Recent content by RobertMcDonald

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    Computer failure: garbled screen

    As a picture is worth a thousand words, and thus a video must be worth millions, here is a video of my computer having its recent issue. During this video, the problem mysteriously clears up for no apparent reason and hasn't completely returned since...
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    Computer failure: garbled screen

    My computer two days ago very suddenly went totally haywire and I?m at a loss to figure out why. It started with some strange, vertical lines appearing when I was browsing the internet. Then weird lines ended up all over my screen and things started looking garbled and my computer BSOD?d and...
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    New system won't turn on

    Well, looks like that was it. I am so embarrassed. I could blame my case's crappy manual, but it's still my fault for not researching enough to know how to do it. :)
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    New system won't turn on

    :o OMG, I feel like such an idiot. I'll have to give this a try. I haven't broken anything by using the regular screws, have I?
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    New system won't turn on

    My technical ability is rather low. It consists of knowing what things to plug in and how to operate a screwdriver. :) Regarding the "PWR SW" and similar cables, my wife and I deduced from the "+ / - " wires which of the colored wires (one is colored, one is white) is supposed to go on which...
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    New system won't turn on

    Actually, I have some screw-like things that came with my case that look like that. I wasn't sure what they were for. Was I supposed to use those instead of regular screws to attach my motherboard to my case? :o I don't recall using such a thing on my last computer, but I was "recycling" my...
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    New system won't turn on

    "Standoffs?" I've been told it's also somewhat odd that absolutely nothing happens when I press the power button?that it seems as if it's unplugged for all the effect it has. FWIW.
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    New system won't turn on

    I just built myself a new system with the following parts from Newegg.com... GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Intel Core 2 Duo E7300 Wolfdale 2.66GHz LGA 775 Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E7300 - Retail SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model...
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    Mobo for Brisbane A64X2?

    This is ultimately my wife's budget computer. My computer--whenever I can afford to make it--will be a Core 2 Duo E6750, a 9600GT, and Vista Home Premium (among other things). It will be a ground-up system. This is basically a band-aid for me until I can build myself a new computer. If I could...
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    Mobo for Brisbane A64X2?

    Yeah, I kinda wanted the Firewire. I've got a Firewire CompactFlash card reader I'd like to use without finding an old PCI Firewire card that my brother thinks I still have. :) Also, how is Biostar as a brand? Their Newegg ratings (FWIW) don't seem to be as good as ASUS or Gigabyte seem to get.
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    Mobo for Brisbane A64X2?

    I'm thinking of gutting my current computer because of some issues I'm having with it. I'm going to replace my processor, memory, video card, and (maybe) power supply. Eventually, I'm going to build myself a Core 2 Duo system and turn this one over to my wife to be her WoW computer (rather than...
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    Toshiba recovery discs? (For looping restart problem.)

    Here's the situation: my wife's laptop, a Toshiba Satellite M55-S3292, isn't able to boot into Windows XP. I think the XP install is toast since it won't stop rebooting when it tries to launch Windows, whether she tries to boot up normally, go into Safe Mode, or use Last Known Good...
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    Understanding memory usage (and Vista)

    So I'm not completely crazy. :)
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    Understanding memory usage (and Vista)

    In Vista the "PF usage" graph has been replaced by a memory usage one.
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    Understanding memory usage (and Vista)

    But would this not be considered "free" RAM by Vista? Actually, all memory management kinda confuses me. :) I don't know much about the "nuts and bolts" of how computers work beyond how it tends to affect things. (Games need video cards so the processor doesn't have to do that work. Computers...