My pc is fixed but still need suggestions

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by Migufuchi

You also said that if theres a blackout your computer's performance will slow down? is that true?

I said if there's a brownout that the hardware slows down. I actually heard some lady a few days ago calling a blackout a brownout, so please don't be offended as I define them here: a blackout occurs when there is no electricity. The term probably got its name because all of the lights go out, and you're left in blackness. A brownout occurs when the flow of electricity is lessened. In these cases, the lights dim, but do not go out completely (unless, perhaps, it's a fluorescent bulb). Hence brown, because it's dim.

Lights in your house are, of course, the easiest way to tell what's going on. Does your sister use a hair dryer? Those devices consume massive amounts of electricity. If you've ever been in a room near where the hair dryer was running, you may have noticed that your lights dimmed slightly. That's not a brownout, but it's an example of your area getting a bit less electricity than it normally would.

What does this have to do with computers? Your system has a number of moving parts in it - notably, your fans, and your hard drives (unless you're using one of the new solid state hard drives). When there's much less electricity going to your system, the fans and the HDs will not spin as quickly as they normally would, because they're not receiving enough power. If your system is loud enough, you'll hear a change in the frequency of the sound that your system normally makes.

While you can't really hear it or see it, your processor also requires a certain power draw. If it doesn't receive enough power, it will also slow down. So in theory, your entire system would slow down a bit during a brown out, but I don't know that it'd be very noticable under most tasks. More likely, you'd just hear the change in how fast components were spinning.

You asked about how to tell if a PSU is going to die, as well. As has largely been mentioned, there isn't really any way. Hard drives make clicking sounds when they're about to go, but a PSU usually just dies rather suddenly. The only sign that you'd possibly have would be if it were giving too much or too little power to various components. Just be safe about it:

1) Don't overload your PSU. There are "splitter" cables that would allow you to increase the number of plugs on your PSU, thereby letting you power more devices. To a certain extent, this is perfectly fine. However, be aware of what you're doing... most splitter cables only let you increase the connections by three per plug. I've purchased one that increases the number by seven. If I connected seven hard drives and used them all at once, I could damage my PSU by overloading it. Know your power rating and have a sense for the power draw of what you're connecting. If I connect seven fans, I'd probably still be well within the limits.

2) Be aware of the lifetime for the PSU. The PSUs are often rated for hours of operation; I think the standard may be 80,000 hours. Don't go writing down how long your computer is on for each day, just estimate: roughly how long is your computer on each day? If you want to be safe, over estimate to account for turning the PSU on/off. When you reach the number of hours, replace the PSU. It's not the most cost-effective method, but it's one of the safer methods. When the PSU dies, it could potentially short out a number of your components. I don't think it's worth the risk.

[toru310]

Now that explains everything..as expected from Ledgem that "It support" suits you

Side topic: This may sound a little weird but can cockroach's sh!t/Eggs damage your PSU or even worse short circuit your PSU??

I didn't see the cockroach go through the fan of the PSU but well you see I saw the cockroach near my pc so I didn't mind it and took a bath after that bath I can't see the cockroach anymore and the first thing that I thought was I think it went inside the fan of the PSU and made home there..

The cockroach looks like this.

Spoiler:

Sorry if it disturbed you guys..don't kill me

[hobbes_fan]

For all intents and purposes treat lke a really big dustball. So yeah clean it and get rid of t.

[toru310]

I never thought of that hehe thanks...common sense O_o

[toru310]

Well after I clicked an ad at http://www.moillusions.com/ by curiosity because I thought its part of the website but its not so anyway I think I got infected by a trojan(I think.. My anti virus didn't say anything) so I did a system restore to be safe but before I even thought of restoring it I updated my spyware software, anti virus, ad aware and I decided to system restore just to be safe. So my question is will it mess my system because I system restored it and updated my programs before restoring? Oh yeah It's set at a day before..july 4..

Another question I was suppose to double click the hard drive but I sneez so I kind of dragged it and it looked like this..is my pc in trouble??

Sorry for the stupid question I just panic to much...

[arcadeplayer987]

The lifetime of a PSU is 5-6 years, depending from a brand to another but it could live more

[Ledgem]

Regarding the system restore, no, it shouldn't do anything harmful. System restore doesn't restore your entire computer to the way it was exactly when you created the restore point. What it should do is restore only very important files (core system files and your registry) to the way that they were. In other words, your anti-virus updates should still be there (unless that software is also included in the restore), as would any files you downloaded.

The trouble with system restore is that it's actually not that useful. It's useful in isolated cases. However, if you were afraid that you were infected, I wouldn't rely on a system restore to cure the infection. In some cases it could help, but generally, system restore is something that you have to turn off to fully clean an infection. The reason is that the restore files are protected. In most cases, by the time a person realizes that they're infected, the restore files already backed up the virus/faulty files. If you knew you were infected for sure, and used a restore after clearing out the virus as best you could, then it might be effective. As far as I know, viruses won't insert themselves into pre-existing restore files.

And what was that about the HD? Is the image to show that your HD changed drive letters (you can set it back), or that you have a "ghost" image?

[toru310]

And what was that about the HD? Is the image to show that your HD changed drive letters (you can set it back), or that you have a "ghost" image?

Well I was suppose to double click the HD to access the media files but I sneeze and I kind drag it out a little..but I think it won't go anymore because when I dragged it there was an "X" mark so I guess it still ok.

I restored my computer from 1 day to be sure...

One more thing my files won't disappear or get corrupt when I do system restore right? because I was saving many files the day before...

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by Migufuchi Fusutsu

Well I was suppose to double click the HD to access the media files but I sneeze and I kind drag it out a little..but I think it won't go anymore because when I dragged it there was an "X" mark so I guess it still ok.

I restored my computer from 1 day to be sure...

One more thing my files won't disappear or get corrupt when I do system restore right? because I was saving many files the day before...

Taken from Microsoft's website:

Q. What is System Restore?
A.
The System Restore feature of Microsoft Windows XP enables administrators to restore their computers to a previous state without losing personal data files (e.g. Word documents, graphic files, e-mail). System Restore actively monitors system file changes and some application file changes to record or store previous versions before the changes occurred. Users never have to think about taking system snapshots as System Restore automatically creates easily identifiable restore points, which the users can use to revert to a previous time. Restore points are created at the time of significant system events (such as application or driver install) and periodically (each day). Additionally, users can create and name their own restore points at any time. For more information, please see the System Restore| http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d...b_tol_fngj.asp document on TechNet.

I think that should answer all your questions. The short summary: system restore only monitors Windows system files, and some application files. It's only able to restore the files it monitors. No other files are effected by the process. Corruption would only occur if the backup (the restore point's files) somehow became corrupt. But I've never heard of that happening, I'm sure that the chances are virtually none of it happening.

[toru310]

Thanks problem solved again...

[toru310]

I have a simple question, Is it bad to let a usb device intact for a long time let's say a usb to convert a ps1 controller to pc controller.. I mean will it damage anything? just a simple question...

[hobbes_fan]

Nope. simply put. Only thing i can think of is if you're redlining your PSU already and then you add another USB powered device which tips it over the edge. But we've gone through this already with your earlier PSU questions so it shouldn't be an issue. I haven't removed my bluetooth dongle from my htpc for about 8 months which is pretty much the day I built it.

[toru310]

Ahh thanks alot..

Well another problem has emerged well when I inserted my usb flash drive at my school's computers Ubuntu OS well it didn't turned out well so I safely unplugged it and went to the Windows based os which is in the third floor so doing some reading etc..I went home and when I inserted my flash drive the letters are messed up I mean when you right click all the words there are not in english like $^%$$#$ for example... Well I don't know why this happened..

Another question If theres a trojan /virus in your flash drive and you just want to format(so that it can be virus free) it again can you get infected just by inserting your flash drive in your computer? (with out even opening any programs etc?)

My pc is virus free it has the latest update of avast! anti virus and my windows firewall is on..

By the way does ubuntu linux have anyvirus? that can kill a microsoft os?

[Jinto]

Did you only read from the flash drive or did you write to it too (on your school's computers). To answer your other question... afaik Ubuntu is not yet a target of virii that spread on Windows I think. But if you plugged it in your school's Windows PC, well if you got a virus then more likely from the Windows box.

Imo your bad luck with computer related stuff is almost unreal (far beyond normal it seems). I wonder... if... never mind.

[toru310]

Originally Posted by Jinto Lin

Did you only read from the flash drive or did you write to it too (on your school's computers). To answer your other question... afaik Ubuntu is not yet a target of virii that spread on Windows I think. But if you plugged it in your school's Windows PC, well if you got a virus then more likely from the Windows box.

Imo your bad luck with computer related stuff is almost unreal (far beyond normal it seems). I wonder... if... never mind.

Well my objective was just to format my flashdrive and well I didn't write anything there or open anything I just plugged it in the pc and then format it immediately my anti virus didn't tick or anything..

I worry to much and it kills me...Well good news is that I made a restore point before I formated my flash drive..
So I'm here asking if I should restore it...still investigating if theres something weird going..

[Jinto]

Oh the part "Did you only read from the flash drive or did you write to it too (on your school's computers). " related to the strange characters on your flash drive. If you only read the files in your school, then this should not have happened (did you unplug safely on your school's Windows PC too?)

[toru310]

Originally Posted by Jinto Lin

Oh the part "Did you only read from the flash drive or did you write to it too (on your school's computers). " related to the strange characters on your flash drive. If you only read the files in your school, then this should not have happened (did you unplug safely on your school's Windows PC too?)

Ermm..well I did read the files and then I didn't safely removed the plug because the account is not admin the accounts is out school ID.. Oh yeah I did delete some files because the word files are corrupt I mean the words are squares...

Anyways I'm just worried about the virus thing..

I plugged it and it was detected I didn't open anything I right clicked and reformat..you think I can still get infected?

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Migufuchi Fusutsu

Ermm..well I did read the files and then I didn't safely removed the plug because the account is not admin the accounts is out school ID.. Oh yeah I did delete some files because the word files are corrupt I mean the words are squares...

Anyways I'm just worried about the virus thing..

I plugged it and it was detected I didn't open anything I right clicked and reformat..you think I can still get infected?

Usually and including common sense (also considering you have the avast virus scanner) I'ld say you are not infected. Though you have insanely bad luck sometimes. But I would not be too afraid if I were you. I'ld say chances are very high that your PC is not infected.

[toru310]

Originally Posted by Jinto Lin

Usually and including common sense (also considering you have the avast virus scanner) I'ld say you are not infected. Though you have insanely bad luck sometimes. But I would not be too afraid if I were you. I'ld say chances are very high that your PC is not infected.

Well this just really gave impact to me because some guys form IT forums said that there is a virus that when you click explore your already infected here was he said

There is a virus that when you right click explore your flash drive your already infected..It hides in a "recycle bin" folder in the flash drive. INFO.EXE is the file name

Ouch that really is a nightmare..

Anyways thanks for the info.

Oh yeah if you have a virus in your flash drive can it be seen? or is it hidden? What kind of file is it?

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Migufuchi Fusutsu

Well this just really gave impact to me because some guys form IT forums said that there is a virus that when you click explore your already infected here was he said

Ouch that really is a nightmare..

Anyways thanks for the info.

Maybe they forgot to mention that a decent anti virus tool should prevent this from happening