Plastic Nev

Hi, there is a way to stop them being blocked. Firstly open your Outlook.com box, then click on Junk, at the bottom of the page there is a script saying "Looking for an E Mail? If you can't find it here, look in your Blocked senders list." Click on "Blocked senders list" (That bit is a link) the next page has instructions for unblocking an address. Or even blocking one if being spammed by someone. Nev.

Hi John, if the original drive does have a virus, the first thing to do is to check it out in a safe way, and possibly remove the virus. Our security and malware guys are the best to advise on how best to do that, so I would post on the malware removal section and ask about how best to safely access the drive without having the virus infect anything else, or if possible remove the virus or malware that is on it. To do this and also to check the drive contents once it is safe to do so, you will need some way of connecting the drive to your computer, ideally an enclosure to USB. Do you have one or other means of connection? Nev.

Hi, you just might be interested in this forum I found some time since, a very interesting group and worth a look at. http://www.electro-tech-online.com/ Being a licensed radio ham, I also know there are many other electronic and radio amateur websites as well, just google amateur radio, electronics, or any other combination such as vintage radio, you will find a few sites where the old glass bottles (valves) are a part of it. Nev.

Hi, looking at that circuit and the final switching power transistor,TIP122 when in use with the fan running check it for getting warm, it does depend on the fan size as he said up to 60 watts it should be OK anyway. However to save a few pennies, I once used a piece of copper as a heat sink, just to help a power transistor keep cool. A short 25mm length of 15mm copper water pipe, slit lengthways, then unrolled to a flat and bolted to the mounting hole, surprising how much heat that gets rid of. If you use the layout he suggests, first flatten the copper to a flat sheet, then bend it to a |_| shape to surround the transistor.

Hi, what type of connection do you have for the internet? It sounds a lot like ADSL over the ordinary telephone line, this system is horrendously overloaded most evenings after schools have finished, so that download speeds are at a crawl during that time. The files you are wanting to download are possibly quite large, so with slower speeds in the evening you will see these problems. Nev.

Hi, firstly what happens if you just connect a + and - voltage to just those leads? The extra leads coming out, I have just watched this Youtube video of a guy unpacking one. The sensor is on the end of a short twin cable. It may need nothing more than the sensor disconnecting and the two wires connecting together, the fan would likely run at full speed or very slowly, if very slowly what happens if the wires are not connected together? Final speed then is determined of course by the external controller. Nev.

OK Andy, one important thing before going further is the XP Product key. this may be either still stuck on the Windows XP CD case, or a label stuck somewhere on the computers case. The usual layout of the key is five sets of five letters and numbers in this sort of format ***xx ***xx ***xx ***xx ***xx If the label and product key can't be found, There are some free programs that can dig it out of the registry. This must be done before we re-install XP as that key will be required to activate XP once it is installed. Let us know if you do have it, if not we will have to install a key finder program that can dig it out of the registry for us. Nev.

Hi Andy, I am not too sure if the service pack 2 actually has the SATA drivers pre loaded, I know SP3 does, so best to wait till Ken gets back to us as he may know for sure one way or the other. If it doesn't have the drivers for a SATA hard drive, I am afraid we will have to go the long way round to get XP to install. The drivers disks you have will of course be required and those will be installed after we have the operating system up and running. Try to avoid it installing the Norton, for one it is a one we don't recommend, and secondly it is way out of date anyway. The Adobe reader and the Direct X are also out of date so be better to download them in their up to date form if needed. Just hang on, maybe tomorrow now for Ken to have a look. Nev.

Finally some pictures of my Peugeot 106, my most recent means of transport. http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/14/68/69/96/new_pe10.jpg http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/14/68/69/96/new_pe11.jpg As can be seen there are some dents on the driving side front wing panel, considering these are bolt on, I am hoping that I can remove the wing, then push the dents out from inside. Otherwise it is a fine car for its age as it was first registered in 2000, making it 14 years old. Cost me all of £500. Oh, and don't tell me, I know one wheel trim is an odd one, but who cares? Nev.

I wouldn't be impressed with a scratch like that and my car is 14 years old. Some careless idiots around isn't there eh? Nev.

Hi, A couple more questions, firstly have a look at the XP disk you have, does it say it is just Windows XP, or does it say Windows XP SP1, or SP2 or SP3, If SP3 we might get away with not requiring this further stuff below. Having looked up the Seagate drives as yours is a 500GB drive, I find that it is most likely to be a SATA type drive, which has slim cables for both power and data rather than the broad ribbon that the earlier IDE drives had. I need to ask also does the machine have a floppy disk drive or not? or is there just the DVD drive? If I am right about the hard drive being a SATA, there are some difficulties in installing XP which includes installing correct drivers for the motherboard and hard drive, if a floppy drive is present it does make life a little easier. If you can let us know about that, and also as much as possible information about the motherboard will be a big help in finding the right drivers for it. If there is not a floppy drive, rather than explain things and type a lot of information that is already there in this rather long, but very explanatory description, have a look and a good read of this. http://jcalcote.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/installing-windows-xp-on-a-sata-drive/ You will of course need to keep the original installation before re-installing Windows XP, or better, another computer as the original XP disk needs to be copied and then the required drivers added onto another disk. The article or blog, is a lot long winded and at first seems to be difficult, however, once you have read through a few times, you get to realise that although there is a bit more to do than just slipping the XP disk in, it isn't all that complicated to actually do. Also have a look through some of the replies, the author does give extra help for some who didn't quite understand his first article. Nev.

Hi joddle, from what I can discover the locks are a symbol that they can only be accessed by the administrator, any other user cannot. This is part of the Windows privacy, security, and sharing. You do need to be logged on as administrator to do this. Right click on one of the icons showing the lock, then select properties. In the properties window select the security tab. Next is go to one of the Windows 7 machines that does not have the lock symbols and do the same, check what differences there are as in what is ticked and what is not for "Allow" You can then click "edit" which will allow you to change the system in question to match the other. If possible and struggling to see what to do next can you post some screen shots of what you see in both those windows please. Nev.

That's great Andy, I will leave Ken to run through the install with you rather than two of us getting involved and cause confusion. Nev.

Hi Andy, just to save Ken asking this question, I will. You said much earlier on that when the computer was first bought, it had Linux on it which you got rid of and you then installed XP. Did you do that with a retail Microsoft XP disk, and if so, do you still have that disk? If you have, it shouldn't be a problem to reinstall. Nev.

Firefox version 30 is now mainstream. Earlier this morning I checked for updates and was rewarded with the download and install. I then went out for the rest of the day, however we will see how it goes on from now. Nev.

Hi Peter, thanks for letting us know, shame the Canon went wrong and had to be returned though as Canon are usually reliable. Nev.

Hi, to add to Kens already good advice, If you think carefully about this and the budget you already may be looking at, a new Windows 7 computer may turn out to be the cheapest option rather than trying to upgrade what you have. It will turn out to be nearly a full new build anyway which will possibly cost more than a completely new computer. However we can help to improve the XP machine as it stands as there are many reasons for why it has slowed down, it can be malware and virus which our security guys can help with removing. However there are many other things in the software and general operating area's, minor things like doing a full defragment of the drive, a full disc clean up and get rid of all the temporary files, a good sort out of what starts up and is running in the background that doesn't need to be, and a good look at what programs are installed, do you really need them? A sort out of all the above can make quite a difference to a computers performance and we can help with all of that where needed. Nev.

Is that still in Beta? let us know how it goes and if any crashes or other problems please. Nev.

This is only to find out if others are having problems with Firefox, as I have already had several verbal reports from other folks I know who are also suffering the Windows message "Firefox has stopped working" or a full crash with the Firefox window opening with the standard "We are sorry that Firefox has crashed, would you like to send a report" Other folk are also reporting that firefox comes up with a message that "there are two instances of Firefox working in the background" or other odd messages. Anyone else seeing this or similar behaviour from version 29.0.1 ? Also has anyone seen any reports either from Mozilla or other sources? Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help Jenny. We do need a lot more information please, the make and model of computer, or if a built to order, the make and model of motherboard. The make and model of router or modem you are using and what type of connection, cable or ordinary telephone line. Lastly the internet service provider you are going to use or are using. Though not a internet connection guru myself, that information will be of help for someone who is. Nev.

I am a little puzzled here, this new computer did it come with Windows installed? Which key are you refering to that your parents are already using? And thirdly, I have deleted the link to that site, it is showing up as a dangerous site. So don't use that site.

Just one more final thing worth a mention, I hope you do not use the registry side of C.Cleaner. Any so called registry cleaner and that includes the registry side of C.Cleaner are a recipe for eventual disaster. Sooner or later and quite often sooner, it will damage the registry causing all sorts of problems. Quite often the only way out is to reinstall Windows once that damage has been done. If you search the forum for "Registry cleaners" you will find many people we have either warned away from them or where members have got problems due to using them. Nev.

The camera does have image stabilisation, however that on its own isn't much use at the full magnification of the 200 times zoom, so a tripod is certainly required. It also does a nice job of HD video, some slight and usual Youtube degradation, however this was taken the other week at Embsay station just outside of Skipton. Yes of course it is railway, what else did you expect from me?

Nearly neglected this thread, however the Mazda had to go, the engine management ECU decided to go faulty and would have cost more than a replacement car did, so got a nice Peugeot 106 now, no pictures as yet. The other nice bargain recently was a Canon Power shot SX50HS. It has a zoom of 50 times on the lens and a phenomenal 200 times in total by 150 of electronic zoom. Here are two demonstration shots of the moon to give an idea of what this thing can do. http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/14/68/69/96/moon_110.jpg http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/14/68/69/96/moon_210.jpg

Just to agree with DSTM, if you are clicking the log out at the top of the page, you will have to log in again. As he said that applies to all websites regardless of what your settings are, all log in cookies have been deleted for that site when you click "Log out" If you wish to be logged in next time you open the website page, don't log out. Just go to another page, or if shutting down, close Firefox with the usual red and white cross on the top right corner. Nev.