QUESTION THREAD!

For tech wizards and n00bs alike. Questions, answers, or just general hoo-haa.

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RobbieThe1st
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#331 Post by RobbieThe1st »

Ok, way to be sure about virii?
Wipe the system. You can back up your files - boot off a CD(Ubuntu CDs are very useful for this), and copy all the files you want. The only files that can be infected are ones with code in them - excecutables. Pictures, music, video is all (mostly) safe, though to be safe, never use Windows Media Player to play them.
Once you have your files backed up, you'd want to scan those backed up files for virii - Plug it into a PC with a virus scanner and use that.

As far as reinstalling goes, you just want to stick a Win 7 CD in the drive, boot off it, and when following the install instructions make sure the drive you are using gets formatted.
Once reinstalled, you should go ahead, install your security software first, then copy your scanned backup files back.

To prevent this happening again? Install NoScript for Firefox, and allow it to block most all scripts as well as Flash. That'll protect you from just about all drive-by stuff, as the hack-code won't be running, so it can't infect you. As an added bonus, it'll speed up page loading somewhat, and prevent auto-playing videos and annoying ads.


Edit:
And, of course, if you decide you want to try to use Ubuntu instead of windows for a while, there's a benefit in that there is /no way/ your files -- even if they are infected -- can infect your Ubuntu system. It's also nearly impossible to get any sort of malware on Linux, as the stuff just doesn't exist.

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Gotheran
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#332 Post by Gotheran »

Yeah, I may have accidentally slipped my headphone jack into the USB slot by accident and it seemed to cause a rather odd computer crash that seemed to have litterally shut the computer straight off and in some sort of perma sleep mode, which I was able to get around by unpluging the computer and pluging it back in. Aside from some minor glitches that I can't tell apart from the usual mularky that this computer gives me, I haven't noticed any issues. However, I'd like to know if I've caused some damage, and if so, what to look for. Also, I noted what appears to me to be a new, blank, and damaged internal drive.

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avwolf
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#333 Post by avwolf »

You shorted the USB port. The PSU's internal breaker switch flipped when the current spiked. That's what it sounds like to me. It's possible that you could have damaged that USB port (or potentially even the root hub it is connected to), but that'd probably be obvious from the USB port not functioning.

When did you see this new drive? I can't tell if that's supposed to be related to the USB problem or not.
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#334 Post by Gotheran »

It's called "System" it only recently appeared, and it says it damaged or something.

My guess is maybe the damaged usb port, but like I said I have no clue.

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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#335 Post by Zylver »

I'm having some issues with my laptop lately
The problem all started when my power strip's switch began to flash strangely and I heard some strange noises coming under from it. So, I decided to buy a new one with 3 slots and a switch as well. And here comes the funny part:
If my girlfriend's laptop plugged in to the first slot, my laptop won't get any electricity at all. But if I switch the two plugs and I put my laptop's into the first slot, the two laptop runs without a problem. Also I'm at my university at the moment and it seems to me that I'm the furthest away from the power source, because my laptop does not receive any electricity.
Can some one explain it to me what my laptop's problem is? :|
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#336 Post by Zylver »

Again I experienced something very strange last night...
I was about to turn off my laptop, but it's screen turned into white all of a sudden, and then it was off... I restarted the laptop and when the Windows loading screen came in, with the same white screen it shut down itself...
Does anybody know what the hell was that? :? Did anyone ever had the same "white screen + shut down" combo before me?

If I have to guess, I would say that the processor got overheated, but it wasn't hot at all, but it kinda had a little burnt smell :oops:
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#337 Post by SirSlaughter »

I would try to find out what exacty burned out.
Ram sticks?
Hard drive?
Motherboard?
CPU?

Once you find that out, then we will whether it's dead or savable.

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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#338 Post by RobbieThe1st »

When it went to "white screen", did it just appear, like an image, or did it sort of... fade to white over a second or two?

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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#339 Post by Zylver »

SirSlaughter wrote:I would try to find out what exacty burned out.
Ram sticks?
Hard drive?
Motherboard?
CPU?

Once you find that out, then we will whether it's dead or savable.
Well, it is not dead apparently because I can still use the laptop and everything seems to be in order :) People told me long time ago that Acer laptops tend to overheat too much, though :?

RobbieThe1st wrote:When it went to "white screen", did it just appear, like an image, or did it sort of... fade to white over a second or two?
It was more like fading, then jumping out of all of a sudden, actually :| Both at first time, and after the restart...
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EvilNinjadude
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#340 Post by EvilNinjadude »

Zylver wrote:
SirSlaughter wrote:I would try to find out what exacty burned out.
Ram sticks?
Hard drive?
Motherboard?
CPU?

Once you find that out, then we will whether it's dead or savable.
Well, it is not dead apparently because I can still use the laptop and everything seems to be in order :) People told me long time ago that Acer laptops tend to overheat too much, though :?
Is a symptom of an overheat, a random shut down during heavy activity?

In that case, my Acer laptop fits the stereotype quite well. *rage*
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#341 Post by RobbieThe1st »

Yes and yes.

Actually, a lot of bottom-end systems(and some higher end ones as well) have inadequate cooling; for expensive things(like a MBP), it's worth it to try stuff like replacing the thermal paste with better quality stuff, but I'm not sure you'd get enough benefit to mean anything on a piece of crap like an Acer.

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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#342 Post by Zylver »

Okay, here is a little problem I ran into this evening...

I have this weird Internet anomaly... you see, when I join to my home network via the wi-fi, status bar is on the maximum, telling me that the connection is absolutely perfect and works fine!
However, when it comes to browsing in Firefox, all the webpages are unavailable. No matter how many times I refresh, they just won't load at all! :? And not just FireFox, the same thing applies to Internet Explorer (yeah, haha, this is the only other browser I have on the laptop, but I might install Chrome just for checking...)
And here comes the funny part: Skype and another program *coughutorrentcough* seems to be working JUST FINE! WTF?! I have Internet, but I don't have Internet... S:P Right now I am on a rogue wi-fi that is emitted by the modem, or whatever it does, but please, can you tell me what the hell is wrong with my "normal-passworded-wireless" home network? :|

Also, Robbie, thank you for your tip, it was very useful, got my laptop cleaned, put new cooling pasta on it and now works as a charm :)
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#343 Post by EvilNinjadude »

Zylver wrote:=Skype=
Yeah, Skype is apparently a wizard when it comes to that.

I've had it once before, and it went away by itself. I don't know much, but apparently it's an Issue that lies somewhere between your Router and the internet.
Maybe it's the DNS, but I remember changing that and it not changing anything. So yeah, nothing wrong with your PC, probably nothing wrong with the router.
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#344 Post by Zylver »

EvilNinjadude wrote:
Zylver wrote:=Skype=
Yeah, Skype is apparently a wizard when it comes to that.

I've had it once before, and it went away by itself. I don't know much, but apparently it's an Issue that lies somewhere between your Router and the internet.
Maybe it's the DNS, but I remember changing that and it not changing anything. So yeah, nothing wrong with your PC, probably nothing wrong with the router.
So it's just another [censored] annoying move of my Internet provider -.- Lovely...
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Fire.
And with it, man forged his will upon the world.
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RobbieThe1st
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Re: QUESTION THREAD!

#345 Post by RobbieThe1st »

Set your DNS addresses to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. These are Google's DNS addresses and should be better than whatever than your ISP provides, even on their best day!
I'll likely also solve this problem.

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