[rueful]

I have a really crappy laptop. I used to used mozilla firefox, but then randomly it started being stupid, and everytime i went to download anything(anything) it closed. So I switched to Opera.

My parents last week came down to help me paint my house and brought our old desktop which still works fine and everything. I have been using internet explorer on it, but every time I do, if Im not active on it for 5 minutes it says "Internet explorer has experienced a problem and needs to shut down"

anyone know anything about fixing this? I can use it for an hour or however long. But if its just sitting there seriously like 5 minutes without my changing sites or scrolling it shuts down

[El Scorcho]

Unless you have some sentimental attachment to the setup of either machine, I'd just start over. Especially with the inherited computer. Re-install XP or whatever your OS of choice is. I know it sounds like overkill, but it really is easier than troubleshooting random problems like that sometimes.

[rueful]

can i do that without the discs for xp or whatever

[El Scorcho]

can i do that without the discs for xp or whatever

Nope. You'll need an install disk for whatever OS you want to install.

[matshark]

get a mac.

[El Scorcho]

get a mac.

Dude. In this situation that's like leaving a tract as a tip at a restaurant. Not helping anything at all.

This is why Mac users get a reputation as snobby fanboys.

[matshark]

it is absolutely NOT like leaving a tract as a tip.

1. im not bossy, impatient and all dressed up from church

2. im not special ordering EVERYTHING

3. my advice...er tip, if you will... is actually going to benefit their physical well-being

get a mac = problem solved

now if i were to be like, "become a software engineeer and figure it out for yourself," THAT would be like leaving a tract for a tip on an $80 ticket.

now if you want to start throwing the term fanboy around - that is best reserved for pc users. why? simple. despite macs being faster, easier to use and more reliable, people still stick to pc's. something only a true fanboy would do.

cheers!

[adam42381]

now if you want to start throwing the term fanboy around - that is best reserved for pc users. why? simple. despite macs being faster, easier to use and more reliable, people still stick to pc's. something only a true fanboy would do.

That would be true if the price points were the same. Your statement is like saying people are Chevy fanboys when they could be driving an Infinity. It's not exactly a fair comparison.

[qkslvrsrfrboy]

if i had the money for a mac, I would have one.

[flamesbball84]

now if you want to start throwing the term fanboy around - that is best reserved for pc users. why? simple. despite macs being faster, easier to use and more reliable, people still stick to pc's. something only a true fanboy would do.

That would be true if the price points were the same. Your statement is like saying people are Chevy fanboys when they could be driving an Infinity. It's not exactly a fair comparison.

Also, add the fact that many things simply can't be done on a mac without having to use boot camp (or some other program like that) to boot into windows, or the fact that many of the neat bells and whistles of macs can be replicated on pcs. There hasn't been a single thing i've wanted (key here is "I've wanted") on a mac that I haven't been able to get in some fashion on a pc. sure my dell can't replicate teh form factor or aluminum casing of a mac, but i dont buy a laptop to get a pretty form factor and i take good care of my laptop so I don't need one that will be able to get tossed around and beat up and not get damaged. if my laptop gets damaged, it's going to get damaged in a way that any laptop would get damaged, such as spilling a liquid on the keyboard, for example.

now on that note, IF i had the money to get the mac I want, buy windows 7 when it comes out, AND get mac versions of all my software (so I wouldn't have to be continuously switching between OSX and Windows), sure I would get a mac. However, i'm not going to be spending $1793k on a laptop (which is how much it would cost to get the one i want if I had the money to afford to get exactly what I wanted), then $200+ for Windows 7, then probably close to another $1k to get my key software packages in mac compatible versions. That's $3000 right there, and that is 100% impractical when I could get a Dell laptop with similar hardware specs for $1129 before instant savings and shipping. with instant savings and before shipping it is currently $990. that dell model has the same cpu, the same hard drive, the same ram, the same type of optical drive, has a built in camera, has bluetooth and a remote, and has a wireless N card, all of which are the best options I can get on the mac model and the dell model, yet the dell laptop costs more than $600 less than the mac.

[LUconn]

yay

[matshark]

However, i'm not going to be spending $1793k on a laptop (which is how much it would cost to get the one i want if I had the money to afford to get exactly what I wanted)

$1793k for a laptop? What are you? A government contract buyer?

thats like a $2.5k hammer!

[HenryGale]

According to the Apple website...the cheapest laptop is the 13" MacBook for $999. Only 2 gb of Ram and 120 Gb HD.

If you want something a bit larger you can get the MacBook Air for $1799...but still only 2 gb of Ram and 120 Gb HD.

I would really consider a Mac as well...but they are just to cost prohibitive.

I recently got a Dell at Best Buy with 4gb of Ram, 320 GB HD and a 15" screen for $599

Significant Price difference.

[El Scorcho]

it is absolutely NOT like leaving a tract as a tip.

Yes, it is. No one asked about what kind of computer they should spend money on. Our friend here was asking for help with computers they already have or have been given, and you respond with "Get a mac."

It was not at all helpful and completely lacked tact. Much like leaving a tract as a tip.

And I'm a Mac user.

[matshark]

it is absolutely NOT like leaving a tract as a tip.

Yes, it is. No one asked about what kind of computer they should spend money on. Our friend here was asking for help with computers they already have or have been given, and you respond with "Get a mac."

It was not at all helpful and completely lacked tact. Much like leaving a tract as a tip.

And I'm a Mac user.

no, not the same. tips are to help with monetary issues. tracts dont. getting a mac would fix the browser issue immediately, and require less work later. its a completely legit suggestion. perhaps not entirely feasible - but certainly 100% legit. (unlike leaving a tract for a tip)

[phoenix]

Purely pointless observation (probably antagonistic, too, but not intentionally) -- Safari on OSX was the first browser to fall this year at Pwn2Own competition.

Interestingly, Google Chrome seems to be the toughest browser to crack. Too bad I gave up on it on this machine.

Personally, I look at computers as tools -- rather fun to use tools, but tools all the same. I use the best tool for the job -- and here, best includes price point. I love Apple's MP3 players, I even appreciate the iPhone (even though I won't have one as long as we live here, because of AT&T's crappy service around here). Apple computers look cool, and they work pretty well, but for what I use computers for, they are certainly cost prohibitive. I can get too much more for my money buying a PC, and installing Ubuntu if I really want rid of Windows.

To try to solve the original problem -- this looks like a pretty good place to start. If you've got an XP image on your system, you can create an install disc. If not, there are .iso files floating around the internet that will do the trick; I can't find my links right now, but I downloaded one not too long ago that would actually allow a boot from a USB flash drive, which comes in handy when I'm trouble shooting someone else's computer.

[flamesbball84]

However, i'm not going to be spending $1793k on a laptop (which is how much it would cost to get the one i want if I had the money to afford to get exactly what I wanted)

$1793k for a laptop? What are you? A government contract buyer?

thats like a $2.5k hammer!

That's Apple prices for you, heavily over priced!

[matshark]

Purely pointless observation (probably antagonistic, too, but not intentionally) -- Safari on OSX was the first browser to fall this year at Pwn2Own competition.

Interestingly, Google Chrome seems to be the toughest browser to crack. Too bad I gave up on it on this machine.

yes but we're just wanting them to work correctly... and i use firefox on mac... works beautifully for me no problems!

[El Scorcho]

no, not the same. tips are to help with monetary issues. tracts dont.

Exactly. This guy already has a computer that he got at no cost. He asks for a little help in getting it up and running and instead of giving him help (a tip) you leave him the tract of the Apple cult as the cure for all his ills. It might be AN answer to his problems in general, but it's completely impractical and irrelevant given the situation, just like leaving a tract in place of a real tip at a restaurant.

Tactless evangelism. If you want to reach people, you have to meet their practical needs. Throwing the good news at 'em and saying good luck never tends to work out that well.

[El Scorcho]

Purely pointless observation (probably antagonistic, too, but not intentionally) -- Safari on OSX was the first browser to fall this year at Pwn2Own competition.

Interestingly, Google Chrome seems to be the toughest browser to crack. Too bad I gave up on it on this machine.

yes but we're just wanting them to work correctly... and i use firefox on mac... works beautifully for me no problems!

Wait. Was that actually a response to phoenix? Because you didn't respond to what he said at all.

Safari, Firefox and IE all fell at Pwn2Own on the first day. Chrome's sandbox security kept it from being cracked on Day 1. Haven't heard the results from Day 2 (when the rules change) yet.

[LUconn]

Purely pointless observation (probably antagonistic, too, but not intentionally) -- Safari on OSX was the first browser to fall this year at Pwn2Own competition.

Interestingly, Google Chrome seems to be the toughest browser to crack. Too bad I gave up on it on this machine.

yes but we're just wanting them to work correctly... and i use firefox on mac... works beautifully for me no problems!

Wait. Was that actually a response to phoenix? Because you didn't respond to what he said at all.

Safari, Firefox and IE all fell at Pwn2Own on the first day. Chrome's sandbox security kept it from being cracked on Day 1. Haven't heard the results from Day 2 (when the rules change) yet.

Have you ever tried to use Chrome with flamefans? It's my favorite browser but there is a very annoying bug when typing/editing a post. It's the only reason I don't still use it.

[qkslvrsrfrboy]

alright, so I did what phoenix said, I have the backup disc crap on both my computers. I assume Im going to lose any files I have on them, so im putting important stuff onto flash drives right now. So...

Where do I go to restore my system to factory settings or whatever

[flamesbball84]

Safari was by far the quickest to be hacked, being hacked in less than a minute...

[rueful]

someone should just buy me a new computer. I work for a non-profit, so im sure you could get it as a tax deduction