Recent Posts

226

Living Room / RAM contact spray?

« Last post by bit on February 13, 2015, 11:07 PM »

I have four 1GB RAM sticks; Win 7 32bit uses three of them.
I recently ran a RAM stick memory check and it found errors.
I loosened each end of each stick's lock-down tab to unseat it, then reseated it.
The test found errors again.
I loosened and reseated the sticks again, and all errors were eliminated.
I believe this is supposedly due to tarnish on some of the 168 or more gold contacts?

I've never heard that it is at all advisable to use any sort of electrical contact spray on the RAM contacts, and won't without specific advice to do so.
But if so, what kind (i.e. totally clean or leaves protective film residue?), and should it be sprayed directly on the RAM contacts, or wiped on via a cloth or tissue paper?

Whenever I reseat one end of a loosened RAM stick, it takes tremendous pressure with my thumb pad to get it to drop back into the slot, and flexes the mobo.
In fact, after doing each end of four RAM sticks, twice in a row, my thumb pad was sore for 24 hours afterward.
There is no way to reach behind and support the mobo while doing this; I just have to press until it drops back into the slot and the tab pops back up into the indented spot in the end of the stick.
Is that 'normal', or are there any suggestions how to do it better?

227

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by bit on February 13, 2015, 11:52 AM »

Why Do You Need A High-Refresh / 120Hz-plus Monitor?
I have no idea,  and BTW do you have any asperine?

What kind of tea do birds drink?
Nestea.

What kind of fish likes books?
A Microfiche.

228

Living Room / Re: Recommend some music videos to me!

« Last post by bit on February 12, 2015, 05:35 PM »

bananarama cruel summer.

229

Living Room / Re: Cute jokes' thread

« Last post by bit on February 10, 2015, 03:27 PM »

Say cheese! Hubble telescope captures extraterrestrial smiley face

230

Living Room / Re: Cute jokes' thread

« Last post by bit on February 10, 2015, 02:02 PM »

What kind of tree does tomato paste come from?
A pastry. 

231

Living Room / Re: wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 08, 2015, 03:34 PM »

I am sick of mouse problems. >.<
I went into the shop and made myself a mouse, which is proudly displayed here:

jk
To see the world's first mouse article please go here.
BTW, my old Logitech wired mouse seems to be working okay now, since I went into regedit and deleted the two 'LDM' folders.

232

Living Room / Re: wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 06, 2015, 01:01 AM »

Atch! The phantom click problem persisted for a few moments on my last boot; may be a Logitech problem.
Other expenses preclude me getting a new mouse for now, but I'm thinking seriously about a non-Logitech future.

(edit): the phantom click problem is as bad as ever.
May have to do a HD backup restore of entire OS.
Will see if I can experiment with other mice first and isolate the problem.

(edit): In all fairness, this morning I ran a Memory Check and found errors.
Dislodged and reseated the RAM sticks and passed the Memory Check.
(I actually had to do this twice to pass successfully).

Downloaded and installed RevoUninstaller 30 day trial, found no sign of Logitech or Set Point, but did find Amoumain A4Tech mouse driver still active, which I uninstalled.
So far, no further problems with the Logitech wireless mouse phantom click problem.

(update):
Last night my fabulous like-new Logitech wireless mouse was fairly well-behaved, whereas today it is not doing copy & paste correctly, activating unselected programs when closing others, and generally acting almost unpredictable. >.<
It is rather like watching a pedigreed show dog come down with Distemper or Rabies.
Copy & paste works fine using the keyboard, which almost isolates the mouse.
I'm either going to have to get a new non-Logitech mouse, or do a HD backup restore, or actually I think I'll see if an old non-Logitech mouse does this or not first.
I vaguely recall problems starting about the time I installed Logitech Set Point software from a disk, which actually wasn't necessary in view of the plug & play already automatically doing whatever it was supposed to do.

edit: This is turning into more of a blog and isn't worth annoying DCers with a new post, but here goes:
The wireless Logitech mouse seems to be having radio connection problems and its cursor smoothness was getting downright jerky, and copy & paste highlighting action was 'spotty' and 'jumpy'.

I ran regedit and searched for anything named 'Logitech', and found a pair of folders named [Logitech_LDM_Control.LtAuth] that when Googled ID'd them as 'Logitech Desktop Messenger', and deleted them.

No improvement in the Logitech wireless mouse's erratic behavior.
Do you suppose it could be that SmartMeter they put in?

I replaced the wireless mouse with an older Logitech wired mouse, and discovered its laser wasn't tracking properly (which I recall now was why I quit using it before), so I gave it a nice hefty blast with some canned air right on the lens, and that seems to have given it back its crisp precise action, but time will tell.
Oh, and the replacement older wired Logitech's scroll wheel mysteriously works with Seamonkey now (and of course everywhere else).

233

Living Room / Re: wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 05, 2015, 04:25 PM »

So far, the weird mouse click problem 'appears' to be solved with the switch to my alternate wireless like-new Logitech mouse.
For now, due to budget constraints, I can use it, keeping in mind its gliche-prone idiosyncrasies, and everyone's well-advised alternative brand mouse suggestions.
Many tnx!  

(edit): I realize we just finished determining that my old Logitech was problematic both as an individual unit and as a brand, and that Logitech mice are more fragile and damage-prone with generally shorter useful lifespans and TBOs (time before overhaul/discard).
But I do have this other practically new Logitech wireless, and its old 'wake-sleeping' delay seems to possibly have been alleviated by updated driver software.
So I'll use it for now, but plan on one of the above alternates for future reference next time around.

234

Living Room / Re: wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 05, 2015, 03:52 PM »

I'd be willing to bet it's more of a problem with ergonomic mice than any other kind. In fact, I'm not sure I've had the problem with anything else. While that narrows it down to Logitech mice for me, I've never seen it with any of the plain OEM Logitech units I've used - some for long periods of time.

After performing autopsies on a number of mice, mostly after fatal button problems, here's my hypothesis about why that is. The moving parts in a high end ergonomic mouse are not significantly higher quality than the ones on basic mice. In fact, in the case of the electronic moving parts like buttons, I'd say they're generally identical. However, the physics involved as significantly more stressful because of the distances and angles involved. That would explain why these physical problems primarily affect the main buttons, as well as more advanced features like tilting scroll wheels.

-Vurbal (February 05, 2015, 03:09 PM)

^That's quite possible.
Just a 10" drop upside-down onto thick carpet may also be enough to goof up Logitech pushbuttons (as from a tabby cat trying to play Sphinx and share the mouse pad with the Logitech).
BTW, I think the auto-load of mouse drivers for the Logitech wireless may have been updated to make its wake-sleep mode less of a time-lag and not so annoying, at least it seems so now.

235

Living Room / Re: wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 05, 2015, 02:08 PM »

Sentay Apocalypse is available and affordable (giving it a closer look).
Jeeze, 6 different styling-color options, but prices vary.
At this web page, this choice (drop down a paragraph where there are 6 sub-choices) is way cool for $38.99 but just not in my price range at this time.
Man, it's even got a nifty little weight package you can use the empty slots to store an emergency supply of Chiklets or Asperin tablets.
Shades I know what you mean about weight, b/c the A4Tech is so lightweight if you let go of it, the stiffness of the cord can make it shift position.

Okay, I'm using the Logitech 500-type wireless as a stop-gap.
The blame thing is still like new with great scrolling action.
We'll see if it's 'sleep mode' still annoys...so far no problems, makes me wonder why I ever retired it.
I'll have to break out a pair of rechargable AA batts & charger.
This will give me something to tide me over until I can line up one of the other ^suggestions.

236

Living Room / Re: wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 05, 2015, 01:46 PM »

Atch!, my faithful A4Tech mouse works except for the wheel.
It's wheel doesn't tilt, and rolling it does nothing--anywhere.
RIP A4Tech. It's been good.

Coolermaster Storm Xornet has super nice understated black styling.
Amazon Basics is very affordable.

May have to break out the like-new Logitech 500-type wireless and put up with its 'sleep-mode' annoyance until I can order something.
No wheel input on the A4Tech is really not an option for me.

237

Living Room / Re: wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 05, 2015, 12:59 PM »

^wow. Score: 'the other brand' (various praises); Logitech 0%.
It's surprising how relieved I feel, knowing it's -only- (probably) my Logitech mouse, and (probably again) not my entire OS or box doing a Titanic or something.

I better also run a RAM check and see if there's any problem there (the 'fix' is to loosen and reseat the contacts; always works but rarely needed).
Tnx for the tips on alternate mice selections.   I may give one or another of those a shot.
Yes, the rubberized slip-check coating on my L-500 is getting crumbly or something too.

My A4Tech mouse looks like this but with only one wheel not two.
My A4Tech driver folder size is 271kb; Logitech's complete mouse + 'phone home' suite was something like 50 or 74MB.
My fav keyboard I'm writing this on is an ivory colored Compaq 286 key-click which is fairly silent and works flawlessly, because (remember me posting about this?) my Microsoft ergonomic black one the keys started sticking and even lube spray wouldn't fix it.
I do have a Logitech battery powered mouse identical to the 500 laser that appears to be croaking, but the way you have to wiggle it to make it 'wake up' before -every- mouse click operation drives me nuts.

I don't recall why I retired my A4Tech mini-mouse, but maybe I should drag it out and give it a spin.
I've got whole boxes of 'old stuff' that'll never see the light of day again.
But (tech dreaming) I just posted elsewhere how I keep wondering if the day may come that I can replace my tower with a $35 tablet (and get superior performance).

Yes, my Logitech mouse seems to 'click' crisply and cleanly in a purely mechanical/physical way, but on-screen it's giving weird results like a 'phantom' clicker or something, and also copy & paste problems as well now.

238

Living Room / wierd mouse click problem

« Last post by bit on February 05, 2015, 12:18 AM »

Lately when I click to close a window, sometimes it opens anything directly under it on Desktop, or sometimes opens something nearby.
My Logitech 500 laser wheel mouse mouse seems to work just fine otherwise.
My OS came up 'clean' after reg, antivirus, and PUP scans, so I don't know if it could be some weird virus.
I was running several mouse programs;
-Amoumain A4Tech,
-Logitech (forget the name; something about communicating with Logitech)
-Logitech Smooth Scrolling
-Volumouse
-Unknown auto-download of mouse driver when I originally plugged in the mouse
I uninstalled both Logitech programs, but problem persists.

239

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 04, 2015, 08:56 PM »

I suggest Mozilla rename their FF 'portable' version 'Firefox Unportable' (which also makes it all but 'unsupportable').

-bit (February 04, 2015, 04:25 PM)

AFAIK, Mozilla itself doesn't make a portable version of Firefox, that's done by others who package it up in a wrapper, (PortableApps), or who recompile/install it to be so, (Pale Moon, IceDragon).

All being said, if you want a portable version of Firefox I probably would have used Pale Moon or IceDragon since they don't use a wrapper to write things to the system and then clean up afterwards.

-4wd (February 04, 2015, 08:15 PM)

Tnx. Any particular add-ons you would recommend? 

240

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 04, 2015, 04:25 PM »

I've found that Firefox Portable will still use the default Firefox profile location. Meaning it doesn't matter how many copies you make of it, they're all using the same profile on your computer. I found this out when I downloaded Firefox Developer Edition Portable and it wouldn't run while I had Firefox Portable also running, because "the profile was in use."

-Deozaan (February 03, 2015, 10:05 PM)

Tnx. AFAIC, this means FF Portable is -not- portable.
I had not fixed all my FF problems caused by FF 'password importer-exporter';
https://addons.mozilla.or.../addon/password-exporter/
If you want to totally goof up FF, that is the perfect add-on.

All my bookmarks had lost their individual icons, or 'favicons'.
After a little research, I rebooted with a backup HD connected in secondary mode.
Then I navigated through both HDs to this location;
C:\Users\Vinyard Crew\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox
and same spot in the backup HD.
Then I copied the Firefox folder from the backup HD to the same spot in C:, replacing it.
Result; I fixed FF '(not)-Portable', and got back a full set of slightly out-of-date Bookmarks, complete with favicons (a few still missing, but only about 1%), and even got all my Passwords back.
Shut down, unplugged the backup IDE-HD, rebooted, and tidied up with reg, antivirus, and PUP scans.
I suggest Mozilla rename their FF 'portable' version 'Firefox Unportable' (which also makes it all but 'unsupportable').

241

Living Room / Re: Raspberry Pi's $35 Linux PC

« Last post by bit on February 03, 2015, 10:26 PM »

Gives new meaning to putting a Pi in the microwave.

Some Dude Hacks Microwave, Puts Manufacturers to Shame

Of course, nobody here would actually put a  Pi in the microwave. But, if you did you might get a Pi with superpowers(quantum?) like the Fantastic 4. Of course, you most likely would end up with something usuable only for Facebook (or AOL, if it's still around) like the Hulk, if anything good happened at all.

-Arizona Hot (July 18, 2013, 02:35 PM)

How about a container of liquid nitrogen?

242

Living Room / Re: Raspberry Pi's $35 Linux PC

« Last post by bit on February 03, 2015, 10:09 PM »

Techwise & chatwise I'm just not on the up and up with new developments (i.e. I've never even owned or used a cell phone before), but from skimming this thread it looks like the Raspberry Pi tablet does not quite have what it would take to use it as a replacement for my PC yet.
I have a full size mid-tower pc with AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core 4400+ cpu, Windows 7 Pro 32-bit, 4GB ram, and multiple HDs of 500 to 750GB, and an NVidia GTS 450 gpu.
When I see posts & stuffs like this, it makes me wonder when the day may come that I could swap out my box in place of a tablet to plug in my desktop mouse, keyboard, HDs, monitor, and headphone amp to my headphone & speakers.

PS - and do it for $35 (or shall we say less than $100).
PPS - One could use the tablet's onboard HD, and save the old HDs as backups.
Then the only power-hungry thing I'd have left would be my old 19-inch CRT screen; I wonder what the DPI is on those tablets?

Hey, I just passed 400 posts.

243

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 02, 2015, 10:10 PM »

I ran a Restore Point from earlier today and seem to have corrected everything except the manually deleted passwords.
My FF Bookmarks are back, which I value more than the FF passwords (although losing either is an annoyance).
I already mostly don't use the passwords in FF anyway, in preference to Seamonkey, and I can manually restore the few I need for FF.

I found out that to help recover from snafus, the Profile that contains Bookmarks and Passwords is kept separate from the Mozilla Firefox folder.
This worked against me when I relied on my duplicate FF bkup folders -with FF Portable- to protect me from a manual goof-up.
That's my 'take' on it anyway.

AFAIC, that FF 'password importer-exporter';
https://addons.mozil...n/password-exporter/
is bad news; it ate my Bookmarks and also made a valuable add-on called Scrapbook disappear, but a Restore Point from hours earlier seems to have fixed those problems.

244

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 02, 2015, 08:59 PM »

Restored my Bookmarks.
Is there a way to restore my FF Profile to earlier today or yesterday I wonder?
Or would an earlier Restore Point do it?
I made one earlier today and yesterday.

245

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 02, 2015, 08:42 PM »

I see 'Mozilla Firefox 35.0.1 (x86-en-US)' and 'Mozilla Maintenance Service' in my Control Panel\Programs\Uninstall or Change a Program window, and I wonder if it's doing this.

-bit (February 02, 2015, 08:16 PM)

You have Firefox installed also?
Sounds like you might have Automatically install updates set in one of the portables - not a good idea.

If you don't use it, uninstall it.

At a guess, all your portable versions are picking up the profile folder for the installed version - therefore, changes in one appear to be propagated to all.  Whereas, they're all just pointing to the same profile folder.

BTW, your computer is a mess  

-4wd (February 02, 2015, 08:35 PM)

I appreciate your sense of humor.
You're onto something; I'm sure of it.
I transferred the goofed main and backup copies to Recycle Bin, then copied an ungoofed copy from DVD to Program Files; and it looks goofed also; yet I know it has Bookmarks b/c I can see them in the folder.
'Automatically install updates' is already disabled in the DVD copy.
There must be a Profile folder somewhere outside the Portable folder and I'm not sure where to look?

I have a Bookmark file on the DVD that is half a day old, and no clue how to make it appear in the new active FF copy I just x-ferred to Program Files, and it's there in the copy.

246

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 02, 2015, 08:16 PM »

I put [Mozilla Firefox] and its two backups in the Recycle Bin, and rebooted.
Then I started FF Portable directly from a DVD that has a backup copy I just burned to the DVD before all the problems started, and the bookmarks are missing from that one also.
I mean, the DVD is immune to changes, but after FF starts from the DVD, the changes magically 'appear' (missing bookmarks).
The bookmarks are still there in the DVD that was out of the machine.
They just aren't there after I start FF from the DVD.
Some kind of a 'middle process' is interfering.
I see 'Mozilla Firefox 35.0.1 (x86-en-US)' and 'Mozilla Maintenance Service' in my Control Panel\Programs\Uninstall or Change a Program window, and I wonder if it's doing this.
If I 'uninstall/delete' these, then will I get a conflict by copying FF from the DVD without 'reinstalling' FF from an installer file?

247

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 02, 2015, 07:43 PM »

^I'll try it, but first I have to fix another new problem.
When I created a new [Mozilla Firefox] backup to put on a thumb drive, I had first put it on Desktop, renamed it as a backup, and deleted all passwords.
Then I discovered -all- my copies of FF Portable had lost their password.
So I just installed this FF 'password importer-exporter';
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/password-exporter/
and it made -all- my FF bookmarks disappear, probably on -all- FF copies.
Removing the FF importer-exporter did not make my missing bookmarks come back.
I do have backup hard drives to stop this madness, but it's becoming rather annoying.
So far, all I've done is dig myself in deeper into this mess.
I do have a slightly outdated external save of my bookmarks.
I also have other types of browsers, but the bookmarks and passwords vary somewhat between them.

248

General Software Discussion / Re: how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 02, 2015, 07:01 PM »

Unless you run Firefox from your backup copy location, (rather than restore it), Sync will have no effect on them.

Otherwise:

Menu->Options->Sync

If it looks like:
 (see attachment in previous post)
it's not set up.

Otherwise hit the Unlink this device link if it's there.

-4wd (February 02, 2015, 06:52 PM)

It's not set up and looks like your pic.
When I do anything to any FF Portable copy, all the others get changed automatically.
That's what I want it to stop doing.

Maybe I need to rename the backup copies something harder for Sync to find.
(edit) I renamed my backup to [Moz FF bkup 1], then opened [Mozilla Firefox] and bookmarked a page at random, closed [Mozilla Firefox], opened [Moz FF bkup 1] (from a completely different folder), and there was the new random bookmarked web page in the exact same spot in Bookmarks.

This is not good; Mozilla itself admits that it could jeopardize passwords in a lost cellphone; I've also found a comment that Sync is no longer removable in newer versions of FF.

I can think of one way to fix this; put the backups in a TrueCrypt folder with a simple utility password for easy access.
That should put a stop to Sync's 'impolite' behavior.

249

General Software Discussion / how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

« Last post by bit on February 02, 2015, 06:32 PM »

I keep backup copies of my Firefox Portable folder, and give the backups alpha-numerics like [Mozilla Firefox bkup 1] and [Mozilla Firefox bkup 2].
I rely on these backup copies to get me out of a jamb in case the active copy gets goofed up somehow.
Now I discover that anytime I delete or add something to [Mozilla Firefox], it gets automatically deleted or added to the backups.
I don't need my backups to be automatically screwed up like the main copy, but to stay pristine and unchanged in case of major goof-ups so I'll have something to fall back on.
What is doing this and how do I turn it off?

(edit) Okay yes it seems to be something called 'Sync' and I don't even have an account with Sync but it's 'synching' all my backup FF copies.
Do I have to start an account with Sync to turn it off?
Is there any file in FF folder I can just find and delete or rename with the suffix 'DISABLED' to shut it off?
I still want my passwords to work, I just want to shut off Sync somehow.

(edit) I found some advice but no answers yet:
"You need to go into the Sync Options in the Options/Preferences window and click "Deactivate this device"."
I checked, and my up-to-date FF version show no option to 'deactivate' Sync.
So far I see no file in the Mozilla FF folder named 'Sync' for me to delete or rename to disable it.

(edit) found this:
"How to Disable or Opt-Out of Firefox Sync
If at any time, you decide you no longer want to have the Firefox Sync Service, you may un-install the Firefox Sync add-on. Click on the “Tools” menu, then “Add-ons”, select Firefox Sync and click “Uninstall”."
There is no such option in my FF.

250

Living Room / Re: Recommend some music videos to me!

« Last post by bit on February 01, 2015, 03:48 PM »

America's Got Talent - Lilia Stepanova