Best Of
RennFaire 2015
Join us Sept 3-6 for our annual Maryland Renaissance Faire outing over Labor Day Weekend!
Typically, it goes something like this:
Thursday: Show up at @Annes & @pragtastic's place in Alexandria, VA (or early Friday if need be)
Friday: Decamp for Anne's parents' house in Maryland (near the Renn Faire) & make a big dinner and play boardgames.
Saturday: Renn Faire all day!
Sunday: ???
Because of space constraints this event caps at a dozen guests. BYO sleeping surface (there are additional beds at the parents' house, tho, Fri & Sat). Renn ticket is $19 - typically we buy them as a group just before the event so just slip @Annes a twenty.
We highly recommend flying into DCA. From DCA (Reagan), take the Metro 2 stops on the Blue OR Yellow line to King St Old Town (towards Franconia-Springfield or Huntington, respectively). We'll pick you up curbside from there if you text us (there is a bus stop & parking lot just outside the station's main exit).
Maryland Rennaisance Festival is pretty awesome. Lots of great beer on tap, seafood & other delicious fare, and a large shaded village of shops and attractions to tour around. There is the annual testing of strength at the hammer drop, axe throwing, and some good shows. New initiates should be prepared to stare in awe and wonder at the fantastic Goodly Woods stand and be severely tempted to join the Icrontic wooden mug club.
Linc
Re: Computer problems
Have you tried launching the machine in Safe Mode with Networking? Usually, button mashing F8 while the computer boots initially will get you that option.
Requit
Re: Computer problems
Is it your computer? It's unusual to be a single user on a computer without administrator access, but if it's still your mother's computer then you will want to get her to log in for you. If it's your computer, try resetting the administrator password:
http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/
You'll need access to another computer with a CD burner to create the bootable CD. Also, in general you should stop using XP because it no longer receives security updates. Imagine a leaky damn where workers scrambled every day for 10 years to plug holes but it still leaked everywhere, then one day said "F it" and quit. That dam, one year after being abandoned, shares a lot in common with your OS.
drasnor
Re: Computer problems
Windows (in most retail iterations) is single a license OS meaning if you were to install it on your laptop, you would have to uninstall it off of your moms laptop. Even then you might not be able to do that if the license your mom has is OEM as it may not activate properly on any other computer.
Do you need anything off of the computer? Have you considered a fresh install of Windows XP? Did your mom have a restore CD that originally came with the computer?
Re: Computer problems
If the login screen in safe mode is displaying then the white screen issue is within the install of Windows. I would suggest:
Using the link Drasnor posted above to create the boot disk and set the password on the machine. Log into safemode.
Use Keyfinder to pull up and note your Windows details including the key.
This will help determine what media you will need to reinstall from. If you need help with this step, you can post a screenshot similar to the one near the bottom of the Keyfinder page (do not post your Windows Key!) and we may be able to help.
Once you have the correct media, format and reinstall for fresh Windows deliciousness.
Re: Computer problems
- Connect the hard drive to another machine with an external hard drive adapter.
- Back up your data.
- Reformat the computer and install a copy of Windows that's actually supported by Microsoft with performance/stability/security patches.
Windows XP has been abandoned by Microsoft for years. It is a giant security risk for you. Do not keep using Windows XP.
Thrax
Re: Computer problems
Running Windows XP will have no negative effect on anything other than itself (and possibly your sanity depending on your patience level). That is the free route, I understand wanting to go that route. If you can follow the steps I laid out, you should be able to get the machine up and running on XP. As pointed out, you will just have to deal with no official support. Hold on to the install CD and don't keep any important data on the machine so if it wonks out in the future, you can simply reinstall.
It also depends on what you want to use it for. It's not going to be an ideal machine for surfing websites, but it will surf websites. A regular scan with MalwareBytes (Still supports XP) should at least minimize downtime. If you happen to need it for offline use then there really isn't a lot to worry about.
Come play SWTOR with us!
Cyclonite, Charity and myself started playing SWTOR again in anticipation of the new expansion coming from Bioware, Knights of the Fallen Empire. We're building up our legacy, going through class stories and making as many credits as possible for when the xpac hits 
Currently subscribers get 12x experience boost on class stories, eliminating the need to grind side quests to level along with added bonuses of quick travel and commendations for gearing. swtor.com/blog/epic-story-xp-boost
We've re-created the Icrontic guild (apparently it got deactivated for being unused for so long) and are on the server The Harbinger playing Empire faction. If enough people join up that want to play Republic, I see no reason we can't make a sister guild as well.
Any questions, feel free to ask. If you want to come back and are on a different server, I can provide my referral link which will give you a free server transfer and 7 days of subscription along with other goodies.
If you haven't seen the trailer for Knights of the Fallen Empire (shame on you), here it is:
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
fatcat
Re: Nintendo was right about the Wii U. We were wrong.
What do you mean the most vocal nerds were wrong? This never happens...
Thrax