Computer Geeks Needed!

Super Gamemaster

Location: Lurking Amongst the Forums

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 8:41pm

Quoted from "Chaotique;561774"

Really?!?!?

I got a LOT of neat things on here! Just a few things I picked up here and there but they are neat things. It's gonna wipe everything down to zilch??? I guess I need to start making a list. What about my files? I got pictures of my kids and grandkids on this... and videos from my shooting events (yeah... a gal with guns... gotta love firearms), Fourth of July's and stuff like that there.

If you have an external HDD available, or another computer on the same network, you can copy your documents, files, pictures and whatnot to the HDD or other computer before formatting the drive on the Gateway and installing Windows 7.

The part that's gonna be the worst... is that my computer knows my passwords. Having my PayPal account hacked a few years ago taught me to NOT use the same password for everything. I use about six different ones... this little computer has remembered them all. I guess I'm gonna be doing a lot of, "I Forgot my Password" clicking.

That's part of what your web browser does for you. For example, I use Opera v12. Previous versions of Opera called this the "Wand" feature. Later versions automate logins somewhat more, but the information is still stored in the Opera data folder (in Vista and Windows 7, under the main Users folder) in a file named "wand.dat". If you're using Firefox or Chrome, that information may be stored in a different place. Even so, you can still copy entire folders to that external HDD and re-import them at a later date.

And no... I won't be asking the brother-in-law for help. He's the one that got me into this mess to begin with. He had his chance. I am not a very forgiving soul. His F-up just cost me $200... he touches this computer again I'll break his fingers. I'll do this myself.

Lol. You may need to find someone else local to you to help out if you don't want the evil BIL to touch your computer again.

Quoted from "Chaotique;561776"

Computer:
Gateway 4300-6 4000983

This is the Gateway model number. It designates a 6-bay tower system, though I was unable to unearth information about your specific system (4000983). But the basic info on the E4300-6 should be sufficient.

Processor:
3.00 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
16 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
Hyper-threaded (2 total)

Main Circuit Board:
Board: Intel Corporation D915GUX AAC85199-202
Bus Clock: 800 megahertz
BIOS: Intel Corp. SE91510J.15A.1990.2004.1116.0948 11/16/2004

This is the system board information.

Display:
ATI Radeon X300/X550/X1050 Series [Display adapter]
ATI Radeon X300/X550/X1050 Series Secondary [Display adapter]
DELL E773c [Monitor] (15.7"vis, s/n XX-064180-XXXXX-3CM-03AR, December 2003)

This is the video card model range that's installed in your computer. Kind of iffy for playing RoM. The good news is that it's a PCIe X16 video card that can be replaced with a newer and more capable model. But then, that costs extra bucks.

I have no idea what half of this means... but this is what I got.

You do now. Sort of.

Questions that I have include the kind or version of system RAM modules that are installed in your machine. General information on the Gateway E-4300 series computers shows either 400Mhz or 533 Mhz SDRAM modules, and I don't know which are in your machine.

If there's a local PC repair place that you trust--trust more than your BIL, that is--it might be a good idea to take the machine to them. Explain the problem(s), and see if they can offer options and/or assistance in saving your existing files and data, along with installing a properly legal copy of Windows 7 on your machine. They should also be able to determine the type of system RAM that your machine uses and install up to 4GB of it. The 1GB that you have is not going to be enough.

Please do keep me informed as to what you end up doing.

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Chaotique

Trainee

Posts: 70

22

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 8:44pm

Compatability thingy says I can upgrade to a 32 bit Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate.

It even suggests and gives me a sute for Gateway help on getting it on my computer.

Once again you have helped and pulled my sit-upon out of the fire on technical stuff. I never thought of looking for a compatability checker. Didn't even know they made that.

Back when I was a kid... computers filled whole rooms... now they are smaller than books. We had rotary telephones... now we have little bitty mobile phones that look a LOT like Captain Kirk's Communicator... and the video phone that the Jetson's used... well... we got those too on our comouters. Pong was the coolest game ever and that came out when I was in my late teens.
Things certainly have come a long long way. I'm not sure if I like being drug into the future so darn roughly. It sure is more convenient... and fun... but if you have told me a few decades ago that I'd be actually WORKING on a computer... I'd have laughed in your face. Me... working on a computer... makes me feel kinda smart.

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Inferiority

Professional

Posts: 1,062

Location: Scotland

Occupation: Educator

23

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 8:57pm

Quoted from "Chaotique;561774"

The part that's gonna be the worst... is that my computer knows my passwords. Having my PayPal account hacked a few years ago taught me to NOT use the same password for everything. I use about six different ones... this little computer has remembered them all. I guess I'm gonna be doing a lot of, "I Forgot my Password" clicking.

Firefox has an addon available that can export you usernames and passwords to a file & re-import them later. Remember to export your bookmarks too

There is a tool available for Chrome to do this too, but i never had any success with it.
I don't know how Internet Explorer or Opera does it. In fact, I think you can't do it with IE...
You could always go through the "Show Passwords" option in your browser settings and write them all down, but I think IE won't let you see them...

I keep a separate list of all my passwords in an encrypted spreadsheet on an encrypted Truecrypt volume. That way, I only have to remember 2 passwords.

Quoted from "Chaotique;561782"

So... I guess my next question is... is there a way to put or compress all my personal crap into a zip file or am I going to have to buy a half million discs and spend the better part of Moses' lifetime downloading to them?

An external USB HDD would really suit you right now.

Another option would be to shrink your Windows partition and make a new one for Windows 7 but that's a lengthy process and not really suited for a non-technically minded person.

Quoted from "Chaotique;561782"

And please tell me that I-tunes remembers what music I have bought.

Yes, it does. In fact, if you backup your entire iTunes folder and then put it back on the new Windows, iTunes should just look exactly the same as it does for you right now.

Inferiority Complex - Original wearer of the Snow Combat Drum!
Mage/Priest on Erebos // Warrior/Rogue (and millions of alts) on Aurora & Agenor
http://romhiddenquests.ml/ // RoM Client & Patches Manual Download
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Slaphappy03

Trainee

Posts: 137

24

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 9:18pm

Quoted from "Chaotique;561774"

Really?!?!?

I got a LOT of neat things on here! Just a few things I picked up here and there but they are neat things. It's gonna wipe everything down to zilch??? I guess I need to start making a list. What about my files? I got pictures of my kids and grandkids on this... and videos from my shooting events (yeah... a gal with guns... gotta love firearms), Fourth of July's and stuff like that there.

The part that's gonna be the worst... is that my computer knows my passwords. Having my PayPal account hacked a few years ago taught me to NOT use the same password for everything. I use about six different ones... this little computer has remembered them all. I guess I'm gonna be doing a lot of, "I Forgot my Password" clicking.

And no... I won't be asking the brother-in-law for help. He's the one that got me into this mess to begin with. He had his chance. I am not a very forgiving soul. His F-up just cost me $200... he touches this computer again I'll break his fingers. I'll do this myself.

Use this for passwords.
http://keepass.info/

This helps me remember my passwords and it is encrypted and the file can be exported. I have been in IT for over 6 Years and enjoy helping out when i can.

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Chaotique

Trainee

Posts: 70

25

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 9:21pm

Quoted from "Kalvan;561783"

Questions that I have include the kind or version of system RAM modules that are installed in your machine. General information on the Gateway E-4300 series computers shows either 400Mhz or 533 Mhz SDRAM modules, and I don't know which are in your machine.

Oh... those are going in the trash. There's TWO stupid little RAM thingys that make up the 1G RAM memory.

Amazon has 1G sticks for an E 4300 that I'll be ordering tomorrow for $15 to $20 each. That Belarc Advisor says I have 4 slots... I'm thinking of just getting 4 of those 1G sticks. Maybe it won't take me forever to move in the Vanaras anymore. It took me darned near the better part of an hour to do ten dailies last night and I had all the crap. All I had to do was go from the darned board to the person... same side of the city. Did I mention that as well as not being very forgiving I have zero patience? The only thing that kept me from putting a hammer through the screen was the thought that I will be upgrading and the thought of, "This too shall pass." or... "All bleeding stops... eventually." Tale your pick.

Runs with scissors and doesn't play well with others. But for some reason I have friends... go figure.

I keep thinking that Nerf needs to make computers so that when our real ones mess up... we can take out aggression out on the soft gooshy ones. At least they won't break when you throw them against a wall.

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Chaotique

Trainee

Posts: 70

26

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 9:43pm

No... there is only this computer... no others. I had bought a brand new secondary hard drive for the other PC and had never used it but the brother-in-law said this computer wouldn't read it so I can't even slip my stuff into that while Windows wipes this one clean.

I am thinking that this winter when Wally World has it's X-mas Layaway... I ought to just get one of their cheapy little laptops. That would save a lot of grief.

This is sounding more and more like my car.

I have a 1979 Pontiac Bonneville Landau Coupe that gets a whole 12 miles to the gallon.

In the first two years I had it... I was replacing parts... starter... water pump... thermostat... speedometer cable... brakes... wheel bearings... (you get the idea). I eventually spent $3500 (including two sets of tires and a windshield)... it still needs a power steering pump... the only thing I didn't replace was the alternator and carburator. I bet if you look it up in the Blue Book it wouldn't be worth the $3500.

I'm wondering if this computer isn't like that. Putting all this money into this relapcing this and that when it might not be worth it. But it's a project I suppose and will give me something to do. I'd rather be spending my money on other things like diamonds and... well... other things.

And before you start trashing my car... it may drink gas like I drink coffee... but if it breaks down along the side of the road... I can fix it there and be back on my way. No microchips... no "brains"... no need for fancy diagnostic machines to see what's wrong... no need for a mechanic... just good ol' car parts and a few tools. And if I hit a deer with that two and a half ton steel monster... I win... hardly any damage. Not like the plastic and fiberglass cars they make now-a-days.

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Chaotique

Trainee

Posts: 70

27

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 9:44pm

Quoted from "Slaphappy03;561789"

Use this for passwords.
http://keepass.info/

This helps me remember my passwords and it is encrypted and the file can be exported. I have been in IT for over 6 Years and enjoy helping out when i can.

Love the name!

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Chaotique

Trainee

Posts: 70

28

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 9:49pm

External HDD??? Like a those little memory flash drives that plug into the USB ports? Ya know... THAT would work. It's not like I have a TON of pictures and videos. I bet they're cheap too... and I'd never have to worry about crashes and stuff.

Now why didn't I think of those???

Oh yeah... technotard... new to technology... but I'm learning.

That is an excellent idea!!!

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Kalvan

Super Gamemaster

Posts: 2,053

Location: Lurking Amongst the Forums

29

Tuesday, July 31st 2012, 11:27pm

Quoted from "Chaotique;561800"

External HDD??? Like a those little memory flash drives that plug into the USB ports? Ya know... THAT would work. It's not like I have a TON of pictures and videos. I bet they're cheap too... and I'd never have to worry about crashes and stuff.

Now why didn't I think of those???

Oh yeah... technotard... new to technology... but I'm learning.

That is an excellent idea!!!

External HDDs, such as: http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.…nal-Hard-Drives Those are just examples, you'd want to make sure you got one that is USB 2.0-compatible. Chances are that even a 500GB external drive has more storage space available than you currently have on your internal drives.

I was going to suggest earlier that you might think about getting a new(er) replacement computer system. But, bumping the system RAM to 4GB will be a vast improvement. Getting a newer and more capable video card would also help. But it really depends on what your budget looks like and what you can afford to spend. Maybe that newer machine would be a better option.

Try to avoid cheap notebooks, though. Many of them aren't very capable at playing games.

[ New Sig Coming. Watch This Space! ]

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Inferiority

Professional

Posts: 1,062

Location: Scotland

Occupation: Educator

30

Wednesday, August 1st 2012, 12:26am

Quoted from "Kalvan;561813"

Try to avoid cheap notebooks, though. Many of them aren't very capable at playing games.

I have a netbook that I can use to play RoM. It's performance isn't really measured in FPS (Frames Per Second) but more like SPF (Seconds Per Frame).

It's great for a crafting queue, though...

Inferiority Complex - Original wearer of the Snow Combat Drum!
Mage/Priest on Erebos // Warrior/Rogue (and millions of alts) on Aurora & Agenor
http://romhiddenquests.ml/ // RoM Client & Patches Manual Download
Everyone's name is better than mine!

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Runes of Magic US / AU

Quoted from "Chaotique;561774"

Quoted from "Chaotique;561776"

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Quoted from "Chaotique;561782"

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Quoted from "Chaotique;561774"

Quoted from "Kalvan;561783"

Quoted from "Slaphappy03;561789"

Quoted from "Chaotique;561800"

Quoted from "Kalvan;561813"