Plastic Nev

Hi, see how well that goes, then try IE11 again and see how that performs. If still slow there are many more things we can try. Nev.

Hi, No doubt Ken will say more, however I am not happy seeing the Iobit stuff, especially the advanced system care, that contains a so called registry cleaner which can do more damage than any good. In short no one should ever need any sort of registry cleaner as the potential for them to do unrecoverable damage is far greater than anything else, as in actual fact the registry should never need to be touched except in extreme circumstances, and only by being guided by an expert. The Iobit Malware scanner is a poor copy of Malwarebytes, and in actual fact Iobit were successfully prosecuted for copyright infringement of Malwarebytes system. I recommend getting rid and installing the free version of Malwarebytes in its place, also remove the System care thing too. The McAfee stuff, is also not regarded as the best, though you might be tied to that with your ISP. See also the link KenB provided, and also now he can see your last post he may also have more advice as well. Nev.

Hi Jim, Considering you already have Speccy installed, have a read of this, http://www.piriform.com/support/speccy#21111316 Go for option "2 File > Publish snapshot" and post the resultant URL address in your next post, that will tell us quite a lot which will help in finding drivers eventually. Nev.

Hi, once you have the enclosure and copied what you want, you can then reformat the hard drive and use it for external storage of important data as an external backup. Let us know how you go on or if any video files aren't easily sorted out. Nev.

Hi, that processor though not very fast at 2.2GHz should be OK, however, your report that Speccy froze the system tells me there is something wrong elsewhere. Which anti virus do you have, also which firewall, and do you have any other security software installed such as Malwarebytes or Superantispyware, or similar, and when did you last scan for virus or other malware? Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help Highlander. From your description, especially as you mention jumper connections it sounds like the hard drive the older IDE type. In your case and also so the hard drive can be useful as extra external storage later, I suggest obtaining an enclosure for it, you should be able to get one at a reasonable price and most come with instructions about how to fit the drive into its case. For the size of 3.5 inch they usually are powered separately and come with the plug in type low voltage power supply. They then connect to a USB port on the computer. Something like this is what you need. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000JK769E/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=479289247&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0037JW1Y4&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=03SQS8TZ625XGP1V0A3R Not being familiar with the file type these video recorders actually put on to the hard drive, it may be best to get that far, and plug it in to the computer, then if any problem viewing or dealing with the files, let us know and what file type they are, once we know that we can advise as to how best to either view or convert them. Nev.

Hi, sorry about that I must have missed seeing your reply. A look at the specs for your motherboard shows you are right about the maximum RAM it will take, which is just about OK for Windows 7, the processor itself should be of the AthlonXP family, do you know exactly which one? If not, Speccy will find all that and can be downloaded from here :- http://www.piriform.com/speccy/download/standard The download starts straight away. Install that and it should give us a lot of useful information, including the processor type and number. Once you have it installed and opened, (It will take a short time to gather information) follow the instructions here for option 2 and then post that link here in your next reply please. http://www.piriform.com/support/speccy#21111316 Hopefully with all it shows us we may better see what is slowing down IE 11. Though the processor itself is the likely culprit if it is one of the lower series of AthlonXP. Nev.

Hi Bringe, I agree with DSTM that there is a possibility the RAM you have tried may well be the wrong type for the motherboard. Considering you don't have any labels on the case we can't research the make or model, so we need to know what make and model the motherboard is, hopefully that should be somewhere on the board. If you can find that, or perhaps take a photo and post that we can then see what type of RAM it needs. Also be of help if you can tell us the type, speed, and any other details from the RAM you have tried so we can find out if it should or should not work with that motherboard. Edit to add, I have also just been made aware of this link :- http://computermemoryupgrade.mysuperpc.com/out_of_memory.shtml If you remove most of the RAM you fitted so you have only 512MB, you might just find it will install OK having now read that. One other thing is that the Windows 98se CD you have, if that was installed and activated on its original computer, it may not activate on this one which will mean having to get in touch with Microsoft, who in turn probably might not offer help with such an old operating system. However once RAM or other problems are sorted, it will at least start up to prove things are possibly OK. Then I would look at installing one of the free Linux systems, Ubuntu or Mint. Nev.

Hi, that's correct is the VOB format for DVD's though I don't know that particular burning program, instead of offering NTSC or PAL, it might instead offer it as regions, if so, America is the region you would need. Do you have any internet contact with those in America at all? There are a few other options if they have internet connection rather than sending a solid DVD through the post or if visiting, carrying it with you. You can as I said upload to Youtube, or to a file hosting site such as Dropbox, then just send them the link to either download or just watch it depending on which you use. Dropbox is pretty good as they can download it from there and then burn their own video. Another worth thinking about would be to just copy the video file straight on to a flash drive and send them that. They can then send it back later when they have copied the file. All of that does of course depend on the folks in America having computers and internet connection. Nev.

Hi, If sending a DVD to America, depending on the burning software you have, you will need to find the DVD TV format and select NTSC. Once burned to that you might not be able to view it here as the UK format is PAL and your DVD player might not be able to play it. (Though the computer might) A bit more information plus a world map here on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAL#PAL_vs._NTSC Another possible option to look into providing the people in America have computers, or other mobile devices that can get on to Youtube, is to upload the video to Youtube, then just send them the URL address to be able to watch it. Nev.

As an extra, I found this morning that Firefox has an update out to version 33.0, be worth checking that in case it improves anything too. Nev.

Hi, Printers can get buggy, and usually more mechanical than the software, so providing you have as you say installed the latest drivers, I doubt that is the problem now. My first thoughts after that though is the USB cable, have you tried changing that? It may just be a poor connection causing the stall during a print. Nev.

HI, as well as Ray's good idea, Is it at all possible to connect the computer through either a long ethernet cable or temporarily move the computer downstairs and connect via the cable, if it will connect via cable at the downstairs point, that will at least prove there is a wireless problem or not. Nev.

Rather than going out of your way now Ray, Windows 10 is going to be released some time early 2015. However, I would also see if you can find a decent second hand one with Windows 7 on it as Windows 7 is not a big jump up from XP, and is much better and stable than Vista. I like it and dread even the new Windows 10, they still haven't fully got rid of those useless tile efforts on the desktop. I agree with Randy also that the best is to download free from Microsoft the Windows Live Mail, I have it set to work with my original ISP address, and also my Hotmail, or what was once MSN all those years ago, which I know the most recent version Microsoft are now calling it Outlook. (Don't ask why, I doubt Microsoft know for sure :confused: ) Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. Click on this link and read through. http://email.about.com/od/Outlook.com-Tips/qt/How-to-Create-an-Outlook-com-Email-Account.htm When you get to :- "Click Or get a new email address under Microsoft account name. Just follow instructions from there, choose a new user name for the new account and you should be good to go. Nev.

You may be right DSTM if it is only a small part of cmd.exe, I was only thinking that if it can open the cmd.exe window, it may be OK in itself. However if a disk can either be created, or if lucky there just may be one available off E Bay or similar, then run the sfc /scannow and whatever is missing should be fixed by that. In fact if a true Microsoft Windows xp disk can be found, then a full Windows repair could be done. For Bringe, if you can obtain a Windows XP disk, make sure that it is exactly the same as your system, Windows XP Home, or Windows XP Professional. Nev.

I think we are getting a little bit lost here, CMD.exe is nothing more than the command prompt, which is the black window that is opening, as to which file is missing is unknown as it only tells us that it is part of the system 32. However can you remember when it first appeared? If so and not too long ago, a system restore might sort that out, have you tried one? If it is too far back in time for system restore to correct, then I would first try the sfc /scannow and see what that reports as it may at least tell us properly which file is missing even if it does ask for the Windows disk. If it does do, then the next thing will be to burn the disk as DSTM linked to the instructions for in post #4. Do that on the other fully OK XP computer to be sure of getting the right file copied correctly. The I386 folder carries all the files for XP. Please note it is a capital letter i not a figure 1. There is a different way, however that is a way of of pointing the sfc /scannow directly to the I386 folder on the problem computer, however we don't know if that is corrupt or not, so probably best to get it copied off a known to be good computer. Nev.

Sorry but you are obviously trying to gain something that your company forbids. We cannot under any circumstances advise on ways round that as it does actually constitute theft of company property. This matter is entirely between yourselves and the company. Nev.

Hi Ray, considering the different things you have already tried to get the E Mail working, it is possible that an unusual off shoot might have done the damage, one of the many odd bugs that XP always seemed to have. As usual, run your AV scans, if nothing found don't worry unless something else goes daft. Nev.

Hi, there could be many reasons for IE11 slowing things down as it is indeed a little more hungry for resources, so to get a better idea of what you can do or not can you please let us know as much as possible about the 10 year old computer. If a manufactured one the make and model number of it please. Or if a built for you either by yourself or someone else we need to know the motherboard make and number and the processor. You say also you have fitted an extra RAM or memory module so how much memory does it have now, the size you put in and what was there before will also be of help. I will say that the most likely reason will be not enough memory, however the processor may also be having some influence if a fairly slow one, hence why we would need to know that. Once we know as much as possible, there just might be some odd settings in IE11 that can also be changed to help things along too. Nev.

I don't know of any present issues, earlier ones were fixed by Microsoft's updates. Incidentally, that AddBlock Plus, will also work on Internet Explorer, just go to that link I gave, the page automatically knows which browser is opening it so you will be presented with the download and install for IE 11. It is very good at keeping adverts off the pages you are viewing and also does help the page load a little quicker as the adverts are stopped from loading. Nev.

Not sure about Windows above 7 Ray, however with Vista and 7 all the safe to remove does is to check that data isn't being passed or used, hence why when it finds that data is still in use it tells you to stop whatever program is using it first. It cannot normally actually stop data as far as I know and therefore won't turn off the drive as such, unlike when you tell the CD/DVD drive to eject and it then stops the drive and sends the drawer or disk out. As an aside, with either the external hard drive, a thumb drive or even an SD card from my camera, I simply right click on the drive and choose "Eject", the pop up small window then comes up to say it is safe to remove. or to turn off whichever program is using it.

Hi, very surprised you had a problem with instability with Firefox, however recent updates should have fixed that as the latest version is 32.0.3 To prevent adverts in Firefox you need to install the add on called AdBlockPlus which you can download from here :- https://adblockplus.org/ You do need Firefox installed and running to obtain the right one for Firefox. However, the question regarding IE11 a case of nothing ventured nothing gained, as there may well be recent updates to it that may have fixed problems you had before. Nev.

Hi, while taking out and replacing the hard drive, how much did it involve in removing covers? However many covers you have removed and replaced, take them off again and have a good look round to see if any wires or connections to other parts of the laptop are looking loose, not connected, or even if connected check them to make sure that they are fully connected. Considering that all you have done is remove and replace the hard drive, there is just the possibility something became disconnected while doing so. Also make sure the correct screws went back in the right places as some may be longer and shorting against something on the board underneath. Nev.

Hi, when you took the old hard drive out, was it mounted in a frame of some sort and also was there an intermediate connector between the hard drive and the laptop connections? Disconnect power and remove the battery, then remove the hard drive. With the hard drive out, replace the battery and power lead, then try the on button, you should at least get something on screen then as it may just be a problem with the new hard drive, or somehow you managed to connect it the wrong way round. let us know if anything does come on screen with the hard drive out. Nev.