*Challenge 21: The Holy City

ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
edited September 11, 2004 in The Dgrin Challenges
St Phillips Church and old house: downtown

8255662-L.jpg

I have taken some of the green out, a lot, and some of the yellow. Then saturated the whole thing a bit.

Below is: Cemetery At Night (I did not put that ghost there, he/she was there in the photo)

8255661-L.jpg


The same only I used virtual photographer. Then I went to hue/saturation, and I took a lot of green out and also yellow.

I was getting a lot of green last night, everywhere, including the restaurant we went in. I was trying so hard, everything went wrong and the streets were deserted, no lights, etc. I finally put it on manual focus, then artificial light, ec -1, then I don't know. TV, I do remember that.

And I could stand in the middle of the street to shoot it was so quiet. No tripod, as that had been a problem, so I hand held at about 1/8 th of a second.

ginger
After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.

Comments

  • lynnmalynnma Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 5,208 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    ginger_55 wrote:
    St Phillips Church and old house: downtown

    8255662-L.jpg

    I have taken some of the green out, a lot, and some of the yellow. Then saturated the whole thing a bit.

    Below is: Cemetery At Night (I did not put that ghost there, he/she was there in the photo)

    8255661-L.jpg


    The same only I used virtual photographer. Then I went to hue/saturation, and I took a lot of green out and also yellow.

    I was getting a lot of green last night, everywhere, including the restaurant we went in. I was trying so hard, everything went wrong and the streets were deserted, no lights, etc. I finally put it on manual focus, then artificial light, ec -1, then I don't know. TV, I do remember that.

    And I could stand in the middle of the street to shoot it was so quiet. No tripod, as that had been a problem, so I hand held at about 1/8 th of a second.

    ginger
    I think you may need a tripod Ginge if you are shooting at night.. you have to hold still for so long.. seems impossible.
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    lynnma wrote:
    I think you may need a tripod Ginge if you are shooting at night.. you have to hold still for so long.. seems impossible.


    i agree. also, shoot raw, ginger. shoot raw.
  • snapapplesnapapple Registered Users Posts: 2,093 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    I'm a total novice here..
    andy wrote:
    i agree. also, shoot raw, ginger. shoot raw.

    Andy, my Oly c5050 can shoot in raw, but I tried it once and the pics just upload to my computer in JPEG when using the Olympus Camedia program. I looked in the manual and can't find anything about it. I've never shot a photo at night at all. I have a tripod. Used it with my film camera. The c5050 has a place to mount it on a tripod, but no remote shutter button capability. I just don't know if I can do this.
    "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." - Francis Bacon
    Susan Appel Photography My Blog
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    snapapple wrote:
    Andy, my Oly c5050 can shoot in raw, but I tried it once and the pics just upload to my computer in JPEG when using the Olympus Camedia program. I looked in the manual and can't find anything about it. I've never shot a photo at night at all. I have a tripod. Used it with my film camera. The c5050 has a place to mount it on a tripod, but no remote shutter button capability. I just don't know if I can do this.

    If you can't shoot with a remote, then use the self-timer.

    Also, RAW is worth the extra effort. Can't tell you how much time it saves me and how many shots it's saved as well.
    Moderator Emeritus
    Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
  • snapapplesnapapple Registered Users Posts: 2,093 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    If all else fails, read the directions...
    DavidTO wrote:
    If you can't shoot with a remote, then use the self-timer.

    Also, RAW is worth the extra effort. Can't tell you how much time it saves me and how many shots it's saved as well.

    Dave,
    Can you help me?
    11doh.gif I do not believe this. I looked through all the camera stuff and found a remote. It's so tiny, I never saw it. It looks like it has a shutter button, I think. It's for displaying the pics on a tv too, I think. It looks like a TV remote only it's about 1 inch by 2 inches and 1/4 inch thick.

    In the manual, I found a chart that says," Edit tab>Raw Data Edit> sets the image quality, white balance, etc. of pictures taken in RAW data format and saves them as new files."

    So - I think I set it for RAW format. I take the pictures. Then I go to the edit tab on the menu screen, chose RAW DATA EDIT and somehow resave the image. There is no explanation of how to do this. Can you give me a clue?

    How would I edit the image in the camera and resave it. Then when I transfer it to my computer it will save it as a JPEG file (as it did when I tried it before) but, this time it will save my edited file. Then how do I save my original RAW file, or can I? Do I need some other program that I do not have?
    "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." - Francis Bacon
    Susan Appel Photography My Blog
  • snapapplesnapapple Registered Users Posts: 2,093 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    Oh dear, I think I just hijacked Ginger's thread.
    Andy, can you move this somewhere? I should not be asking for help in Ginger's thread. I'm sorry, Ginger. :cry
    "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." - Francis Bacon
    Susan Appel Photography My Blog
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    snapapple wrote:
    Andy, can you move this somewhere? I should not be asking for help in Ginger's thread. I'm sorry, Ginger. :cry
    No, no, keep it here, much easier to read.

    However, speaking of RAW, of which I have never voluntarily, can you preview the shots in RAW?

    What would raw have done for me?

    I do have a tripod. My remote is supposed to be delivered today. That was not the problem.

    Are my photos fuzzy? What is the problem that would involve a tripod? I did not have a distinct subject.

    What would RAW have done for me????? Honest????

    Hate RAW. I suppose I ask for comments.

    One, I can and have hand held at 1/8. Used to do it at 1 sec, now I have to lean on something myself, and that is what I did.

    If you go out, scout and shoot a bridge, that is different from walking around trying to find a subject. I went to shoot something else, ended up with the church, the tripod was in the back of the car. I was walking, and walking......... I did not have a bridge or anything like it in mind. I did have a few things in mind, when I was trying for them I had the tripod out.

    darn this, you know I vote for these Challenges, I voted for this one and song titles............... that is my problem right there. I vote for night shooting. That subj is not my forte.

    I think it was the setting, or the lights that was giving me green. What does RAW have to do with it? Sorry for being testy, but I don't think I will be taken seriously if I don't do it, and well. I will think on this..........

    ginger
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • lynnmalynnma Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 5,208 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    ginger_55 wrote:
    No, no, keep it here, much easier to read.

    However, speaking of RAW, of which I have never voluntarily, can you preview the shots in RAW?

    What would raw have done for me?

    I do have a tripod. My remote is supposed to be delivered today. That was not the problem.

    Are my photos fuzzy? What is the problem that would involve a tripod? I did not have a distinct subject.

    What would RAW have done for me????? Honest????

    Hate RAW. I suppose I ask for comments.

    One, I can and have hand held at 1/8. Used to do it at 1 sec, now I have to lean on something myself, and that is what I did.

    If you go out, scout and shoot a bridge, that is different from walking around trying to find a subject. I went to shoot something else, ended up with the church, the tripod was in the back of the car. I was walking, and walking......... I did not have a bridge or anything like it in mind. I did have a few things in mind, when I was trying for them I had the tripod out.

    darn this, you know I vote for these Challenges, I voted for this one and song titles............... that is my problem right there. I vote for night shooting. That subj is not my forte.

    I think it was the setting, or the lights that was giving me green. What does RAW have to do with it? Sorry for being testy, but I don't think I will be taken seriously if I don't do it, and well. I will think on this..........

    ginger
    Night shooting is not my forte either Ginge.. I always shoot in raw.. why have a wonderful camera that will allow you to do all kinds of things to your raw files (exposure upping and downing... color, temp. etc etc) and not use it? work on them in raw, save as a jpg when you are ready if you want.. or a tif. Gotta be a jpg for the challenge. For a long shutter speed you have to use a tripod, any movement at all will blur.. trust me, I learned the hard way. Your camera (oh my god.. a hawk just killed and took away one of my doves from my courtyard!!!!) now I've lost my train of thought...

    your camera should have software to open raw files.
    I can't think.. my poor dove....:cry
  • mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    just say no to post-processing
    lynnma wrote:
    why have a wonderful camera that will allow you to do all kinds of things to your raw files (exposure upping and downing... color, temp. etc etc) and not use it?

    Quite simply, time and effort. But it also depends on what type of photography you are doing. Some types of images simply won't require much, if any, post-processing. Advice I got from a professional sports photographer: get it right in the camera. He only shoots raw if the image is critical, or if he knows the exposure will be difficult for the camera. I try to do the same. I pay attention to what I am doing and get it right in the camera. One example of this, I use a grey card and a custom white balance. I almost never post-process my sports photos, and almost always shoot large-fine JPG. Not every shot demands it be done raw.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
    Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
    My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    ginger_55 wrote:
    What would RAW have done for me????? Honest????

    Hate RAW. I suppose I ask for comments.

    ginger

    RAW gives you an incredible amount of flexibilty and latitude that you don't get with JPEG. You can compensate the exposure +/-2.5 stops. You can adjust the WB to anything from flourescent to daylight to custom--all after you've shot and loaded the images on your computer. You can deal with mixed lightingn situations much easier. You can get a much stronger starting point with your JPEG and end up doing much less PS work.

    My entry into challenge 20 had no PS work AT ALL. Until I cloned out the towel, that is.

    It's like having an original camera negative that you can always go back to and re-process from. It's the data off of your sensor without the limitations of what your camera thinks the image should look like.

    Every time I shoot in JPEG I'm sorry I didn't shoot in RAW.

    And I also highly recommend C1.
    Moderator Emeritus
    Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    I deleted all my photos from last night. They were not critical for anything. I would suggest that this thread be deleted.

    I don't know what I am going to do, but I just talked to a professional photographer who shoots school photography with my husband and shoots his own pro stuff on the side. He is the one who advised me to get the Rebel.

    He said just about what David's friend, and David said. He only shoots in RAW when he knows it is a portrait or something that is going to be blown up to a very large size. As a matter of fact, he shoots medium a lot. I shoot the highest jpeg possible. I go through my two 512 mb cards rapidly, as things stand now, I still shoot for fun.

    My computer has difficulty handling the amt of files I put on it now. I sent an answer to Lynn, but my computer decided to quit, it has been quiting frequently all morning, that was one good reason to remove useless folders of photos. Every time I add more pictures, I have trouble with my computer.

    There are many things I do not know. I am trying to learn how to shoot using the manual settings, my computer and I are not ready for RAW.

    I do have a Rebel, capable of shooting RAW, but I did not buy it for that, I bought it for capability to change lenses. If and when I ever get to RAW, it will be with a bigger hard drive.

    I now have a shutter release thing for my camera, to go with my tripod, I am just adjusting to that also. And, hopefully as only a "sometime" thing.

    Sorry for wasting anyone's time. I would suggest that you delete this whole thread, the photos are no longer on my hard drive.

    ginger
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    mercphoto wrote:
    Quite simply, time and effort. But it also depends on what type of photography you are doing. Some types of images simply won't require much, if any, post-processing. Advice I got from a professional sports photographer: get it right in the camera. He only shoots raw if the image is critical, or if he knows the exposure will be difficult for the camera. I try to do the same. I pay attention to what I am doing and get it right in the camera. One example of this, I use a grey card and a custom white balance. I almost never post-process my sports photos, and almost always shoot large-fine JPG. Not every shot demands it be done raw.
    Sorry, this is Bill's response here, our Bill ,not my husband. It is the response like my friend's response. Sometimes RAW, usually jpeg.

    Whatever, I did not want anyone besides me to be confused.

    g
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • snapapplesnapapple Registered Users Posts: 2,093 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    ginger_55 wrote:
    Sorry, this is Bill's response here, our Bill ,not my husband. It is the response like my friend's response. Sometimes RAW, usually jpeg.

    Whatever, I did not want anyone besides me to be confused.

    g

    I am still confused. First, how do I adjust my RAW files. Second, how do I get them onto my computer. The software that came with my camera stores them on my computer as JPEGS. Large, but otherwise not worth a lot for the storage space.

    The remote I found in my camera stuff works to display the images and zoom in and out. It does not seem to operate the shutter. That button doesn't seem to do anything. Can't find any instructions. Does anyone have an Olympus camera?
    headscratch.gif
    "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." - Francis Bacon
    Susan Appel Photography My Blog
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    snapapple wrote:
    I am still confused. First, how do I adjust my RAW files. Second, how do I get them onto my computer. The software that came with my camera stores them on my computer as JPEGS. Large, but otherwise not worth a lot for the storage space.

    The remote I found in my camera stuff works to display the images and zoom in and out. It does not seem to operate the shutter. That button doesn't seem to do anything. Can't find any instructions. Does anyone have an Olympus camera?
    headscratch.gif
    Snappy, if you go to the Olympus site there is probably information there, at least from the handbook that you might already have.

    I am trying to learn the basics of manual photography, but it is too cloudy, and a dreary cloudy at that.

    On a 128 mb card, shooting jpeg at large/fine, I get about 38 images. Shooting RAW, I would get about 16 images. That is not my primary memory card. My primary memory is two 512 mb cards, I keep the 128 with me for emergency overflow. I do not want to put few larger files on my computer, or the same number of files on my computer, but larger. That is where I am coming from. Since deleting the two folders from last night, my computer is a bit better. It would be much better if I were to back up and take off all the song title photos. I should do that tomorrow.

    g

    I am not trying to argue the subject of RAW, I don't care if someone else uses it, I may even be envious, or not, but I am not in a position to do it at this time.

    And there are other things I need to know. Like all manual, shutter priority, aperture priority, etc. I cannot, will not, do all that as RAW, my husband has said the way it is, if I have to shoot in RAW, it is not worth it and to move on. Our computer isn't bad, but I did not realize RAW even existed when I bought it and arranged for the hard drive space. As it was, I was pushing it financially.
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    raw is particularly good for nightshooting
    mercphoto wrote:
    Quite simply, time and effort. But it also depends on what type of photography you are doing. Some types of images simply won't require much, if any, post-processing. Advice I got from a professional sports photographer: get it right in the camera. He only shoots raw if the image is critical, or if he knows the exposure will be difficult for the camera. I try to do the same. I pay attention to what I am doing and get it right in the camera. One example of this, I use a grey card and a custom white balance. I almost never post-process my sports photos, and almost always shoot large-fine JPG. Not every shot demands it be done raw.

    the colors at night play havoc with any camera's white balance, and shooting in raw lets you make fine adjustments in post.
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    ginger please -
    nobody's deleting anything. why would you delete the pictures?

    you *can* shoot raw, don't be daunted by it. you have photoshop, you can do it.

    it's nothing to be afraid of, nor should you get upset over it.

    we can help. and goodness, why on earth would you think this is a waste of time?
    ginger_55 wrote:
    I deleted all my photos from last night. They were not critical for anything. I would suggest that this thread be deleted.

    I don't know what I am going to do, but I just talked to a professional photographer who shoots school photography with my husband and shoots his own pro stuff on the side. He is the one who advised me to get the Rebel.

    He said just about what David's friend, and David said. He only shoots in RAW when he knows it is a portrait or something that is going to be blown up to a very large size. As a matter of fact, he shoots medium a lot. I shoot the highest jpeg possible. I go through my two 512 mb cards rapidly, as things stand now, I still shoot for fun.

    My computer has difficulty handling the amt of files I put on it now. I sent an answer to Lynn, but my computer decided to quit, it has been quiting frequently all morning, that was one good reason to remove useless folders of photos. Every time I add more pictures, I have trouble with my computer.

    There are many things I do not know. I am trying to learn how to shoot using the manual settings, my computer and I are not ready for RAW.

    I do have a Rebel, capable of shooting RAW, but I did not buy it for that, I bought it for capability to change lenses. If and when I ever get to RAW, it will be with a bigger hard drive.

    I now have a shutter release thing for my camera, to go with my tripod, I am just adjusting to that also. And, hopefully as only a "sometime" thing.

    Sorry for wasting anyone's time. I would suggest that you delete this whole thread, the photos are no longer on my hard drive.

    ginger
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    RAW is a very powerful tool to have, but it seems to be too daunting and confusing for some.

    If any of you are really interested in trying it out, PM me and we can talk about it offline and get you started.

    Then maybe together we can write a how-to-get-started tutorial. Your fresh eyes might be helpful in writing a good tutorial.

    Anyone interested?
    Moderator Emeritus
    Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited September 7, 2004
    raw for dummies
    right here
  • SeamaidenSeamaiden Registered Users Posts: 339 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2004
    Snappy, we have two Olys here, my little C740 (for which Olympus no longer manufactures the underwater housing ARGH!), and a C8080 which I am still learning.. heck, I'm still learning the C740.

    As I recollect, the 8080 shoots in both RAW and TIFF. Basically, as I understand it there is no information compression, or loss of information in these formats. I think it was Charles who posted an extreme close-up of a friend's eye in RAW and you could see HIM in her eye, clear as day! I think of it as a "no muddle" format. I have not used it at all, though.

    Unfortunately, I rarely use my Win2K platform, and the images are d/l'd onto my h/d via USB in Linux. There are no changes made by the USB modules (software) to the files, the only trouble I might run into is reading the RAW or TIFF files, again, just another module to emerge. However! I do have to do some site work this weekend and will be mounting my Win2K partition, so I'll have a go at it with both Olys (plus, the fiance is completely focused on the U/W shots, and there is SO much more to Bali than what's in the water!) and maybe I'll have my memory jarred. I know that there is a very simple way to do this, but you have to override the program a bit. I also do NOT find the Camedia program intuitive at all. Another ARGH! to be inserted here.

    Ginger - NO WAY don't delete a THING! How else do we learn so quickly if not by learning from the mistakes of others? mwink.gif
    Youth and Enthusiasm
    Are No Match For
    Age and Treachery
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2004
    Seamaiden wrote:
    Snappy, we have two Olys here, my little C740 (for which Olympus no longer manufactures the underwater housing ARGH!), and a C8080 which I am still learning.. heck, I'm still learning the C740.

    As I recollect, the 8080 shoots in both RAW and TIFF. Basically, as I

    ____________________Seamaiden, the stuff is off of my hard drive. However it is still in a smugmug gallery, if you think you could learn from it I would be glad to send it over. However, if you look back at this thread, or the thread it was on, there was really no talk about the photos, the only talk was that I should shoot with RAW.

    It was a round and round type thing. I do have an advantage, barring an earthquake or more, the buildings are still there. I will not shoot anything in RAW of immediate or future importance until I can be sure that my files are safe and that my computer is safe.

    I have had PC problems for about the last week, kind of an ongoing thing, I did have a few weeks without many problems, don't know what happened there.

    I just bought another spyware program (the second one). It says it has gotten rid of the spyware Ibis Toolbar that has been playing havic with my registry. We will see, and I hated spending that money, but I am afraid for my computer.

    I had a major crash this morning. The info that I get is that a driver is involved. Recently installed software could have caused a bad driver, that is the info the PC gave me.

    I have been trying to install last night, a CS program that I got from a friend. I don't really know who knows, I could not get it installed and have written a note to him about where my problems were. I will say that from what I could see, that program offers mega support for shooting in RAW. However, there will be no way I will, or can, outlay $600.00 outright. My PS 7 came from the same place, I am not eligible for an upgrade.

    So to me talking RAW was one more problem. Yes, I would like to do that. Yes I would like to have a bigger hard drive to support my files. I hate taking them off on a CD, so yes I would like to have been smart enough to get a DVD thing when I bought this computer. And on and on and on, re what I would like.

    The whole discussion re shooting in RAW was like rubbing salt in a wound, as I discovered when I was out shooting and the joy was not there. Not anyone's fault, it makes sense that if you own a nice camera, you are eating more than peanut butter and can afford to do the things necessary to shoot raw. And enjoy it. If I shot RAW, my shooting style would like more memory. (Yes, I bought the spyware thing, but I didn't think I had a choice, and it was not extra money. The tennis group is going without a second team because I can't play because I spend my time and money on the computer and photography.)

    My husband is out of town, I am not going to shoot tonight, I just don't feel like it.

    However, if you think my photos can help you, well, they are probably here now, actually. I did not take anything of value in RAW. And those photos did not seem to have the value to merit discussion. Unless it was that they were so bad that the only way to have done it correctly was RAW. Now that really makes me want to shoot. I have a photo entered, so I have my contribution to the "numbers" of photos there. I do like that photo myself and hope to get a print made.........when I can. It was RGB. My first real time with a tripod, release, by myself in a driving wind. Usually that excites me, it didn't.

    ginger

    Oh, I did take off the illegal CS stuff, I am afraid of it, as I don't know why I had such a major crash. I backed up my photos, I looked up everything I could, but I did take the CS program off of my computer.

    I also took the other photos off, the ones that are still here, I am sure. They appeared to exist only as an example of how badly I need to shoot RAW. And I took all RAW photos, just junk photos, off the computer, totally, to the extent of emptying the trash can. My computer likes to have 40% and over free, that I have noticed.
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • BodwickBodwick Registered Users Posts: 396 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    5050 .ORF to .TIFF
    I've got a C-5050Z and have posted you an explanation concerning converting Olympus RAW aka ORF files into TIFF's or JPEG's.

    You can use that thread on the 5050 if you've any questions or PM me if you don't want it on site. This is a learning Forum so I'd rather keep anything posted for anyone else that may want the info in the future.

    Bod.

    snapapple wrote:
    I am still confused. First, how do I adjust my RAW files. Second, how do I get them onto my computer. The software that came with my camera stores them on my computer as JPEGS. Large, but otherwise not worth a lot for the storage space.

    The remote I found in my camera stuff works to display the images and zoom in and out. It does not seem to operate the shutter. That button doesn't seem to do anything. Can't find any instructions. Does anyone have an Olympus camera?
    headscratch.gif
    "The important thing is to just take the picture with the lens you have when the picture happens."
    Jerry Lodriguss - Sports Photographer

    Reporters sans frontières
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    This is a response to Ginger's computer / raw questions / issues.

    It might help if you posted the specs with regard to your computer. That way the experts may be able to see what the main issue is.

    Now Raw.........Your Rebel came with a program called "File Viewer utility" This is a raw converter. Not as good as CS but it will work. Your Canon software manual will explain how to use this.

    While I think it's clunky, it will work, and the 2 really biggies are white ballance, and exposure. (That will take the green tint out of the photo, and leave everything looking like it should.

    Basically you open the raw file in this program, adjust it, then save it to your computer as a standard PS or I think tiff file. Then you open it up in PS just like any other photo.

    The next time you take night photos take 2 or 3 in raw and give this a try. Look at it like a learning exercise. The quality of the photo is not important. Just learning to open the raw file, adjust white ballance and exposure, and save it is the goal.

    Sam
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    Spec info and more than you wanted to know
    Sam, what are "specs" as regard my computer? I e-mailed the spyware people a lot of information this morning, as the spyware is still there: Ibis Toolbar, one in the registry and one in a folder. I ran a search and I can't even find the one in the folder.

    My computer is a 1 1/2 yr old Dell Dimension 4550. We actually have an extended warranty on it, but it requires telephone conversations, and I am no longer able to hear well enough on the phone to talk to technicians. I have my husband do it when I can get him to, the problem is that he doesn't work on the computer, so he doesn't know what has, and has not, been done. In fact, he does not have the problems I do, as all he does is read e-mail.

    OK, it is a 1 1/2 yr old Dell.

    Windows XP
    Pentium (R) 4 CPU 2.40 GHZ
    2.39 GHZ
    256 mb of RAM

    This is the support info, and I don't care who knows it
    Asset tag GOVCD21
    Express service code 348-811-622-65
    support.dell.com
    1-800-buy-dell
    computer name: ginger55
    work group: MS HOME

    Are those the specs?

    One reason I don't care who knows the codes is that at this rate I am not going to have much of a computer. I am trying to keep about 40% of the hard drive space free.

    We are also having a crash problem caused by an unknown driver. I just got another report on that yesterday. It says "a device drive installed on your system caused the problem, but we cannot determine the precise cause". I have that info put for my husband to see when he gets home tonight. I am hoping that he will call Dell on that one.

    ginger

    This is not a computer spec, but it might be helpful in letting you know what I can and cannot do. We have $251.00 in the bank right now. No access to any other money. Another 100.00 weekly. It is my food, gas, clothing, etc. money, no other, except for haircuts. Oh, also it pays for the expense of owning three dogs.

    I cannot use the 251.00 because I need new orthotics, have an appt with a doctor, who I might have to pay some upfront (insurance does not cover orthotics). I do not want to buy tennis shoes until after I have the orthotics because the fit changes. This doctor makes them himself, is reasonably priced compared to many, so right after that appt on August 20th, I need that money I have "saved" in order to buy tennis shoes. I am wearing very old ones right now that fit badly.. The shoes are important as they allow me to play tennis, and walk without falling. I do not wear any other kind of shoes, because of foot problems, so I don't think I am asking a lot of myself when I say, I have to have one pair of shoes that fit.

    If I had more money than that, it would go towards photography, unless it were needed for the computer, but since I paid for an extended warranty, I think they should fix anything not caused by spyware. I cannot make that determination.
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • snapapplesnapapple Registered Users Posts: 2,093 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    Ginger,
    How big is your hard drive?
    "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." - Francis Bacon
    Susan Appel Photography My Blog
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    I don't know how big my hard drive is. I was hoping that one of those numbers might be that information. I will look around some more.

    g
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • snapapplesnapapple Registered Users Posts: 2,093 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    Ginger,
    Usually, when you get a message that a divice driver is causing a problem, it has to do with some device that is connected to your computer. Like a keyboard, a mouse, an external hard drive, a camera. What do you have plugged in to your computer that requires a driver? Sometimes if you update your driver it cures the problem.
    "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." - Francis Bacon
    Susan Appel Photography My Blog
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    On the disk defragmenter, it says

    C: capacity 55.84 GB Free Space 23.93 GB % free space
    42%

    I don't know where else to look.

    ginger
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    snapapple wrote:
    Ginger,
    Usually, when you get a message that a divice driver is causing a problem, it has to do with some device that is connected to your computer. Like a keyboard, a mouse, an external hard drive, a camera. What do you have plugged in to your computer that requires a driver? Sometimes if you update your driver it cures the problem.
    The keyboard, the mouse and the Sandisk thing I use to upload the camera memory, also the computer. I can't think of anything else.

    I have been getting that message for awhile, But not often enough to take something off and know any time soon if that solved the problem. All this stuff has been on here since the beginning. I never attach my camera to the computer, I upload the info on the CF card.

    I haven't gotten that message in about a month, until I put that CS thing on.
    That is why I took it off so fast.

    I have, in the past, tried a system restore. It does say that new software might cause the problem, that was another reason for taking the CS PS program off, since I had put it on the night before.

    I think we did have to replace our printer a year or so ago, ??? Or the sandisk could be bad? I could unplug it, except when I need it, but I need everything else.

    g
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • BodwickBodwick Registered Users Posts: 396 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    Spyware
    I'm thinking that you may after a year and a half have become bogged down with spyware.


    I'd recomend you download install and run these two programs.

    Spybot - Search & Destroy v1.3
    http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
    Click on the Download button (top right) and select a location to download from.
    Or just go here and get a copy:-
    http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022-10122137.html?part=dl-spybot&subj=dl&tag=but


    Lavasofts - Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition 1.04
    http://lavasoft.element5.com/
    Click on the Download button on the left under Resourses.

    Or this is the file you want.
    http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button

    Once you have installed and run the programs (One at a time) you should find things will improve.


    Checking your device 'Drivers', installing a firewall and a virus scanner is the next stage of things to look at.


    Bod.
    "The important thing is to just take the picture with the lens you have when the picture happens."
    Jerry Lodriguss - Sports Photographer

    Reporters sans frontières
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2004
    ginger_55 wrote:
    The keyboard, the mouse and the Sandisk thing I use to upload the camera memory, also the computer. I can't think of anything else.

    I have been getting that message for awhile, But not often enough to take something off and know any time soon if that solved the problem. All this stuff has been on here since the beginning. I never attach my camera to the computer, I upload the info on the CF card.

    I haven't gotten that message in about a month, until I put that CS thing on.
    That is why I took it off so fast.

    I have, in the past, tried a system restore. It does say that new software might cause the problem, that was another reason for taking the CS PS program off, since I had put it on the night before.

    I think we did have to replace our printer a year or so ago, ??? Or the sandisk could be bad? I could unplug it, except when I need it, but I need everything else.

    g
    Ginger,

    Sorry that your circumstaces are less than perfect. Take a nice walk on the beach. Enjoy a nice sunset, and when your ready, tackle ths issue again. There are a lot of people with a wealth of knowledge available right here to help.

    Here is my take on this (anyone with more knowledge jump right in, PLEASE!) To me it seems like your processer is plenty fast enough, and although your hard drive is on the small side by today's standards, it should be ok as long as your carful about how much you store there. You can keep a lot of your photos on CD's freeing up hard disk space for the new stuff.

    I think 256 BM of RAM is too small. This can cause a lot of problems. Your computer is probably doing a lot of disk swapping. (Trying to use the hard drive as RAM) This will really slow down a computer.

    As an example I have 1GB of RAM, with aol and, Photo Shop CS with one photo open, I am using about 318 MB of RAM. I think if you had a minimum of 512 some of your issues might vanish.
    Lets see what some other have to say about this.

    Sam
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