The Computer Megathread

[SPooK]

Could you suggest a cooler that is in the 50-100 price range? And would fit inside that case I mentioned?

[Ad Bot]

[KoopaScooper]

How can it run Battlefield 3? Medium or ultra?

Ultra. The 560 is a card around equal to a 6850.

Could you suggest a cooler that is in the 50-100 price range? And would fit inside that case I mentioned?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209029

[Tammy]

Could you suggest a cooler that is in the 50-100 price range? And would fit inside that case I mentioned?

Motor oil

[Teneksi]

My old Gateway, which is now used by my mother, was running exceptionally slow the other day, so she began a full virus scan. It would read quickly for a few seconds then pause on several files for a very long time. It went for 24 hours without completing. She restarted the computer and it recommended running CHKDSK. It's been at 7 percent since I woke up an hour ago, and hundreds of files are coming up as "unreadable". Advice?

[suburb]

My old Gateway, which is now used by my mother, was running exceptionally slow the other day, so she began a full virus scan. It would read quickly for a few seconds then pause on several files for a very long time. It went for 24 hours without completing. She restarted the computer and it recommended running CHKDSK. It's been at 7 percent since I woke up an hour ago, and hundreds of files are coming up as "unreadable". Advice?

Reformat the HDD and reinstall a copy of windows onto it.

[KoopaScooper]

My old Gateway, which is now used by my mother, was running exceptionally slow the other day, so she began a full virus scan. It would read quickly for a few seconds then pause on several files for a very long time. It went for 24 hours without completing. She restarted the computer and it recommended running CHKDSK. It's been at 7 percent since I woke up an hour ago, and hundreds of files are coming up as "unreadable". Advice?

Is it checking the drive for bad sectors?

[Teneksi]

Is it checking the drive for bad sectors?

Yes.

Reformat the HDD and reinstall a copy of windows onto it.

The files on the HDD are more important than the HDD itself.

[steve5451]

Try plugging the HDD into another computer and getting off your files before formatting it.

[KoopaScooper]

Try plugging the HDD into another computer and getting off your files before formatting it.

Especially this. It's better to have your files than to not have your files.

[Teneksi]

It is now (on most levels) functioning, and the most important files have been backed up.

On a partially related note, do you have to purchase a new copy of 7 for each computer you build or are you allowed to install it more than once for personal use?

[KoopaScooper]

Technically you have to buy one, but you can use a key that you don't use anymore if you want, or install Linux.

[SlayerZ99]

So Ill be turning 16 in 6 months (Nov. 14th) and for our 16th birthday we get to choose something larger or of greater value.
I talked to my dad the other day and I told him I really wanted to buy my own computer, we made an agreement that he'll match me dollar for dollar. So whatever I earn/get no matter what way, he'll match me equally. So I make $20 working and I put that away for the computer, he'll give me $20 for it.

I'm hoping to make/get around $300-350 before my birthday. So I'll be looking, probably to get a desktop, for something around $600-700
Which I could probably find something fairly decent. (Not using it to run high end games, mostly older games and idie games, and modeling, video recording and other personal stuff)
But I'm not sure if I should
1)Buy the computer pre-built on my birthday
2)Ask my friend to build be a computer with the money I earn on my birthday
3) Wait until Black Friday to buy a pre-built
4) Wait until Christmas to buy a pre-built
5) Wait until Christmas and ask my friend to build me one

[alex dude]

I need a good graphics card which is decent, I've been looking at this;
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1280mb-evga-gtx-570-hd-superclocked-40nm-3900mhz-gddr5-gpu-797mhz-shader-1594mhz-480-cores-plusfree-
Are there any others which are better/cheaper?

[e-maxx]

ohai friends

[SpreadsPlague]

is your computer supposed to be spewed outside its case?