Computer woes

[CelticRadio]

Well, I am writing from the lab of WPI (Worcestor Poly Tech) where I am enrolled in a Web Tech program.

Unforuntately, my workstation at home has been out of commission. I ran into some problems while upgrading the motherboard and memory. Seems my new motherboard did not want to recognize my hard drive, so I had to put the old motherboard together and properly back up everything, reformat the drive, reinstall windows, and then run the file and settings wizard to get all of my files back.

Needless to say, this has take almost 2 days to complete. Oh, and did I mention that the new motherboard did not like the 512 memory chip I purchased, so I had to return it for 2 256k memory chips!  

Ok, I am just venting. My computer should be back on-line tonight, so I can get a chance to read all of these new posts!

BTW, if anyone wants to chat tonight, I plan on being in the chat room after 9:30 p.m. tonight. (as long as my computer is working) Just play one of the sounds in the room to get my attention if I don't respond.

[maggiemahone1]

Macfive, your not by yourself with "computer woes", had to purchase a new harddrive on Friday for our computer and hubby hasn't gotten everything back the way it should be.  He's thinking the old harddrive got a worm.  If it's not one thing it's two!  

maggiemahone1

[Cabbagehome]

Yes the computer can make me want to just screem. Like last night, I was on line checking email and thinking I could get to the chat room. HA! The computer froze up and I had to turn it off.  

[scottish2]

You should try my system the stinking this is only a couple months old and I want to throw it in the pool it agrivates me so much. Can't wait till we sell the house wife said I could replace it and on top of that get a new laptop



Till then am driving myself nuts learning how to do websites using Cascading Style Sheets/CSS  

[maggiemahone1]

scottish2, I'll be hoping you get your house sold, so you won't throw that "darn" computer in the pool.    My hubby has been wanting a lap top for some time now, maybe when his rich uncle gets out of the poor house.  Probably if my hubby was young like you guys are, our computer system would have went in the garbage along time ago, but with age, comes a little more patience. Thank goodness!!  I think when anyone has a computer, they have to have the patience of Job to go along with it.  

maggiemahone1

[scottish2]

Even age wouldn't help with my system. Bought it last December within the weekend I had returned it to SAM's and exchanged it for new system as the first one had troubles out of the box. I then used system 2 for about a month. It locked up and wouldn't allow me to do anything not even Control/Alt/Delete to reboot so I had to shut it down the hard way but just turning it off (Never a good idea) needles to say I never got it rebooted so I exchanged it under Warranty with HP for a brand new system and needless to say that is what I am using now but have had problems with it as well since day 1 have even had to redue the system a few months back and it's getting close to having to redo it yet again as just to many issues. So even his age I doubt he's remain patient with it for too long before even he'd throw the #@!&^* thing in the pool.  

[Welsh Guy]

Hi there fellow flag waver!

Out of the four machines I use at home, three of them I built myself. My latest is my new "dream machine". If you have problems I might be able to help you with, feel free to contact me "off board". By the way I won't touch "XP" it's the work of the devil!

Wynn

[CelticRadio]

Ok, my system seems to be working, so I will keep my fingers crossed! Actually, with the added memory and new motherboard everything is much faster, so I will be able to work with graphics, webpages, etc. a little faster!

Wow popular thread! I guess everyone has the computer stories to tell! I can remember in the early 90's wanting to take my computer and run it over in the parking lot. lol   That was perhaps a 20 mhz, 4 meg of ram 386 SE computer! lol

The Highlander Radio server runs on a very stable machine using Windows 2000 professional, UPS backup, router, DSL, firewall, etc. I pretty much leave that computer alone so I don't degrade the broadcast. Its been running pretty much none stop since about May 2001! It can run up to 30 days without a reboot since we reconfigured it this past spring.

[scottish2]

Well this monster is running XP. Except for one game on it I don't need XP at all but is what came with the system. Am seriously considering though maybe building my next system myself but if not might get a Dell Paul said he proffessor uses them and likes them my dad and a friend of ours said same thing so have heard good things on Dells.

But haven't decided if I want them to build or me build unsure.  

[CelticRadio]

Yes, Dell seems to be a good name and good service, although you will probably pay more than the other computer makers for that service.

I have not built a new computer system in a few years, so I have been having a look around to see what is out there. What I have found is that most everything that you need to build a system can be found at your local computer/electronics store! That was not always the case, you had to order by the internet or pay more than you should at a specialty computer shop. CompUSA has a fine collection of cases, motherboards, cpu and memory. Still, to get the best price I would recommend going on-line.

[Welsh Guy]

Just a quick note scottish 2 but from the brief description you gave, I would check where you have your system case located, is there enough ventilation? Overheating is a very common cause of system lock up  

[Cpl. A.J.]

I hope this isn't promoting topic drift, but I have a computer-related questions regarding how the Highlander Radio site works.

I enjoy having the Highlande Playlist on my desktop while I work, so I can see what's coming up or identify something I've just heard.  No problem when I'm doing other computer stuff like word processor and the like, but when I'm online, the playlist pops itself up about ever 15 seconds or so, and becomes the active window.  It then requires a click on the main Internet Explorer window to bring it to the front, then a second click for it to become active again before you can pick up where you left off.  (The playlist windown popped up several times while typing this, leaving me typing away with nothing happening until I clicked back to this window.)

Is there anyway to avoid this or reset the Playlist to refresh less frequently?  It's maddening to be typing online.

Thanks!

A.J.

[Welsh Guy]

Your best bet is to select the "Real Audio" option to play the station, then  "refresh" the home page when you hear something you like. The playlist pop up seems to be javascript, which unfortuately is not a browser controlable feature.

HTH WG

[scottish2]

For welsh guy I have the system on my desktop and it has 2 vent fans to help veting so not a problem there just a problem with HP Paul can atest to this as he was saying his wifes HP is almost ready for the pool or where ever if he has any more troubles with it.

And for Cpl. A.J. Paul's trying to work this problem out as well for some reason the play lists refresh keep popping it forward but between Paul and myself we're trying to track down a script which will allow for refresh yet keep the dang window behind everything unless you specifically call it up to check the current list. So please bare with this we're aware of it but haven't had any luck finding a better script. Note also it's Paul's site but I help occasionally finding items like this when Paul askes for his help just as I pick his brain from time to time.  

[Cabbagehome]

Well of the 4 working computers at my house one of them is my HP (I call it the huey pluey). We don't have a pool, but I have concidered throwing it in the swamp, or using it as a boat anchore. We keep it, because it has games on it the grandkids can play. It is open when they come over, no one else wants to use it.
Now Dell is a big name and not to bad priced, but repairing one can cost big bucks, and like the HP they are not ment to be up graded.  
I have found CompUSA is the highest priced place to find anything computer, unless it it is on sale. Most of their stuff is about double, what you can find at a show. There are some real good sorces on line too.