computer question

[alantf]

O.k. ....... Nothing to do with bikes! I'm a computer numbskull so perhaps one of you computer gurus can answer a question :)

Tried to use google earth this morning. Never had any problems before, but today it was so slow loading, then stopped, & a box came up, saying that the program had stopped responding. Went online & found a problems page that said the graphics driver might need updating. Found that there was an update for my nvidia graphics card, so updated, & hey presto, it's working again.

Now......... question is, why should it suddenly stop working with the old driver, when it's been working fine on that driver for the past two years? :??:

All answers appreciated, to help me understand my computer better. :2tup:

[KrazeeMyke]

If the programer wants you to update the software used. They can make the software not function until update is completed.

Kinda like television now days. My television worked great on it's own antenna. Then the government wanted everyone to be digital signal. My television stopped receiving signals and i couldn't watch TV.

I had to " update " with a digital antenna box, now I receive reception and TV works again.

[alantf]

P.S. my divX player has suddenly started working too. :) (although I prefer, and usually use, media player home cinema)

[Way]

I'm not a guru but I'll take a shot.

My guess is that it had to do with a security issue. They found a weakness in the nvidia software that could be exploited by Julian Assange et-al. They changed whatever magic smoke they had and put new smoke into the software. It can only be smoked by a certain kind of pipe. Google being on top of those kind of things, caught wind and changed their pipe over too. Your computer, having the older software, could no longer put that tobacco in its older pipe. You basically downloaded their latest and greatest pipe so you too can smoke the magic smoke that is Google Earth and Dvx too. :bong: All kind of ironic since I don't smoke. :tongue:

[GZ250]

Two suggestions. One is very easy other need a bit understanding of computers. if you are using your computer (desktop or laptop) for a long time (one year and more) it accumulates a lot of dust and lint everywhere and on the working parts (fans, heat sinks, vents).

1-
Simply open the desktop side cover and using a compressed air blow everything out and better do outside in the open and you will be amazed to see how much dust comes out. Using a brush (old tooth brush works too) carefully clean the parts where dust and lint is sticking. Nothing breaks that easily unless you hit something hard.

In laptop there are 6-7 small screws on the bottom side and after remocing that you can do the same blow out the duct and balls of lint.

You won't believe sometime the spider web and those individual threads can cause short circuit. After cleaning you will feel the difference. Computers should not run hot.

2-
If you have been using a computer for over 2-3 years its time to clean it. It is like installing a fresh operating system or starting a new computer. This needs the operating system dick or the recovery disks if you made when the computer arrived. Now computer companies do not send OS disk and one has to burn their own DVDs or CDs. Overtime computers accumulate a lot of junk files that cannot be removed any other way and best and cheap option is to reformat at home. It gives you a fresh fast running computer.

But never try if you think you cannot ................ :)