Computer Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread

[aimeeandbeatles]

Question -- I was trying to record a video with FRAPS 1.9 (which is the last freeware version), but nothing happens when I press the hotkey! (This is in Nintendulator.)

 

[lndm]

I read never to plug in a power supply unless it's connected to a mobo or dummy test. Why not?

As Genocidicbunny said, they won't start without one.....but that's not the reason.

A switch mode power supply relies implicitly on regulation of the output. When no current flows, regulation cannot take place and the supply internals can be subjected to higher voltages than intended.

98 didn't. I don't know about 2K, we had it for a few months before my mom's computer got XP, but I don't remember.

IIRC even windows 3 could align icons to a grid.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Well, I didn't find it. Must be some registry thing I didn't know about.

If anyone misunderstood, here's what I talk about: http://malektips.com/xp-desktop-align-icons-grid.html

 

[Perfection]

A switch mode power supply relies implicitly on regulation of the output. When no current flows, regulation cannot take place and the supply internals can be subjected to higher voltages than intended.

There are plenty of switch mode supplies that self regulate a constant voltage from no load to full load. I would be fairly surprised if computer power supplies wouldn't have such supplies, given the fact that peak power and standby power requirements are so different.

Do you know of any cases where this sort of failure actually occurred?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I found
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDI-16m3xwM

 

[lndm]

Do you know of any cases where this sort of failure actually occurred?

No. It's mainly an attitude, really. Engineers are supposed to provide quiescent and bleeder currents and technicians are supposed to assume these haven't been provided. At the very least this helps in case of a fault. It also provides a fundamental operating procedure framework.

peak power and standby power requirements are so different

Minimum working currents should be significantly higher than the starting currents for the regs.

 

[Till]

Question -- I was trying to record a video with FRAPS 1.9 (which is the last freeware version), but nothing happens when I press the hotkey! (This is in Nintendulator.)

1) Why aren't you using ZNES?
2) Fraps can only capture data from directx apps (afaik). Nintendulator might not employ directx.
3) Use ZNES. It even has a video and sound capture feature own its own.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

1) Why aren't you using ZNES?
2) Fraps can only capture data from directx apps (afaik). Nintendulator might not employ directx.
3) Use ZNES. It even has a video and sound capture feature own its own.

1. I've never heard of it. Thanks.
2. Okay, I understand now.
3. Thanks.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I noticed the other one's getting close to 1000 posts, so decided to make a new one. No questions yet.

 

[Aramazd]

You're supposed to wait until it gets to 1000 posts.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

A question -- I tried using a few programs to get the SMART data from my hard drive (just wondering what grinding is), but both of them couldn't detect it. HWiNFO32 could, but I dont know if it's accurate (or "garbage data") or how to read it. I have a WD 500 gig. I did try running as administrator.

EDIT: Excessive grinding was just anti-virus. I'd still like to know the SMART data, though.

A few screenshots. (I only showed one of the programs I tried, as the other two looked the same.)

Spoiler :

Another question: Unless it's doing a virus scan or copying a bunch of files from a CD something, I never hear my WD drive. Are all of them this quiet???????

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Unless the hard drive is actively loading something yes. Otoh, I cant even hear mine when it is crunching unless I put my ear right up to the case. Sound of the fans drowns out what little noise makes it past the isolation on the HDD's.
And I think that threads are allowed to get past 1000 posts now, so, best to keep that one thread. It may have some info useful to someone.

 

[Aramazd]

And I think that threads are allowed to get past 1000 posts now, so, best to keep that one thread. It may have some info useful to someone.

They are not, although the general practice is when it passes 1000 to start a new thread and have the mod lock the old one, which should be linked in the OP.

 

[Padma]

Threads in the Off Topic forum are still limited to 1000 posts. Threads here are not, necessarily. In any case, this still has at least two and a half pages of life, yet.

Moderator Action: Threads merged.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

My hard drive's light is really active, but when I open Process Monitor to see what it is, the light turns off. But as soon as I close process monitor, it starts back up again. What does this mean?

Hopefully not some malware.... I know my antivirus isn't running....

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Vista may be indexing your HDD, but as soon as you open process monitor it stops being idle and so the service temporarily pauses.
Get Process Explorer As it can show you the I/O for each process. That should help you see which one is making all the calls to the HDD.

 

[lndm]

WD drives (their standard ones) have a rep for being quiet. Just the thing for you and me

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Thanks

Vista just told me that AVG wasn't turned on, and when I went to check, AVG had this huge ugly popup at the bottom telling me to upgrade to one of their paid products. I can't find anything in the options for it. What now, other than switch to Avast or something?

 

[Synobun]

That pop-up is always there.
I ignore it.
Your AVG is still working, as the overview shows.

 

[Macha]

See the thing saying: Anti-Virus - Active. That means AVG is still running. Vista can be a bitpremature to say SVG isn't working. Also that pop up can be closed, click "hide notification".

It's also there in the paid version but there it has news of recent viruses/boasts about detection rates.