Random Tech Questions you want answered.

The iPhone backup isn't really a classic backup though. It remembers what apps were installed, where they icons were, etc, and it re-downloads and installs them after the restore completes.

Not really tech, but not sure where to put it. I don't use facebook on a personal basis, but I have an account just to link games to it and get in-game bonuses. I tried to log in on a different machine, and facebook randomly decided it wanted to verify my birthday. I made the account a couple of years ago and don't remember the personal details I entered - just the username and password. I incorrectly entered the birthday a couple of times, and it locked the account, de-linking the small handful of games I play that use facebook, preventing them from saving to facebook. :/ Any ideas on things to try, or am I stuck on local device/data only?

*EDIT* , ah managed to get it straightened out! Back in the realm of magical backups.

So anyone ever use the converters to run a laptop in a car?

I was thinking about getting this one that fits in a cupholder, or one of the other ones like this.

Any suggestions?

Yeah I have one. You just want to make sure your inverter can handle more wattage than the laptop draws.

complexmath wrote:

Yeah I have one. You just want to make sure your inverter can handle more wattage than the laptop draws.

Thanks!

I assume a 17 in laptop Dell made a year or two ago wouldn't be that big of a draw on it... is that a safe assumption or should I try to figure it out?

I need to order it before I head back home today if I want it in time for my trip.

Many AC adapters will have labeling, right on them, telling you how much power they need.

85 watts, I understand, is a common size for Dell, but a 17 inch laptop might need more.

Malor wrote:

Many AC adapters will have labeling, right on them, telling you how much power they need.

85 watts, I understand, is a common size for Dell, but a 17 inch laptop might need more.

Thanks, although I can't find look at the cable til I get home I found a review of a 17r that mentioned a max load of around 80. Even with this being an older model I think 150 will be plenty. I plan on getting this particular model if anyone is interested.

Can anyone tell me what's making my mouse suddenly start hesitating at the edge of my monitors when I try to cross from one to the other? It's not those windows 8 side screen menus or whatever, as I've got those disabled anyway.

It goes away on a reboot, and stays fine for an indeterminate amount of time. Then suddenly, for seemingly no reason, I'll sit back down at some point and if I don't move the mouse above a certain speed it refuses to cross from one monitor to the other. It's incredibly annoying, and is a new behavior. It seems to coincide with the power settings for my monitors also no longer working. They just suddenly stop turning themselves off after the time I've set. They'll work fine for a day or two or three, then all the sudden one time I'll get up and when I walk by half an hour later they're still sitting on.

I found an article online about a registry alteration to fix the mouse thing specifically. I then followed its directions to the specific involved keys only to find they were already set the way they're supposed to be to prevent this exact mouse behavior. So whatever the problem is it's something else.

Anybody else running multiple monitors on Windows 8 running into this?

Plex? Kodi (formerly XBMC)? What are you using for local AND internet streaming to your home media setup? Is there a thread that speaks to this?

Just installed Origins on my new desktop and decided to put it on my 1TB normal hard drive as opposed to my 125gb SSD, as I want to use the SSD for other things and put most of my games on the 1TB one.

All my program files are on the SSD, but when installing origins, despite the fact I told it to not put it in program files (x86) (which didn't exist on my 1TB), it's went and made a folder anyway. So now I have a separate folder on each hard drive with this name! Does anyone know if this could cause any issues at all?

Did Origin (I assume you mean EA's software) actually *install* to Program Files (x86)\ or did it just create the folder? Regardless, it will definitely not cause any issues. It's just a name.

Hyetal wrote:

Did Origin (I assume you mean EA's software) actually *install* to Program Files (x86) or did it just create the folder? Regardless, it will definitely not cause any issues. It's just a name.

It had it as my C drive as default to install the Origin (Aye, sorry, the EA software!) folder within the Program Files (x86), so I changed it to D and removed the PFx86 folder name, but it looks like it made it anyway!

Oh well, thanks for the advice! Didn't think it would, but just wasn't sure. Can enjoy Dragon Age Inquisition in peace

Recommend a reasonable cost wireless headset adapter setup for an office phone (landline in)?

I see this which one could combine with any bluetooth headset I imagine(?). I should have thought to check the branding in all those call centers I used to work in.

I am looking to buy a new laptop. Does it make sense to wait a month or two or should I buy now? Isn't Intel releasing new chips for mobile which would suggest clearance sales on existing models?

Clusks wrote:
Hyetal wrote:

Did Origin (I assume you mean EA's software) actually *install* to Program Files (x86) or did it just create the folder? Regardless, it will definitely not cause any issues. It's just a name.

It had it as my C drive as default to install the Origin (Aye, sorry, the EA software!) folder within the Program Files (x86), so I changed it to D and removed the PFx86 folder name, but it looks like it made it anyway!

Oh well, thanks for the advice! Didn't think it would, but just wasn't sure. Can enjoy Dragon Age Inquisition in peace :D

For steam, I found managing a different install directory to not be worth the hassle, so I just let it install games to the default location, and then move games to the SSD with Steam Mover when I play them.

For steam, I found managing a different install directory to not be worth the hassle, so I just let it install games to the default location, and then move games to the SSD with Steam Mover when I play them.

Thanks for that! I have a new HDD that I want to utilize primarily for Steam games.

cartoonin99 wrote:
For steam, I found managing a different install directory to not be worth the hassle, so I just let it install games to the default location, and then move games to the SSD with Steam Mover when I play them.

Thanks for that! I have a new HDD that I want to utilize primarily for Steam games.

I've had Zero issues setting up a second directory with steam. Infact, of all the crap that I have games on, steam syncs up the best. After reformatting you just download steam and go into your setting and add that pre-existing folder as one of your steam game folders again. Instantly recognized all your games are installed(Origin and Uplay do not) and will reinstall any drivers or .net re-distributables that you need.

b12n11w00t wrote:
cartoonin99 wrote:
For steam, I found managing a different install directory to not be worth the hassle, so I just let it install games to the default location, and then move games to the SSD with Steam Mover when I play them.

Thanks for that! I have a new HDD that I want to utilize primarily for Steam games.

I've had Zero issues setting up a second directory with steam. Infact, of all the crap that I have games on, steam syncs up the best. After reformatting you just download steam and go into your setting and add that pre-existing folder as one of your steam game folders again. Instantly recognized all your games are installed(Origin and Uplay do not) and will reinstall any drivers or .net re-distributables that you need.

Well now, isn't that handy! I may just do that after I get some Dying Light time in.

Muchas gracias.

Woke up this morning to find that one of the fans in our PC was really, REALLY loud. it was also a fan that really didn't do much since the front side air intake is really poorly designed on my case. So now I'm debating a new case vs. just letting it run as is, which means airflow is entirely from one intake fan on the back and the exhaust through my power supply.

And if I go with a new case, how in the world am I supposed to decide which one to get? Just looking at our local Microcenter, there are 66 different in-stock models at or below $100, and over 40 below $75. They all look basically the same to me.

So now I'm debating a new case vs. just letting it run as is, which means airflow is entirely from one intake fan on the back and the exhaust through my power supply.

Unless your case is exceptionally stupid in some way, you can replace the fan. It should be either 80mm or 120mm; measure it, and then buy a replacement. The best fans are probably fluid bearing; they're quiet and show very little wear, and can last a decade or more. Dual ball bearing fans are a little louder and a little less durable, but are still very good, and cheaper. Sleeve bearing fans are cheap, loud, and will usually fail within a couple years -- that's probably what you have, and you don't likely want another.

You can probably find a fluid bearing fan for about $15, or a dual ball bearing for about $10.

Malor wrote:

Unless your case is exceptionally stupid in some way, you can replace the fan. It should be either 80mm or 120mm; measure it, and then buy a replacement. The best fans are probably fluid bearing; they're quiet and show very little wear, and can last a decade or more. Dual ball bearing fans are a little louder and a little less durable, but are still very good, and cheaper. Sleeve bearing fans are cheap, loud, and will usually fail within a couple years -- that's probably what you have, and you don't likely want another.

Yeah, sorry. I know I could replace the fan, and in fact this one that failed is a fan I put in maybe a year ago. The problem is that the airflow vents on the front of the case are basically non-existent, so I'm debating using this as an excuse to just get a better case. I likely have a couple of 80mm fans lying around that I could swap in, but like I said - I'm not sure the front fan is really doing anything. I'd like to get one that's a little quieter, and has better cooling. Seems like a case with better airflow would be able to run fans at lower speeds, hence quieter dB levels. Right now my CPU (Athlon X2 620) idles at around 48C. Maybe that's fine, I don't know.

Well, the Corsair cases are good, although the cheap ones are mostly mesh. The 330R is the least expensive I know that's mostly solid, not too much mesh, so you can take advantage of dust filters, and channel the airflow more where you want it.

The one I'm using on my main machine here has a huge mesh window on the case door, and another huge opening on top, and I ended up having to use cardboard to seal both, so that I could do proper front->back airflow through the dust filter. I gather that a slightly different model number would have had a solid door, although I think the top would have been open, no matter what.

I'm a fan of NZXT cases, picked one up on a whim for my wife and bought one for myself I liked it so much. I use their giant ass full towers, but if you want a mid tower they have plenty of those two. Really if I was getting a new case right now it would either be this or Corsair. So just shop around a bit and go with your gut.

I just got a request for information from my dear, sweet, techno-ignorant mother, and I'm unfortunately not that qualified to help, so I told her I'd put out some feelers to folks I know. *wink wink*

She's looking to set up a web site for her chapter of DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance), on a shoestring. This is a ground-up operation, so they need a domain name if they want to look professional and not hosted by Geocities or Angelfire or some 90s/00s crap like that. Other local chapters have top-level domains like http://dbsamadison.org, so I'd hope she can get a comparable domain name for her own chapter (I checked dbsabellevue.org, the logical domain name for her chapter, the corresponding IP is owned by some company in Belfast called Barefruit who specialize in "typo redirection" or some shady practice like that, I think that means it's not in use). I do not know the first thing about domain name registration outside of the fact that big-name hosting companies like GoDaddy and 1&1 will do it for you.

TL;DR - Item 1: Domain name.

Item 2: Hosting. I know some of the aforementioned companies do both domain name registration and hosting services, and I think that would be a good option for her, but some of those companies (coughgodaddycough) seem a tad shady. The reference website (linked above) was created before the current chapter president was around, so that knowledge is not available. If anyone knows of any good hosting options, independent of domain name registration or otherwise, or can suggest some good resources for DIY hosting, that would be awesome. Bear in mind that I'm not going to set this stuff up for her, don't have time and it's not my strongest field of CS/IT expertise, so the resources need to be for an unskilled individual.

Item 3: Content. The current reference website was put together by the chapter president's husband using Artisteer, judging by the watermark at the bottom of the page. I don't know if my mom has the funds for software like Artisteer/Dreamweaver, or the time/patience to learn them, much less if anyone in the group has the time/patience. I'm wondering if anyone here can suggest cheap solutions for generating a nice-looking modern-day web page that doesn't involve raw HTML. Again, one of those all-in-one services might be the best option, but I don't know what options there are beyond what I've seen on TV or the top hits on Google.

I think these are the three biggies that I she needs to figure out; if I'm wrong, then by all means correct me. Much of the inner workings of the Internet and the web are dark magic and voodoo to me, but if anyone can point us in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.

I have heard too many ads for Squarespace not to mention Squarespace right here. I'm not familiar with that stuff at all so I have no idea which parts of your question that solves. Clearly, I am susceptible to brainwashing. Jeff Cannata and the Area 5 guys both genuinely used it and liked it, fwiw.

Has anything happened in the blu-ray decoding software department in the last year or so? The player that came with my drive (in 2009) is dead and the new versions are ~$99, attracting both of my middle fingers.

Bubs14 wrote:

I just got a request for information from my dear, sweet, techno-ignorant mother, and I'm unfortunately not that qualified to help, so I told her I'd put out some feelers to folks I know. *wink wink*

She's looking to set up a web site for her chapter of DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance), on a shoestring. This is a ground-up operation, so they need a domain name if they want to look professional and not hosted by Geocities or Angelfire or some 90s/00s crap like that. Other local chapters have top-level domains like http://dbsamadison.org, so I'd hope she can get a comparable domain name for her own chapter (I checked dbsabellevue.org, the logical domain name for her chapter, the corresponding IP is owned by some company in Belfast called Barefruit who specialize in "typo redirection" or some shady practice like that, I think that means it's not in use). I do not know the first thing about domain name registration outside of the fact that big-name hosting companies like GoDaddy and 1&1 will do it for you.

TL;DR - Item 1: Domain name.

Item 2: Hosting. I know some of the aforementioned companies do both domain name registration and hosting services, and I think that would be a good option for her, but some of those companies (coughgodaddycough) seem a tad shady. The reference website (linked above) was created before the current chapter president was around, so that knowledge is not available. If anyone knows of any good hosting options, independent of domain name registration or otherwise, or can suggest some good resources for DIY hosting, that would be awesome. Bear in mind that I'm not going to set this stuff up for her, don't have time and it's not my strongest field of CS/IT expertise, so the resources need to be for an unskilled individual.

Item 3: Content. The current reference website was put together by the chapter president's husband using Artisteer, judging by the watermark at the bottom of the page. I don't know if my mom has the funds for software like Artisteer/Dreamweaver, or the time/patience to learn them, much less if anyone in the group has the time/patience. I'm wondering if anyone here can suggest cheap solutions for generating a nice-looking modern-day web page that doesn't involve raw HTML. Again, one of those all-in-one services might be the best option, but I don't know what options there are beyond what I've seen on TV or the top hits on Google.

I think these are the three biggies that I she needs to figure out; if I'm wrong, then by all means correct me. Much of the inner workings of the Internet and the web are dark magic and voodoo to me, but if anyone can point us in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.

A couple of other all-in-one solution are Wix and Weebly. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with either, but have been recommended them in the past.

On my Samsung Galaxy S3 mini the keyboard has started to act oddly. Say I am typing and make a mistake. I press delete and what occurs is the word, or often part of the word is entered multiple times before the delete key can function as it should once more. It's becoming more frequent, too. Anyone encountered this before?

I can't zoom in far enough to see street names on the google maps app on android. The scale stops at 200m, which is unusually far out compared to what it used to be like. Anyone else had this? It's caused me to be lost at least once and I'd like to fix it. I've checked the settings menu already, no dice.

I just checked the Google Maps app on my Samsung S5. It zooms to 5m scale.

Checked on Asus Google Nexus 7. Same thing.

Checked on Samsung Note 2. Same thing.

Uninstall and redownload?