HyperHacker

AAAAARGH my mom's computer is doing the exact same thing.

So it downloads interfaces from the Internet. Not surprising, given how many important control panel windows are just web pages (and thus break if IE does).

I can't even get Ubuntu or Kubuntu to boot on my PC. After I choose any option on the disc it just hangs at a flashing cursor. I've asked on their forums and a few other places, the only suggestion was to re-burn the disc slowly, but I did it at 1x and it works on my laptop.

You guys think you're nerds? I've reverse-engineered most of Pokémon Silver.

Well I think I fixed it by renaming the folders from a new admin account (for this purpose only) and editing the keys in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. I'm not totally sure about the other users, but Admin's folder is named Admin again, and that's all that really matters to me.

Knowing MS, it's probably pre-fetching something so you don't have to wait for it if you actually do decide to search the Internet.

When I first installed XP on my laptop, I used the same nLited CD that I use for my PC. This renames the default Administrator account to Admin. Normally I'd use it for everything and there wasn't any problems. However when I got the laptop I found it necessary to create a second account on both for network access (a limited account which I named NetworkUser), since otherwise it'd be highly insecure. When I did this it also made me create another admin account for some reason, so I named it asdf. Now after much struggling with the networking setup I found that Admin's profile seems to be corrupted. So I renamed Admin to Default because it won't let me delete it, and asdf to Admin. The first problem I see is that I've lost all my settings. A pain, but I suppose I can fix it. The real problem is that now all the folders in Documents and Settings are named wrong and there doesn't seem to be any way to fix it. There's both Admin and Default, not sure which is which, and asdf which is now where Admin's settings are (since I renamed asdf to Admin). That's no good for me. Windows won't let me rename the folder from within the account it belongs to. If I do it from another account things just go screwy; somehow I ended up with one with the computer's name tacked on. The only place that references this old name is in control userpasswords2 but changing it there didn't help. I don't care much about the other accounts I never even use, but I need the account now named Admin (which I do use) to be named Admin in Documents and Settings. The only way I can see to do this is to delete Default but it won't let me.

Well, seems either you were right or I found Stupid Windows Bug #557389. I've been using the Administrator account (renamed) that's created by default. When I created the NetworkUser account, for some reason Windows made me make another admin account first. I just tried logging on with that account and it all worked as expected! Asked for a password, and logged me on as NetworkUser with read-only access. So either the profile is corrupt, or Windows doesn't like that default admin account.

Good point. When connected by wire it sees every computer on the network (assuming they're powered on) just fine. I can go to Add Network Place, click Browse, and find the computer I want. It lists all the shares just fine too. However, access is still denied. I get the usual message: "The user has not been granted the requested logon type at this computer." I also managed to get "The Server service is not started" when it was (restarting it fixed that, verified that it was running on the PC too and restarted it just to be sure) and "Access is denied". It still never asks for a password. On the PC side, the best I can get is when trying to add a user to the list of users allowed to access this one from the network; it shows itself and the network in the list of locations (it isn't shown as part of the network though), and if I enter "Luna\Admin" (the name of the laptop) it prompts for the password for Admin. After I enter it, it says no such computer could be found! When I try to add users to the access list of a share, it doesn't show the network in the list of locations, and doesn't ask for a password before saying it can't find the computer. I can enter any computer's name in TightVNC and it finds them though. (I don't even want to have to add them to the list, but if I have to, I guess I have to.) Could this be a port block issue? What ports need to be open for file sharing?

I'm a music nut, and because of the layout of my room, one of the speakers connected to my computer is closer to me than the other. The obvious way to compensate for this is to just adjust the balance... thing is Windows doesn't seem to do this well. All it really does is vary the individual speaker volume. This is a big problem in that if I turn it up or down too far, one volume hits the limit while the other keeps going, throwing off the balance I've set. If I turn them down too far one speaker cuts out completely while the other hasn't quite reached zero. It even seems to vary as I adjust the volume even if I don't reach that range as I keep finding myself having to re-balance it after adjusting the volume. Is there maybe some third-party program that can do this better?

I do scans regularly with Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D and have AVG running in the background at all times. I don't think I'd want to turn DEP off, just curious as to why two different programs suddenly had a problem. I guess it could have been coincidence though, as I had a buggy Winamp plugin installed. The Start Menu thing really baffles me though. I wonder if some patch or hotfix didn't mess it up. Maybe it's because I keep the taskbar on the right? There's a similar bug in that if the taskbar is translucent, when the menu appears it leaves an after-image on all translucent windows, but if the taskbar is opaque then it works fine, even if it covers another translucent window. The menu itself doesn't redraw when translucent either, which is another thing that worked fine until about the same time as the drawing in black problem started. I always used to have the taskbar and menu translucent without problems.

About maybe a year and a half ago I started noticing something odd on my computer. Often when I open the Start Menu, it wouldn't redraw; everything was black until I moved the mouse to it. I thought nothing of it since there were tons of other little bugs anyway. It survived a reinstall, which I found pretty strange, but there ended up being something wrong with that computer (various programs acted funny, I think the CPU was damaged) so I figured it was just another symptom. That computer eventually got replaced, and its replacement seemed to work well, but eventually it started doing the same. It's been doing this on and off ever since. Today my week-old laptop just started doing it! What the heck? What's causing this bizarre bug? I didn't change anything, I have very little installed on this laptop, and I never saw it before it just started happening at random. More urgently, today for no apparent reason Explorer crashed on my PC a few hours ago, displaying a Data Execution Prevention error. Just now Winamp started doing the same on my laptop every time it was opened. It's running fine after disabling it for Winamp though, and I don't see any mention of security flaws on Winamp.com. Also, my PC is still forgetting the primary screen's resolution and secondary screen's desktop icon positioning when it reboots. (Both are running from one video card, one using a DVI->VGA adapter; primary at 1600x1200, secondary at 1152x864, both at 75hz and 32-bit.) It's quite annoying. I made a batch script to reset the resolution but the icons are still in the wrong place (seems random) and the taskbar on the wrong screen.

I was on 11, I tried 5 and 1 too. I think it's still on 1 now. I also haven't had any success with this net"working". I created a limited account for other computers to log on as when using the network, made it the only account that can access the computer from the network, and set a password. I then did the same on the laptop, with the same name and password. When I try to access the shares from the laptop, it doesn't prompt for a password. It just tries to use the account I'm logged in with, which throws an error: "Logon failure: the user has not been granted the requested logon type at this computer. " I can't (and don't want to) give this account permission to access the network because when I try to do so, it suddenly forgets the laptop even exists. I can't access the shares by going to Entire Network because none are listed. Adding the account to the Remote Desktop Users group, removing the default shares and adding new ones with that account having access, giving it access in the Security tab, disabling logon caching, and rebooting many times have done nothing. On the PC, almost exactly the same thing happens when I try to access the laptop. It prompts for a password but no matter what I enter the prompt just comes back up. Windows sure knows how to fail. [edit] Almost got it. I removed the default share and added my own with NetworkUser on the access list. Windows warns me that when I reboot this share will be replaced with the default, but apparently that's not true. Suddenly this share appears in My Network Places automatically, it accepts the password and I can do anything NetworkUser could do. BUT, the laptop isn't doing this well. I figure it's not prompting for a password because I checked "Remember my password" before. Apparently there's absolutely no way to disable this; I searched the registry and hard drive for the computer's name and found nothing. The shares still don't show up when I browse the network either. What really ticks me off is that even though I never checked "Remember my password" on the PC, it's stopped prompting me and is just using the password I entered before. I just know that's going to be a problem later. >_< And why the heck can't I edit default shares anyway? [more editing fun] It started prompting again after rebooting. I can't rename the share I added, and it shows up in Network Places automatically on the PC but nowhere on the laptop. [another edit] I added Everyone to the "Access this computer from the network" list, and created a new share giving read access to Everyone. This is the only way the laptop can access the shares. I found it especially interesting that when it does, it shows up in the user list (Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Shared Files -> Sessions) as ADMIN at 192.168.2.13, whereas when accessing shares on the laptop, it shows the computer's actual name (and NETWORKUSER) in the list. Also when I try to add users, the laptop shows the network but no other computers on it, while the PC only shows itself (not even in a network). The problem seems to be that the two aren't seeing eachother on the network. What I find especially odd, though, is they both find all available shares automatically in My Network Places. Also, if I enter the PC's IP address in TightVNC, it shows its name, though I guess the server might just be telling it that. Ping also finds them both.

Right, but I want to share the entire drive.

The only program that might be doing that is Winamp and it wasn't running at the time.

In Local Security Policy in Administrative Tools. I gave the account read permissions, but I can't edit the share permissions because "this share has been set for administrative purposes". :S

When I say it doesn't work, I just mean it's buggy (often refusing to save changes) and slow, as it's been in every Windows I've used. I know you can edit the registry with reg.exe, but that requires knowing the format. Since you asked, though, here's an example - the .aif extension: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif] "PerceivedType"="audio" "Content Type"="audio/aiff" @="AIFFFile" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\OpenWithList] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\OpenWithList\wmplayer.exe] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\OpenWithProgIds] "AIFFFile"=hex(0): [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\PersistentHandler] @="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile] "PreferExecuteOnMismatch"=dword:00000001 "EditFlags"=dword:00010000 @="AIFF Sound" "FriendlyTypeName"="@C:\\WINDOWS\\inf\\unregmp2.exe,-9903" "BrowserFlags"=dword:00000008 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\system32\\SHELL32.dll,116" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell] @="Play_in_&Winamp" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\&Enqueue_in_Winamp] @="&Enqueue in Winamp" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\&Enqueue_in_Winamp\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Winamp\\winamp.exe\" /ADD \"%1\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Add_to_Winamp's_&Bookmark_list] @="Add to Winamp's &Bookmark list" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Add_to_Winamp's_&Bookmark_list\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Winamp\\winamp.exe\" /BOOKMARK \"%1\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\play] "MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,69,00,6e,00,66,00,5c,00,75,00,6e,00,72,00,65,00,67,\ 00,6d,00,70,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,2c,00,2d,00,39,00,39,00,39,00,\ 31,00,00,00 @="&Play" "LegacyDisable"="" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\play\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Windows Media Player\\wmplayer.exe\" /Play \"%L\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Play_in_&Winamp] @="Play in &Winamp" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Play_in_&Winamp\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Winamp\\winamp.exe\" \"%1\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WMPAddToPlaylist] @="{F1B9284F-E9DC-4e68-9D7E-42362A59F0FD}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WMPBurnAudioCD] @="{8DD448E6-C188-4aed-AF92-44956194EB1F}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WMPPlayAsPlaylist] @="{CE3FB1D1-02AE-4a5f-A6E9-D9F1B4073E6C}" No matter how many times I change it in the assoication editor, as soon as I hit OK, all those changes are gone and it remains set how it was before. I had to manually replace every instance in the registry to edit it. As for editors, I found one on Google but it's not a command-line app. I might just try to make my own.

Well I created a new limited account for network access, gave it a password and removed all other accounts/groups from Access This Computer From The Network. Now when I try to access any shares from the other computers, it says access is denied, but never asks for a password so I can get in. But now when I try to access my laptop (which is still set to allow Everyone access) from this computer, it asks for a password. I have to enter the name and password of an admin account on the laptop to get in. (I do want the same on the laptop; a limited, password-protected account for the network, but I haven't done it yet...)

Actually, looking at the registry data in there, it's full of junk anyway. I'd be better off setting them manually on my laptop. But the built-in editor doesn't work... surely there must be a command-line utility for this?

Yes and yes. Changing the channel didn't appear to help. [edit] Actually, I changed the channel again and the laptop is no longer having this problem, but the signal is much weaker, and now my mom's computer is doing it. >_< It only picks up one AP, but the list still has to be refreshed a few times before it connects.

Since the topic of this forum is mainly computer tweaking and help with computers, I think it'd be useful to add a field in user profiles, maybe 1000 characters, for their computer information. I have mine in my sig, but after adding the laptop, the incredibly restrictive size limitations forced me to cram it all into that tiny little banner in an ugly font.

You didnt read this, this, this and this topics did you? As for the rest... read Camarade_Tux's reply I honestly don't care about any of those features (though to answer your question, no, I didn't read those before). I rarely use PMs here and I have my own file hosting. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the site and if it didn't require Paypal I'd probably donate something. It just really annoys me when people use this particular method of showing ads, especially to registered users. I actually had configured Proxomitron to hide Google ads in a small box, but load them, and if I clicked the box the ad would be shown. MSFN's sticking ads in the middle of the page forced me to turn this off and just completely block them, because the rest of the page won't load until they do, and they're sloooooooow. If they were placed at the bottom, I'd gladly turn this back on and click every now and then.

When trying to set up file associations on my laptop, I noticed two problems: 1) It's a very slow, boring process. 2) Windows' file association editor is buggy as heck. (I've had problems with it on every Windows I've ever used.) It often doesn't even save my changes. Is it possible, though, to export the file associations from my PC and copy them to my laptop? Can I just export HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and import it on the laptop, overwriting existing associations? Would I need to (or can I) delete the contents of this tree first? Is there at least a command line program that can edit associations reliably?

1: I'll try changing those settings later, but to do that I'll have to change settings on most of the computers. :/ 2: I don't think the old box could even run Server, but I'll create a new account and see how that goes. 3: I enter the IP in the browser, and it finds the host but still displays the IP. 4: You may be on to something there. I suppose if I use WEP128 and MAC filtering, that should keep n00bs out, and if the machine is only allowed to access the Internet and not my network, that should be enough. If someone actually breaks in and starts using my connection enough to actually slow it down, I can just turn it off.

I just got a Gateway MX7515 laptop, which has a built-in Broadcom 802.11g wireless adapter. I formatted the hard drive and installed a fresh copy of XP Pro SP2. It works nicely except for some annoying and bizarre networking problems. 1) When XP tries to connect to my wireless network, it will only succeed if no other access points are in range. If I sit in a certain room I can pick up someone else's signal (very weak) from across the river. Windows lists both of them but when it's present, it seems to forget how to use my own. It tells me it can't connect to any prefferred access point. If I view the list and manually choose mine, it asks for the network key even though it's already stored in the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog. If I enter the key it just stays at "Waiting for the network" forever. As soon as I move away from the other AP and click Refresh Network List, it finds mine and connects immediately using the stored key. Once it's connected I can even go back within range of the other AP without interference. (I think it's too weak to be causing interference anyway.) 2) I have a few computers (all XP Pro SP2) with file sharing enabled. Getting that to work was a nightmare in itself; the only way it would work is to assign Read permissions to the Everyone group, which doesn't sound secure. In fact with that setup all I had to do after installing XP on the laptop was enter the network key and domain name and it already had access. That means anyone who breaks my key can read everything. I can't just add the accounts on the specific computers that I want to have access because it won't find them, and I can't have all other computers give the username and password of an account on the computer hosting the files because it throws all manner of various errors, such as saying multiple users with the same name is not allowed when there's only one user. (Is this because the accounts on both computers have the same name? Shouldn't it prefix the computer name?) 3) With the laptop, when I am connected to the wireless network, I can use the Internet just fine. But when I try to access the other computers' file shares, it sometimes says the path can't be found. When this happens I have to enter that computer's IP in a web browser. (It's running Apache for testing purposes, so I see the page being served when I do this.) After that I can access the shares again. It seems like some caching or similar mechanism has failed, and when I view the page in a browser, it fixes that when it actually finds a page, but I'd think only IE would/could do that and I've been using Firefox. Also, I've been wondering about something. Because I have a few different Nintendo DS systems that use my network, I'm forced to use WEP128 which is hardly secure. (DS doesn't support anything better.) I do, however, have an old computer with Win98 on it that I don't really use, and a spare wireless card. Would it be possible to have the network use WPA or something stronger, but have this computer serve as an AP for the DS systems? The idea is that this computer would provide access to the network without a key, but only to a few specific MAC addresses (of the DS systems). My router doesn't support MAC filtering unfortunately.