Plastic Nev

Hi Tunna, pity we are a bit too far away, but if I lived round the corner, I would have been happy to solder it back on for you. That basically means, is there a friend or relative who both has a soldering iron, and can be trusted to do a good job? Otherwise it does mean the expense of a new card. Those connectors that each wire connects to are called spade connectors and should just pull off, and then push back on to the new card.

I think you may find the actual drive unit will be plugged into a socket on the chassis or main board, I did hear of someone who dropped an external drive, found it had then failed, fearing the worst they opened it up to find the jolt had just dislodged the drive from its socket, that was all that was wrong. Nev.

First, a welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help, second, well done for finding it yourself, and also thanks for letting us know. Nice when it is simple to sort like that. Nev.

Hi and welcom to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help, no problems and I see you have had a reply, so take it from there and we will hopefully get your problems sorted. Nev.

OK, thanks for that and the extra information that you have had it looked at for overheating, so we can rule that out. Two things I would like you to do now, if you don't have Malwarebytes already, then please download and install the free version from here= http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button Click on the green "Download Now" button. During installation, remove any ticks if offered extra toolbars, or anything else that is not Malwarebytes. Once you have it installed and the program opened, look for the updates button and click that first, once it has updated then tell it to do a quick scan. When it finishes the scan, a notepad page will open with the results of the scan, please copy and paste the results into your next reply. The next thing I would like you to d is a system file check. Do you have the Windows XP disk? even if you don't it may be worth while running a file check to see if any windows files are missing. Click start and then "Run" type or copy and paste (copy and paste is best) sfc /scannow Then click OK, it should then start. If it finds any files missing or corrupt it will ask you to put the disk in, if you do have it, then put it in. If you don't have the disk, tell it to ignore it and carry on. Let us know what that comes up with and if any bad or missing files, how many times it asks for the disk. Nev.

Hi, now that is a puzzle, I expected to see temperatures go higher, when or just before the freeze ups, not lower. The only thing of concern is the 60 C of the CPU is a little high, and this may be because of dust on the CPU fan and heat sink, which if there is any dust or fluff could do with cleaning out. Can you open it up and have a look? I assume this is a desktop computer as the hard drive is a 3.5 inch one, so just turn off all power and remove the side cover, let us know if there is much dust visible and we can advise the best and safest way to clean it out. Nev.

Hi Brian, first I am glad the install of the new XP Pro disk has turned out OK for you. Next is a reasonable sound card, though for just playing music, what you have may be good enough already. However Creative's more basic cards are reasonably cheap for good quality output. The more advanced cards are better of course, though aimed at the gamer market, or folk like me, music creators using suitable software etc.(When I pull meself together and actually write something that is) Have a look at this card, not bad at just short of £30. http://uk.store.creative.com/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-audigy-se/1-14257.aspx Though there are other sound card companies, Asus and M Audio come to mind, as well as Philips which you did have. Have a look round, just put "Sound Cards" into Google and check out some other dealers and prices. Find what you think is OK at a price you can afford and let us know. Nev. Nev.

Hi Bella and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. Can you first please tell us the make and if known, the model number of your computer. Also it may help us to know what security you have, antivirus, firewall and things like that. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. First off can you tell us please what make of computer and if possible the model number. Also is this a laptop or desktop computer? Something that may help us to help you is a small program called Speccy, download and install it from here= http://www.piriform.com/speccy It looks at and analyses most of the important parts of your computer which will help you tell us what it finds. Once installed and opened, wait till you have those problems then tell us what it shows for temperatures at that time. Any problem with letting us know make and model, and other type of components in your computer, Speccy will show you most of that as well. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. Can you tell us please what the make and model of your computer is, also if you know it the details of the ethernet controller. I assume you have looked in device manager and found problems there? If you can give us as much information as possible it will help us to diagnose the problem, and maybe find the right drivers for you as well. Nev.

Hi George, I have found the user manual here= http://www.manualslib.com/manual/178545/Philips-Spe3031cc-00.html?page=4#manual Looking at that and the photo of it, though no view of the plug in points end, but going by your description of that, those two screws, once removed the whole unit should then slide out of the case. Once out, you can visually check any connections and internal plugs and sockets. Further dismantling to remove the drive from the chassis will then be needed, in order to connect it directly into the computer as suggested by Synapse earlier. Nev.

To add a bit more information, which I hope doesn't confuse the situation any more than it is, I have just found this site, a very informative pictures and description of the different video ports, what they do and can't do. have a look here= http://www.thatcable.com/info/TV-connections-explained-HDMI-DVI-VGA-AUDIO The company also supply cables and adapters. Does your graphics card have an older standard VGA port? if so there may be an adapter to work to the RCA yellow port, the sound channels can then be connected and the TV set to component input, should hopefully work then if those RCA plugs will push in fully into the RCA ports. Those RCA plugs sometimes need a good push so that the outer of the plug goes over the outer of the socket, if only the centre pin is plugged in it will be loose. Nev.

Hi Sian, welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. Have a good look at the number 1 key and check that a crumb or other foreign bit of debris hasn't part stuck it down, or does it seem loose? It sounds like the vibration of typing is making it make contact, which it would if stuck or loose. If you have or can borrow a USB keyboard, try typing with that, if no errant number 1's, then it can only be the laptop keyboard rather than a software fault. Nev.

If it is only just over a month old, fire it back under warranty, regardless of what the mark is, it shouldn't be there on a screen that new. Nev.

First of all, may I say thanks for the reminder BeeCeeBee, I had forgotten the mention of HDMI at the TV end and of course you are right. The TV set up for HDMI will look for audio on that input, and ignore the input from the red and white RCA ports. However, we need to know what exactly the output is from the computer and if there is an analogue output. There may then be an adapter to convert to the yellow AV in 1. Or even the scart socket. That by the way is not S Video, the S video plug and socket look similar to a keyboard or mouse plug and socket. Only similar though, not a match and usually black. The round mouse or keyboard has six pins, S video only four. Edit to add, similar thoughts BeeCeeBee you posted while I was writing. Nev.

Yes Windows7 should detect it just the same as any other operating system George, so it looks like the drive itself has died I am afraid. Synapse may have some idea's for trying to get into it. Though I have never needed to try this, I have heard that on rare occasions, freezing the drive in the kitchen freezer has managed to briefly get in to recover data. Wrap the drive in cling film or a poly bag to prevent condensation from forming inside, and then leave it in the freezer for at least four hours. If it does run up, it may die as it warms up again though. Nev.

Yes for the jack socket on the computer, lime green is sound out. To check it is working plug a headphone set or similar into it. Are you sure also the sockets on the TV are for sound in and not sound out? Do they look similar to those in the picture Helcaraxe posted, if so are you using the red and white ones? It may also be a setting on the TV, but that should be shown in the manual for the TV. Sorry I can't help with that though, as I can't seem to find an on line manual for that TV. Nev.

Like Vr5fx, I also think it is something foreign such as an insect rather than pixels, but how it got there is a mystery, as the sheets of different layers that make up the screen itself are very tightly held together normally. Personally, unless it is something you find extremely annoying, I would put up with it till I could get another monitor. Then knowing there is a new one, take it to bits very carefully to see if it can be removed. Nev.

Threads are only deleted for very specific reasons, in this case there is no reason, and what is more it contains information that could be of use for another member. Although the thread may be of no further use for yourself Randomuser, it is other members we have to think about as well. Nev.

I agree, for the piffling amount of the cost for the seven CD's, why not? If after that, you wish to go down the road of a mirror image, the Macrium Reflect is the one to use, and yes the free version. Here is a little story, my rather old but still very useful XP laptop had a 40GB IDE drive fitted as new. It was getting rather full so by luck and chance found a local PC shop which was selling off cheap a 120GB IDE 2.5 inch Samsung laptop drive, so I bought it along with a caddy so I could use the old 40GB drive as a small external drive later. Problem! how to get everything, including XP off the old and on to the new drive? With Macrium reflect and my good old 500GB Buffalo external drive, it was simple, made an image of the old 40GB drive while still in the laptop, then removed it and fitted the new 120 GB drive, then using the image stored on the 500GB external, I installed everything on to the new hard drive. Very simple to do using Macrium Reflect free, and it is that program KenB, with a little help from myself, worked out a tutorial on how to get the best out of Macrium Reflect. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help Adrian. If your laptop is a different make and model then Windows will throw a wobbly as it will be a different environment to the one it was activated in. To find out if the hard drive is OK the best is to fit it to an external caddy and connect it via USB, if it is OK it will spin up and be recognised as an external volume, you should also be able to access data etc. The worrying thing is that you say there is no sound of fans spinning up on your friends laptop as well as no screen or other positive activity, although you do see power light on, it is no real indicator that the power circuitry on the motherboard or battery charge circuit is OK. Considering there is no activity, it is there I would be looking first. Some laptops have all the power management on a separate board, others it is all part of the motherboard, but if willing to open it up and take a look at the mother board, then look for damaged capacitors, either split tops or gunge coming out of the bottom of them. Nev.

I reckon this is the sort of phono or RCA to 3.5mm Jack cable you need which is 3M long. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Tex-3-5mm-Phono-Stereo-Audio/dp/B0038K65MQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344455743&sr=1-4 Or this one which is 5M long. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Tex-3-5mm-Phono-Audio-Cable/dp/B0038K7MBO/ref=pd_sim_ce_2 Nev.

Hi, it is best to have the up to date service packs installed as they do help make the system more secure from outside attacks, plus also help in keeping the system stable. However with a good firewall, and decent antivirus plus antimalware such as "Malwarebytes" or/and "Superantispyware" coupled with sensible web use you may still be OK without if the computer is OK otherwise, but that is not reccomended. It is best to get the system sorted out though and those service packs installed, as all other Microsoft updates will also be able to be installed then. As far as replacing the broken disk drive, it usually isn't too difficult if doing it yourself. If however you are not keen on that, replacement plus cost will not be too expensive in a reputable repairer, plus of course they will have the right disk available to both perform a system repair and therefore enable install of those service packs. If you know of a good repairer, it won't hurt to ask questions and get an estimate if you feel you need to go that rout. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. I had a look at Microsoft's site regarding that error report and found an answer to exactly the same error for you, have a look here= http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-performance/please-help-i-dont-know-anything-about/1f949d08-b818-47d3-a660-0da74a49dbb1?auth=1 There is a tremendous amount of information with possible fixes in there. One of which mentions borrowing a Windows 7 disk if possible, and that may be the best option as it looks like a system file is either missing or corrupt. Nev.

Hi, it does look like there may be system files missing or corrupt, unfortunately the only way to correct that is by method 3, using the second method within that article. You will need to replace that broken disk drive, and also more importantly you need a full Microsoft Vista Home Premium disk. Not any sort of manufacturers recovery disk that may have come with the computer, they will not work in that sort of repair. You may not need to actually buy a Vista Home Premium disk if you know someone who has one and can borrow it though. Nev.