The "Ask Wisp" Thread.

[Wisp]

So, it's come to my attention, that I've reached a sor t of stopping point at my own knowledge of a user's end of operating computers, and I've gotten to the point where I consider myself equipped to answer most any computer-related question, or at least be able to point the asker in the right direction, so I'll be brief.

If you have a question, ask me. If something isn't working ask me here, something not up to par, you suspect something's wrong, aliens ate your machine's soul, or you want to try something new, it really doesn't matter. I'm erecting this thread as an attempt to help knowledge flow from those who know to those who don't.

Ask away.

I'm waiting.

 

[Kuu]

Have aliens ever eaten your machine's soul?

 

[Wisp]

Yes. That was when I installed Windows on it, a long long time ago. It has since been restored to its true glory.

Next Question.

 

[Latro]

Yes. That was when I installed Windows on it, a long long time ago. It has since been restored to its true glory.

Next Question.

I think at your icons and it says windows. What is this shit, I don't even

 

[ApostateAbe]

Is there a Chuck Norris?

 

[Deleted member 1424]

legitimate question time

I have both Ubuntu and Windows 7 installed on my PC, but I've hardly touched Ubuntu since all my files are on Windows. Is there a way to access those files from Ubuntu, or to at least transfer them directly?

I would just use a pocket drive, but I have a lot of data.

 

[Wisp]

legitimate question time

I have both Ubuntu and Windows 7 installed on my PC, but I've hardly touched Ubuntu since all my files are on Windows. Is there a way to access those files from Ubuntu, or to at least transfer them directly?

I would just use a pocket drive, but I have a lot of data.

Simple.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MountingWindowsPartitions

Basically, install ntfs-3g, ntfs-config then run ntfs-config. And you win at everything forever. Incidentally, it is possible but difficult to do this the other way round using a little thing called Ext2fsd as long as you aren't using an Ext4 partition. (which the average user will never notice not using.

As for the windows, this is windows 7, and this is what I use to play games on.

 

[menaceh2k]

can i access another laptop/pc hardrive through a usb link, or Ethernet link. Its an older netbook, with no cd drive, I tried to re-install os through external cd-drive and usb key, with no luck. I need some files from there. Thanx.

 

[Latro]

I think at your icons and it says windows. What is this shit, I don't even

What was that first sentence, I don't even

 

[Ermine]

What Linux OS is the most user friendly in your opinion? I've been thinking of installing some sort of Linux on my PC for quite some time, but there are quite a few factors and the pros and cons are about equal on each one I've looked into, and have no idea where to start.

Also, why is Linux so glorious? To be honest, I mainly want to install Linux just to see what's so great about it. If this makes any difference, in the Windows vs. Mac debate, I tend to gravitate slightly towards Windows, but I'm largely impartial.

 

[Latro]

What Linux OS is the most user friendly in your opinion? I've been thinking of installing some sort of Linux on my PC for quite some time, but there are quite a few factors and the pros and cons are about equal on each one I've looked into, and have no idea where to start.

Also, why is Linux so glorious? To be honest, I mainly want to install Linux just to see what's so great about it. If this makes any difference, in the Windows vs. Mac debate, I tend to gravitate slightly towards Windows, but I'm largely impartial.

Even though this is Wisp's thread, here's my two cents on the first bit:
In terms of ease of immediate use, Ubuntu or a flavor of it (which may be one of the other *buntus or something like Mint) almost certainly wins, while in terms of ease of learning I think that Arch probably wins.

 

[Silent_Rebel]

I used to have 32bit vista on my pc. Then I switched to windows 7 32bit and everything started to go wrong. First, it started to take forever to boot up (it used to take like 10 sec). Second, games started freezing and I got the blue screen of death (I think it happened on older games). Third, the internet started to go very slowly and eventually would not work at all. Fourth, everything that I opened went slow and eventually froze. Now I can not get it to boot at all. I have run the system repair multiple times and it has done nothing. I think it may have to do with rundll32.exe, but I don't know that much.

 

[Latro]

I used to have 32bit vista on my pc. Then I switched to windows 7 32bit and everything started to go wrong. First, it started to take forever to boot up (it used to take like 10 sec). Second, games started freezing and I got the blue screen of death (I think it happened on older games). Third, the internet started to go very slowly and eventually would not work at all. Fourth, everything that I opened went slow and eventually froze. Now I can not get it to boot at all. I have run the system repair multiple times and it has done nothing. I think it may have to do with rundll32.exe, but I don't know that much.

Have you done a full reinstall? This kind of across-the-board failure tends to warrant a full reinstall.

(I seem to have seized Wisp's thunder, but I blame Otakon.)

 

[Silent_Rebel]

I have tried. I will try again and post the results.

Edit: In the meantime... any other possibilities/suggestions.

 

[Wisp]

Sorry! I was at Otakon this weekend and was a hair busy.

Ermine:

Ubuntu or Arch depending on what your priorities are. If you want to go quickly, Arch linux has a fantastic wiki to help you get started and is VERY good for the learning process.

If you need something that is much easier to get working but is still Linux, then yeah, Ubuntu. It's easier, but it's so less elegant than Arch, and you can go a long time without really learning any Linux.

My real recommendation is on Arch, though it will scare you at first; the benefits are worth it!

As for the quiet one, you have a few things to do. First, make sure you format over the windows partition fully when you reinstall, and make sure you have the correct drivers. Make sure you get yourself Antivirus BEFORE you connect the machine to the internet. If the problems persist, try disabling services and startup programs. (running msconfig from the run prompt is a good thing to know about.)

If all that fails, go get yourself some linux. it's worth it. Trust me.

 

[nexion]

What I want to know, is why are operating systems so... big? I mean, I know they have to do a lot, but are hundreds, if not thousands, of files really necessary just to run the OS?

Also, the organizational structure of an OS generally makes no sense to me. I want to get really good at C++ so I can make my own OS. That will take years though. Until then, Windows for me.

 

[Fukyo]

What I want to know, is why are operating systems so... big? I mean, I know they have to do a lot, but are hundreds, if not thousands, of files really necessary just to run the OS?

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

 

[Wisp]

As fukyo pointed out... they don't have to be.

But for something bloated and huge like Windows, you need to realize that there are a lot of non-triivial tasks to do between binary and Windows. You need bits to network, bits to connect the generic network bits with specific networking hardware, somehting to tell the monitor what pixels to put where, (in the case of windows) security processes, stuff to index your files sou you can search them, stuff to draw windows, stuff to handle the other stuff when it doesn't work...

And the list goes on. Bloated operating systems just don't draw a line between what they can do and what they should do. Better operating systems occur when you leave parts of the system setup to the user, like in some Linux distributions, such as the one fukyo linked, although DSL might a be a LITTLE extreme of an example.

Soyeah. They are necessary, OR you could let the user set stuff up himself.

 

[Latro]

Just a kernel on its own reaches into the hundreds of files, though, I think.

 

[Wisp]

No, not really. It's extremely modular. A basic USABLE kernel would, but very technically, it's a fairly simple thing.

 

[Farion]

After reading this thread, I want to switch to Arch. Unfortunately, I have a little problem and I am hoping you can tell me what it is. Recently, I decided I wanted to create an Ubuntu partition on my Windows 7 laptop. I looked everything up online, downloaded a virtual image and all the software to run it, and then all I needed to do was partition the hard drive. I went in, partitioned a good portion of the hard drive for Ubuntu, turned the computer off then on and ran Ubuntu.

I honestly can't remember if it worked or not, but that's irrelevant. I then proceeded to go back to Windows, only to find that the entire hard drive had been wiped clean. I attempted to system restore, which didn't work, so I restarted, tried another system restore, which didn't work, a few more times for good measure, then it magically worked with some of the computer luck that I only get when computers feel really sorry for/scared of me.

So, do you have any ideas why that happened, or tips on how to avoid it?

Edit: I've been reading the Arch Wiki, and I think my question is how do you partition a hard drive so that Windows and Linux can coexist peacefully? (Bear in mind that I have more than enough room).

 

[Farion]

Nevermind, I got impatient

New, retrospective question. If I get a FATAL ERROR regarding cylinders being out of bounds when partitioning (or attempting to partition) my hard drive, do I have any other option other than to get frustrated and erase the entire thing?

 

[commandolam]

A friend of mine has an RSL Error 1 of 1 # 2032 when trying to use the gameroom chatbox.

What up that? How do fix?

 

[Wisp]

Farion: Gparted has a round to cylinders option. It's a useful livecd, look it up.

Commando: You didn't give me nearly enough information.

 

[commandolam]

What else do you need?

 

[Farion]

Farion: Gparted has a round to cylinders option. It's a useful livecd, look it up.

Haha, nevermind I got impatient again and wiped the entire hard drive (several times, before I settled on this OS ).

Thanks for the tip, though. I may need to use it with my other computer.

 

[Silent_Rebel]

I am at my school and ".msi" is blocked. Is there any way I can unblock it?
I would prefer if you answered soon.