What annoyed you today?

[Beryl]

My PC
It has crashed about 8 times now it won't boot 

[Hinfrance]

First try your Windows rescue disk. If that doesn't do anything and if  you have access to another computer try getting an Ubuntu 'live' disk burned. If the machine still won't boot from either of these then it's quite likely that something electronic inside has given up.

[Reinardina]

My PC
It has crashed about 8 times now it won't boot 

Don't know the first thing about computers, so I cannot help you, but you seem to have even more problems than I. Can I ask what computer it is?

Took my Lenovo back to JL yesterday. First reaction was that it was probably the software. Again. Then, when I told about the many other things that were happening, that maybe the hard drive was on its way out!

[Oldboy]

Did it crash while you where booting up and before you got to the Windows sign-on? If so, it could be an open file stopping the computer starting up. You need to run chkdsk to close the open file and it should then reboot. May need to take the harddrive out and put in a caddie before connecting to another computer to run chkdsk. May need to get a air blower and blow the dust off your CPU fan and air cooling fins, as this may be the problem causing the crashes - over heating CPU. 

[Hinfrance]

Ikea: delivery charge for one €12.99 room lamp - €99.99. Yeah, like I'm going to pay that.

[jinky]

WAMT - my own stupidity! I had connected an MP3 player I rarely use to load more music ready for holidays and after struggling with forgotten skills or ripping and burning I finished and disconnected the device. Windows crashed with one of those full screen breakdowns that might as well be hieroglyphics to me! Cue instant panic as I`ll have a job with urgent editing as soon as I get back and I am going away at 2pm today. Luckily a shut down, switch off at mains and reboot seems to have everything working but never again will I omit to eject a device and get the safe to disconnect message. I`ve got so blase with sd/cf cards and other gear that never causes such disruption 

[Hinfrance]

Glad it's OK Paul.

Maybe you'd finished but Windows hadn't? The eject device routine just ensures that the data pointers are written correctly - usually it doesn't matter that much - you might get a 'do you want to scan this drive for errors' when you next connect it, but that's all. Unless . . . Windows is still writing to the drive and like this

[Karen]

Chancers offering stupid money for the samsung kit 

[donoreo]

Rats.  Our row of houses (we call townhouses over here, row houses, all connected) have rats in some.   Since they are all connected it only makes sense to bait and poison all of them.  Three houses have caught 6 in a few days in traps alone.   We have no evidence of them in ours only some possible scratching in the attic. 

[Jediboy]

We had mice in our loft a couple of years ago. My wife used to lay in bed listening for them and would then midge me awake with, 'did you hear that?' 'No, because I was asleep.' 
Awful to have them in the house, hope you stay ? free.

[Hinfrance]

The problem we have is with fouines - a kind of stone marten. They drag their prey into the attic, chase it about a lot and then splatter blood and remains all about the place. Then for good measure they chew through insulation and wiring. I solved that one by putting a halogen floodlight with an IR detector up there. They are nocturnal, so the light makes them do a runner.

Our neighbours constantly have problems with them, although I don't think they actually believe me when I tell them the floodlight cured the problems*; they still rely on traps (from which they frequently have to release their own cats - cats are soooo stupid) and repellents which being environmentally friendly are, of course, utterly useless.

*although this solution is recommended on the 'struggle against fouines' website. And I thought it was my original idea 

[donoreo]

I had a mouse before.  He (no babies, assuming it was he) was small and cute.  I still poisoned him. 

[Hinfrance]

Watch out for MalwareBytes' rootkit tool. I decided that it was about time to update my rootkit checker. I went for the MalwareBytes offering.

Error! I ran it twice in different modes, and both of them caused a BSOD in Windows 7 64bit.

So I got the Kaspersky one, and that tool ran OK.

[Hinfrance]

Yet another marketing email offering me items at 'better than half price'. Strewth I hate that, it's just meaningless: better for whom? I think they mean 'less than half price', but hey, why use a short meaningful word when you can use a longer one out of context.

[Reinardina]

Yet another marketing email offering me items at 'better than half price'. Strewth I hate that, it's just meaningless: better for whom? I think they mean 'less than half price', but hey, why use a short meaningful word when you can use a longer one out of context.

At least an email you open (or not) when you have a bit of time.  I am plagued by phone calls at the moment. From 'scappage kitchen deals' to offers for insulation, new boilers and solar panels with a government grant.  And the surveys, 'only two minutes and it will be to your advantage.' I'm beginning to miss the boys from Windows who want to rid my PC of malicious software.

And yes, the number is on the call preference list and I recently went ex directory, but the number is already out there, so it will continue.