General PC Help Thread - OP updated with useful links - READ

[False]

Sounds to me like potentially a driver problem. If its a standard surface and you boot into safe mode do you have a system restore point, before the last patches for instance?

[Frank]

Weirdly the only restore point I seem to have is from yesterday, but the rogue app on shutdown has been around for longer than that...

[Errkal]

It will probably be easier to just reset windows, it's easy to do and you can get it to leave your files in place so you don't lose any docs and stuff.

[Death's Head]

Is there no Windows repair option?

I think the registry idea is a non starter. It isn't something to faff around with if you don't know what you are doing and certainly won't be useful if you don't know what app you are looking for.

[Alvin Flummux]

I keep getting the "kmode_exception_not_handled" BSOD when my Windows 10 (x64) updates. I've updated all of my device drivers, but it's still doing it, and no, it doesn't say what exactly failed beyond the aforementioned kmode whatever. Haven't the faintest idea what's going wrong.

[Kezzer]

Finally getting my PC shipped down to englandshire today, but now I have a unique issue, in that I will need a wifi adapter.

Anyone got a good recommendation.

Should it be USB or PCI ?

Ty

[Errkal]

Finally getting my PC shipped down to englandshire today, but now I have a unique issue, in that I will need a wifi adapter.

Anyone got a good recommendation.

Should it be USB or PCI ?

Ty

I've never had issues with Edimax USB ones they have always worked great.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edimax-EW-7811 ... x+wifi+usb

[Green Gecko]

The only real difference that internal ones give you the opportunity of replacing giant antennae whereas USB ones can be extended out and placed in that perfect spot where you get slightly better Mbps without actually moving the PC (which can be tight places not receptive to signal). They also come in handy for use across other and future systems.

I haven't used a PCI card for a while only because I never remember to get a PCi-e 1x one instead as my motherboards are all small now so can only fit one sound card, FireWire adapter etc.

On balance I would go with USB if you have enough ports. I have a tiny XyZel one that comes with a neat little flexible USB extender that occasionally makes a big difference in signal quality and stability as technically you are meant to target your wifi router up down, sideways etc. You can study the signal patterns, just study a diagram on google images for 2.4 or 5ghz wifi and think about your scenario, where is your router etc. Sometimes it helps me to put the wifi adapter in the front of the PC instead of the back, which is why it's helpful to have a tiny one.

Mine also has an activity light on it, this is quite useful because whenever the wifi stops working the light just goes solid, and then I know to reinitialise it by plugging it in again. Doesn't happen often but it helps. It blinks rapidly when there's data transmission.

[Kezzer]

Got my PC all set up, and is working. To start with I was using my phone and tethering Via USB, but I have just tried switching off my mobile data and using my phone as a sort of WiFi repeater... seems to be working

[LewisD]

Hey guys,

My missus was bought a laptop as a belated Christmas present.
It's a little HP15 Laptop with an AMD A9.

From the get go it's laughably slow, and it's full of just, bollocks programs (sorry.. apps ) HP Bloatware, Xbox this and that, Plex etc..

What's my best bet to sort this? Format and fresh install?
I've not used a Windows newer than 7, so it's all annoyingly familiar but not quite how I remember it, control panel isn't quite the same etc.

Failing that take it back, get a refund and get something from Nova or Overclockers?

?

[Death's Head]

If you are going to reinstall, swap out the drive for an SSD first.

[Green Gecko]

A machine with an entry level / power saver APU like the A9 should be paired with an SSD, really lean OS and maybe cloud software to be useful for anything to be honest.

I'd reformat a fresh image of Windows 7 (Win10 is actually faster I believe) on an SSD for £40-£60 or so.

That should take off any OTT antivirus like macaffee and gooseberry fool, making those machines usable for general internet and word processing if little else.

[Karl]

?

I don't really know, sorry. I don't follow consumer hardware these days.

For the past few years I've done all my computing on a 2000-core cluster in my Uni's basement.

[KjGarly]

Been having a problem for months in regards to remote play on my PC, keeps failing due to needing the windows media feature pack installing. I go to the download page on MS site, download the correct version (April 2018 and tried both 32 and 64 bit)

Media features is actually ticked on in the programs features list but it's not working and wrecking my barnet now. Can't install PlayStations Remote Play or download GTA V from Rockstar because of said missing feature pack.

PC is up to date, no longer on preview version of Windows so just normal now.

[andretmzt]

?

I don't really know, sorry. I don't follow consumer hardware these days.

For the past few years I've done all my computing on a 2000-core cluster in my Uni's basement.

Mine has over 240,000 cores.

That I work on remotly using a 1 GB connection...

[Karl]

?

I don't really know, sorry. I don't follow consumer hardware these days.

For the past few years I've done all my computing on a 2000-core cluster in my Uni's basement.

Mine has over 240,000 cores.

That I work on remotly using a 1 GB connection...

Yeah, but you use it to simulate clouds. Yaaaawn.

[Errkal]

Nerds.

[Green Gecko]

Clouds simulating clouds, wtf man.

[Errkal]

New thread is up: t:general-pc-help-thread-2?f=7