# Where's the "Read this before posting a computer problem" sticky? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 21, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654 "2009-10-21T19:15:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/1 "2009-10-21T19:15:03Z")
I’m almost certain there used to be one in GQ but I can’t find it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/2 "2009-10-21T19:19:42Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11663829&postcount=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11663829&postcount=2) enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/3 "2009-10-21T19:22:53Z")
Thanks but that’s not what I think I’m remembering. I thought there was a sticky with many many posts in it of things to look for when your computer isn’t behaving as expected. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/4 "2009-10-21T19:23:32Z")
I remember that too, it’s gone. They’ve changed all the stikies recently. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/5 "2009-10-21T22:10:36Z")
Was it [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=149223)? ---
**Author:** ![Magret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Magret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magret)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/6 "2009-10-21T22:36:21Z")
I think it was this one… > **[Have a Computer Question ? Read this first.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260053)** > > Over the past few months we have received a spate of computer related questions in GQ, most of which can be solved by solutions given in this thread. The entire thread may be too long to read through, so please read through at least the first few... ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/7 "2009-10-21T23:50:40Z")
> [@Magret](#): > > I think it was this one… > > [Have a Computer Question ? Read this first. - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260053) Yes! Thank you **Magret.** ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/8 "2009-10-23T01:00:59Z")
We did some re-organizing, trying to limit the number of stickies on the top of the page (which interfere with newcomers finding the critical info, like rules and etiquette &c.) This thread was several pages long, and I thought it probably didn’t need to be a sticky. Was I wrong? I’d be happy to stick it up at the top if that’s what’s most helpful to people. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/9 "2009-10-23T01:15:19Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Was I wrong? I’d be happy to stick it up at the top if that’s what’s most helpful to people. I don’t know. A lot of the information in it is somewhat dated now. As it turned out, it was very difficult for me to search but that was my fault not the fault of the thread. My problem is that my computer is taking an hour to POST (power on self test). That doesn’t make a very good search term. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/10 "2009-10-23T01:44:49Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Was I wrong? I’d be happy to stick it up at the top if that’s what’s most helpful to people. Actually, I unstickied it a while back because it was dated. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/11 "2009-10-23T13:59:10Z")
IMO, while someone might want to wade through that and pull out the ‘meat’ of it, it was one of the most useful threads – a location one could go to to find how to get AdAware, what to do with that obnoxious DLL based virus, etc. As a non-expert I found it invaluable. Either re-sticky it or, preferably, have someone volunteer to harvest the most useful stuff from it and create a reference thread. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/12 "2009-10-23T14:04:47Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > IMO, while someone might want to wade through that and pull out the ‘meat’ of it, it was one of the most useful threads – a location one could go to to find how to get AdAware, what to do with that obnoxious DLL based virus, etc. As a non-expert I found it invaluable. Either re-sticky it or, preferably, have someone volunteer to harvest the most useful stuff from it and create a reference thread. If someone wants to go through and update it, I’d be glad to repost the result. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/13 "2009-10-26T10:41:44Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > If someone wants to go through and update it, I’d be glad to repost the result. Sorry, I didn’t see this thread earlier. I’ll edit that thread sometime this week with shiny new info, and some of the still good old info. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/14 "2009-10-26T12:23:31Z")
> [@xash](#): > > Sorry, I didn’t see this thread earlier. I’ll edit that thread sometime this week with shiny new info, and some of the still good old info. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/15 "2009-11-01T07:49:12Z")
Freshly baked. Yummy: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=538187](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=538187) ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/16 "2009-11-01T11:27:52Z")
> [@xash](#): > > Freshly baked. Yummy: > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=538187](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=538187) Thanks for the excellent post, and I wholeheartedly endorse the back up rant, but, if you’re infected by a virus, won’t that also be backed up and reinstalled? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/17 "2009-11-01T12:42:25Z")
**xash** , many thanks for doing that, and for writing it so clearly that us luddites can understand it. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/18 "2009-11-01T13:05:26Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Thanks for the excellent post, and I wholeheartedly endorse the back up rant, but, if you’re infected by a virus, won’t that also be backed up and reinstalled? True, which is why it’s last on the list, to be done after the clean up. And forever after 🙂 My “damn I should have backed up” horror story: Many moons ago, I did a “format c: /u” when I should have done a “format d: /u” :eek: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/19 "2009-11-01T13:46:47Z")
Thank you so much, xash! ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654/20 "2009-11-01T14:07:53Z")
Seconded (or thirded). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-read-this-before-posting-a-computer-problem-sticky/514654.md?page=2)