Computer SOS!

[mmsk123]

Try Start8, Pokki, or Classic Shell to get Windows 8 back to somewhat like Win7. I use Pokki and it's pretty great.

If he has Windows 8 Pro, you can get Windows Media Center for free here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w.../feature-packs That will give you DVD playback.

If not, VLC will work: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html

[gaypalmsprings]

I love Windows 8. I am impatient with people who hate change, and who think things should always stay the same.

[fatbastard]

Me too. Change that avatar. I want the disco ball back.

[xuclarockerx]

Bumping this thread for advice. *Entering Apple territory*

I've been sitting on this issue entirely too long and need to take some action. I posted about it a while back in the Tech Talk thread without much help. Basically I have no desktop computer right now. My iMac's hard drive basically fried and assuming it can't be recovered, I have to get a new hard drive and have it installed. Will any new drive work or are there Apple-specific drives? I think the old one was a 250GB serial ATA 7200rpm. (The iMac was purchased in 2007.)

As for installation, can I take it anywhere or should I just suck it up and take it to the Apple Store?

[RotationSlimWang]

Any SATA drive will work. Don't assume that the drive is fried. If you want to bring the thing over to me I can see if any of the data is recoverable for you. 50 bucks if I find what you need. If you buy the replacement drive I'll put the new one in and load OS X on there for you for another 50.

[xuclarockerx]

You in Orange County? FYI the reason I assume it's fried is Disk Utility said so. Time Machine was saying it couldn't back up for like a week, then I think the computer just shut down and I couldn't get it running again so I tried the install discs and ran Disk Utility which suggested the drive was toast.

I think everything up to that week is backed up via T.M. on an external. However it's kind of eating at me as to what wasn't backed up in that week.

[lehorne]

that's a good deal

Still trying to figure out why Firefox sometimes stops running, doing the endless round circle thing, and requires a full system reboot. Fuckin annoying.

[RotationSlimWang]

Noho. Actually wait, it's a 2007 imac? Get the serial off the bottom and send it to me. Certain eras of imacs are INSANE pains in the ass to replace an HD. But any company I've ever worked for would charge you 300 minimum

[chairmenmeow47]

my mom wants to know if there is a way to play iTunes files on a flash drive in her car. she can't get the files to play or something. i assume this is because the flash drive/car does not have iTunes installed. but is that correct? is there a way to do this? thanks

[suprefan]

The car needs to be able to support that format of audio. If it doesnt, then make mp3's.

[PlayaDelWes]

We are able to copy iTunes files to our Flash and play in our Ford with Sync.

[chairmenmeow47]

ok cool. i think i realized the problem is more that she does not know how to copy the files. she wants iTunes to have a function like burning a cd. hopefully it's just that easy.

[jnthnbyl]

If you change your iTunes import settings to mp3 you can right click / ctrl click on a file or multiple files in your library and select "create mp3 version". From there you just navigate to your iTunes music folder in explorer/finder and copy the new file(s) to your drive.

I'm completely working from memory here but this should work fine.

[Archie Bunker]

iTunes is one of the most user-unfriendly programs ever.

This is surprising coming from Apple, which built its recent empire on ease of use and intuitive interfaces.

[jnthnbyl]

iTunes is one of the most user-unfriendly programs ever.

This is surprising coming from Apple, which built its recent empire on ease of use and intuitive interfaces.

The counter intuitive nature of iTunes is primarily there to maximise profits from their iTunes Store. They make it harder for people to import/export files etc because enough of the time, people just pay money to avoid the hassle.

[thelastgreatman]

Pretty sure they just did it because they're assholes. Same reason they put an absolutely pointless and unhelpful wheel on what would otherwise be a good mp3 player.