3babylions

I have an Olympus LS-20M recorder and accidentally deleted some audio WAV files earlier this year. The files were stored on a 2GB sanddisk card. I thought all were lost for good, but I recently found a recovery CD and managed to get back 30 second fragments of 7 lost Raw WAV files. The files appear to show the full duration of the original time on the recorder's LCD screen but only play for 30 seconds before repeating. For example, a file might appear as a 3 minute recording but when played only lasts for 30 seconds. However, all of the 7 files appear to be of 5MB. I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and managed to recover more data by using recovery software. Any help greatly appreciated - the files were voice recordings of great sentimental value.

I forgot to mention - the other night when I replaced the CMOS I did manage to get to the login page and type devmgmt.msc ... in the 'run' box. There were no yellow exclamation marks next to 'display adapters' But thanks for all your help - greatly appreciated.

OK thanks. So how do you uninstall a card/driver before inserting a new one in the current scenario - given the fact that the computer is always switching off and restarting? How do you actually uninstall a video card/driver?

Just tried again. The system did not start with the card out of the slot. Computer just stayed on. White plug still attached to card. I don't understand the logic though - if the card is out of the slot how can it affect whether the computer restarts or not?

Before I took the card out I just had another check - the dots are back. Took the card out. I didn't take the white plug out as I'm not sure how to without breaking it. Switched on. There is still a beep but it is a longer beep. With the card back in there is just the normal short single beep as usual. Computer closes down soon after I get to the log in page. All the dots are there across the screen fading in and out. The computer reboots as before.

The system does beep and it is XP So if I remove the video card again I will leave the monitor unplugged? The video card has 2 small screws. It is also attached to a card above it by a white 'plug' and lead. I have an 'application and support' disk and the 'recovery disk'.

Hi Ken I took out the battery and put the same one back in. I couldn't get to the RAM modules because there are lots of stiff bundles of wires in the way. I switched on the computer. A light blue screen came up and the computer began checking the disk for for errors. Some errors were fixed and files deleted or moved. There were the bands of dots on this screen but they gradually faded as the disks were being checked etc. I think there was a reboot at this point and/or the log in screen came up. There are now no dots on the log in screen. I log on and everything seems fine except that an error box appears - similar to those described previously - I delete one and another pops up. This happens 2 or 3 times. I click on a link in an error box and am taken to a Microsoft page that suggests checking for updates. At first I can't update because the date and time have altered - back to 2005. I correct the date and time. The computer then reboots. I'm back to the log on page and complete some XP updates. The computer reboots. The dots are still absent. Just when I think the problem's solved, the desk top freezes and the computer reboots. Now every time - as soon as I log on and the desk top appears the screen freezes and the computer reboots. I try F8 - can only get to the Boot Menu and still unable to use any key.

OK thanks. Before I start... if I take the battery out will that affect the date/time etc? I think I have new CMOS batteries - would a new one help? Are you still thinking this is a graphic card problem? Could anything I've described to far have been caused by a virus? The trouble is - someone else was using this computer when this occurred so I'm not sure exactly how it began.

I'm afraid this is getting into unknown territory for me. Providing I learn where/what the Motherboard is - do you mean take the battery out while computer is switched on? What does the CMOS battery power? No idea how to take RAM out. The keyboard is USB

Hi thanks again for the quick reply. I tried many times to get to the safe mode screen via the F8 key but it always takes me to the Boot Menu or the Windows logo page appears. Eventually I did get to the Advanced Options Screen but only because I shut the computer incorrectly or something else... However, as with the Boot Menu I am unable to navigate with the arrow keys on the keyboard. None of the keys work. On the log in screen the keys do work.

I have tried the F8 key a few times. The only screen that appears is the Boot Menu. This offers 2 choices: a hard disk b CD Rom There are no dots on this screen. However, the screen seems frozen and none of the keys work so I cannot navigate. I have reached this screen several times with the same outcome.

Thanks KenB for your reply. I have followed your instructions but the problem remains the same more or less. The dots still appear in vertical parallel bands across the screen but sometimes fade in and out. As I'm logging in the monitor screen will blank out/blink on several occasions. As I try to open a file the computer usually shuts down and reboots. An error box keeps occuring as I try to log in: Error signal: BCCode:1000007e BCP1:C000005 BCP2: 8061E52C BCP3:E7A6FC64 BCP4:F7A6F960 OSVer: 5_1_2600 SP:3_0 Product:256_1 Sometimes the numbers are different. After several attempts I did manage to log in once long enough to complete a system restore. When this was complete the blue screen appeared with: IRQL NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL I rebooted again and - dots - error box etc

Hi everyone, First my computer details: I have a Medion PC - MD 8818 ML (Nearly six years old). Duo Core 2 Processor 320Gb HDD 1Gb Ram I think the video card is a NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7650 GS graphics card with 256 MB DDR2 graphics memory. Problem Suddenly upon turning on computer there appears all faint dots across the login screen. Sometimes a vertical line appears down the middle. When I log on the dots remain on the desktop but then computer reboots. Sometimes the computer reboots before I get to the login screen or simply stays switched on but with no signal on the monitor. My knowledge of dealing with internal hardware is very basic. I have only ever installed a dial up modem card on another computer about 6 years ago. Any help/guidance greatly appreciated Tony