Computer time! (IT Help thread)

[The_Codfish]

Really don't know where else to go with this, so I'm throwing myself at this forum's mercy.

So, I just happened to turn on my Xbox 360 today and I saw there was an update, so I selected yes to have my Xbox updated. It didn't go through. So hey, that's okay, it showed me an error message, told me to try again, and if I needed help, I could go to Xbox Support with a status code. Here's the problem: When I selected to continue, I got a blank screen. And my controller couldn't connect to my Xbox. I could still turn my Xbox on and off as well as take out my CD, but I basically couldn't see or hear anything on the screen. So I went to Xbox support and looked for my status code, which ended in C000-007F. It said my Xbox needed to go through repairs.

And here's the problem; Microsoft can't help me repair my Xbox since I'm from the Philippines. Which isn't listed at all. Any advice? I'd post something on their 'forums', but I can't figure out how (or even where) to even make a thread or what to ask for help. I'm still looking through it, but in the mean time: Help?

[Drillgorg]

Moving to tech support thread.

[Wesley Foxx]

:I For some reason, Firefox suddenly won't play videos. Blip, Youtube, whatever player Zero Punctuation uses. Most everywhere its just a blank white flash object that gets the stuff above and below it smeared into it when you scroll past it, and on youtube, its just a solid black background but otherwise normal player that doesn't autoplay, and just says "an error occured, please try again later" when clicked to play. Chrome still works normally, and disabling addons doesn't fix.

Edit: Its also not gone away even after restarting my computer, which has previously fixed this sort of thing.

[BRPXQZME]

Have you tried updating or reinstalling Flash? Chrome uses its own installation of Flash (separate from the rest of the system), and all those sites use Flash to play their videos.

[Wesley Foxx]

Tried, didn't work. Is there any self-repair tool for Firefox besides the "reset all the things" button? Or at least a way to export and import your saved passwords. I like not having to guess which permutation of my screen name spelling and passwords I use for various sites. Or would a fresh install be able to learn them back from Chrome?

[unbridledExüberance]

Can you copy-paste or screenshot the relevant section from entering about:plugins in the address bar?

It should look this this:

Shockwave Flash

    File: libflashplayer.so
    Version: 
    Shockwave Flash 11.2 r202

application/x-shockwave-flash 	Shockwave Flash	 	swf
application/futuresplash 	FutureSplash Player 	spl

(Except .dll instead of .so on Windows and possibly a different number after the r... and it might be flashplayer.dll instead of libflashplayer... the 11.2 is the important part)



EDIT: I have a question of my own about Firefox. On download sites, whenever I click on a file, it asks me what to do (which is what I want), but instead of having a relevant application in the "open with" option, it has... gEdit. (It's a basic text editor. Basically the Linux equivalent of notepad but with syntax hilighting for like a billion different file types). When opening, say, a PDF from a site that would normally have an embedded PDF, however, it correctly chooses evince as the program to open the PDF with (I realize I can just use Adobe's acrobat reader plugin, but it's crap, and I like openning it in a separate window). The weird thing is that it was working fine a couple weeks ago, then arbitrarily decided that suddently everything should open with a text editor :mspa: Any suggestions? (I've already deleted the mimetypes file. Didn't work)

x2 EDIT COMBO: Okay, it's not all downloads. If I download a debian package or tarball from launchpad, it chooses the appropriate applications. So it's just some sites, and not others. I am confuse. Maybe sites can suggest a mimetype for downloads somehow? It woould make more sense to, you know, let the OS figure it out. :/

[BRPXQZME]

Tried, didn't work. Is there any self-repair tool for Firefox besides the "reset all the things" button? Or at least a way to export and import your saved passwords. I like not having to guess which permutation of my screen name spelling and passwords I use for various sites. Or would a fresh install be able to learn them back from Chrome?

Hold your horses, make sure this or one of the related articles in the sidebar isn’t the problem! It seems the latest update may itself be the problem.

EDIT: I have a question of my own about Firefox. On download sites, whenever I click on a file, it asks me what to do (which is what I want), but instead of having a relevant application in the "open with" option, it has... gEdit. (It's a basic text editor. Basically the Linux equivalent of notepad but with syntax hilighting for like a billion different file types). When opening, say, a PDF from a site that would normally have an embedded PDF, however, it correctly chooses evince as the program to open the PDF with (I realize I can just use Adobe's acrobat reader plugin, but it's crap, and I like openning it in a separate window). The weird thing is that it was working fine a couple weeks ago, then arbitrarily decided that suddently everything should open with a text editor Any suggestions? (I've already deleted the mimetypes file. Didn't work)

x2 EDIT COMBO: Okay, it's not all downloads. If I download a debian package or tarball from launchpad, it chooses the appropriate applications. So it's just some sites, and not others. I am confuse. Maybe sites can suggest a mimetype for downloads somehow? It woould make more sense to, you know, let the OS figure it out. :/

Depends on your entire setup, but two primary culprits I would check:
1) Edit -> Preferences -> Applications in Firefox
2) whatever part of your DE handles this sort of thing
2a) or if GNOME is not your DE, GNOME’s settings

[unbridledExüberance]

My desktop environment has files associated properly, but Firefox doesn't seem to want to listen to it half the time. Changing the Applications list has no affect on the problem sites (ie. a seemingly completely random selection of sites. sometimes a download link gets file types correctly. Sometimes it doesn't.) Also, the "do this with files of this type in the future" option is always greyed out when it guesses the application wrong, but it's not greyed out when it gets it right.

[Wesley Foxx]

Can you copy-paste or screenshot the relevant section from entering aboutlugins in the address bar?

It should look this this:

Shockwave Flash

    File: libflashplayer.so
    Version: 
    Shockwave Flash 11.2 r202

application/x-shockwave-flash 	Shockwave Flash	 	swf
application/futuresplash 	FutureSplash Player 	spl

(Except .dll instead of .so on Windows and possibly a different number after the r... and it might be flashplayer.dll instead of libflashplayer... the 11.2 is the important part)

Hmm.

Shockwave Flash

    File: NPSWF32_11_3_300_262.dll
    Version: 11.3.300.262
    Shockwave Flash 11.3 r300

MIME Type 	Description 	Suffixes
application/x-shockwave-flash 	Adobe Flash movie 	swf
application/futuresplash 	FutureSplash movie 	spl

[BRPXQZME]

Make sure those sites aren’t sending you the wrong MIME types (check HTTP headers). It’s not necessarily the problem, but I’ve seeeeeen it happen....

[unbridledExüberance]

show spoiler

hide spoiler

Hmm.

Shockwave Flash

    File: NPSWF32_11_3_300_262.dll
    Version: 11.3.300.262
    Shockwave Flash 11.3 r300

MIME Type 	Description 	Suffixes
application/x-shockwave-flash 	Adobe Flash movie 	swf
application/futuresplash 	FutureSplash movie 	spl

Hm, try seeing if you can downgrade to 11.2 maybe. Adobe is horrendous about introducing regressions into new versions, so it's possible that the newest version breaks on your computer for some reason. (Note that Chrome doesn't use the same plugin, so just because it works in Chrome doesn't necessarily mean the problem is Firefox)

Another thing to try is disabling hardware acceleration for Flash if you can do that without it crashing. The latest version of flashplayer on 64-bit Linux mixed up the colour channels on flash videos and made black pixels show the video when firefox was minimized, so I had to disable it. (Seriously, do they even bother testing things anymore :/) Maybe you're getting something similar, but instead of bungling up the system calls, it just fails to draw entirely.

[Wesley Foxx]

Okay, apparently disabling a feature in RealPlayer that didn't even target Firefox and was turned off in firefox, combined with manually exiting firefox from the menu, has it working again? IDK. The real player thing did point me to a different youtube downloader that actually works, though :3

[ARandomKid]

So I'm attempting to get an old game (Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal) to run via DOSBox.

I can get into the main menu. I can hear the main menu music and when I click around randomly I can select stuff.

Problem is, this is obstructing my view of anything:



That little cursor underscore typey thing just keeps flashing away. Also the CD might not be being recognized, but if so I can't tell because I can't see anything.

EDIT: Figured it out. Changed the machine being emulated to vesa_nolfb and that fixed it.

[Wesley Foxx]

Like I mentioned in the bug reporting forum, now firefox crashes whenever I try to load a page I hadn't recently been looking at, but only for the forums, only pages I wasn't recently browsing (eg, I can still check the Games forum and see it update and everything, but I can't check the TF2 thread) and only firefox. :I

[mediflyProspitian]

I'm getting really frustrated with this computer, which I'm running in safe mode because it's infected with ransomware. It's basically a fake "FBI notice" saying I "violated copyright laws" and must pay a $200 fine through Moneypak to unlock my computer. I tried running Avast! to try and get rid of it, but it didn't pick it up. Can someone help me out?

[PetPeeve]

Malware removal is mostly fictional these days. Even if you manage to roll back the installation, you will never know what other holes it stuck in your machine. I really don't recommend removal to anyone anymore - just go and install windows over your current image, or restore from your backup if you've been good about taking them. It's the only way to be reasonably sure you nailed it. I stay "reasonably" because there are some wacky propogation methods that can survive even that, but you aren't likely to run into them. You really want to scratch the filesystem and boot blocks though, infecting that is becoming routine.

The fact that it doesn't kick off in safe mode is kind of startling, and I'm going to guess that the spyware IS running, it's just laying low because it knows you're trying to remove it.

Edit: It should be needless to say, but the warnings are fake. You are almost certainly wise to that, but it's shocking how often people believe that stuff. I was reading a story the other day where a customer told his tech guy that he had paid for fake antivirus 3 times before he got the idea that MAYBE something was fishy.

[Dommino II]

Uh, hope this thread is still alive.

I recently got back onto my laptop after about a week's vacation. After shoveling off a bunch of crap my sister accidentally downloaded, I go back to MSPA to watch the latest update, only to discover that there's now an annoying popping noise in the background of all the [S] flashes. If I mute the flash sound it goes away, and the popping background noise doesn't show up in any other flash videos or YouTube videos; the problem only seems to occur on MSPA. Any advice?

[Frost]

First, check that all of your sound wires and so on aren't too close to one another, and check that this problem occurs through both headphones and speakers. If so, I think the only possible explanation is a bug in the newest Flash Player (google throws up a few other audio bugs for Flash 11.2), which your sister presumably downloaded by accident. Try reinstalling Flash, downgrading it to a slightly older version if possible, and if that fails, try reinstalling your audio drivers.

If you're running Firefox or Chrome, you could also try disabling all of your addons and plugins except Flash Player.

[BlackholePA]

Uh, hope this thread is still alive.

I recently got back onto my laptop after about a week's vacation. After shoveling off a bunch of crap my sister accidentally downloaded, I go back to MSPA to watch the latest update, only to discover that there's now an annoying popping noise in the background of all the [S] flashes. If I mute the flash sound it goes away, and the popping background noise doesn't show up in any other flash videos or YouTube videos; the problem only seems to occur on MSPA. Any advice?

I have exactly the same problem, and it seems to have appeared only recently. I think I updated my flash recently so that my indeed be the cause...

EDIT: I have been fiddling around with flash player and the problem persists. It's really annoying. If anyone has some more pointers on this I would be glad to hear them.

EDIT 2: This seems to be a Chrome-only issue. I have local copies of most of the Homestuck flash files, and they are playing fine in I.E. I assume this is a result of the browser but I suppose there could be a chance that it is because I am playing the local versions. Don't really see why this would be though.

EDIT 3: Yeah, the site-hosted versions play fine in I.E. also.

[BRPXQZME]

Chrome uses a built-in copy of Flash separate from the one available to the rest of your system (so that it updates along with the browser). This is better in general, but sometimes backfires, and basically that’s what you’re seeing now.

[SkaianRedeemer]

I wish I could help with the Chrome thing, because it sounds awfully familiar from two different angles, but I just can't remember the key steps... did it involve uninstalling Chrome's local copy of flash via the plugins? That's the sort of thing I don't want to recommend without being sure. Sorry.


I'm having a bit of a minor problem. Seems after I cleared it out except for one music file, my Windows 7 Downloads folder decided it was a music folder. I've told it it's not via Customize, but now I can't figure out how to restore its old, default settings, i.e. large icons separated into blocks by creation date. Does anyone know how to get it back in its original line? If I picked the wrong setting via Customize, that might also have something to do with it. I'm sure, if you know the answer, you'll know better than me on that part, too.

[BlackholePA]

I'm not sure I can help with that, but I do have some more information on the Chrome flash issue. There are in fact certain flash pages where to popping does not occur; the only two I have identified as of yet are the looping page just after John's first prototyping of the Kernelsprite, and the first walkaround flash after John enters the medium. Note that on this second example, the only audio that plays that I have tested is the short loop of "wind" sound. As such, these two flashes are similar in that the audio is a short looping clip, which, I suppose, may aid in understanding the exact nature of the problem.

EDIT: FIXED

Please note that before performing the procedure I am about to describe, I also deleted some Flash-related files from Chrome's program files. I have absolutely no idea if this was essential to fix the issue, although I would say I am 80% sure that it is not.

1) Type "chrome:plugins" into your address bar.

2) Expand the "details" link in the top right.

3) Three different copies of Shockwave Glash player should be listed.

4) Disable the version of flash with "pepflashplayer.dll" in it's location bar.

You are now no longer running Chrome's local version of flash. Note that the other two versions seem to be not as up to date as Chrome's local one, at least on my PC. But I doubt this really matters.

Also, if you have never used a browser to view Chrome other than flash, you may possibly have to install it for another browser so that it is on your system? I really do not know, however, as I am by no means an expert on Flash.

[SkaianRedeemer]

I'm having a bit of a minor problem. Seems after I cleared it out except for one music file, my Windows 7 Downloads folder decided it was a music folder. I've told it it's not via Customize, but now I can't figure out how to restore its old, default settings, i.e. large icons separated into blocks by creation date. Does anyone know how to get it back in its original line? If I picked the wrong setting via Customize, that might also have something to do with it. I'm sure, if you know the answer, you'll know better than me on that part, too.

Answering my own question for the record here: Right click -> Group By -> Date Modified.

[Holly]

Argh
My laptop got wet and now it wont start at all, even after I let it dry for a couple of days. One light on the front turns on for a couple of seconds when I press the on-button but nothing else. And I can't find the receipt. And the warranty doesn't cover this, I'm pretty sure.
I've never had a computer repaired before, how much can be fixed? Will things on the harddrive disappear?

[chimaeraUndying]

a) do you have another computer?
b) do you have a tech savvy meatspace friend?
c) is the laptop a Retina MacBook Pro?

(those three questions are somewhat to eachother)

If the answer to c is true, you probably won't be able to do much of anything - most of the hardware is sealed up supertight inside the machine, and it's likely that you'd have to replace most everything.

If the answer to a is true and the answer to c is not true, then you can likely open the laptop up and remove the hard drive, then place it in your other computer, back up everything important on your laptop, and then replace the hard drive and have your laptop repaired.

If you're unsure how to get the hard drive out and around and then back in again, and the answer to b is true, then recruit your computery meatspace freind to help you / do it for you.

Logic trains aside, it should be fully reparable, although potentially rather pricey depending on how much water damage there is to hardware. You should be able to take it to a third-party computer repair shop (just make sure they're reputable first!) and get it fixed if you aren't under warranty.