Plastic Nev

Hi, indeed as Randy pointed out, AOL does get everywhere, I assume you will have been using the ordinary Windows uninstall system. This does leave a lot of clutter lying about and doesn't really get all of the AOL files. It may well be one of them that has become corrupted enough to confuse the installer, so therefore not installing the full system as AOL seem to think is happening. There is an absolutely brilliant program designed to uninstall everything of whatever you tell it to remove and it will find and remove all the AOL files so you can then do a full clean re-install, the program is free for home users and is called Revo Uninstaller, you can download and install it from- Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware - Free and Full Download You can, I see now, get a full 30 days trial of the pro version, or just install the ordinary free version. I only use it for any uninstall of software I no longer want and have nothing to do with the company by the way, it just such a good program at even the free ware level that all of us on staff here recommend it. Nev.

It could also be down to how the BIOS is configured, it may well be looking down it's list of start up options, when all drives are present it can carry on, but if you have physically disconnected one of the drives, the BIOS can't find it, gets confused and shuts down. Have a look at how the BIOS is configured and if possible show us the start up list. Nev.

Further to Rebecca's post, why was a new hard drive fitted? it may well be something else failing on the main motherboard, being a laptop, the video is part of that board and not a separate card, it could also be a RAM problem so have you added more since you got the laptop, or is it just what the machine came with? A lot depends on why the hard drive was changed in the first place, let us know that then we may know what or where to go next. Nev.

If that hard drive runs OK on another machine, but is not being seen at all in the original, I suspect a major failure in the BIOS itself or even some other fault on the motherboard. considering the BIOS is an integral part of the motherboard, then a replacement board is the next step I am afraid. If possible to obtain exactly the same board then all should bo OK, but if the board is more than a year old, then it is unlikely to find a direct match. You can still replace with a different board but you would need a full windows disk of the correct level, SP2 or 3 depending on what is already on the existing operating system, in order to do a Windows repair, so the OS will work with the new board. Considering you have access to another computer anyway (how else did you try the drive?) then you could install the drive as a secondary or slave drive, that way you can get at all your data on that drive in order to back it up before going much further, just in case you have to completely re-install windows after a motherboard change. Nev.

Hi Bob, the problem you describe can be down to processes trundling away in the background, as to which one it is that is hogging processing speed and space, could be hard to find, but first rule out malware and run a scan with everything you have. Also once done, run a defrag, and also a general clear out of all the temporary junk files as well. Nev.

Spybot S&D, though a reasonable program, there are better, plus there is a lot of things in Spybot that although there as protection do slow things down and are not really needed. The teatimer being one of them. It is not difficult to turn "Teatimer" off, just follow these instructions carefully and you will be OK and there will be one less item slowing things down. First open Spybot. then on the bottom left, click on "Tools". On the left of that page, select and click on "Resident". On the next page there is "Resident Protection Status" with two tick boxes, one saying "Resident "SD Helper" (Internet Explorer bad download blocker) active". and the other saying "Resident "Teatimer" (Protection of over all system settings) active". You can leave a tick in the first box as this will help protect you against downloading malware through Internet Explorer, it can only help, but not be sure of blocking all bad downloads though. The second one for the "Teatimer" remove the tick to turn off the teatimer function. Hope that helps. The next item for consideration is definitely the low amount of RAM you have, Using Internet Explorer go to RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, flash cards, SSD at Crucial.com Select Scan my system, this will give you a report of the RAM memory installed and how much extra can be added and what type. You will then be able to see at how much cost to buy, if buying from them. A browse round the Crucial site should also find you instructions in general for installing extra RAM. It really is simple, and as an idea of the improvement you can gain, I originally had less than you at 250MB. Using Crucial, I bought and installed 1GB. that really did improve starting and closing times for me. Nev.

Thanks for the update. It may have just been the pins in the plugs and sockets got a bit oxidised or dirty, unplugging then reconnecting several times will clear that. Looks like that is what happened here. Nev.

Hi, there are no lines or distortion on that photograph, but you are seeing them, that suggests some fault on your monitor. To prove it one way or the other, can you try your monitor on a friends computer, or borrow a monitor and try it on your computer. Let us know what you find if you can do either or both of those, Nev.

I must confess, it isn't my work or idea, just like everything on the web, I nicked it from someone else.

Hi, system restore is not a full recovery, all it does is take the system back to an earlier time. In this case back to before you tried to remove the HP installed goodies, which of course will be the point in time straight after the major recovery from the recovery partition. That is the only way now to get those programs back. I know you don't want them, but you need to have all the files back so we can then help you to remove them correctly. Otherwise it will mean going back into the recovery partition and starting again. Nev.

I don't know how this got dragged into the present day, but please have a look at Seths original post date. It is December 2007. Seth has been, did a lot, but long since gone.

Hi, are you sure the hard drive is supposed to be a 60GB drive as what is showing there is a drive of total 38GB, which would indicate an original drive of say 40GB, though the partitions of FAT and FAT32 are a puzzle as to why they are there. With the operating system being XP all of the drive should ideally be NTFS. as far as sorting those odd partitions out I will leave it to Tootech and Goku, but do check that it is supposed to be a 60GB drive please.

Hi, I will recommend all Tooteck and KenB says. However I must warn you that if the power supply failed in this manner by blowing these capacitors, it may also have then sent a high voltage into the motherboard and done damage there. Although you may be able to replace the capacitors, there is also the possibility that other damage may have been done to the power supply as well. In normal circumstances we would recommend replacing the power supply, and then checking the motherboard and or replacing that too. You may find that has to be done anyway, but I wish you the best of luck as sometimes the fault can be cured by just a simple replacement of parts such as those capacitors. I say all that from experience as I have been building electronic bits and pieces when my eyesight was good enough, as a licensed radio ham. The trouble with computer parts though is their sensitivity, the slightest fault in one area can have massive knock on effects damaging all sorts in the path. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. Do you get these lines on all pictures and video, do you see them now here on this page, or on this photograph-

Hi, as a dabbler in video myself, quite often a separate and dedicated video editing program may be needed to be installed. This program once opened can then connect to the camera. I would try explaining your problem to Canon and see if their tech help has any answers or suggestions of a suitable program.

Hi and welcome, if in South Wales you will have something in common with our Jelly Bean. Nev.

I have to ask the question, has it ever shown the full 4GB? if not, and new to you, where did you buy it? If not of reputable make or source it could be a duffer, there are a lot of re printed or re labelled drives knocking about that are pirated. The pirate gets a cheap 1GB drive, then re labels it as 4GB, and can therefore sell it at a higher price and then run. Nev.

Well I like the idea of stealing some of his electricity to heat my shed if I was his neighbour:D, but in reality it would be as dangerous for me to do that, so I don't think I will bother.

The disk Dell sent is probably a system recovery disk, which will have installed a new operating system, sending the machine back to original factory settings. To retrieve any old data you may need data recovery software, which in itself may install over some existing stuff, but is worth a try if there are important files you wish to retrieve. Have a look here- NTFS Data Recovery Software. BootDisk, Freeware NTFS DOS and more...

Thanks for the feed back, it looks like he may have re installed the operating system completely to get out of that problem. Nev.

OK thanks for the feedback, a complete re-install of the operating system will get rid of malware generally. the only problem is, neither you or I know what the cause was to avoid it happening again, but best of luck with it. Nev.

The only other thing is a trawl round your local second hand shops, both general or if lucky, one that deals in second hand computers and gear. There are two that I know of in my town, so you may get lucky.

Hi and welcome, if you know the tricks, then you know how to help someone out who has had the trick played on 'em.:p

Hi Jonno, Unfortunately not fully familiar with Vista, so can only guess, but have you looked in control panel, find Sound and Audio devices or similarly worded, open it and see if volume controls are accessible from there. If not, click start then run, type in- devmgmt.msc Scroll down the list to Sound Video and Game controllers. Click any positive marks to expand the list, are there any red or yellow marks showing? Nev.

If I was still working in that side of the industry, and even though not now, I would still give him the biggest r*****king of his life if I knew him. There is the risk of electrocution yes, there is the risk of burn out because he is using high current heaters in there yes, and considering the socket and plug just lying on damp grass, I doubt the so called plug in RCD is working, it should have tripped out already. As Ken said it should be a proper installation, done by a qualified electrician if he wants to have power to his shed. Even if it was of a very temporary nature it should be one continuous length of cable from one end to the other and certainly not jointed in the middle by a plug and socket lying in wet grass. Randy has already outlined the legal aspect should any one or any animal get hurt. Nev.