PC problems thread

Borsuc · Unread postby **Borsuc** » 17 Dec 2008, 14:36

I have a feeling Ash's problem is because of System Restore points -- I have like 2 GB "missing" because of that. Files in the System Volume Information aren't accessible normally, that's why.

@TT: the only advice I can give is try to replace some components one by one, see if it still fails (not permanently, just temporarily, borrow something from someone

).

Asheera · Unread postby **Asheera** » 17 Dec 2008, 15:12

Borsuc wrote:I have a feeling Ash's problem is because of System Restore points -- I have like 2 GB "missing" because of that. Files in the System Volume Information aren't accessible normally, that's why.

Maybe, but I did set it to have a max size of around 700 MB... I hope after that it won't continue to lower my free space.

Also, why does it happen only when I browse the net with Firefox? (the used space increases, I mean)

Angelspit · Unread postby **Angelspit** » 17 Dec 2008, 21:03

Not really a problem, but this week I had to upgrade to IE 7 (release 6 was the standard for testing until recently) and I can't believe how long it took to:

1) Find the actual program on the Microsoft site. See for yourself, the little bastard is not even under All Products:

http://www.microsoft.com/en/us/default.aspx

2) How long it took to download the program, but maybe the server just happened to have a bad day.

3) How long it took to install it (for a second I thought I accidentally installed a whole Service Pack).

Sometimes I get the feeling Microsoft wants to kill its browser.

Asheera · Unread postby **Asheera** » 17 Dec 2008, 21:13

Why don't you try Firefox?

Borsuc · Unread postby **Borsuc** » 17 Dec 2008, 21:28

Asheera wrote:Also, why does it happen only when I browse the net with Firefox? (the used space increases, I mean)

No idea, maybe because it wants to back up your cache? Stupid recovery tool

@Angelspit: BBC News reports about new virus in IE:

Richard Cox, chief information officer of anti-spam body The Spamhaus Project and an expert on privacy and cyber security, echoed Trend Micro's warning.
"It won't be long before someone reverse engineers this exploit for more fraudulent purposes. Trend Mico's advice [of switching to an alternative web browser] is very sensible," he said.

Pol · Unread postby **Pol** » 17 Dec 2008, 22:16

Don't waste your time with IE7, not now. Jump ahead to IE8 Beta 2. It's almost as good as firefix

well, if this is a problem start from the very beginning. (Not by a Populous). Export bookmars, your setting and used addons through febe. Remove firefox and install it again. See if that is having any effect, ...it could.

ThunderTitan · Unread postby **ThunderTitan** » 18 Dec 2008, 11:12

Borsuc wrote: @TT: the only advice I can give is try to replace some components one by one, see if it still fails (not permanently, just temporarily, borrow something from someone ).

It's been like over a month since it last did it... it's too damn rare for that...

Asheera · Unread postby **Asheera** » 18 Dec 2008, 12:08

Perhaps it will happen more often until it 'dies' completely.

ThunderTitan · Unread postby **ThunderTitan** » 19 Dec 2008, 11:34

Weirdly it's been the other way around... it's gone from happening every few days, a few times one after another to once or twice a week to every now and then...

Angelspit · Unread postby **Angelspit** » 19 Dec 2008, 14:31

Asheera wrote:Why don't you try Firefox?

Well, Firefox remains my preferred browser. But at work I sometimes have to use specific versions of IE.

Asheera · Unread postby **Asheera** » 21 Dec 2008, 22:26

Hmm, I guess I found out what was "eating" my disk space: the System Restore function.

I disabled it and got all "missing" free space back, except 100 MB. Well I have no clue what are those 100 used for, but oh well...

Anyway, I enabled the System Restore again but set a limit to around 500 MB this time.

Sorry for being a noob asking about this "problem" which was actually a pretty normal thing for Win XP...

Borsuc · Unread postby **Borsuc** » 23 Dec 2008, 22:23

Asheera wrote:Hmm, I guess I found out what was "eating" my disk space: the System Restore function.

Good to know I was right

(ok now seriously, good to know it was fixed by that and not something more complicated)

Asheera wrote:Sorry for being a noob asking about this "problem" which was actually a pretty normal thing for Win XP...

I don't know maybe it's normal with Firefox, the Restore Tool shouldn't grow if you don't do anything -- I guess it was because of the cache which theoretically shouldn't get saved (it's useless), but maybe the tool is dumber than I thought.

Now my RAM just broke up -- I used MemTest86+ from a floppy to scan it, and it gave me a whole lot of errors (weirdly it gave me in alternating 1-2-1-2-1-2... bit errors)

Turns out my weird random CRC errors i experienced lately were because of this. I feel so paranoid right now, if some of my files got corrupted because of the RAM.

Now I guess I'll go and buy a new system altogether (my current one is very old motherboard, 5 years I think) as the current one won't support many things.

To be honest I'm really bad at picking motherboards (I'm more of the soft-geek type rather than the hard-geek

), so if you guys can help out I'd be less worried if stuff will be compatible or I just lost money for nothing.

What I would like (preferably):
1) RAM with ECC (error correction; yeah I became paranoid)
so the motherboard must support ECC as well...
must support DDR2 RAM in case you were wondering, if it supports DDR3 RAM it's just a bonus (for later RAM upgrade though I doubt, I plan on getting 4GB anyway)

2) A socket for Intel processor Core i7 920 (I think it's called 1366)
so the motherboard must have that socket

3) I don't really want a super high-end video card (even a GeForce 7000 series would suffice

); reason is I prefer software (CPU) power
I would prefer optimized for Nvidia though (the motherboard), preferably tell me which video cards it works with

If the motherboard has integrated video, then if it's similar to a 7000 series in power (in short, not too powerful) it would be ok.

Heck for me, I have a GeForce 5200 FX card currently and I think it's somewhat okish -- so I don't really want a high-end video card (like the 8800)

(also romanian guys here: I'm thinking of buying from mediadot. Is it reliable? I bought my current monitor 1 year back from them).

Asheera · Unread postby **Asheera** » 23 Dec 2008, 22:26

Wow such a high-performance Processor and such a bad Video Card... not a good combination IMO

Borsuc · Unread postby **Borsuc** » 23 Dec 2008, 22:37

Why not? It has 4 cores (8 with hyper-threading), so there's less need for a video card. Intel released some software graphics stuff on some pages about the i7.

I guess if I get an ultra video card the other cores will stay idle

Also video cards just use too much power for my liking (I know, not big difference on the bill but they heat more I think).

Oh and Ash, i found it with just 1000 RON (romanian currency for others) here

(that's around 370$)

Oh and I Don't Plan to Overclock Anything! just in case someone got it the wrong way...

Asheera · Unread postby **Asheera** » 23 Dec 2008, 22:55

Yeah but imagine the whole work the poor processor must handle all by itself without a decent video card...

Borsuc · Unread postby **Borsuc** » 23 Dec 2008, 22:58

I think a 7000 series is "decent". Not powerful, not high-end, just 'decent'.
Then again, if I don't use the CPU to almost it's full potential (that means all 4 cores) then why the hell would I buy it?

Asheera · Unread postby **Asheera** » 23 Dec 2008, 23:01

You do realize that overclocking is using it to its full-potential, don't you?

(don't get me wrong, I hate overclocking as well because of the high risk of damaging a component)

Borsuc · Unread postby **Borsuc** » 23 Dec 2008, 23:03

Overclocking should be used only for small periods and it makes it die faster and overheat if not cooled properly and all sorts of issues... I meant full potential without having 'health' problems

Also I added that the motherboard must support DDR2 RAM in case it wasn't obvious -- if it also supports DDR3 it's just a bonus, not required.

Yes I know about 'frequency vs latency' RAM issue -- what I do to compare two pieces of RAM is to divide the frequency by the latency -- higher result number means better performance

Pol · Unread postby **Pol** » 24 Dec 2008, 09:49

Overclocking can be used on many processors, where it was "calculated in". They were planned for, nice example pose Intel Q6600. With required cooling reserve you can go up with no risk, practically with no risk.

Get some better graphic card, if you like video compressing go with 9600gso, perhaps here will the passive version of it. At this time nvidia again waked up and it's trying to crush the ati. Just with small adjustements in this period but you know how it will be continuing. (more words, more marketings tricks and in the year 2009 new architecture, as of yet here are 55nm cards and here will be more in Q1 09, better technology worthy of waiting - means more energy savvy, longer lifespan and no new performance)

If you are going for the iCore 7 architecture it will be always DDR3, here's no possible exception. And you will be paying a lot for it. Gain isn't so high, intel's multi core architecture was able to run Crysis in 800x600, 15fps all eight true cores, not ht. So, for now, it's able to serve windows aero but not the games. Trust more to your true graphic card.

ECC isn't really necessary either, experience learned me that. Although one time I soughted for it too. A definitive solution is of course on you...

What I'm planning (Q1 09)
MSI G45M-FIDR
Intel Dual Core L775 something
2GB DDR2 RAM 800MHz Infineon (module tested already for half of year)
2x WD3200BJKT in Welland ME-240
PSU SilverStone ST45NF
ati 4830 quite likely but not decided yet, it will be from HIS in that case
Noctua NH-C12P
XP en

Peek here, to get better image of what is going to make its appearance on a new year scene. (use cz-en google translation but pictures are speaking for themselvesl) > http://tinyurl.com/9wgazb1

This is however small computer, aimed at htpc, writing drawing, composing etc.. thus it will be served in small cube case. Rogue case maybe.

Borsuc · Unread postby **Borsuc** » 24 Dec 2008, 12:30

Pol wrote:If you are going for the iCore 7 architecture it will be always DDR3, here's no possible exception. And you will be paying a lot for it. Gain isn't so high, intel's multi core architecture was able to run Crysis in 800x600, 15fps all eight true cores, not ht. So, for now, it's able to serve windows aero but not the games. Trust more to your true graphic card.

Oh damn I didn't know it only works with DDR3...
What about the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550

as for video card, I'm not really interested in playing Crysis though so probably a very high-end video card isn't really worth my bucks

Nice config Pol and a Dual Core is good too (but I want a Quad because I want to use the processor more, that's why I don't want a powerful video card too), but I have to ask anyway: what's so great about the i7 compared to other Quad Cores, apart from Hyper-Threading of course (I can't believe my current P4 processor has Hyper-Threading and the Core 2 don't)

the only reason I would have wanted an i7 is because when I'll probably need an upgrade later (and I mean... later) I won't have to replace the motherboard again. Reason is, I hate to reinstall and reconfigure everything (because of the drivers, I'll have to do it).

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