Author Topic: Microsoft thread  (Read 61246 times)

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Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #400: January 24, 2012, 12:23:30 PM »
Put control panel in classic mode with small icons.  3 clicks (actually, it's 2 in win 8...  ).  I can't say I've noticed any differences in compmgmt that really stood out to me, but I'll take your word on it.

Not trying to discount your feelings, just pointing out that they're about as trivial as my griping over inverted scrolling.  Not intended to be a loaded question or a jab, but have you considered familiarizing yourself with the run commands for various common plugins and controls?  I guess the reason the UI changes don't bother me as much is because I always hit win-R to do everything anyway.  compmgmt.msc, dsa.msc, ncpa.cpl, etc.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #401: January 24, 2012, 12:27:15 PM »
Merged the Windows stuff here.

Offline Kevrock

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #402: January 24, 2012, 12:36:17 PM »
Sure, I use run commands for plenty of things. I guess I could learn some more.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #403: January 24, 2012, 12:56:30 PM »
Sure, I use run commands for plenty of things. I guess I could learn some more.

Like I said it's not meant as a jab or anything, I guess the minor shuffling of things just doesn't bother me as much because the run commands never change.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #404: January 24, 2012, 12:57:58 PM »
Depends on your perspective I suppose.  I love Windows 7 and consider it a big step up from Vista.  I can't stand using XP anymore, to say nothing of pre-2000 versions of Windows.  But to borrow an Apple joke, have the changes been revolutionary?  Of course not.  Neither have the changes to Mac OS.  Or the changes to computers themselves, aside from the arrival of smart phones and tablets.

I don't think Linux will ever be mainstream because within the next 10 years I don't think "computers" as we know them today will be mainstream anymore.  Of course we could just have another 10 years of evolutionary changes and still be using mice and keyboards on a daily basis.  Cash rules everything around us.

The demise of the pc has been predicted for as long as I can remember


Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #405: January 24, 2012, 01:08:28 PM »
The demise of the pc has been predicted for as long as I can remember

True, who am I kidding?  Mind you, I love my desktop, so I don't care if I'm part of an ever-shrinking minority.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #406: January 24, 2012, 01:10:27 PM »
I have an iMac with a giant monitor - I don't see a laptop ever replacing that either

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #407: January 29, 2012, 07:07:12 PM »
...so would bad things happen if I manually shut down the "System Idle Process"?  It seems to be hogging a lot of resources.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #408: January 29, 2012, 07:14:24 PM »
...so would bad things happen if I manually shut down the "System Idle Process"?  It seems to be hogging a lot of resources.

*notsureifserious.jpg*

I don't even know that you can :lol:  It's not using any resources, it's what's idle.  If all your programs are using 10%, 90% would be idle and show up as that.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #409: January 29, 2012, 07:23:53 PM »
Here's what I'm looking at.  It's the only thing using up anything significant and the system definitely isn't idle.  Computer sounds like a jet engine right now, which it seems to do a lot...

also, that seems like a lot of unnecessary processes at the bottom, but I have no idea what I actually need to keep running...

I really need to switch back to a mac.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #410: January 29, 2012, 07:32:38 PM »
Here's what I'm looking at.  It's the only thing using up anything significant and the system definitely isn't idle.  Computer sounds like a jet engine right now, which it seems to do a lot...

also, that seems like a lot of unnecessary processes at the bottom, but I have no idea what I actually need to keep running...

I really need to switch back to a mac.

It's not actually using anything.  It's just the percent of the CPU that isn't being used.  The number of processes don't mean that all are currently using any cpu time.  For instance, Chrome launches a separate process for each tab, so that one tab crashing doesn't take down the entire browser.

As for why your PC sounds like a jet engine, I don't know.  Laptop?  All the vents clear?

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #411: January 29, 2012, 07:35:19 PM »
Laptop?  All the vents clear?

Yes.  I think they're all clear, but they could probably to stand a blowing out.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #412: January 29, 2012, 07:59:47 PM »
Maybe try Core Temp or something, see if you're overheating.

http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

And just so I don't get grief, the System Idle Process does in fact "run" and use the CPU, it's what runs when there is nothing else to run.  It'll never run when there are other processes waiting for cpu time.  Here's a snip from Wikipedia:

Quote
The CPU time consumed by the System Idle Process is commonly of interest to end users, as it is a measure of the CPU utilization in their system which is easily accessible through Windows Task Manager. Understanding its function can alleviate concern: the System Idle Process and its threads eliminate the possibility of the scheduler having to deal with the exception to a rule. Its threads are scheduled at a lower priority than any other threads can reach; if no ordinary thread is scheduled to run on a free CPU, then and only then does the scheduler select that CPU's System Idle Process thread for execution. In other words, although it may appear to users that their CPU is being monopolized by the idle process, it is merely acting as a sort of placeholder during "free time" (therefore, whenever the idle process appears to be consuming most of the CPU, it is proof that no other process wants that CPU time).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Idle_Process

Offline PC

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #413: January 29, 2012, 08:06:08 PM »
I really need to switch back to a mac.

That's never a good idea!

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #414: January 29, 2012, 08:07:23 PM »
That's never a good idea!

Yeah, let's all just go back to DOS...

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #415: January 29, 2012, 10:02:43 PM »
fallacy is fallacious ;)

Offline Nathan

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #416: January 29, 2012, 10:12:09 PM »
Wat

Online imref

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #417: January 29, 2012, 11:49:40 PM »
microsoft reminded me this week why i hate them so much.  We got an Xbox for Christmas. A few weeks ago the kids wanted to download some call of duty maps, so i tried to buy 800 points through the web site.  No luck.  I couldn't add my credit card (kept getting 'invalid credit card #' error) and it would give me an error if I tried to use paypal.  However I was able to buy the points through the console using paypal.

This week the free month of xbox live gold ran out.  I tried to renew for a year on the web site but got an error that they couldn't process my paypal transaction (again).  I then tried to add my credit card, no luck, still thinks the # is invalid.  So I called tech support. the first guy I spoke to was no help (after 20 minutes or so).  He was able to add my credit card, but then I got a "could not process" error.  He gave up and told me he would 'have his boss e-mail me.'  I told him that it was insane that they couldn't simply charge me for $60 for a year of Xbox live via the phone.  He then sent my call to another tech support agent.

The 2nd agent was helpful and seemed to know what he was doing, it turns out for some reason my Windows Live account got corrupted and would not allow me to use it to buy anything anymore.  He had no idea why this was, but he couldn't fix it.  So....he had to have me create a new Windows Live account, meaning we could no longer use our old gamer tag.  Here too we ran into problems as Xbox Live still refuses to accept my credit card (a Visa from a large bank).  However, we were able to process a payment using Paypal.  For my troubles he had me buy a month, then added another 12 months on for $30.  So at least we're up and running now, and fortunately the kids hadn't done much with the old gamer tag (they can still use it to log in, but can't use it to access xbox live).

Anyway, just another freaking reminder of what a PITA it is to deal with Microsoft.

(i should add - i found numerous discussions in the microsoft xbox forums from folks with the same exact issues i had, in all cases the resolution was 'call customer support').  I spent almost an hour on the phone getting this thing resolved.

Offline Nathan

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #418: January 29, 2012, 11:51:53 PM »
My Live account got hacked and they bought $250 worth of points using my stored credit card.  Now they canceled my gamertag too, so I lost everything.  Not that I play Xbox at all anymore, but still, can't watch Netflix on it now either.  Still have the PS3 to do so, at least.

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #419: January 30, 2012, 12:18:47 AM »
imref no offense but you see what you want to see.  I've never had anything but smooth transactions with MS, including many of the same things you mention in that post.  I'm not even going to suggest that you're biased, I'm just going to flat out state it.  Your stories are anecdotal and obviously not representative of the larger customer experience or MS wouldn't be in business.  Also, to suggest that technical difficulties are an inherently MS quality is just foolish and silly.  Come now.  It's fine to be an Apple guy but let's leave the hyperbole and rhetoric in the Apple thread where it belongs, eh? :mg:

:poke: :halo:

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #420: January 30, 2012, 12:24:45 AM »
http://www.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/customer_service_2010.html

Maybe Bloomberg is biased, but I see apple ranked behind only usaa and llbean for customer service, and Microsoft doesn't appear to be on the list

Offline The Chief

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #421: January 30, 2012, 12:33:48 AM »
http://www.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/customer_service_2010.html

Maybe Bloomberg is biased, but I see apple ranked behind only usaa and llbean for customer service, and Microsoft doesn't appear to be on the list

You realize that's not really directly relevant to his gripes, right?  Besides, Bloomberg doesn't need to be biased for bias to creep into a report like that.

Shrug.  I just think if you're gonna gripe about something, be fair about it.  Even I don't go into the Apple thread blaming Apple for things and acting like only Apple does those things :roll:

Online imref

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #422: January 30, 2012, 02:54:01 AM »
Yeah, I am biased. But there's no excuse for a hapless cs rep telling me his boss will email me at some point.  I don't expect that kind of service.

Google xbox live credit card issues and you'll see plenty of others having the same problem with no good fix. 

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #423: January 30, 2012, 07:16:15 AM »
I don't know, XBox live is a total turd for me from top to bottom.  Ever since I put the PS3 in our living room I've been saying "man, why does the Xbox start screen look like a kids crapbox instead of this bad azz slick interface?" 

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Microsoft thread
« Reply #424: January 30, 2012, 07:33:28 AM »
You realize that's not really directly relevant to his gripes, right?  Besides, Bloomberg doesn't need to be biased for bias to creep into a report like that.

Shrug.  I just think if you're gonna gripe about something, be fair about it.  Even I don't go into the Apple thread blaming Apple for things and acting like only Apple does those things :roll:
Inept customer service seems directly related :shrug: