Ok, this is to slow the constant wave of topics regarding computer problems. Anybody having a problem with their computer should post it HERE instead of making another half a million threads. Post your problem, we try to solve it.

Thankyou, post away.

Does someone have a REAL problem?

Yeah I do, and it's about deleting files with really, really long names. In my case, the track with the long title on The Meads Of Asphodel album Exhuming The Grave... won't go away on my computer. I have no way of properly deleting it, and I've been prompted to use command prompt, but even that is sketchy. Help?

Also, having iTunes trouble. A Nightingale tracklist won't let me put the cover art in the box - well, it does, but when I switch tracks it disappears. Help?


I know these aren't actually technical problems, but they're problems that rely on a PC, so help me!

Well, this thread might be of some help to your first problem.

Yeah I just noticed that thread, didn't even look. Never expected this happening to me again.

I don't have a problem, more of a question:

Is it harmful to my laptop if I take the battery out and keep it running only through the charger?

No. The clock might lag, but nothing bad will happen. Remember that a battery that is unused for a long period can become unusable though.

Cool, didn't know that.

Thanks!

I do it a lot, when I'm playing games for a prolonged period (makes the screen brighter). Overcharging your battery isn't good for it and will make it's power supply drain faster, so if you're keeping it plugged in for prolonged periods, it's probably a good idea to remove it.

Just bear in mind what Corimngul said about leaving it for too long.

Yeah, I usually have my laptop on for a couple hours at a time normally, and much longer when I sit down and play a game. I'll probably start doing it now

Okay, I downloaded an Ogg codec for Windows Media Player. It will now play the Oggs, but the problem is it won't add them to the library. Help?

Have you highlighted the whole album and gone to "Get Info" then added the picture the hit "Enter"?

Install WMP Tag Support Extender and set it up. Go here for details.

I have a tech problem guys, when I put a DVD in my computer it plays it,(because it reads DVD's), but the problem is that I can't hear the DVD, at all, is the problem with my sound card?

Well if it involves sound, chances are it is an issue with your sound card.

Dumb things first:

- Your volume is turned up and it's not on mute, right (not just on the speakers themselves, but for the sound settings too)?
- Make sure all your speakers are plugged in and turned on
- Can you hear sound in other applications?

More advanced stuff:

- Go into Device Manager (Start > Run type "devmgmt.msc" and press enter)
- Under "Sound, video and game controllers", make sure there aren't any entries with a yellow exclamation mark next to them. If there is one, you need the proper drivers for your sound card. Find out what brand (and model) of sound card you have, then go to the manufacturer's website and download the drivers for your operating system.

Does it happen every time you use the DVD? I know that my computer does that occasionally. Try a different DVD or listen to Bonesnap.

This reminds me of when my science teacher couldnt get her sound to work and i figured out that her speakers were off. Proves how great of role models teachers make.

reminds me...i have a tech problem about DC++. How do I search for hubs, i have just finished installing it and cant find a thing. Also, does anybody have any hubs that are particularly good for underground BM?

holy shit dude, we had the same number of posts before this post.
But yeah, I can hear sound in other applications but every time I play a DVD I can't hear shit, so I'll do what you said about checking my sound card. Oh yeah I forgot, I have windows vista, should that change the way I approach the problem?

www.hublist.org

I also have a slight computer problem. Everytime I turn on my laptop I get an error message pop up saying cli.exe has failed or something and had to be shutdown. It seems to be an ATI driver and I am running XP. ANy ideas on how to fix this?

Ah, I too have this problem on those infrequent occasions I decide to boot into XP.

If you have the version with the Cataclyst Control Centre then this is a well-known error which google will tell you about if you just search for cli.exe... The cure seems to be to update the .NET framework (CLI = Common Language Interface, a part of .NET). Version 2 and 3 of .NET is pretty much identical. In some cases it still won't work, so you'll have to run windows or microsoft update afterwards and get the latest updates. So it's all Microsoft's fault.

Assuming it's not one of the other mentioned problems. Nero has been known to fuck up the codecs badly. If this is the case, then installing a new AC3 filter will help.

Yeah, get XP.

But on a more serious note, the approach is the same. You can type the "devmgmt.msc" command into the Search field and it should work; however, I don't know if the command has changed, but I highly doubt it. But since you're using Vista, I would bet you will need to have administrative rights to access the Device Manager anyway, so make sure you're logged in as an administrator or can get elevated permissions.

However, since you can hear sounds in other applications, chances are it's not your sound card, but audio codecs are listed in Device Manager under the "Sound, video and game controllers" section. As already mentioned, sometimes the audio codecs can become fucked.

Make sure the song files aren't read-only.

I have a weird one and I looked all over the Internet but I didn't seem to find an answer so here it is (I'm looking for real help not just stupid answers):

Sometimes when I turn on my computer (HP Pavilion Slimline s7640la) and it gets to the User's screen my keyboard just won't work. Its weird and it happens 2/5 times and I have to restart it like 3 or 4 times. I checked connections (because my keyboard is new) but they seem alright. I just don't know what the fuck is wrong with it.

Thanks

Interesting. What I would try is to check for problems in Device Manager. If nothing, update the drivers related to the keyboard - perhaps following HP's guidelines. And if that doesn't do it, does the keyboard work with other computers? Does your computer work with other keyboards?

I'll try that, btw mi keyboard is a Microsoft one (I know they suck but I couldn't afford anything better because my older keyboard was wireless and it was a like a battery-eater). I tried it on other computers and it works fine. So it MIGHT be a driver's issue

I only have one real problem with my computer that seems to only have one way of fixing it, that being just reformat the whole skank. Volume echo's annoying as piss and wont allow me to reinstall the drivers. Other then that everything else can wait until Star Craft II comes out and I build the beast.

Well, I was too unpatient and shot my home pc off while Windows was updating. Now it doesn't start up anymore. Unfortunately, I broke up with my girlfriend the other day, so this becomes a problem of sexual satisfaction and is therefore the most urgent problem up here, I guess...
Could you tell me if there's something broken and what it is?

download the latest off-line updates of heise.de (google for it)

download MSDART, install it, launch it and uninstall the latest Windows updates, use the offline update CD to install the updates...
should be fine then.

Printscreens of the problem and more information please.

Sorry...I forgot to mention that it doesn't work at all. Nothing happens when I try to start up the rusty bucket. Thanks anyway

Be more specific... you see the bios and then no more or what?
Some more information, please.

here you will get MSDART:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en

Bios?

It's like I'd show the middlefinger to a blind dude...

Did you try to launch/gain access on the HDD in an external drive via USB or Firewire with the help of a different pc?

Nope. I thought about that, but I'm much too n00b. I won't risk a damage if I'm not sure what it is. But if you tell me, I'll try it. There's nothing to lose for me anyway (nothing but all the not-backupped files. AARRRGGGHHH.)

Probably, I should just get a new one. It's already been five or six years since I got this one.

BUY A MACINTOSH-THAT'LL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. JUST DON'T BUY COMPUTERS THAT BREAK EVERY TEN SECONDS, FREEZE OR GET VIRUSES ALL THE TIME.

I HOPE I MADE THE POINT.

I have a laptop with a DVD burner. The drive isn't reading any CD type disc (audio cd, CDROM, etc) but is reading DVDs fine. I've read I need to replace the drive, but I lost my recipt so I can't get it under the warranty. Can I buy a drive from the net and install it myself (ie, is it simple to remove and install a new one)? Does it have to be the exact same type of drive or can it be something different?

Why don't you consider to use an external one? It would spare you a lot of trouble. Is also better for your warranty.