Small Tech Support Questions - Windows

[BklynBruzer]

This is like the Mac thread, but for Windows people (aka unenlightened savages... Just kidding y'all :D).

(Joe/Mods - see my note on the Mac topic)

[Joe Beaudoin Jr.]

And for thy heretics who plague thine Earth... thine thread is sticketh'd!

[Sgt_Smiles]

horray for osx/vista crossovers! now we can have all the benefits of osx gagetry in vista!!
check out wincustomize.org

[BklynBruzer]

Ooooh, slight problem with that. The problem is, Vista's a crappy rip-off wanna-be OSX.

[JDS]

I see a distinct lack of respect among the locals here for the REAL operating system. Hmm.

[BklynBruzer]

Exactly, there are actually people here who LIKE windows. That shows disrespect for the REAL operating system!

[JDS]

Uhuh.

I'm willing to bet this forum software we're using right here wasn't written on a Mac.

[Sgt_Smiles]

Ooooh, slight problem with that. The problem is, Vista's a crappy rip-off wanna-be OSX.

I find your lack of faith Disturbing. :mad:

[Joe Beaudoin Jr.]

Whatever toasts your bread, I guess. :-)

In regards to Vista... I have had more people complain to me about that OS; almost mirroring the level of complaints I remember hearing about Windows ME, which I have enough horror stories of using to tell myself.

Whether it's driver support or the fact that it doesn't run old programs (I'm talking stuff that works on Windows XP flawlessly, not even 98SE stuff).

Also, a lot of the design aesthetic does seem to be lifted from OS X, or even KDE/GNOME.

[JDS]

Hmmm...so they make it more like Mac, and it doesn't work as well...I see a pattern here...

[Joe Beaudoin Jr.]

The Mac vs. Windows thing... It's really a personal preference.

Ultimately, you should go with what works best with you and your lifestyle (or even your business needs).

[JDS]

Agreed.

[Sgt_Smiles]

Hmmm...so they make it more like Mac, and it doesn't work as well...I see a pattern here...

lol i bet the military doesnt use mac. i doubt they use vista either.

[JDS]

I think the military uses Windows and Unix.

[Spencerian]

The niceness of Vista was an overdue feature: A true WYSIWYG interface. The bad news is that Vista's interface is poorly optimized, to take one example. The Vista Aero Glass transparencies that require a high-end video card in PCs to be seen are a commonplace feature in OS X and have been for years, even with low-end Intel graphics support.

Show me a Microsoft software product that isn't filled with bloat. Sadly (and I'm trying to be fair) I can't think of one made in the last ten years.

[Sgt_Smiles]

hey guys guess what im using!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m266/sgtsmiles8806/desktop.jpg

[Joe Beaudoin Jr.]

Vista looks nice. It just doesn't support a lot of the older programs -- including those from Windows XP! Yikes! It also requires too many system resources that an OPERATING SYSTEM should never need to use!

Hell, even Linux has done the transparency thing with fewer system resources than Vista requires.

Just to tack on to what Spence mentioned. I've used my share of M$ products in the past, was trained as a MOUS (Microsoft Office User Specialist, until they phased out that term), and have seen Microsoft done some pretty cool things, particularly with the Xbox. (The Zune, their newest foray into the music world, is overrated and too DRM restricted, far worse than the iPod.)

I've used a lot of MS software, and the software bloat is just getting worse. Hell, I think they're getting their cues from Symantec at this point!

So, here's the really really sad thing is Microsoft can make a good product... when they want to. But they don't need to, and that's probably the problem right there.

[DrWho42]

My computer crashed due to my roommate's Age of Empires II taking up most of my memory, and now the screen appears as follows:
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i263/xyzzy42/Screen.png
The setting stay stuck on 800 x 600 pixels and 4 bit, and the Display Settings don't offer the ability of moving up.

Any suggestion as far as fixing the problem goes?

[Joe Beaudoin Jr.]

Have you updated your NVidia drivers lately? If not, now would be a good time to do so, and that might solve the problem.

[JDS]

OUCH! Your computer just got its ass handed to it by AOE.

Anyway, if I remember correctly, Joe is on the right track. NvCpl.dll is part of the "nVidia Control Panel", which handles your graphics settings (resolution, color depth, hardware acceleration, etc). When the control panel doesn't start up (because that file is corrupted) the graphics default to those low-res settings you're looking at now. So yes, a nice fresh installation of nVidia Forceware should solve that.

[DrWho42]

Thanks!

I updated nVidia yesterday and it's back now to the way it was.

[Joe Beaudoin Jr.]

Thanks!

I updated nVidia yesterday and it's back now to the way it was.

Wonderful!

When in doubt, re-install or update drivers. LOL

Cheers!

[BklynBruzer]

Dude... your computer got the shit kicked out of it by AOE II?!

AOE II?!

[Shane]

Uhuh.

I'm willing to bet this forum software we're using right here wasn't written on a Mac.
Dell Computers using XP. :)

[NEXUX]

At the moment XP is the best OS
Vista SUX.

[Shane]

Umm... what OS do you think created these l33t graphics for this site? :)

[NEXUX]

I like Linux also by the way
And tell me Sir Lord Jedi Shane what OS do u use? :))

[Spencerian]

I like Linux also by the way
And tell me Sir Lord Jedi Shane what OS do u use? :))

I like Linux, too. But I also have to make a living, which you can't do with that unless you are a seriously experienced system administrator and programmer.

Which is why I do almost every bit of work on my BSD-hybrid:

A Mac.
(Which occasionally runs Ubuntu and XP when the rare situations call for it.)

[ShadowEnigma]

XP Media Center Edition.

Works well, at least for me =P

[1Nivek1]

Since, everyone is having fun (I'm an avid XP fan who will move to Linux when I'm forced to BTW). Posted this to a couple of boards and haven't gotten a response yet...but what the heck:
--------------------------------------------
This has been a problem for me for about 2 years now...

I've seen many other people complain with the same problem, but have never seen a viable solution (it's always what brands, switch channels, winsockfix, firmware, etc.)

XP SP2 / Intel 3.2G x 2 / 2G RAM
Wireless connect (Belkin Wireless Pre-N card)
Win XP SP2 (updated as far as it can go)

The problem:

Connection becomes unstable(i.e. slow) for about 2-5 seconds, then utterly fails to connect...can't access web, can't access local address(i.e. 192.168.1.1), can't ping anything. When using DHCP on router, doing a repair (i.e. release/renew clear ARP cache, etc.) fixes. If using static IP, then I must assign a new IP. That is, I have to go from say 192.168.1.110 to 192.168.1.111

The problem is not unique to a single ISP & router. I have two networks I can access. For troubleshooting sake, I made them both unencrypted (although WEP, WPA makes no difference to the problem). I have also tried multiple channels in the theory of interference, and channel strength for both networks are good(using NetStumbler). Both networks are on far channels from each other (i.e. 1 & 11), and there are no other networks detected in the area by WinXP or NetStumbler.

Net #1) Ameritech DSL Modem ->DLink Router ->Belkin Pre-N Wireless(access point). Router logs in PPoE (the DSL modem's "router functions are turned off"), Belkin access point has NAT turned off. (don't have the exact model numbers in front of me, but it's irrelavent, as the problem transcends manufacturers :>

Net #2) RoadRunner Cable -> LinkSys WRT54GS

What I've tried:

#1)
Firmwares...old version and new. Currently all newest.

#2)
XP reinstall..no firewalls. Unupdated (past SP 2 that is) and fully updated with not a single, solitary program installed on the OS.

#3)
Driver change (old and new) for Belkin Wireless Pre-N card.

#4)
Every router setting possible (uPnP, NAT, differnet public addresses, different DHCP range, different lease values, which logs in PPoE, etc.)

#5)
Assigning a DMZ to the router, and setting static IP to it.

#6)
Using DHCP and static IP with DNS entered

#7)
OpenDNS

#8)
Adjusting MTU and RWIN values using both DrTCP, TCPOptimizer, and manual step-by-step approach. (Current values are MTU=1492 RWIN=261360)

#9)
WinSockfix

#10)
Unpluggings and resets, checking cables/connections, destroying every wireless phone within a 15 mile radius, etc.

THE PROBLEM IS SPECIFIC TO THE WIRELESS CONNECTION ONLY! Wired users on both Nets have no problems. My computer is the only one connected wirelessly.

Curiosities:
#1) Long periods ( ~ >3 hours) usually result in failure
#2) Multiple websites (opening four hits off google in tabs at a time,etc) result in failure.
#3) P2P (EMule), keeps it STABLE ?!
#4) NNTP traffic with multiple connections is fine, BUT...
if it "takes a break" (pauses between d/l'ing, meaning I click one file then the next) it becomes unstable and crashes... HOWEVER, if I click 15 files to d/l, it will d/l them all, THEN crash....like the "break" or "pause" causes it.

When it does crash, the computer sometimes (about 1 out of 10 times), will become slow and unresponsive. Clicking on Net properties doesn't work, and I cant get to the Task Manager(Ctrl-Alt-Del). Then after about 1-2 mins, the computer will respond all at once, and be fine after I change IP's or release/renew.

I've been fiddling for about 2 years now. I thought the MTU/RWIN size was a high possibility, but I tried many different settings and no luck.

I'm totally out of guesses here, and I've seen a few mentions of the problem in other forums over the years but no real answer. People are usually like: "type in ipconfig /all and paste the results", then follow up with "you should upgrade the firmware on your router", etc. Please don't respond with the normal troubleshooting stuff. This one is definately off the map. It's the first computer problem in 20+ years that I've actually had to resort to asking someone(minus the old days of mscdex if anyone can remember that one;)...granted I was like 8!)

[Spencerian]

Hey, 1Nivek1.

I'm no XP expert (I'm more of a Mac guru), but one item you didn't note doing might involve the router card itself and how Windows manages its power.

You might want try to disable power management on your computer's
network adapter(s). Go to Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager. Expand the network devices category to find your Ethernet adapter. Double-click it to see Properties. Click on the Power Management tab and uncheck the box that says "allow Windows to turn off this device when not in use."

Maybe Windows is turning off the adapter itself. Could be a simple fix. :)

[Shane]

I like Linux also by the way
And tell me Sir Lord Jedi Shane what OS do u use? :))
Vista. :)

I agree with Spenc. Sounds like you have windows powering down the NIC card after a certain amount of idle use, even though it's connected. Try making it say on forever. It's just like the hard drives.

[1Nivek1]

No...no powersupply options are on...Just the monitors (not hard drives and no standby)

[Steelviper]

Curiosities:
#1) Long periods ( ~ >3 hours) usually result in failure
#2) Multiple websites (opening four hits off google in tabs at a time,etc) result in failure.
#3) P2P (EMule), keeps it STABLE ?!
#4) NNTP traffic with multiple connections is fine, BUT...
if it "takes a break" (pauses between d/l'ing, meaning I click one file then the next) it becomes unstable and crashes... HOWEVER, if I click 15 files to d/l, it will d/l them all, THEN crash....like the "break" or "pause" causes it.

This actually sounds pretty similar to a computer I just installed Ubuntu on, but with a wired connection. It'd work for the first address you type in, but after that everything (including the address of the cable modem) would time out. Unplugging and replugging the ethernet card would allow it to work again (for one more address). In my case it appears to have been a bad NIC. It was weird because it'd been working at my house, but was broken at my sister-in-laws. Must have been damaged in transit, or during a power short she caused shortly after hooking up the computer. The pain was compounded by the fact that the cable modem people refused to help troubleshoot because it was Linux, but (unhelpfully) suggested increasing the cache of her browser.

Have you tried using a different wireless card?

[1Nivek1]

No, but it is my most suspect reason. Just wanted to make sure I'm not missing something. Thanks for the reply, and that replacing the NIC cured your ills.

[JDS]

Okay, I've got a stumper for you guys...

This one's been bothering me for a while on and off...sometimes it gets worse and sometimes it goes away for a while.

I'm on a Dell X1 laptop using the onboard 802.11g WiFi card connected to a Comcast cable modem through a Linksys 802.11n wireless router. The connection is encrypted with WPA2 Personal using the AEG algorithm. Key renewal is set to 3600 seconds.

I'll be using the internet and my connection to the router will simply stop working. The connection speed reads 1.0 Mbps instead of 54 Mbps, although it's not even going 1.0 bps, it's just plain stopped. Clearing out all the caches fixes it temporarily, but then it happens again. Restarting either the computer or the router hasn't solved the problem. As far as I can tell, it seems to be correlated to the number of images I'm loading, although not the actual data...I can load a few very large images with no problem, or any number of videos or other large files, but a site with a whole lot of little images (like BSForum) shuts it right down.

It doesn't seem to be my laptop...it works fine on any other connection, be it an ethernet cable through the router, or any other wireless or ethernet connection.

However, strangely enough, it doesn't seem to be the router either. Other computers work fine on the same connection.

I can only conclude that it has something to do with the combination of this particular computer on this particular connection. I just can't figure out WHAT.

[Shane]

Mom has the same problem yet I set her up on the same type of router as the card. She gets disconnected. I got myself a netgear router. Works a bit differently and I haven't gotten disconnected for a while.

[1Nivek1]

Okay, I've got a stumper for you guys...

This one's been bothering me for a while on and off...sometimes it gets worse and sometimes it goes away for a while.

I'm on a Dell X1 laptop using the onboard 802.11g WiFi card connected to a Comcast cable modem through a Linksys 802.11n wireless router. The connection is encrypted with WPA2 Personal using the AEG algorithm. Key renewal is set to 3600 seconds.

I'll be using the internet and my connection to the router will simply stop working. The connection speed reads 1.0 Mbps instead of 54 Mbps, although it's not even going 1.0 bps, it's just plain stopped. Clearing out all the caches fixes it temporarily, but then it happens again. Restarting either the computer or the router hasn't solved the problem. As far as I can tell, it seems to be correlated to the number of images I'm loading, although not the actual data...I can load a few very large images with no problem, or any number of videos or other large files, but a site with a whole lot of little images (like BSForum) shuts it right down.

It doesn't seem to be my laptop...it works fine on any other connection, be it an ethernet cable through the router, or any other wireless or ethernet connection.

However, strangely enough, it doesn't seem to be the router either. Other computers work fine on the same connection.

I can only conclude that it has something to do with the combination of this particular computer on this particular connection. I just can't figure out WHAT.

Well, in a lot of ways your problem is much like the one I posted earlier. First thoughts are it is a router problem limited to wireless (I know you don't think so, but this is the first logical place to start).

1st thing I'd check is to make sure you're not double NAT'ing (Google double NAT for explanation). Double NAT can lead to router instablity.

2nd thing you should do, is put the computer with the problem on a fixed IP and set it to a DMZ on the router, and disable encrypt(this is all in the name of trying get a limiting factor)

3rd set the DNS from the router as static through TCP/IP properties local to computer.

4th, run speed test(google speed line test). Then d/l TCPOptimizer and set MTU 1492 and RWIN according to what TCPOptimizer tells you for your "max" line speed" Restart

5th Disable uPNP, and fiddle with other router settings (Like bursts for handlng data (e.g. protected/unprotect etc.)

6th Set SSID to broadcast. Make sure channel is as far away from other local nets as possible (use NetStumbler)

7th Disable any software firewall.

This is omitting all the obvious stuff (firmware, spyware, virus scan, etc).
It's also not in any particular order.

If not, then you're in the same boat as me with a computer. Blame it on the NIC I guess...