Plastic Nev

Hi, to save a lot of work, here is a link where someone has kindly done all the writing for us. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html Firstly, make sure everything is fully backed up elsewhere and also any programs you have installed now, that you have the original disk or other media for the programs before you start, as doing a full clean install, which is the best way, will fully reformat and delete everything that is on your hard drive. Please do obtain a legal copy of Windows 7, many dealers will still be selling them and possibly cheaper than Microsoft. Please do not go and get a cracked copy, as well as being illegal most are either not complete copies, and sometimes also they can carry virus or other malware. A cracked copy might be free, but in the end not worth the hassle. Besides we can't help if anything goes wrong. Nev.

Got to be worth a try Jim, it is unlikely to cause damage, just that Windows just may not boot if there are vast differences on the new computer. Otherwise, connect the old hard drive as external and if possible show us a screen shot of what is on the drive, I suspect all we may see will be operating system files though, and one big locked file under your name as a perhaps. I have been down this road when a Friend had a problem, all his sons stuff on his user name wasn't password protected and we could see it all, my friends stuff actually said it was an empty folder because that was password protected. If you hadn't set a password for the whole system, we would have stood a chance, otherwise no, as there is no way to input the password to unlock your stuff without the operating system running. Not too sure if any of the file recovery and rescue software would work, though Ken may know. Just on the off chance the old drive does boot up, and you can use the password, once in, remove the requirement for the password, then once back as external you should be able to see all your stuff. Nev.

Hi Jim, just a small point about the old hard drive and rescuing data from it, if the computer had more than one user, and therefore you password protected your own stuff, you cannot see the password protected files, and the only way to use the password is with the operating system active and running. That will of course require getting the old computer working again as the operating system will certainly not boot on the new computer. I just hope your stuff wasn't password protected. Nev.

Hi, can you get it to boot up at all, or are you stuck on that message and it won't go any further? If it will not boot up at all, it is quite likely a hardware fault, are you able or allowed (Considering it is your sisters laptop) to remove covers? If so, you would need to locate the cover or covers for RAM modules, and also the Hard drive. Can you please tell us if prepared to go that far, and quite importantly the make and model number of the laptop please. Nev.

Have good birthday Maynard and hope it is a good one. Nev.

Hi Jim, in what form did you save the previous, was it a system image, or was it a complete clone? If an image, not a lot of use as images are compressed, however if a clone, then everything will be readable and can be transferred. However, the old drive can also be read anyway, all you need is either a simple adapter to USB, or an enclosure to USB, once the useful stuff is transferred, it can then be reformatted and used as another external drive if in an enclosure. Nev.

Hi, I will leave Starbuck to finish off regarding things such as regular scans with various softwares. As far as the dismantling of your laptop is concerned we do not normally recommend anyone without experience to do so as they can be fiddly, and even if dismantled in the wrong order, can finish up breaking something. If you have access to and understand the full service manual and experienced with dismantling equipment, it is entirely up to you, however if you are unsure, and your friend is willing having done it before, let him do it for you. Failing that it is a trip to recognised and reputable repairers. Nev.

I seem to have a problem with my mouse pointer, it has gained a life of its own. http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/plasticpig/cursercsc-1.gif Nev.

Hi Morag, have you since gone back to Malwarebytes and told it to remove that PUP? Starbuck will want to know no doubt so please follow any further suggestions from him regarding that. Now for the heat issue, you did say a friend had a look some time since, it may require another clean out, and also the heat sink on the CPU may need reseating with new thermal paste, as those temperatures are too high. I will also say the extra cooling pads having their own fans can be a good thing for cooling, though they do have one drawback which is that if in a dusty atmosphere they tend to push even more dust into the laptop, therefore cleaning the dust out may require to be done more frequently. Nev.

Just to add and for others benefit as well, Windows 8.1 is to some extent similar to service pack installs on earlier operating systems, such as SP1 for Windows 7, or the three service packs issued for XP as an example. In all cases, these delete all previous restore points when installed, but automatically create a new restore point straight after the install. No doubt Microsoft don't want you to be able to return to the previous service pack version for some reason. Nev.

Thanks for getting back and letting us know, we always appreciate it as it can sometimes help someone else. If keeping Zone alarm and have also another antivirus as well, do make sure that one antivirus only is running as this sort of conflict is likely to happen when two antivirus programs are running at the same time. You should never run two at once as they conflict with each other, quite often meaning there is no protection while they are in conflict. Nev.

Hi, This is certainly not something I am familiar with, however I see you have asked the same question on BC, here :- http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/511907/windows-explorer-alternatives-issues-problems-opening-files-in-them/ As yet no answer there either and Double commander being a little obscure maybe will not do so. There is however a forum for users of that alternative, you may find better luck there perhaps, the forum is here :- http://doublecmd.sourceforge.net/forum/ No harm coming back here to look though as someone else may have experience of it and be able to advise. Nev.

Like Ken, a little confused regarding filters and just where they are. There should not be any filters connected between the telephone line and the router, the filters are there to stop data interfering with the telephone hand set and should only be between the telephone line and the telephone itself. If a filter is connected between the router and the telephone line, that will be why no signal showing for ADSL. Nev.

If you are worried about the final 74 and 78 final temperatures on core 0 and core 1 when you have the GPU CUDA enabled, they are about OK as Ken said, though I would watch for them going higher. Have they always been this high? or is it only recently? If only recently, make sure no obstructions are stopping air flow, or fluff and dust has built up since you built it. Looking at the spec for it, http://ark.intel.com/products/65520 It specifies the overall case temperature as 67.4°C Yours is showing as 54°C which is why all is still OK. However if the cores do go much above 85 at any long term use, then definitely look for better cooling as then it will be getting close to the maximum for the case temperature. Edit to add just a thought, are the temperatures you are seeing degrees C, or are they degrees F? If degrees F, no worries at all, not far off freezing point at the lower readings if so. Nev.

I will add that there are many ways to back up your data safely and in fact the entire operating system itself so that you can be back up and running in a short time should you become a victim. System images stored on an external hard drive, provided the system is proven clean of any malware before creating that image is one. A full system clone onto a spare hard drive, that can be swapped over with the infected drive removed, again created from a fully clean system are two of a few fully failsafe ways. (with the latest UEFI instead of the old BIOS, now not quite so foolproof due to some security features of UEFI by the way) If not too bothered and have no fears about doing a reinstall of the operating system, then ordinary back up by copying all data to an external hard drive, which is at the moment the only safe way when faced with a UEFI and not the older BIOS system. Some but by all means not all System imaging software's available are supposedly able to work with the newer UEFI, though I found one that is at best poor and requires an operating system repair after installing the previously created image if using the free version of that software. Whichever system of backup is chosen, it should be done on a regular basis so that not too much recent work is lost is a main priority though. Nev.

Hi Jim, sorry to hear it is beyond it as far as your concerned, however I saw further back you already have the vital stuff saved on an external hard drive, so at least nothing lost there. I recommend you save at least the hard drive from the old one, being fairly new it should give plenty of life if you buy a caddy or enclosure. You will also be able to rescue any newer data from it as well as the older stuff and transfer to the new computer. The only thing will be programs will have to be installed from the original media they came on, or if downloads and were kept as the downloaded file, the original file can be transferred and used to reinstall on the new computer. best of luck Jim. Nev.

Hi Jim, if that spring clip was touching any of the pins, there is a good chance it shorted something to ground. Normally there is no need to remove the entire CPU chip as just removing the heat sink and cleaning both surfaces before new paste is applied is all we recommend. Removing the entire chip can also risk damaging one of the pins when being replaced, there are so many it is easy for one pin to miss the hole and bend sideways. That if you are lucky might be the case here and worth removing to check that hasn't happened Jim. Now you have had it out, it isn't likely to get worse pulling it out again to check all pins are OK, not bent, or one missing as that also can happen, it breaks off while being removed, or after being bent putting it back. if there is a bent pin, carefully straighten it, then be ultra cautious putting it back so as not to bend it or another. If still nothing after that, just in case you disturbed something else earlier, have a good check, sometimes best to remove and replace, all the other plugs and connections on the motherboard. The link Ken provided doesn't work at the moment as we are having problems with live links, so if possible copy and paste into the address bar, this link. http://s13.zetaboards.com/kenspchelp/topic/6964867/1/#new Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. To get a better idea of what may be happening, let us know what happens with the power disconnected and just trying to run it on the battery only. Then try it with no battery in it and just trying to run it on the power only. please let us know what happens in those cases. Nev.

Hi, if you were up here in Lancashire I could certainly recommend one, however, to give you an idea of what you are looking for is first of all a local to you shop and repair specialists, most will build to order. It needs to be a business similar to the one I know up here, firstly they have been in business since home computers first came out and are still doing good business, that is the first clue to look for, if they have been around for a long time and are still busy, they must both be good, and have a good reputation with fair charges. They are the kind of business where you walk in and can ask a technical type to talk to you in view of asking them to build something for you. If they are any good they will discuss your needs, and what is in their estimation good components and what sizes or types that will fulfil that. By staying local, you can visit any time while it is being built, and when ready take it home, also you won't have far to go to take it back should something go wrong while under guarantee. Any fly by night shop that opened last year and is full of second hand old junk, or the other way round, a window full of cheap and nasty looking computer accessories, forget them, go somewhere else. They may be OK for a cheap and cheerful new mouse, but be aware. I recommend you look around locally, ask friends, family work mates or anyone else you know if they know of a good reliable place. Nev.

Woops, forgot to mention, the CPU temperature from your first listing is a bit high as well, so your original thoughts regarding temperatures need to be looked into as well Jim. If the CPU heatsink and fan is clean, it may need some fresh thermal paste putting between the CPU and heatsink. As a comparison, my CPU is currently running at around 20C, and it's been on all day. Also, if you run that crucial scan,not only will it tell you what the motherboard will handle, they also give some recommendations of type of RAM to fit. However, now we know it is only 32bit, then 4GB is maximum any way. Nev.

I will get back to you later about that........................................ .................................................................... .........................After a few pints. Nev.

Hi Jim, mainly because there are so many other processes requiring RAM, plus the graphics requirements as well I think perhaps some larger sized sticks of RAM may be of help. You have a maximum of only 2GB installed and though I don't know what the motherboard will take, or what operating system and either 32bit or 64bit, it should still be able to take at least another 1GB and maybe a full 2GB on top, though if XP 32bit it will not use some of the total 4GB. It will mean some juggling of the sticks, and discarding some you already have to fit larger ones, considering all slots are in use. As a by the way, look at the memory use in Task Manager during and after running a Youtube video. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes a good bit higher. Nev.

I don't have Windows 8 at all, however I have just heard that Windows 8 is a pig. Windows 8.1 is a pig with lipstick!! :D Nev.

Hi Jim, if it is Firefox only it may be a RAM problem, not actually faulty, just not enough. The reason I say that is I have found RAM use over a period of time is climbing continuously with Firefox, the last two updates have made it horribly greedy for RAM again. So first question, not answered by the above, is how much RAM have you got in? Secondly, open task manager, then click "Processes" and keep an eye on how much memory is being used by Firefox. Recently I have seen mine go as high as 900,000K. Firefox starts slowing down and struggling long before it gets that high, and I have 4GB of RAM in this cheapo windows 7 machine. Nev.

A lot depends on how that connector got broken off, if all pins pulled out of the motherboard, with a fine tipped soldering iron may be able to put it back, if however, the socket or motherboard is damaged, it will be near impossible to find a new socket, so most repair shops will fit a new motherboard if one is still available. Even if you are fully capable of fitting the new motherboard, it can still be an expensive job. Best to use a USB keyboard for simplicity. Nev.