NSR: Any computer tech heads here?

[Republic of Mancunia]

A minor annoyance that I've often wondered about regarding Internet Explorer: (sorry if I make it sound more complicated than it is).

Ok, from time to time, when browsing the 'net I'll open up a link that is designed to open in a new window only for the size of the new window that opened to be kind of small, meaning that I have to hit "maximize" or manually drag the window to full-screen size so that I can read the article etc. It's not really a huge problem, it just bugs me a little having to click "maximize" everytime I open a link. It doesn't happen on the first instance of launching the browser, only for every subsequent link (that opens in a new window) I click on. Anyone know why or better still how I can automatically set it to open "full screen"?

It also only seems to happen for a while after I've visited certain pages that are designed to open up in a smaller window and I don't know if it's coincedence or not but it seems to happen more after I've visited a page that is launched through some kind of javascript control. For example the "results" page at www.ladbrokes.com (or any of the links down the left-hand side at that site) are written in this kind of format: javascript:top.go_url('/lbr_sports?action=go_results_qry','660','550','Y','','Y','Y','Y'); and that one appears to be designed to open up in a smaller window as everything can still clearly be seen in that format. If I then continue to browse normally and click on any link that opens a new window they tend to open up at the same size of the last browser window I went to so in this example they'd all open up in a window that's the same size as the results page at ladbrokes.

Anyone know why it does this or how to stop it? It also seems to fix itself after a day or two of clicking maximize with every new window that opens and seems to be very intermittent............ strange :confused: Is this supposed to happen or is something wrong here?

It's especially annoying as I'm a member of a virtual horse racing game where you train (and can also bet) on the horses in your stable/barn and whenever you bring up the form of one of the horses in the game it appears as though the browser window is supposed to be small as the information fits perfectly inside. It's just annoying if I then come on here and click on a link that someone has posted and have to click on "maximize" every time so I can see it properly.

It's probably something really basic or maybe it's supposed to be like that? (perhaps a case of it remembering the last window-size that was open) Thanks again for any answer.

[FIFARay007]

It's probably something really basic or maybe it's supposed to be like that? (perhaps a case of it remembering the last window-size that was open) Thanks again for any answer.

IIRC, that's pretty much it. Next time it happens, maximize the new window, then close it using File -> Close. Do not use the "X" to close the window, it doesn't seem to "save" the settings. Then close out of all the open windows and try it again. If that doesn't work, instead of maximizing the window, resize it and try again.

Hope this works!

[Motterman]

A minor annoyance regarding Internet Explorer....

Switch to Firefox. :D

[Republic of Mancunia]

IIRC, that's pretty much it. Next time it happens, maximize the new window, then close it using File -> Close. Do not use the "X" to close the window, it doesn't seem to "save" the settings. Then close out of all the open windows and try it again. If that doesn't work, instead of maximizing the window, resize it and try again.

Hope this works!

Woohoo, it worked, you're a star!!!!!

Switch to Firefox. :D

Lol, I did/have and everyone seems to prefer it, everyone except me for some reason. I dunno, maybe it's because I'm more farmiliar with IE, that or I'm just plain weird. :p Still use it from time to time for a change more than anything, just don't like it as much but don't really have any good reason why.

Cheers fellas.

[bigtoga]

Switch to Firefox. :D
No doubt... Get with the program, RepOMan!

[FIFARay007]

Ok, so I have a DVD burner on my work computer. Let's say I wanted to make "backups" of my DVDs, just in case something happened to mine.

What's the best and cheapest way to do this?

[StrikerCW]

Can't help you ray, but I have a question for the others.

I hav e Radeon x300. Its a mobile card but it does fine.

Sometime a while back something happened and messed my graphics up but most games still work. So I want to update the drivers to the newest Catalyst drivers from ATI. Unfortunatelly, whenever I try to install them, I get an "INF Error Driver not found" Then another window that says "Try installing the Standard VGA Drivers first". So now I can't install the driver GDAMNIT. And its really pissing me off.

Has anyone come into the problem and found a way around it? And/or tell me how to 'install standard VGA drivers'? I of course have lost my XP CD and can't check that for it.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I BREAK SOMETHING.

Thanks. :o

[StrikerCW]

Ok, think I figured something out.. how can I force windows to start in the VGA mode and not using my card drivers? Anyone know.

[Stud83]

Ok, think I figured something out.. how can I force windows to start in the VGA mode and not using my card drivers? Anyone know.

tap f8 before you windows logo appears, safe mode.

[StrikerCW]

******** me. This is bullshit. I put it in VGA mode and no avail. ********ing ATI and their piece of shit hardware.

[Achtung]

Ok, so I have a DVD burner on my work computer. Let's say I wanted to make "backups" of my DVDs, just in case something happened to mine.

What's the best and cheapest way to do this?

There are a number of programs that have been known to get around the Macrovision protection standard. I hit up Download.com and searched for "DVD copy" and got several, including Easy DVD Clone and Apollo DVD Copy. Neither one is free (most shareware costs around $30), but if you think its worth it, might as well splash out.

[mhtwins113]

Ok, so I have a DVD burner on my work computer. Let's say I wanted to make "backups" of my DVDs, just in case something happened to mine.

What's the best and cheapest way to do this?
I assume you mean DVDs of movies. If so, then it's very, very simple, and FREE. Download two programs: DVD Decrypter (http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/DVD_Decrypter/1011845169/1), and DVD Shrink (http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/dvd_rippers/dvd_shrink.cfm). DVD Decrypter takes off the region screening and downloads the files onto your computer. DVD Shrink takes those files on your computer and compresses the movie (with no quality loss) into one that will fit on your average 4.7 GB DVD (normal movie DVD are in the 8 GB region). Works perfectly, have had no problems with this process in the hundreds of times I've done it.

[FIFARay007]

I assume you mean DVDs of movies. If so, then it's very, very simple, and FREE. Download two programs: DVD Decrypter (http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/DVD_Decrypter/1011845169/1), and DVD Shrink (http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/dvd_rippers/dvd_shrink.cfm). DVD Decrypter takes off the region screening and downloads the files onto your computer. DVD Shrink takes those files on your computer and compresses the movie (with no quality loss) into one that will fit on your average 4.7 GB DVD (normal movie DVD are in the 8 GB region). Works perfectly, have had no problems with this process in the hundreds of times I've done it.

Cool, thanks dude.

Must spread...

[Father Ted]

Speaking of DVD drives, I have a 2 year old emachines with a CD-Rom drive and a Pioneer DVD burner. Now, the CD-ROM drive does not work at all, and the DVD burner only reads CD's and some DVDs(e.g. it can read original movie dvds, but not data backup dvds I made on this drive some time ago). I've uninstalled and reinstalled them per emachine support suggestions but still no go. I personally think it's a problem with the drive controller, seeing as both drives are acting up.
Any ideas anyone?

[Achtung]

FT, my assumption is that both of those drives are on the same IDE controller. If so, it could potentially be something as simple as a bad IDE cable... or as complicated as a bad IDE connector on the mainboard.

Have you ever checked your IDE configuration in the BIOS? You might want to give that a shot to verify that the drives are on the same IDE channel (one master and one slave).

[Dark Savante]

Does anyone know how to remove deep I/O errors on IDE hdd's without having to format the drive?

[Achtung]

Did you try Scandisk?

[Dark Savante]

Did you try Scandisk?
Ya. It doesn't even detect it. I am using a program called EasyRecovery which is for removing data from corrupted or formatted or any type of inconvienienced drives and it finds all the I/O errors on the disk and its findings are quite alarming. No non specifc program I have used can even detect the errors, but I'm wary because I've had a few major scares this past week with my drives and would like to fix it before it decides to kill my data, but don't know how to get at the I/O errors.

I've also used Partition magic which does not find the errors either.

[StrikerCW]

Do viruses, spyware, and other malitious malware get into plug-and-play USB hard drives? I keep my music and pictures on a Seagate and am wondering if I got something bad to the computer would it spread to my backuped documents on the external as well?

[Dark Savante]

Do viruses, spyware, and other malitious malware get into plug-and-play USB hard drives? I keep my music and pictures on a Seagate and am wondering if I got something bad to the computer would it spread to my backuped documents on the external as well?
I'm trying to fix an ex drive right now..