KenB

Hi lainey and welcome to ExTS I am sorry that you appear to be locked out of your laptop. Surely this would be related to your name - as the request "Enter User Name" implies. At what stage is it asking for your user name? When you are booting up? Normally when you have set up a user name Windows remembers this and creates a profile for you. Can you actually get into Windows or are you locked out? I had a friend who did something similar - it took her all afternoon trying different permutations of what she thought was her password. She eventually hit on the right one. This is all I can suggest - other than to take it back to Staples and ask them for their help. If you are locked out ...... Our problem here is that we have no way of checking that this is actually your machine. I am not suggesting that it isn't - just that we have no means of checking. I will let the admins make the final decission but by-passing security features is usually not something that forums like this can usually assist with.

But not with both in place at the same time? 600Watt PSU - it really depends what you are running on your system. Which Video Card do you have? Who from ?

Hi and welcome to ExTS If your pc is still in the warranty period I would be inclined to return it for repair. It sounds like a Video Card or RAM problem. You have 4GB RAM - try running on one module at a time. If it runs OK then the problem lies with the module that is out of the machine.

Hi and welcome to ExTS. Try running MBAM from here: http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html Download > update and run it. If it finds anything post the log here and one of the security experts will advise you further.

Hi and welcome to ExTS This may not be malware related at all. It could be that one of your RAM modules has developed a fault. Try taking them out - give the contacts a clean with a pencil eraser - and put just one back. Run on the one module. If the machine is still slow - swap the modules over. The system will run a bit slower on just 1 good module but you should notice a distinct difference if one of them is faulty.

If you have the card in place: Uninstall the drivers from device manager Reboot. Windows will find new hardware. Install the drivers at this point.

Hi, Your wireless network card could be failing. The drivers for it are here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R206848&SystemID=INSPIRON1545&servicetag=&os=WLH%20%20&osl=en&deviceid=16118&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=2&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=0&libid=5&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=289450 d/l with ethernet cable attached. You could try uninstalling the drivers from Device Manager. ( Right click on 1397WLAN ) Restart. Windows will find new hardware. Install the new drivers.

Thanks Randy - 15mins is much better than 5 :)

You really need Starbuck to advise you here. I will ask him to take a look at this part of the thread.

Hi I tried this and it seems to work .... Further to my post above. Right click the folder > Properties > General Tab ......uncheck "Hidden". Note to Randy: I tried to edit my previous post and I hit the "5 minute" ruling. This is very frustrating. I assume it is there to prevent spammers coming back to their previous posts - could it be extended to 20 mins ?

Hi, Try right click on folder > and uncheck "hidden" if it is there. failing that.... Try this file association fix from Doug Knox ( This is for XP ) http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/folder_reg.zip I am not convinced this will work as your files seem to be behaving "normally" for hidden files - but it is worth a try.

You are welcome

Let us know how you get on :)

5 years with no AV :jaw: Download MBAM from here: http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html Install > Update > Run With this much infection ( I am not a malware removal expert ) I suspect you may be advised to format > Reinstall

You are correct when you say that XP 32 bit will only recognise 3.5 GB (max). With 3GB installed the only thing you could do to improve this system is change the Video Card. New cards are PCIe 2.0 x16 ( or better ) Your m/board slots are probably PCIe 1.0 x16 (slower ) PCIe 2.0 is backwards compatible and would work but would run at the 1.0 speed. If you change the m/board you are going to have to reinstall XP ( or do a repair install ). You could then look at upgrading the CPU and the new video card would run properly. You would then probably have to upgrade the PSU. At the end of the day - you would still only have XP and MS support for this is / has stopped. Personally I wouldn't bother. This machine, if it is running OK it will do what you want. If you wish to move on Win7 is the way to go.

Hi, Dalo is probably the best one to advise you on this but if you want my twopenny worth ...... Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 (build 2600) Operating System Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit I am confused ?? Which do you have? Are you dual booting ? If you are running XP you already have 3GB RAM - which should be fine. You have the option of upgrading to 8GB. If you want to increase the speed of your machine then adding more RAM is usually the way to go. In my opinion - it is now. I am not a gamer - but your Video Card seems OK to me for what you say you want to do although by comparrison to some it will be a bit slow. ( DDR2 memory 512 MB ) See here for review: http://www.techspot.com/review/244-ati-radeon-hd-5450/ If you are interested in an upgrade take a look here: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-radeon-hd-6990-geforce-gtx-590,2912.html You don't say what PSU you have. Your present card only requires around 20 Watt. A newer card may need an upgrade to the PSU in order to cope.

Hi Katy, I hope Starbuck will excuse me butting in ( I know he is away for the weekend ) It is not a good idea to have two AVs on your system at the same time. They will conflict and cause problems. Starbuck will confirm when he returns :)

Hi Kev, This is a valid point. The 430W PSU will do the job. Replacing the old one is relatively easy. It is a simple case of unscrewing the screws that locate the old one and the new one is a straight rpelacement. Do not be tempted to take the old one apart. You can, if you are unlucky, get quite a belt from the internal capacitors. ( in the region of 300v dc )

Hi Kev, I see nobody has offered an opinion here - so I will offer mine ( for what it is worth :) ) Your present card is PCIe x 16 so the new cards ( assuming dimensions are compatible with your case ) will comply with your m/board. The DDR3 that you mention is related to the card's memory. Your present card is DDR3 also. DDR5 is faster - but I am unsure if you would be able to tell the difference. The new card has 1GB of onboard memory. Your present card has 256 MB ( If I was looking at the correct specs ) I think you would be able to notice a difference here. I think your motherboard may be PCI 1.0 This is a quote from the specs from your present card. ( Can you confirm this ? ) Your choice of new card is PCIe 2.0 x16. This version transfers data much faster than 1.0 A PCIe 2.0 card is backwards compatible with 1.0 motherboards BUT they will run at 1.0 speed. Your new card requires a 6 pin power connecton. Do you have one? If not - it is possible to use a spare molex connection and get an adapter. Your present PSU ( home computer ) is 305 watts. Your new card suggests a minimum of 400 watts. If you are upgrading I would be inclined to go to 500 - 600 watts. There is not a great deal of difference in price. I am unsure why you have given the specs of your work computer ??

Yes - we hit on the idea more or less at the same time :) Glad your system is running OK again. EDIT: Just tried the d/l again and the error is still there. Must be a major site problem.

Hi J-B Best of luck with the repair. If it is only the PSU this should not take too long :)

Hi and welcome to ExTS This is not good. It often indicates a failing hard drive ( as you suspected ). DO NOT try to boot from the drive on the laptop - if you have tried the Advanced Startup options and System Restore there is little else you can try. The more you try to access the drive the less likely is the possibility of getting anything off it. I suggest that you take the drive out - connect it to an adapter - and try to access it from a second pc. You can get a 2.5 inch adapter relatively cheaply. http://www.amazon.co.uk/IOMAX-SATA-Adapter-Power-Drive/dp/B001A5SK56 There are cheaper ones - this one covers all options. Your hard drive could be IDE - but is probably SATA ( different connections ). If you take it out you can tell from here what you have: http://kenspchelp.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=75 You can connect your drive externally via the USB port. You may ( i say may ... ) be able to access it as you would a flash ( thumb / pen) drive. Clicking drives have a limited lifespan.

Hi, I have just tried 3 different downloads from the site - I get the same error. There must be a server problem - it is worth trying later to see if it has been resolved.

Hi, and welcome to ExTS If you right click on the image > Properties It will tell you the time and date it was put on the system. Other than that I know of no way to trace it to a specific computer / person.

Let us know how you get on :)