Why I hate working on PCs

"Just wear your damn mask..." (jimal) 12/14/2013 at 16:10 • Filed to: None

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Because I screwed up something on my homebuilt Windows 7 64-bit machine and I'm not sure what. It seems to be running fine after a BIOS update and some scanning with Norton Utilities, but I can't connect to our wireless network. The network is working (I'm on it with my laptop) but while the system says I'm connected to the network and have internet access, I can't get anywhere on IE or Firefox.

The best I can figure it is a software or BIOS setting that I'm missing. I can't wait to get a Mac...

Nibby > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 16:17

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Try reinstalling your network/wifi drivers

Dubblewhopper > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 16:17

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Ummm, I am trying to think here....Have you tried restoring your PC to a day or two ago? I had the same problem, but I did a fresh install on a new HDD. So, I am not sure what happened to you.

Dubblewhopper > Nibby 12/14/2013 at 16:20

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Usually that will work, if you have a physical CD. I hope he has one.

His Stigness > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 16:20

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Sometimes I hate my custom built tower. I'm having an issue now where I can't plug in new devices via usb. First it was my phone now it's my NAS hard drive that I want to hardwire to my tower. I checked all the USB drivers and they say they're up to date, yet the computer won't recognize the NAS or my phone.

Converse > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 16:27

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Obligatory

Dubblewhopper > His Stigness 12/14/2013 at 16:28

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have you checked your mobo? To see if the USB connectors are connected?

Nibby > Dubblewhopper 12/14/2013 at 16:30

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Flash drive, yo.

Ian Duer (320b) > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 16:38

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Are you sure the wireless card in your desktop isn't physically broken somehow? It's not always a software problem, hardware goes bad too.

On the Mac thing.... Having worked in a University IT center I'll tell you this about Macs: they still eff up, way more often than commercials and owners will admit to, and when they do it costs several times as much to fix. Kind of like German cars.

MountainCommand > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 16:42

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What nibby said is good. Also, you say home built? The mobo should have the basic drivers that you should have installed first when you initially built it. Should be on their website. Id try to run those first if you havent already. for example, one of my mobo driver says "...lan_realtek_88....." and its obviously for the network stuff.

His Stigness > Dubblewhopper 12/14/2013 at 16:43

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What's the mobo? Sorry for any newbness, I'm only a novice.

Harrycarry250 > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 16:49

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I rarely update my bios. The updates seem to cause more problems then they "claim" to fix.

tromoly > His Stigness 12/14/2013 at 16:50

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Motherboard. It's what everything connects to, hence motherboard.

erspimp03 > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 17:04

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Here's what to do.

Uninstall Norton . Having ANY antivirus software will only screw your machine up. Get rid of that shit stat. Norton has probably set up some idiotic firewall that is blocking your connection. I'm 99.9% sure your problem has nothing to do with BIOS, but reset it to default anyway.

Next look up your wireless card and install the proper drivers. While Windows 7 usually does this for you, it's worth trying to be sure. You should also try a wired ethernet connection to verify that your hardware isn't messed up. Enable connection sharing on your laptop and you will be able to connect an ethernet cable directly to your PC. If this works and your Wifi still doesn't, it's a problem with either your wifi card or your firewall/connection settings - again, probably Norton.

Once the drivers are installed, you should set up a network zero configuration, or it might not boot your wifi driver natively on start up. Typically windows deals with this on its own, but again, Norton might have screwed it up. I think the setting is under services.msc in DOS ("Run" on your start menu). Look it up cause I'm not sure.

Finally, macs are a total waste of money, you get shitty hardware for what you pay and they use the same architecture as PC's now anyways. If your computer can run Windows 7 64 bit and has an intel processor, you can install Mac OS on it. Look up 'hackintosh' for instructions. (You can also do this with AMD but it is complicated)

Source: I build PC's as a hobby, currently have 8 of my own and spend my spare time diagnosing hardware and software problems.

Just wear your damn mask... > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 17:25

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UPDATE: I have some level of internet access now on my big box, but it is a bit clunky right now. I'm going through some long needed software updates. My wireless adapter is a Netgear USB thing that I got for free from our internet provider and it has a history of being a piece of shit.

orcim > erspimp03 12/14/2013 at 22:25

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Norton is not your friend - I second that message. Along with the rest.

Nibby > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 23:02

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Do you have a spare router lying around?

Just wear your damn mask... > Nibby 12/14/2013 at 23:51

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I do not. I did do the driver update for the wireless adapter, but it didn't make much of a difference. I'd rather have this desktop hardwired than wireless, and if we shuffle things around the house the way I'd like I might be able to pull that off.

Nibby > Just wear your damn mask... 12/14/2013 at 23:54

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I had a spare Linksys wireless N router; I installed DD-WRT on it and set it up as a client bridge. Essentially, it connects to my main router's wifi, converts that into ethernet and so my PC "thinks" it's on ethernet.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Just wear your damn mask... 12/15/2013 at 00:59

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Wireless connection, but no internet reception, in windows especially, but sometimes these can happen in Mac OS.

No IP address, or DNS servers not being set properly, or a bad proxy server setting are almost always the culprit; more often than a wireless internet hardware device not operating properly.

But, yes, windows troubleshooting is tedious and sometimes obscure, and Mac OS and it's associated narrower scope of hardware tend to be a bit more straightforward.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > His Stigness 12/15/2013 at 01:02

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Motherboard. Main Logic Board. The central circuit board of the central processing unit that holds the chipsets, RAM memory, and USB/SATA/PCI-e, and other connections. Tight and well-seated connections are a good thing.

Just wear your damn mask... > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 12/15/2013 at 01:05

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It is the whole thing that it was working, then it wasn't, and now it is sort of working thing that annoys the hell out of me. The machine is relatively old at this point (2009) but it is still pretty quick. The latest BIOS update is from 2010, so that says something about the age of at least the motherboard. My needs have changed so once this thing packs it in I will make the change.

His Stigness > tromoly 12/15/2013 at 01:07

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Wow sorry for that. Everything is connected and all my devices I've been using for years work, it's just when I try and plug in new stuff they don't get recognized.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Ian Duer (320b) 12/15/2013 at 01:16

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As someone who still does work at one, and have supported well over 1000 laptops of various brands...

That is true that Apple hardware still screws up, but Spyware, Viruses, and an arcane DOS-core OS, with registry vulnerabilities, and sometimes hit-or-miss driver or firmware updates, those factors don't help windows-running PCs. Software-wise, I continually have more work on the windows side of things... on PC hardware, or Apple hardware running windows.

Frankly, well developed and cohesive intel-based Apple hardware runs Windows OS, (if one must run Windows OS) as well or better than any other brand of hardware configuration, and better than most piece-meal assembled systems with componentry from the far and wide reaches of the tech industry, trying to work together consistently.

It depends on what hardware you are talking about, as to how much it costs to repair, or the failure rate.

Some other time, I'll get into failure rates on past companies like Gateway, Inc, and others, especially the wallyworld-bargain-shelf specials, compared to Apple.

Laptops for laptops, and iMac/Mac Mini, and other brand All-In-Ones being classed with laptops, Apples and 'PCs' are both expensive to repair, as they have similarly specific-to-the-machine hardware, that isn't industry-standard specification from the 20th century. It also depends on whether you use Apple's official Tier Repair flat rate cost schedule, or if you source parts from third party retailers if you don't have warranty coverage to protect.

But repairing non-modular systems is what warranty coverage is for, and any computer with custom-fitted boards and components, like a laptop or all-in-one, should have warranty coverage. They ALL cost a lot to repair, not just Apple.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > erspimp03 12/15/2013 at 01:34

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Are you seriously suggesting running a Windows OS machine without anti-virus protection? Are you insane? Most networks are so un-secured and wide open, that it would expose an un-protected windows OS machine to a virus, trojan, or seriously debilitating malware infection in roughly 30 seconds.

Norton is not one of the best anti-virus products anymore, but that isn't the same thing as being completely un-shielded with a windows-based OS, by not having any anti-virus or anti-spyware software installed.

I don't let windows systems out of my hands without at least a basic background-running anti-virus program with current definition updates, windows firewall, or a trusted third-party firewall, and two on-demand anti-spyware scanners, as well as up-to-date windows security updates, and my systems connect to networks and internet just fine, and unless they are screwed around with, stay that way.

And of course a "hobbyist" builder would suggest an un-official, illegally un-licensed, and absolutely not novice-freindly Hackintosh over highly developed, and known-to-work Apple hardware.

Of course an ATX-variant Tower is cheaper to build than any specifically designed Apple computer, actually made of premium materials and componentry, and offered with a warranty and support.

But if something goes wrong with your home-built rig... you had better be an expert at troubleshooting.

I am one, and frankly, I'd rather spend my time doing other things than fooling around with a problematic system. I'd rather have a car or a motorcycle as a hobby than spend more time fooling around with a malfunctioning computer than having it be properly operational.

I work on computers for a living, as a professional, not a hobbyist, and maybe that is why I don't have much patience left for unreliable, un-tested, and under-developed systems, but to each their own. It is your time if you want to fiddle with malfunctioning equipment.

Ian Duer (320b) > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 12/15/2013 at 01:48

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Your response is fair and well thought out. I will start by saying that I'm not any sort of PC/Microsoft fanboy, in fact I tend to use Linux based OSes unless I happen to be doing specific tasks that necessitate (or are greatly simplified by) using Windows. However the entire crux of the Apple switch mentality often revolves around "well I had a problem with a PC, therefore all PCs are bad, time to buy an apple." You don't find (many) people using this same type of logic because they had a troublesome girlfriend in the past.

I just can't stand the whole Mac's are inherently better attitude, that is fanboy talk. They better be pretty good for the cost of the Apple-tax, since you WILL overpay for comparable hardware. I still remember when the black Macbooks came out and then I found out that this $1200 laptop had the same graphics chip as my $300 netbook(which is more than enough for the general computing tasks the average end user engages in and is still running strong with decent battery life despite being many years old).

You have a bad view of "piecemeal systems" so I guess I'm a rare case as I carefully research my custom builds and I've not had a compatibility problem ( ever) on a custom build. When forced to buy off the shelf in the case of AIOs or laptops I put similar research into the purchase and haven't bought a lemon.

Users who buy the cheapest Wally World model and expect it to perform or be of the quality of any $1000+ machine are idiots. Half of the software problems at the OS level are due to Microsoft allowing distributors to use "custom versions" of their products rather than just adding relevant drivers to vanilla windows. The other half are due to the highly targeted nature of the MS platform by malware authors. Thanks to the diverse hardware and software configurations of most computers I've never seen something like this that could wreak havoc on as large a chunk of the non-Apple userbase.

To be honest my main problem with Apple products is the insufferable fanboy brigade, perhaps if they would shut-up for a second and not make me feel like a twat for owning a machine with that glowing logo on the back I would consider one.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Just wear your damn mask... 12/15/2013 at 01:54

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Reproducibility is a big thing in trying to troubleshoot a problem like that.

An errant problem like you describe is difficult to pin down, if you can't reproduce the symptoms to trace down, and if it is short-lived, and doesn't repeat itself, it could just be a 'hiccup', so to speak.

If other systems on your network didn't lose internet connectivity during that time, then your ISP didn't go down, and your router didn't lose it's uplink, which could have had symptoms like you describe, but would have affected every device on your local network. They would all show connection to the router and local network, but no connectivity to the outer internet.

But the connection between your computer and the wireless router has two parts... the radio connection, and the TCP-IP protocol. Just because the radio connection is connected, doesn't mean the TCP-IP protocol information was working correctly.

Think of it like making a phone call... Once someone picks up the phone at the other end, the connection is made. If either person, on either end of the line doesn't talk, it still isn't a conversation. If one or the other is talking in a language that the other person doesn't understand, it isn't a conversation, but just gibberish.

Having a wifi signal is like having a live phone call between your computer and the wireless access point, but without the TCP-IP stack, like the IP address (the network identifier of your computer), or the Router IP address, or the DNS servers (putting URL names to internet server IP addresses), the conversation can't work.

If the router is overloaded, new connections might not get good information from the router, even with a radio connection.

If the computer is malfunctioning, Windows could be having a problem setting it's TCP-IP settings. It doesn't take long for Windows to time-out and assign itself a bogus IP address if it doesn't hear what it expects from the DHCP router (service on the router that automatically tells the computer what IP, router IP, and DNS servers it should know). Windows has a tendency to balk if it doesn't get that information, and will assign itself a temporary, non-functional IP address starting with the digits 169.xxx.xxx.xxx and then it won't converse with the router until that gets reset, and a working IP address is received.

It is possible that something got garbled with the WiFi connection, and windows balked on the connection, and after a time, re-polled the DHCP server in the router, and got good info again, and resumed a proper connection.

A windows restart, or even turning the wireless adapter off and then back on, or any other method that tells the wireless adapter in your computer to refresh it's DHCP settings can cause the computer to re-connect to the network, and restore internet connectivity... and the whole time, the radio connection (joined to '____' network name) will show that the radio connection is working, unless it is turned off and then back on as a troubleshooting technique.

Ian Duer (320b) > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 12/15/2013 at 02:07

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I made the mistake of posting while angry about something totally unrelated. I will leave it because deleting it would be childish. Instead, how about an analogy that sums it up better.

What bothers me about the switch mentality is this: Let't pretend that computers are cars. Pretend Apple is Audi and the attitude people have is to lump all other cars Fords, Chevys, Ladas, Tatas, BMWs, Lancias, etc together and their solution after having a problem with any other brand is to automatically want to switch to Audi as if it was the only other alternative.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Ian Duer (320b) 12/15/2013 at 02:40

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People who do switch from Windows to Apple, in my experience, are almost always due to software interface issues, and intuitive use issues, hardly ever due to hardware.

The problems people have with 'PCs' are almost always preventable by an expert user or technician, and almost always software related to the Windows OS, and the fact of the matter is... Apple's software is more intuitive, and more secure than windows, and a generally easier experience, especially for a novice or casual user; because of it's unix base, and it's highly developed front-end interface. likely similar reasoning to why you use unix-based software of other flavors.

Almost all instances of hardware related motivations for switching from PC to Mac is due to having purchased lower-end, lower-quality PCs, usually laptops that don't stand up well over time, and seeing Apple laptops that are still running, far more often than not, after years of service, and unless they are abused, they tend not to show excessive wear and tear.

I have been dealing with Apple and PC laptops, side by side, in large numbers, for a decade, and after 3 years... a well-cared-for Apple laptop is usually less the worse for wear than the PC next to it. If abused, either one can be a mess.

The Apple-Tax is thrown around a lot, but most often carelessly, especially if considering only one comparison point, such as an integrated graphics chipset, as you pointed out. MacBook was Apple's entry level, and not all of them cost 1200$... and there are a whole HOST of other reasons why a laptop MacBook, likely up configured from baseline on other stats, is more expensive than a cheaply-built, tiny, likely loss-leader netbook.(sold below costs to attract buyers to sell software, content, and accessories at a profit, most netbooks, and now non-Apple tablets are loss-leaders, or very, very thin profit margin)

Comparing those two devices solely because they have an intel integrated graphics chipset, which you admit is sufficient for casual use, is comparing apples to oranges because they both grow on trees. One factor that ignores a lot of other factors that are different.

Comparable hardware usually becomes the point of contention, and as someone who annually prices Apple and comparable PC laptop hardware, when PCs are up-spec'd to compare with Apple's standard or up-spec'd configurations, the price difference becomes much narrower, or non-existent. Specifying a PC with every technical point being as close to an Apple as possible, especially a MacBook Pro, with dedicated graphics... the price difference is pretty narrow. The price gap is on the low end, because most PC manufacturers sell low end equipment with eye-catching low prices to compete with each other. Apple doesn't really do low-end or bargain priced very often. But their hardware doesn't fall apart like some low-end eye-catching bargain-priced pc systems can... those wallyworld bargain shelf models. And some people who aren't tech savvy don't immediately remember that you usually get what you pay for.

And remember... the Apple tax... usually pays for the software on the computer. Now more than ever before... Mac OS has always been cheaper to upgrade than Windows OS, because Apple hardware pays for Apple's revenue. Now Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks is free to upgrade from 10.6.8, 10.7.x, and 10.8.x, on 64-bit intel hardware. Windows still costs over 200$ retail to upgrade... and Windows 8 hasn't exactly made a great case for paying that price.

About Piece-meal computers... yes, you are a rare case to put a lot of research into a custom build... and not all compatibility problems show up initially, sometimes the troubleshooting problems show up later, when one of the components malfunctions.

And for all the research you do, you must realize that there are inferior components, and there are inferior systems out there, that you pass over and choose not to purchase... that some others do.

BTW... the first editorial line in the article about hacking an apple wireless keyboard you posted is: "Now this isn’t exactly a usable exploit –"

That means that there has been a proof of concept possibility, but it hasn't been seen in the wild, like most apple security issues. There are a few that people know about, but they don't actually get widely spread. Theoretically any bluetooth wireless keyboard with an upgradeable firmware chipset on the keyboard, could potentially be hacked, and not be shielded by the OS's security that wouldn't know to look at that. Windows users use wireless keyboards sometimes, too.

Unlike windows malware that infects windows systems that looks like a malware scanner, but is, itself, nasty, hard to extricate malware that defeats installed security from the inside of the system. That is nasty stuff that I actually have to deal with more often than I would like.

Judging a product by your impression of it's customers is no different than claiming that your favorite car brand builds bad cars, because someone else happens to see some arrogant, insufferable, people who can and do buy them. The car is the car. The computer is the computer. The people are the people. Some people are arrogant and insufferable about Windows, or even some that are Linux geeks. Apple has some market popularity now, unlike it had in the '90s and early 2000s, and sometimes being the singular identifiable leader, and the most profitable company in the US economy, sometimes generates some fanboism, and some hater vitriol.

Me, personally, I like what works well, reliably, and intuitively. It makes my job easier, both for what I do, and for the users I deal with. Also, I have gotten to the point where I don't want to spend great deals of my off-hours doing the same things I do at work.... so my personal computers aren't really my hobby anymore, either. Maybe an entertainment device, for internet discussions like this, but I don't really look forward to building and re-building, and troubleshooting equipment's down-time malfunctions at home, on my personal down-time. I'd rather read and talk about cars and motorcycles... or work on them if I could afford to.

Dubblewhopper > His Stigness 12/15/2013 at 02:50

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Sorry for the late reply, I have been at work, and if it has been working for years, it might gave up the ghost. Sucks moose balls, but sometimes things (especially PC parts) fail.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Ian Duer (320b) 12/15/2013 at 03:06

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I would agree that if the analogy were apt, and yes, that would be a foolish, and false dichotomy.

Your analogy is somewhat apt... but not entirely.

To make your analogy apt... Audi would have a completely different interior and driver interface to most other cars.

And all the other brands would share a common driver interface that was developed and sold by a company that doesn't actually build or sell cars. It just sells the driver's seat, steering wheel, gear shifter, pedals and gauges, with only minor variation, but it is overly fiddly, and still uses old parts, so that it can be fitted to every other brand of car, as well as backward compatible to all the old cars from those brands, as well. That company really tries to focus on somewhat unrelated off-road ATVs instead, anyway, which it actually does build the machine for. Their latest ATV also doubles as a snow plow and a lawn mower, as well.

There is another group of privateer enthusiasts and enthusiast run companies that sell, and sometimes even give away, a somewhat audi-like universal-fit interior for all those other brands of cars, but it isn't widely adopted, and takes a bit of old-school craftsmanship to fit that interior into one of those other cars. Some approach Audi levels of fit and finish, others are nearly race-car spartan, and have only the bare essentials, and most are DIY fitment, some with relatively little instruction included.

The audi steering wheel, gauges, pedals, gear shifter, and driver's seat are second to none, comfortable, useable, fall right to hand, ergonomic, and highly optimized. But they only fit audis, and they only fit audis back to a certain model year, rather than fitting any Audi ever made, and not fitting any other car brand.

So the high-quality driver interface is purpose designed, and fits the car properly, and doesn't have lots of extra nuts and bolts and spare linkages, and extraneous old mounting points from old cars that no longer apply, like the ones that fit every other car.

So... your choice is... the one-interface-fits-all interior, or Audi's tailored and properly fitted interface, but you have to buy the Audi to have it.

Oh, and BTW... Audi has the adapters free of charge, to switch out the steering wheel and the pedals and the gauges, to use the universal fit pieces... and they actually work as well or better in the Audi, as they do in any other car... if you really want the Audi car, but need the universal-fit driver interface for some reason.

And then... when more and more people buy the Audi... the Chevy and Ford buyers, as well as the kit-car builders, ridicule the people that buy Audis, as being non-enthusiasts because the Audi buyers don't use the universal fit driver interface with all of it's adapters to fit so many different cars, and having to fiddle with it to get it to fit properly, and not rattle, and for the gauges to work properly, and the driver's seat to be positioned right, and the gear shifter to select the right gear each and every time, and the accelerator pedal to actually work every time it is pressed...

They treat the Audi buyer as being somehow duped into buying the Audi by their TV commercials, or somehow automatically assumed to be jerks for preferring the Audi because it is gaining popularity.

The Audi buyers don't prohibit anyone else from buying a Ford, Chevy, Lancia, BMW, or a Lada, or a Tata, or whatever.

Some of the Audi buyers even have a Mazda, or a Nissan, or something else in the garage right next to the Audi. Others prefer to stick with an all Audi garage, because they really prefer the way Audi's drive.

Ian Duer (320b) > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 12/15/2013 at 03:37

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Funny thing is that if I'm to believe the stories I hear, my "favorite" brand of cars (If I have such a thing) which is BMW has started to build worse cars and has been on a continual decline as it morphed from an enthusiast brand into a status symbol brand.

That aside. Way to poke holes in my analogy. Well done, no sarcasm intended. If I want to be fair with the analogy I must also concede that I cling to my modular hardware and freedom of OS choice (installing both on and to certain hardware) for the same reason I cling to honest three-pedal manuals and electronic nannies that can be disabled at will or never existed in the first place. Even if I agree that most people shouldn't have the option of true control, because they aren't responsible/knowledgeable enough for it, that doesn't mean I want to lose that stuff.

I'll just have to resign myself to the eventual death of modular components and get used to the idea of increasingly locked down environments. Just like I need to allow for the possibility that non-autonomous vehicles may be banned from public roads in my lifetime. Not that I like thinking of that stuff, but running from reality never solved any problems.

erspimp03 > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 12/15/2013 at 04:25

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I am absolutely suggesting that. Assuming you don't use an archaic program like Internet Explorer, javascript, activex and the like are all sandboxed within common browsers. Any type of virus execution script can be easily thwarted by stopping these services. Your response suggests that you do not have a comprehensive understanding of how a virus infects a computer system. While I don't want to offend you, I am almost certain that I have more experience with Linux and Windows variants than you. I download terabytes of software and media and have built and fixed multitudes of systems for others. Never once have I had a problem caused by not installing an antivirus. (Although, I can appreciate the value of an antivirus program when building a system for an inexperienced end user).

Next, Hackintoshes may be against Apple's EULA, but if I pay for software, I make it my own business to decide what hardware it will be used with. Again, I think you may not fully understand the concept of kernels and why Mac OS will run on an SSE3 capable processor. Perhaps this is an area in which you should do further research.

As far as being a 'hobbyist', I think from your response that you underestimate my hardware diagnosis and repair skills. I specialize in motherboard capacitor replacement and re-flow soldering. Are you proficient in these techniques? I think I can guess the answer. And you can be damn sure that I am an expert at any type of troubleshooting of mechanical, electrical, or software systems.

As you have said, you are clearly the type who would spend extra money to ensure that you have a fairly reliable and tested system, rather than expending the effort to fully understand how a machine works. I would liken this to someone who, for the sake of reliability, buys a new Prius for $30,000 rather than a used Civic for $5,000. Sure, your car will start 99.5% of the time. But when that 0.5% comes around, you'll be left helpless and at the mercy of a dealership. Whereas I choose to buy a cheaper and equally functional car that is 98% reliable. With a full knowledge of its inner workings and having invested in the tools and skills to repair it, when a problem arises I will be easily able to diagnose and fix it.

Anyhow, you've made some valid points, but I'm not a fan of your solipsistic attitude and thinly veiled condescension. I was going to leave a snarky comment here, but I'll just say this: I'm sure you are very competent at your job, but don't assume this makes your opinion more informed, or correct, than mine.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > erspimp03 12/15/2013 at 13:28

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Against Apple's licensing agreement, is against the legal use of that software, and is very little difference, legally, than using a pirated copy of windows.

Just because it WILL run, doesn't mean it is good practice.

A professional can't be putting themselves in that position.

Maybe you are proficient, but my point was that not everyone else is. Most people are not.

And if you are as good as you say you are, you should know that other people AREN'T.

And suggesting that everyone should:

A: not use anti-virus protection

B: know the intricacies of Kernel OS manipulation and non-supported installation on hardware that may or may not be compatible, and does not have Apple's EFI on board

C: know how to re-solder capacitors on printed circuit boards, as if that is a daily excercise

D: that every user should necessarily have to be an expert troubleshooter, as you claim to be.

IS ERRONEOUS.

Not everyone is you. I am not you, You are not me.

You don't support 500 users by yourself, or deploy 100+ systems at a time, with more than 10 years experience, do you?

When my users have high-spec LEGALLY-ABOVE-BOARD dual-boot-capable laptops that go down, they don't have weeks for me to dig in and re-solder main logic board components, which would void the warranty, and not be guaranteed to work anyway, and probably aren't the problem to begin with.

You can choose to do whatever, and break whatever agreements on your own time, that is your choice.

A professional doesn't do that, as a rule, and understands that other users are not professionals, either, yet have an expectation of reliability and service.

But frankly, people like you who give ill-thought-out advice to users who don't have your, or my technical savvy, because you only see yourself, not them, make my job harder, and I respond in kind.

Just because you know what you know, doesn't mean other people need to be expected to, or that your methodology is good advice for them.

For the vast majority of users, operating without security software is blatantly irresponsible, and expecting them to know how to circumvent Apple's kernel settings, and break their EULA, just to save some money with a potentially unstable 'Hackintosh' on non-Apple hardware is more than a little presumptuous, whether you or I know how to do it or not.

Tell people to violate your own intellectual property rights before you tell them to break other people's.

BlueBMWGuy > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 12/15/2013 at 22:48

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I've noticed a lot of issues with the netgear wi-fi adapters that plug into a usb port.. several of my clients have them... and personally I would never recommend netgear.. My usual fix is to pull them out and then plug them back in.(re-detect/reset).whereas I've had more success with cisco products. I'm not sure why you think the mobo bios update is the culprit? some of the older wi-fi adapters seem to heat up, and the next thing you know the usb port shuts down.. not sure why??

What I don't see in any of these replies is.. updating the wireless routers firmware.. I was having an issue with signal strength on a cisco m20 valet plus router. I found a wiki-pedia site.. just google "DD-WRT" they have firmware downloads that enable more features and can increase the TX (transmit)- (for the noobs) signal strength for long distance coverage.

the other missing item in this blog.. while there are several - is the gear your using.. is it G, N, or dual band? or do you have the latest and greatest in speed the "ac" band router?

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > Just wear your damn mask... 12/16/2013 at 01:00

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Excuse me, but MACs don't fail?

Just wear your damn mask... > MFEJAL grey because who knows... 12/16/2013 at 07:14

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Sure Macs fail. It is just not a constant battle to keep them running like it is with a Windows machine. I equate a Mac to a modern automobile and a PC to a car from 40 years ago. With the PC you're constantly having to tinker with the points or the carburetor or some other antiquated system just to keep things running. A Mac is more like a modern car; sure you can have the occasional failure, but other than that you can just get in, turn the key and go.

It used to be fun for me to tinker on computers (the machine in question I built from scratch) but at this point in my life I just want to get in, turn the key and go.

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > Just wear your damn mask... 12/16/2013 at 11:08

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you should contact Puget Systems. Talk to them, and if you still want a Mac, go for it!

ps: I know sh!t about mac, that's why I was asking.

Just wear your damn mask... > MFEJAL grey because who knows... 12/16/2013 at 11:20

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Neat, but if I'm not at the point where I want to constantly tinker, why would I spend the money on a hotrod?

crowmolly > Just wear your damn mask... 12/22/2013 at 15:42

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Norton?

KILL IT WITH FUCKING FIRE.

All joking aside, programs like that can really make a mess of not only network settings but also your registry. Get rid of it.

Even popular programs like AVG and Avast (that have good reputations) sit fat on your system.

Just wear your damn mask... > crowmolly 12/22/2013 at 15:48

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I've been using Norton Utilities for literally decades. I was able to trace the issue to the USB wireless network adapter I've been using since I moved into this house. Replaced the Netgear POS the cable company gave me with a Linksys and problem solved.

dude976 > Just wear your damn mask... 12/22/2013 at 17:14

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so..OP is better at troubleshooting Apple hardware/software? lol
lack of knowledge & blanket statement = walk away

SweetZombieJesus > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 12/23/2013 at 11:07

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There hasn't been a "DOS core" since Windows ME.