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#1 2007-07-17 9:04 am
- dcalfine
- B&
- From: The City
- Registered: 2003-12-01
- Posts: 2413
Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
Hey all,
I've borrowed from a friend a PC for some work I'll be doing. I'm taking a class in OpenGL/DirectX and needed a PC. He said I could do whatever I wanted with it under the condition that I return it to normality before I give it back to him in a month.
Already, I've installed stuff to make it more mac-like. Safari, QuickTime, Software Update, WindowBlinds
Also, I've installed other useful tools: Firefox, Stuffit, Dev C++, EditPlus, MagicDisc (for launching ISOs that I've created-the CD drive is not portable)
Since I installed MagicDisc, the computer doesn't do what it's supposed to. The taskbar is gone and when i hit the windows key nothing shows up, it won't connect to the internet (as demonstrated when i open safari or firefox) and MagicDisc won't run (and neither will its uninstaller). Sonic DiscBurn has stopped working (it crashes when loading, and bringing up the task manager just exacerbates things).
MagicDisc was the most recent thing I installed, so I get the feeling it's the criminal.
MagicDisc's site seemed trustworthy; I really don't think I have a virus. But what the smurf is going on?
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#2 2007-07-17 9:16 am
- sturner
- Royal High Poobah
- Moderator
- From: Carrollton, TX USA
- Registered: 2000-01-31
- Posts: 13800
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
The magic of Windows.
Have you tried to startup in safe mode yet? Then try to remove MagicDisc.
Don't mess with mother nature, you will get problems.
I'm not dead yet.
There are 3 types of people, those who can count and those who can't.
"There are few things graven in stone, excepting your date of death."
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#3 2007-07-17 9:34 am
- dcalfine
- B&
- From: The City
- Registered: 2003-12-01
- Posts: 2413
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
Okay, I rebooted in safe mode. The good news is I got my taskbar and start menu back.
However, the uninstaller still won't run. I double-click it, the hourglass pops up for a moment but then it goes away and nothing launches or nothing.
While still in safe mode, I tried running MagicDisc itself and got a message "MagicDisc doesn't detect driver(mcdbus), Please re-install MagicDisc Virtual CD/DVD-Rom. I'm assuming that Safe Mode turns off drivers.
Back in the real world though, by going into the control panel (by way of the explorer) I "unlocked" the taskbar, which made a little tiny blue strip appear. When I put my curser over the strip it turns into the one for when you expand the taskbar or a window, however, I can do no such thing. But that tiny blue strip wasn't there before. Also, I can right-click the blue strip and get up the taskbar properties.
Also, I went into the task manager and looked up all of my processes on processlibrary.com. I'm not running any malicious processes, so something is probably omitted.
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#4 2007-07-17 12:15 pm
- Some1
- The flying moleman.
- From: Montréal
- Registered: 2003-05-17
- Posts: 2702
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
You should do a System Restore to the point before you installed MagicDisc.
Boot into safe mode>Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore.
Find the date you installed MagicDisc, and click on any entry before you installed it and press Restore.
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#5 2007-07-17 2:43 pm
- sturner
- Royal High Poobah
- Moderator
- From: Carrollton, TX USA
- Registered: 2000-01-31
- Posts: 13800
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
Then when you get it back to that state, DON'T INSTALL MAGICDISC.
I'm not dead yet.
There are 3 types of people, those who can count and those who can't.
"There are few things graven in stone, excepting your date of death."
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#6 2007-07-17 3:20 pm
- dcalfine
- B&
- From: The City
- Registered: 2003-12-01
- Posts: 2413
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
alright then
I'll give it a shot.
Assuming that fixes it, what WOULD you recommend for creating/mounting ISOs? It's an ultraportable and it comes with an external cd/dvd drive.
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#7 2007-07-17 3:44 pm
- dcalfine
- B&
- From: The City
- Registered: 2003-12-01
- Posts: 2413
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
Okay, confirming the kill. Thanks for the help.
System restore's a handy feature.
Anyways, I'm still looking for a proven iso creator/mounter. Any suggestions?
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#8 2007-07-17 4:39 pm
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18092
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
For mounting ISOs, Daemontool works well for me.
Nero for creating them.
Lose the windowblinds and the other macification BS. It's windows. It'll work better if you strip it down and let it look like, well, what it is.
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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#9 2007-07-17 5:00 pm
- LLEVIATHANN
- Itch you can't scratch
- From: 22 Acacia Avenue
- Registered: 2001-03-14
- Posts: 7158
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
dvpierce wrote:
Daemontool works well for me. Nero for creating them.
+1
Let us be thankful for the fools; but for them the rest of us could not succeed. - Mark Twain
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#10 2007-07-17 5:52 pm
- FutureDreamz
- 1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34.55
- From: カナダ
- Registered: 2007-01-07
- Posts: 4511
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
dvpierce wrote:
Lose the windowblinds and the other macification BS. It's windows. It'll work better if you strip it down and let it look like, well, what it is.
++
Thanks for clicking.
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#11 2007-07-17 6:14 pm
- Booksley
- Zombie Genocidest
- From: Toronto, Ontario
- Registered: 2001-02-16
- Posts: 5037
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
dvpierce wrote:
For mounting ISOs, Daemontool works well for me.
Nero for creating them.
Lose the windowblinds and the other macification BS. It's windows. It'll work better if you strip it down and let it look like, well, what it is.
+++;
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#12 2007-07-18 7:48 am
- cleekj
- Member
- Registered: 2006-01-11
- Posts: 387
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
If you really really want your XP to look like OS X..........
http://www.flyakiteosx.com/
It uses the UX Theme Patcher for the Visual Style
I have been using this for quite some time and the UX theme patch seems t be very stable and its not the total resource hog windows blinds is..... no programs or service to run in the back ground its just a dll.
"You will find the back of my hand very displeasing"
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#13 2007-07-18 9:39 am
- Mymac4ever
- Aaaa...
- From: SWEDEN
- Registered: 2000-05-01
- Posts: 1631
- Website
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
This reminds me of...
...this: 
Yay I rediscovered this wonderful archive: http://www.stuffthis.com/
Now, where in the name of... did I put that thing that I forgot what it was and why I was looking for it?
SE/30: 16Mhz/8MB/34MB/PussyCat
PM8600: G3@550Mhz/768MB/110GB/Radeon7000/Usb2&FW/Jaguar
PMG5: DC2.3Ghz/4GB/570GB/NVidia6600/Leopard ShufflePod, iPod Touch
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#14 2007-07-23 2:15 pm
- Mr. T
- Best of both worlds
- From: omnipresent
- Registered: 2002-04-02
- Posts: 4228
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
cleekj wrote:
If you really really want your XP to look like OS X..........
http://www.flyakiteosx.com/
It uses the UX Theme Patcher for the Visual Style
I have been using this for quite some time and the UX theme patch seems t be very stable and its not the total resource hog windows blinds is..... no programs or service to run in the back ground its just a dll.
I remember seeing something that actually moved the menu bar (File, Edit, etc) to the top of the screen. It was quite scary.
while (1) {fork();}
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#15 2007-07-23 2:53 pm
- FutureDreamz
- 1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34.55
- From: カナダ
- Registered: 2007-01-07
- Posts: 4511
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
Mr. T wrote:
cleekj wrote:
If you really really want your XP to look like OS X..........
http://www.flyakiteosx.com/
It uses the UX Theme Patcher for the Visual Style
I have been using this for quite some time and the UX theme patch seems t be very stable and its not the total resource hog windows blinds is..... no programs or service to run in the back ground its just a dll.
Can you locate a link?
Thanks for clicking.
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#16 2007-07-24 3:31 pm
- Mr. T
- Best of both worlds
- From: omnipresent
- Registered: 2002-04-02
- Posts: 4228
Re: Had a PC for 5 hours and already it doesn't work
I found it. It's ObjectBar. Here's a pic.
It'd be even cooler if there's a way to grey out the system tray icons.
Last edited by Mr. T (2007-07-24 3:32 pm)
while (1) {fork();}
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