's outstanding considering that its free, it just sucks for computer games and Divx.

@ Likuid
LOL... you're probably going to be disappointed. This thread is gonna be pretty non-exciting.

well not if i have TEchnical issues , dummy. DUh!

<3 XoXo

^

just put you on blast

What?:(

On topic: i think Techies are Sexy=]

Dual boot would have definitely been your best option.

I don't see why you don't try to "acquire" another copy of XP and back up all your data, reformat the drive, create two primary active partitions and install one of each and do the dual boot thing. It's worth it if you find yourself needing each OS.

As far as getting a copy of XP, you can get creative.
I'd recommend finding your actual copy though. It'd be easier.

Hey this is a really sweet idea for a thread! Because I am totally not computer savvy.

But I have a mac so I doubt anyone would be able to help me with any of my problems anyway.

I'm not really a techie. Well... I guess I can be.
It's just that I have 6 years experience in the job specific field and I'm currently going to college for it, so I figure I may as well share the knowledge.
It's not really my calling, but I just so happen to want the pay that comes with the career, and besides, it's easy. You deal with logic, which is like, no guesswork.

Anyway, I'm just trying to say it's a job.
I'd rather be recording engineer. But that wouldn't pay at all. :(

I'm much better at troubleshooting on Macs than anything else.

Break Bread NIgguh!

Sharing is CAring:p:

Well Good for you...Je Je

On topic: i have not had any tech problems as of now. I just installed an awesome plugin to my MOzzilla Firefox . YEah!

Janszoon... Thank god, because I know nothing about them.
You gotta help this thread out with your Mac knowledge when its needed ok?

I'm here to help daddy-o. :pimp:

it was just earlier today i asked bulldog if there was anywhere i could post about my problem, he said no, as there wasnt.
installed the new itunes, its pretty good! looks alot better than the old one i had :D

Good stuff!
That will be $27.50 to my paypal account.
;)

me no speak english.

There was this annoying problem with my avatar last month, when you found out that the problem is with the browser and suggested I should delete all cookies. I reset Firefox for more than 10 times but still isn't working.

I solved it by simply downloading the Opera browser, so stopped using Firefox ... But that thing is still buggin me. Nway, my laptop's still new, and It's my first mac so there's a lot of things I haven't worked out yet, will be coming here for help.

You'll have to ATTN: Janszoon for the Mac support.
Good luck with your new Mac.

my built in mic on my laptop isnt working currently, it doesnt have a programme on the start button so ive tryed that, its not a big problem its just annoying :(

Have you gone into your Windows audio mixer and ensured that the microphone channel is enabled and not muted?