Computer Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thank you. (This is in theory, by the way -- I haven't partitioned anything yet. Or decided if I'm going to, because I may decide just to install another HDD.)

 

[Atticus]

This is weird problem, and probably I could do something to it, but don't know what, so I'll bother you with it:

I have just updated my Mozilla Firefox to the latest version (Win XP). After that whenever I shut down the browser, I also log out from places like gmail or CivFanatics. Now I'm not logged in when I restart the browser. All the option should be the same they used to be, and browser is not set to clear private data. What should I do?

 

[lndm]

Did you tick 'remember me' when you logged in? and do you have browse with cookies enabled in your board profile?

 

[Atticus]

Cookies are enabeld and stored "until they get old", and I'm pretty sure I had that box checked, but gonna test it soon to be sure.

EDIT: Yep, I had it checked, and it happened again.

 

[Mulholland]

This is weird problem, and probably I could do something to it, but don't know what, so I'll bother you with it:

I have just updated my Mozilla Firefox to the latest version (Win XP). After that whenever I shut down the browser, I also log out from places like gmail or CivFanatics. Now I'm not logged in when I restart the browser. All the option should be the same they used to be, and browser is not set to clear private data. What should I do?

Do you have the appropriate box checked under the security tab in options?.

 

[Atticus]

I think I do. There's not a wrong choosed option I can imagine could be source of this. (I'll check if I can change the language of the browser to send screenshots of the options)

EDIT: I couldn't change Firefox's language, but all seems to be correct for me. In the "encrypition"-tab I had SSL3.0 and TLS1.0 allowed, I don't know what they are, so they might cause this.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Here's probably a dumb question --

Suppose you're rebuilding your computer and you keep the HDD from your old one. Without reinstalling Windows, how would you switch the drivers around? If I'm right, sometimes if you have incompatable drivers it'll go into an endless reboot cycle or just not work.

 

[GoodGame]

Here's probably a dumb question --

Suppose you're rebuilding your computer and you keep the HDD from your old one. Without reinstalling Windows, how would you switch the drivers around? If I'm right, sometimes if you have incompatable drivers it'll go into an endless reboot cycle or just not work.

XP has some generic drivers that will boot. And presumably some drivers will be smart enough not to work if they don't discover the appropriate hardware. But for example, if the old computer was Nvidia based, and the new one was ATI-based, I suspect you might see BSODs but in the BIOS you could default to the mobo video (which would probably run off of XP), then complete the build. Video would be the main driver-specific problem. Alternatively, after BSOD, the XP would recover on reboot, but the option to run in safe mode would pop up; In safe mode you could repair the drivers, and then reboot.

 

[Cutlass]

That depends on your level of rebuild. If you have a different motherboard, then you cannot keep an old install of windows. It will not work. If you keep the motherboard and change the CPU, it may or may not work, but probably won't. If you keep the motherboard and the CPU, then you just need to install new drivers for other new equipment.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thank you.

ANOTHER EDIT: If you're replacing the mobo, would there be some way to copy all the files, registry settings, etc etc so I don't have to reinstall all the programs and copy all the files back? Sort of like cloning a HDD. I know there are programs to clone HDDs, but I don't know if it'd work. I could probably get it all onto a couple of DVDs.

 

[lndm]

I used to manually clone W98 for this purpose. Although XPs registry is split into system and user, I still think going fresh will be quicker and less painful.

You may want to have a look at the built in 'files and settings transfer wizard'.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thank you.

Anyways, I'm still making payments on this rig so I'd have to wait till it's paid off till I do anything to it. Cos they won't give you the XP CD until it's done.
Whenever I say "fresh install" I'm actually using the restore to factory settings thingy that's built into the BIOS.

I might keep my motherboard and then upgrade to a dual-core processor. And hope that works. After backing up. I'm very tired.

 

[Cutlass]

When upgrading the processor, always check the specs on the motherboard to see what it will support before making a purchase.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Yes -- I'll check that.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Can anyone tell me how to be able to print stuff from my laptop onto a desktop connected by a wireless router?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Can anyone tell me how to be able to print stuff from my laptop onto a desktop connected by a wireless router?

Are they networked? If so, there should be a sharing thingy.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Are they networked?

Not sure. Probably not.

 

[Turner]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/maintain/printers.mspx

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

If, on a computer, an HDD dies, could that cause a power supply to explode?

This happened nearly 11 years ago with an old computer with Windows 95. The hard drive died then the power supply exploded.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

If the PSU is crappy and the HDD dying causes a sudden change in draw on a rail -- maybe. But this had to have happened almost immediately. if it was the HDD dying and then a minute later the PSU blew up, it was probably just bad luck.