Plastic Nev

OK, first try, from break to maker. Do I come up with a new word, or does the next one make a new word from my "Maker"? Nev.

The really interesting thing is opting for PCIe mounting, maybe other manufacturers will catch on to that and produce smaller SSD's for it, if so it could be a real game changer, though there may have to be some sort of tweaks for the BIOS to see it and boot from PCIe. Nev.

Hi for when you come back, once you have converted the file or files, you should then be able to use Windows Movie maker to edit them, put three or four together to make one, chop out unwanted bits etc. Being XP, as far as I know Windows Movie maker comes with it providing you are up to date with service pack 3 installed. Nev.

Samsung have announced a 3.2TB solid state drive that instead of being the latest SATA III base is actually PCIE based for even faster speeds, more here. http://www.itworld.com/storage/438892/end-hdd-samsung-debuts-32tb-pcie-ssd-card

Hi, there are quite a few things, if all you want to do is to view them you could just download and install VLC Player, that is an open source and free media player that will play anything, including those files. The other alternative is to download and install a free video converter so that you can convert the files to a format type that Windows Media player can handle, such as WMV. You can also burn that to a CD, not a DVD, you burn it in Windows as a Video CD, which then can play on certain DVD players to view on the TV set. Here is a direct download link for a video converter called AVC (It starts the download as soon as the page opens) http://www.any-video-converter.com/download-avc-free.php During the installation of AVC (Any Video Converter) You will be presented with an unwanted addition called Linkey. Click on the "Custom button, then remove the two ticks in the boxes to avoid the unwanted tool bar and etc. Once the ticks are removed, click next to finish the install. Any problems in working out how to use it, let us know. Alternatively if you wish to have a look at the VLC player and install it, you can download it from here. http://www.videolan.org/index.html I will also add that if your XP based computer is not a top of the market fast machine, you may have problems playing the MTS files as they stand, as that format is a full HD or high definition file. You will be better converting them to WMV or AVI. Nev.

If a drive is disconnected while files are still in use without using the safe to remove function, it is most likely to do exactly what has happened and turn all the data RAW. If done too many times it can actually damage the drive as well due to the read head will crash if disconnected during read or write functions. I don't recommend trying the disconnecting while it is in use for that reason. So sorry Ray, it may well do some permanent damage. Nev.

There is a free software called "Mailwasher" which is supposed to be able to filter out Spam mails, though not used it myself, it has a good reputation. From here if you want to give it a try. http://www.mailwasher.net/ Nev.

Providing the old battery still holds some charge, even if it lasts only a few minutes it won't be a problem. My old second hand Acer laptop, the battery is going on that and it will only last 30 minutes at best on just the battery, but still perfectly OK on mains power. Nev.

Hi Ray, lets get this clear, you are receiving notifications from the mail delivery service that E Mails cannot be delivered. The E Mails in question have not been sent by you. According to the information available they have apparently been sent by other people. These so called notifications contain links that are supposed to explain why they were not delivered. Firstly, were these supposedly unsent mails all sent to the same obviously none existent address or a totally different address in each case? You are of course right to delete them as the correct mail delivery failure system explains why in the main body of the notification, never ever with any links. So they are bogus all the way through. Unfortunately we only have one malware expert Etavares, to advise available as Starbuck has just gone on holiday, however I will leave a message for Etavares to have a look and give some advice, however, there isn't a lot can be done to stop these things directly, you may be able to block them, but only if coming from one source. Nev.

If I can poke me nose in, by all means try a reformat, if it will do so. Afterwards, copy some files onto it, (Don't delete the originals) then check that the files can be accessed, leave it for a day or two, and check again. Providing that it will reformat OK and also that it will accept and hold without losing files, there is a good chance it is OK. Whatever you do, please remember to always use the "Safe to remove" procedures before disconnecting it. If at any time you get the message that in cannot be removed due to some files being in use and you cannot find what is using them, save any other work and shut down the computer, it will only be safe to disconnect after a full shut down. Nev.

My first thoughts are the power lead itself considering there is no power on light lit. If a UK style plug with a fuse, check the fuse and if not a moulded on plug, check connections inside it. Also check that the power lead is correctly pushed in at the printer. Other wise it may be a power issue inside the printer. Nev.

Hi UK Girl71, and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. OK lets first try the simplest thing. Make sure the computer is fully off, then press the start button, and then start tapping the F8 key on the top line of keys. You should then see a black page with white text and hopefully a highlite on "Repair Your Computer." Don't as yet use that one. Use the keyboard up and down keys to move that highlight to "Last known Good Configuration", then press the enter key. It will take a few minutes but hopefully will get you back to a working computer. If not and nothing happens after say ten minutes, please let us know. Don't worry, there are quite a few other things we can try if that doesn't work. Nev.

Does the drive show up on the computer itself, as Drive E or some other letter ? If it doesn't show in computer, or at the bottom left of the libraries, see if it shows in Disk Management. If it isn't being seen by the computer, the software certainly won't find it. Does the external drive have its own power supply, is that connected and showing as on? Check the USB connections as well. I did recently see where a member took the hard drive out of the external case, then connected the drive by an adapter and it worked, proving there was a fault in the enclosure electronics or connections, that might be the next if it doesn't show up in the computer. Nev.

Well, regardless of the power plant under the bonnet, it is indeed a nice car, it looks sleek and fast and no doubt it is fast.

Hi, according to the instructions on the website, you need to select the type of files you wish to recover, if mixed I would select "All", then click the "Next" button which should then be where to find the external drive. I haven't used it, but can only go by what the instructions say. Nev.

There is just the chance something such as the RAM, Disk drive, or other off board item, may just be a major fault and preventing the rest from starting up, hence why trying the board with everything disconnected. If the fans spin up, and if a BIOS speaker is fitted you should hear many beeps, the next thing is turn off the power, and reconnect something and try again. Nev.

Hi, have a look at the page and software DSTM has given a link to, it looks very promising and may help you rescue the data. Thanks for finding that DSTM. Nev.

Hi, sorry to hear that, it means the drive has gone RAW. That of course happened due to being disconnected without using the "Safe to Remove" It isn't easy to recover files when this has happened, and not something I am familiar with, so hopefully Ken may have some other idea's. Nev.

If the amplifier has a high impedance head phone socket, then yes you can put them on through that, you may have to either change the plug to the larger 6mm size if it has that size headphone socket, or obtain an adapter plug. Otherwise don't put the powered speakers onto the amplifiers ordinary speaker connections. Nev.

It could also be overheating, check that the fan and heatsink on the CPU are clear of dust, and that the fan runs. Nev.

Hi to both, the power supply starts with a momentary connection between two of the lines on the big molex plug that fits on the motherboard, it is actually the line from the press button on the tower. Without looking it up I forget which two wires they are. However, providing this new power supply is of the same type as the one you replaced, I am afraid it is sounding a lot like a motherboard fault. You can do a simple test on the power supply if you have a multimeter, there are instructions in the forum magazine pages here :- http://magazine.freepchelp.uk/test-a-power-supply-unit/ Some checks you can try if the power supply seems OK, is to remove the RAM modules, the connections to the CD/DVD drive, the connections to the hard drive and all other connections except that big plug I mentioned and the two wires from the start button, then turn on the power and press the start button, if at least the fans start up it may be some other component, if still no fans, it may be the motherboard itself. If possible, completely remove the motherboard and place it on an insulating surface, a plastic table top, or dry card or paper will do, connect the big plug and the connection to the start button again and see if at least the CPU fan spins up then. If the motherboard has a BIOS beep speaker fitted, you should also hear a series of beeps. If still nothing the motherboard is the main suspect. Nev. Oh and a PS, I still think steam engines are better. :D

Hi did you then type in :- dlgdiag5.exe As per instruction 4 As it says in the instructions you should then see the list of options to select first the drive we need to test, which is your hard drive, then select the quick test. If you are seeing something different than that, can you post a screen shot, from a camera will do fine. Nev.

Hi, have you tried different browsers, Internet Explorer or Firefox, what results with them? Nev.

Hi, Did you set the BIOS to boot from the USB? If it has been set to do so, plug the flash drive in, then turn the laptop on with the main start button, it should then start up and boot from the flash drive, not the internal hard drive. If you can't find the USB as a means to boot it within the BIOS please let us know. Nev.

Hi, Considering the hard drive shows being OK with the Seatools check, I can only suggest trying "Recuva". Download the free version, the one on the left, from here :- https://www.piriform.com/recuva/download Install that on a working computer and then set it to scan the external hard drive, hopefully it will find the data you need. I haven't had the need to use that software, however it is well recommended, so any questions about using it, Ken may be back today or tomorrow as he has had more experience with it I think. Nev.