How do you find out what kind of graphics
card you have?
In: Computer Hardware [Recategorize]
Answer
If you have DirectX installed. Go to start then run and type "dxdiag". That will show you
information about your computer as well as your video card type. You can also check out the
device manager.
Answer
This ultimately depends on which Operating System(win9x,XP,2000 Linux, Unix, MacOS etc...)
you are using. If you're using a PC based OS, I would recommend you download 'Belarc
Advisor' at which when installed and run will tell you pretty much everything you would want to
know about your PC. Sawtooth
Answer
Here's another great tool to find out almost everything you need to know on your computer,
http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/redirect/dload.php?id=32
Answer
Even another program to download is Aida32. AIDA32 is a system information and diagnostics
program which you can run in Windows. It lists details of all your components of your PC from
the type motherboard you have, your CPU, and your video card, to the various kinds of software
installed on your machine. Your can download it at CNET http://www.download.com/AIDA32/3000-2094_4-10516199.html
Answer
dont bother downloading anything, just do the directx diagnostic, (if you have directx.) As stated
above by typing into the run box dxdiag.
Mac People,
navigate to Applications/Utilities/System Profiler.
FriPilot
Answer
go to My Computer > Properties > Settings > Display properties
job done
What is the difference between SDRAM and
DDR RAM?
In: Computer Hardware, Computer Terminology [Recategorize]
Answer
SDRAM stands for Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. DDR is short for "DDR
SDRAM" and stands for Double Data Rate. Nowadays to awoid misuderstandings SDRAM is
often spicified as SDR SDRAM and SDR stands for Single Data Rate by analogy with DDR.
Therefore, the main difference between SDR and DDR memory the doubled speed: DDR can
transfer data at roughly twice the speed of SDRAM. For example, PC133 SDRAM runs at 133
Mhz, while 133 Mhz DDR effectively runs at 133 Mhz x 2 = 266 Mhz.
SDRAM has 168 pins and two notches at the connector, which prevents it from being used in a
DDR SDRAM motherboard and vice versa. It comes mainly in PC66, PC100 and PC133; the bus
speeds of the RAM in MHz.
DDR SDRAM has 184 pins and a single notch at the connector. It comes in speeds of PC1600
(166 MHz), PC1800 (200 MHz), PC2100 (266 MHz), PC2700 (333 MHz), PC3200 (400 MHz),
and PC4400 (550 Mhz). The numbers represent the theoretical maximum bandwidth of the DDR
SDRAM in Megabytes per second (MB/s). For example, PC2100 has a theoretical maximum
bandwidth of 2100 MB/s.
How can you convert audio cassette tapes to
digital files?
In: Computer Hardware [Recategorize]
Answer
We can convert audio cassete to digital files by analog to digital conversion,which consist of
following parts such as, 1. Sampling process, 2.quantization 3.encoding
Answer
It's not very difficult to do this. All you need is a 2 channel (stereo) input on your sound card, or
you can buy a usb 2 channel preamp to interface your machine that way. Most sound cards don't
work very well for bringing in this type of audio because of cheap connectors and cheap
preamps. However the cheapest way to accomplish this is to purchase a RCA-1/8" adapter at
RadioShack. (It will be stereo RCA female to 1/8" stereo male). You will then connect your
RCA cable from the "out" or "play" of the tape deck to the line input of your sound card using
the adapter. You can then use a audio program like cool edit pro or similar to record the two
tracks of audio to your hard drive. Obviously there needs to be some basic knowledge of the
audio software and where proper levels should be, but that is beyond the scope of this answer.
The best and highest quality way of doing this is to have a seperate preamp into your computer.
The cheapest are USB audio interfaces like the one linked here: musiciansfriend.com
If the link doesn't work it's a Edirol UA-1X USB Audio Interface with RCA I/O to allow audio
inputs to your computer via USB. This is just one example of hardware, but this will do the trick.
You still will need some audio application to record the audio from tape. Depending on which
preamp you use it may be necessary to use adapters to mate the connections.
Here is a little info on levels: In your audio recording software you will want to set your input
levels to peak at a little less than "0 dbfs" otherwise it will cause distortion. Some applications
have a "normalize" feature that will take your recorded signal and bring the peak to maximum
levels 0dbfs, it then raises the overall level the same amount. This will allow you to record the
audio at lower levels to avoid "clipping" and then bring the levels up later. There are many tools
out there for restoring and de-noise tape recordings, however that is also beyond what I wish to
discuss.
I have a project studio and have done this in the past using my Digi001 Pro Tools interface. This
is a bit more than the hardware I mentioned, but the principle is the same. I haved used a number
of techniques such as compression and limiting and also some eq techniques and aural exciters to
enhance the quality of a digitized tape. The options are endless.
I'm sure this is more than you were looking for, but maybe it was useful anyway.
-Shawn
Answer
U can always use the input connector at ur sound card, by using end to end mini stereo
plug(jack), connect the other end to ur cassete tape head phone outlet to the input, then use the
windows sound recorder to record analog sounds then save the file as a wave file, or u can
convert it to an mp3 file later using some program
Answer
Use DMC auxiliary input (download this from www.download.com)and its parent program
dBpoweramp music convertor. I think you need both to run.
Attach a cable from the headphone socket of the device and plug the other end into the LINE IN
socket of your sound card (most sound cards will have a line in, mic in, out)
You can listen to the music as you are recording. dMC auxiliary input will detect the start and
stop sections of each song and save your files as MP3.
Great way to save tracks from old LDs, cassette tapes etc.
Answer
While the methods described by others would work, perhaps the most convenient method is to
purchase one of the small MP3 portable audio devices now on the market. Some of these are
playback only, and some support only recording via their built-in microphone. But many models
now also accept "line-level" signals from any audio component, so one could feed the signal
from a tape deck into the device directly. Then the device can transfer the file via USB cable to
the computer.
Answer
One way is to record live from the audio device playing the cassette into line in of the computer
using a studio software such as Sonic Sound Foundry. Then You can save the application as a
digital formatt and name it. Or You can record the audio live into a Tascam CD Recorder then
extract it from the cd then save as a digital format.
Answer
It is very simple to do this. you just plug your cassette tape audio out connector in to ur pc sound
card "audio in" port . run the jet audio program on pc. clck on record and paly the cassette. and
record your audio in to digital sound. and enjoy :) jh_haroon@hotmail.com
Answer
There are basically two steps:
Step 1: Wire a cassette player's output to a computer sound card's input.
Step 2: Play the cassette on the cassette player while recording the sound using software on the
PC.
Details:
Step 1:
You wire the output of a cassette player to an input ("microphone" or "line in") on the sound card
of your computer.
When I did this 3-1/2 years ago, I used the microphone input, and I found that I needed to reduce
the input signal level, and I did so with a couple of resistors, the values of which I chose
experimentally. Basically, I started with a good guess, and used trial and error to tweak it until it
sounded good. (But I'll bet that someone makes a prebuilt adapter to do it.)
This schematic might be readable and actually make sense if viewed in a monospace font. I don't
know whether the HTML 'pre' and '/pre' tags work on this web site, but here goes:
+-------------------+
||
R=ring o---/\/\/\/--+--/\/\/\/-+ +-----o R=ring
R1 R2 |
cassette | sound card
player | input
earphone sleeve o----+------------------+---+----------o sleeve ("line in"
out | | or mic)
Gnd |
R1 R2 |
L=tip o------/\/\/\/--+--/\/\/\/--+ +----o tip
||
+-----------------+
The resistors should be fairly low values. The actual values depend on whether you can use a
"line in" input, or must use the "microphone" input. (The "line in" input expects 0-2v, and the
"microphone" input expects 0-0.2v.) For use with the "microphone" input, try 100 ohms or so for
the R1s, and 10 ohms or so for the R2s. For use with the "line in" input, try using equal values
for all four resistors, perhaps 50 ohms, or if the sound level seemns low you can even replace the
R1s with wires (0 ohms).
The resistors' power ratings don't matter, 1/4 W or 1/8 W carbon resistors should be fine.
Note: the "tip," "ring," and "sleeve" terms will make sense of you think about what the metal
contacts look like on a headphone or microphone plug: "tip" is the tip of the plug, "ring" is the
next contact, and "sleeve" is the long contact starting at the base of the plug.
Step 2:
After you have the cassette player output successfully wired up to your PC sound card input,
you're ready to play your cassette and record it on the computer.
You'll need to run a program on the computer to record from the microphone or "line in" input to
a computer file, while you play your cassette. I think that I used GoldWave 4.26; they have a
later, more expensive version, now: http://www.goldwave.com/
However, there are free programs that can do the job: http://www.k7v.com/nonags/auedit.html
http://www.k7v.com/nonags/autools.html
(The "Sound Recorder" that comes with Windows will suffice for testing your connections, but it
is basically just a toy. As I recall, it will only record very short snippets of sound.)
But before you install any downloaded program, first look up the name of the program on these
two sites, to ensure that it is not on a list of known spyware: http://www.spywareguide.com/
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/pest/search.aspx
If either of those sites list the program, DO NOT install it!!
Some "recorder" programs can only save your recording in .WAV format. So you might need to
use another program to convert the .WAV file to .MP3 format (which is compressed and thus
much more compact). See the "nonags" links, above, for several such programs.
If you are going to be converting lots of cassette tapes, there are devices you can buy just for that
purpose:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?satitle=%28PlusDeck2%2CPlusDeck2c%2CPlusDeck
%2C%22Plus+Deck%22%29
-Dave dave at burtonsys dot com but please no spam
How do you set up a computer speaker
system and sound card?
In: Computer Hardware [Recategorize]
Setting Up a Computer Speaker System and Sound Card
First to answer your question about the soundcard. Any souncard that supports Dolby Digital 5.1
will work with these speakers so long as the soundcard has a digital output to connect it into the
speakers. Most cards that support 5.1 do have this output. But double check to be sure. As for the
issue of the home theatre system: If these speakers have multiple inputs and they can decode the
Dolby Digital signal then, yes you can connect multiple devices to these speakers. If not, you can
purchase an AMP. This is how the setup will work:
Computer----- DVD Player---AMP---Speakers TV----------The AMP allows you to switch between multiple sources such as your theater system and PC and
control the volume etc too. If the speakers don't already decode the Dolby Digital signal then you
can buy an AMP that will do this.
Check that the speakers decode the Dolby Digital signal and check that the soundcard decodes
the Dolby Digital signal and has a digital output. I have a feeling that the soundcard you are
talking about, decodes the Dolby Signal and in that case you can connect your speakers directly
to the soundcard, but you won't be able to connect anything else such as your home theatre
system to these speakers. .
How do you find the Bios password or
remove it?
In: Computer Hardware [Recategorize]
Bios Password
Here are answers and opinions from FAQ Farmers:

There is battery on your main board or a key named 'clear-cs'. You can hit this key for
cleaning the password or if your main board does not have such a key you can easily 'put
put' the battry and then (for both ways) turn on your PC.

If you are comfortable with messing around with the inside of a computer, then you can
do it yourself - otherwise get a computer technician or the local computer whiz to do it.
Anyways here goes. After you open up the case, look for the battery on the motherboard,
and carefuly remove it from its socket. Then locate the CMOS jumper (it looks like a
small plastic thingy on 2 pins with 1 pin beside it, within a 1" of the battery). If you're
having trouble looking for it, look in the motherboard manual. After you have found it,
carefuly pull straight up on it, and place it on the 2-3 pins(it was on the 1-2 pins). With
the battery removed and the jumper moved, turn the computer on, and check to see if you
can get into the bios. If you are able to, turn the computer off, put the jumper back on
pins 1-2, and put the battery back in. Lastly put the case together and you are done.

The other answers listed are correct in that removing the battery you can clear your
password, but there are some other things that should be said. When removing this
battery not only will it remove the password, but it will also reset all BIOS settings to
fail-safe defaults so if you have modified settings in the past you may have to modify
them again. Also when removing the battery you may also be required to unplug your
computer or at least turn off your power supply.

There are less intrusive ways: Do a google search for "Default Bios passwords" or "Bios
password cracker". Bios passwords are very insecure, and they put default passwords in
at the factory that will work no matter what. It sure beats taking the battery out.

Simply remove the computer case and locate the battery on the motherboard. With the
computer off remove the battery for 5-10 minutes seconds and replace the battery. Fix
the cover back on and power on the computer.

Some of these answers will break your PC for Good and you will definitely have to bring
it to someone with knowledge. Have you tried simple passwords like ADMIN, or
nothing(blank) or the manufacturer's name or TECH or something so simple you will cry
when you find it! PS most of the time when you reset a BIOS you must manually input
all the settings by hand, good luck with that if haven't written them down.

These are some of the default Bios passwords used with different Bios's, give them a try
first. AMI, Award, bios, setup, cmos, concat, AMI_SW (case sensitive), AMI!SW/,
AMI?SW/, j262

The second answer which is resetting the jumper is fine, but do it without taking your
battery off from the motherboard. Taking the battery off from motherboard not only
erases your passoword but also resets bios. So just perform the jumper part.
What is the best operating system and why?
In: Computers [Recategorize]
The best operating system to use depends on what its intended use will be and who will be using it.
There is no specific operating system which can be called "the best" overall, and since most current
operating systems share most common and advanced features there is much debate on the topic. A few
of the most popular operating system, their pros and cons, and some of their best uses are described
below.
Microsoft Windows
Pros:




The largest library of programs and applications.
Some commercial games work only with Windows and DirectX.
Almost all hardware has drivers which are compatible with Windows.
Most widely used.
Cons:







Prone to viruses, spyware, and adware if proper steps not taken such as installation of internet
security software, which reduces performance speed.
Requires regular maintenance to avoid system errors and reduced performance.
Even with maintenance, issues can slowly accumulate requiring a re-installation of Windows to
restore performance and fix software issues.
Expensive.
Windows Vista has high system requirements.
The Windows market share has seen some decrease in recent years and months.
Does not support multiple desktop workspaces unlike Mac OS X and Linux.
Notes:



Windows Vista, the most recent consumer version of Windows, has relatively high system
requirements compared to its Windows XP and other operating systems. There are also other
issues, such as some software and hardware incompatibilities or frequent security
confirmations, which are causing many individuals and businesses to continue using the older
Windows XP.
The two most common versions of Windows are Windows XP and Windows Vista. Vista,
although it has some issues, does have some new features such as search-as-you-type search
and a 3D-accelerated desktop, features up until now only found in Mac OS X and some versions
of Linux.
With the introduction of Virtual-machine software, Windows has become a popular add-on for
Mac and Linux in order allow those computers to support Windows-only software or hardware
when needed.
Best uses:


Gamers
People who must use Windows-only software for work or school.

People or businesses looking for an inexpensive computer yet do not have the ability to use
Linux.
Mac OS X
Pros:




Relatively simple and intuitive interface with many advanced features.
Not virus or malware prone: there are no Mac OS X viruses in the wild, and with its UNIX base, it
is fairly resilient. There are a small number of trojans (malicious software) which have been
known to take effect through applications running in Mac OS X, though they are almost always
found on illegal-content-based websites and are not of significant concern.
Second-largest selection of software, with many high-quality Mac-only programs in existence,
such as those found in iLife. Although at one point software for certain tasks were not maccompatible, all software is now either Mac-compatible or has an equivalent that is. Most
advanced games have also recently became compatible with Mac OS X.
Reliable and high performance.
Cons:



Limited to Apple-manufactured hardware.
Some hardware does not have Mac-compatible drivers, though the number of this hardware has
recently become small and negligible.
It can be difficult to do certain cross-platform network hardware sharing for a Mac OS X based
computer in a Windows network or visa-versa. For example, a printer's Mac driver may not
support cross-platform printing to a Windows-connected printer, and replacement drivers may
or may not exist.
Notes:




There are some security holes in Mac OS X just like in other operating systems, and, like in other
operating systems, they are fixed with occasional updates upon their discovery. However, Mac
OS X includes a built-in firewall, and hacks aimed at Mac are less common than hacks aimed at
Windows, so this is not generally a major concern.
Macs are usually more expensive than PCs made by companies such as Dell and HP. However,
the following factors can cause the total price of owning a Mac to be less than that of a PC: Mac
OS X and Apple iWork are relatively inexpensive compared to copies of Microsoft Windows or
Microsoft Office. PCs experience hardware or software failures more frequently than Macs,
increasing service and replacement costs.
With a relatively low market share compared to Windows, there are still individual programs
which are only Windows compatible. However, virtual machine software with a Windows
installation or compatibility layer software can allow those programs to run even on a Mac.
The Mac has seen significant market share increases in recent years and months, something
which has also increased the amount of Mac-compatible software.
Best uses:

Students who are not required to use Windows-specific software (though Windows can easily be
installed to use Windows software). A recent study indicated that the number of students
intending to purchase Macs has neared that of Windows-based PCs.


Home users looking for an easy and reliable computing experience who are willing to pay more
than typical PC prices.
Graphic designers and photographers.
Linux and other UNIX-based
Pros:







Low number of virsues and spyware, similar to Mac OS X
Usually free
Large number of types of Linux to choose from.
Has a large amount of free and open source software equivalents to commercial Windows and
Mac software
More easily customizable
Can run many Windows programs with the use of a compatibility layer such as Wine. (Programs
such as Cedega can be used to run many Windows games)
Reliable with good performance and low requirements.
Cons:



Advanced use and installation of some software may require more advanced knowledge than is
required for use of Windows and Mac.
Many commercial programs do not support Linux
Small commercial game library
Notes:


Through customization and software like Beryl, Linux can be made to have advanced desktop
effects similar to Aero on Windows Vista or Aqua on Mac OS X.
"Dependency hell" can make installation of certain programs difficult even for advanced users.
Best uses:


Experienced computer users looking for a good, free operating system.
Businesses looking for reliable and affordable computing, so long as they do not need Windowsonly software and have a competent IT manager.
Bottom line
Though there is no one clear best operating system, each does have its advantages and
disadvantages, and different people will be best using different ones. Microsoft Windows is the
most common operating system and is a reasonable choice for most people. Mac OS X is
second-most popular (and gaining market share) and is an excellent operating system for those
who can purchase a Mac. Linux is very good and advanced operating system available for free
and is recommended for experienced users.
What is the best computer operating system
for various uses?
In: Computers [Recategorize]
Best Operating System
While the answers given above are good ones, it is not as simple as one OS fits all. There are a
number of parameters needed to make a sound decision. What is the best operating system for
your use is determined by your uses, the number of users, the number of transactions, the size of
the transactions, the complexity of the transactions, the security needed for those transactions
and users, the response time expected to complete the transactions, and your budget.
For "A system where thousands of transactions occur in a day, such as railway reservation
system", a mainframe using OS390 or MVS or VM is the most reliable, secure and the fastest,
but it might not be in your budget. A step down is some UNIX variant AIX, SCO UNIX, HPUX
ect. LINIX is included in this list and Linix is free.
I am not knocking Windows OS's, they run many high volume sites and applications but they are
not the solution to every problem.
Here are more opinions and answers from other FAQ Farmers:

Actually, the best OS for e-mail wouldn't be Windows at all, but rather MAC OS, preferably the
latest available. Microsoft is infamous for it's horrible security problems, it releases security
updates sometimes daily (usually weekly though) and creates a new OS every other year or so.
Apple, on the other hand, just released it's first security update in response to a virus little more
then a month ago (no viruses had been able to attack Mac OS before). And unlike Windows,
new versions of Mac OS come out much less frequently. For the average user, and only
considering the e-mail objective. Mac OS is very much superior to Windows. Linix/Unix is also a
good choice, but it is suggested you don't use these unless you feel competent in their use.

If your only interest is in the internet and email mac or windows will do nicely. Mac is more
secure but windows has the larger market share and is more likely to work with Internet
applications. For gaming it's widows, period. most games never get ported over to mac or linux
and if they do they run poorly. For graphics and video editing mac. They've always been the
leader in this catagory. For financial transactions I've read that to this day cobol based solutions
still handle more than all others combined. But that's probably just because of all the legacy
programs and servers at banks, cc companies and the financial markets have left over. Other
than that I'm not sure. Serverwise Apache is the the easiest, is stable and free. Unix is more
powerful but much more complex as well. I would say apache with mysql/php. Avoid MS in this
area since one thing you don't want is an unsecure server. And if you want to do it on the cheap
and not pay for an OS or want something more stable than windows go with linux. A bit of
learning curve and harder to maintain but free and stable.