Archived CalgaryPuck Computer Help Thread

[MoneyGuy]

I'm getting a new computer and wonder how best to protect it from nasties like viruses, spyware, adware and spam. Is there one product that handles all of these things? If not, and I presume not, then what programs are recommended for these individual things?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I'm getting a new computer and wonder how best to protect it from nasties like viruses, spyware, adware and spam. Is there one product that handles all of these things? If not, and I presume not, then what programs are recommended for these individual things?

Get a Mac. Yes, there will be some viruses, but they are few and far between.

Otherwise, just get yourself a router, a good anti-virus product, and some anti-spyware software.

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I'm getting a new computer and wonder how best to protect it from nasties like viruses, spyware, adware and spam. Is there one product that handles all of these things? If not, and I presume not, then what programs are recommended for these individual things?

for anti-virus I would say Nod32 is the best out there now (its very resource friendly)... for spyware get spybot + adaware + windows defender and you're good.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

So I've got an Excel question for the gurus on this board. I'm guessing it's a simple thing but honestly, my Excel kung-fu is not so good.

Here's the situation.

Tab1 has the following data in Column C (in their respective rows)

Risk: Cash is Stolen
Person signs cheques
Bank Rec's reviewed
Risk: Exchange Rates are Calculated Wrong
Calculations reviewed
Computer rejects unreasonable calcs
Risk: Cash not Deposited in Bank
Bank Rec's reviewed
Person signs cheques

Here's the thing. On a seperate tab (Tab2) within the workbook, I'd like to have the data from Tab1, Column C there, but with:

-All duplicate rows removed
-All rows that start with "Risk:" removed

So the data on tab 2 would look like:


Person signs cheques
Bank Rec's reviewed
Calculations reviewed
Computer rejects unreasonable calcs


Here's the thing, the new data on Tab2 should be dynamic, and not need manual refresh or macro triggering to work. If something changes on tab1 (insert/delete/change), it needs to change on tab 2 as well, subject to the above requirments.

I've tried a combination of autofiltering and if/then statements but can't put it all together - any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

[Inferno]

I'm having a problem while installing XP Pro for my sister's computer which I had the last time I reinstalled Windows for her.

Formatting and setup file install go ok but when it goes to install the files during the installation it cant find the CD-ROM. It looks like it thinks of the D drive as a hard drive and when I go to look in it, it tells me that it cannot access it. I'm able to install the files it couldnt by going into safe mode and copying the whole CD and then doing another install through safe mode pointing to the folder that I copied the CD to replace the missing files but when I log into XP it doesnt show the CD-ROM yet it does in Safe Mode.

Does anybody know how I can atleast get the CD-ROM readable in XP? I thought it might have been the CD-ROM the first time since it's pretty old but replaced it with a new one and it still cant read it.

Thanks

[FFR]

So I have a dell laptop...its a few years old (2003) and I'm having problems with gameplay. For example, when I play any game other than simple solitaire games or whatever...any siginificat game (for example The Sims) my screen for the actual playing of the game is only taking up a portion of the available space on my monitor. There is a black box about 2-3 inches thick depending on the game surrounding my actual game play area.

Any idea why this happens? Or how I can get rid of it because it drives me nuts!

[MoneyGuy]

My computer froze and wouldn't do anything. I couldn't turn it off in the usual way so I had to just...um, turn it off with the reset button. I know that's not smart, but I figure I had no choice. Now when I turn it on it won't connect to the INternet. It says it can't find the server. It's art of a network and the other computer is on the Net just fine. ANy ideas?

[gottabekd]

Is it on a wired connection, or wireless? Open up a command prompt by going to Start->Run and enter "cmd". Then reply with the result of "ipconfig". If that looks like it gives a failure, try "ipconfig /renew".

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

Is it on a wired connection, or wireless? Open up a command prompt by going to Start->Run and enter "cmd". Then reply with the result of "ipconfig". If that looks like it gives a failure, try "ipconfig /renew".

It's a wired connection. I put cmd in the run line, then replied with the result of 'ipconfig/renew. I took out the space you put in I presume in error.

I got this message: No operation can be performed on local area connection while it has its media disconnected.

????

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

It's a wired connection. I put cmd in the run line, then replied with the result of 'ipconfig/renew. I took out the space you put in I presume in error.

I got this message: No operation can be performed on local area connection while it has its media disconnected.

????

you need the space.... If you have a PCI NIC card (the thing your wired connection plugs into), that may be fried. Also check in your hardware manager to see if there are any yellow ! marks anywhere.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by cSpooge

you need the space.... If you have a PCI NIC card (the thing your wired connection plugs into), that may be fried. Also check in your hardware manager to see if there are any yellow ! marks anywhere.

I've done various things including checking the connections but nothing works. This computer is being replaced anyway and I have a new PC coming from Dell. I think I'll just wait for that. If anyone has any magical answers for me I'm willing to try but I don't want to do an expensive fix for a computer that will be replaced in a few days anyway. Thanks for the reponses.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Think I zapped my MB last night. Was plugging in a USB cable into the slot in the side of my case, think I felt a zap in my fingers but for sure heard crackling coming from the speakers of the spare computer on the desk next to it. I realized my computer was 100% unresponsive. Hit reset and the machine didn't even post, no HD or monitor activity. DVD drive flashes and makes some clicking noises but does not read a disc. All case fans are also running but just on high all the time. My first though is ruined MB but anyone figure there is any chance that I could have damaged the power supply?

A zap like this could wind up affecting just one part of the machine or the whole dam thing. I am not looking forward to seeing how much this is going to cost me.

Any suggestions on where to begin with diagnosing the issue? MB's are not a ton of money and clearly something is damaged, is this the logical place to start?

[Bobblehead]

I'd get your motherboard manual and try resetting the BIOS (Often there is a jumper somewhere).

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Think I zapped my MB last night. Was plugging in a USB cable into the slot in the side of my case, think I felt a zap in my fingers but for sure heard crackling coming from the speakers of the spare computer on the desk next to it. I realized my computer was 100% unresponsive. Hit reset and the machine didn't even post, no HD or monitor activity. DVD drive flashes and makes some clicking noises but does not read a disc. All case fans are also running but just on high all the time. My first though is ruined MB but anyone figure there is any chance that I could have damaged the power supply?

A zap like this could wind up affecting just one part of the machine or the whole dam thing. I am not looking forward to seeing how much this is going to cost me.

Any suggestions on where to begin with diagnosing the issue? MB's are not a ton of money and clearly something is damaged, is this the logical place to start?

Check your mobo manual, they will usually tell you have to reset it. Most motherboards also have a light on them that will flash in a certain sequence telling you what is wrong with them, so check your manual for that as well.

[Mightyfire89]

So, I got myself a shiny new Macbook and I like everything about it so far, but there's only one thing that's bugging me. Are there any alternatives to itunes? I used to use Musicmatch on my PC, but they apparently discontinued it for Macs quite some time ago. I still have some mp3 players that I want to use even though I now have a Mac.

Any suggestions?

[Barnes]

Development has pretty much stopped on most mp3 players for OS X. There are a few like Audion.

[Bingo]

Help with a video card install?

Didn't buy a video card when I put my PC together a year ago. It came with onboard video.

Just picked up a cheap ATI Diamond 64mb card to install.

The card says all is fine. Driver is good, diagnostics say working properly etc, but when I plug my BenQ FP757 monitor into it no good. The monitor says "Signal cable not connected"

When I move it back to the onboard I'm fine in safe mode (I've inactivated the onboard)

Thoughts?

[Vulcan]

Here's some instructions I used with my Dell.Hope it helps.

http://www.dellcommunity.com/support...sage.id=142119

[T I M]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Help with a video card install?

Didn't buy a video card when I put my PC together a year ago. It came with onboard video.

Just picked up a cheap ATI Diamond 64mb card to install.

The card says all is fine. Driver is good, diagnostics say working properly etc, but when I plug my BenQ FP757 monitor into it no good. The monitor says "Signal cable not connected"

When I move it back to the onboard I'm fine in safe mode (I've inactivated the onboard)

Thoughts?

Have you gone to display properties and check the settings to see if the new video card is set as your primary monitor?

[Hack&Lube]

I need some help booting off a USB HDD.

I've backed up my main harddrive using the windows backup utility, including system state, all my files, etc. I've chosen the option to restore to an alternate location and that location is a partition on my external USB harddrive that is the boot partition and blank.

The restore option completed and I have what appears to be a full copy of my C:\ on the boot partition of my external HDD. I restart and go into bios and set first boot device as USB-HDD and save settings.

Upon rebooting it syas "Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk and Press Enter".

Did I miss a step? Why can't I boot off my USB HDD?