Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2014 April 15

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April 15

Remove fan from AMD CPU heat sink

File:AMD fan temp.JPG

fan on AMD CPU

I need to remove the fan from an AMD CPU's heat sink so I can clean dust out of the heat sink fans. I've done this before with Intel CPUs but not with AMD, and I can't figure out how to get the fan off the heat sink. I've googled for it but didn't find it. I've tried blowing out the dust with compressed air and picking it out with pliers tweezers, but I need to get the fan off to do a good job. I don't want to remove the heat sink from the CPU. How is the fan removed? Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 00:35, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure different AMD processors use different heat sink designs, so it would help if you would specify exactly which processor you are working with. Looie496 (talk) 02:41, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

It is an Athlon X2 4400. The fan looks like it is held onto the heat sink with two little tabs on one side and two on the opposite side, but I can't get them open easily, and I'm afraid that too much force will break them. (I can upload a photo if that will help.) Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 02:48, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

Some images may be helpful. The AMD stock HSFs I've used in the past have had the fans screwed on to the heatsink and from what I can tell, so to the ones in photos I can find [1] [2] [3]. Nil Einne (talk) 12:41, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

Photo added. The fans on Intels that I've changed have four small screws on the corners. This has the holes, but there are no screws. Two of them (opposite each other) have brads or something. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 19:16, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

Retail AMD heatsinks typically have an AMD sticker on them, amatech is an aftermarket brand. It's entirely possible this is a monolithic design, not designed to be taken apart. Vespine (talk) 00:27, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

This cooler came in (and is still in) a Compaq Presario my father used. I was with him when he bought it new at a retail store. I'm sure he didn't change it. But you're right - maybe the fan wasn't meant to be taken off. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 01:10, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

Just to clarify, i wasn't implying someone changed the heatsink, just saying that it probably isn't a retail AMD HSF, so that if you google "removing a fan from an AMD HSF", you aren't necessarily going to find this one. It is also not surprising that compaq would buy OEM CPUs without a heatsink and fit one of their own choosing. Vespine (talk) 06:31, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

OK, I understand now. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 06:43, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

"COM Surrogate"

I have a small laptop that I use mainly for online gambling. I'm fairly sure it has picked up some malware here-and-there; I don't store any sensitive information on it, so it hasn't been a big concern. Now I'm beginning to have problems I haven't encountered before. When it restarts, I get the message "Host Process for Windows Tasks has stopped working". After it loads, I get the uber-annoying and Greek-to-me "COM Surrogate has stopped working". This pop-up comes and goes, seemingly without rhyme or reason. Sometimes it appears once and hour or so, other times it pops up continuously for three or four minutes. It usually kicks me off of whatever I am doing at the time, and it retards the speed of my PC to a degree that is painful. Searching for answers online hasn't been much help; most of the answer-sites I've visited want me to download product with which I'm unfamiliar in order to fix it. I'm not even the least bit computer-savvy, so I have no idea whether this is a major problem or something that's easily fixable. Any advice would be much appreciated. (I don't mind if I need to go to a pay-site to get this fixed, but the computer is such a piece of shit in the first place that I'd rather not throw good money after bad if it's avoidable.) Joefromrandb (talk) 05:19, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

Often the most productive approach to problems like this is to do a Google search for the exact wording of the error message. In this case I find this page, which might be helpful to you, and doesn't require paying anything. Looie496 (talk) 13:16, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

If you don't like the computer and you don't have anything important on it, by far the simplest approach is to buy a new computer. If you want to keep using the computer, I'd suggest reformatting the entire hard drive including the boot sector (maybe the drive has a "secure erase" function in which case you should use it), then reinstalling your OS and software from scratch. Or better yet, buy a new hard drive, swap out the old one, and install OS on the new one. Trying to surgically remove malware while leaving the system basically intact is a messy and unreliable process, and many of the products sold for the purpose aren't very effective. Especially if you're visible as an online gambler, you may be a subject of targeted attacks (trying to get hold of your gambling accounts, see your cards during play, or whatever) rather than just random virus infections. So I think an aggressive approach is warranted. 70.36.142.114 (talk) 13:05, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

I doubt this is malware, but it's unclear how to fix it because the error message is so nonspecific. "Host Process for Windows Tasks" is Windows\System32\taskhost.exe and "COM Surrogate" is Windows\System32\dllhost.exe. These are standard Windows programs that just run other software "hosted" in their address space. What's crashing is not these programs, but whatever they're running.

If there's a button you can click in the error dialog box to show more information, the details might mention a name ending in .dll. That would be a lot more useful in diagnosing the problem.

If you run HijackThis and post the output here, I will look at it, but no guarantees I'll spot anything.

Reverting to the last System Restore point might solve the problem.

The advice to buy a new computer depresses me. Far too many people toss their hardware into a landfill when they only had a software problem. At worst you should back up important files and then do a factory reset (if the computer came with Windows preinstalled) or a clean Windows install (if you installed it yourself). I think erasing the drive is overkill. If you still get the COM surrogate error after reinstalling, I might reconsider.

If you do buy a new laptop, at least donate the old one to charity. :-) -- BenRG (talk) 17:58, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

I did try a "System Restore", which was of no help. The details of the error-message are:

Problem signature:

 Problem Event Name:	BEX
 Application Name:	DllHost.exe
 Application Version:	6.1.7600.16385
 Application Timestamp:	4a5bc6b7
 Fault Module Name:	StackHash_f79b
 Fault Module Version:	0.0.0.0
 Fault Module Timestamp:	00000000
 Exception Offset:	858bffff
 Exception Code:	c0000005
 Exception Data:	00000008
 OS Version:	6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.11
 Locale ID:	1033
 Additional Information 1:	f79b
 Additional Information 2:	f79b35014881a7ad1e09f6ee43f0ccaa
 Additional Information 3:	fe05
 Additional Information 4:	fe05ee44968a0554ebe2fca1946c44b6

Read our privacy statement online:

 http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=104288&clcid=0x0409

If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:

 C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt

Joefromrandb (talk) 14:04, 18 April 2014 (UTC)

Why send spam to gmail accounts?

Why send spam to gmail accounts? My gmail spam folder gets about 10 spam e-mails per day. Since it all goes straight to the spam folder why do they even bother sending it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.215.47.59 (talk) 12:10, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

It costs essentially nothing to send, and some tiny fraction of it might get through. Also, some people will check their spam folders (if they are expecting an important email, or if they've previously had experience with over-zealous spam filters), and some of them will notice the potentially tempting offer/email from a "friend"/whatever. MChesterMC (talk) 12:48, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

Spam is invariably sent by automated systems. The expected value of a typical spam message is a tiny fraction of a cent, so if even the slightest iota of individual attention needs to be devoted to it, it is a losing proposition. Looie496 (talk) 13:08, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

Spam is sent in such incredible bulk that it's probably easier to just send it all than to figure out which providers will probably filter it out. 74.113.53.42 (talk) 18:49, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

I don't have a citation for this, but I recall reading at one point that someone actually reads and responds to one in every several thousand (I want to say 10,000, but consider the number untrustworthy). When someone does reply it is fairly likely that the spammer will be able to get some money out of them. Given that it is incredibly cheap to send spam as it is often sent from zombie computers it is worth it to just send as much out as possible. Most won't be read, and even that which is read is mostly ignored, but the few people who do get suckered in make it worth it. Zell Faze (talk) 03:32, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

Is Free Mobile Recharging Fake or Not?

Hi, I've seen many websites offering Free Mobile Recharge by just providing the phone number..! Many of my friends have tried this and they said they got their mobile recharged..! If it's true how are these sites earning from this? Are there any Trouble in this? What's the real truth behind this? Any help will be appreciated.--Joseph 13:17, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

This is one of such sites.--Joseph 13:19, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

It looks like you have to click on two ads to get the recharge. They get paid some small amount when you click on the ads. So, as long as the recharge amount plus overhead costs them less than they get from the ads, they make a profit. It's also possible they sell your phone number to advertisers or scammers, though, who will then text you ads or even call you. I didn't see any privacy policy promising not to do so. StuRat (talk) 13:41, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

However, there are LOADS of scams out there. Just Google "phone recharge scam".--Shantavira|^{feed me} 16:11, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

So with that in mind be careful and ask your friends which one they used and then ensure for yourself that that particular site is not a scam before you pass over your information. Zell Faze (talk) 03:33, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

For those who were as confused as me as to why anyone was taking this seriously, this refers to adding credit to a phone, not to recharging the battery! MChesterMC (talk) 08:17, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

Linux distros with mezzo?

Can anyone give me a list of linux distros with mezzo?201.78.176.96 (talk) 14:33, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

From what point of view are you asking? I think there is little point in any Linux flavor incorporating this in their distribution. Since, if you want Mezzo then (I think) it can be downloaded and installed on most Debian versions of Linux. If you are looking for a distro, decide on which one suits your 'overall' requirement – then install Mezzo.--Aspro (talk) 23:12, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

There is at least Symphony OS, but I would tend to agree with Aspro. You should really find a distribution that suits your needs and just install Mezzo. I wasn't able to find any others in a cursory search. Zell Faze (talk) 03:41, 16 April 2014 (UTC)