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Author Topic: Tech-related problems  (Read 480436 times)

Offline shadowstar

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Tech-related problems
« on: February 11, 2006, 07:29:06 AM »
instead of asking for computer, game console, etc. help in the post-whoring thread, I thought it would be better if there was a thread specifically for tech-related problems where people can ask for and offer help.

my problem
I noticed that my PC hangs whenever my internet (DSL) messes up, or stops working momentarily, which forces me to reboot manually. it only started happening somewhat recently...does anyone know what's wrong and how to fix it?

Offline frblckstr1

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« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2006, 07:41:54 AM »
1st: scan for virus/trojan/spyware

(if you have been to mm-bbs.com the past week there was a trojan on it for a short period)

Offline shadowstar

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« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2006, 08:01:01 AM »
Quote from: frblckstr1
1st: scan for virus/trojan/spyware

(if you have been to mm-bbs.com the past week there was a trojan on it for a short period)

scanning right now.

but, it only happens to IE (or Mozilla) users, doesn't it? I use Opera, and whenever I visited the forum, there wasn't any pop-up or anything prompting me to download something...

Offline frblckstr1

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« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2006, 01:05:32 PM »
That one was specific IE yes.
If you are not on Firefox 1.5.0.1(or something +) there is a exploid like the one for IE...
Opera uses an IE type rendeing engine, haven't actually kept up with it, but can't remember anything exploit related from the securitylists I'm on.

Also: do not believe one scanner. I just had a false positive myself from Microsofts AntiSpyware on Symantec AntiVirus (v9)  :evil: , definitions 5805 (from last night) are wrong, 5807 (from this morning) correct the problem.

Do not think 'I'm save because I use FireFox/Mozilla', the number of exploids are growing.
And don't think 'I'm save because I use a Mac', Apple has its dangerous open security bugs also.

Drive carefully...

Offline ~Dan~

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Re: Tech-related problems
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2006, 04:22:55 PM »
Quote from: arian
I noticed that my PC hangs whenever my internet (DSL) messes up, or stops working momentarily, which forces me to reboot manually. it only started happening somewhat recently...does anyone know what's wrong and how to fix it?

What operating system are you using?
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Offline Foxy Brown

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« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2006, 06:31:11 PM »
And what type of DSL modem do you have?

Offline shadowstar

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« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2006, 10:46:17 AM »
Quote from: Boxy Brown
And what type of DSL modem do you have?

I'm running on Windows XP and I'm not sure how to describe my DSL modem, but it says "ZyXEL - PRESTIGE 600 SERIES"

I was thinking maybe it's because I'm low on memory? :shock: could that be a factor or something?

Offline frblckstr1

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« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2006, 12:12:34 PM »
Quote from: arian
Quote from: Boxy Brown
And what type of DSL modem do you have?

I'm running on Windows XP and I'm not sure how to describe my DSL modem, but it says "ZyXEL - PRESTIGE 600 SERIES"

I was thinking maybe it's because I'm low on memory? :shock: could that be a factor or something?
The way you described your problem its sounds like an autodialer virus that is dropping your ISP connection.
These things can also manifest themselves as memory hogs, cpu hogs etc.

How did the scan go (and what did you use?)
SOmehtings like ad-adware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
or MS AntiSPyware (beta)?

Do you shutdown/reboot your computer sometimes, of always hybernate?
(I maybe reboot my computer once a month, rest of the time I hybernate it)

But it can also be your ISP's line that has a problem (tried checking the modem?)

Offline Dronak

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« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2006, 04:56:31 PM »
I don't know exactly what your problem is; it could be on your ISP's side, as noted.  But I did want to expand a bit on the anti-spyware program choices.  There are four I know of that are seem to be in fairly common use:

* Lavasoft's Ad-Aware -- http://www.lavasoft.de/ (looks like it's the same site as in frblckstr1's link above)
* Spybot Search & Destroy -- http://www.safer-networking.org/ (choose a language here, or for English use http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html)
* Spywareblaster -- http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
* Microsoft's Windows Defender Beta (was Anti-spyware Beta) -- http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

The first two tend to complement each other, so running them both is a good idea.  Sometimes one detects things the other won't.  Spywareblaster is a TSR-type program; run it on boot, let it load, then close it, and it will monitor your system.  Microsoft's one can be set to do period scans automatically; I don't have this on my home computer because I still have WinME, but I've heard that it's also useful.  So my suggestion on the spyware issue is to get these four programs and run them regularly, updating the definitions regularly as well.  I do this and it's been a long time since I've seen any significant spyware on my system.

Along with the spyware scan, running some sort of virus scan regularly is also a good idea for general computer health.  I'll let you look into that yourself though, if you don't already have something.  A few makers I know of are Symantec/Norton, McAfee, F-Prot, and AVG.  There are some online scanners, too; Panda-something is one of them, I believe.

If you can get rid of spyware and viruses, that decreases the chance of the problem being something on your computer.  It could still be something else on your computer, but I'm not that big on networking, so I'm not sure I could help.  I hope the additional anti-spyware links are helpful though,

Offline tenkei

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« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2006, 08:38:52 AM »
I updated XP on my desktop with service pack 2 and it ate over 2 of the 3 gbs left on my hdd... so i removed it thinking id get the space back... and now i have even LESS space :cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

is there a way to get all the space back that i had before i updated to SP2??

if not, my desktop is pretty much dead cus i have nothing to get rid of to free up space :cry:  :cry:

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Offline frblckstr1

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« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2006, 09:31:08 AM »
Quote from: tenkei
I updated XP on my desktop with service pack 2 and it ate over 2 of the 3 gbs left on my hdd... so i removed it thinking id get the space back... and now i have even LESS space :cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

is there a way to get all the space back that i had before i updated to SP2??

if not, my desktop is pretty much dead cus i have nothing to get rid of to free up space :cry:  :cry:
0) re-install the SP2, you need the latest security settings/options/firewall
1) check your recycle bin, your 'deleted' files might have ended up there.
2) run a 'disk cleanup' (in the properties of the disk)
maybe) Go into the settings and remove some old system restore points (leave the last two or so)

Offline ohbahsan

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« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2006, 11:50:49 AM »
i have this software called love machine that will split a large file into small pieces and disguise them as image files to thwart nosy ISPs.  unfortunately it is not available in english.  anyone know of an english equivalent?

the reason?  i need to share porn from a certain anal-retentive ISP.  20 gigs of space just begging to be used.  help!

Offline StreakInTheSky

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« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2006, 11:57:21 AM »
lol I have love machine too.

I remember someone mentioning a similar program in IRC but I can't recall what it was called.

Offline maliciel

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« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2006, 02:17:50 PM »
That XXX splitter/joiner thing?

Offline frblckstr1

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« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2006, 06:56:37 PM »
^ hjspit you mean?

Offline maliciel

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« Reply #15 on: April 12, 2006, 07:39:55 PM »
Uh, not too sure. This one splits it into .xxx files.

Offline frblckstr1

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« Reply #16 on: April 12, 2006, 08:15:39 PM »
Quote from: Maliciel
Uh, not too sure. This one splits it into .xxx files.
hjsplit breaks a big file 'filename.avi' into filename.avi.001, filename.avi.002 etc so I think we are talking about the same thing.

You can rejoin them by the same program or:

copy filename.avi.*/b filename.avi

Offline ~Dan~

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« Reply #17 on: April 12, 2006, 09:19:52 PM »
The Xxx splitter is what wota's use to upload split files to uploaders.
It splits a file up into a series of jpg files.  You use the same prog to extract the file, you can't just join them together like with hjsplit (although a coupla years ago I worked out a way of extracting the files by using a hex editor).
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Offline ohbahsan

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« Reply #18 on: April 12, 2006, 09:54:26 PM »
Quote from: ~Dan~
The Xxx splitter is what wota's use to upload split files to uploaders.
It splits a file up into a series of jpg files.  You use the same prog to extract the file, you can't just join them together like with hjsplit (although a coupla years ago I worked out a way of extracting the files by using a hex editor).
so does this xxx splitter come in english version?  and can you protect it with a password?

Offline ~Dan~

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« Reply #19 on: April 12, 2006, 10:24:18 PM »
Japanese version only, but it's real easy to use.  No passwords, but unless the "anal-retentive ISP" is Japanese they're not gonna have a clue where to find the prog needed to rejoin them.  It is kinda obvious that it's a split file though and someone determined enough could use a hex editor to see what's inside.
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