Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Operating

Help me update my PC / Windows literacy for the 21st Century

KMH — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:26:02 -0800

I used to feel pretty confident with computers / IT in general (80s child). Now I need a boost to get back up to speed, especially digging around in the OS / filesystem. Recommend me a good book / website / hands-on project? I want to improve my general PC knowledge, focussing on the real "under-the-hood" day-to-day stuff, like managing my Windows configuration, playing around with files, building my own website on my own domain etc.

The background is that back in the day (15 years ago!) I felt I knew more than average about computers; I had an Amiga back when they were more cutting edge and could play around with the set-up, etc. I could learn all I needed from Amiga Format and fellow geeky kids.

At university I did Physics, and we learned C++ and basically built a very, very simple memory unit and so forth, so I'm sure I have the "smarts" for this stuff. Plus I passed ECDL with no problems, I work with IT all the time, just not "under the hood".

It just seems the computer world has moved on a bit, and while I'm sure I could handle the ins and outs of Windows / DOS / etc etc, I feel I've missed the boat and there's way too much detail.

I own a fairly decent Inspiron laptop, but is it my imagination or is Windows just not self explanatory? Where is the manual? PC magazines don't seem to help much either.

Can anyone recommend a couple of books, websites, (cheap/free) online courses or whatever to get me back up to speed with this stuff???

What did I do wrong?

peewinkle — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:02:57 -0800

So I was trying to install a slave drive into an old Gateway box and now it won't see the OS. Help! (Long, confusing story ensues) (disclaimer: I am a novice, at best, hardware guy)

I recently dumpster-dove an old Gateway Essential 500.
-Pentium III
-Windows 98
-20 Gig HD
-128 RAM

I deleted everything I didn't want off of the machine. I found it surprisingly quick. So I loaded my audio editing software onto it (Cool Edit Pro 2.1, Audacity, etc) and discovered that it performs much faster than the Dell Dimension I have been using. (I am a ghetto-tech audio engineer. I record music onto a Fostex DAW and then dump the files into CEP to mix/edit/etc).

After installing a Dio 2448 soundcard (for monitor reference) and an Ethernet card (it still had a dial-up card when I found it), and finding the drivers and getting those to work correctly, I found the machine will work great as a stand-alone music-editing work station. I only installed the ethernet card to facilitate data transfer from my network, not to connect to the internet.

I also installed a faster CD/RW drive and a DVD/RW drive. After a few days of frustration, I also got those working fine (somehow). The machine then ran like a song. Booted up in like 20 seconds, worked great.

Well, a 20-gig HD isn't a lot for audio processing, as far as data storage goes. (I have already ordered more RAM, two 256-sticks for even faster processing).

So I decided to install a Western Digital 450AA 45 gig HD as a slave. I figured I would install that, clone the 20 gig HD onto that, turn the 450AA into a single drive, replace the 20 gig drive with a Western Digital WD400, and use that as a slave, making the 450AA the master.

Well, I installed the 450AA. Found the correct jumper pin locations for a slave drive, hooked it up and fired the machine up. Went into BIOS and it recognized both HD's. So I configured them as Primary (20-gig) and Secondary (450AA). But I forgot to change the jumper on the original 20 gig HD to "master" from "single."

Now the computer won't boot. I can get into Bios, have played around a little bit, but realize I don't know enough to mess with it too much.

After the Bios initial start up, I get the message "Operating System Not Found."

I removed the 450AA and tried again, same result.

I have reset the Bios to default settings and get still the same result.

I have tried safe mode.

Still with me?

Question one: Did I blow the original 20 gig HD by trying to boot with the 450AA hooked up like that?

I tried running a boot disc (three, actually, that I have found and downloaded) but I can't get the machine to boot from either the CD nor the DVD drive. It wants to boot from the floppy, but I have no way to make floppy boot discs. In BIOS, it says the CD and DVD drives are secondary drives and that there are no primary drives. I cannot seem to make either a primary drive, if that even matters. I also cannot get the BIOS to boot from the "boot" menu.

Question two: Am I in way over my head?

I have also tried installing both the 450AA and WD400 drives as single drives, and have had the same results, though I have no idea what are on them. All three drives spin up when started, ,but after the 'Gateway" /enter BIOS screen, I get the same result.

This is the first time I have ever messed with the internals of a machine, other than installing sound cards.

Question three: Why does this old Gateway with 128 RAM run CEP much smoother and faster than my Dell Dimension that has 512 RAM? (The Dell has a 80 gig master drive and a 20 gig slave). I have removed as many back ground processes as I could off of the Dell and it is still slow, compared to the Gateway.

Any thoughts? Ideas? Or should I just STFU and leave such things to people who know? (Remember- key word here is GHETTOTECH).

Thanks very much in advance for any advice, ideas, and or knowledge.

How to install XP to a brand new Vista-riddled Dell?

jdruk — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:09:34 -0800

How to install XP to a brand new Vista-riddled Dell? Hey all!

I just brought home a new, Vista-riddled Dell inspiron, and I HATE VISTA. I have an old XP Pro CD, and I'd like to install the old operating system, but Vista won't let me do it (did I mention that I hated Vista? Yup.)

So... How do I do it? I saw some old posts on this, but I am a complete non-techie, so would someone spell it out for me in 1st grade English? Seriously, I am a complete moron when it comes to rooting around in a computer. And... I'd be indebted to you forever.

-Julia

User Migration between PCs

zephyr_words — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:21:20 -0800

What programs\packages are available that allow one to plug a cable into one pc, the other end to another pc, and then migrate the data? I know there are other better ways to do this but I'm specifically looking for a USB cable in-between the two PCs or a regular network cable. Something like this http://www.belkin.com/easytransfercable/advantages/

If you are aware of any regular programs that are very good at user migration (does not have to have the cable requirement) I would love to hear those as well.

XP to XP, Vista to Vista, XP to Vista.

Thanks a lot MeFi!

What do you do whan "save early and save often" backfires?

Nothing — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 03:26:06 -0800

How do I solve this annoying Vista bug? About 10% of the time when I open a file browser dialog from within a program (save as, open file, etc.) the program immediately closes. No error, no warning, the program is just gone. I have not been able to find a solution with google. This happens a lot. Like I said, about 10% of the times I press "save as," but it is random as far as I can tell. You can imagine how frustrating it is to have the "save" command booby trapped like this. It happens in firefox when I download files (save to location), Word when I open or save as, notepad when I open or save as. It happens in photoshop and in IE and almost everything else. The only programs that seem to be safe are java based (eclipse, adobe flex).

Dell laptop, 4 months old, came with vista business, and the problem has existed from the beginning.

Let's do the (Microsoft) time warp

phaded — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 13:21:20 -0800

Where can I buy (or otherwise acquire) a legit copy of Windows 98 SE these days? My girlfriend's PC died a while back, and for one of our next present-giving holidays, I'm planning to build her a new one. What I'd like to do, ideally, is install two hard drives: one running XP or Vista, and another running 98, because she plays a lot of games that don't run (well) on anything older than 98. However, I can't find any online retailers I've ever heard of who are selling 98...understandable, given that it's been almost a decade since that operating system was released. A Google product search turns up a bunch of websites I've never heard of, and I don't think I trust eBay for something like this. I prefer to buy a full version, but I'd be fine with buying an OEM version if that's my only option. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Korean Language XP Operating System

endlessknot — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 10:44:05 -0800

Korean Language XP Operating System Can I buy a "Korean Language XP Operating System" here in the USA ? I want to get a Laptop in Korean Language. Where can I get one ? I called Dell and they did not have one in the USA. From what I understand one has to buy it from Korea itself. Thanks.