Geek help needed!

[EvilBastard]

I pass, nae tits mahn

Naah, there's enough of them hanging around outside the Apple store

[DocSommer]

is the cpu fan working - can you check the temperatures within the bios?

You may also take a look at the "ultimatebootdisk" (just google it).

[Holly_DelRey]

Yes, or get a Mac. Then take it down to your local Apple store, wait in line for 17 days behind emo kids with skate-boards, all identically-dressed to prove their individuality, to see some spotty git at the Genius Bar, who's half your age, with bad hair, that he's never seen anything this old before, that "you've fratzled the quirkyzoop - nothing we can do, we'll have to replace the whole thing. Nope, sorry, you've lost all the data and there's no way to get it back. Tough shizz, daddy-o. I'm surprised that someone your age even understands how to turn a Mac on - should have stuck with a PC, granddad."

Yeah, get a Mac.

Seriously cracking up at your comments

[James Blast]

I pass, nae tits mahn

Naah, there's enough of them hanging around outside the Apple store

Cheap shot, I expect better from a Bastard like you

ya C:// something or other

[Izzy HaveMercy]

Maybe the only thing a Mac is difficult at in the beginning is tweaking, but then again, it does not need tweaking.

IZ.

Of course it needs tweaking! You can never buy what you want off the shelf unless you're paying someone else to customize it. How else are you going to hook up a fog machine to your computer and configure it to fire up whenever you play a Sisters track?

Not

Seriously, my old PC has issues all the time wilt my music software and plugins and drivers, my Mac just takes whatever you throw at it without any probs.

In your case, it would happily receive a sledgehammer, I presume.

IZ.

[James Blast]

took you a while to move over to 'the shining path' Iz. I can remember you dissin' me for my "expensive toy"

now you are one of us

[EvilBastard]

Not

Seriously, my old PC has issues all the time wilt my music software and plugins and drivers, my Mac just takes whatever you throw at it without any probs.

In your case, it would happily receive a sledgehammer, I presume.

IZ.

Ah, it sounds like you didn't follow the correct on-boarding procedures. The thing is that PCs and Macs have always had a bit of a superiority complex - they think they know better than we do. But because PCs have been the corporate workhorse for so long, and they're used to being slapped around by in-house tech people, they've become suitably debased and are now the cheap sluts of the computer world - they'll roll over and spread their legs for anyone with a screwdriver and a component.
Macs never learned that - they swan around the world acting like their shizz doesn't stink, an opinion instilled in their processors by Steve Jobs and reinforced by the Legions Of The Faithful. Consequently, any time you try to tweak one, or mod your iPhone to run on a US carrier that doesn't operate its network like it's a big pile of tin cans connected with string, it gets a cob on and does the technological equivalent of making you sleep on the sofa.
The correct on-boarding procedure for a PC is getting it home, popping it up on the kitchen table, grabbing a screwdriver, and saying, "Right then, you cheap floozy - let's get your knickers off and see what we're dealing with."
30 minutes later, after you've done a little hardware modding, computer "vaginal rejuvination" if you will, you get it dressed and switch it on, and it works like a charm, because it knows better than to mess with someone with your mad tech skillz.

[Izzy HaveMercy]

Not

Seriously, my old PC has issues all the time wilt my music software and plugins and drivers, my Mac just takes whatever you throw at it without any probs.

In your case, it would happily receive a sledgehammer, I presume.

IZ.

Ah, it sounds like you didn't follow the correct on-boarding procedures. The thing is that PCs and Macs have always had a bit of a superiority complex - they think they know better than we do. But because PCs have been the corporate workhorse for so long, and they're used to being slapped around by in-house tech people, they've become suitably debased and are now the cheap sluts of the computer world - they'll roll over and spread their legs for anyone with a screwdriver and a component.
Macs never learned that - they swan around the world acting like their shizz doesn't stink, an opinion instilled in their processors by Steve Jobs and reinforced by the Legions Of The Faithful. Consequently, any time you try to tweak one, or mod your iPhone to run on a US carrier that doesn't operate its network like it's a big pile of tin cans connected with string, it gets a cob on and does the technological equivalent of making you sleep on the sofa.
The correct on-boarding procedure for a PC is getting it home, popping it up on the kitchen table, grabbing a screwdriver, and saying, "Right then, you cheap floozy - let's get your knickers off and see what we're dealing with."
30 minutes later, after you've done a little hardware modding, computer "vaginal rejuvination" if you will, you get it dressed and switch it on, and it works like a charm, because it knows better than to mess with someone with your mad tech skillz.

Being a bit computer savvy myself, I never quite understood why some piece of expensive enough software just starts to crash on me FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHATSOEVER.

The only screwdriver useful enough on that moment is the liquid variant.

Oh, and I never talked iPhoney. I am talking USEFUL geekery toys. Mac works a treat for me, tho I've been a happy (well, quite) PeeCee user for many a year now.

Mind, I'm not a convert, I still use my PC for music recording and editing, but I find myself switching over to my MBP for that as well...

IZ.

[James Blast]

you are one of us

this from my iTouch too, I am full of WIN!

[Pista]

Is that not "iPhone Touch"?


I could do with a pointer as it happens.
I is mac too & using Toast 10 to burn shiny things from time to time.

Anyone got a good solution to de-crypting encrypted Video TS folders?
Tried Mac The Ripper, but it took so fecking long that I cooked a whole turkey over a candle while I was waiting

It was supposed to rip the folder as a region free disc image, but seemed to just whir away & do eff-all really.

Ta in advance.

@Hom.
Sounds like you might have a pooter lurgy. You can remove them in safe mode I think, but if you can do that, my next move would be to re-install the OS before doing anything else.

[nodubmanshouts]

Help!

I've just tried to power up my laptop and been given the error message about Windows was shut down unexpectedly or whatever it says. It give you the options;
Safe mode
Safe mode with command prompt
Safe mode with networking
Last known good config (or something similar)
Or
Normal start up.
None of them get anywhere other than returning me to the above screen.

My music library and writing are on it.

What are my options?

Thanks!

I'm astounded by the general lack of "proper" response!

This is a completely benign error. It just means the PC didn't shut down properly - like turning off your car while its still in gear. You almost certainly have nothing to worry about, and should just start normally.

I get this error maybe once or twice a week.

Nothing to worry about.

[nodubmanshouts]

BTW, I'm about to switch over to Mac....

... doesn't stop Mac Cultists from being a bunch of tossers though

(see above)

[Silver_Owl]

Help!

I've just tried to power up my laptop and been given the error message about Windows was shut down unexpectedly or whatever it says. It give you the options;
Safe mode
Safe mode with command prompt
Safe mode with networking
Last known good config (or something similar)
Or
Normal start up.
None of them get anywhere other than returning me to the above screen.

My music library and writing are on it.

What are my options?

Thanks!

I'm astounded by the general lack of "proper" response!

This is a completely benign error. It just means the PC didn't shut down properly - like turning off your car while its still in gear. You almost certainly have nothing to worry about, and should just start normally.

I get this error maybe once or twice a week.

Nothing to worry about.

So am I. But then I always am. I should be used to it by now.

Thanks for the response - However, when I chose any of the options it just takes me back to the aforementioned screen. So I can't get any further.

@Holly - No, I don't. I loaded a copy of XP onto it lent to me by an ex-colleague.

So, EB's suggestion (that sounds a bit complicated to a non-geek like me) seems like the only immediate option. That, or take it to a shop.

[Sita]

So am I. But then I always am. I should be used to it by now.

Thanks for the response - However, when I chose any of the options it just takes me back to the aforementioned screen. So I can't get any further.

@Holly - No, I don't. I loaded a copy of XP onto it lent to me by an ex-colleague.

So, EB's suggestion (that sounds a bit complicated to a non-geek like me) seems like the only immediate option. That, or take it to a shop.

Do any of your friends and family know how to do this with a laptop? They might be more motivated to save your data than people in a shop.
My laptop did the same thing, but it would always start normal again after a day or so. When I finally took it to a shop they said there was a "mistake" (that's not the technical term, I know) on the hard disk and gave me a new one.

[nodubmanshouts]

Ah, ok. Sounds like there's something else going on there then.

When you say "copy of XP", using an illegal copy of Windows could possibly cause you all kinds of problems...

How old was the laptop? I can't imagine any PC made in the last 10 years not being Xp compatible, but you never know....

A hard drive issue sounds pretty likely too.

[DocSommer]

Yes, or get a Mac. Then take it down to your local Apple store, wait in line for 17 days behind emo kids with skate-boards, all identically-dressed to prove their individuality, to see some spotty git at the Genius Bar, who's half your age, with bad hair, that he's never seen anything this old before, that "you've fratzled the quirkyzoop - nothing we can do, we'll have to replace the whole thing. Nope, sorry, you've lost all the data and there's no way to get it back. Tough shizz, daddy-o. I'm surprised that someone your age even understands how to turn a Mac on - should have stuck with a PC, granddad."

Yeah, get a Mac.

Seriously cracking up at your comments

I can't imagine any PC made in the last 10 years not being Xp compatible, but you never know....

Oh you can't install XP from the standard installation disc on some recent notebooks wich are made to run exclusively with Vista/7. It's basicly not working because of some drivers wich are missing on the XP disc. These drivers are rudimental and needed to start the OS installation process. At least these drivers are available (usually) and it's not that hard to re-create your own XP installation disc including these updated drivers.

Todays "Windows 7" is a quite reliable OS in contrast to Vista wich I totally skipped btw.

[Andie]

So am I. But then I always am. I should be used to it by now.

Thanks for the response - However, when I chose any of the options it just takes me back to the aforementioned screen. So I can't get any further.

@Holly - No, I don't. I loaded a copy of XP onto it lent to me by an ex-colleague.

So, EB's suggestion (that sounds a bit complicated to a non-geek like me) seems like the only immediate option. That, or take it to a shop.

Steve. I found out that a work colleague of mine has had the same issue with her XP tower. No easy Solution found here

[James Blast]

This is a completely benign error.

wanna rephrase that?

[nodubmanshouts]

wanna rephrase that?

Eh... no

The error is telling you that Windows did not shutdown properly.

The actual problem is that the computer is not booting so it cannot reset the error. Think of it as when Windows starts, it leaves a cookie.. when it shuts down, it deletes the cookie. If Windows boots and sees the cookie it goes "haha! Didn't shut down properly". The problem is Windows is currently not getting far enough to delete the cookie.

That error, in of itself, is not a problem. The problem is that Windows won't boot.

[EvilBastard]

Yeah, get a Mac.

I'm not necessarily agreeing with this, of course...

[Holly_DelRey]

[markfiend]

But Mac OSX is inherently more resistant to viruses than Windows, because of its underlying UNIX-based kernel.

[Izzy HaveMercy]

But Mac OSX is inherently more resistant to viruses than Windows, because of its underlying UNIX-based kernel.

And you CAN click anywhere... it's bloody simple to work with.

IZ.

[Silver_Owl]

Ah, ok. Sounds like there's something else going on there then.

When you say "copy of XP", using an illegal copy of Windows could possibly cause you all kinds of problems...

How old was the laptop? I can't imagine any PC made in the last 10 years not being Xp compatible, but you never know....

A hard drive issue sounds pretty likely too.

The copy of XP was loaded on over for 4 years ago and has been fine up until now.

I think I may need professional help (For the laptop as well ).

[nodubmanshouts]

Yeah, sounds like. I highly suspect the hard drive...