Hey! If any one could answer me this question that would be great. I get better explanations from you guys than the google crap so don't please just post the google pic.

Ok here goes. Does turning you computer off by the mains (plugs) when it's still running effect the computer in any way...if so how much damage? If it does cause damage does any one know a way to close down windows when it's frozen?

Thanks for answering in advance.

If it is frozen there is nothing to do but reset it .
Potentially pulling out the power while it is in use could lead to loss of data, but it's usually only minor things, or nothing noticable .

tbh.... i used to unplug it when it was on (cos i didnt know how to turn the damn thing off, n couldnt it if was frozen....)  and nothing noticable happened when it was turned back on   apart from wanting to do a disk scan for errors

yeah, i always just chuck off the switch, nutings ever happened to me (apart from didk check at start up, but i skip it ).

if u want more technical info... ask someone else.

over and out

Shadow

I asked this as... Firefox died on me when I turned my com off at the mains . My bookmarks got deleted and windows was saying the whole firefox 1.0 folder was corrupt. This has happend numerous times and it only happens when I turn it off at the mains.

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Originally posted by Attitude Extreme
This has happend numerous times and it only happens when I turn it off at the mains.

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* _Humphreys looks at he back of his computer...

There doesn't seem to be a switch there . Anyways i'll set the com to shut down when I press the power button. I don't know wether this would shut it down when it's froze... but i'll try it.

Actually, tbh, the damage to your HD isn't that bad if your computer is on NTFS file storage, FAT32 can easily be crippled by constantly doing this. Even so it's still not a good idea to do so constantly on NTFS.

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Originally posted by Attitude Extreme
There doesn't seem to be a switch there

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My Game froze a couple of weeks a go lost all my saved game data

Not a good idea!

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Originally posted by Anubis
Be careful! I've seen your comp and the red switch at the back of your computer switches it to the USA power system, which will kind of fuse your comp...the button on the front of your computer is the one you need to press...

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Originally posted by Anubis
Actually, tbh, the damage to your HD isn't that bad if your computer is on NTFS file storage, FAT32 can easily be crippled by constantly doing this. Even so it's still not a good idea to do so constantly on NTFS.

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Originally posted by Attitude Extreme
Theres isn't a switch there Anubis.

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Originally posted by Attitude Extreme
I would swtich to NTFS but the com won't let me .

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I'll try your advice Abubis. How long does it take to format it so I know when to start doing it.

I just thought I would add some information in here as well. AE if the PC is frozen then hold in the power button on the front, after 10seconds or so it should turn off. Now for formating the PC and reinstalling windows xp/2k on an NTFS partition you will need a Windows 98 boot disk. Once you have that insert the floppy and restart. At the A:\> type in format c: /autotest /q and press enter. That will quick format the drive for you.

Then once it is done type in smartdrv and press enter.

Then put in your Windows cd and then type this

e: and press enter
cd i386 and press enter
winnt

it will copy installation files to the HDD then once it reboots it will ask where you want to install windows and which partition you will be given an option to choose NTFS

Just a question.
Why quick format?
Whats the difrence between quick format and full format?

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Originally posted by Matty
e: and press enter

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would a quick format not be quicker than a full one?

A quick format is much faster. A quick format just formats the drive without asking any questions (no disk scans or looking for bad sectors involved)...
Oh and AE just a word of warning but I'm sure you know, back up all pr0n data on your computer that you need...since it will all be wiped in the format.

a quick format just erases the file allocation table, but the data is still stored on the disk, unindexed. this means a hacker with access to your hard drive could access this data. a full format erases any trace of data.

if your hard-disk is in read/write mode when you switch off you computer at the mains, it can damage the sector it was trying to read from/write to, notice when you shut down a computer that didnt automatically shut down and turn off, it shuts off the hard disk when it says: Your computer is ready to be turned off

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Originally posted by Attitude Extreme
I asked this as... Firefox died on me when I turned my com off at the mains . My bookmarks got deleted and windows was saying the whole firefox 1.0 folder was corrupt. This has happend numerous times and it only happens when I turn it off at the mains.

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Actually I did a bit of reading on this and it might be wise to do a full format...so the hard drive can find the errors on the hard drive from your mains unplugging adventures...

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Originally posted by Attitude Extreme
How long does it take to format it so I know when to start doing it.

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It doesnt take aaaages if that is what you are emplying, besides you'd have time on your hands if you were installing an operating system...

This is what i know. If you turn off the pc at the mains then any running program may get corrupted ie its files may get corrupted. Usually this doesnt happen. But everytime you need to scan your disc. Its important. I Skipped my scan disc once when i had win 98 then my pc didn't work properly. I restarted my pc and then it never loaded windoze i mean windows again. So plz (due to any reason untill extremely important) skip scan discs. If your pc aint repondin then obviously try ctrl+alt+del
If that doesnt load then try pressing your num lock. If u have a light on your keyboard for it (i do) it should go on and off and if it doesn't then u've got no choice. Reset yr pc with the button on yr cpu or thru yr main switch. Newayz if anythibngs corrupted then windows will try to fix it.
I have noticed that If you have win xp then chances of your pc recovering after a program had hung is high and even if you have to reset yr pc then chances of any damage are low in win xp especially if you have an ntfs base instead of a fat 32 base. But if yr windows is totally gone like your win (xp) drive is been corrupted if you resetted yr pc then if you have a ntfs base then you cant recover the data from c drive as all the dos u load using a system disc has normal not ntfs dos. So then your in trouble.

Wow I didn't notice this thread had so many replys until now.

Ok the quick format will still ask questions but formats a 120gb drive in about 10 seconds.

The parameter of /autotest causes format to not ask any questions.

Mike2 what your forgetting is standard Windows 98 boot disk load a ram drive bumping all of your cd roms back one letter, so if it was D it becomes E.

Well I don't have time to reply to the rest of the posts I will do so when I get home from work...

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Originally posted by John Anderton
So plz (due to any reason untill extremely important) skip scan discs.

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Well Thank you all for your help. I will format my hard drive tomorrow to get rid of a lot of rubbish and to transition from fat 32 to NTFS.

Also John don't suggest things that you are not sure about or can't back up.