Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2006 August 25

U3
What are your thoughts and opinions about bringing U3 support to the Mac and Linux environments? Looking forward to hearing your ideas!

Free web host
Does anybody know of a free web host that does not require forum posts to keep hosting, and has the following features:


 * PHP5
 * MySQL
 * FTP access

I would like to run MediaWiki 1.7 (and higher, as released), but can't find a free php5 host. The more space the better. I would like to start off with 100mb, but I will accept 50mb. If any web hosts have all this, and also instant activation, that would be fantastic, but I don't want to get too greedy. Thanks, Shardsofmetal [ Talk 03:07, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Irritating bad spelling corrected - unless he wants to get to Greedy, Alaska.


 * I am not 100% sure, but I think you are being too greedy. I doubt that there is Free web hosting service that give that much away. Jon513 12:31, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

You can have a try with Awardspace. I have used them and they have been a pretty good provider. Ronaldh 12:48, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

Swapping in ID3 Tags
I've got a collection of MP3s where in their ID3 tags the name of the artist is in the title and the title of the song is listed as the artist. Does anyone know of any piece of software which would allow me to simply swap the data around rather then having to edit each file individually? --Kiltman67 05:21, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

no but if you find one please share ;p 24.193.235.5 03:25, 26 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I know of programs called Tag&Rename, mp3Tag Pro that let you do this among many other things. You can download a 30-day trial. Once you have it running, select the folder or files you want, then use the Tools menu and select Swap Tag Fields, then Artist <-> Title. --jh51681 19:39, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

foobar2000 is a nice audio player with a powerful 'Masstagger' feature that would allow you to do something like this en masse with a little careful thought. 62.232.224.2 09:20, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Linux lockup problem
I've had a debilitating problem with Mandriva Linux 2006.0 ever since I installed it, which is that it locks up at seemingly random points in time. I mean a hard lockup -- nothing moves, nothing responds, caps lock light doesn't turn on, etc. It's an NEC laptop which came with XP Pro, but I repartitioned the main NTFS partition to make room for an ext3 partition for Mandriva. I was having a tough time trying to troubleshoot it, so I asked around the #mandriva channel on IRC, people in which suggested that my RAM might be the problem. I subsequently ran memtest86 for 3 hours on my 1 GB of RAM (2 x 512 MB) and got 6 errors. I later ran another 6 hour memtest, which revealed 21 errors. This further convinced me that the RAM is the problem, because of the results of the memtests and because there seemed to be no obvious software cause to the lockups. However, the laptop has never, ever, locked up on Windows XP Pro. Some people suggested that this was so because Windows handled bad RAM differently to Linux, but I still wasn't convinced, so I resized my Mandriva partition to make room for an ext3 partition to put SuSE Linux 10.1 on. I began to use SuSE frequently to test if it would lock up, and it never has. This experience seems to point to a software-specific problem, especially since I tested each 512 MB RAM stick individually with Mandriva, and it has locked up under both.

However, many things still convince me that the RAM is indeed the problem. These include assurances from people, IRC and real-life, that memtest86 never lies. Also, nothing is logged in /var/log/messages in Mandriva when it locks up, suggesting that it "didn't have a chance" to record anything. The lockups seem to occur most frequently when I do something, and not when idle. For example, it has locked up as a result of clicking a tab in Firefox, moving the mouse from its stationary position, but also in the middle of listening to music while not doing anything else. I have never had the same situation "cause" a lockup more than once; it's always different. Finally, if I get memtest86 to output its errors in BadRAM format, and pass the defective memory addresses as a boot option to the kernel (I have BadRAM support compiled into the kernel), the frequency of the lockups I get seems to be reduced.

I have 2 x 512 MB DDR2 200-pin CL4 SODIMM RAM at 533 MHz, no ECC -- the RAM sticks in there are the ones from the factory. I don't have spare DDR2 RAM to test, and I've been thinking about getting new RAM, but I don't want to waste the money and find that it doesn't solve the problem. Can anyone here troubleshoot my problem further or suggest my next course of action? I will happily provide more details if requested. -- Daverocks (talk) 07:45, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I've experienced a similar problem. I had a PC which ran Windows 2000 reasonably stably (i.e. with a BSOD, about once a month), but in which memory-intensive operations always crashed in linux, especially compilation. The os and gui layer continued running. The same thing happened with various linuxes (Mandrake, Slackware and Debian). Running memtest86 immediately revealed zillions of RAM errors. It's amazing how little effect the memory errors had in Windows. --N·Bluetalk 13:51, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I just had teh same problem. Had two 1-gig sticks in my linux box.  It was stable for at least a year.  Then, two weeks ago, it started locking up.  No new programs were installed.  No configurations changed.  So, I pulled one stick out and it started locking up more often (at least 3 times a day).  I then swapped the one I took out with the one I left in and I haven't had a lockup in the last three days. --Kainaw (talk) 14:18, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I'm glad to see that I'm not alone, but Mandriva locks up with each RAM stick on its own, which is worrying. I really just don't know if new RAM will actually solve the problem. :| -- Daverocks (talk) 14:50, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Try keeping top open in a shell at all times - so you can see it. Whataver is locking up the computer might bubble to the top of top just before most lockups.  Then, you will know what is causing the problem.  As for reduction of memory usage - I turned off pango in Firefox and greatly reduced CPU and memory load. --Kainaw (talk) 17:26, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I multitask a lot, so I don't know if I'd be able to keep top open in a visible shell all the time like that. However, I might try making a script running in the background which constantly executes ps and logs the output. -- Daverocks (talk) 09:03, 26 August 2006 (UTC)


 * The difference can probably be explained by the way Mandriva compiled the kernel. It's possible that it has more agressive optimizations, which are more sensitive to bad RAM (which you have, since the memtest86 gave errors). If the problem persists with each memory stick individually, it's quite possible that the RAM problem is not on the sticks, but somewhere else (an overheating or overclocked CPU, a flaky memory bus, or an incompatibility between the memory and the northbridge, for instance). See also the SIG11 FAQ (while it's very old and focuses more on gcc crashing, a lot of the advice still applies). --cesarb 22:08, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Thanks for that link. :) -- Daverocks (talk) 09:03, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Payment Systems/Vision Plus
Hi,

I somewhere read that giant multi national banks which operate in almost every country can afford to rent/buy a mainframe for their daily processing.

They also use some specialized software known as "Vision Plus", designed by First Data International which handles all credit/debit card and mortgage related processing.

I would like to know more about this Vision Plus Package. And how does it function across different countries which use different cirrency models. How Mortgages and cards are handled, etc.

If You could Provide some some insight on this, I'd be grateful to you.

Thanks, Raghav.
 * Google works wonders: google:vision plus software --Markwalling 12:48, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Display rotate 90 degrees
After playing a MAME videogame that unexpectedly quit, my display has been rotate 90 degrees, thus making using the computer a real headache, how do I change it back to its original settings? I looked in the display thing in the control panel and found nothing.... Thanks in advance


 * Do you have any software that came with your graphics card that has options you can change. I have an ATI card and it comes with a Control Center which allows me to change the rotation of my display. --Kiltman67 18:09, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I don't believe so, I can't find it at least... I vaguely remember being able to change the rotation of my screen in some control panel area but I don't remember where.


 * If you are running Windows XP, try right clicking on the desktop, then Graphics Options, then Rotation, and choose your angle. This has happened to me too before and I know how annoying it is! Hyenaste (tell) 20:26, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

RUNESCAPE! and mso frontpage
Right i have a few questions and first of all is this one:

I play on runescape and i think it is a great game but i would like to get better quickly. i know there are ways of editing your stats but i cant seem to find any. First of all i heard of a way doing it without using any new programs by going onto start, run, typing 'regedit' to bring up regestry editor, press F3 (find)(whilst playing the game!) and searching for 'jagex stats'/'jagex sotware' (and others). Then I was told would appear the stats which I would be able to edit. Well I tried this but it didnt work: there were no results for my search! Firstly does this method work and have i done anything wrong? If it doesn't is there another way of editing stats without downloading any programs? Well if there isnt can you recomend a program to download that wont bust my computer or come with any viruses or other stupid problems. (BY THE WAY I HAVE WINDOWS XP 2003 (i think its 2003 and its probably home edition))
 * Wow. I thought that rumour stopped years ago. It doesn't work. Hyenaste (tell) 20:32, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Are there any other decent games such as runescape which are rpgs, online, free and '3d mulitplayer world like'? Is there a website which will have these games on?
 * You might like to try some of the games at List of free MMORPGs. Hyenaste (tell) 20:32, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

is there anywhere where i can download microsoft office frontpage from for free? that will give me the full version without any dodgey bits?
 * There's no legal way to do this, but with a peer-to-peer program you might find it. Hyenaste (tell) 20:32, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Finally is there a program that i can download (for free) which will enable me to create a massive 3d world with monsters and interactive stuff in like runescape but without all the otherplayers and internet stuff?
 * Not that I'm aware. Creating satisfactory video games requires a vast knowledge of programming languages. There's a nice little program called Game Maker, but to be able to create some really stunning game with it would require just as much skill as it would to create one in C++ or similar. Hyenaste (tell) 20:32, 25 August 2006 (UTC)
 * Get a copy of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, download the Construction Set from the website, and visit the Construction Set Wiki for the tutorial. You can be producing simple mods within a couple of hours. 'Lo Hyenaste! CaptainVindaloo t c e 23:51, 25 August 2006 (UTC)
 * Maybe Second Life? Wizrdwarts (T|C|E) 22:54, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

thank you very much! --William dady 15:42, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Half the files I download get corrupted
I've recently built a new computer, and it's running more or less fine, but there's something wrong with downloading. Most files that I download seem to be corrupt in some way - either they won't open, or they give an error at some point during installation. I seem to have more luck downloading with Internet Explorer rather than Firefox, and some files have given me more grief than others. It might be to do with size, but I've had the devil of a time getting Java Runtime Environment downloaded successfully - at time of typing it's just failed again, despite trying with various combinations of IE, Firefox, and the 'XPI' and 'Manual' installations. This is incredibly annoying as it's a rather essential download.

Large pictures occasionally get scrambled as well when viewing them in a browser - I imagine this might be due to the same thing.

My connection comes from a normal ADSL connection which goes into my computer via a standard network cable from the router, and my motherboard is an ABIT KN8 Ultra. Does anyone have any idea why it might be doing this (and how I can fix it)? --Sam Blanning(talk) 19:13, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Check the network cable. A friend of mine had lots of misterious corruption of data between two computers of his, and the root cause was an incorrectly made network cable (the pairs weren't correctly matched, which had the same effect as if they weren't twisted). Apparently the CRC checks weren't strong enough to detect and discard all incorrect packets. The problem went away after the cable was either replaced or fixed (I do not recall right now which was the exact solution).
 * It can also be a problem with the computer (even more likely for a new computer than for one which has been working fine for a while); for instance, you might have memory corruption (check with memtest86+), an overheating CPU, a problematic motherboard, or even a defective HD. --cesarb 21:58, 25 August 2006 (UTC)
 * Hopefully you found the answer already, but if not then here it is: The Nforce4 chipset in your Abit KN8 has had driver issues related to it's builtin network firewall, causing data corruption.  There are numerous threads discussing this around the 'net, and in short you should use the latest drivers from Nvidia and elect to NOT install/use any of the built in firewalling.  --Jmeden2000 20:12, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

WinXP connection and DNS problems
I just started working at a place with a 100M bps 10baseT CAT-5 ethernet network. I'm using my Windows XP SP2 laptop which works just fine on my home, cablemodem 100 Mbps ethernet, and on everywhere's WiFi.

The problem is when I plug in to this company's ethernet, the DHCP-based ethernet connection lasts for 10-15 minutes and then connections get dropped, DNS and new connections stop working, and I have to ipconfig/release /renew after which it works for another 10-15 minutes. Nobody else has this problem, including from my jack, and I get the same trouble on my neighbor's jack.

How do I debug this problem? What could it be? Thanks for any help. I'm a power user and I don't mid downloading and installing advanced diagnosis tools, if they will help. 75.30.240.49 23:03, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I would boot up off a Live CD and see if you still have the problem. If you do have a problem, you know that the problem is either hardware of the network itself.  If you don't have a problem you know the problem is windows.  I strongly suspect (as it seems you do as well) that the problem is windows and that the connection will work with a live cd.  Nevertheless it is still worthwhile to eliminate possiblities.  Jon513 18:32, 26 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Weird network problems like this are, in my experience, very frequently caused by the range of crappy personal firewall / security suites with which people's machines are regrettably infested. It works at home because the firewall counts your home network as one kind of network, one for which it applies a marginally less stupid ruleset than it does for your work network. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:56, 26 August 2006 (UTC)