Computer queries

sgx100 · **Re: Computer queries -** 20-06-2008, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uRmad

On a slightly unrelated note, does anyone have any experience of having a USB stick "stuck" to the USB port? And by stuck, I mean, physically STUCK ! I assume the port connectors might have gotten twisted by the USB drive...It's a Transcend age-old 256MB stick, and a basic search shows that mine's not the first case

Hola ...Maybe we can use the age old tried n tested oil formula

Best wud be to use that port to put a fan to ur face

On serious notes....That not all that bad a dilemma either ...You see

raghav507 · **Re: Computer queries -** 20-06-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64BitWhore

I am the CEO of a technology company which makes software for USB drives. Around two weeks ago, I would have actually killed (with my bare hands) anyone who gave this sort of advice - we had to refund around Rs 1,00,000 worth because of people not stopping their USB drives properly before unplugging.

My personal feelings aside, here are the straight facts:

1) Unplugging your USB drive without stopping creates a probability of data loss.

2) This is a probability. Not a certainty. Just like running across the street blindly creates the probability of death. There's no guarantee you will die, in fact most times you will survive. But nevertheless.

3) The probability depends on the OS and file system. The older the file system, the less fancy features it has, the less chance of data loss. Using FAT32 on Windows, you can have thousands of unsafe removals without noticing data loss. Note that I said noticing; there might be minor errors that go unnoticed.

4) If you are using a modern file system, it will cache data and generally want to optimise stuff. If you pull out a USB drive that uses NTFS immediately after you think data has been written, you will get noticeable data loss 6 times out of ten, and unnoticeable data loss 3 times. So there is a very low probability of data not being lost.

5) For this reason XP defaults to using FAT32 on USB drives. If you want to format an USB drive as NTFS, you need to select 'Optimize for performance' rather than 'Optimize for Quick Removal' - look it up.

6) You need NTFS if you have to store single files larger than 4GB.

hi buddy,
thanx for the valuable info...
just had a related query...i m charging my iPod classic...
many a times i have shut down the system and then took the usb cable off from it...
although the screen shows it is ready to use...but is it the right practice to be followed...

plz suggest...

diablorulez · **Re: Computer queries -** 21-06-2008, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raghav507

hi buddy,
thanx for the valuable info...
just had a related query...i m charging my iPod classic...
many a times i have shut down the system and then took the usb cable off from it...
although the screen shows it is ready to use...but is it the right practice to be followed...

plz suggest...

yeah no problem with that as power source is disconnected.

Muds · **Re: Computer queries -** 23-06-2008, 08:47 PM

Hi,

Thnks for ur response. I dnt have any link but u can chk tht on Dell.co.in. Customize it like wht u need, n let me know. will get a good deal if it is a bulk deal.

**the_egonomist** · **Re: Computer queries -** 25-06-2008, 08:32 AM

Hey,

I bet many of you have downloaded and used Firefox 3.

Came across some good add-ons for it:

12 must-have add-ons for Firefox 3 | Software news, tips, and opinions from Download.com editors - Download.com

Worth a look.

Cheers.

andy4u · **Use external Hard Disk from both OS X and XP -** 29-06-2008, 09:00 AM

I have an external 250 GB HDD which I want to use with R/W access from both Leopard and XP.

1.The only format which allows me to do this is FAT32. But it gives me a limitation of 32 GB per partition and does not allow me to create more than 4 partitions.

2.I create 1 FAT32 partition and keep the remaining partition in some other format, say NTFS.Then I go to Leopard and change NTFS to HFS+. But then HFS+ is shown as unallocated in XP.

What is the way out? I want to use all 250 GB (233 actually) with R/W access from both Leopard and XP.

What I have currently done is to have 3 FAT32s and remaining NTFS.Atleast this way I have 3*32 GBs of memory which is R/Wable from both XP and Leopard. NTFS can only be read from Leopard.

peekay2n · **Re: Use external Hard Disk from both OS X and XP -** 29-06-2008, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy4u

I have an external 250 GB HDD which I want to use with R/W access from both Leopard and XP.

hi andy4u ....

u need to install macFuse and ntfs-3g (for mac) on leopard ... (in that order)
these 2 will together let you write to NTFS partitions ... and that way, u can use the entire 250GB as a single NTFS partition..

bdw .... are you running leopard on a non-apple PC ??
if yes .... ru having any hardware issues??

andy4u · **Re: Use external Hard Disk from both OS X and XP -** 29-06-2008, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peekay2n

hi andy4u ....

u need to install macFuse and ntfs-3g (for mac) on leopard ... (in that order)
these 2 will together let you write to NTFS partitions ... and that way, u can use the entire 250GB as a single NTFS partition..

bdw .... are you running leopard on a non-apple PC ??
if yes .... ru having any hardware issues??

Spot On. That's what I did and it worked. No peekay, I am not using it on a non-apple PC.

Trainman · **Re: Computer queries -** 09-07-2008, 08:47 PM

I have a query about Windows Vista that comes bundled with most new laptops (i.e. Vista without Service Pack 1) and would appreciate some inputs. Do legacy applications such as MS Office 2003 etc. have a problem running under Vista? I've read on some forums that people prefer to downgrade to Win XP instead of putting up with Vista and its quirks (which include application incompatibility and unexpected crashes).

I have also come to understand that installing XP is not a big deal, but finding the drivers and getting the peripherals to work is a whole different story. Most new laptops nowadays come only with Vista and the manufacturers have made sure that only Vista drivers are easily available on their websites. Several tech forums that I saw had people complaining about how difficult it was to find drivers and get the peripherals to work under XP. Sometimes the sound didn't work, and sometimes WiFi went for a toss.

Which is why I wanted to know if anyone here has recently tried to get a laptop up and fully functional after installing XP. If yes, details will be most appreciated (e.g. laptop config, website from which drivers were downloaded, any problems faced while installation and their workarounds etc.). Thank you!

Note: I'm cross-posting from the "Buying a laptop" thread because I was told that this was the appropriate location for my query.

sgx100 · **Re: Computer queries -** 11-07-2008, 02:42 PM

Hi Trainman,

Most vendors claim that XP wont be supported but you can try and get a work around.
Infact most drivers are from the manufacturers....like chipset is from AMD/Intel....graphics card is from Nvidia/Intel....sound...from sigmatel etc
What you can do is try and find the manufactures from ur laptop and then go to the manufacturers website and install the latest drivers.

In most cases you can boot up using XP...

I got a new dell inspiron 1420 running on Vista Home Premium...i spent some time with it...and now its running on XP...all powered up and raring to go...

But I dont know if that wud harm ur warranty..try to find that