Posts by Dortz

So is there any way I can bring the score up without purchasing anything?

Well, the score is based entirely around hardware. You 'can' overclock, but I do not recommend it. If you do choose overclocking, get some very good cooling.

I don't want to sound like i'm pimping links, but one organization (other than here) that i work with is:
http://www.bsodtv.org
Also, a general 'curiosity' is usually all you need to start learning about computers.

I love playing on vista, and I put out a tutorial on how to hack your Aero UI to be any colors you want too:
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread67357.html

One other general tip: google = best friend.
the only problem with google is that sometimes it's hard to get an answer you want if you don't know what to ask for.

If you have installed 'anything' in vista, you have encountered one of these 'This program is trying to run 'blah blah blah' and windows needs your authorization to do this.' And you need to click to respond. You have just encountered the User Account Control. It is a new 'feature' in vista, that helps protect users from having unauthorized scripts run. basically, if you didn't just start trying to install a program, update a driver, or change a security setting, then don't click 'authorize', click 'cancel.'

but honestly, does 'anyone' actually read what those alerts say? This is why I just turned it off, because I don't typically pay attention to anything windows has to say to me. I realized that if an authorization window popped up saying 'windows was told to run the script 'murder your computer and steal all your stuff' i would just click through it an not even read it. The way this would work better is if you had automatic authorization for stuff like installing programs through install shield and altering security settings. If somehow, it could register when an unexpected script was trying to run, I would pay more attention, but when it barks about 'everything' i do, it's annoying, and that defeats the entire idea behind the UAC concept.

I finally got my copy of regular vista business, (the business N edition didn't have 'any' multimedia stuff) and i've got a 4.1, held back by my processor and hard drive read speed. the next number is my RAM, at 4.6.

Eurika! I've found it! After about 5 hours of digging, I finally have something to show for it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/Dortz/firstlookatthenewwonder.jpg

You'll need these two things: the first, cannot be substituted, as it includes hacked uxtheme.dll files, which will need to be replaced. the second is one of the precious few custom themes for vista right now, HilledSE

http://anti-tgtsoft.com/repository/uxtheme/Windows%20Vista/SP0/
http://idatop.com/archives/file/HilledSE_for_Vista_RTM_by_jemaho/39961.htm

the two file packages contain readmes, but to ease the process, you will need to run MMC (just type 'MMC' in the search toolbar, it will come up), and open Computer Management. From there, in the 'Local Users and Groups' tab, there will be the disabled 'administrator' user. set a password for it and enable it by right clicking on it and accessing the option through 'properties'.

Honestly, enabling the generally 'hidden' administrator account is the only way to make this work. trust me, I basically tried everything else before i found out how to do that.

once you have full administrator access, the steps to taking permissions on a system controlled file are simple. right click the file, go to 'properties' and the security tab. click the 'advanced' button at the bottom and click the 'owner' tab, and click 'edit'.

here, i set the 'administrators' group for ownership, and ok'd out. you need to close the file properties now, then re-open it. now, under security, you can click the 'edit' button, and give yourself full control over the …

it is either the CPU overheating or bad RAM. go out and pick up a CPU heatsink with a good fan directly on it and see if that solves your problem. if not, try and find some known-good ram that is compatible with your system, and see if it goes away.

" WARNING: The radiation shield on your monitor has failed! Please duck under your desk now and cry for help from your local IT Professional! "

prison ramen:

1 mid-sized bag cheetos
1 pack ramen (crunched up)
3 or so cups warm water

combine all in the cheetos bag, and walk around acting like a badass saying 'dude, i learned it in prison' and then eat with your favorite fork-shaped shiv.

(or you can make it in a pot, with a normal fork. but it's just not the same... oh, and DO NOT put the normal seasoning packet for the ramen in this. it makes it... icky...)