Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2008 June 2

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[edit] June 2

[edit] Keeping music on an iPod after removing the music from the computer

Hello, my question comes from the fact that I have a 60GB iPod but my computer's harddrive only has 20GB of space. Using the "manually manage music" feature, would it be possible for me to have music on the computer, drag it on to the iPod, and then delete it from the computer? Would the iPod know to keep the music on there once I re-connect it to the computer and the music has been deleted from the computer? I don't want to use it as a portable harddrive; I want to be able to listen to the music I put on there, and I would like to be able to take advantage of the 60GB that my iPod has. I hope this isn't too difficult to understand. Thanks. NIRVANA2764 (talk) 01:30, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Sure, you can put music on your iPod and delete it from your computer. It's just when you plug it back in, it'll ask you if you want to transfer it back to your computer. Don't say don't transfer, or else it'll delete it from you iPod. Just say transfer and delete it afterwards. --Randoman412 (talk) 02:36, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
What if the OP transfer if (s)he has 40 GB of songs on the iPod and just 20 GB in the computer? Kushal (talk) 03:25, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Randoman, you're slightly mistaken — iTunes will only transfer content purchased from the iTunes Store from an iPod back to the iTunes library (see the penultimate paragraph of iTunes#Synchronizing_iPod_and_other_players). There's no way to copy imported (ripped, usually) media back to the computer, without using third-party software. So it depends on how much purchased music the user has as to whether it will be a problem. --alien2k (talk) 12:11, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Yes, just manually manage it. Once you've copied it to the iPod you can delete it off of the computer and it will stay on the iPod. Note, though, that it's tricky (but not impossible) to copy music back from the iPod onto the computer. So for example I've copied all my own CDs to the iPod and deleted them from my computer, because if something happens (the iPod fails) it won't be hard to re-copy them again since I have the original CDs. Music that I don't have any easy way to replace, though, I kept on the computer. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:00, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Thanks for the advice. No I do not really have any intention of importing music from the iPod back to the computer. You bring up a valid point however - if the iPod fails, the music is gone forever. So maybe I will want to import music from iPod back to computer if I get a bigger harddrive. NIRVANA2764 (talk) 20:12, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Yup, hard disks are cheap. For example, this piece of *rap will set you back by less than USD 100.00 Kushal (talk) 00:26, 5 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Seeding

Please don't say it's illegal and not answer my question. I only use torrents for free stuff. I made a torrent and i want to know how to seed it for the first time. Again, don't bash me for asking. --Randoman412 (talk) 02:34, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Randoman412, I don't know why anyone would be bashing or anything. BitTorrent is just a transport protocol and it is 100% legal. To answer your question in just a word, it would be "Depends." If you are using uTorrent, I believe there is an option under file menu to seed your own torrent (other clients should have similar options too). Just be sure that you either use a public tracker and/or ensure that the swarm catches the complete file so that the file continues to be available in case you need to turn off your computer. I am pretty sure you have read BitTorrent and associated articles. Hope that helps, Kushal (talk) 03:23, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
I don't have uTorrent, and i'm using Azureus for torrents. Can you seed with Azureus or was it too late since i uploaded it onto a diffrent tracker? --Randoman412 (talk) 19:34, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Yes, you can seed with Azureus. The Azureus wiki is a good resource- seeding is listed on the FAQ. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) talk - 20:26, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] laptop USB power

I'm trying to get a USB mouse working thats plugged into a PCMCIA usb/firewire combo card . Unfortunately no life from the mouse - i've tried an SD card adaptor and it works ok; mouse works on another computer . Do PCMCIA connections supply a low-current thats not powering the mouse ? Or something else ? Boomshanka (talk) 09:51, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

I am not sure but I don't think that the power sufficient for the sd card reader to function properly is insufficient for a mouse. I agree that the situation is rather strange. We know that both the computer has a functioning usb port (tested using an sd card adapter) and the mouse is working (tested on another computer). The thing that comes to my mind is "Does the computer recognize the Mmouse and can they talk to each other?" If you are on a Microsoft Windows, you could open Device Manager and look for anything that needs attention (with the mouse attached physically prior to booting). You have probably done that already. In that case, please ignore this edit. I am sure other wikipedians will come up with other [hopefully, better] answers. Kushal (talk) 14:50, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
To check, go to control panel/printers and other hardware/mouse/hardware and check if the mouse is listed there; then you can fool around with troubleshoot and/or properties. Gzuckier (talk) 14:57, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Import avi/wmv files into iTunes so works in FrontRow

Hi. I am trying to find a program that will convert or make it possible to add .avi (or dvx) format video so that I can add them to iTunes. The "import" doesn't allow it, and neither does add to library. I assume it will mean converting to an iTunes friendly format so is there anything free out there to do this into an iTunes friendly format. I am a mac-user on a intel-mac using Tiger (I think tiger - the one before the current operating system). Any help greatly welcomed. 14:55, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

ffmpeg can convert files from a bazillion formats though I have found it to be pretty buggy at times (like most open source software). VLC can transcode to and from a bunch of formats as well, but it's also mondo buggy (like, sigh, most open source software). Anyway, what you're looking for is a transcoder to MOV or MP4 format. You're going to lose some file quality while doing so but that's your decision to make. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:14, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Thanks for the info - will give it a whirl tonight, hoepfully that'll work! Thanks again 194.221.133.226 (talk) 11:31, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
Also, MPEG Streamclip can convert AVI to MOV, I believe. I've had better experiences with it in the past than those other programs (it is easier to use, less buggy). --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:25, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] replacing dell laptop lcd screen

can anyone direct me to an article regarding dell laptop lcd screens breaking for no apparent reason and cost to repair? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kplossl (talk • contribs) 15:36, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Breaking for no apparent reason? Not quite as bad as exploding batteries but if I see it correctly, someone at Dell would beosleepless if this were true. I know that LCD screens can be replaced at home with some some money, some googling, price comparison, an online merchant, and a lot of patience and free time. Kplossl, I don't understand how an lcd screen would spontaneously break. If you are aware of such an incident, could you alert Dell and also write here about it? Kushal (talk) 01:17, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
When I typed replacing a broken lcd screen on a laptop in the search engine, the result was Notebook review1. Google also gave me another website2. The replacement unit should cost you between USD 100 to USD 300. Make sure you equate the cost of a broken lcd screen vs buying a new laptop. A price comparison website will come handy as well. Kushal (talk) 17:38, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] KDE4 Dual Head Display

I have been using my computer's on-board ATI chip with a dual-head SVGA display for a long time. The ati driver no longer supports mergedfb. Instead, xrandr is used - which means that I cannot do dual 1280x1024 display. I can only do dual 1024x768. I'm interested in getting a dual-head AGP board to correct this problem, but I cannot find a dependable page that lists which cards work with Linux without any weird issues. I'm using KDE4 on the latest kernel, so I'm leaning towards an nVidia card. Any suggestions? -- kainaw™ 18:20, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Office Forms Server 2007 with WSS 3.0 without MOSS - Is it possible?

Okay, I'm at my wits end with this. I've searched for this answer everywhere and some places say yes, some say no. If my question was unclear I am asking if it's possible to run the free Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 with Office Forms Server 2007, which I understand to be a separate component of the Office Suite, without having to purchase the grossly expensive Microsoft Office Sharepoint 2007 Enterprise Edition. I am trying to run web-based InfoPath forms and, to my understanding, the Enterprise Edition of Sharepoint is the only one able to do this. --Ouzo (talk) 18:27, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] How can you create your own photoshop filter?

I would like to create a simple photoshop filter, I know it is possible to make a photoshop plugin that you can import, I just have no idea about e.g. what software to use... would notepad be suffiecient? 85.233.178.213 (talk) 21:29, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Here's a good page describing what one needs to do and how. Basically to do a real plug-in you have to know how to program C++, as well as have a good knowledge of bitmap graphics and color theory—not easy stuff, even if what you want to do is "simple" (is it programmatically simple, or conceptually simple? With things like graphics the latter does not equal the former—often what is very easy for a human eye to see or a human mind to imagine is VERY hard to turn into a reliable computation, because machines have nothing like human sight capabilities) In my opinion, you might find it easier to use the Photoshop "Actions" menu which allows you to build basic "macros" out of existing Photoshop commands. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 22:12, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
where would I find the actions menu? I'm using elements 3.0 . I can code in python, would that be useful? I wouldn't know how to refer to the pixels though, since there are no guides for coding a filter... If I could see an example of one it would probably help, I just want to get started by creating one that brightens or darkens an image, I can go from there. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.233.178.213 (talk) 12:08, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
Python won't help, I'm afraid, though you can, I think, write plug-ins in GIMP with Python, but that's a whole different program. But if you're game for it, I'm sure it's better documented than writing Photoshop plug-ins, and is totally free (and more powerful than Elements, anyway).
I don't think there is an Action menu in Elements—it's only in the full Photoshop. Sorry... --98.217.8.46 (talk) 16:09, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
I tried to use GIMP but its interface was too clunky, I really can't get used to having a seperate window for the tools, and why the selected colour is in the background while the inactive colour is in the foreground, still, I started followeing a tutorial athough I doubt I will go though with it, thank you anyway... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.233.178.213 (talk) 17:24, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
"why the selected colour is in the background while the inactive colour is in the foreground" I use both Gimp and Photoshop and I have never noticed their behavior. I assume you're talking about the two overlapping square swatches that indicate your current working "foreground" and "background" colors? In both programs the square in 'front' of the other is the foreground. APL (talk) 19:41, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Removing Partition

I have two partitions on my computer. One with windows and one with Ubuntu. How can I format the Ubuntu partition and merge it back with the windows partition. (sorry fanboys) --69.127.64.22 (talk) 21:37, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

I'd recommend using a GParted LiveCD. If the Windows partition is not a system partition, Window's built-in Disk Management should be able to nuke the other partition and then resize the Windows one, but otherwise you'll want something you can launch outside Windows (such as a GParted liveCD) -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 00:32, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
May I recommend Wubi (Ubuntu) for your next attempt at scaling the Unix-like architecture? Kushal (talk) 01:11, 3 June 2008 (UTC)