Computer Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread

[RoboPig]

How do you activate the number keypad on an Inspiron 1520? I'm trying to activate cheat mode in EU3, and I need to hold down ALT+ 21. It doesn't seem to work with the other number keys. Please help me CFCers!

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Do you have NUM LOCK? I think that does something. Can't remember if it has to be turned on or off.

 

[RoboPig]

Do you have NUM LOCK? I think that does something. Can't remember if it has to be turned on or off.

It does nothing. If I hold down Alt+21 when the NUMLOCK light is on the cheat mode is not activated, if I hold down the NUMLOCK key while I hit Alt+21 nothing happens either.

EDIT: Nevermind, it works by holding down Alt+Fn+KJ

 

[lndm]

Yeah, if WBC is disabled, and you aren't actively writing to the drive, there's no danger from just yanking it.

Had a feeling that's what you meant

Is "scan and fix" gonna screw anything up? If I'm not in a rush to use it I can do that before ignoring it.

Maybe, maybe not, but my moneys on maybe not. As aimee suggests it might be holding a grudge. In other words, this reminds me of how windows does a scandisk when you don't shut it down properly. Often there are no errors and when there are they aren't always critical. Still, it is the "proper" thing to do.

 

[LucyDuke]

I figure the worst thing that'll happen is I'll have to reformat it. The stuff is always redundant so at most I'll have to copy it again.

 

[lndm]

It's sad, really.

A person should have a "healthy" or "resolved" paranoia about the integrity of their file systems. They should simply be aware of their condition and deal with them logically. This can only come with understanding.

It seems that since windows 98 and the improper shutdown scandisk behaviour (and others) and the public interpretation of the attitude behind them, many people seem to have fears, uncertainty and doubts about their systems. It's a means to an end that's more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Ulyaoth]

What's this Window's genuine popup that keeps turning up when I turn on my computer. It's asking me to activate my windows copy on them, I get the feeling it's a scam but I don't see how or why I would have gotten any kind of spyware already on my new computer.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

this?

http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/...windows-genuine-advantage-notifications-tool/

personally, I've never had trouble with the WGA. It lets you get downloads from the MS site, too.

Question: Sometimes when doing a virus scan (which is the only time I even hear the drive), the hard drive will make an "electronic buzzing" for about 1 second then continue on with the grinding. The computer doesn't freeze. What would the arm/head be doing just then? (I know it's not a failure, just curious.)

Another one: My mom got this spray stuff and a microfiber cloth for LCD screens. How safe is it? For the screen, I mean.

 

[Ulyaoth]

Oh, so it is from Windows. Still, WTH, I've never gotten that before, and I have a legit copy of windows, pricks.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I think it sneaks in as a Windows Update.

 

[Zelig]

Oh, so it is from Windows. Still, WTH, I've never gotten that before, and I have a legit copy of windows, pricks.

If it's a new computer, you need to activate your copy of Windows.

 

[Ulyaoth]

I did, that crap still came up.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Maybe it didn't activate right (e.g. wrong key, happens a bit even if you think you typed it right). can't hurt to try again.

Or maybe you got a fake copy of Windows. Where did you buy the computer?

 

[Ulyaoth]

I put it together myself and used a copy of windows XP I'd been using for years.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

You had it on another computer? Whenever my mom reinstalls, she has to call MS to activate her XP. Maybe that's it there.

question of my own: Is it common to call a low-level formatting "zeroing the drive"?

 

[lndm]

@Ulyaoth: As far as I know, ms install genuine advantage to confirm the legitimacy of windows before doing updates. It only comes to the front during startup when there's a problem, like using the old cracked version. Since you're legitimate, you would need to go along with it to validate windows.

I agree that it's a PITA.

@aimee: The term 'zeroing' can generally mean resetting. I'd be concerned it would get confused with writing zeroes to the drive.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

@aimee: The term 'zeroing' can generally mean resetting. I'd be concerned it would get confused with writing zeroes to the drive.

In some cases it can quite literally mean putting all 0's on the drive.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

That's what I meant by a low-level format, which I read overwrites everything with 0's.

What's it called when two physical drives are combined into one logical one? I'm thinking something to do with RAID but I'm probably confusing myself.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

JBOD -- Just a Bunch Of Disks

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I googled it and got this:
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/perf/raid/levels/jbod.htm

Thanks.