Have a tech/computer question? I'll answer it!

I ('m trying to) do this for a living. Today is a slow day so I offer my services free of charge to the lounge.

I find that, whenever I restart the machine, Linux isn't able to start ADSL. Then I turn everything off, including the modem, then on again, and everything is fine.

I need just a bit more info.

1. when you say you turn everyhting off then back on, you don't mean rebooting the computer again as well, do you?

2. How is the dsl modem connected, USB? Are you using PPPoE to connect?

also, if you could (as root, both when the modem is and is not responding) 'lsmod' (no quotes), the output would be helpful

1. When I just reboot the machine, the startup of ADSL fails in the startup scripts. Then I turn off the modem, shutdown the computer, wait a few seconds, then turn on modem, then the PC, and the ADSL startup succeeds. I'm not home to try more scenarios, but I suspect turning off the modem is what makes the difference, rather than reboot vs. shutdown the PC.

2. It's PPPoE. Linux (so far) doesn't recongnize this brand of modem if it's connected by USB. Can't lsmod right now -- I'm at work.

my guess is that the modem still think it's connected to your computer even after the machine reboots. That's why the script fails and a power cycle of the modem is needed. I don't know how to outright fix your problem without more details, but I can offer this tip:

you can run the startup script to start the adsl manually, just su or sudo /sbin/service servicename restart

my guess would be that servicename is adsl or dsl, it's specified in the init scripts somewhere.

And I'm looking into Alienware. Are there any services that can make a better/cheaper gaming laptop then AW? Were I getting a desktop, I'd build it myself, but I don't have the expertise to build a laptop...

One of my buddies has one. It's big, has a beautiful screen, weighs a ton, and runs hot as hell. And it was EXPENSIVE. And unlike a high end gaming desktop, not very upgradable. But, if you must, I've heard they are quite good.

I'd also check out a custom one from Dell. I think they make a few big ones that would stack up against the alienware ones.

You said Dell.

I've been fixing computers for about 3 years now, and Dell has BY FAR the most problems. Things bought at Worst Buy come in second.

plus they have good service. I'd have recommended a powerbook, but I doubt a mac would fit the needs of someone looking for a "gaming notebook"

They make the BEST lapper on the market, and are equipped with NVidia2GO, 32MB onboard.

http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cmod.to?seg=HHO&coid=-26380&sel=0&rcid=-26367&ccid=1291021

but if he's looking at alienware I doubt a 32mb 2go would be good enough.

MANY other companies sell them as their own. I think they might even make machines for AW.

in any format other than .bmp?

do you mean in photoshop, or paint, or rightclick and save image as...

what os? (and if appicable, what browser?)

It does this quite often, for reasons unknown. My advice is to get Mozilla.

and try to save it, and your only option is bmp. It's Win2000 Professional, IE 6.0.

SUMMARY
When you save an image in Microsoft Internet Explorer, the image is saved by default as a bitmap (.bmp). You do not have the option to save the image by using an extension other than .bmp. You experience this behavior even when the image uses a different format (such as .gif or .jpeg).

For example, when you right-click an image on a Web page, and then click Save Picture As, the file name that appears in the File name box is Untitled, and the file type that appears in the Save as type box is Bitmap (*.bmp).
CAUSE
This behavior may occur if a damaged program file (for example, an ActiveX or Java object) is downloaded to the SystemRoot\Downloaded Program Files folder on your hard disk.
RESOLUTION
To troubleshoot and resolve this behavior, empty the contents of the Temporary Internet Files folder, and then delete the files in the Downloaded Program Files folder that are listed as either Unknown or Damaged. To do so:

1. Start Internet Explorer (if it is not already started).
2. Empty the contents of the Temporary Internet Files folder. To do so:
1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Under Temporary Internet files, click Delete Files.
4. When you are prompted to delete all temporary Internet files, click OK.
3. In the Downloaded Program Files folder on your hard disk, remove the files that are listed as either Unknown or Damaged. To do so:
1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Under Temporary Internet files, click Settings.
4. Click View Objects.

The list of program files that are downloaded to the SystemRoot\Downloaded Program Files folder on your hard disk appears in the Downloaded Program Files window.
5. In the Status column, note the files that are listed as either Unknown or Damaged. Remove these files. To do so, right-click the file, and then click Remove.
6. When you are prompted to confirm the removal, click Yes.
7. Close the Downloaded Program Files window, and then click OK two times.
4. Save an image in Internet Explorer to test and determine if the issue is resolved.

If the issue continues to occur after you remove all downloaded program files that are listed as Unknown or Damaged, try removing the other downloaded program files that are on the list.

Note: The next time that you need one of the files that you removed from the Downloaded Program Files folder, you will receive a prompt to download the file to your hard disk in Internet Explorer



-----------/snip---------------------
That should do it for you, but I say change browsers (unless you frequently use sites that use propreitary hooks that only work with internet explorer - this is very infrequent) to mozilla firefox. It's fast and lightwieght, blocks popups, and has nice privacy control

The worst part is that another DU member gave me the same advice, and it worked, but after a while the problem reset itself. Thanks again!

tools/internet options/delete files.
When the cache' is full, it won't let you save jpg files until you clear out those files.

I originally downloaded it from the Dean website but it will no
longer work. All the information comes out unlinked (I think that's the term. I know it has something to do with XML but unfortunately that's all I know.

if I get cable and run it through a router, is there any way that my cable company can catch me running three computers instead of one (they charge a bundle for each computer)? . . . like if all three of us were online at the same time? . . .

If they see HTTP requests from different versions of Internet Explorer at the same time, for instance.

Or connection sharing software that can be queried about its identity from outside. I'd run a Linux machine as the gateway and use Squid as the proxy software, configuring it to masquerade itself as the browser version you use the most and taking care not to allow any access to it from the outside.

Do all broadband providers up there have this moronic policy? It's not as if you can use more than your allocated bandwidth or anything.

but see post 14 if you're paranoid.

How do I connect to my other machine?

I have a DLink router sharing a DSL connection between 2 PC's running 98. I would like to be able to get access to the second machine from the first. Is there a way I can set this up through networking or do I need a software solution?

Thanks

F

based on the setup you described, I assume the dlink plugs into the phone jack, and the pcs plug into ports on the dlink? In this case, just make sure both computers are in the same workgroup, and they should show up in network neighborhood. To share a folder, right click and choose sharing, and then give access.

Control Panel --> Network

Make sure the "Client for Microsoft Networks" is installed. Enable File and Printer sharing on both machines. You'll need to reboot in each case.

Now, share some folder in one of the machines by right clicking on it from Windows Explorer and selecting "Sharing..."

From the other machine, try Start -> Run -> \\192.168.2.3 (use the first machine's IP address on the LAN instead of 192.168.2.3)

You should see the first machine's shared folder(s) by now.

good call. that's often not installed on win98 boxes

Does that matter?

One IP, 2 machines.....will this still work?

Go to Start -> Run -> winipcfg and then select your network card on the combo box. That's your machine's "private" IP address, which is different from the "shared" one and never seen by the outside world. That's the one you'll be using when networking between the two machines.

Obsessive-Compulsive Geekiness is sometimes a PITA. :crazy:

the router gets the outside address, and then uses NAT to give the computers inside address (like 10.0.0.x or 192.168.1.x) that translate back to the outside address at the router. So eachmachine should have an internal address.

to find it: start -> run program
winipcfg

should give you a window with your network info

It's Golden Tee Golf. The game will let me play a few holes, but after that it boots me off. The entire game exits all by itslef. Could this be some kind of software problem?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=141d5f9e-07c1-462a-baef-5eab5c851cf5&displaylang=en

this is a game you bought right, not shareware or anything?

A friend of mine gave me the game. He didn't like it for some reason.

cuz it crashes all the time? :eyes:

Are they complete pieces of shit or is the quality decent?

I'm thinking of getting a low-to-mid-priced Compaq laptop with an AMD processsor. Eventually, down the road, I also plan to have a Mac laptop and also build my own PC desktop, but for now I need a relatively cheap computer that can do a little of everything.

laptop quality always varies from model to model, and it's usually better to get the second or later revision of a given model. Find the one you like and do some research.

How much are you looking to spend. You can get an iBook for $1k, and if you want a mac desktop the eMac can be had for $800

About a month ago, I was hit with a worm. Since my computer was still within the year and there were some other problems. Took it back to Compusa.
1. They did a restore.
2. They had to do it again (for problem they introduced and later I fixed)

3. They did not restore the Giga pocket software.
4. I know I have to go and get some Sony patches to put on because of the restore

5. Question: Can I use the restore disk and just restore the Giga pocket software?
6. Since I have gotten most of my files back on the computer I do not want to have to restore again, just the software they did not put back on.

for the rx34g: http://ciscdb.sel.sony.com/perl/swu-list.pl?template=EN&mdl=PCVRZ34G

it looks like the gigapocket software (what is it anyway?) is there.

giga pocket software lets you feed video into your computer and also watch TV on the computer....The computer with just an antenna can view TV.

Can you restore just software from the restore disks?

but you could try and see if the individual installers on on there. But I'd just download it from sony, you'll get the latest version that way

I have a HP 7850 and Sony rz34g. I want to network them to share files.

I use Dial up at this time. (not sure if this is in the equation)

What do I need to do or buy to hook them together.

if so, ethernet is the standard way to go. If you're just hooking up the two machines you'll need either a hub or a crossover ethernet cable. If both machies have firewire (aka 1394 aka iLink) you can do a tcp/ip network over them too

I think the newer one has the firewire. But not the older one.
So it sounds like Ethernet would be it.

How does one decide between a hub or ethernet crossover cable? What are the advantages of one over the other?

When I hook up the hardware part what software config do I need to do?
One is win ME and other is Win XP

A hub/switch is really the way to go, but you can get away with just the cable. The difference is that with the hub you can hook up more than 2 computers, or 2+ computers and a broadband connection, etc. The crossover cable's only real use is what you're doing - swapping files between two computers.

Once everything is plugged together, you need to enable the client for microsoft networks and file and print sharing. see #24 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=1272398&mesg_id=1272612&page= for more details

How about this one...

Do you know of any UNIX/Linux programs to convert images stored in a single TIFF file to an AVI or MPEG video format?

I can do this with a Matlab script but I"m looking for a standalone utility...

computer" message/ What a pain in the patootie that is! Thanks!

does you computer then actually, physically shut down?

read this: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.hllw.sodabot.html

i would highly recommended installing a free program called: SpywareBlaster ... you can find it easily with a google search ... make sure you turn on all the protections when you install it ...

M4P format.... its the itunes/Mac format, proprietary. How can I convert this to MP3 or some other pc compatible format, for free?

Probably not possible, but maybe?

I have a bunch of pictures that for some strange reason are in .qtif format. I can't seem to find anything that will convert these into a more standard format. I need to resize and rotate some of the images, and no software I currently have will do this. How do I export these in some other format?

Oh, yeah--I'm running Mac OS X.