The official "Ask FeaR" thread.

[Expunge]

ITT, please ask your questions regarding computer hardware/software.

I receive so many PM's/Messages over MSN that it's really starting to get rediculous. lol I will check this thread daily and try to keep up with all your questions.

I'm also wondering what people will talk to me about if I answer all their computer questions in this thread, as opposed to over IM. Or if they will bother to talk to me at all ;)

<3

[Shadow]

My Keyboard won't work. How do I fix it? ;)

[Valusek]

Western Digital 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive. Everything works fine except for Call of Duty.

WARNING: Use either SATA Power or Legacy Power connector. DO NOT use both which may result in damage to the hard drive.

No I didn't use both you schmucks. I only used one :)

OpenGL Issue? I've reformatted it, and still the same problem occurs: it freezes after I join a multiplayer game. Single player works fine. Everything else works, Guild Wars worked fine, even online (wait, you can only play it online)

Right now I'm using my old hard-drive, which is 60gb. I don't even know why I bought the damn 80gb. Oh yeah, was going to build another computer, but I found an old 20gb gathering dust :)

If you have an answer, awesome, if you don't, don't sweat it. I'm not even using it right now. It's unplugged and sitting on my desk.

[jinx666]

Why is it when I look at naked pictures of men on the internet, I feel strange in my pants?

Also, whenever I do this, and then desire to be dressed in a bananna costume and forced to sing showtunes while smearing marshmallow topping on my genitals?

Please help!

-Desire to be normal

[Warder]

W
o
w
.

Jinx, I will have that image of you burned into my mind for all eternity, thanks alot A-hole!!

[Farvneho]

How do I make my computer perfect without opening my wallet?

[Itsmeee]

I think I can field that one if I might Cody.

First your going to have to find a gun, axe or something big and mettle (prefferebly sharp). You can usually find the latter in a construction site. Now run into compucare screaming about "get'r down on the ground" then just keep screaming "now" for a few minutes while running around kicking people and objects that will fly around a lot. After it seems the populace of Compucare are subdued you can take the computer on the right side of the north wall. Its a swell rig :tup:

[Expunge]

Western Digital 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive. Everything works fine except for Call of Duty.

WARNING: Use either SATA Power or Legacy Power connector. DO NOT use both which may result in damage to the hard drive.

No I didn't use both you schmucks. I only used one :)

OpenGL Issue? I've reformatted it, and still the same problem occurs: it freezes after I join a multiplayer game. Single player works fine. Everything else works, Guild Wars worked fine, even online (wait, you can only play it online)

Right now I'm using my old hard-drive, which is 60gb. I don't even know why I bought the damn 80gb. Oh yeah, was going to build another computer, but I found an old 20gb gathering dust :)

If you have an answer, awesome, if you don't, don't sweat it. I'm not even using it right now. It's unplugged and sitting on my desk.
You can play CoD on other hard drives, just not the 80?

[Expunge]

Why is it when I look at naked pictures of men on the internet, I feel strange in my pants?

Also, whenever I do this, and then desire to be dressed in a bananna costume and forced to sing showtunes while smearing marshmallow topping on my genitals?

Please help!

-Desire to be normal
I laughed really hard

I love you Jinx. <3

[Warder]

I think I can field that one if I might Cody.

First your going to have to find a gun, axe or something big and mettle (prefferebly sharp). You can usually find the latter in a construction site. Now run into compucare screaming about "get'r down on the ground" then just keep screaming "now" for a few minutes while running around kicking people and objects that will fly around a lot. After it seems the populace of Compucare are subdued you can take the computer on the right side of the north wall. Its a swell rig :tup:

My brother works there. Ask him. Your wallet won't need to be opened!! Just your check book.

[Verbal]

My brother works there. Ask him. Your wallet won't need to be opened!! Just your check book.

Lord, please don't let Warder's brother be Ted... *prays*

[Maddeh]

I have a hard drive that I think is dying. Whenever the computer boots it makes a non-normal noise that goes away once its fully booted. This particular sound is a continuous noise, and does not return until the next boot.

Sometimes I'll be doing something, working in Excel, or email, watching a vid on winamp or something, and it will lock up temporarily, while the hard drive goes "scratch scratch scratch". That's the best way I can describe it. This particular sound always goes in threes. Scratch scratch scratch... pause... scratch scratch scratch... etc until it gets through whatever the fuck its trying to get through, and then normal operation returns.

I don't use this compy much so I moved all the stuff I care about to a different drive and am basically just waiting for this one to die.

I noticed that when I do a diskcheck, it says something like "12176 KB in Bad sectors". I did a de-frag and it didn't seem to matter.

My question is, would a full reformat of this drive fix the noise + bad sectors? It is a 40GB IBM Deskstar, 2.5 years old, has never been formatted by me (came with the compy), and runs FAT32.

[Verbal]

It is a 40GB IBM DEATHSTAR, 2.5 years old, has never been formatted by me (came with the compy), and runs FAT32.

There's your problem right there. ;) Those drives are notorious for dying. You could try a reformat, but it's a really good bet that it won't fix your problem.

[Warder]

Lord, please don't let Warder's brother be Ted... *prays*

His name is Matt. I think he has been working in back though...

[DiscoDave]

There's your problem right there. ;) Those drives are notorious for dying. You could try a reformat, but it's a really good bet that it won't fix your problem.
Is it the 75gxp? Those are the ones that received the reputation as being a "Deathstar".

In either case, a format won't fix bad sectors. It means there's some physical damage to the drive. A low level format can sometimes retrieve info from damaged sectors, but once they're flagged, they're pretty much flagged for good.

[Maddeh]

Yeah that's pretty much what I figured, plus I'm lazy, so yeah I'll probably just wait till it finally bites the bullet. :p

[Farvneho]

Is it the 75gxp? Those are the ones that received the reputation as being a "Deathstar".
Our servers at Berkeley High had 3 of those in a raid array, and we lost 2 or 3 of them in the 2 years I worked there.

[DiscoDave]

Our servers at Berkeley High had 3 of those in a raid array, and we lost 2 or 3 of them in the 2 years I worked there.
I had one. Died in a year. =/

[Valusek]

yeah fear, CoD works on every other hard-drive, just not on the 80...well, it works, but when i jump online...it will play for about 5 seconds, and then freeze; forcing me to reboot my computer.

[Expunge]

yeah fear, CoD works on every other hard-drive, just not on the 80...well, it works, but when i jump online...it will play for about 5 seconds, and then freeze; forcing me to reboot my computer.
Valusek wins most obscure computer problem ever award.

That is so weird!

[CrazyRob]

i had two of the deathstars, both died after their 3 year warranty.

[ghrogels]

ghrog is looking to buy a motorcycle if he doesn't get his car soon, like asap. Suggestions? < 1000$ perfered. $400-$599 would r0x.

[Expunge]

ghrog is looking to buy a motorcycle if he doesn't get his car soon, like asap. Suggestions? < 1000$ perfered. $400-$599 would r0x.
www.theecho.com

[night3218]

My question for fear is...

What is the meaning of life?

[ghrogels]

www.theecho.com
i saw the prices, but that told me nothing, in fact; less then nothing.

[Expunge]

i saw the prices, but that told me nothing, in fact; less then nothing.
Post bikes of interest. I'll tell you if they suck.

[Reinforcements]

My question for fear is...

What is the meaning of life?
42

[Reinforcements]

i saw the prices, but that told me nothing, in fact; less then nothing.
Try not to get anything older than 1980. The older it gets, generaly, the more work they need. I got an 1982 Yamaha 650 Maxim for $1000, and I've already put $200 into it.

[Expunge]

Try not to get anything older than 1980. The older it gets, generaly, the more work they need. I got an 1982 Yamaha 650 Maxim for $1000, and I've already put $200 into it.
We should trade rides sometime, they're practically the same bike. lol

[ghrogels]

Post bikes of interest. I'll tell you if they suck.
i don't even know what i should be interested in...

[Expunge]

i don't even know what i should be interested in...
google!

[ghrogels]

google!
no.

[Expunge]

no.
Serious. Look at google to see what they look like you noob

+h8

[jinx666]

42


LOL!

[Reinforcements]

Well, you've basically got 4 main types. Lots of sub types.

-Dual sport (http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/ridenet/machines/2002kawasaki/gallery/klr650_studio.jpg). (Think dirt bike with turn signals)

-Chopper. (http://www.johnsonenginetechnology.com/JETIMAGES/done/chopper.jpg) (American chopper. You've seen it.)

-Sport
>Crotch rocket (http://www.scigacz.pl/gallery/moto/suzuki/hayabusa.jpg)
>Streetfighter (http://img69.exs.cx/img69/7088/Image140.jpg) (my personal fav, also known as a naked bike)

-Street
>Cruiser (http://www.motorsports-network.com/MotoGuzi/New/calev32.jpg)
>Cafe style (http://www.ozebook.com/compendium/gt750/eks-sm.jpg)
>Ugly ass but comfy ass. (http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2004/HDcvo/EGlideSit.jpg)


I know I didn't cover all the bases, such as mixed breeds. (Sport tourers, ect.)
If you want a good starter bike, get something old that sits upright, but something in awsome shape. I have a 1982 Yamaha Maxim 650 (http://www.mcreports.com/Bike-Picsx200/Yamaha/Maxim-650.gif), it's comfy as hell, and runs great.

[ghrogels]

88 Kawasaki EX500
Honda cb550
Honda Hawk
Honda XL250R
Honda XR
YZ125

good lord, all the cheap bikes are dirt/street bikes :/

[Expunge]

88 Kawasaki EX500
Honda cb550
Honda Hawk
Honda XL250R -Dirt
Honda XR -Dirt
YZ125 -Dirt

good lord, all the cheap bikes are dirt/street bikes :/

88 Kawasaki EX500 - I'd ride this bike. Looks like a good one.

Honda cb550 - Great bike, my Dad has one. Or had one, until some jackass turned in front of him and got it pretty well smashed :(

Honda Hawk - No experience with this bike. However it is low CC, has some good ergos, and it's a honda. Honda parts are easy to find :)


Honda XL250R -Dirt
Honda XR -Dirt
YZ125 -Dirt

[Expunge]

>Streetfighter (http://img69.exs.cx/img69/7088/Image140.jpg) (my personal fav, also known as a naked bike)

Me too.

http://www.aprilia.com/models03/road/dati//foto_mod_pg_446_1095687432.jpg
http://home.socal.rr.com/coleys/Monster/Monster.jpg

While I'm at it, I'll pimp the VTR1000 too.
http://www.moto-station.com/uploads/76_normal.jpg

[ghrogels]

yeah, just talk with the rents, they were like: "OMG, NO!"
lol

[Expunge]

yeah, just talk with the rents, they were like: "OMG, NO!"
lol
Do it anyway you pansy :P

[Reinforcements]

Me too.


While I'm at it, I'll pimp the VTR1000 too.
http://www.moto-station.com/uploads/76_normal.jpg
too much fairing to be a streetfighter.
streetfighter/naked bike = same thing.
But, I love that bike too. I'd love you long time if you got that.

[Expunge]

too much fairing to be a streetfighter.
streetfighter/naked bike = same thing.
But, I love that bike too. I'd love you long time if you got that.
Point.









































Jesse.

Read my post again.

[Shadow]

Yea! I get my first paycheck on the 10th and I want to treat myself. What's a good LCD Monitor to get under $250?

[Expunge]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116352

Make yourself happier by sending me money..

That viewsonic is the best in your pricerange. Just make sure you're using the digital connection or else you're robbing yourself of image quality.

[Reinforcements]

Cody, we should start a "classics" bike meet. Like Warders car meet. And by Classics, I mean old.

You've got to see my bike, I love it.
Oh yeah, ask Fear a question...

How much?

[Shadow]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116352

Make yourself happier by sending me money..

That viewsonic is the best in your pricerange. Just make sure you're using the digital connection or else you're robbing yourself of image quality.
Eh, I want to aviod the built in speakers....

[jinx666]

Eh, I want to aviod the built in speakers....
don't use them...

My friend just got this one and it is fucking nice!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824179014

[jinx666]

don't use them...

My friend just got this one and it is fucking nice!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824179014


Editors choice on tom's hardware...

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/display/20050215/lcd-12.html

[Expunge]

Eh, I want to aviod the built in speakers....
Who cares? Even if it didn't have speakers it's still the best 17" flatpanel.

[Shadow]

don't use them...

My friend just got this one and it is fucking nice!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824179014
It's nice, but it's also $335...

[DiscoDave]

$335 isn't bad at all for a 19" lcd.

[jinx666]

Who cares? Even if it didn't have speakers it's still the best 17" flatpanel.

actually the hyundais get better reviews regarding price and correct color...

personally I'd get the westinghouse 17" widescreen

http://www.tomshardware.com/business/20050426/editor_day-07.html

I already have the regular aspect ratio one from best buy...and there is a reason the sell out of these ones pretty damn fast...

the only drawback to my monitor is that it only has an analog connector, no dvi...but according to toms hardware there is not a discernable speed difference...

[Expunge]

actually the hyundais get better reviews regarding price and correct color...

personally I'd get the westinghouse 17" widescreen
Refresh rate/Response time? I didn't see any "hyundais" (hyundias?) on Newegg.

[jinx666]

Refresh rate/Response time? I didn't see any "hyundais" (hyundias?) on Newegg.


8ms...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Manufactory=1927&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&description=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&SubCategory=20&Submit=Property

[hockeysnipermlg]

thats the one i have! although iv also had it for over a year...

i remember the L70S being a 12ms panel.

[Expunge]

8ms...


http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Manufactory=1927&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&description=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&SubCategory=20&Submit=Property
Oh.

We were talking about 17in LCD's under 250 weren't we?

[SuperDude]

It's nice, but it's also $335...

Hello Shadow, meet Mr. Economy. Stuff aint free.

[Shadow]

My wallet HATES you Jinx.....in other words I'm thinking of springing big and getting it...

[jinx666]

My wallet HATES you Jinx.....in other words I'm thinking of springing big and getting it...


It's not that much more...lol!

[Shadow]

It's not that much more...lol!
It is when I still have to pay my dad back $70 and buy the other half of my computer for $400....