Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2012 January 27

= January 27 =

Hard drive prices -- am I missing something?
Hello! I've been looking around to buy an internal hard drive, and found most 500GB models running about $70-$80 (USD) or more. I found an old electronics catalog from 2010, and was surprised to see 1+TB drives from the same manufacturer running about $70-$80 as well, with comparable RPM values, data transfer rates, etc. In fact, I looked back at my receipts and saw I scooped up a 1.5TB Seagate Green for $50 last summer. Now I can't find a 1TB drive for much cheaper than $100. Am I missing something? What's changed in the last few months to drive up hard-drive prices? Talking about the non-SSD variety. Thanks for any insight!--el Aprel (facta-facienda) 08:37, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Western Digital had a factory flooded in the 2011 Thailand floods. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 08:43, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * It wasn't just Western Digital affected. Companies producing parts for HDDs including Nidec who make motors were also affected . (Seagate also has factories in Thailand (and is building more) but they weren't directly affected .) Seagate and WD claimed supply won't return to normal for 9 months to 2 years  . A reduced supply with consistent demand naturally results in higher prices. But it seems to have resulted in a panic with large vendors and computer etc manufacturers shoring up contracts to guarantee supply and HDD manufacturers drasticly reducing supply to customers without contracts to ensure they can meet contracts   , meaning extreme shortages (and very high prices) for end user purchasers. IMO there's also a bit of an ongoing bubble and price gouging going on. This was widely discussed in October-December  although there's still discussion of what's going on in production, e.g. Western Digital has resumed slider production . Nil Einne (talk) 12:53, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Very informative answer. Thank you!--el Aprel (facta-facienda) 00:54, 28 January 2012 (UTC)

Video from iTunes on Windows computer
I have an iPhone (3Gs, if that's relevant to my question) and a Windows 7 desktop. I know I can buy audio content through iTunes on my phone, back it up on my computer, and play it on my computer using the Windows iTunes program, but is it possible to do the same with video, such as if I bought a movie on my phone? Does the iTunes program for Windows have the ability to play movies bought on iTunes on my desktop? If I'm lucky enough that the answer is yes, does anyone know if a rented movie would work for the rental period on my desktop? My desktop iTunes is of course configured to my account. 20.137.18.53 (talk) 12:44, 27 January 2012 (UTC)


 * If it's something you have downloaded to the physical device, iTunes or some other software should be able to copy it to a desktop computer. I don't know how your renting system works, but it might at least be possible to redirect the video and audio to a larger screen, like that of a desktop. ¦ Reisio (talk) 21:51, 27 January 2012 (UTC)

http://www.htc.com/in/smartphones/htc-sensation-xl/ link does not work.
http://www.htc.com/in/smartphones/htc-sensation-xl/ link does not work for me in Chrome, Firefox or IE9. What could be the reason? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.249.68.50 (talk) 12:58, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * I doubt anyone here will know precisely why a certain page on HTC's webserver doesn't work. The NZ page works fine as does the Australia page  and I would expect the feature set of the phone to be the same so if that's all you want to see you could check out those pages. Nil Einne (talk) 13:22, 27 January 2012 (UTC)

I should have asked the question clearly. The link in itself works to show the page. But the buttons 'Overview', 'Specs' etc do not work. They did not work for me in the NZ or AUS sites too. Was wondering why. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.249.68.50 (talk) 13:36, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Those two links use target specifiers to define a position on the page (in this instance the same page you're already on) to jump to. These are the #overview and #links components you can see on the destinations if you hover the cursor over buttons.  It looks like the relevant anchors have been left off the page.  Rojomoke (talk) 13:56, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Well here in NZ the Indian page doesn't work at all, I get an 'Internal Server Error - Read'. I have no problems with the NZ or Australian pages including specs etc. Nil Einne (talk) 15:21, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Oh and now the Indian page is working fine Nil Einne (talk) 17:05, 27 January 2012 (UTC)

"Are you sure you want to leave the page?"
I get this message often when I attempt to ex-out of a tab. I use Firefox on an iMac. When I click out of tab or window I just want it to work without this extra hoop. Is there a way to stop this? I have no idea if this is my computer, my browser, the website issuing the message, or some setting betwixt the three.--108.46.103.88 (talk) 14:25, 27 January 2012 (UTC)


 * it's the web page, it gets to tell your browser to do that. It's usually useful, for example if you spend an hour filling out an application and resume/CV all as form fields, it's a pain if you close it accidentally.  that's why web pages get to ask your browser to do that. It's something in between a "save" and no protection at all.  I don't know if there's a specific way to disable it (which would mean setting your browser to ignore requests like this from web sites.  you might lose what you enter though, like closing a gmail tab before it autosaves!).  188.6.79.116 (talk) 17:05, 27 January 2012 (UTC)

Usually implemented in JavaScript, which one can disable, but for some things that are entirely JavaScript driven it won't help you. You might be able to find an extension that can block just the "extra hoop", though. ¦ Reisio (talk) 21:55, 27 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Thank you. I hope someone can provide that javascript solution but this issue is only a minor annoyance. I have never, to my memory, accidentally closed a tab or window and lost content. I have, however, worked for a long time on something and had my computer blue-screen-of-death me (when I was on a PC), or have had the material not save on the website's end for whatever reason. In response, I have long been vigilant about using a dump folder (I don't know if that's a real term but what I always call it). Basically, I keep a textEdit document open at all times, actually called dump folder, and any time I'm working on something I ctrl+a and then ctrl+v into it and ctrl+s (I know on a mac it's not ctrl, but that's still what I call it). I do this almost without thinking and very fast and after my save or whatever has worked, I dump the stuff from the folder.--108.46.103.88 (talk) 00:45, 28 January 2012 (UTC)


 * The Firefox extension Lazarus automatically does that for you. Paul (Stansifer) 12:49, 28 January 2012 (UTC)

Restart problem ........ Motherboard or software?
I had a problem with my desktop pc it restarts automaticaly within 2 hours. Recently there was a power fluctuation in my area and after that my smps got burnt I got it repaired by a nearby repair shop. but after that my cd player is not working and my PC restarts within 2hours. I showed it to a repair shop and they told me that it is a problem of motherboard and so they repaired it but the problem is as it was earlier. after that he reinstalled windows 7 but again the problem is there.

can anyone please suggest me that it is a problem of hardware or software and if it is problem of motherboard then is it repairable or not? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.225.96.217 (talk) 17:16, 27 January 2012 (UTC)


 * One possibility is that it's overheating. Does it have a thermometer you can access ?  If not, you could try removing the case, and, if that doesn't work, try aiming a fan at it.  If this fixes it, then temperature is the source of the problem.  If you want a more elegant solution, clean everything inside with a mini-vacuum, upgrade your CPU fan and/or case fan and/or any heat sinks inside (those metal things with cooling fins). StuRat (talk) 17:43, 27 January 2012 (UTC)