Computer Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread

[aimeeandbeatles]

All right, so I was plugging in my speakers. And it had a green plug, so I plugged it into the port with a green outline (just sized like something to plug headphones in.) On either side, there was a blue and pink hole. What are these for? A different type of speaker? (I don't remember ever using them.)

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Different line out/in. Generally, they're for when you want something like a 5-channel setup or things similar ( The Line In one is actually very useful. lets me listen to my ipod through my pc which is handy cus I dont need to hook up a separate set of speakers everytime I feel like listening to my ipod )

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Keyboard layout is specific to the application you're using... so it is possible that you've activated an alternative keyboard layout for FireFox, while Notepad remains unaffected.
[...]

Thanks for your help.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Different line out/in. Generally, they're for when you want something like a 5-channel setup or things similar ( The Line In one is actually very useful. lets me listen to my ipod through my pc which is handy cus I dont need to hook up a separate set of speakers everytime I feel like listening to my ipod )

thank you.

 

[Gelion]

Pink is for microphone, I am more than sure about that.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Pink is for microphone, I am more than sure about that.

Thanks. I was trying to figure out how to plug in my cheap 3-dollar microphone.

 

[lndm]

Blue is the standard line in, pink is the microphone in. Standard mics that have their electronics built in and produce a standard output should be connected to the blue line input.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Blue is the standard line in, pink is the microphone in. Standard mics that have their electronics built in and produce a standard output should be connected to the blue line input.

I just go by the color on the plug. Thanks anyways.

 

[PeteAtoms]

Could someone explain the advantages and disadvantages of using a portable app to me? Does a portable app use less resources than a non-portable one? Does it have less features? Does it load faster than a non-portable app?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Could someone explain the advantages and disadvantages of using a portable app to me? Does a portable app use less resources than a non-portable one? Does it have less features? Does it load faster than a non-portable app?

portable apps can be put on a USB drive and used on multiple computers without leaving anything behind. but the resources/features/etc depends on the individual program.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Portable app's are exactly that, portable. A lot of applications such as web browsers, etc, rely on being actually installed on a computer. In Windows for instance, said apps might need to have registry entries. This means that they will either lose all settings if you try to use them on another computer, or refuse to work at all. Portable apps bypass that by saving all that stuff on the flash drive. They are generally slower, although that depends on the speed of the USB port. Those apps that load once into memory only have a long startup time, while others that constantly access the HDD ( The flash drive in this case ) will be quite a bit slower.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Question about Partitions -- Suppose you have two partitions, "System and Program Files" and "Personal Files." If you have to reinstall Windows, would you lose both partitions or would the "Personal Files" stay intact? Or would it be easier just to install another HDD? (I'm making a "Todo" list for my computer. Fixing and upgrading a few things.)

 

[Turner]

It depends on how you reinstall windows. One of the options deals with partitions. You should be able to just delete the System (C partition and any other partition there be left alone. You can also delete partitions when doing the setup. But it's not an accidental thing. You have to tell it to delete the partition, then confirm it.

I've never actually tried to keep a partition on there, because at work we just use the one. But I'm pretty sure that it does not delete the partition that the OS is not being installed on.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thank you.

 

[lndm]

Also don't mix up the partitions and the filesystems therein. You can create partitions and they can stay there infinitum through reinstallations, changes of OS or anything. It is the filesystems that get altered.

Therefore (assuming all OSes have the courtesy to ask, as I think they do), unless you give permission to format (or initialise)(or "this will destroy your data") or however it is put to you, then your partitions' contents will stay intact.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thank you.

I decided to put the programs in with the system files in case a program goes funky, so it won't mess up the other one.

 

[PeteAtoms]

Portable app's are exactly that, portable. A lot of applications such as web browsers, etc, rely on being actually installed on a computer. In Windows for instance, said apps might need to have registry entries. This means that they will either lose all settings if you try to use them on another computer, or refuse to work at all. Portable apps bypass that by saving all that stuff on the flash drive. They are generally slower, although that depends on the speed of the USB port. Those apps that load once into memory only have a long startup time, while others that constantly access the HDD ( The flash drive in this case ) will be quite a bit slower.

Thanks for the good answers. My last question regarding portable app's: Is there a way to turn a portable app, into a non-portable app, that will be installed in my C: drive? (in the hopes of making it run faster?)

 

[Turner]

Copy it to your C: drive, and run it from there.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thanks for the good answers. My last question regarding portable app's: Is there a way to turn a portable app, into a non-portable app, that will be installed in my C: drive? (in the hopes of making it run faster?)

All you do is extract-and-use. I have a folder in My Documents called "Software" for portable apps. But other people put theirs into Program Files.

Another advantage of portable apps is that most of them don't write anything outside the application folder. So you don't have to go searching for files hidden in weird places.

 

[Cutlass]

Thank you.

I decided to put the programs in with the system files in case a program goes funky, so it won't mess up the other one.

When you have more than 1 partician and you reinstall windows, make certain that it goes back to the C partician.