DVD ReEditing woes: The video stream from a DVD has bad metadata, and repairing the m2v file I've ripped hasn't worked.
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posted by too many notes
on Mar 10, 2005 -
1 answer
My friend has a 1995 Saturn (as do I). For some reason, the plastic paneling in part of the interior, around the doors, is falling away from the frame.
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posted by amtho
on Mar 9, 2005 -
3 answers
The front window (5'x7') of my storefront was hit with acid etch graffiti last weekend. Does anyone have any experience with trying to buff out acid etch or will the window need to be replaced? I'd also like to hear about protective (read sacrificial) plastic coatings for storefront windows
posted by puppy kuddles
on Mar 8, 2005 -
4 answers
Where can I find an online forum for owners & managers of auto repair/service shops?
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posted by LordSludge
on Mar 7, 2005 -
1 answer
Recently somebody broke into my car, took my camera equipment, and dumped it in the bushes. The stuff sat there for nearly two weeks before we found it this morning. Everything's there (or seems to be), but I'm worried: all five lenses are cloudy. They seem to have collected moisture inside.
How can one effectively remove moisture from inside a camera lens? Will time take care of it?
posted by jdroth
on Mar 6, 2005 -
12 answers
A fender-bender has, uh, bent my bumper. Torn the rear one off half the frame, specifically. The car is old enough that no one makes the right size bumper/brackets anymore. Plus the frame need a bunch of work before it can accept a bracket again. Insurance declared a total, but has left open the option to repair. Several folks have suggested unbolting the other end and running w/o a bumper. Is this safe?? Not to mention legal? What would you do?
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posted by nakedcodemonkey
on Mar 2, 2005 -
20 answers
I have a Toshiba e310, that mysteriously stopped starting up when I turned it on. It's not completely dead, it comes up with the default bootscreen and then just sits there. Windows XP detects an unknown device, and that's it. I've tried doing a hard reset, soft reset, and letting the battery drain. Is there any use for it? Does anyone know of a way to recover it?
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posted by jackofsaxons
on Feb 13, 2005 -
5 answers
How do I learn to build... stuff? Carpentry, woodworking and construction-like activities are foreign to me (I get scared hanging pictures on a wall), and I can't seem to find anything that talks down to my pea-size brain. Can anyone recommend activities and/or reading materials that will help me become handy around the house? [MI]
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posted by monkeystronghold
on Feb 10, 2005 -
17 answers
My PowerBook is shocking my delicate forearms. The light silver paint on front edge of the laptop is majorly wearing off. What's a quick and inexpensive way to fix it? [+]
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posted by ArsncHeart
on Feb 4, 2005 -
9 answers
I dropped my PB this morning (truth be told, I slipped down a couple stairs and landed hard), this time really badly. The top aluminum panel has a corner bent (about 2 degrees from about 2 inches in) and the bottom case is so badly bent and warped that I was
astounded the machine booted up. More inside...
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posted by o2b
on Jan 31, 2005 -
8 answers
Apologies for CarFilter, however: some weeks ago my car stereo began behaving badly before finally dying. [mi]
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posted by mcsweetie
on Jan 29, 2005 -
5 answers
I bent my
Wookie umbrella! (More has found shelter from the rain inside.)
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posted by lychee
on Dec 31, 2004 -
2 answers
AutoFilter: In a moment of terrible mental absence this morning, I drove about half a block in second gear with the hand brake engaged. While the right rear wheel smoked and the brake glowed visibly red, there seem to be no other consequences an hour after the fact. Does this merit a call to the mechanic to check it out if other malfunctions haven't arisen?
posted by Verdant
on Dec 16, 2004 -
19 answers
Dutch Ovens, pt. 2: Repair. How to fix chipped enamel before the iron rusts? [+]
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posted by rxrfrx
on Dec 11, 2004 -
8 answers
My Dell monitor died. Advice needed on its current condition or possible alternatives for next purchase (considering a flat-panel). -->
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posted by eas98
on Nov 22, 2004 -
5 answers
Some months ago I dropped my Titanium PowerBook, and cracked the case on the lighter-coloured surround of lower case. The damage is only cosmetic, it has continued to work flawlessly since, with some sticky tape over the crack.
The tape is beginning to wear out, however, and instead of re-applying it, I thought of just glueing the crack together. What glue would work?
posted by Mwongozi
on Nov 21, 2004 -
11 answers
ScaryCarNoiseFilter: I have a 99 Civic, 50K miles. I'm a new 2nd owner. Today it started making an odd noise as I was coming off the Interstate: a rattle from the front passenger wheel-area which increased in volume as I braked. And it increases in intensity when I brake while going around curves.
It is an intermittent sound; mostly when turning while braking, and or braking @ higher speeds (75+). Also, there is no steering vibration associated with the sound. Any suggestions? A friend suggested CV Boot or CV Joints.
Is that spendy to fix? (it seemed like a good buy at the time!)
posted by atlatl
on Nov 19, 2004 -
15 answers
Death of an iBook. A couple hours ago, in the exact instant that I pushed the button to turn off my iBook G4, the iBook made a weird sound, its power was cut out immediately and abruptly went dead in a split-second (instead of the usual, slower process). It doesn't restart. It doesn't. Batteries are OK, by the way. Two questions: how bad is it, is it just electrical or the hard disk has been damaged as well? Also, I have put a lot of expensive software (Photoshop CS, Toast Titanium, Office, etc) in it. I still have the cd's and serial numbers, will I be able to reinstall them when the iBook's been fixed?
It is still under guarantee, it's 7 months old. (more inside) [more inside]
posted by matteo
on Nov 1, 2004 -
11 answers
Digital Camera repair: I have a
Canon S-40 that has stopped working. It just doesn't power on. What is the best way to go about repairing it? Do local camera shops do this kind of work these days or will this entail sending it in to Canon world headquarters? If you think I should just pitch it and buy a new one, what do you think of
this one?
posted by jacobsee
on Oct 26, 2004 -
7 answers
I have older windows in my home that weren't taken care of properly (layers upon layers of paint, some don't open, broken weights, etc). Window replacement is about a year off, and I'm trying to get my rental unit up to snuff. Is there some good how-to repair advice anyone has come accross for old windows? I have a couple of fix-it books but they only have cursory info and concentrate more on installing new windows.
posted by sharksandwich
on Oct 11, 2004 -
9 answers
I'm in line to get a free Zire 71 - if I can fix it. Any suggestions where to start? [MI]
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posted by casarkos
on Sep 8, 2004 -
1 answer
Television repair question: My TV displays everything in fuzzy black and white, and the audio is just static. [MI]
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posted by stopgap
on Sep 7, 2004 -
2 answers
Is it possible to get a large (1000+ pages) book rebound without spending a bajillion dollars? One of the covers on a reference book got really badly damaged, and I'd like to repair it (or have it repaired) without spending more than $20 or so. I don't care overly much about how it looks, as long as it, you know, covers.
posted by LittleMissCranky
on Aug 21, 2004 -
11 answers
Klutzyboyfriendfilter! My boyfriend dropped his 867Mhz G4 Powerbook and now it's busted. We're looking into repair options. [more]
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posted by jessamyn
on Aug 7, 2004 -
4 answers
ComputerRepairFilter: I need some help tracking down the source of a computer problem. [More Inside]
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posted by smcniven
on Aug 4, 2004 -
17 answers
LaptopRepairFilter: I need to remove the bezel on a Fujitsu Lifebook C-series (C-6530) to measure and replace the cold cathode lamps that have failed. I've Googled off and on for a few months now, looking for service or dis-assembly manuals, with no love to be found. (Much more inside)
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posted by loquacious
on Jul 28, 2004 -
3 answers
Mysterious bicycle problem: When I'm on my road bike it sounds like the rear brakes are rubbing, but if I get off the bike and spin the wheel, I can see there is plenty of clearance, the wheel is true, and there's no sound. What is going on?
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posted by teg
on Jul 22, 2004 -
21 answers
If I will install a new motherboard, processor and new RAM, what should I do to keep
all my old settings? Will Repair Install from Windows XP Boot CD suffice ? Or should I try
this ?
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posted by Masi
on Jul 19, 2004 -
3 answers
I'm interested in learning electronics/electronics repair in my spare time and was wondering if there are any good resources someone could recommend (books, kits, etc.)?
posted by drezdn
on Jul 18, 2004 -
9 answers
Powerbook Repair In Process: I've taken apart my Powerbook G3/333 Lombard in order to replace the AC/Soundcard (and darned if I can't see cracked solder at the solder points). Now that I've got it pretty thoroughly disassembled, I wonder if there's any other upgrades I should take the trouble to do while I'm here.
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posted by weston
on Jul 17, 2004 -
7 answers
My 1994 Honda Accord's cooling fan won't turn off after I turn the car off. However, if I remove the cooling fan fuse, the fan will shut off. The fuse does not appear to be blown. When I put the fuse back in, it sparks like a mad mo'fo' and the cooling fan turns back on. Any ideas what the problem is and how much it'de run me for a repair or is there a quick fix for it?
posted by jmd82
on Jul 10, 2004 -
9 answers
I have an oak tilt/swivel chair that also has height adjustment. The height adjust mechanism is broken: the ring that's supposed to revolve and move the central post up and down has damaged threads. The store where I bought this many years ago is no longer in business. I'm not getting a lot of value out of Google searches, probably because I don't know what the parts are called. Any places that sell chair parts and/or diagrams where I can see the parts named?
posted by tommasz
on Jul 5, 2004 -
3 answers
My computer's fan just gave out completely. Is every second it stays on eminent danger or do I have a few hours?
posted by Tlogmer
on Jun 27, 2004 -
9 answers
My truck failed an emissions test for the first time (in No. Virginia). It's a 1993 Toyota pick-up, 2x4, 2.4L - 4cyl. (ext. cab). I just turned 200,000 miles on it last month and replaced the muffler and tailpipe the day before the inspection. The failure is with the
NO ppm test. It failed at both 15 MPH and 25, but not by much. Am I looking at a converter problem for sure or is there something I can do first before replacing it? What's the best way to approch this problem?
posted by Witty
on Jun 10, 2004 -
5 answers
BodyShopFilter: I managed to put a big ol' dent in the fender of my 88 Saab. I'm not too upset (anymore) about the dent, but it did put a bulge in the track that my hood runs along. I want to pound the dent out. How do I do it? Do I need a special hammer? Any precautions/tips/tricks? Should I just pay the autobody guy to do it right?
posted by daver
on Jun 7, 2004 -
5 answers
Does anyone know of a good place to take a broken SLR camera to be fixed in NYC?
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posted by o2b
on Jun 2, 2004 -
3 answers
I have an iPod remote (past warranty), and unfortunately the insulation is breaking right where the cable joins the plug. I've considered heat-shrink tubing, but the
funky plug shape makes this impractical. Is there a way to fix it?
posted by O9scar
on Apr 23, 2004 -
6 answers
There's a dust bunny under the camera lens on my Palm Zire 71, which has been making my pictures rather annoyingly diffuse. It's out of warranty, so repairs will cost at least as much as I estimate this thing's resale value to be in its current condition. Should I bite the financial bullet and
send it in for servicing, cut my losses and
sell it as damaged goods, or throw caution to the wind, grab my geek toolkit, and
attempt my own repairs?
posted by brownpau
on Apr 23, 2004 -
3 answers
how can we protect a wool wall hanging from being eaten by bugs? we bought this in mexico a couple of years ago, and it's been hanging on the wall in our bedroom. looking at it now, after moving house, it has "bald" patches and holes. we can probably repair the holes to keep it in one piece, but how do we stop further degradation? thanks.
(there's not much point in suggesting commercial chemical solutions by name, as we probably won't be able to find them; we'd like to continue to display it on the wall; also, since it's only been on the wall, it's relatively clean - googling seems to suggest this means it would not be damaged... - and we haven't seen a particularly large number of bugs near the hanging).
posted by andrew cooke
on Apr 4, 2004 -
9 answers
How can one repair a fairly severe scratch on a Playstation One game? The scratch runs roughly parallel to the edge of the disc, and the PS1 recognizes the disc, and we get as far as loading a saved game, at which point it hangs and won't run the game.
posted by eilatan
on Jan 4, 2004 -
4 answers
How can I repair a DVD with a couple of relatively deep scratches? (more inside)
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posted by duckstab
on Jan 3, 2004 -
5 answers
How do I remove marks left by a metal drain snake inside a toilet bowl, below the waterline?
posted by NortonDC
on Jan 2, 2004 -
8 answers
Found out last night that my car (96 Saturn with 108k miles) has a leaking head gasket, which will set me back about $1200. Before I spring for the repair, I want to be confident that the car will stick around long enough to be worth it. How long can you reasonably expect to keep a car on the road? Is this a sign that she's crossed the line into being an unreliable money sink?
posted by COBRA!
on Dec 16, 2003 -
11 answers
