PC problems thread

[Asheera]

Well if you reinstalled Firefox on the same Hard Disk then I'm not sure you can restore the bookmarks back if you didn't export them before, unfortunately.

[Borsuc]

If you can't find the old bookmarks.html in "Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<default>\" then you just replaced your bookmarks by reinstalling over it sorry.


Linux understands NTFS?

[Pol]

Should I be worried? Is it something connected with the Motherboard (an error?) or the Video Card has a "bug" at startup at times? Or is it something normal?

Sure not, is time of Christmas.
It can be that you only don't see it because your monitor is starting slowly or you may be having some sort of problem, still I doubt that it will be mattering much.

Linux understands NTFS?

Nowadays linux yes, if you will pick comfort distro everything will be served on the plate. (A "geek" distro's usually require it to DIY approach, srry)

@Storm-giant
Use search for files and look for bookmark* file. Bigger size better chance that it will be it. No match - means its lost in the bit wilderness.

[Asheera]

I'm pretty sure it's not my monitor though, because I see different 'flashes' (when a black screen turns into another - you know), but no text at all.

[Pol]

Hmpf, try to hit and very hardly DEL key when your system will be booting. Mostly if you will make it into BIOS your computer is still OKEIOS.

Although this isn't a good symptome, could be slowered board or your graphic. Not critical but not good either.
(aka you was right)

[Storm-giant]

Don't find ''Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Mozilla'', inside application data I only see a Microsoft folder, nothing else
And searching didn't help too

[Pol]

@DDR3

The new ones ("i7" Xeons) which will be supporting ECC
- Xeon W3570 +

DDR3 ECC memory


For these of use who are wanting to building server or workstation & Borsuc.

PS I'm practically decided that I will be going with E5400, when they will be released. This is best Intel HTPC processor around. (almost same performance like E7300 adequately priced)

[Borsuc]

Thanks for that Pol although I'm not sure if I'll go for i7, seems somewhat expensive (motherboard + DDR3 memory yikes). Not sure if it'll fit in my budget, considering the processor is expensive as well. Then again, these processors aren't even on the market yet, are they?

Regarding ECC with LGA 775 socket, "Asus Maximus Formula" motherboards claim they support it with Intel X38 chipset, but I am doubtful if they truly USE it or just DISCARD that extra information (ECC). Some people complained there's no BIOS option and memtest86+ doesn't detect it

I posted it on a programming forum and one of the guys there said he uses a Super Micro X7DCA-L motherboard (which has two processor sockets which would be overkill for me) with RAM like this (registered but NOT fully buffered). What does "registered" mean? (again, NOT fully buffered)

How do Xeons compare to Core2 in terms of performance? Are they able to be used as 'desktops' too?





I've got a new "issue" with my comp, not sure if it's serious problem or not. When I shut it down, I see it all go as expected and the hard disk doing something (the red led is on). Then, the image on the monitor disappears (after all, it got shut down, the OS I mean). Strange thing, for about 0.4 seconds the comp is still on, and the red led is not for the first half (0.2 secs) and then gets briefly on (another 0.2) until it fully shuts down (and all fans etc... are stopped).

Should I be worried? It didn't do this before.

[Pol]

"Asus Maximus Formula" - I don't know, they boast that they support it so they should. I don't have any one at hands and it's extremly unlikely that I will get one soon. (I seen about two per year.)

As to the registered, check the document here
http://images10.newegg.com/UploadFilesF ... -v1.1e.doc

As I see it either you have buffered or registered ECC modules. The second one end like your choice anyway. (Valid for DDR2 by best of my knowledge but not 100% certain. )

Of course that they are but here is lower chance for coming on optimized applications for them. People just like "normal" quads. However they are more than competitive - they beat normal quads in almost every aspect. Usually they have huge cache and cannot be over clocked.

[Borsuc]

Thanks again for that, probably fully buffered goes even further.
Ah I don't think I'll be interested in overclocking anyway

[Borsuc]

I have this 'issue'.
When I shut down, SOMETIMES a brief message appears (I can't read it all, it disappears under 1 second because the computer + monitor turns off), saying something like "Instruction at 0xABCDEF cannot be read" or something like that (not sure if it says 'load' or 'write' or whatever instead of 'read'), of course 0xABCDEF is an address which I couldn't get hold of.


What does it mean? Should I be worried? (yes I'm aware what a memory address is, I'm a programmer after all )

[Metathron]

Today, my computer wouldn't load Windoze, it froze on the welcome screen. I managed to get in after restarting about 7 times (I'm aware this must be enormously healthy for the computer). Anyone know what gives?

[Pol]

No one of these messages is really good. It's similar to: "Systems encountered a fatal failiure and it will now close." In the mid of your work.

@Borsuc
Highest probability prize won "Damaged driver system file." Combined with a bit low but more dangerous probability of toasted memory and harddrive. Proposed solution: "I'm afraid that you will end with clean system install. It's eventually always end in this, it's not for nothing called Windows."

@Metathron
Somewhat I seen it similary. So it's certain, that it cannot gives anything good. What about free space check and scandisk? (Also here is presented mechanism of F8 key and Emergency mode. Maybe it could do something.. )

[Asheera]

@Metathron: If you get in Safe Mode, does it work?

Hmm, could be a nasty program loaded at startup (such as a virus), or an error in the system itself, or something else... dunno

[Storm-giant]

@Metathron:I had that problem several times(on two computers!), and I think that my problem(freezing while loading windows)was caused by daemons tools(a program who lets to create virtual images(where you mount DVD/CD images like a game)), and, though curious, then, if I open the CD drive while windows is loading and keep open till the account has fully loaded, windows didn't freeze. Maybe it is linked to a virus.

[Metathron]

Didn't get to Safe Mode, I managed to load the OS after the 7th restart. But will keep that in mind for next time. Thanks for the replies.

[Borsuc]

@Borsuc
Highest probability prize won "Damaged driver system file." Combined with a bit low but more dangerous probability of toasted memory and harddrive. Proposed solution: "I'm afraid that you will end with clean system install. It's eventually always end in this, it's not for nothing called Windows."

Thanks Pol.
well, I will probably make clean install since I'll get a new comp anyway but in the meantime I'm afraid for the harddisk not to become toasted.

When I turn it on for the first few minutes (hard disk), it makes a high-pitched but soft tone (you barely hear it), when it loads only. But after it loads Windows after some 10 minutes it doesn't have it anymore.

HD Tune Pro says HD is perfectly healthy...

[Borsuc]

Yeah again something...

I booted the comp. It went fine (with the soft high-pitched HD thing as 'usual' in the last few weeks), but when it got to the desktop half-way between loading (I could see the desktop background and start menu etc...) I swear I heard a beep of some sort, loud one, for like 1-2 seconds! (not sure from where though)

Then it's normal. I'm spooked out.

[Veldrynus]

If you PC isn't working, you just have to firm, and never allow it to be disobedient. Just smash that machine with a huge hammer! That will teach it a lesson for life!

[Asheera]

Windows makes beeps when you play a sound and you don't have proper drivers for your sound card. Probably they didn't load up fast enough?

Speaking of this, my laptop also has a weird problem, sometimes (in around 20% of the cases) when I load Windows I can't play any sound: it says there's no sound device installed. If I restart it works. Somehow when Windows loads up on my laptop it doesn't load the sound drivers or something... my guess anyway.