Posts by lonestag3

Nicholas King said:It’s basically like having an oil light pop up in your car and deciding the best way to "fix" it is—get this—just pulling the bulb out. 🙂.

Most of those update files are straight-up security patches. If it isn't most of them, then a huge chunk of viruses count on users being too lazy to install updates.

The way you "uninstalled" stuff—just nuking files randomly—can leave Windows in a state where a full reinstall is the only way out. There's nothing funny or crazy about that. Installing a program isn't just copying files into a single folder and calling it a day.

Are you absolutely sure Windows didn't give you a warning like "This could affect some of installed programs" or something similar while you were busy deleting everything?

I'm not talking about INSTALLING, I'm talking about deleting! I was wiping out stuff that isn't vital to Windows—stuff like disk cleaners, antivirus programs, ancient C++ runtimes from old games, duplicate .NET frameworks, and Geforce drivers. (Windows Live too). Just doing a little fresh reinstall of apps and cleaning out the junk... nothing weird there.

And my biggest headache was this PhysX driver staying stuck under an installed program—even though it wasn't actually anywhere because I'd deleted it! So when I tried to install the Nvidia driver, PhysX would fail to install because it kept claiming a newer version was already there. Meanwhile, half my games were throwing "failed to initialize 3D engine" errors, or when I tried to play Mass Effect 3, it’d scream "failed to initialize physix engine" at me.

It drives me insane when it tells me something is "in use" when I can see with my own eyes in Task Manager that it IS NOT.
Same thing with it telling me it can't install something because a newer version exists—all because some tiny fragment of a registry entry is hanging around saying a file used to be there.

And I KNOW that Nvidia, Advanced SystemCare, the PhysX driver, and Avira aren't critical components for Windows to actually run. Logic dictates I didn't even have them on my PC originally; I added them all myself over a year ago.

I just wanted to run an update, plain and simple. And btw, I fixed the whole mess using Revo Uninstaller.
Now my computer is clean as a whistle. Luckily, I also cleaned out the registry (everything that hasn't been active in the last week).

Because I realized that's where most of the garbage lives.

And that "this could affect" warning popped up 50,000 times—especially when Advanced SystemCare accidentally triggered automatic updates, and the next time I booted up, my PC had dumped a whole Bible of junk on me that I had to delete one by one. (And let's be real, the whole point of the Windows auto-update option is to turn it off, because... who actually uses Windows auto-updates? LOL)

When is Windows finally going to start working on a "DO AS I SAY!" basis, without all this extra software bloat just to do things Windows refuses to do because of some 2KB legacy registry entry?

So I've got this massive headache with about 3 or 4 different programs. Basically, I couldn't uninstall them through the standard "Add/Remove Programs" route because the .exe files weren't even showing up in the Control Panel—so I just went in and started nuking the files manually.

And those pesky files that were supposedly "in use"? I had to use a force-delete tool to just rip them out of existence.
Now, whenever I try to reinstall the exact same software, I get hit with this stupid error: "the installation cannot be run because a newer version is installed."

Seriously? I manually wiped everything—the Program Files folder, the Start Menu entries, even the desktop icons. Everything is gone.

Here’s the deal: I can't get Advanced SystemCare to install, and I can't even get my Nvidia physics drivers working. The physics driver isn't actually installed anywhere, but there's this ghost icon stuck in the Control Panel "installed programs" list that I can't get rid of—because if I try, the uninstaller just crashes since it can't find the files I already deleted!
Because of that, when I attempt to install the new driver, it tells me a "newer version is already in use." Makes zero sense.
Is there some kind of install/uninstall manager out there that can actually bypass this absolute nonsense Windows 7 keeps throwing at me?

Right now, I'm left with nothing. No Advanced SystemCare, no physics drivers, and not even Avira, which is being a total nightmare by claiming it's "in use" every single time I try to install a fresh version from the web—even though the program is completely purged from my system.

Does anyone know a program that can actually scrub these bugs out of Windows? I dealt with this junk back on Windows XP, but honestly, Windows 7 is driving me absolutely insane.

It would be beyond ridiculous and honestly pretty pathetic if wiping my entire PC was the only way to fix this. :S

wanderingmoose15 said:

Do you guys even know what Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder actually is? It’s pretty obvious it isn't related to biting your nails.🙄

Compulsions are basically behaviors or actions that someone with OCD feels driven to perform, even though they usually realize the rituals are pointless or excessive. It's tough to resist them because the person feels this intense anxiety until the ritual is finished.
The OCD cycle goes like this: obsession, then anxiety, then compulsion, then relief. So, if Wikipedia is right, maybe nail biting could be seen as a milder version of this disorder. I guess when people bite their nails, they feel that exact same way—there isn't really a logical reason to do it, but they just have to. Why? I can't really explain it, but they just feel like they have to.

Okay, then I guess I'm the exception to the rule on this planet, since I don't feel anxious if I don't bite my nails.
But honestly, it just makes life easier because I don't have to haul my lazy ass to the bathroom to hunt for nail clippers. Instead, I can just pick at them while I'm slumped in my armchair watching a movie. It's way more efficient! With 92% of my brain focused on the screen, if I actually grabbed clippers, I'd lose the plot—plus I'd waste five or six precious minutes in the bathroom staring at my fingers and trying to figure out if I'm cutting them right. I don't exactly have X-ray vision for my cuticles.

It’s also not a huge deal for me to hold back when I have guests over or when I'm talking to someone—I don't get hit by any "anxiety waves" or anything. But man, an uneven nail or some weird little flap of skin really irritates me. In those moments, I just *have* to fix it, whether it's with my teeth or clippers.

And when I'm finally alone in my room? For the pure hell of it—or maybe just a weird habit—I'll clean myself up, bite my nails down, peel off dead skin, or go digging if there's some gross little prize stuck in my nose. (Seriously, being alone is the best; you can do whatever you want, even fart or mess around, without bothering anyone.) At first, I thought I was an idiot because I'd read too much psychological garbage, but then I saw dogs, cats, tigers, lions, squirrels, monkeys, even blue jays doing the exact same stuff in their private time. So I realized I haven't done anything wrong, nor am I acting against nature or mammalian evolution.

Also, I have no clue what basis they even use to compile and classify MENTAL DISORDERS. They should be based on actual, unnatural anomalies that deviate from known biological systems—not just some arbitrary rules of "good manners."

Nail biting isn't "polite," so let's just immediately invent a mental disorder to label it so we can marginalize and isolate people with that habit.
You people are truly pathetic—honestly, you couldn't be any more miserable. Especially psychiatrists and psychologists. I couldn't care less about their "expert" opinions.

wanderingmoose15 said:It’s classified as OCD. It falls under those things you do that feel totally pointless, yet you keep doing them over and over. By putting nail biting in that category of mental health issues, I guess you could label someone a mental patient😲.

Oh, sure—I was such an "expert" at biting my nails back in the day that I didn't even need clippers or files. I could use my teeth so skillfully that I’d rip a perfect, smooth half-moon out of the nail almost every single time.

AS IF PICKING YOUR NOSE ISN'T A NATURAL THING WE INHERITED FROM OUR EVOLUTIONARY ANCESTORS (Homo habilis, Homo erectus, even Neanderthals)! It just goes to show that "good manners" are a complete fabrication—something unnatural and totally weird.

And by the way, why is it that on these forums, nobody actually listens to people with real-world experience? People who have actually lived through what the topic is about?

Instead, we get these psychologists or—even worse—those mindless sheep following "experts" who are just conservative, narrow-minded hacks. They think they know everything because they read a textbook, but they don't know a damn thing about human evolutionary history or the genetic instincts and drives we inherited from our ancestors.

If we were living 20,000 years ago, everyone would be biting their nails because there wouldn't be anything else to cut them with! The problem is that instinct and our hardwired subconscious don't care about modern technology or the fact that scissors exist—unless your conscious mind decides to override that primal urge and actually use a tool instead of following its natural predisposition.

When I'm alone in my room, I love biting and peeling my nails back with my teeth—sometimes ripping one off in one go gives me this weird sense of satisfaction, like a little fetish (not in a sexual way, obviously). Same goes for using sharp edges, tweezers, or toothpicks to dig under the nail or peel away bits of skin from my fingertips.

I finally kicked the habit three years ago when I got braces. Since I couldn't bite my nails then, I ended up trimming them to such an insane degree that the skin on my fingertips turned rough and calloused because I’d file them down halfway. Now I have about a three-week window before they grow back enough to mess with again.

All of this is stuff people do unconsciously and purely on instinct.

It has absolutely nothing to do with OCD or any of that other nonsense.

Do you people even know what Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder actually is???? Clearly not, if you're trying to link it to nail biting.🙄

Hannah Allen5 said:@darkic, I just realized my nickname still says "chick magnet," and I honestly thought I'd changed it already. Anyway, I guess that label stuck to me after Mike's last wild night out; I showed up looking like a total mess, and I ended up spending most of the evening hanging out with a girl while everyone else just watched us...

To be honest, I actually thought I was doing something meaningful🤷 But maybe this is just a sign that I need to move on—I mean, three fights like this in ten days, when nothing happened before... But where to go? I have absolutely no clue.🙄

Okay, so first off, this is more of a "should" than a "must," so try not to view it as some massive burden (because saying "must" makes it sound way heavier than it is). And don't get hung up on those couples you see hugging and stuff; that isn't necessarily the full picture, it's just the tip of the iceberg. Like I said, you can't expect your partner to be smiling at you for an hour every single morning.😁 She won't be there every morning.😁 And she won't be smiling every single time.😈 But just knowing she’s there and that she cares about you... that’s what carries you through even when you aren't right next to her.
Quinn:

second thing: I can only dream of having that feeling. I dream about it every night—hoping that one day things will turn around, that I'll finally have an ace up my sleeve, and that basic justice will prevail so I can finally feel that sense of peace because deep down, I know I deserve it.

So I'm asking you, what they asked me, and really what I've been asking myself for a few posts now: What do you actually bring to the table for a girl? Think about how you interact with others—are you intelligent, funny, a good listener, empathetic, or socially skilled? Being loyal, honest, and selfless aren't exactly the traits that make someone crave you initially; those are just bonuses once they're already interested.

Quinn:

because, I mean, isn't the whole definition of insanity just doing the exact same thing over and over again while somehow expecting a different result? I feel like I wake up every single morning clinging to that same sense of hope, yet absolutely nothing ever actually changes. So, who’s the crazy one here? Maybe it’s me, or maybe it’s just the other seven billion people roaming this planet?! 🤷

Well, it’s not seven billion. Let's say we assume all seven billion are between the ages of 20 and 50, and if that's the case, then I honestly believe more than a billion people aren't in a relationship or marriage that actually works. They're either flying solo, stuck in a terrible partnership they shouldn't have entered, or staying in one for all the wrong reasons.

And I guess one way to look at it is that nobody is actually insane if they're at least questioning whether they might be.😛

Smart? Yeah, I consider myself that—mostly because diving into deep, alternative topics is how I unwind, and debating heavy arguments with people feels like mental sparring practice for me. I'm a bit withdrawn, quiet, and—let's be real—my social skills aren't exactly top-tier. I've been the weirdo, the outlier, since I was five or six years old. As for loyalty, honesty, and that natural urge to help everyone like some kind of modern-day Mother Teresa? That's just my thing. It's not about being a suck-up or forcing it on anyone, but man, it makes me wonder how cold and emotionally shallow people have become. When loyalty and a genuine will to love don't mean anything to someone, then what's even the point of socializing?

It shouldn't feel like trading commodities on the New York Stock Exchange or constantly haggling over reputation and material stuff.

When someone first talks to me, I can hold my own—I can talk your ear off at a level where there are zero awkward barriers. Seriously, if some random person approaches me, after three sentences I'm talking to them like we've been best friends for five years. But when it comes to taking the lead socially? I am the total opposite of those "alpha male" types everyone raves about. Still, I'll tell people exactly what's on my mind and give straight advice when needed—even if they end up thinking, "Who is this weirdo? I don't even know him, and he's already jumping in with advice."

Hannah Allen5 said:@darkic, I just realized my nickname still says "chick magnet," and I honestly thought I'd changed it already. Anyway, I guess that label stuck to me after Mike's last wild night out; I showed up looking like a total mess, and I ended up spending most of the evening hanging out with a girl while everyone else just watched us...

To be honest, I actually thought I was doing something meaningful🤷 But maybe this is just a sign that I need to move on—I mean, three fights like this in ten days, when nothing happened before... But where to go? I have absolutely no clue.🙄

Okay, so first off, this is more of a "should" than a "must," so try not to view it as some massive burden (because saying "must" makes it sound way heavier than it is). And don't get hung up on those couples you see hugging and stuff; that isn't necessarily the full picture, it's just the tip of the iceberg. Like I said, you can't expect your partner to be smiling at you for an hour every single morning.😁 She won't be there every morning.😁 And she won't be smiling every single time.😈 But just knowing she’s there and that she cares about you... that’s what carries you through even when you aren't right next to her.
Quinn:

second thing: I can only dream of having that feeling. I dream about it every night—hoping that one day things will turn around, that I'll finally have an ace up my sleeve, and that basic justice will prevail so I can finally feel that sense of peace because deep down, I know I deserve it.

So I'm asking you, what they asked me, and really what I've been asking myself for a few posts now: What do you actually bring to the table for a girl? Think about how you interact with others—are you intelligent, funny, a good listener, empathetic, or socially skilled? Being loyal, honest, and selfless aren't exactly the traits that make someone crave you initially; those are just bonuses once they're already interested.

Quinn:

because, I mean, isn't the whole definition of insanity just doing the exact same thing over and over again while somehow expecting a different result? I feel like I wake up every single morning clinging to that same sense of hope, yet absolutely nothing ever actually changes. So, who’s the crazy one here? Maybe it’s me, or maybe it’s just the other seven billion people roaming this planet?! 🤷

Well, it’s not seven billion. Let's say we assume all seven billion are between the ages of 20 and 50, and if that's the case, then I honestly believe more than a billion people aren't in a relationship or marriage that actually works. They're either flying solo, stuck in a terrible partnership they shouldn't have entered, or staying in one for all the wrong reasons.

And I guess one way to look at it is that nobody is actually insane if they're at least questioning whether they might be.😛

ok, so I'm basically generalizing across almost the entire population—at least in urban areas. The numbers are just a rough guide. Otherwise, I highly doubt socialization in somewhere remote like Tibet or certain Buddhist regions boils down to petty rivalry and manufactured dominance. (By "manufactured," I mean behavior that doesn't flow straight from the soul—where the definition is unconditional love and wanting happiness—but instead gets filtered through these unnatural barriers and distorted realities that eventually cause problems).

At least I'm not the only one looking at the definition of insanity this way.😁

Hannah Allen5 said:Honestly, someone out there claims that bad experiences are better than no experiences at all. But how am I supposed to know if I haven't even had any bad ones yet? What if life just decides to hit me with all the bad stuff once I hit 30? 😬 In a way, every single negative and every single positive just shifts me off my baseline. Then again, if things were actually going poorly right now, I guess I’d probably be wishing I’d had some good opportunities instead—you can never really win, can you? 😁

Way back when, I got some advice from what I think was England-a suggesting I stick to some sort of reference system or something along those lines... so, what would you advise? I mean, look, through thick and thin, just try to have some core value system that will "stabilize" you... something that stays constant—like a sense of purpose... basically a philosophy. 😁

A reference system is what we use to measure our own progress, right? If that's the case, it feels pretty hard to judge objectively. 😁 When I'm totally screwed, it feels like I've hit rock bottom, but when I'm doing okay, it feels like even though I'm on my own, everything isn't quite so bleak...

Come on, in that department, less is more and everyone's on equal footing; nobody is taking advantage of anyone else.

And I'm still stuck with the same ambitions and emotional desires I had four years ago... which is really the core of it, finding the right crew and loyal friends that I can be happy with and who I won't regret giving a part of myself to, plus one amazing girl whom I can enjoy loving, and enjoy receiving her love from, and always find peace and comfort in her embrace.

I guess I'm in a similar spot. My experience is roughly at that level, but my age isn't. And man, just when you think you've finally found someone who is truly awesome, you realize it doesn't work out that easily.

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It’s just honestly impossible to pile on even more responsibilities—whether we're talking about work, crushing financial stress, or just general life obligations—when things are already this heavy. I mean, maybe it looks easier for other people to just breeze through life, but I guess they have it a bit different because, at the end of the day, they actually have something to show for it; they have actual social circles, solid friendships, partners, or just some kind of genuine happiness to lean on.

Honestly, you don't really have much of a safety net right now if things go south, but I guess it might actually be easier to get back on your feet if you manage to land a job first, especially since you aren't exactly juggling a social life or a girlfriend at the moment—it’s probably the opposite case, isn't it? 😁

I mean, honestly, physical barriers have always been such a massive struggle for me when it comes to managing my anxiety, mostly because I just can't wrap my head around how this whole social-psychological mess is even possible, let alone how unfair and completely illogical it all feels.

Maybe you’re just wired differently. I mean, honestly, it feels like no matter how much effort you put in—whether you're being the absolute best version of yourself or if you're just having a rough patch—society still seems to have this massive problem with people who don't fit the standard mold. It's like, if you aren't playing by their specific rules, they just can't seem to wrap their heads around you.

I guess I should probably start by saying that when people like Hannah Allen5 jump into these discussions, they tend to overlook the sheer complexity of what we’re actually dealing with here. It feels like everyone wants a quick fix, but maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part. Honestly, it's pretty frustrating how often we see these half-baked arguments being tossed around without any real substance behind them. I mean, don't get me wrong, I want things to work, but you can't just ignore the underlying issues and expect everything to magically fall into place, right? It’s just one of those things where if you don't look at the big picture, you're basically just spinning your wheels.

Look, if I take on any more obligations or responsibilities right now, I honestly don't know what I'll do. I just can't. Seriously, I just can't. I feel so incredibly disappointed in myself and totally overwhelmed, and honestly, I already feel way too pathetic and exhausted to even consider adding anything else to my plate.

Wait, you really have to. I mean, is someone actually forcing your hand—even if the circumstances are making it feel inevitable—or is this just some idea you’ve cooked up in your own head about what you "must" do? 🤷

I guess I should probably address what Lawrence Bailey77 was getting at earlier, though honestly, it feels like we’re just spinning our wheels here. It seems like maybe some people think they can just ignore the reality of how things actually work in America, which is pretty much a recipe for disaster if you ask me. I don't know, perhaps I'm being too harsh, but it really feels like there's this constant, exhausting push to overlook the obvious flaws in the system, and it's just incredibly frustrating to watch everyone pretend everything is fine when it clearly isn't. I mean, if we can't even agree on the basic facts of the situation, then I suppose any conversation we have is basically just shouting into a void, which is just a massive waste of everyone's time.

You know that feeling when you’re sprinting across an open field, just desperate to reach the girl you see in the distance, seeing that genuine, heartfelt glow in her eyes that tells you she’s absolutely head over heels for you? Or maybe it’s that other feeling, where you’re just hanging out at a local pub with your best friends, everyone grabs a cold craft beer, you all raise a glass together, and you spend the entire night laughing your heads off, knowing deep down that you’ve got a crew that is actually real and stays loyal no matter what... I mean, if I could get even just one hour of that feeling every single day, then honestly, spending the next eight hours working on some absolute nightmare construction site in Chicago would probably feel like a total walk in the park to me.

First thing's first: you’re expecting way too much.🤣 Unless you actually go and get married or something, then I guess even an hour a day might end up being way too much for you to handle.

Honestly, it’s just another thing to consider—I guess there’s a massive sense of relief that comes once you actually realize you have someone like that in your corner, and honestly, just being fully aware of that fact makes everything feel a whole lot easier to handle. 🙂

I don't feel like I "have" to, but look—I'm not planning on living my entire life under my mom's roof and spending her money... so yeah, in that sense, I have to.😉

First thing: I expect too much??? Seriously? If you see some guy out on the street, happy as hell, hugging his girlfriend while his buddies pull up in a car to whisk them away to a party... you wouldn't say that guy is "expecting too much." (Though, I guess that's basically the blueprint for everyone my age right now, like the 18-to-20 crowd.)

Second thing: that kind of self-awareness? It's a pipe dream. I dream about it every single night—just hoping that one day things will finally flip, that I'll actually have an ace up my sleeve, and that basic justice will prevail so I can finally feel that clarity, because deep down, I know I deserve it. I need it.

That hope—that one day I'll actually figure it out—is the only thing keeping me going. The real question is: am I losing my mind?

Because isn't that the literal definition of insanity? Doing the exact same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

I wake up every damn day with that same hope, but nothing ever changes.

So who's the crazy one here? Me? Or maybe the other 7 billion people on this planet?! 🤷

I hung out with a few people back in high school—just surface-level stuff, really. I barely even touched actual socialization with girls

And what did I have to do to make it happen? Burn through massive amounts of cash—buying them drinks, coffee, cigarettes, joints, whatever else they wanted—just to get someone to talk to me for one night, only for them to act like I don't even exist the next morning.
When I finally stopped being a pushover and quit paying for "friendship," I ended up totally alone. Just completely isolated.

Now I’m sitting here, trying to meditate and find some kind of mental balance, but the problem is I’m totally disconnected from the rest of the world—aside from my parents. I have zero social experience, let alone any intimacy or emotional connection with anyone. And I'm already 19! People are already breathing down my neck to take responsibility, get a job, deal with a mountain of obligations

But honestly? My ambitions and my emotional needs are still stuck where they were four years ago... and that's the core of it. I just want to find a solid crew—loyal friends who actually give a damn, people I can be happy with and who are worth investing in. And I want a beautiful girl—someone I can truly love and enjoy, and who I can actually receive love from. Someone whose embrace feels like peace and sanctuary.

I haven't felt anything like that for even a second. My mind—given how much these needs go unmet—is probably going to stay stuck at a 15-year-old's level forever.
It’s just impossible to pile more weight on my shoulders right now—jobs, bills, responsibilities, all of it. It looks easier for everyone else; they navigate life better because they actually have something to show for it—they have a social circle, friends, a girlfriend or wife, actual happiness.

Sometimes I look at my neighbor—he’s in a wheelchair and heads to work every single day—but he’s got tons of friends and a wonderful wife. It makes me think... man, if I could just trade my legs for emotional fulfillment in life (which, in my book, is the whole point), I would.

Because otherwise, physical hurdles have always been a struggle for me, especially since this entire social and psychological situation feels so confusing, unfair, and just plain illogical.

Look, I don't have some mental illness or a formal diagnosis. But I consider myself healthy if I can pull myself through this depression and hardship just to finish high school, hit the gym, and try to take care of myself physically.

But adding more obligations and more responsibilities on top of everything? Dammit, I can't. I just can't.😢(((( I feel pathetic, overwhelmed, and honestly, I'm already too exhausted and miserable to handle anything else.

That feeling when you're running across a field toward a girl whose heart you can see overflowing with love from a distance... or that feeling when you're sitting in a pub with your crew, everyone grabs a pint, you toast to each other, and you spend the night laughing because you know you're a real, loyal group of friends...

If I could just get even one hour of that feeling a day, then spending the next eight hours working on the worst construction site in America would feel like a total breeze.