If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
On 9/28/2017 10:03 AM, KenK wrote:
Paul wrote in news J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote: In message , KenK writes: [] Where did you find the Windows Memory Tester? I've searched with Paul's answered that, but ... Control Panel and looked on Google and there seems to be nothing built-in I can find on my system. DLing stuff all seems to be disk images and seems more complicated than I'd prefer to get into. I can't seem to find a simple XP memory tester to run from the web site or DL. I seem to remember when I was running DOS they were all over the place. I have a couple of old floppies from magazines with maintenance utilities but I have no way to run a floppy. The utilities probably wouldn't work on XP anyhow. Suggestions? The commonest one in DOS days (and to some extent still) is something called something like MemTest86 - which wasn't DOS; it ran from a bootable floppy. If you haven't got a floppy drive, I _think_ there are versions that will run from a CD. (Seems a waste of about 699 [or 199 or whatever if you use a mini-one] MB, but since they only cost a few pence, I suppose it doesn't matter.) You can fill it up more by downloading Hirens Boot CD. memtest86 is on the first screen, before you load windows XP. Very useful overall diagnostic CD. Memtest doesn't actually use an OS. The loader loads the executable, and the executable owns the machine. Memtest *is* the OS. It uses VESA video mode, to draw the screen. That's why the screen is 640x480 while it tests. The executable is pretty small. You can get memtest86+ at memtest.org . Half way down the web page. There is a CD version, suitable for modern (floppy-less) computers. I specifically included info for the Windows Memory Diagnostic, because you never know when a second opinion might be required. I just happened to see a failure in there, and I had to wait until the entire memtest suite was finished, before I could confirm it. This was one time, where only using memtest test #5, wasn't enough. You have to run the whole thing, if your memory problem is obscure enough. I was also not able to fault isolate to the nearest stick, try as I might. I had to install all four sticks, to see the (transient) error. And adjusting my Vnb this time, didn't help. Putting new memory in, fixed it (grrr...). Paul How difficult is it to replace the memory chips? Remember? I seem to recall doing it on one of my systems a few years ago but that's all I recall. Probably depends on the motherboard. |
Ads |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
KenK wrote in
: Suddenly having problems with this both versions (Total Commander/Windows Commander) old file manager. It won't change directories. One view is set to C drive, the other to L. Selecting another drive has no effect. This never happened before. Any theories by anyone familiar with this utility? I'd hate to switch to something else. I doubt DLing another version would help. My Computer's display looks at different drives with no problems. There might be something else wrong with the computer. It is a ~10 year old Emachine. Running XP Home. TIA Found some new information yesterday. File manager (FM) (Total Commander) is set to load when computer starts. If I then load Eudora (5.1 I think), then Firefox, then Xnews (newsreader) all works well except file selection in FM as described above. But if I don't load Eudora and try to use the computer nothing works. If I click on an icon on the screen another one lights up. FM won't respond right to mouse clicks. For example if I click on one filename in a panel maybe a dozen or two light up by themselves. Does other very bad things. Other stuff also doesn't work. Interestingly, if I check the FM before loading Eudora I can change the drives properly but then the other problems I noted above occur if I try to do anything with the files or folders. This is obviously VERY weird! I can understand an XP problem if an ap is loaded but never heard of a problem if a program is NOT loaded! What could be happening? What does loading Eudora do? I am getting ready buy a new desktop but I hate to, I really like my ancient eMachine and have it trained to do everthing as I wish. I hate to think of taming a new machine. But I'm afraid this problem will get much worse if I can't cure the cause. TIA -- I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook. |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
KenK wrote:
KenK wrote in : Suddenly having problems with this both versions (Total Commander/Windows Commander) old file manager. It won't change directories. One view is set to C drive, the other to L. Selecting another drive has no effect. This never happened before. Any theories by anyone familiar with this utility? I'd hate to switch to something else. I doubt DLing another version would help. My Computer's display looks at different drives with no problems. There might be something else wrong with the computer. It is a ~10 year old Emachine. Running XP Home. TIA Found some new information yesterday. File manager (FM) (Total Commander) is set to load when computer starts. If I then load Eudora (5.1 I think), then Firefox, then Xnews (newsreader) all works well except file selection in FM as described above. But if I don't load Eudora and try to use the computer nothing works. If I click on an icon on the screen another one lights up. FM won't respond right to mouse clicks. For example if I click on one filename in a panel maybe a dozen or two light up by themselves. Does other very bad things. Other stuff also doesn't work. Interestingly, if I check the FM before loading Eudora I can change the drives properly but then the other problems I noted above occur if I try to do anything with the files or folders. This is obviously VERY weird! I can understand an XP problem if an ap is loaded but never heard of a problem if a program is NOT loaded! What could be happening? What does loading Eudora do? I am getting ready buy a new desktop but I hate to, I really like my ancient eMachine and have it trained to do everthing as I wish. I hate to think of taming a new machine. But I'm afraid this problem will get much worse if I can't cure the cause. TIA Shell Extensions are one of the weaknesses of Windows. Let's take my copy of 7Zip as an example. I install it. 7ZIP adds some registry entries for a Shell Extension, plus the new entry would point to some code. Then, if I have File Explorer open, I right-click a file, a new entry is present in the right-click menu. It will offer to generate a checksum for the file. Now, take your Total Commander as an example. It has to emulate at least some of the functions of Windows File Explorer. Maybe it decides to "inherit" all the ShellEx entries and respond to them. So if I install TC after 7Zip, maybe the TC right-click menu now has a 7ZIP "checksum" entry. Shell Extensions can destabilize File Explorer. Just a couple days ago, I installed a new app, and later in the day, File Explorer crashed (and of course, restarted itself eventually, after a little Dr. Watson foolishness). I uninstalled the new program, rebooted, and now all is sweetness and light. Somewhere in either my File Explorer code, or in some past Shell Extension, something went amiss. And I'm kinda stuck now. Even if I add a program like Agent Ransack (which adds extensions to File Explorer so it can open an Explorer window containing your search find), File Explorer acts up. And then I have to remove Agent Ransack. So if you have X programs on the machine, one of them can be a culprit, and spoiling things for the others. Nirsoft has ShellExView for listing these things, but even if you have a list, you have *no* idea which one is poorly written and in need of work. I'm sure your "traditional" version of Eudora has Windows Integration stuff, and has been messing around. The later version of Eudora is based on Thunderbird, and maybe the table manners of that version are a bit more tame. Not everyone will like the new Eudora, especially if they were used to the old version. If I knew how to debug this stuff, I'd have fixed mine by now :-/ Paul |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
On 30 Sep 2017 16:41:26 GMT, KenK wrote:
Found some new information yesterday. File manager (FM) (Total Commander) is set to load when computer starts. If I then load Eudora (5.1 I think), then Firefox, then Xnews (newsreader) all works well except file selection in FM as described above. But if I don't load Eudora and try to use the computer nothing works. If I click on an icon on the screen another one lights up. FM won't respond right to mouse clicks. For example if I click on one filename in a panel maybe a dozen or two light up by themselves. Does other very bad things. Other stuff also doesn't work. Interestingly, if I check the FM before loading Eudora I can change the drives properly but then the other problems I noted above occur if I try to do anything with the files or folders. This is obviously VERY weird! I can understand an XP problem if an ap is loaded but never heard of a problem if a program is NOT loaded! What could be happening? What does loading Eudora do? I am getting ready buy a new desktop but I hate to, I really like my ancient eMachine and have it trained to do everthing as I wish. I hate to think of taming a new machine. But I'm afraid this problem will get much worse if I can't cure the cause. TIA Some applications uses global hook on the windowing system. This may affect other applications which are launched using the same Windows user account, especially if the hook is faulty. Applications use this kind of global hook to determine the presence of dialogs which are owned by other processes such as shell dialogs; or to automate them. e.g. making them not display and click an OK button automatically. |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
In message , Paul
writes: [] There might be something else wrong with the computer. It is a ~10 year old Emachine. [] nothing works. If I click on an icon on the screen another one lights up. FM won't respond right to mouse clicks. For example if I click on one filename in a panel maybe a dozen or two light up by themselves. Does other very bad things. Other stuff also doesn't work. [] I'm sure your "traditional" version of Eudora has Windows Integration stuff, and has been messing around. The later version of Eudora is based on Thunderbird, and maybe the table manners of that version are a bit more tame. Not everyone will like the new Eudora, especially if they were used to the old version. The last version of Eudora - called something like Eudora OSE - _is_ Thunderbird; unfortunately, it's a very _early_ version of Thunderbird, modified to _look_ (something) like Eudora. It isn't Eudora, as my blind friend discovered. (Fortunately, we discovered that the last two versions of "real" Eudora work perfectly happily under Windows 7 [come to think of it, since he accepted the free, under 10 too], which we'd heard they didn't, and was why we played with the OSE version.) Unfortunately, the people (person?) who developed this version of "Eudora" has not maintained it, so it's now based on a very outdated version of TB. If I knew how to debug this stuff, I'd have fixed mine by now :-/ Paul (-: I suspect Paul's explanation (which went considerably over my head) is closer to the real cause than this, since I can't see why loading Eudora etc. first should fix this, but: could it be a faulty keyboard? (Something like a shift, alt, or Ctrl key randomly sticking?) IIRR, emachine is a netbook - right? That will have a built-in keyboard; OK, replaceable, but only as far as the ribbon connector; if there _is_ a fault between the ribbon connector and the - I'm not sure what, final encoder? - then replacing the keyboard won't fix it. (Nevertheless, if you think it _might_ be the keyboard - which it just _could_, and the keys you press when starting Eudora just happen to free it - it could be worth at least unplugging and replugging the ribbon cable.) "If I knew how to debug this stuff, I'd have fixed ..." - I have a similar weirdness here, which I just live with: if I touch the left Ctrl key on this (Samsung NC-20 netbook), or sometimes even the right one, it puts _something_ into a weird mode, such that thereafter, some of the keys act as if shift or ctrl or _some_thing is stuck - at least, they behave oddly. I have replaced the keyboard (actually, with a white one, which I always wanted anyway), but that hasn't cured it - and once it's got into its funny mode, even an external USB keyboard misbehaves - and even ... see (b) below. It's very odd, because (a) a restart _always_ fixes it, (b) once it's happened, even the on-screen keyboard - which is operated entirely by mouse! (Run: osk) - misbehaves. So I just live with it! Oh, and (c) it behaves differently in different applications - Notepad seems more immune than some, so sometimes - if I want to do something before the reboot - I find myself entering text in Notepad, and copying and pasting it into the more sensitive application. (As I do when Firefox has got into its crash-when-I-type-into-it mode, but that's - I think! - another story.) Good luck. If you _do_ figure it out, do share ... -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf "Bother," said Pooh, as he tasted the bacon in his sandwich. |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
"If I knew how to debug this stuff, I'd have fixed ..." - I have a similar weirdness here, which I just live with: if I touch the left Ctrl key on this (Samsung NC-20 netbook), or sometimes even the right one, it puts _something_ into a weird mode, such that thereafter, some of the keys act as if shift or ctrl or _some_thing is stuck - at least, they behave oddly. I have replaced the keyboard (actually, with a white one, which I always wanted anyway), but that hasn't cured it - and once it's got into its funny mode, even an external USB keyboard misbehaves - and even ... see (b) below. It's very odd, because (a) a restart _always_ fixes it, (b) once it's happened, even the on-screen keyboard - which is operated entirely by mouse! (Run: osk) - misbehaves. So I just live with it! Oh, and (c) it behaves differently in different applications - Notepad seems more immune than some, so sometimes - if I want to do something before the reboot - I find myself entering text in Notepad, and copying and pasting it into the more sensitive application. (As I do when Firefox has got into its crash-when-I-type-into-it mode, but that's - I think! - another story.) In WinXP ? Control Panels : accessibility options : Sticky Keys ? That's the first one that comes to mind. It could be some third party software. AutoIt ? Have a look through your list of installed software, and see if there are any suspicious items in the list. Paul |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Keyboard funny (was: Windows/Total Commander problems) [and wifi funny]
In message , Paul
writes: J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote: "If I knew how to debug this stuff, I'd have fixed ..." - I have a similar weirdness here, which I just live with: if I touch the left Ctrl key on this (Samsung NC-20 netbook), or sometimes even the right one, it puts _something_ into a weird mode, such that thereafter, some of the keys act as if shift or ctrl or _some_thing is stuck - at least, they behave oddly. I have replaced the keyboard (actually, with a white one, which I always wanted anyway), but that hasn't cured it - and once it's got into its funny mode, even an external USB keyboard misbehaves - and even ... see (b) below. It's very odd, because (a) a restart _always_ fixes it, (b) once it's happened, even the on-screen keyboard - which is operated entirely by mouse! (Run: osk) - misbehaves. So I just live with it! Oh, and (c) it behaves differently in different applications - Notepad seems more immune than some, so sometimes - if I want to do something before the reboot - I find myself entering text in Notepad, and copying and pasting it into the more sensitive application. (As I do when Firefox has got into its crash-when-I-type-into-it mode, but that's - I think! - another story.) In WinXP ? Yes. Control Panels : accessibility options : Sticky Keys ? That's the first one that comes to mind. I didn't think so, but I just checked, and no, it isn't on. Besides, it just happens - _sometimes_ - after I touch the left Ctrl key, which isn't the way (oops: just happened, as I tried holding down Ctrl, which I think is what triggers sticky keys; I'm typing this in Notepad for cut and paste into my email prog.) of triggering it. (I've just checked, and Sticky Keys is still not turned on.) It could be some third party software. AutoIt ? Have a look through your list of installed software, and see if there are any suspicious items in the list. Paul A(ah, I can type here again! The deviation via Notepad seems to have let me in again)n example of the oddity is that pressing Enter just made Turnpike think I wanted to post (the shortcut for which, I've just found, is Ctrl-T). But I can now press Enter: as you can see, it comes and goes. I'll just try holding down left Ctrl again: I was going to type "has it happened again", and it seems it has (back in Notepad now): as soon as I pressed the H, TP acted as if I'd clicked "View | All Headers". (And deviating via Notepad hasn't brought me back this time.) Now, pressing spacebar has no effect (no space appears) - in Turnpike; as you can see, I'm entering spaces in Notepad fine. The only software I can think of that I have that intercepts keyboard is AllChars; the behaviour did indeed start _around_ the time I installed that, though _not_ at the same time. Nevertheless, I did try uninstalling that, but (a) it didn't solve the problem, (b) [I reinstalled it] I can run - including using AllChars - and it doesn't show up. (In case you aren't familiar with it, AllChars allows you to enter non-ASCII characters like o umlaut - ö, if that comes through usenet - by tapping _and releasing_ Ctrl, then typing a sequence of two characters [" then o for that one; ' then e for é e acute, and so on. Very handy if you have no numeric pad, probably still so even if you do.] Obviously, I use the _right_ Ctrl key! Certainly an obvious candidate for being related to the funny, but as I say, I can use it fine, both before and [as now] after the funny has been triggered, and also uninstalling it didn't stop it happening.) I can't think of anything else that could be the culprit. I do have Toggle Keys (also under accessibility) on, so I know when I've accidentally hit Caps Lock, but had that for years before the funny started. (Installing AllChars was the _only_ thing I could think of that I did _around_ the time it started.) What bugs - even amuses! - me is that, once the funny has been triggered (pressing quite normal keys - as part of typing - triggers unexpected actions), even the on-screen keyboard exhibits the behaviour. (Oh, I can now type Enter and space here again! [The above four paragraphs were typed in Notepad.]) About to do a restart (which will also cure the fact that my wifi has gone into Limited or no connectivity mode; that's another thing that happens occasionally, not correlated with the keyboard funny - it just happens, after hours or days of remaining connected, and nothing I've found brings it back, other than a restart which _always_ does). [Selecting "Repair" from the right-click menu on the tray icon gets as far as "turning off wifi" or whatever, then when it tries to "turn on wifi", the machine does a hard reset. I've tried disabling the internal wifi and using a USB one, but (a) it still occasionally disconnects, (b) selecting Repair has the same effect.] You might say I should ditch this machine [the wifi one sounds like there's a hardware problem, from the fact that it does the hard reset], or reinstall XP, but they happen rarely enough that I'd rather just restart when they do: just the thought of reinstalling and reconfiguring all the software I have over the years depresses me. (I can't even remember _how_ to set things how I have for most of the changes.) Right, I'll hit Post, and this will stay in Turnpike's outbox until after the restart ... -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf "One of my dearest memories is playing the leader of a gang of gay Hell's Angels thundering across the Golden Gate bridge on a motorbike in fog, wearing full Nazi regalia with a young man in a purple dress on the pillion petrified we'd crash into the bay." Christopher Lee (1997). ["It was in _The Serial_."] |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in
: IIRR, emachine is a netbook - right? That will have a built-in keyboard; OK, replaceable, but only as far as the ribbon connector; if there _is_ a fault between the ribbon connector and the - I'm not sure what, final encoder? - then replacing the keyboard won't fix it. (Nevertheless, if you think it _might_ be the keyboard - which it just _could_, and the keys you press when starting Eudora just happen to free it - it could be worth at least unplugging and replugging the ribbon cable.) No, it's a regular full size desktop. The key's labels are wearing out so you may have a good theory. I have another keyboard. As soon as I remember before I turn it on - tomorrow morning hopefully - I'll swap them. -- I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook. |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
Paul wrote in news
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote: "If I knew how to debug this stuff, I'd have fixed ..." - I have a similar weirdness here, which I just live with: if I touch the left Ctrl key on this (Samsung NC-20 netbook), or sometimes even the right one, it puts _something_ into a weird mode, such that thereafter, some of the keys act as if shift or ctrl or _some_thing is stuck - at least, they behave oddly. I have replaced the keyboard (actually, with a white one, which I always wanted anyway), but that hasn't cured it - and once it's got into its funny mode, even an external USB keyboard misbehaves - and even ... see (b) below. It's very odd, because (a) a restart _always_ fixes it, (b) once it's happened, even the on-screen keyboard - which is operated entirely by mouse! (Run: osk) - misbehaves. So I just live with it! Oh, and (c) it behaves differently in different applications - Notepad seems more immune than some, so sometimes - if I want to do something before the reboot - I find myself entering text in Notepad, and copying and pasting it into the more sensitive application. (As I do when Firefox has got into its crash-when-I-type-into-it mode, but that's - I think! - another story.) In WinXP ? Control Panels : accessibility options : Sticky Keys ? That's the first one that comes to mind. It could be some third party software. AutoIt ? Have a look through your list of installed software, and see if there are any suspicious items in the list. Paul I'm going to try a new keyboar as soon as I remember to before I turn it on. Hepefully, tomorrow. -- I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook. |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
KenK wrote in news:XnsA8046F2F9E21invalidcom@
130.133.4.11: I'm going to try a new keyboard as soon as I remember to before I turn it on. Hopefully, tomorrow. Keyboard is Ideas In Motion for PC/MAC, But there's no driver CD. Is this normal? OK to install? TIA -- I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook. |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
KenK wrote in
: No, it's a regular full size desktop. The key's labels are wearing out so you may have a good theory. I have another keyboard. As soon as I remember before I turn it on - tomorrow morning hopefully - I'll swap them. Keyboard is Ideas In Motion for PC/MAC, But there's no driver CD. Is this normal? OK to install? TIA -- I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook. |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
KenK wrote:
KenK wrote in news:XnsA8046F2F9E21invalidcom@ 130.133.4.11: I'm going to try a new keyboard as soon as I remember to before I turn it on. Hopefully, tomorrow. Keyboard is Ideas In Motion for PC/MAC, But there's no driver CD. Is this normal? OK to install? TIA The core functions of keyboards and mice are standard. Keyboards come in a few different matrix sizes (some keyboards have no Function keys), and the OS appears to (most of the time), figure out what it's dealing with. The driver CD is needed when: 1) A keyboard has multimedia keys on the top-right. If there is a button on the top row that says "Make Popcorn", you'll need your driver CD for that. 2) A mouse has more than three buttons, and a means is needed to declare what the extra buttons do. The three core buttons have defined uses, so those are standard. The driver CD (or a download of a package) may be needed to make every gizmo on it work. That's the basic idea. The USB.org defines standards for HID devices, making it easier for an OS to deal with the most common cases, without help. When you plug it in, it should "do something". Most people don't need the "Make Popcorn" button within the first ten minutes of usage, and you can quite easily survive without any driver CD. Paul |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
Windows/Total Commander problems
KenK wrote in
: Suddenly having problems with this both versions (Total Commander/Windows Commander) old file manager. It won't change directories. One view is set to C drive, the other to L. Selecting another drive has no effect. This never happened before. Any theories by anyone familiar with this utility? I'd hate to switch to something else. I doubt DLing another version would help. My Computer's display looks at different drives with no problems. There might be something else wrong with the computer. It is a ~10 year old Emachine. Running XP Home. TIA As mysteriously as it started, the file manager fixed itself last Friday (12/8). I didn't install or remove any software or change anything. I'll never understand computers. -- I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook. |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|