Any Computer Geniuses Here?

[Lost]

Soooo, does your computer have a built in network card????

I would suggest plugging directly into your router just to try it.

[Todd#43]

Soooo, does your computer have a built in network card????

I would suggest plugging directly into your router just to try it.

I'll have to give that a shot.

Kinda defeats the "wireless" thing though, doesn't it?

[ReconRat]

YouTube says:

Video Issues: The video won't play

Videos on YouTube are streamed through an Adobe Flash player. For the best viewing experience, we suggest you install the latest version of Adobe Flash after removing any old versions you've installed.

Please completely uninstall Flash before reinstalling the latest version.

To uninstall Flash, please follow Adobe's instructions, listed here: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_14157

Once you're done, restart your computer and follow Adobe's instructions for reinstalling Flash: http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

If the instructions above don't resolve the issue please try the following:

1. Temporarily disable popup blocking software installed on your computer to test.
   
2. Allow YouTube.com as a trusted site in your Firewall software.
   
3. Ensure other applications like Quicktime, iTunes, Real Player, or Windows Media Player aren't set as the default streaming application, as this might affect the video player. (the SWF file)
   

I would also wonder if your video driver is up to date. And often the best driver is from the chip manufacturer, not the laptop manufacturer. Might be a problem.

If you're using Firefox, try IE, or vice versa. See if it works.

Test your wireless vs wired speed. http://www.speedtest.net/ It's probably not a problem, but should check. My wired connection is 3000+ download speed, but the win98se machine sometimes does poorly on videos. The other computers work fine. So that would be the old video processor, I suppose.

Too bad yours is a laptop, I'm betting that if you used another video card, better than the internal system board video processor, it would work correctly. And is why I asked if the video driver is up to date. Also update the sound drivers. sometimes they interfere with the video playback.

Check in your BIOS, and see if the video processor settings are correct.

[Todd#43]

YouTube says:

Video Issues: The video won't play

Videos on YouTube are streamed through an Adobe Flash player. For the best viewing experience, we suggest you install the latest version of Adobe Flash after removing any old versions you've installed.

Please completely uninstall Flash before reinstalling the latest version.

To uninstall Flash, please follow Adobe's instructions, listed here: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_14157

Once you're done, restart your computer and follow Adobe's instructions for reinstalling Flash: http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

If the instructions above don't resolve the issue please try the following:

1. Temporarily disable popup blocking software installed on your computer to test.
   
2. Allow YouTube.com as a trusted site in your Firewall software.
   
3. Ensure other applications like Quicktime, iTunes, Real Player, or Windows Media Player aren't set as the default streaming application, as this might affect the video player. (the SWF file)
   

Ok, I did this...well most of it, anyway. How do I set up the flash player as the default? I looked in the explorer settings, but couldn't find anything there.

I would also wonder if your video driver is up to date. And often the best driver is from the chip manufacturer, not the laptop manufacturer. Might be a problem.

The chip is an ATI Raedon Express1100. I updated the driver (from ATI) for it this morning, but its no better. I also looked for updates to the sound card but couldn't find anything.

If you're using Firefox, try IE, or vice versa. See if it works.

Done and no difference.

Test your wireless vs wired speed. http://www.speedtest.net/ It's probably not a problem, but should check. My wired connection is 3000+ download speed, but the win98se machine sometimes does poorly on videos. The other computers work fine. So that would be the old video processor, I suppose.

Virtually no difference between wired and wireless speed. 2880 wired, 2786 wireless.

Too bad yours is a laptop, I'm betting that if you used another video card, better than the internal system board video processor, it would work correctly. And is why I asked if the video driver is up to date. Also update the sound drivers. sometimes they interfere with the video playback.

Check in your BIOS, and see if the video processor settings are correct.

It was quite fine for quite some time (I think I've had this machine for about 18 months) and it seems like its something that's gotten worse over time.

I really don't know much about the bios, or changing the settings, and I wouldn't know the first thing about going in there to check or change anything.

I appreciate the help people. I think I'll just chuck it and start over.

[Todd#43]

Ok....one other thing I've noticed - usually when the computer "bogs" down, I've noticed (on the performance tab of the task manager) that the CPU usage is pegged at 100%, while the paging file usage stays down around 30%. Is this normal?

[Benyen Soljax]

you need to figure out what process is using 100% of the proc. unless youre doing some heavy duty gaming or other 3d processing you shouldnt be seeing those numbers. you might want to download speedfan and check what kind of temps youre getting.

hard drives are so cheap nowadays its worth it to have a huge backup drive just to reinstall windows once in a while. if you just wipe it clean youll notice a huge performance difference im guessing. i would recommend trying to swallow the fact that you need to reinstall everything and just back up your pictures and docs and crap and bite the bullet.

[Todd#43]

you need to figure out what process is using 100% of the proc. unless youre doing some heavy duty gaming or other 3d processing you shouldnt be seeing those numbers. you might want to download speedfan and check what kind of temps youre getting.

hard drives are so cheap nowadays its worth it to have a huge backup drive just to reinstall windows once in a while. if you just wipe it clean youll notice a huge performance difference im guessing. i would recommend trying to swallow the fact that you need to reinstall everything and just back up your pictures and docs and crap and bite the bullet.

It seems that whatever process(es) is/are currently being used tend to grab 100% of the CPU.

I've put most of my data to an external drive already - pics, docs, anything I don't need access to when I'm not home. The drive is set up in two partitions right now (if that info helps)

I'll d/l speedfan and see what it tells me.

[Todd#43]

Ok, I downloaded speedfan, but I don't know what its telling me.

It says the HD is at 122, Temp1 is at 154 and the Core is at 178.

I have noticed that whenever an application is doing something - playing a movie, downloading content, checking for email, etc., that particular process consumes nearly 100% of the CPU capacity.

Is there a setting that I'm missing here, or is it supposed to be that way?

[Benyen Soljax]

well thats 81 deg celcius, the temps its giving you are in fahrenheit. HDD is your hard drive, and thats fine, the core1 is your processor. and temp1 is some other sensor. whatever process is open shouldnt be consuming that much processing power. i had a bug on my comp like that once with my desktop and a good clean install of windows fixed it right up. this was after i system restored the thing many times in hope that i could catch where the computer caught something. i never found out why it was doing that crap, or if i did, AVG couldnt get rid of it or w/e. ifwy, id say fuck it and reinstall windows just because i would be sick of wasting time trying to find something wrong.

usually my laptop idles at 50-60 deg C, but 81 is not unheard of when using some juice from the processor.

[Todd#43]

well thats 81 deg celcius, the temps its giving you are in fahrenheit. HDD is your hard drive, and thats fine, the core1 is your processor. and temp1 is some other sensor. whatever process is open shouldnt be consuming that much processing power. i had a bug on my comp like that once with my desktop and a good clean install of windows fixed it right up. this was after i system restored the thing many times in hope that i could catch where the computer caught something. i never found out why it was doing that crap, or if i did, AVG couldnt get rid of it or w/e. ifwy, id say fuck it and reinstall windows just because i would be sick of wasting time trying to find something wrong.

usually my laptop idles at 50-60 deg C, but 81 is not unheard of when using some juice from the processor.

Based on the research I've done, the 81 degrees is normal for the processor...well, its a little high, but not dangerously so. That being the case, I'm going to assume that the processor is ok.

I'm not sure where to go from here, beyond re-installing windows. Like everything these days, I didn't get an XP cd with my machine, so I'm probably fucked.

[Benyen Soljax]

do you have a cd key? i could possibly help you in locating a cd to install from, completely legally and in no way violating any copyright laws. dont arrest me please.

yes the 81 deg is normal operating range, but the 100% proc usage is not normal.

[Todd#43]

do you have a cd key? i could possibly help you in locating a cd to install from, completely legally and in no way violating any copyright laws. dont arrest me please.

yes the 81 deg is normal operating range, but the 100% proc usage is not normal.

I'm not sure what you mean by a CD key....I probably don't have one, but it might be cool to know what it is

I'm still baffled by the 100% usage too. Oddly enough, watching it I've been able to determine that it happens mostly when java is running, or when I'm streaming content from the net.

Edited December 10, 2008 by Todd#43

[Benyen Soljax]

i would wipe it and hope something got screwed up with your software somewhere along the line and try not to do it again. if it persists after a windows wipe, well lets just hope that doesnt happen.

[Todd#43]

i would wipe it and hope something got screwed up with your software somewhere along the line and try not to do it again. if it persists after a windows wipe, well lets just hope that doesnt happen.

Ugh.

What a pain in the dick. I guess I've either got to put up with the problem, or just buy another computer.

I don't have XP Media Center that I can load on there, and I really don't want to go through the bullshit.

Thanks to everyone that replied - I appreciate the help!

[Benyen Soljax]

so how much do you want for the "broken" one?

[troyec001]

so how much do you want for the "broken" one?

Don't got any less than $500.

[Todd#43]

so how much do you want for the "broken" one?

Actually, I wouldn't sell it.

I mean it still works, but it just does some things better than others.

Since its a laptop, I'll continue to use it when I travel, and I'll get another desktop for using at home. Christ, I've probably got enough pieces and parts to throw one together that works good enough for Poker and porn.

[natedogg624]

^thats all you ever need in life.

ive just been browsing through this thread, usually whenever i have a problem i just reformat my C: drive and start with the "from the factory settings." although i save a lot of my stuff onto my external and backup my documents onto their as well so its not usually that big of a deal for me.

if your at your wit's end then maybe this could be an option for you?

[Todd#43]

^thats all you ever need in life.

ive just been browsing through this thread, usually whenever i have a problem i just reformat my C: drive and start with the "from the factory settings." although i save a lot of my stuff onto my external and backup my documents onto their as well so its not usually that big of a deal for me.

if your at your wit's end then maybe this could be an option for you?

I'm really not at my wit's end yet - its only a computer, right? Anyway, I don't have a clue how reformat c: and return it to the "original" state as the computer didn't come with any software beyond what was installed on it. I vaguely remember that I was supposed to back it all up (there was a utility for that) when I first got it (like 18 months ago), but I didn't do it or I cant find it.

Anyway, without that information, or at the very least an XP disk, I'm a little fuckered when it comes to wiping it and starting over.

No biggie.

[jarvismb]

you reformat your drive with the ever-useful FDISK procedure on the Windows XP install disk. You start/restart your PC with the CD in, boot off of the CD, then format your partition from there. After it's done formatting (which will take a while), then you do a clean install on the blank drive. It's the best way to be sure everything is gone.

[Todd#43]

you reformat your drive with the ever-useful FDISK procedure on the Windows XP install disk. You start/restart your PC with the CD in, boot off of the CD, then format your partition from there. After it's done formatting (which will take a while), then you do a clean install on the blank drive. It's the best way to be sure everything is gone.

I know how to do it, but I cant do it. Make sense?....

Anyway, I don't have an XP Media Center Disk, and I don't have all the drivers and shit for the other things that are on this computer.

Reformatting isn't really an option - at least it doesn't seem like its an option.

[natedogg624]

you could always go with linux...

[r1crusher]

I know how to do it, but I cant do it. Make sense?....

Anyway, I don't have an XP Media Center Disk, and I don't have all the drivers and shit for the other things that are on this computer.

Reformatting isn't really an option - at least it doesn't seem like its an option.

Seriously? Dude, you can find the media anywhere (i.e. bit torrents). As for drivers, you know what hardware you have just go download the drivers from the manufacturers website. There really shouldn't be any reason you couldn't wipe it clean. Just go download everything you need before hand and you'll be good.

EDIT - I'll tell you what....my wife will be driving through Cbus (if you live in Cbus or near 71). You meet her on her way up, give her your stuff and I'll do whatever you want. Then just meet her on her way back down and you can get it from her.

[Todd#43]

you could always go with linux...

Yeah, I suppose I could, but I tried it once before and didn't really like it all that much.

Seriously? Dude, you can find the media anywhere (i.e. bit torrents). As for drivers, you know what hardware you have just go download the drivers from the manufacturers website. There really shouldn't be any reason you couldn't wipe it clean. Just go download everything you need before hand and you'll be good.

I'm sure that I could find everything that I need to wipe this thing and put it back to the original configuration, but that seems like an enormous waste of time. It'd probably take me longer to do that than to actually figure out what's wrong with it.

EDIT - I'll tell you what....my wife will be driving through Cbus (if you live in Cbus or near 71). You meet her on her way up, give her your stuff and I'll do whatever you want. Then just meet her on her way back down and you can get it from her.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm no where near C-bus. I'm actually in the Akron area. Thanks anyway.

[troyec001]

http://www.bbspot.com/News/2008/12/linux-on-a-potato.html