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 977421 times)

Offline Baruch

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3580 on: January 17, 2017, 01:39:10 PM »
While it is very hard to say exactly what is causing it, I'd go up with all the specs if possible in your budget:
*i5 Processor
*8 GB RAM
*256 SSD

Also, take in mind that Word loading slowly isn't always the system specs at fault. It might be add-ons to Word that cause it. You can try checking this by running Word in Safe Mode (not the PC in safe mode, but the Word program) and see if in that way it does start fast. To start Word in Safe Mode search in Start for winword /safe and run the first result.
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/693629/Lenovo-IdeaPad-110-Laptop-156-Screen/?cm_mmc=Affiliates-_-CJ-_-2470763-_-11272891
Is that a good upgrade?
All it's missing is "*256 SSD". Seems like a good deal.

Should I get it?

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3581 on: January 17, 2017, 01:54:20 PM »
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/693629/Lenovo-IdeaPad-110-Laptop-156-Screen/?cm_mmc=Affiliates-_-CJ-_-2470763-_-11272891
Is that a good upgrade?
All it's missing is "*256 SSD". Seems like a good deal.

Should I get it?
Certainly a good upgrade (even though SSD would give it the additional boost, but didn't saw a good deal for something with an SSD) but seems to be OOS.

(have you checked with Word in Safe Mode? Does the computer in general - beside the Word slow opening - also make you problems?)

Offline Baruch

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3582 on: January 17, 2017, 03:05:25 PM »
Certainly a good upgrade (even though SSD would give it the additional boost, but didn't saw a good deal for something with an SSD) but seems to be OOS.

(have you checked with Word in Safe Mode? Does the computer in general - beside the Word slow opening - also make you problems?)
In general it goes slower than I'd rather.
Thanks so much for the advice!

(It isn't OOS by me. I bought it for $374.05 after taxes)
« Last Edit: January 17, 2017, 03:10:53 PM by Baruch »

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3583 on: January 17, 2017, 03:24:19 PM »
In general it goes slower than I'd rather.
Thanks so much for the advice!

(It isn't OOS by me. I bought it for $374.05 after taxes)
Interesting, still OOS for me.

Don't know if you can still cancel...but I'd give a look on this http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProBook-455-G3-15-6-LED-Notebook-AMD-A-Series-A10-8700P-Quad-core-4-Core-/121957480972?_trkparms=5373%3A0%7C5374%3AFeatured

Offline Baruch

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3584 on: January 17, 2017, 03:37:26 PM »
Interesting, still OOS for me.

Don't know if you can still cancel...but I'd give a look on this http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProBook-455-G3-15-6-LED-Notebook-AMD-A-Series-A10-8700P-Quad-core-4-Core-/121957480972?_trkparms=5373%3A0%7C5374%3AFeatured
Isn't Intel better than AMD? (I know nothing, please educate me)

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3585 on: January 17, 2017, 03:41:36 PM »
Isn't Intel better than AMD? (I know nothing, please educate me)
Intel's worst is not better than AMD's best...Intel has certainly some better CPUs than AMD, but this specific AMD isn't that much worse than this specific Intel i5, and on the pro side you get double the RAM (not that you need it, but it will only make better not worse...), HP (which is considered better than Lenovo, even more so with this model Lenovo which is one of the lowest ones), and a bit cheaper (because I don't think there's tax for that item on eBay.)

Offline Live N Learn

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".איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם"

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3587 on: January 17, 2017, 05:45:27 PM »
Anything else in that price range?
Not that I am aware of.

Offline Live N Learn

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3588 on: January 17, 2017, 06:07:47 PM »
Not that I am aware of.

Thanks. Keep up your amazing work around here!
".איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם"

Online ckmk47

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3589 on: January 17, 2017, 06:33:22 PM »
I have a Dell Vostro 230 desktop.


Processor:                    Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU   E8400  @3.00GHz  2.99 GHz
Installed memory(RAM):    4.00 GB 92.96 usable)
                                       32-bit operating system


Big issue: the sound will randomly stop working.  When 'troubleshooting' it says the speakers aren't plugged in. I tried the settings and it doesn't recognize that the speakers are attached. 
To fix this, sometimes unplugging and replugging the speakers works. OR we reboot and usually that solves it. 
This is driving us nuts and I'm ready to buy a new computer.


Anyone have thoughts about what the problem/ solution is?



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Offline etech0

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3590 on: January 17, 2017, 06:34:11 PM »
Anyone have thoughts about what the problem/ solution is?
You can try updating your audio drivers in Device Manager
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3591 on: January 17, 2017, 06:35:24 PM »
You can try updating your audio drivers in Device Manager
Did that.  No change.
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Offline etech0

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3592 on: January 17, 2017, 06:36:15 PM »
Did that.  No change.
Do you have another pair of speakers you can test with?
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline Shauly101

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3593 on: January 17, 2017, 07:34:42 PM »
First of all, be really cautious with anything you are doing (basically don't try to do anything that is suppose to make any changes to the drive. For instance, initializing the drive will make the drive blank) if you still want any chance of getting back data from it.

This can very possibly be a hardware error and you should consult a pro. Maybe from here http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=18378.0

Now. Disk management says "Not Initialized" for the Disk and "Unallocated" for the Partition? Does it at least report the size of the disk correctly?


here is how it looks

Online ckmk47

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3594 on: January 17, 2017, 08:02:51 PM »
Do you have another pair of speakers you can test with?
That's such a simple idea, yet I didn't try it!
I'll find or get one.  Also different wires in case that's the problem (though I doubt it).
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Offline Baruch

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3595 on: January 17, 2017, 08:03:22 PM »
Thanks. Keep up your amazing work around here!
+1

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3596 on: January 17, 2017, 08:03:37 PM »
My 2 year old stuck a cable that was plugged into the USB slot into the power strip and fried my computer. It's a Dell Inspiron 3646, which is a basic $250 computer, with the power integrated into the motherboard, so (apparently) the whole motherboard is fried. (Plugging the computer and pushing the power button doesn't even trigger the vent fan, although it does give power to things plugged into the USB slots.) Not wanting to pay $190 for a new motherboard for a $250 computer, I bought a new computer. Is there anything for me to do to this computer? Is it trash, or could I still squeeze some money out of it?

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3597 on: January 17, 2017, 08:09:36 PM »

here is how it looks
I can just repeat what I said, that it is almost certainly something really bad broken, if you have data worth a small fortune on the drive then consult a data recovery specialist (they are pretty expensive usually) and if not got a new one (maybe through the store return policy, manufacturer warrenty, or purchase CC company.)

(BTW, the partitions in the upper part of Disk Management are not from this drive, but system partitions of your main internal hard drive.)

One more question that might give a solution. When you plug in the hard drive "nothing" new shows up in This PC window, or there is something (a CD drive) that does show up everytime you plug the drive in?

Offline Yisroel Tech

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3598 on: January 17, 2017, 08:14:50 PM »
My 2 year old stuck a cable that was plugged into the USB slot into the power strip and fried my computer. It's a Dell Inspiron 3646, which is a basic $250 computer, with the power integrated into the motherboard, so (apparently) the whole motherboard is fried. (Plugging the computer and pushing the power button doesn't even trigger the vent fan, although it does give power to things plugged into the USB slots.) Not wanting to pay $190 for a new motherboard for a $250 computer, I bought a new computer. Is there anything for me to do to this computer? Is it trash, or could I still squeeze some money out of it?
If it is really a dead motherboard there is not much there. The HDD you can - and probably already did... - take out and use.

Offline etech0

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Re: Computer Troubleshooting/Help Master Thread
« Reply #3599 on: January 17, 2017, 08:50:13 PM »
I'll find or get one.  Also different wires in case that's the problem (though I doubt it).
That was next :)

Also, if your computer has multiple places you can plug speakers into, try another one. It could be that the port is faulty.
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.