Plastic Nev

Hi, and just to add, providing the image creation is set up correctly, the time taken from that point is all automatic until it has finished. So the ideal time is when you plan doing something else for a couple of hours. Initial setting up, once you have learned (which is easy) how to do it, only takes a few minutes to set up, then basically click "GO" and walk away to fix the shelf in the kitchen your wife always wanted, or similar. Nev.

OK, I will forgive you for making me put my head sideways. :D Those graphs are temperature and not the load or usage graphs? I ask that as there is one great big spike on the yellow CPU line that I find strange to say the least, temperatures even with the best heat sink shouldn't be as quick to fall as they seem to rise. I could expect that spike if it was on a usage graph, especially if there was some odd software conflict, but not heat. Just in case it is a usage graph, one question not asked yet, is what antivirus and other security are you using? Please list all that you have installed of that sort of thing, antivirus, antispyware and also firewall. Nev.

One other thing that is worth a look is to check all connections inside the PC, simply remove and replace each connector to ensure good connections, but also make sure there is a good earth connection from the mains power source. I once had a loose IDE main cable connection not seated properly on the motherboard, which rather strangely interfered with my TV. Nev. (G4TMY)

From information I discovered elsewhere, this poster and member has received help and a fix on one of the many other forums he posted on. This thread is now locked, if the previous poster would like this thread re-opened please contact any member of staff by personal message. Any other member please start a thread of your own. Nev.

Hi, as Maynardvdm suggested, as well as the 20(4) pin connector and start button, also connect the 4 pin CPU connector, it won't actually boot until the HDD is connected, but you should at least get beeps and fans spinning. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. I found this some time since when putting files onto an external pen or hard drive, Windows 7 seems to be set up to be able to move files around on the originating drive, such as "C" drive, but will only allow copies to go onto external or other drives and not a full move. I assume this is some other enforced by Microsoft security thing. So here is a suggestion, first create a folder and move everything into that folder that you want to transfer to the new drive, copy the folder and its contents to the new drive, check all is there once on the new drive, then delete the original folder, or at least its contents. Saves copying and then deleting files one by one. Unless someone knows a trick I don't, it is the best I can come up with. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. The cables from the front are usually easy enough to follow, there will be one from the main start button, if it has a light as most do there will be a cable for that too. Next will be for whatever ports you have on the front, such as USB, Headphone or Speaker and possibly microphone jack, all those can be left plugged in unless there is a specific reason for suspecting a short circuit on any of them when running a motherboard check. Providing the start button at least is connected, do you get any fans to run and/or if fitted, beeps from the motherboard speaker? If nothing it looks like the motherboard is the fault, to be sure there are no shorts to the case, remove the board from the case, leave connected the 20(4) connector and the start button cable, and lay the board down on cardboard or other insulating surface and try it again. Nev.

Hi again, once disturbed, even if fairly fresh, old paste should be removed and replaced. A bit like an engine gasket, best to replace it as the old one will never seal again. At least we are getting somewhere and the heatsink had come loose, let us know how you get on. Nev.

Hi, and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. Only a guess but wondering if whatever is now on the hard drive is causing this, so suggest that the hard drive is reformatted. There are al least two ways to do that after taking it out, if you have another computer that is also IDE based, you can connect the hard drive into it, then use that PC to format the drive. If no IDE PC available, then an IDE to USB adapter or external hard drive caddy could be used. Nev.

Any chance you can borrow a card to try? or if possible try the card in a friends computer. Unfortunately sometimes hardware faults can only be diagnosed by swapping stuff, especially as we are offering help by remote means. Another approach may be to take the said card to a reputable repair shop and ask for it to be checked out. A decent place shouldn't charge too much for that. Nev.

Hi, I just recently advised on a similar thing, where from the first start up it took a few minutes, or similar to you, just long enough for the running strip to show up, but shuts down very quickly at the second or third attempt. It was due to the heat sink having become detached from the CPU, with no heat sink connected, the CPU will overheat extremely quickly. Considering you have only just bought it, I do think perhaps it has loosened in transport, however I would suggest taking it back as it isn't as you saw it first and running OK. If however you are willing to first remove the fan, and then find whatever clips or screws, fix the heat sink in place, some are clips, other makes are screws, and correct them if they are loose. If so and it is loose, before refitting, first you need to clean off all the original thermal compound between the heat sink and CPU, then apply fresh compound before fixing the heat sink securely, and then the fan. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help, I assume you are using Internet Explorer, the add ons mentioned are of course the Flash player, if that as you say has been disabled somehow, then of course it won't play any BBC content. You need therefore to re-enable the add ons. Open Internet Explorer, then click on tools. in the list click on "Manage Add Ons". In the new window that opens, fist look to the lower left where it should show "Currently loaded add ons", click that to drop down the menu and select "All add ons". In the main panel list if Adobe Flash is listed and showing "Disabled", click on it, underneath you will then see all the information and a button saying disabled, just click on that to enable it. You can also look through that list and enable anything else you think you should need to be running. Nev.

If any consolation my laptop is also a toshiba, the Satellite A60, a bit older than yours, and that is a nightmare to dismantle. For an idea of what is involved, the guy lists 25 steps in the process here= http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/ToshibaA65/satA65_1.htm Nev.

Hi, the first time you ran that game and it crashed after 10 to 15 minutes, that initial crash may have been due to the graphics card overheating at that time, those processors, and in fact all processors, can be very sensitive to overheating and although do shut down, there is nothing to guarantee that a small amount of damage has not already occurred. Considering you know already the graphics card is under spec for that game, why not invest in a card that is at least, if not more than, good enough. That will also rule out any fault on the present card. Nev.

Laptops are a daunting task to open and to get at stuff, but congratulations at doing so. In most cases that is when folks give in and take it to a shop. Once you have time again to do so, and have it apart, if any difficulty in separating the fan from heat sink, and heat sink from CPU, let us know. In the mean time, a website I found some time ago which is extremely helpful regarding laptop work and maintenance in general is worth a look at here= http://www.laptoprepair101.com/ It is a very big site now as the guy running it seems to do so in the form of a BLOG, but it isn't too difficult to navigate to required sections. Nev.

Hi Jim, thanks for the feedback, once you get your head round Windows 7, you may just be like me and wonder why did I put up with that slow old rubbish XP :D Best of luck with it all. Nev.

If you have used Combofix, and OTL without either a properly trained helper, or the proper training in their use by yourself, as well as maybe using the registry cleaner side of CCleaner, you may well have done a good deal of damage already. I will make sure our security experts are aware these have been used and with their help some repairs may be possible, but please be aware you may have to reinstall the operating system back to original factory settings. Nev.

Considering you just bought it, even as second hand, you still have the right to take it back and demand a refund due to it not working as promised. Nev.

Hi again, thanks, also the make of computer is helpful, but if a home or privately built one, sorry, I should also have asked for the size of the present power supply as that may need replacement. The minimum recommended main PSU requirements for that card are 500 watts, if yours is less it will have to be replaced. From what little I know though, it may be compatible with that motherboard, but best if you wait for one of our more graphics knowledgeable folk to be sure. Nev.

Hi again from me Zoe, the 89 degrees, if in Centigrade is a little worrying. Just wondering if during cleaning you disturbed the contact of the heatsink to the CPU so it isn't taking the heat away. If the heatsink has been removed, on any computer, the original thermal compound should be cleaned off and replaced with fresh compound anyway. From what you say, I don't think you did remove the heatsink, but could have disturbed that contact so the heat is no longer being carried away by the heatsink. Nev.

Hi Shtatic and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. Though not a graphics expert myself, we could do with knowing the make and model of the motherboard, or at least the make and model of the computer so we can look up what motherboard the manufacturer used, as that is usually one of the issues for compatibility. Nev.

OK, another thing has come to mind, is it the right power supply charger for that laptop? There are many different voltages used on laptop power sources, so if for example, and using my own Toshiba, the battery is 14.8 volts, in order for it to push enough current to charge that battery, my supply is 19.2 volts when not plugged in. However if that charger were to be used on a machine with only a 10.2 volt battery, it would possibly overpower the voltage regulator circuit in the laptop, so please check that out too. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help. All memory cards and also most pen drives have a data protection switch, if that switch is in the locked position you cannot put data on or remove data, you can only read it. Check those switches are in the unlocked position as a first thing to look at. If they are unlocked are you working from a user account or an administrator account on your computer? You may need to be under administrator rights to do what you wish. Nev.

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help, This sounds like the power control circuit not regulating the voltage correctly. When just on the battery the voltage is obviously correct so everything works, however if the voltage regulator circuit is duff, the higher voltage will be present when the charger is plugged in, therefore making the whole computer unstable. If you haven't tried it with the battery out, please don't as the open circuit voltage from the charger could fry something. I don't know that particular model and without looking it up I don't know if the charge and regulator is a separate board, or if part of the mother board, some are, some aren't. However, first thoughts are check the electrolytic capacitors in that area and see if any are leaking or tops split. Nev.

Hi, the power supply could still be faulty, we are still seeing capacitor failure which dates back from around six years or more since, when some manufacturers were using the wrong electrolyte. Those capacitors are still not fully out of the system as something like a large PSU such as yours, could well have been in a warehouse for a year or two before you bought it. Does it have a year of manufacture on the label? some do some don't. Nev.