Is there a way to figure out what all the programs i have listed in my start up are? I can figure out what some of them are but others, I have no clue what they are. :confused:

I have very little memory on my computer and would like to shut off some of the programs I don't use.

Any help would be appreciated. :)

:D Shakey to the rescue.

Click on your "Start" button and click on "Run". When the dialog box pops up, type in "msconfig" and click on "OK". You should be presented with a window that has several tabs. One should say "Startup". Click on that one. Now just look through the list and remove the check mark from programs that you don't want to start when the system is booted. Be careful though, TC. If you are unsure, then it is best to leave it checked.

Some of the things that I clear are virus engines, Microsoft Office and general apps. These can all be started when you need them and will free up system memory. Let me know if you need any help.

Now where is Wave? I am sure that he can add to that. :)

Actually I would leave virus scanners running. I have Mcafees running on mine and it has caught DOZENS of viruses.

You can also go to Start > Programs > Startup, but there probably won't be a whole lot in there.

As Shakey said, msconfig is the best way to go. Be aware that even after you turn off certain options and reboot (windows can't seem to handle ANY changes without rebooting), some options will turn themselves back on.

I know the point you are making, Aaron and it is a good one. A virus engine can always be started manually though when you want to scan your system or a downloaded file. I usually cut most things out of startup to increase my boot time.

Here is a link, TC, that will help you identify what the items in your startup list are - Start-Up App's (http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/startup_full.htm)

As always, feel free to PM me with any questions.

Wave´s here...but you both did a good job, so I can take care of other things besides her PC...oops... :D

The only thing I´m a bit disagreeing is about the virus scanner - I suggest to keep it running. Remember (this goes out to my Tech Twin and aaron) that TC is not that experienced (when it comes to use her PC...damn, you know what I mean ;)) so she should stay on the safer side with keeping the scanner running permanently.
The trouble with insufficient system memory are not the programs which are running in the background but Windows itself - what to expect from a program which uses up to 50% of the system ressources from the start on, and won´t even clear it properly when the respective program is not running anymore?

TC, the only thing which is truly helping is to stock up on RAM. I guess that Shakey can provide you with an installation guide which will be easy to follow.
A small program which might help easing the problems with insufficent system memory is CacheMan (http://www.chip.de/downloads_updates/download_starten_77720.html?t=1014358121&v=3600) . If you want, I will e-mail it to you, it´s about 850 KB.
It´s easy to use and to set for the desired application.

Thanks for the advice, guys! :)

I am definately going to get some more RAM, either buying some new or used. 8teesbuff has some from her other comp that I may be able to use. :)

Let's see what happens..I may have to bother you all again with installing more RAM :D

Originally posted by wavemaster
TC is not that experienced (when it comes to use her PC...damn, you know what I mean ;))

Well you certainly have a way with women, don't you... :D

I'll have to agree that adding more RAM is usually the best route to go. I'm currently running 640 MB's myself. It has just been so cheap lately that it's hard not to upgrade. If you want to go the software route though, AnalogX (http://www.analogx.com/contents/news.htm) has a program called MaxMem (http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/system/maxmem.htm) that is decent and very easy to use.

Originally posted by Shakey


Well you certainly have a way with women, don't you... :D



TC is making me to act like this, I swear by the virginity of my Grandmum! :lol:
(Besides, she will punish me immediately if I don´t follow her will at once. :D)

Oh...back on topic...how much costs RAM modules currently over there? We had an all-time low just a few months before, when 128 MB (PC 133) of a No Name-brand were only about $20, now the price has doubled again.

I am going to the mall tonight to check out the prices.

Now who's going to come here and intall the memory? :D :naughty:

That sounds about par for the course, Wave. I bought two sticks (one was 128 and one was 256). I believe that the 128 MB stick was $19.99. I have noticed the price rising here also. Glad I stocked up while things were cheap.

The reason I say to keep virus scanners running is because I have found SEVERAL viruses in email attachments. I think the most CPU resources mcafees used was 10%, although I switched to Norton for various reasons.

I am using XP Pro at home... which is just ok. No further comment.

The deal is, Windows by default installs a bunch of crap into your system tray. I always turn off the scheduler, and most other things that are in there. You really don't need the monitor to adjust your resolution. Right clicking on the desktop and going to properties does that. The speaker icon isn't necessary either. Every single thing that sits in the system tray uses resources and memory. Resources are not just memory, they are CPU cycles.

Memory is starting to go up again. I'm running 384 MB in my Pentium III and my swap file is usually between 500 MB and 1 GB most of the time. 128 MB is MORE than enough for most things, but I am very demanding on my system, and even 256 MB wasn't enough for me.

Although I have never run out at 384.

I have tons of things loaded on mine all the time, but I can prioritize tasks easily, or suspend them if I need to.

Windows 98 is not good at multi-tasking or task management. NT, 2000, and XP are much better, although none are as good as Unix/Linux is.

As for memory prices, they are slightly going up. I bought my first 128 stick in 99 I think... and spent almost $100 on it. My second stick was almost a year later and was about $80. I just bought another stick late last year for $12!!!

Either way, for most people, 64 or 128 is fine if you aren't a hardcore user or gamer. My grandmother and cousin only have 32 in their machines. All they use is the web, email, and sometimes read PDF's online. That's it. For them under 98, they don't need any more memory.

I have actually seen customers computers (at my old job) with 7-10 icons in the system tray. Out of those, at least 1/2 were completely unnecessary. I don't think they understood that everything down there uses memory and CPU resources. Even if you aren't using it....<sigh>

Installing memory is SUPER EASY. Shut off the machine, crack the case open, find the existing memory, and either replace the current stick with the new, or add it in addition to. This is assuming the speeds are the same... but that's another story.

I would love to have a gig of ram, except that my motherboard won't support it (at least I don't think it will... haven't read the diagram in months) and I don't need it.

But I love watching the BIOS count the RAM! Hell that's half the reason I upgraded! :D

Now for the new problem I am having. :rolleyes:

I need to know what the mega hertz of my processer is. I went to 'my computer' and right clicked in it. I was able to view what type of processer (intel celeron) but not the mega hertz. The people who have the RAM to sell me said they need to know this in order to know if the memory they have will be compatiable with my computer.

Any idea wher I should look for this info? :D

Hey, Tc. Download this program - Show Mhz (http://www.eng.buffalo.edu/UBiquity/Software/Microsoft/WIN_95/showmhz.exe). It's small. Only 36k and it will give you the info you are after. :) If you need anything else, just give a yell.

TC, are you 'inventing' the problems to make me come over faster? :lol:

I guess that I´ve posted the link before, but for you, I will do it again (with pleasure ;)):

SiSoft Sandra (http://www.sisoftware.demon.co.uk/sandra/)

This is a very good diagnostic program which is giving you a good overview of your system, even in the free version.

Maybe I´m a bit illiterate here, but what has the processor to do with the RAM? I have always thought that this is also a matter of the mainboard, especially for older processor types, but I´m always open to learn something new. ;)
Well, I will find this out anyway...next month, when I´m going to sink an Athlon 1.4 GHz into the brand new mainboard which is installed in a brand new case... :D

I found it strange too Wave. I wonder if they were talking about bus speed instead of processor speed?

LOL. Just what TC needs. Bogie waltzing in to confuse the issue.

Sorry TC. :p

Glad to see that I wasn't the only one that found that request strange. I have never known Mhz of the CPU to be related to the RAM that goes into your system.

Originally posted by TopCat
Now for the new problem I am having. :rolleyes:

I need to know what the mega hertz of my processer is. I went to 'my computer' and right clicked in it. I was able to view what type of processer (intel celeron) but not the mega hertz. The people who have the RAM to sell me said they need to know this in order to know if the memory they have will be compatiable with my computer.

Any idea wher I should look for this info? :D

TC... this link should help you out with the speed:

http://cgi2.tky.3web.ne.jp/~nrklv/cgi-bin/softdl.cgi?wcpu30f.exe

Don't worry if it says something about japanese characters. Most of the page is in english!

WCPUID is what I use on all my machines for bus speed, overclock status, AGP speed, cache throughput, and so forth.

Just download it, run the program, and it will extract a file called "wcpuid.exe" to your hard disk. Just run that file. That will show you the speed of your machine, even processor type.

Ummmm as for compatibility, I have no clue why they would be saying that to you. Unless you have a gigahertz celeron (which are not real common today), most everybody I know with a celeron has between a 300-800 mhz CPU. My grandmother has a 300 mhz celery stick, my g/f has a 766 celeron, and my work machine is a 633 celeron. All 3 have the identical type of memory: PC133. You might get by with PC100, but since 100 and 133 are usually the same price (maybe a couple dollars difference), just go for PC133.

I would be EXTREMELY surprised if yours supports DDR or RDRAM. Perhaps the newer (as in 1 ghz and over) celery sticks use it, but none of the celerons I've seen do. For the past 2 years, including the ones I bought late last year, they all used SDRAM PC133, which is referred to as a DIMM, the type of packaging.

Just tell the guys you want PC133 SDRAM, in whatever capacity you are wanting. 128 is very common today. In fact, I haven't seen 64 MB for sale in a long time.

Now I can't say for positive your uses SDRAM, but again, the majority use that. A celeron is the same class as a Pentium 3.

As a last resort, if you have the manual that came with your motherboard (or computer that is), it should tell you.

I'm almost willing to bet money yours uses SDRAM, which is just a DIMM.

-----
Maybe I´m a bit illiterate here, but what has the processor to do with the RAM? I have always thought that this is also a matter of the mainboard, especially for older processor types, but I´m always open to learn something new. ;)
Well, I will find this out anyway...next month, when I´m going to sink an Athlon 1.4 GHz into the brand new mainboard which is installed in a brand new case...
-----

Your on the right track. The CPU does have a lot to do with RAM, since the CPU talks directly to memory on the 32-bit bus, but as for compatibility... nada.

The chipset is what determines that. Ever noticed how some chipsets will support certain types of memory, but not others? My motherboard has the Intel BX chipset and only uses SDRAM. BX won't support DDR, RDRAM, and so forth.

So when it comes to compatibility, the CPU couldn't give a rats ass what kind of memory you have, the chipset does. I will only use Intel chipsets, but my g/f has VIA in hers. Both seem to do just fine, but I am baised towards Intel.

Anyway, the answer is the chipset makes the difference, not the CPU. Some people say the motherboard is the reason. Well yes, except the fiberglass (or plastic) board doesn't care whats soldered to it, the chipset DOES care.

If the chips aren't etched with the software to support the new type of memory, it ain't gonna happen. Not only that, just so people won't try and use incorrect memory, the pinouts are usually different. Ever tried stuffing 72-pin into DIMM sockets? Doesn't happen. DIMMs are 168 pin and keyed.

Ok that's the techie answer for now. :)

Originally posted by Shakey
Glad to see that I wasn't the only one that found that request strange. I have never known Mhz of the CPU to be related to the RAM that goes into your system.

It most certainly does. Most system buses today are 100 or 133 mhz. Of course others are faster or slower.

Mine is an 800 mhz with a 100 bus at 8x clock doubling. Well, that means the bus (memory, data, address) runs at 100 mhz.

If you buy PC66 memory, you CAN overclock it, but its not designed to run at 100 mhz, thus you can lock up. I have PC100 and PC133 mixed in mine. That's fine because you can run memory slower than its rated speed. You can even overclock it, but cheap memory won't overclock much.

Well, if you have a gigahertz cpu and the bus is set to 133 mhz, you really need 133 memory. If you have 100 mhz memory, you MIGHT be able to safely overclock it to 133, but there are no guarantees it will work.

That's why it is sometimes asked. Realistically, most memory today is PC133, so even if you are running a 66 or 100 bus, the lower speed will work just fine, unless your motherboard specifically says to not use that slower memory. I've seen a few that do.

So that's the reason. If you have your CPU set to use a 133 mhz bus, but your memory is only PC100, it might very well not work.

Perhaps you were thinking that the overall CPU speed makes the difference? It's the bus speed, not the CPU speed. Hell you could possibly even clock a 500 mhz CPU to 800 mhz just by adjusting the jumpers to 8x, as long as you leave the bus as is and have adequate cooling.

Can you tell I'm an overclocker? :D

UGH!!! I am really confused now! :goofy:
(more so since Bogie posted-hehe, j/k)

All I know is the guy told me in order to know if the memory he has will work in my computer he needs to know the mhz of my processer. I DL what Shakey posted and it gave me a reading of, 768 mhz.

You ALL have been a great help! I am starting to catch on to this! :p

Now, I have this problem with my stereo....I need a tech slut for this! :naughty:

Topcat... just tell the guy you want PC133 SDRAM (or PC133 DIMMs, they are the same thing).

If he asks capacity, 128 mb should be plenty for you. I personally wouldn't bother with 256. When I was using Windows 98, I went from 128 to 256 and saw ZERO performance increase. Windows has really bad at memory management, so unless you have extra $$ to spend, a single 128 stick should be enough. That coupled with what you have.

You have a Celeron (or celery stick as I call it) 766 cpu, probably with a 66 mhz bus. This is probably the exact same chip as my ball and chain has. (she loves it when I call her that)

I just put a single 128 mb stick of PC133 memory in her machine and it works fine. Even though your bus is very highly likely running at 66 mhz (Celerons only recently started going to 100 and above bus), PC100 or PC133 will probably work fine. The speeds are backwards compatible.

So that's what I would ask for. Just pick up another stick of 128 MB PC133 SDRAM. You should have at least 1 free memory slot (maybe more). Open your computer case, look for other existing memory stick, and you should see other free slots. Obviously turn the machine off first. :D

Plug it in, hit the power switch, done.

Simple as that.

Oh and BTW... I wouldn't pay more than probably $50 for the stick. On pricewatch you can get Micron brand (which is one of the absolute best) 128 mb for about $30 + shipping, so I would definitely look for under $50. Obviously generic is cheaper.

If you need more pointers, just ask.

Sometimes I pretend to know what I'm talking about. :lol:

WOW! That's awesome advice, Aaron! I am goimg to print your post and take it with me. Maybe I will be able to seem as smart as you? --LOL :p

These directions are for Windows XP Home Edition. (What I have.) I don't know how well these will help you, but I know that in order to find all of your programs on Windows 95 and 98 it is similar to this.

1.) Go to Windows Explorer. To do this, click on "Start" and then go to "Search."

2.) Once you have found Windows Explorer, click on where it says "My Computer" on the left side of the screen.

3.) After you click on "My Computer," some subcategories will pop up under that. Click on the one for the C:\ drive.

4.) By clicking on the C:\ drive, you will see more subcategories. Click on the one that says "Program Files." This will show you all of the programs installed on your computer.

If you want to check to see how much available space is on your computer, all you have to do is right-click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop and click on "Properties," and then click on the "General" tab. This will tell you the size of your hard drive in bytes, as well as the size on the hard drive. Hope this helps! :cool:

Aaron, thanks for clearing that up - I had a dim thought that the chipset of the mainboard is actually determining what kind of memory you have to use for your system, but I didn´t found the right words. You have explained it very well.

In Germany, it´s almost impossible to find any PC-100 sticks anymore - before they had vanished out of the computer stores, the difference in price between the 100 and 133 was only $1-2, so I guess that the dealers didn´t bothered with the 'slower' ones anymore. Personally, I think that the whole ado the manufacturers make about SDRAM, DDRAM and so on a bit ridiculous, but okay, I´m not in the marketing biz. ;)

Unless you are not working seriously with programs which are dealing with graphics, audio and video, you are right - more than 128 MB are not really needed.
I can dimly recall a line from the instruction manual of Photoshop which said "it is recommended to use about seven times of the normal amount of system memory to make PS running properly"...okay, back then when I had noticed this (Version 4.0), you were the king with 64 MB. Since 128 MB sticks were fairly new and expensive, probably only hardcore-freaks had pumped up their machines to 384 MB. :D

For TC...another addition: some boards do have problems with mixed sticks of speed rate or memory size (probably even the brand seems to be a problem), at least my stone age Tekram board is a bit prissy about it. If this occurs (you will notice it when the memory test is running and you are missing some RAM which should be clocked up as well), restart the engine, hit 'DEL' on your keyboard to get access to the BIOS settings. Don´t change anything, just go to "Save changes and Exit" and hit 'y'. Usually, the system should detect the complete system memory now. Of cousre, make sure that the memory stick is inserted properly in the slot - sounds funny, but I had made the mistake often enough. ;)

Hi, Kitty! :D

I don't want to interrupt this wise technological conversation, but reading all these emails maybe you're now more lost than in the beginning... :D
I just wanted to give you a small and easy solution for your start-up problems; just a little program which easily allows you to see & modify registry, startup, uninstall list and so on...
It's easy to use, takes only 1 Mb of HD space and is FREE... so mi advice is to try it (if you're not convinced... just uninstall it).

http://www.verkkotieto.fi/jv16/programs/RegCleaner.exe

Of course, increasing your RAM is a better solution... and to buy a new PC is even better! :lol:

Originally posted by *Snowflake*
These directions are for Windows XP Home Edition. (What I have.) I don't know how well these will help you, but I know that in order to find all of your programs on Windows 95 and 98 it is similar to this.


You are very close snowflake! I have used all of the Windows variants at some point, and they are all strikingly similar.

The layout for XP Home and Pro isn't *identical* to 98, but its so close that its hard to get lost. My g/f isn't technical at all and she can find her way around.

Chance are if you show someone how to do something in XP, the instructions are either the same or very close for 98, and even vice-versa.

Good pointers snow!

Wavey...

You are so right! I remember back in the day of 128K being a lot of memory, so now have 128 MEG is phenominal! Doom came out wanting 4 MB, but technically it wanted 3.7 to run.

It's damn near impossible to find a NEW machine with less than 64 MB of memory. It is so cheap now. I originally spent close to $200 to get 256 MB. This was back when it was constantly fluctuating in price. One day it was $100, the next day $90.

I don't think PC100 memory is still made, but you can still buy it in many places. The deal is, PC133 does the same thing (albeit faster), and in most cases, the cost is the same. The last time I shopped for memory, I think there was literally a $2 difference between 100 and 133. I mean... why not just spend $2 more??

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if many companies don't even stock PC100 anymore. It's not super outdated, but it is getting rather old since bus speeds of 133 have been getting more and more common since 2000. My motherboard can handle it, but when I was upgrading, my motherboard, CPU, and memory totalled more than I wanted to spend, so I kept my PC100 memory, and bought a Pentium III 800 with a 100 bus. Cost about $10 extra for a slower bus (you tell me why??), but it was more cost effective.

Look at AGP... that was just starting to come out in 1997, and today the ONLY new motherboards I've seen that often do not include AGP are server boards. The SCSI boards that my brother uses for servers usually do not have it. I mean, why would you want high performance graphics on a server????

You can still find new PCI video cards, but since AGP have more than taken over, AGP is often cheaper. And oh boy... can you tell a difference! Even with AGP 1 with a 66 mhz bus.

Anyhow, as for memory requirements, the average user can get by with 128 MB. I only know a handful of power users, and most have at least 256.

I have 384 in mine running XP Pro and often have 2-4 internet exploder windows open, icq, kazaa, zonealarm, mcafees virus scan, smartftp, photoshop, textpad, winamp, media player, and possibly other windows. My grandparents, parents, cousin, and other family members mostly have 64 or less. For what they do, that is plenty. It all depends on what you do.

If you cannot afford more memory, the next closest thing to do is to increase your swap file size. Sometimes I take it over so winblows doesn't manage it. I have used a gigabyte for swap before, and noticed a little better performance with low memory.

Although virtual memory is slower than real memory, but its also cheaper and in more quantity.

Final note... you are right wavemaster about some boards have problems mixing memory types. However, the vast majority of mainstream motherboards (Asus, Abit, Intel, Shuttle, Gigabyte, Tyan, and so forth) have no problems mixing them. Unless you get some cheap ass generic memory (I mean really crappy!), you can mix PC100, PC133, and so forth (assuming your bus is the lower speed) with different brands.

Only some do though. Some proprietary (Compaq, HP, Dell) systems are real picky, but just about anything mainstream will let you mix speeds (again assuming the bus is running at the slowest speed) and capacities. I have 128 and 256 mixed in mine with no problems.

If ever in doubt... check your manual!

I meant to write this in my last message and forgot. To wave and anybody else that needs advice, reviews, information, and so forth, I have a couple of web sites that have been outstanding for giving me input.

In fact, my motherboard, video card, and faster hard disk I bought strictly because of excellent reviews. The reviewer was dead on with the performance.

www.tomshardware.com -- outstanding advice, reviews, overclocking information, and more
www.anandtech.com -- almost as good as tomshardware, lots of excellent reviews
www.gotapex.com -- fairly good, I bought my asus motherboard from their recommendation and I love it

So if you need input about hardware, or are curious how good it really is, check into those web sites.

Hey, Wave. Tried to PM you, but your box is full. Did you get the two CD's I sent to you?

Just barging in as usual :D
Instead of downloading different apps to tweak/run diagnostics on a cpu (especially if u're beginner), I'd advice someone like TC to simply click "start" & "run..." type: dxdiag
& there's all your system info. You can even run some small tests to see what's working allright and what's not...:)

Originally posted by 80sSmurf
Just barging in as usual :D
Instead of downloading different apps to tweak/run diagnostics on a cpu (especially if u're beginner), I'd advice someone like TC to simply click "start" & "run..." type: dxdiag
& there's all your system info. You can even run some small tests to see what's working allright and what's not...:)

OMFG!!! I did that and it worked!! Smurf you ROCK!! {{HUGS}}
It's all there and than some! :p

Originally posted by 80sSmurf
Just barging in as usual :D
Instead of downloading different apps to tweak/run diagnostics on a cpu (especially if u're beginner), I'd advice someone like TC to simply click "start" & "run..." type: dxdiag
& there's all your system info. You can even run some small tests to see what's working allright and what's not...:)

Well I suppose you have that option too, except DXDIAG is only if you have DirectX installed, and DirectX is not standard installation software. XP does, but Windows 95/98 don't.

Also, DXDIAG does not give you all the information of a full diagnostics program. In fact, I only see cpu speed and memory listed in there.

If you want to know your bus speed, clock multiplier, how much cache you have, or whatever, it won't tell you that. If someone asks you the chipset you have (because not all memory works with all chipsets), DXDIAG won't tell you that either.

And if someone doesn't have DirectX installed, perhaps they aren't a gamer, DXDIAG won't work.

Windows 95/98 doesn't have any built-in programs that do all of this, only third party. Even the My Computer property sheet only shows you CPU class and memory.

Not trying to rain on your parade though. DXDIAG is strictly a DirectX utility to show what libraries are installed, the hardware information is just part of the system configuration applet.

That is why we suggested third party utilities.

I guess if DXDIAG works in telling you what you need to know. For me it doesn't, but to each his own.

Hi Aaron :)
I know what dxdiag can & can't do, but I remembered from old times (last summer) that TC had some games installed, so I figured this would be the easiest solution for her.
All the talk about caches, ram, fsb, chipsets etc. probably just confused her (I know it confuses my girlfriend when I start yapping)...

If anyone in here felt degraded (is that proper english) because of my post, let me just say that was NEVER my intention, I just wanted to simplify something for a fellow Xchanger...
:) My sincerest apologies to anyone who felt stepped on :)

Whoops...clicked send too soon.

Another point I forgot to mention... Smurf, you mentioned that dxdiag lets you run small tests. Yes, you are correct. The *only* tests it runs are DirectX tests, to make sure the plotting, painting, 3D, sound, etc all work. It does not run any diagnostics unrelated to DirectX.

Therefore, it does not extensively test. I won't want to give someone false hopes that this utility will let them diagnose their machine completely. It does not. DirectX is ONLY for graphics, such as games, but my video capture card does use it. It will not run full system diagnostics, therefore, I would not rely on it.

In a sense, you are right, you can see what it working as far as DirectDraw, Direct3D, DirectSound, and so forth, but that's it. You cannot run other hardware tests (like memory, hard disk, etc).

So in a nutshell, DXDIAG is *very* limited on what it can test, and it only tests what DirectX was mean for: graphics drawing capabilities and its own sound system. That's about it.

Just a heads up.... :)

Originally posted by 80sSmurf
Hi Aaron :)
I know what dxdiag can & can't do, but I remembered from old times (last summer) that TC had some games installed, so I figured this would be the easiest solution for her.
All the talk about caches, ram, fsb, chipsets etc. probably just confused her (I know it confuses my girlfriend when I start yapping)...

If anyone in here felt degraded (is that proper english) because of my post, let me just say that was NEVER my intention, I just wanted to simplify something for a fellow Xchanger...
:) My sincerest apologies to anyone who felt stepped on :)

Nope... not at all. I didn't take any of that personally or like you were degrading anybody.

I only said what I did because DirectX is not a standard install, and not everybody has it, and also because it is VERY limited on what it can do.

I didn't take offense to anything you said...not a word...

:)

I think that with all informations and solutions we had provided for TC, she will tell us next time how to do it... :lol:

In fact, I have also learned a lot here. Guess that it´s time for a new thread in the Suggestion Box... ;)

That might not be a bad idea. For about 6 months (maybe longer) I was helping out on a free tech support message board. It was going fine for a long time, except there were a LOT, and I mean a LOT of REALLY bad techs in there. Bad advice, people who thought they knew what they were talking about, and so forth.

I gave that up almost a year ago. I still try and help out once in a while, but as for full time teching... hell no.

For a few months I hung around undernet computers, but I burned out on that after a while too.

A column titled "The damn things broke! How do I fix it?" would be pretty good! :)

Good suggestion! :thumb:

Originally posted by aaronw
For a few months I hung around undernet computers, but I burned out on that after a while too.

That wouldn't have been computing.net (http://www.computing.net) would it? I used to like that site, but it started getting to many people posting crap on the boards that was either wrong or argumentative.

LOL@Shakey. :D

Originally posted by Shakey


That wouldn't have been computing.net (http://www.computing.net) would it? I used to like that site, but it started getting to many people posting crap on the boards that was either wrong or argumentative.

Nope. It was undernet #computers. In a nutshell, CabDriver (who often thinks he owns the channel) REALLY pissed me off one day about 5 years ago. I found out from someone else he pisses a lot of people off. He's a real A.H.

The other person was DaniE, who I found out is a bitch. Ever since I had a run in with them years ago, I never went back. I don't think DaniE is there anymore, but I think Cab still is.

The message board I was talking about was "ask-a-tech.org", but the message board has been DEAD for months.

That board was filled with so many incompetent techs. I helped out for about 6 months, then quit going back.

I think what set me off with many of the techs is several had an A+ (which doesn't prove a thing, it only proved you memorized a book and passed a test) and were giving advice. At least 95% of the answers there were wrong. I had one chick arguing with me over a bunch of answers she was giving. I finally said "how long have you been at this?" She had 4 years of experience. I had 16 years (at the time). Hmmmm.

Then another guy attacked me basically saying I thought I knew it all, and I clearly don't know how to work with computers, and said that anytime I need real teching, ask him... sincerely, A+, CNE, MCSE, Novell, etc...

I quit shortly after. People can't stand to be corrected. The deal is, I could prove I was right, none of them could.

Those certifications never meant squat to me. I recall where I used to work, none of us had any certifications. We got a call from an MCSE once who didn't know how to set up a network, and he blamed our software for the network problems. The ultimate problem? The hub was bad. But oh my god, he was an MCSE and he KNEW all about computers! :lol:

Certifications don't prove a thing. Hands on experience does.

I'm happy to give help, and I've been proved wrong many times, but my god... don't take offense to it. We can all learn something from each other.

Originally posted by aaronw
We can all learn something from each other.

Couldn't agree more. In my opinion the two best ways to learn are to listen and to read, read, read...

Boy Shakey... you weren't kidding about computing.net being full of bad advice.

I skimmed over the DOS section and I can't believe how stupid some of the answers people give are.

I wonder how many people just make up an answer.... :rolleyes:

Yup. If someone knew what they were doing, then they could find some decent tips there. But! If a total newbie were to take probably 75-80% of that advice, they would wind up completely hosing their system.

<------ GOT RAMMED!! 128x's :eek:

I even installed it myself! :p (thank God for butter knives--:rolleyes: )

WHOO HOOO!!:lol:

Originally posted by TopCat
<------ GOT RAMMED!! 128x's :eek:

I even installed it myself! :p (thank God for butter knives--:rolleyes: )

WHOO HOOO!!:lol:

I told you it was easy! :)

Originally posted by TopCat
<------ GOT RAMMED!! 128x's :eek:

I even installed it myself! :p (thank God for butter knives--:rolleyes: )

WHOO HOOO!!:lol:

One moment...you got RAMMED...without me??? :cry: :lol:

Congratulations - your first step to usurpate the throne hold by Shakey and aaronw. ;)
Seriously...I´m glad to hear it worked well for you.

Now...come over, and I`ll give you even more RAM... :p

Originally posted by TopCat
<------ GOT RAMMED!! 128x's :eek:


You're such a perv. :D Good deal though. Should help out with some of the issues you been having.

Originally posted by wavemaster


One moment...you got RAMMED...without me??? :cry: :lol:

Congratulations - your first step to usurpate the throne hold by Shakey and aaronw. ;)
Seriously...I´m glad to hear it worked well for you.

Now...come over, and I`ll give you even more RAM... :p

:lol: He is so bad! I am on my way! :naughty:

A big, THANK YOU!! to everyone who helped! (except Bogie, who tried to confuse me even more! --LOL :p)