The SSMB PC Troubleshooting and Discussion Thread

[Solkia]

Sooooo, my laptop shat out on me as you may know.

Good laptop under $300?

[Komodin]

Sooooo, my laptop shat out on me as you may know.

Good laptop under $300?

Would a Samsung Chromebook suffice?

[Solkia]

Eh, nvm, I guess I'll got to the next town over, apparently Office Depot is having a sale or something.

[Sonic the Hedgehog in 3D]

EDIT DEUX: Okay, my HDD was broken, so I took one from an older laptop, which the power connector was broken in, its working now, anyone know where I can get a cheap internal HDD, 250GB+ (The best deal I've found is around £50 for 2TB)

So, Vista fucked out on me again so instead of going through the same shit again, I'm installed Windows 7 from a USB

However I always get the following error:

Windows cannot install required files. The file does not exist. Make sure all files required for installation are available, and restart the installation. Error code: 0x80070002

when I click OK I get

Windows cannot access the installation sources. Verify that the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation.

it always does it randomly and it's never at a set point, though usually at around 50%

Any help with this?

EDIT: so now apparently I don't have a drive C:/

uuuuuh huuuuuuuuh

Edited November 12, 2012 by Rawrdom

[Diz]

In case you are still having trouble with installing from a USB source, try to burn the image to a CD or DVD and use that if your laptop has a CD- or DVD-rom drive. I had this issue once on one of my computers which did not seem to support USB boot properly (or without messing around with BIOS and legacy/stuff settings anyhow) but it managed to install from a DVD-rom just fine.

[Stacy]

I have a potential problem, last Thursday I had a Blue Screen Of Death on my Toshiba Laptop running Windows 7, I have encounter another BSOD since but it said that it was a problem with a driver.

Ever since that BSOD space on my Hard Drive is Decreasing not rapidly but I am sometimes losing about 200MB a day, I have not downloaded anything for the past ten days the only things I have are Airva Anti Virus Updates and Windows updates.

I used Disk Clean and got rid some large Dump Error files to free some space at first I thought that was the issue but now I am not so sure, is it my Hard Drive that is the problem?

I am only had this Laptop for Six months.

EDIT: Now its gone from 98.6 GB to 106 GB?

Edited November 14, 2012 by BW199148

[Diz]

As in Disk Clean, do you mean the wizard which cleans up inactive shortcuts and files on your desktop, temporary Internet files and the like? Or is this perhaps a similar downloadable third party software? I will assume you have Windows 7 and use that as an example (I am currently sitting on a Windows 7 computer), but all recent Windows operating systems should be similar in the way of approach. Be aware that you will need an administrator account to perform the next two routines, but if this is regarding your own home computer, chances are you are already logged in as one or have its credentials at the ready.

If you have not yet done so, you could try to run Check Disk. You do this by opening the Computer folder thingy, then right-click a partition of the storage device you want to test (usually, this would be the "C:" drive). Click Properties, then the Tools tab, and then, in the Error-checking section, click Check now. If you do not want to restart your computer to schedule the task (as Check Disk cannot fix problems while Windows is running), you can uncheck "Automatically fix file system errors". Otherwise, leave it checked and press Start, then use the pop-up to schedule Check Disk to start on next restart.

You can also see a list of installed storage devices and verify their health. You can do this by right-clicking Computer and clicking Manage. The window that shows up is divided into two. On the left part of the window, expand Storage (if not already expanded) and then click on Disk Management. The main window will load up with info on the storage that is installed on the computer, including DVD-rom drives and memory sticks, and they will contain statuses such as online and healthy (in which the computer has not really picked up problems much, if they even exist). If a harddrive does not show up at all, it might be more or less dead, but that is not really the problem here anyway.

The whole BSOD incident may indicate incompabilities with your current harddrive, but personally I never experienced much harddrive compability issues before. I recommend asking a friend who might know more about computers to view and verify BIOS settings (the menu full of settings you can enter when starting up your computer), as there may be a chance that, if the harddrive is what is causing the BSOD, you might find an HDD setting which you can enable or deactivate (like some sort of HDD enhancement features or HDD legacy support) to make things a little more compatible, but who knows. The best thing might be actually just going to where you bought the computer and telling them about the problem.

I hope any of this helps!

[Faseeh]

I have to say this, DiZ you are the best! Thanks for helping all of us on your free time with your knowledge!

And for helping me choose a computer too! :3

[Tommy.]

Hello everyone, again! Back in July I asked you guys on graphics cards suggestions, and now I need help deciding between two.

which graphics card would give me better preformance, the GTX550 Ti or the GTX650? Hoping to order soon, so I can receive it in time for Christmas. (I know, I know, I'm a last minute shopper!)

[Red]

So I've been getting some weird messages from my laptop lately. It only happens maybe once a week, or every few weeks, but it's worrying. Basically I keep getting this error message:

But the problem is, my laptop is a Dell which is supposed to be a pretty good brand. And I've only had it for just a little over a year. The message only happens when my charger gets unplugged from the computer, but if I put it back in it works just fine like nothing happens.

Anyone know what's up?

[Diz]

I do not know anything about graphics cards. Velotix would probably know at first glance. What you could do (and probably already have) is to google the two and have them compared. Add "review" to the query, and you may be able to find out how each of the two compare in specific games.

 

 

So I've been getting some weird messages from my laptop lately.

 

 

Have you tried to remove the battery, verify that there is no dust or similar on the pins or areas around that part and the parts in the laptop where the battery goes? Who knows, sometimes a nuisance or problem like this can be resolved by just ejecting and putting it back in.

 

If you have not done it before, to eject a battery from a laptop, first turn it off completely (shut down or hibernate, but not sleep mode). Close the laptop lid, turn the laptop around to have the bottom side faced up and check if there is a battery symbol anywhere. If not, the battery on laptops are long and rectangular-shaped, and they are usually located along the back side below the screen. There should be one or more eject buttons to be pushed or slided that form an eject mechanism. After the battery is ejected, try blowing once on the battery pins and inside the battery socket of the laptop.

 

You could also check the battery itself for information. Verify if the battery states "Dell" somewhere, as different laptops use different batteries. If you bought it from the store, this should be the official battery to use, but you never know. Carefully insert the battery back into the laptop's battery socket and then turn on the laptop.

 

If this warning message persists, yet if the battery appears to be working just fine, you might consider uninstalling this QuickSet thing. I have no idea what exactly it is, but if it is nothing you frequently use, you probably do not need it either, and Windows has another in-built way of monitoring batteries, so I do not think a third-party program for it is needed, especially if it is causing nuisance. If you want to remove the program, you can do this from Control Panel and Add/Remove programs (depending on the version of Windows you are running, but the procedure should be similar). A list of installed programs will be built and displayed, and you can right-click any program and click uninstall to prepare the computer to remove it from the system. QuickSet probably displays its name as is, more or less. If you uninstall the software, this specific error message should stop showing. Note that Windows will still notify you if a problem actually does occur with the battery, ie. stops working or does not charge properly, through the battery icon which shows, or can be configured to show, at the notification area at the bottom right of the screen.

 

You could also go to the place where you bought the laptop. If one buys a PC, it is expected to be appropriately configured, working properly and not frequently show error messages out of the box. They may be able to find out more in detail about the error and if there is a way for them to fix it without uninstalling the third-party software or forcing you, the consumer, to manually remove the battery and ensure it is clean and all that. It is their duty, not the consumer.

 

Good luck, and I hope the error message vanishes and does not return!

[Scar]

Hello everyone, again! Back in July I asked you guys on graphics cards suggestions, and now I need help deciding between two.

which graphics card would give me better preformance, the GTX550 Ti or the GTX650? Hoping to order soon, so I can receive it in time for Christmas. (I know, I know, I'm a last minute shopper!)

 

They are about equal.

If you are willing to spend a bit more cash, the 650Ti is worth a buy. More than that, then 660Ti is well worth it. Probably twice the price, but more than twice as powerful. Out of the two you mentioned there, the 650 would probably be slightly better, in terms of efficiency but I'm no expert on these issues.

 

Alternatively consider more vRAM.

 

Unfortunately, the two people who know the most about this stuff aren't here any more.

[Red]

I'm at my wit's end right now. This morning I jumped on Facebook and noticed there were ads all over my profile. Turns out they're the cause of a virus called BrowseToSave. So I ran Malwarebytes and Microsoft Security Essentials but nothing came up. I then tried to remove it manually, but the sites I visited say to end the "random.exe" process. I couldn't find it, not even in Safe mode.

 

I then downloaded Avast and ran a boot scan. Found 2-3 items, but nothing to get rid of the main problem. That took two hours.

 

I also downloaded Spyhunter and it found 392 threats...but that was a malware program as well so I removed it. I'm currently running full scans on Microsoft Security AND malwarebytes, but If nothing's detected I don't know what to do. I'm at a loss. I can't afford a new laptop until July. =/

[Frogging101]

I'm at my wit's end right now. This morning I jumped on Facebook and noticed there were ads all over my profile. Turns out they're the cause of a virus called BrowseToSave. So I ran Malwarebytes and Microsoft Security Essentials but nothing came up. I then tried to remove it manually, but the sites I visited say to end the "random.exe" process. I couldn't find it, not even in Safe mode.

 

I then downloaded Avast and ran a boot scan. Found 2-3 items, but nothing to get rid of the main problem. That took two hours.

 

I also downloaded Spyhunter and it found 392 threats...but that was a malware program as well so I removed it. I'm currently running full scans on Microsoft Security AND malwarebytes, but If nothing's detected I don't know what to do. I'm at a loss. I can't afford a new laptop until July. =/

If all else fails you can reformat your computer and reinstall Windows. No need to buy new hardware to fix a software issue, ever.

[Red]

I did a system restore to a few days back. Whatever was causing it is now gone. I just hope it doesn't come back. I haven't done any downloading at all D:

[goku262002]

Guess instead of making a topic I can post it here. don't think it counts as derailing.

So a few days ago I was cleaning out my storage and found my first computer, an HP Pavilion a700n. I have some fond memories of this thing as it was my first computer I have ever saved up for when I was a teenager, I even saved up the extra cost it would take for putting in the 9-in-1 memory card slots.

Good times. Anyways...

So as a personal project I figured I'd bring my first computer back to its former glory and keep it around as a personal 2nd computer. as it is I left it in a semi-runnable shape, as of now it has:

~OS: Windows XP SP2

~Ram: 1GB (960MBs its reading though since it doesn't have a video/graphics card)

~2 PATA HDDs: 18GB Main HDD & 14GB Second HDD

~A Philips DVD8421 8X DVD+RW Drive, Though its shot seeing as the drive's tray is having opening and closing problems. it can still read DVDs though once I force the drive open and shut.

~And as stated above, its running on on-board graphics. if I remember correctly, the former video card was an ATI AIW 9600.

If you guys need anymore specs, here is the product page of it:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&​lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c00231096

So I'd like to ask you fine people at SSMB what you'd recommend for upgrades, I've got things in mind but I wanted to see what other second opinions I could get. its obvious that this thing needs Windows 7 at the least, its ram maxed out, and to get rid of those horrid HDDs for better ones. but anything else you guys suggest I'll take into consideration.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Diz]

If you want it to run Windows 7, you should check beforehand if it is compatible and all that. I would simply have kept it at Windows XP, grabbing a copy of Service Pack 3.

 

Upgrade suggestions depend on what you want to do with your PC. If you really want it to run Windows 7, you will have to upgrade its RAM to at least 2 GB to have a reasonable experience. If you are staying with Windows XP, you do not need to upgrade your RAM, but 2 GB would be nice.

 

When I take a look at the link you provided, it tells me that your PC supports a maximum of 1 GB RAM. Is this your exact model?

 

I would probably upgrade the HDDs first, especially if you decide to go with Windows 7, as its theoretical requirement for installation is a 40 GB HDD with 15 GB of available space. Furthermore, Windows 7 requires certain graphics hardware features, like Pixel Shader 2.0, so if you experience any graphical glitches, you may want to get a cheap low profile card or the like. I am currently on an old computer designed for Windows XP. I installed Windows 7 on it, and certain windows, like MSN and web surfing, would occasionally be filled with pure black and behave strangely. I bought a low profile card for it (cheap, and the only kind that fits into small form factor computers) and not only did it fix the glitch, but now it even runs a few games neatly. Upgraded to Windows 8 and still works like a charm.

 

If you merely want to use your PC for surfing and chatting, you should not be required to upgrade RAM or graphics components, and Windows XP should be sufficient once you install Service Pack 3. In this case, I would say your HDDs could use some upgrades. Until then, or if not, you should run a full disk check on them and do a fragmentation analysis. Without needing to download more complex tools, you could schedule Windows' Check Disk utility to run at next start-up and later run Defrag, accessible from My Computer by right-clicking the partitions and going into properties and the tools tab. This gives you the opportunity to scan for, and repair if possible, physical damage and file system errors, and it will furthermore let your HDDs optimize file access operations.

[Sami]

Any techies willing to help me out? A disc literally exploded in my CD Drive yesterday and left its remains everywhere. Fine, whatever, I cleaned it up. Unfortunately, even after taking out the drive (it's useless now, there are still shards I can't get out), the PC runs extremely sluggishly even in Safe Mode (Start menu takes a minute to open). I fear something else got damaged, but I don't know what. Can someone give me a step in the right direction?

 

Here are some pics -

 

[Blue Wisp]

Everything seems fine, hardware-wise. Nothing out of the ordinary, and everything there is in the right place.

 

Hm... Which might mean that it might be something on the PC that went off. Were you using the CD that exploded while it was inside the computer? Some files from your computer might have gone nuts.

[Sami]

Everything seems fine, hardware-wise. Nothing out of the ordinary, and everything there is in the right place.

 

Hm... Which might mean that it might be something on the PC that went off. Were you using the CD that exploded while it was inside the computer? Some files from your computer might have gone nuts.

 

Yes. I was burning a playlist onto it in iTunes while I was taking a shower.

[Diz]

The shards from a broken disc can be incredibly small and sometimes even hazardous, so be sure to be careful around them. I have no idea if this can affect other hardware, but if your PC has been very slow ever since that very incident, it might have affected some hardware, perhaps even the motherboard itself. I am not a hardware guy, but it does sound suspicious if it started acting up at the same time as the incident.

 

If this is a result of the incident, and if you are running Windows 7, try to run the following command in an elevated command prompt:

 

sfc /scannow

 

You could also schedule a Check Disk scan to see if the incident and the operations at that time affected the file system in any way.

[Sami]

"Windows resource protection could not start the repair service". Is it safe to assume it's a hardware issue? If so, should I take it to the shop? Or just by a replacement part myself?

[Diz]

If you are seeing the same error while running Windows normally and as an administrator, then something might be wrong with your system. You could try running system restore and choosing the most recent date possible, but before the date of the incident. You can find it by right-clicking Computer, entering properties and clicking System Protection in the left row. If System Protection is enabled, as it should be by default, you can restore Windows to how it was at a specified point in time. This will affect Windows files, components and settings, may affect program files and games, but should not touch any files that have a personal touch, like music, pictures and documents. This should confirm that Windows itself is running properly, assuming that it was doing so at the time specified on the system restore point.

 

If Windows is still behaving slow, try to verify the file system and the physical HDD, but be warned that this process could potentially take hours to complete, so it might be best to do it during night. Run command prompt as an administrator (you will be required to right-click command prompt and specify so) and execute the following command:

 

chkdsk /r

 

Almost immediately, it will prompt you to schedule the scan for the next time your PC starts. Press Y and enter to confirm, and then restart your computer.

 

 

If this does not solve anything, or if your PC starts freezing and crashing, and if it did not behave this way before the incident, your hardware might still be affected by shards and dust from the broken disc, if not damaged. I have had similar experience with dust, having my PC slow down a lot, and later in time, freeze entirely. All in all, the best thing might be to take it to the shop and explain to them what has happened and how slow your system is as a result to that.

 

Good luck!

[Sami]

If you are seeing the same error while running Windows normally and as an administrator, then something might be wrong with your system. You could try running system restore and choosing the most recent date possible, but before the date of the incident. You can find it by right-clicking Computer, entering properties and clicking System Protection in the left row. If System Protection is enabled, as it should be by default, you can restore Windows to how it was at a specified point in time. This will affect Windows files, components and settings, may affect program files and games, but should not touch any files that have a personal touch, like music, pictures and documents. This should confirm that Windows itself is running properly, assuming that it was doing so at the time specified on the system restore point.

 

I was able to run cmd.exe through the task manager, but trying to open up anything else takes years, haha. Even trying to access cmd through the Start Menu crashed the PC. I'd have tried running a system restore by now, otherwise.

 

Apparently I accidentally scheduled a disk check on the next startup though. Hooray! It's running now and says it's "correcting errors". Fingers crossed.

[Blue Wisp]

If that doesn't work, Discoid, then you should restore the system to the last known good modification.

 

Press F8 as soon as you start your PC and press that option, for me it always fixed any system slowdown errors.