Computer SOS!

[marooko]

Alright, I've had enough of the new Firefox, it's been nothing but issues since the last update. What other browser might I consider using? I have no interest in trying chrome. I use a PC with Windows 7.

[menikmati]

Why wouldn't you try chrome? Other than that and Firefox, the rest pretty much suck. Opera is okay I guess.

[OnlyNonStranger]

I actually just started using Chrome. I'm on a Mac and have just been using Safari and I'm never going back.

[sin213]

actually, in recent speed tests, the IE9 32bit browser is within milliseconds of Chrome 10 in all categories. the 64bit version is really slow, tho...so dont get that one yet.

in the article i read, it had Chrome10 listed first with a very slight margin against IE9 and FF4 listed third.

i would suggest using IE9 32bit, if you dont like Chrome.

[Phunkevil]

I actually just started using Chrome. I'm on a Mac and have just been using Safari and I'm never going back.

What makes chrome superior? I use firefox but I'm thinking about switching.

[wmgaretjax]

speed isn't the only issue with a browser... there is also memory consumption and security. chrome typically wins hands down with security as long as you stay updated to the most recent version. it's also much more actively updated than the other big players.

[marooko]

That's my current issue with FF. I have to wait for it to load up, then wait for my first page to load. It's usually ok if I keep it open, but even them sometimes it lags hard. I started having issues after the latest update on it.

[menikmati]

Try out Opera, you might like it.

[weeklymix]

http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/small_00.html

[marooko]

Opera seems pretty cool so far.

[marooko]

I'm trying to avoid a new thread so I'll toss this in here.

I'm looking for a printer.

Doesn't need to be color
Doesn't need to multi-task, although I could probably use a fax/scanner.
It MUST be able to print at least 11x17, preferably 17x22. Although I know 17x22 might be out of my price range right now.

Any suggestions based on firsthand experience? Model, brand, place to purchase?

[marooko]

Nothing, eh? I was hoping for some other suggestions/information before I go purchase one.

Fuck you guys, I found one.

[marooko]

I just purchased two different laptop cooling fans this week and will be returning the second one later today. Anyone have a suggestion on a serious laptop cooling fan? My shit gets seriously hot and shuts down.

These are the two I purchased and I recommend you stay away from them. I got them because the Office Depot is conveniently located less than a mile from my home and they're the only ones they sell. Guess I'm driving to my next purchasing location.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Belkin+-...fan&cp=1&lp=15

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Targus+-...fan&cp=1&lp=20

[gaypalmsprings]

Is there something you are doing that is impeding the fan? Is it an old computer - newer ones stay much cooler. Is the computer's fan actually working properly?

[marooko]

The fan may not be working too well anymore. The processor is is boosted for faster performance so it gets hot much quicker. Usually it isn't an issue, but when I'm working I have several programs open. Which is what's going on now.

[marooko]

Come on folks, don't let me pollute the earth driving back and forth returning shit to stores. My leg hurts and the ride to Bestbuy might be too far.

[Somewhat Damaged]

Ok, so I've got AVG as my anti-virus software and when I got up this morning, it had a window open telling me of these numerous threats -- Trojans -- that were detected. It seemed to have intercepted them and held them in a vault but when I went to delete them, the program froze and stopped responding. I restarted my computer and when it came up, I got the following message: "The maximum number of secrets that may be stored in a single system has been exceeded. The length and number of secrets is limited to satisfy United States State Department export restrictions." I clicked ok, then my computer took about 10 minutes before the message appeared again and my computer loaded like normal.

I ran an AVG scan and again found a bunch of viruses that were in a vault. At the conclusion of the scan, it said that it required a restart of my computer. I restarted it and opened AVG. It said none of my components were available (they had been at the time I ran my scan) although I was able to see the viruses that had been quarantined. I went to delete them but AVG froze again. I shut the program down and tried reopening it, but ever since then, when I go to open AVG, I get the following message: "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access them."

Also, there is a pop-up message that's in the lower left corner of my screen that reads "System warning - Keep your computer safe from viruses and malicious programs that can slow down or break your system." The icon is a yellow triangle with an exclamation point in it, but when I go to click on it, it disappears.

Could the Trojan my computer contracted have overwhelmed and removed the AVG program from my computer? Any thoughts on what I can do?

[Somewhat Damaged]

There's another message that comes up intermittently that reads "System warning - Spyware protection is disabled. Your personal data is at high risk of being stolen and misused." It's in the same area as the other "system warning" and shares the same icon, if that lends any further insight to what the problem may be.

[MissingPerson]

"The maximum number of secrets that may be stored in a single system has been exceeded. The length and number of secrets is limited to satisfy United States State Department export restrictions."

Well, at least this one's good for a laugh. Yes, you've got a particularly nasty infection. The good news is, thanks to that very distinctive bit of Engrish, there are a few solutions to be found:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=10650

[marooko]

Safe mode tends to help. Start up in safe mode and run the program. You could also try downloading another one just in case.

[fatbastard]

I spilled coffee on my laptop 3 weeks ago and burned my battery out as well as the keyboard. Just got it back last week. This weekend was so sweet to be reunited.

[Somewhat Damaged]

Yeah, that infection's kind of fucked me. I was talking to Randy on Facebook and he suggested I download CCleaner & a couple of other things, so I started off with CCleaner. The program that actually downloaded was called Uniblue Registry, and so I ran that and tried doing some research on it when it said I had to buy it in order to remove the infections and every link I selected redirected me to the site that I had downloaded it from. From the previews, I alternately read that it's a virus and that it's an anti-virus software program. Yesterday, without being on the internet, I tried opening some Windows documents and the shortcuts to them via my Start button were no longer active. I went to the folders they were in and opened them, but the windows didn't appear in my task bar.

Sin also sent me a couple of links via Facebook that I was able to look at on my phone. The first thing it recommended was removing all but 1 anti-virus program from my computer. When I went to do so, the Add or Remove Programs window froze and didn't show me anything. I just turned my computer off & hope there isn't too much irreparable damage already wrought. I need to buy a new computer soon anyway -- this one's a re-manufactured one that I bought in 2006 -- but I still have stuff that I want to get off of it. Think I'm going to need to take it to somebody who knows what they're doing rather than trying to make sense of instructions that are kind of Greek to me.

[marooko]

You really need to be careful with your surfing.

I use Malware bytes and Ad-Aware, if that's of any help. Pushing F8 or something on start-up gets you in to safe mode. F8 or F11, I forget which. One will take you to boot screen, the other to safe mode.

[Somewhat Damaged]

I had Malware Bytes and Ad-Aware in the past. I thought Ad-Aware wasn't active anymore? AVG had been recommended after the Sophos version I had became unavailable. Spent money on the fucker, too.

Thanks for the tip on getting into safe mode. Will need to try that when I get home tonight.

[RageAgainstTheAoki]

Any PowerPoint experts on here? I'm totally stumped here. This one is weird. I just got tasked with creating a last minute PowerPoint presentation which needs to be completed by 5am PT. (Thanks a lot, boss!)

I have to use the Helvetica family of fonts in the presentation. Don't ask why; it's a brand thing. So...

• Insert a text box in PowerPoint
• Type text
• Change font to Helvetica
• Increase size of font to 80
• Text instantly gets smushed up into a tiny ball of letters one on top of another (see image below).

Notes:

• This only happens with the Helvetica family of fonts (every one of them -- medium, standard, black etc.)
• This only happens when selecting a font size over 65
• This only happens in PowerPoint; does not happen in Word
• Copying and pasting a successfully created text box from Word to PowerPoint does not work.
• Helvetica fonts installed are OpenType.
• Windows XP, Office 2007.

Helvetica at 65:



Helvetica at 66 (or any other size above 65):

[Courtney]

Weird. Super weird. If you get desperate, you can type the text in Word and then screencap and insert it as an image. But obviously, that is less than ideal. Hopefully someone else knows what is going on.

[PlayaDelWes]

Try Text box vs square shape and then F2
Formatting (don't auto resize)
Don't align center
Format the primary text box in the slide master to be helv 65
save as .pptx not .ppt

Those are some initial thoughts based on limited info
100% I can fix it if those don't work. Let me know.


There is also a chance that Helvetica isn't installed properly or has been removed.

Also, PPT gets very picky with your / the printer that is defaulted / selected (even if you are not printing). Try changing printers.

[RageAgainstTheAoki]

No luck. It must be some type of bug with the fonts. I just got them installed by IT before they left for the day.

Thanks anyway, Playa and Courtney. Much appreciated. 65 is big enough. My boss will have to deal with it.

[Somewhat Damaged]

I ended up having to buy a new computer. The other one was old as fuck anyway -- I don't recall if I got it in 2005 or '06 -- and it was refurbished. Randy was magnanimously working on it remotely but it had wormed its way into Windows components, hindering his ability to get rid of it from afar. I'm going to take it to a friend in town to get the stuff I need off of it, although I'm wondering if my music might be infected.

[marooko]

You could pull out the drive, install it in an external case and scan it that way.