The grumpy thread

[vulgalour]

I have a very short temper and a lot of stuff to do today.  It is not a winning combination and I think I might be taking my frustration out on family.

[eddyramrod]

I'm selling what must be the cheapest taxed and tested cortina around

 

Link?  (Please?)

[Lankytim]

We don't have to worry too much about our mortality, from what i've heard on the radio Rik Mayalls death was due to complications dating back to his quad bike smash in 1998, one of his close friends wasn't even surprised he'd pegged it as he'd never been the same since and had steadily been deteriorating.

 

I was properly gutted about it all yesterday but it sounds like he's done well after his accident, perhaps even getting 16 years of life "free" when he could so easily have died of his injuries.

 

There's been a real outpouring over it all on FB, it just shows what a popular comic he was. 

 

In other news...

 

I bought a diagnostics kit recently, for Pug and Citroen cars. Could I figure out how to install it? Could I fook.

 

Eventually I managed to get assistance from the suppliers in China, I even got up at 4 am so one of their techs could do a remote install. I was told in broken English that it will only work on a 32 bit version of Windows 7, and not a 64 bit, which is what I have. (not that I know WTF all that means)

 

Anybody know how to get round this? It's mega annoying!!!!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Just count out half of your bits, copy them onto a USB stick and lob it out the window.

[MrDuke]

it will only work on a 32 bit version of Windows 7, and not a 64 bit, which is what I have.

 

 

That makes no sense - surely it should be the other way around?

[HH-R]

64 bit Windoze is better (supports more than 3.2 gig of memory, supposedly more secure) but you do run into problems like this at times, 32 bit drivers don't work on 64 bit Windows. It's up to the manufacturer to release 64 bit compatible ones, unless you can write your own drivers or find something with a 32 bit (also called x86) version installed. If you can find something old with XP on it will 99% be 32 bit, there was a 64 bit version but it sold about as many copies as MG have sold 6s.

[Lankytim]

Feck knows. Some software will only work on 32 bit for some reason although some folk on google recon it should work.

 

Basically, I don't know.

[HH-R]

Most programs will work on 64 that were designed for 32. You can have a play by right clicking and going to properties and having a go with the compatibility settings, I've never had any luck with them though.

 

I bet it's needing a driver (I'm guessing it's a cable or something?) but 32 bit drivers deffo don't work on 64.

[Hertz]

XP Mode within Windows 7 is your friend here. I'm 99% sure it's a virtual 32 bit version of XP*

[Richard]

I had a similar problem with the Volvo software. I got round it by installing XP on a Virtual Machine. There were quite a lot of wooden legs and eye patches involved in the whole process.

[messerschmitt owner]

Yep. Most of this software needs xp service pack 2

 

Win star for Mercedes use to only run on IBM think pads and no other laptop.

[Lankytim]

I'm a proper thicko when it comes to computers i'm afraid. 

 

What a pain in the ass!

[beko1987]

My lexia clone is still sat in the box after weeks of not getting it installed on:

Windoze 7 64bit

Windoze 7 32bit

Xp within VMware on 7

Xp on another laptop I bought at the car boot for the purpose

Windows 2000 on the car boot laptop

 

Fucjing hell it was annoying and didn't work, so drove up to Newport pagnell and got someone called CitroJim to plug his genuine lexia in and clear a shit load of old codes, and check the ECU's.

 

Still got it somewhere. Started looking at patched copies of the software on forums but the XM is fine so have no need now!

[HH-R]

This might help, Tim: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/install-and-use-windows-xp-mode-in-windows-7

[Ghosty]

Stuff designed for XP and back seldom works on 64-bit, it's true. The older the program, the higher likelihood it's not gonna work. It makes a bit more sense when 32- and 64-bit are described as 'architectures': they work differently on the inside as there's a different amount of data lines coming out of the processor: as you'd expect a 32-bit system has half as many. Running a 32 bit program on a 64 bit system might mean data comes through too quickly and ends up garbled and causes errors. It's reasons like this that iTunes etc has 32- and 64-bit versions available and it doesn't let you use the 'wrong' one.

[wuvvum]

Another computer-related grump. 

 

I really need a new PC, but I can't afford one at the moment.  So I bought an upgraded graphics card off eBay to try and give the old machine a new lease of life.  I'd at least like to be able to play HD Youtube vids without lagging. 

 

The seller was a business dealing solely in used computer parts.  Good feedback, and lots of it.  So I hit the buy it now button and paid with Paypal.  The graphics card arrived in the post today - and it's the wrong one.  It's the same one they showed on the photo in the listing, but the spec isn't as described, and in fact it's no better than the one currently in the PC.

 

Time to find out if eBay's refund policy works...

[Junkman]

I'm a proper thicko when it comes to computers i'm afraid. 

 

What a pain in the ass!

 

Stuff that newfangled shit and buy older cars, then.

[TimothyClaypole]

Another computer-related grump. 

 

I really need a new PC, but I can't afford one at the moment.  So I bought an upgraded graphics card off eBay to try and give the old machine a new lease of life.  I'd at least like to be able to play HD Youtube vids without lagging. 

 

The seller was a business dealing solely in used computer parts.  Good feedback, and lots of it.  So I hit the buy it now button and paid with Paypal.  The graphics card arrived in the post today - and it's the wrong one.  It's the same one they showed on the photo in the listing, but the spec isn't as described, and in fact it's no better than the one currently in the PC.

 

Time to find out if eBay's refund policy works...

 

I hate Ebay with a passion as a seller -  but you used Paypal so you've got all the cards (even that wrong one).

 

Item not as described, open a Paypal case and you'll end up with your money back 99% sure (although that 99% maybe like the Builders from Hell episode of the IT Crowd).  

[dave21478]

Lankytim, I feel your pain. I got a Lexia thing from the Bay last week and my 64bit windows 8 laptop wouldnt even entertain the idea of running it properly.

I ended up going to Le Cash Converters and buying a wee netbook thing running Windows 7 starter edition. I already had an external cd drive to install it from so that was ok.

Installation was a right old faff and must have taken about 3 or 4 hours in total.

 

Seems to work ok now though, but the software appears to have been programmed by the guy who programmed Ceefax for the telly....its properly crude and every now and then while exploring the menus I find one that has no "back" button to get back to the previous level so end up having to restart the bloody netbook each time and wait while the software re-loads. Granted the netbook is low spec and not very fast but the software takes a fooking age to boot up and connect to the car too.

[twosmoke300]

My Ktm has decided that not only has it got a strange electrical fault but also needs a crank rebuild. Yaaaay

[Lankytim]

So it may be better for me to blag an old laptop with windows 95 and use that then?

[Lankytim]

they work differently on the inside as there's a different amount of data lines coming out of the processor: as you'd expect a 32-bit system has half as many. Running a 32 bit program on a 64 bit system might mean data comes through too quickly and ends up garbled and causes errors.

in that case I'm going to make an adaptor plate up out of 5mm steel using a gas axe.

[cort16]

i've worked with computers man and boy and often wonder how people who haven't get by with them as they're awkwards bastards pretty much all the time. If you go out and buy some kind of third party hardware be it a memory stick, a mouse or a printer the installation will not work without major fannying around in about 50% of the cases. In about 15% of the cases it will cause some kind of minor mental break down in the person trying to install the hardware until the give up and go and bury the hardware in the back garden under 2 ton of concrete.

 

I think some of the reason tablets have became so popular is you just turn them on and they work. Simple to setup, easy to use and no viruses.

[dollywobbler]

Another computer-related grump. 

 

I really need a new PC, but I can't afford one at the moment.  So I bought an upgraded graphics card off eBay to try and give the old machine a new lease of life.  I'd at least like to be able to play HD Youtube vids without lagging. 

 

You may find your PC's processor just isn't up to it. That's certainly the case with my wife's Toshiba laptop, which is probably ten years old now. It really can't handle streaming video at all. Not a problem, as she only really uses it for blogging and internet - streaming video tends to be saved for my laptop.

[Negative Creep]

Another computer-related grump. 

 

I really need a new PC, but I can't afford one at the moment.  So I bought an upgraded graphics card off eBay to try and give the old machine a new lease of life.  I'd at least like to be able to play HD Youtube vids without lagging. 

 

The seller was a business dealing solely in used computer parts.  Good feedback, and lots of it.  So I hit the buy it now button and paid with Paypal.  The graphics card arrived in the post today - and it's the wrong one.  It's the same one they showed on the photo in the listing, but the spec isn't as described, and in fact it's no better than the one currently in the PC.

 

Time to find out if eBay's refund policy works...

 

 

Have you seen the Zoostorm range?

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Computer/cat/Desktop-PC/Zoostorm

 

They don't look fancy and are tower only but you get a lot of bang for your buck

[The Moog]

I get asked to help buy a car for sister in law. No problem, except everyone else now has an opinion such as telling her only to buy insurance group 1 cars then sending her a list of brand new cars or she should get a diesel (when it will be round town trips).

 

Fucking idiots....

[Cavcraft]

/\

You're always on a loser when people ask to find suitable cars, for just those reasons above, plus the usual 'Oh, I don't like black/green/red/small/medium/big cars.'

[cort1977]

I have given up offering any kind of car advice to anyone except the wife.  

 

Highlight from my sister a couple of years ago: "The garage ripped me off because it cost GBP400 to get my car through the MOT and it was only GBP56 last year".  

 

Exactly right, clearly they ripped you off.   Grrrrr.

[ruffgeezer]

Tim, I'm sure I have an older laptop knocking about here somewhere, I think I even wedged a wifi card in it last year.

[Lankytim]

Tim, I'm sure I have an older laptop knocking about here somewhere, I think I even wedged a wifi card in it last year.

 

 

Humm, if it's cheap, we could do a deal!