Use a simple portable cassette tape player and a cable that has the normal headphone jack (1/8") on both ends to connect the cassette tape player (headphone port) to the Sound card (line in port) on your computer. Run speakers from the line out port as normal.
Download and install Audacity Free Media Player.. You will need a lame_enc.dll file also to be able to convert to MP3 format
Play your cassette and press the record button in Audacity.
When done - Click FIle - Export to MP3
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Custom Installs! Please!
The majority of customers that have spyware, adware, or worse... viruses on their computers say they do not know how some of the stuff ever got on to their system in the first place. Alot of the additional stuff such as extra toolbars, additional programs, trials, etc. can be prevented by using a Custom Install when you install programs off the internet or even a CD. When I install anything I always do a CUSTOM INSTALL. It may also say something such as Other Options, Advanced, but normally says Custom.
Whola! There is the Yahoo Toolbar hiding and waiting for you to just blindly click NEXT!
That isn't nothing major, but if your like me and only wanted the messenger... I get aggravated when I have to go back through and get rid of the junkware!
Below is one more that used to kill me, but now since they do the Live Essentials thing it's much better. They don't hide all the custom installs anymore. Image that you only want to install MSN Live Messenger, but instead you get (7) additional programs because they are hiding in the Custom Install box.
Just please be aware guys that all this stuff on your system had to have came from somewhere, and it normally doesn't install without the user starting it somehow. Hate to be frank, but if your reading this blog than you are wanting to hear the truth anyhow. Thanks, and I hope this helps someone.
Take Yahoo Messenger For instance :
This is the default view when you install Yahoo Messenger. Notice that there is not a "Yahoo Toolbar" showing here. (Yahoo Toolbar is the bar in your Internet Explorer window that has icons for your mail and news, shopping, etc.... it takes up memory to use that by the way!)
Notice the CUSTOM INSTALL button at the top. Click it and ....
This is the default view when you install Yahoo Messenger. Notice that there is not a "Yahoo Toolbar" showing here. (Yahoo Toolbar is the bar in your Internet Explorer window that has icons for your mail and news, shopping, etc.... it takes up memory to use that by the way!)
Notice the CUSTOM INSTALL button at the top. Click it and ....
Whola! There is the Yahoo Toolbar hiding and waiting for you to just blindly click NEXT!
That isn't nothing major, but if your like me and only wanted the messenger... I get aggravated when I have to go back through and get rid of the junkware!
Below is one more that used to kill me, but now since they do the Live Essentials thing it's much better. They don't hide all the custom installs anymore. Image that you only want to install MSN Live Messenger, but instead you get (7) additional programs because they are hiding in the Custom Install box.
Just please be aware guys that all this stuff on your system had to have came from somewhere, and it normally doesn't install without the user starting it somehow. Hate to be frank, but if your reading this blog than you are wanting to hear the truth anyhow. Thanks, and I hope this helps someone.
For more information please visit the CGrafiks website at www.cgrafiks.com, or our HOT FIXES BLOG at blogger.com!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Weird Memory Problem
I had a virus removal today on an HP computer. I'm sorry, but I don't know the exact model right now. After the virus removal I noticed that it needed RAM. I had already called the customer and was expecting him within the hour, so I went ahead and was trying additional RAM before the customer arrived, so that I could be prepared and show him the difference in speed once the additional RAM was installed.
It already had 256mb DDR installed already, and I was going to add another 256mb stick to make it dual channel. It recognized the memory, but when booting in to normal mode it blue screens and restarts the computer. It happens so quick that I cannot read the blue screen for any technical information. I tried another stick of 256mb DDR, and I even replaced both sticks with 2 - 512mb sticks and it did the same thing. I tried it with only 1 stick of RAM in it (just like it originally was with the 256mb stick) and it still blue screens.
Now... I can boot in to Safe Mode with both sticks of RAM installed, and I tested both sticks with memtest... everything passes with flying colors. It just acts like the operating system will not allow it to run any more memory than what was originally installed. Would this be a BIOS upgrade that is needed? Or possibly one of the viruses that it was previously infected with is causing this? I am stumped at the moment and my only option is to try the BIOS upgrade, or completely reload the Operating System with the full amount of RAM installed before the reload begins. I have not seen a virus that does this yet. I'm sure there is a first for everything, but I am just curious as to what this could be. It stumps me that it works fine in Safe Mode, and with a live cd, but will not work in Normal mode with any more RAM than the original 256mb stick.
It already had 256mb DDR installed already, and I was going to add another 256mb stick to make it dual channel. It recognized the memory, but when booting in to normal mode it blue screens and restarts the computer. It happens so quick that I cannot read the blue screen for any technical information. I tried another stick of 256mb DDR, and I even replaced both sticks with 2 - 512mb sticks and it did the same thing. I tried it with only 1 stick of RAM in it (just like it originally was with the 256mb stick) and it still blue screens.
Now... I can boot in to Safe Mode with both sticks of RAM installed, and I tested both sticks with memtest... everything passes with flying colors. It just acts like the operating system will not allow it to run any more memory than what was originally installed. Would this be a BIOS upgrade that is needed? Or possibly one of the viruses that it was previously infected with is causing this? I am stumped at the moment and my only option is to try the BIOS upgrade, or completely reload the Operating System with the full amount of RAM installed before the reload begins. I have not seen a virus that does this yet. I'm sure there is a first for everything, but I am just curious as to what this could be. It stumps me that it works fine in Safe Mode, and with a live cd, but will not work in Normal mode with any more RAM than the original 256mb stick.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Windows 98 Systems - Argh!
From time to time I still get a Windows 98 system come in to my shop. Dial up internet, buggy and usually missing .vxd files. The first computer I had was a Windows 95 computer... then I finally upgraded to Win98 and loved it! Gosh we have came so far since those days! Now I really am beginning to dispise the older 9X operating systems (95,98, ME).
I have had this particular Win 98 system in my shop for about 4 working business days (which is a lot for my shop). The customer wanted a 2nd hard drive installed, a dvd burner, and a used AGP video card capable of playing Diablo 2.
I installed the 2nd hard drive as slave... formatted and everything is fine on that. Then I installed the DVD burner and ImgBurn software to allow him to burn data. That went well. Everything went smooth until the video card.... The original video card was a 4mb card and uncapable of playing the game. I uninstalled the originial video driver before putting the other video card in.
Well I have went through a total of 4 video cards before I finally found one that this system would accept the driver for. The first 3 cards gave me various errors ranging from wrong drivers, to black screens upon reboot, blue screens of death... etc. I know the drivers are correct, because it took me and my tech hours to find the correct Windows 98 drivers for these video cards. Finally I found one that worked correctly and thankfully am done with this system.
I am now considering "Unsupporting Windows 9x" at my shop. What do you think?
I have had this particular Win 98 system in my shop for about 4 working business days (which is a lot for my shop). The customer wanted a 2nd hard drive installed, a dvd burner, and a used AGP video card capable of playing Diablo 2.
I installed the 2nd hard drive as slave... formatted and everything is fine on that. Then I installed the DVD burner and ImgBurn software to allow him to burn data. That went well. Everything went smooth until the video card.... The original video card was a 4mb card and uncapable of playing the game. I uninstalled the originial video driver before putting the other video card in.
Well I have went through a total of 4 video cards before I finally found one that this system would accept the driver for. The first 3 cards gave me various errors ranging from wrong drivers, to black screens upon reboot, blue screens of death... etc. I know the drivers are correct, because it took me and my tech hours to find the correct Windows 98 drivers for these video cards. Finally I found one that worked correctly and thankfully am done with this system.
I am now considering "Unsupporting Windows 9x" at my shop. What do you think?
Frustration of Computers
It is not a good idea to take your frustrations out on your personal computer. By this I mean that if you get mad at your computer... don't physically stomp on it, beat it with a hammer, and throw it across the room a couple times and then expect it to work!
Conficker Worm Rereleased?!?!
There are rumors that on April 1st the Conficker worm is to be rereleased! I'm fought this worm myself for a couple weeks. I'm not going to name where it was, but it was a nasty little bugger. I think I blogged it awhile back. Anyhow, lets hope that this rumor is a mean April Fools joke and nothing will happen. If it is true..I expect this to be alot worse than the first initial run. That was just a test run in my opinion. We will see I guess! Keep watching the news! I will update this page as I hear more.
UPDATE 4/1/2009 5:00 pm CST
I have kept a close eye on the firewall and have noticed that an incoming attempt to connect every computer on campus has happened on port 445 today. This is the same port that the conficker worm used a month ago when I first saw evidence of it. Notice the other blog post under Hot Fixes on how to protect yourself from the Conficker worm. According to the latest news articles online there are no major instances being found of it and everyone is disregarding it as a hoax, but I am afraid it is not a hoax... I will let you know more as I find it.
ARTICLE ONE: PC WORLD NEWS
ARTICLE TWO: INFORMATION WEEK
MORE NEWS ARTICLES: CLICK HERE
UPDATE 4/1/2009 5:00 pm CST
I have kept a close eye on the firewall and have noticed that an incoming attempt to connect every computer on campus has happened on port 445 today. This is the same port that the conficker worm used a month ago when I first saw evidence of it. Notice the other blog post under Hot Fixes on how to protect yourself from the Conficker worm. According to the latest news articles online there are no major instances being found of it and everyone is disregarding it as a hoax, but I am afraid it is not a hoax... I will let you know more as I find it.
ARTICLE ONE: PC WORLD NEWS
ARTICLE TWO: INFORMATION WEEK
MORE NEWS ARTICLES: CLICK HERE
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