Topic Wiki

I figured that even this thread can have a wiki.
If your computer or phone is giving you issues:

• Please read this before posting: 4 Reasons Why IT People Ignore Your Requests for Help
• Restart the computer. Hopefully this will take care of any issues
• If your problem has not yet been solved, try to Google it. There may be a very simple solution
• On a Windows computer, a system restore may do the trick.
(This is a work in progress, please feel free to add whatever you may feel is helpful)


Please post whether or not the problem was fixed

Apple iPhone Master Thread
« Last edited by Thingywingy on May 07, 2019, 08:00:02 PM »

Author Topic: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread  (Read 977188 times)

Offline pcgeek

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2460 on: February 17, 2016, 08:03:24 PM »
Thanks! Have you tried it? Wondering if it actually works / if the other features get in the way.
I haven't used it

Offline Sowhat

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2461 on: February 18, 2016, 08:59:47 AM »
Good morning.

My hard drive in my $300 two year old gateway went.  Instead of buying a new computer, I had a new hard drive installed and itunes transferred.  Ever since, I have this bizarre buzzing/staggering sound when playing video and audio online, and audio even off line.  It is like a staccato sound, where the sound/picture freezes repeatedly for a second or two repeatedly, sometimes so bad that I can't watch or listen.  And then web became super slow.  I have Avast and K9 which I know don't always play nicely, but even after I removed K9, the audio/video still happens.  I installed and ran something from Tweaking that seemed to have good feedback in my hope of dealing with the sound, but it did not help, although the web seems to have slowed. I removed that, and after removing K9 also, the web seems better.  Any thoughts?  Thanks.

Offline DanH

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2462 on: February 18, 2016, 10:39:30 AM »
Good morning.

My hard drive in my $300 two year old gateway went.  Instead of buying a new computer, I had a new hard drive installed and itunes transferred.  Ever since, I have this bizarre buzzing/staggering sound when playing video and audio online, and audio even off line.  It is like a staccato sound, where the sound/picture freezes repeatedly for a second or two repeatedly, sometimes so bad that I can't watch or listen.  And then web became super slow.  I have Avast and K9 which I know don't always play nicely, but even after I removed K9, the audio/video still happens.  I installed and ran something from Tweaking that seemed to have good feedback in my hope of dealing with the sound, but it did not help, although the web seems to have slowed. I removed that, and after removing K9 also, the web seems better.  Any thoughts?  Thanks.
In short: audio/video issues after replacing HDD.  VLC work better? - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html
For tech help feel free to Telegram me @DanTechSupp

Offline Sowhat

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2463 on: February 21, 2016, 07:30:07 PM »
In short: audio/video issues after replacing HDD.  VLC work better? - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html

Yes, I just downloaded, but don't see how to set it as the default player?  Will it play off itunes? 

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2464 on: February 22, 2016, 02:55:48 PM »
My start menu in windows 10 isn't working. When I click the icon I get this message. Anyone have any experience? It still happens even after two restarts.

Offline DanH

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2465 on: February 22, 2016, 03:04:03 PM »
My start menu in windows 10 isn't working. When I click the icon I get this message. Anyone have any experience? It still happens even after two restarts.
Did you have ClassicShell or the like installed?  Any Windows Update recently?

Using Avast?  Updated?
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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2466 on: February 22, 2016, 03:05:49 PM »
Did you have ClassicShell or the like installed?  Any Windows Update recently?
No classicshell, dont know what the like is but I assume not. Windows is up to date. No avast.

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2467 on: February 22, 2016, 03:09:33 PM »
It is also the first time since I first set up my computer that when I opened Firefox it asked me whether I want to use this as my default browser; something it has been ever since.

Offline DanH

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2468 on: February 22, 2016, 03:16:48 PM »
It is also the first time since I first set up my computer that when I opened Firefox it asked me whether I want to use this as my default browser; something it has been ever since.
Hmm.  Try:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=176180.msg1250122#msg1250122

Although that may be a temporary fix.  If the issue comes back, I'd suggest a system restore to closest previous working point.  It sounds like some update gone bad (user profile registry issues).
« Last Edit: February 22, 2016, 03:22:40 PM by DanH »
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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2469 on: February 22, 2016, 03:34:02 PM »
Wow! I just realized that in windows explorer I can see word and excel files but the icon near them doesn't come up. They're just showing empty icons.

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2470 on: February 22, 2016, 04:03:49 PM »
Wow! I just realized that in windows explorer I can see word and excel files but the icon near them doesn't come up. They're just showing empty icons.
even after you open it?  right-click on it, do open with, select word or excel, remember this option. icon should refresh
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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2471 on: February 23, 2016, 11:10:21 AM »
I have a computer that was recently upgraded to win10
Now when trying to power it on the screen stays black. I do notice it flash however
My flash drive lights up if I stick it in so it's definitely getting power.
I tried connecting an external screen but still nothing.

What could it be?
I thought maybe a HD failure but wouldn't that at least let me access the boot menu?

TIA

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2472 on: February 23, 2016, 01:40:51 PM »
My start menu in windows 10 isn't working. When I click the icon I get this message. Anyone have any experience? It still happens even after two restarts.
I watched two youtube vids showing two different ways how to take care of this problem. I would like if anyone can chime in whether these are safe things to do and which seems right.

1) To open the command prompt as administrator and type in "sfc/scannow", wait till scan completes, then restart.

2) Open misconfig from task manager, reboot in safe mode which will give the windows menu and cortana back, then do the same thing to reboot in regular mode.

Can anyone advise?
TIA

Offline David R

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2473 on: February 25, 2016, 04:01:28 AM »
I watched two youtube vids showing two different ways how to take care of this problem. I would like if anyone can chime in whether these are safe things to do and which seems right.

1) To open the command prompt as administrator and type in "sfc/scannow", wait till scan completes, then restart.

2) Open misconfig from task manager, reboot in safe mode which will give the windows menu and cortana back, then do the same thing to reboot in regular mode.

Can anyone advise?
TIA
It's safe. It might fix the problem. #1 is a generic fix for many types of Windows corruption, not specifically your issue.

Offline pcgeek

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2474 on: February 25, 2016, 08:12:42 AM »

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2475 on: February 25, 2016, 01:35:58 PM »
It's safe. It might fix the problem. #1 is a generic fix for many types of Windows corruption, not specifically your issue.
Both? If yes, which would you recommend?

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2476 on: February 26, 2016, 05:11:23 AM »
Hmm.  Try:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=176180.msg1250122#msg1250122

Although that may be a temporary fix.  If the issue comes back, I'd suggest a system restore to closest previous working point.  It sounds like some update gone bad (user profile registry issues).
Did you try this?  It says to do your #2 option (reboot in safe mode).
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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2477 on: March 01, 2016, 12:51:05 AM »
Both? If yes, which would you recommend?
Before you do either, run chkdsk /f from the administrator command prompt and reboot and let it run the check, which may take an hour or more, depending on the size of your hard disk and the extent of damage, if any. If the start menu still gives that error, try the first sfc suggestion you mentioned. If that does not fix it, you can try the second suggestion you mentioned.

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2478 on: March 01, 2016, 01:20:12 AM »
Before you do either, run chkdsk /f from the administrator command prompt and reboot and let it run the check, which may take an hour or more, depending on the size of your hard disk and the extent of damage, if any. If the start menu still gives that error, try the first sfc suggestion you mentioned. If that does not fix it, you can try the second suggestion you mentioned.
What does this command do?

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #2479 on: March 01, 2016, 01:45:32 AM »
What does this command do?
Searches your hard drive for errors
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.