Over on Lockergnome, there’s an interesting discussion going on where we’re discussing things we hate about our computers. We spend a lot of time talking about the things we love: our processors, RAM and video cards. What about those things your machine does which make you want to smash it to bits? What’s the last “thing” your computer did to drive you crazy?

Many of the answers given by the community were ones you might expect. However, some of them touched on things I hadn’t thought of yet.

• What i don’t like about computers is when the hard drive randomly starts reading constantly for no apparent reason.
• What I hate about computers?… Well Computers are like Drivers Licenes… Some people are just meant not to have one, the world is just safer that way.
• Trends in computer related technology seem to take the technology to new heights of obscurity. For example, the pentium 4 architecture (where speed was focused on ahead of multitasking), solid state drives (where speed is being focused on ahead of the ability to defragment and progress in RAM which is even faster), USB (a restrictive form of the old serial interface) and the new C standard.
• I hate when the computer slows down due to something running in the background you didn’t know was there.
• Hardware at the mercy of poorly written software.
• There are to many acronyms to learn!

What about you? What do you hate about computers?

What Do You Hate About Computers?

I finally did it!

Yes, I… downloaded a BSOD image from Google, saved it to my iPad, then pulled ‘er up full screen and snapped this photo.

Windows 7 Running on an iPad

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One of the callers during our live stream the other night was asking about new hardware. He wants to put Windows XP on a newer machine but keeps receiving a BSOD every time he tries. He prefers XP over Windows 7 when it comes to customization. The modern hardware he’s trying to use just doesn’t want to use an operating system that is older and slower.

Using Windows XP may work inside of a virtual machine may be a good solution. You can use the free VirtualBox, or ask me for a coupon for either VMWare or Parallels. Any of those solutions should work. Load up Windows 7 as your primary operating system, and then throw a virtual machine onto it. Place Windows XP onto the VM and bam! You should be in business.

What other workarounds do you know of? If someone insists on using an older operating system on newer hardware, what options are available to them?

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How to Use Windows XP on a New PC

There was an interesting post over on Lockergnome today, asking whether you are addicted to the Internet. There’s even a link to a quiz so that you can find out if you are!

I could sit here and crack jokes about how addicted I am to the Internet. In reality, though, it’s not a laughing matter. There is a tremendous difference between spending a lot of time doing what you love – and being utterly and helplessly addicted to it. Internet addiction is a reality, and it’s growing at an alarming rate. People who are addicted to the web are becoming obsessed with what they do there to the point that they ignore their “real” life, their responsibilities, and often their health. Marriages have broken up due to this. People have lost jobs due to this. Kids have been suspended from school because of this. It’s scary, and it’s real.

So, I ask you – are YOU addicted to the Internet? Have you taken the quiz, and read your results? When and where do you draw the line between having fun, and tumbling into an addiction? I’m interested in hearing your thoughts.

• Stare the BSOD in the face and laugh at it.
• The last nail has been hammered into the proverbial coffin.
• It’s a snap to use Ubuntu Portable inside of Windows.
• YouTube has announced the top videos of 2009. Did your favorite make the cut?
• Starting in January, you can access free Wi-Fi at McDonald’s!
• Why do some people refuse to part with their outdated pieces of technology?
• Parents need to be mindful of hazardous holiday ornaments.
• Discover previously hidden ways to promote your small business.
• Citigroup will be getting a break from the IRS – will you get one?
• Are there desktop replacements for the iPhone?
• Do you own a Nissan with a CVT transmission? If so, you may have a problem.
• ‘Tis the season to give.
• What, in your opinion, are the top video games of 2009?

Today on our downloads site, you’ll find several applications for both Windows and Mac. Heck, you might even find something for your mobile phone!

Are You Addicted to the Internet?

I admitted in a video earlier today that I still enjoy playing with LEGO Bricks. I also apparently still like the Lite Brite!

There’s nothing wrong with occasionally letting your inner child come out to play when you’re a grown-up. I personally think it can help keep you sane and stress-free if you let your hair down once in awhile, and take the time to remember what it’s like to play. What do you do during occasions like these? Do you indulge yourself with crayons? Do you prefer to duke it out with action figures?

What toys do your inner child still love to play with?

• One doctor has proven that stem cells can heal the lungs of newborn animals.
• Do you get the most out of your gaming?
• Will you pay to Tweet?
• What type of volunteer work are you involved in?
• If you want to pimp out the Safari browser, take a look at Glims.
• Everything was going well, until a BSOD crept up on our blogger hero.
• How many more PS3s will the government buy?
• Keep your eyes peeled for comment spam – they are tricky these days!
• The 12 Gadgets of Christmas Song!
• News of Ubuntu One is making the rounds faster than lightning.
• Which version of Windows do you recommend for a netbook or laptop?
• Do you know how to take good holiday pictures?
• New users switching to Linux will be confused about the amount of choices.
• Do you know how to properly back up your WordPress blog?
• The Murdoch effect is already being felt in the UK.

Now that Cyber Monday is here, our download center team is working hard to come up with new and amazing programs for you to grab at deep discounts. Be sure to check every day to see what they have found for you!

[awsbullet:lite brite cube]

What Toy Would You Want for Christmas?

Word on the street is that Best Buy is now requiring applicants to not only be on Twitter – but to have at least 250 followers, as well. When I read this, my mouth hit the floor. In effect, the company thinks that hiring people with a large Twitter following will garner more business for them. How ludicrous is this? It’s not up to an employee to send out tweets and bring in business to a company like Best Buy. For one thing, what if a person chooses not to have that many followers? Not everyone is on Twitter to see if they can win the race for having the most followers. Some people actually use it only to follow interesting people and entities themselves, not caring whether others follow them back. Some of those same people never even update their own timeline. They choose, instead, to simply use Twitter to read the latest news, and keep up with what’s hot in the marketplace.

I cannot begin to understand why a company would – or can even be allowed to – require something like this. If a person’s job were going to be something along the lines of “Social Media Director”, I might be able to see the need for the applicant to already have some sort of following, establishing them as “social media savvy”. Beyond that – I’m just lost.

What are your thoughts? Is this going to become an eerie new trend in the job hunting process? Do you feel that this is just totally off the wall? Let’s hear your thoughts!

• Windows 7 pre-order copies sold out in under nine hours in the UK.
• Google Adsense: Who said easy money isn’t real?
• Have you checked into Spiceworks yet? If so, what are your thoughts?
• If you want emoticons for your iPhone, look for Emoji’s!
• A new Apple netbook is on the way.
• Could a BSOD actually be a good thing?
• Chris Pirillo vs Lockergnome Logos – would you buy a “Pirrilow”?
• Researchers are finding that new treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease are very promising.
• How much of your computer time is spent on the web?
• What are some good, free fonts available for designers to use?

Can a Company Take Social Networking too Far?

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I finally had enough of the Windows PC in my room. I can’t take it anymore. This is just too much for me to handle. The haunted USB connect / disconnect problem has been officially fixed. Too bad I forgot I had a mute feature!

How to Piss off a Nerd

If you’ve used Windows, you’ve likely had to deal with at least one Blue Screen of Death. It’s frustrating, to say the least. Some people are lucky, and have never even had one… while others aren’t as fortunate, and get them on a regular basis.

Have you ever had a BSOD? Do you know what caused it?

When’s the Last Time You had a BSOD?

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I really don’t mind the Mac. Then again, I didn’t mind Windows XP, either. I did, however, mind Windows Vista. I’ve shared my reasons over and over. I now have no Vista machines in my home…

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You Just Can’t Escape Windows

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I have been loving Mac OS X Leopard since I began using it. I know a lot of people were upset when I switched to Mac. I don’t know what it is, but the Mac just gives you an incredible feeling of warmth. You bond emotionally with my machine! It just works so wonderfully. I’ve never had issues, not like I did with Windows. BSODs are a thing of the…

WTH is that? COME ON you can’t be serious!?!?!

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Macs Never Crash… EVER!

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A caller said he has an HP Laptop with what he believes is a BIOS problem. When you turn on the machine, it goes through the boot screen, and then freezes. He’s tried doing a full system recovery, which doesn’t work. He gets errors with codes that he isn’t able to narrow down further than the BIOS.

He has deleted the partition, wiped the entire computer, and tried to reinstall. He gets the exact same error code about an executable file, during Windows setup. He cannot even install the OS on the computer. A lot of people in chat are suggesting that the hard drive itself is corrupt. He tried installing Vista, and received the same error code. He then installed an old copy of Windows ME… and it worked beautifully. It won’t install any other OS.

Someone else is recommending trying Darik’s Boot and Nuke. Darik’s Boot and Nuke (“DBAN”) is a self-contained boot floppy that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction. This may help to wipe it all out, including things that could possibly have survived the partition deletion.

If ONLY Windows ME will install on this system and nothing else… I would call an Excorcist. That is just downright scary… and not “right”.

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Hard Drive Problems

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Here are some excellent tips sent in by a community member at large, to help us all avoid getting a dreaded BSOD. These are not only frustrating, they can also sometimes signal a major failure.

• Check your hardware. Sometimes people will receive a Blue Screen of Death after adding new hardware to their system. If the hardware that is recently installed does not have the correct drivers, chances are it will be unstable and will crash the system. To prevent this from happening, make sure you install the drivers from the hardware manufacturer’s website. Drivers will not only help the computer detect what you have installed, it will also help you to not get a Blue Screen of Death. Remember, drivers sometimes get confused with software. Make sure they are the drivers and not the software that comes with the device.
• Driver Updates. Drivers sometimes have updates. If you do not update the drivers for a specific hardware device, that device may become unstable. This is similar to looking for drivers in the first place, but you should always look for driver updates whenever you can. A good way to check for new updates on their site, is to bookmark the page where the drivers are usually found. Check this site at least once a month, to see if it is updated. Always make sure when you install the new drivers, you uninstall the old ones. Conflicts between new, and old drivers can cause very bad issues.
• Use Linux. Now, you are probably thinking that I am telling people to use Linux when I say this, but I am not. You can use Linux to solve a software related issue. If you know a certain program that is causing a Blue Screen of Death, remove it with Linux. It is a great backup operating system that will allow you to find software related problems that you know are causing the Blue Screen of Death. A good Linux distribution you can use is Ubuntu. It is free and open source, that you can download from mirror’s online or get a CD for free from their site. You can also use Safe Mode which brings me to my next tip.
• Process of Elimination. When you enter the Safe Mode screen, you have the options to start it without networking or to start it normally. If you think it is a internet problem, trying booting with Safe Mode with networking off. This will give you a chance to see if you get a Blue Screen without being connected to the internet, while your drivers are still off. Having your drivers and hardware disabled allows you to troubleshoot the issue without having to get a Blue Screen of Death. By using the simple method of process of elimination, you can pin-point a accurate reason why the blue screen is occurring. Did you just install a new device? Try to remove it and see if you get another Blue Screen. Have you tried to uninstall certain software? Try to uninstall it and see if you get another blue screen. Those are some examples of what I am trying to mean. Eliminate problems that could cause the issue, making it easier to find the reason.
• AVOID WINDOWS VISTA. This tip speaks for itself. Simply do not use Windows Vista. Vista is unstable and at during this time, people have been getting many driver related issues. Any having driver relating issues, causes what? You guessed it. Blue Screen’s of Death. Sure, Windows Vista may be a good Operating System sometimes when it works, but when it doesn’t you will at least know why. Try to not use Windows Vista until they have updated the problems. Second guess getting it if you have a idea about buying it. I would suggest waiting for the operating system to become more stable with new Service Packs that come with updates and “Fixes” for drivers.
• Bonus Tip: Don’t try to read the Blue Screen of Death. Reading the Blue Screen will just cause you confusing and make yourself look like a fool. It will only help to write down the STOP number near the bottom of the screen and search it by using Google to help you solve the situation. This is yet another way to help you solve the issue if everything else fails.

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How to Avoid the Blue Screen of Death

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Brandon is a community member who works for Geek Squad. He sees customers come in every day with nearly the same problems, and came up with his top five tips for getting your own machine back up and running, whether you own a PC or a Mac.

Google is your friend Knowledge is power, even when working on a computer problem. There are thousands of websites and resources out there in Internet-land that can help you decipher that odd error message, sound or whatever problem you are experiencing.

Ask the dumbest questions possible Start from the ground up. Many times, the simplest fix can be the one that works. Don’t try to over-think the problem, or assume it’s something awful and too hard to fix.

Read the Manual… especially when it comes to add-on devices such as a sound card or modem. You will usually find the answer you need simply by reading the manual that came with the product. An addendum to this is that you can go to the manufacturer’s website, and read their “FAQ” or similar page. Many vendors have these with the answers to the most common/frequent questions and complaints. Remember: RTFM. (Read the FINE Manual).

Backup BEFORE you begin This is imperative… especially if you’re going to open the case to work on something physical. Regular backups outside your machine are always a good idea, anyway. You can backup to another machine, a CD or DVD, or even to an online service.

Be patient and calm This is the biggest tip I can give you. Computer repair can be a long process, especially when it comes to software. Most people have the capacity to fix their own machine, but aggravation often causes them to just give up. Stay calm, walk away when you need to. You might be surprised what you can fix on your own with some patience and research.

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Top 5 Tips on Repairing Your own Computer: PC and Mac

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I’m so tired of people saying that the problems are with Vista, instead of blaming themselves! I mean seriously. It’s not Vista’s fault you buy crappy hardware. It’s not Vista’s fault your drivers don’t work. It’s all YOUR fault.

What’s with all the bad press? There is NOTHING wrong with Vista whatsoever! I’ve never had any issues or problems. It’s simply great! Stop blaming Microsoft and making them a scapegoat because you don’t know how to use a computer! Trust me, I know what I’m talking about. I’m a geek after all!

What? What is that they’re saying in chat? Look at the monitor of my Vista machine? Ok… what… the…

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There’s Nothing Wrong with Windows Vista

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – The “WOW” starts… um. Now?

Yeah. Vista Ultimate. Fun! BSOD. Drivers not working. Updates not working. Just lots of fun.

Is it time for SP1 yet?

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Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Blue Screen of Death