Computer Problems Help Page

[Kotuku]

There maybe a few Forum members who are not so computer literate and are struggling with a problem or a program or how to do something (like the 'How to capture a You-Tube Video'thread).  Computers are my hobby and I never let the bastards beat me!

So if you want to post in this thread, it will be my pleasure to try and help or point you where you can get an answer.

As this will all be done by remote, you need to post some of your system details, like:

Operating System (Win XP or Vista and which version of Vista)
Amount of RAM Memory you have
Graphics Card you have
Anti virus supplier

I may need more details for a specific problem.  Most of these details can be found in CONTROL PANEL/SYSTEM/DEVICE MANAGER

Then a brief description of your problems and especially any error messages you get.

Cheers
Kotuku
Who now holds a mouse more than a Fishing rod

[Magpie]

Thanks kotuku,
Really appreciate the help....will be in contact when I need help....Just need to wait untill I screw something up, shouldn't be long...lol

Cheers

[Kotuku]

It's good there are no computer problems out there <smile>

[taupof]

My in game ping when I play COD4 keeps jumping, what could that be Kotuku, and what are the solutions dude. I hate it when people shoot me because I have maxed out at 999.

[Kotuku]

Who are you?  <smile>

Could be a variety of things and you are not the only one to suffer this, especially in COD4 (check the COD4 forums).  I would try these things, in the following order, checking each time to see if it has solved your problem.

1.  Completely uninstall Punk Buster and then reboot and re-install it.  Get the installer fresh from here (http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=pbsetup.php).  Many people are blaming PB as the cause for the dreaded 999 ping.

1b.  Turn down some of the graphic features that COD4 is set up to (in other words go to OPTIMISE and use the settings the game recommends) and turn off the extra sound (where people can talk to one another in the game) as this overloads the sound buffers on all but the highest end cards)

2.  Turn off Skype, especially the Skype Extras.  You don't ever need the Skype Extras so shut that down permanently and then before playing COD4, manually Exit Skype from the tray.

3.  Download Adware (free trial version) (http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,71307/description.html)run it and make sure there is no Adware/spyware gobbling up your resources.

4.  Download the Standard version of Pingplotter (http://www.pingplotter.com/download.html), you get 30 days to evaluate it and in that time, you or the more intelligent son of yours should be able to isolate the cause of high Ping

5.  Try turning the firewall off (CONTROL PANEL/SECURITY) for the duration of a game (it is safe to do) and see if that helps

6.  If none of those work, we will get into the Geeky stuff and alter Port Forwarding within your Modem to open a port specifically for COD4.  But lets leave that for now until you have exhausted the above

[taupof]

Thank you Oh king Geek Of Computers, that should keep me busy for the rest of the week.

[Kotuku]

For those of you who have Skype, you should follow this help note as a follow on from my previous note on Ping times:

A little more on the Skype settings you should change.

Open Skype from the right hand tray (Double click Skype Icon)

Click TOOLS/OPTIONS

1.   Under PRIVACY and then PRIVACY SETTINGS Tab.  Take out any ticks in ALLOW MY STATUS to be shown and ACCEPT SKYPE Cookies.  Clear the cookies using the button there
2.   Under NOTIFICATIONS and then ALERTS & MESSAGES Tab.  Take out ALL the ticks
3.   Under the ADVANCED Tab and then ADVANCED SETTINGS, take out the top two ticks, Calls and Extras.  Just have NOTIFY ME ticked in the other two
4.   Click SAVE At the bottom

These remove unwanted Skype add-ons.

Note of course under the PRIVACY Tab, you should only have ONLY PEOPLE IN MY CONTACT LIST ticked for everything, no other ticks

Grumps

[taupof]

Just thought I would bring this up again, it was buried deep. This guy is awesome and can fix a lot of stuff over the phone!