Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2007 June 5

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June 5

Internet devices under 400$?

Are there any (full featured) portable devices capable of using at least 802.11b for under 400$? There's the somewhat limited but more portable Nokia Internet Tablet thing, and I've also seen an Acer laptop selling brand new for 400$. Just wondering if there's anything cheaper out there that would also be new, or the same price but more powerful. -- Phoeba Wright^OBJECTION! 12:28, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

My conversion is terrible, but ill look Lmc169 12:38, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

Oh, right, to be precise, that's in USD, and computers sold in the US. Or at least able to be got at that price including shipping -- Phoeba Wright^OBJECTION! 12:48, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

To be clear, by fully featured, I mean capable of performing tasks as a desktop computer, laptop computer, etc., such as being able to use most x86 based OS, and be operated in the same manner as a desktop computer would be. I don't have any specific hardware requirements, but at least being able to look at Youtube and watch movies smoothly is preferred. Assume 700-1GHz, the Acer laptop is 1.8GHz Celeron I believe. -- Phoeba Wright^OBJECTION! 12:56, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

It will be very difficult if you're looking for something portable. Maybe OLPC? :) --froth^t 13:36, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

Asus has recently announced a very small computer for US$189. --JSBillings 18:49, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

A Wii? --saxsux 15:03, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

power supply units

i recently brought a new power supply [1] and i plugged it in and nothing happens, i get a front LED light to light up when the power is turned on but nothing else on the motherboard powers up. i tried just plugging the motherboard in and it still didnt work. i plugged the old 350 watt power supply in and everything works. i have this motherboard [2]. all the specs on the new power supply are equal or higher than the old power supply. any ideas on whats gone wrong? my first thought was possible problem as motherboard is 20 pin and power supply has 24 pin, but wikis acticle says there shouldnt be a problem--137.205.8.2 16:10, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

Looks like you're not the only one with that problem [3]. It might be a bad unit. -wizzard2k ^(C•T•D) 17:11, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

I strongly urge you to buy something better, from a more well-known brand like thermaltake and the like. A bad PSU can destroy all your components (potentially $$$) and corrupt your data. Wattage is not meaningful when comparing between brands (kinda like clock speed in CPUs). --antilived^{T | C | G} 06:40, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

dont tire my friends

okay i need some help. 1.how do i encrypt a folder so that to open it u need a password. 2.i installed a software called atomix virtual dj.but when i play videos the screen has some vertical lines running down.its not clear and it says when i launch it that the internal database is corrupted.what do i do 3.i recently downloaded game called bank robbers it has an extension .swf what programme opens it. 4.ooh and i did sumthing and on my computer dektop the icons have colour blue on their background.how do i remove it. 5.anybody knows what site or a link i can easily download a free simple game or wallpapers that what disturb me.most sites i go to have the never ending links.ive tried google.

1. Maybe TrueCrypt? I know NTFS has encryption capabilities but dunno about the passwording part.

2. Re-install?

3. .swf files are Macromedia Flash files, they can be opened in your browser if you have the Flash plugin.

4. Desktop Properties should be the place to look.

5. Google Images? Splintercellguy 17:04, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

for #3, maybe the extension .swf is misleading, and it's a trojaned binary. Check it with antivirus before opening it. --JSBillings 18:56, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

cd-r

My computer will not recognize or acknowledge that i have cd-r in the player it will other cd-r , just not the blanks that i want to record on. Is there any way to record on these ?

Did you install the driver for your cdr? --Kainaw ^(talk) 23:32, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

But your computer recognizes that the drive exists? (Go to my computer, see if it's listed. If not, you have to delete something in the registry.)

It sounds like you don't actually have a CD-R/RW drive on your computer. Have you written to discs before? If it can read CD-Rs which have been recorded onto, but not recognise blank CD-Rs then it seems like you have a standard CD-ROM drive, rather than a CD-RW drive. JoshHolloway 02:43, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

If you have Windows XP, bring up "My Computer" then right-click on the CD-drive, then click Properties. On the "Recording" page, there should be a check box labelled "Enable Recording on this drive". Make sure that is checked. --LarryMac | Talk 12:47, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

I have an external DVD burner and Windows wouldn't burn on it natively until I installed Nero. Now it works but I still use nero essentials, it's really much better --froth^t 13:34, 7 June 2007 (UTC)