KenB

I live on the Wirral :)

Hi, If you are running XP with just 128 MB RAM it must be slow. The minimum I would consider using would be 512 MB. From the scans the motherboard will support 1GB (2 x 512 MB modules ). Crucial will make recommendations after it scans your system. I like Crucial ( Kingston is another good make ). It is not worth buying cheap RAM - you only get what you pay for. You must have a very old system with only 128MB RAM. Upgrading to 1GB will vastly improve the running speed of your system.

Hi tellietubby and welcome. pitfall - we are neighbours. :)

Yes this is possible. When you connect up the caddy - before you open anything scan the drive in the caddy with an A-Virus. It will be allocated a drive letter ( something like E:\ ) you will be able to instruct the A-V software to scan that specific drive. Starbuck ( member with far greater experience than me ) may advise you further on this one.

Hi, The "revving" noise can only come from a fan; the hard drive or the DVD Drive. When I first started reading your post I wondered if you had left a disk in the DVD Drive ? I agree with Frank - access to your data is your prime concern. Some enclosures here to give you some ideas: External Hard Drive Enclosures products at great prices - dabs.com You need to be aware that there are 2 basic sizes available. 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch. If yours is a desktop it will be a 3.5inch hard drive. Also: Hard drives come in 2 types - IDE ( older type with broad grey data cable ) and SATA ( small, narrow data cable) Yours is probably SATA - but you need to check.

Hi and welcome to fpch. The basic requirements for your card are here: ATI Radeon? HD 5870 System Requirements I found a test review that stated that the card will draw just under 200Watts at full load. It depends on what else you are running but your 550W should cope with it. The details are usually on a sticker on the top/side of the PSU

Thank you for taking the time to do this Frank - I have copied it and will certainly have a go when I have a little more time. :)

You are welcome :) It would be nice to hear how you get on with the new RAM.

Hi, I like Crucial. Run a scan from here: RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, flash cards, SSD at Crucial.com It will recommend and give you additional helpful information. Kingston is another good manufacturer. I would not buy cheap RAM - you only get what you pay for.

Hi and welcome to fpch. Assuming Vista from your details. If you .... Click on Start > Run ......type in ...... .doc .jpg Word documents end in .doc and photos are usually .jpg Make sure you "Search Everywhere" If they exist the search will locate them.

Yes - I would give that a go. You can also try Memtest from here: Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool It needs to run for a good few hours at least. Just an observation: 512MB is just about enough to run XP. If you intend keeping the machine for some time you may wish to consider upgrading to at least 1GB - providing your motherboard can support it.

Hi Blackjack If the 512MB RAM is in 2 modules try taking them out, give the contacts a clean with a pencil eraser and replace JUST ONE. Run the system. ( It will run slow due to only 256MB RAM ) If the problem is still the same swap the modules over and try the other one. If it runs without hanging you have a defective RAM module. If no luck - put both modules back.

better link Knoppix Linux Boot CD, Download Disk and Documents, Discuss, Get Help

You could d/l Knoppix from another machine and burn it to a CD. Knoppix is a remote O/S bootable from CD. It also has Clam AntiVirus which will enable you to run a check on your hard drive. If the worst happens you can use Knoppix to access your files / data. Knoppix available here: The Synthetic Librarian Using Knoppix and Clam Anti-virus to Scan Infected PCs

Most forums, including this one I suspect, advise against using HJT, OTL or any other similar software unless you are fully trained. Seedy21 has quite rightly stated that you should seek the advice of an expert if you have, or think you have, malware. HJT and OTL are powerful tools in the right hands. You can, however, do a great deal of damage if you don't know what you are doing.

Hi Toms and welcome to fpch. This could be related to the RAM. Locate the modules - they will be positioned under a panel on the underside of your machine - clean the connections with a pencil eraser and, if you have 2 modules, try it with just one. Your machine will run a little slower but I want to confirm if you have a problem with one of the modules. If you get the same problem, swap the modules over and try again.

Hi Bob No I hadn't ......and no I wasn't It is obvious now that you point out the need for 3-D glasses :)

This little guy came to say "hello" when I was on holiday in France. http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp118/kenbrabin/IMG_3480.jpg

I suggest that you ask / wait for Starbuck to advise. He is the only one here who is up to date with present malware and virus removal techniques. He knows his stuff :)

Hi and welcome. Can you post some more details please? How are you connected - wireless / cable? Are you using a router? Are you using a network ?( more than one computer ) and if so - are the other computers on the network able to connect? ==================== There should be an icon (bottom right) that looks like a monitor. Right click on this and select "Repair" same icon: Connect to a network Can you see your network (if wireless) and can you attempt to connect to it ? You will need the key if it is secured. Some laptops have a switch to turn off the wireless connection. If you have one can you confirm that this is on?

Hi, Check that the data cable is connected correctly. If this is USB try a different USB socket. If it is a USB cable - does the USB port function with other USB devices? If you double click on Printers from Control panel > Right click on your printer icon ......can you print a Test Page? (this will probably be under "Maintenance") If still a problem: Suggest that you un-install then re-install the drivers then give it another go.

Hi, I found this that may be of some use: Documentation If this is your m/board then it looks as if you have PCIe on it.

Does it shut down if you use Safe Mode? Switch on and constantly tap f8. ( about once per second ) > Click on Safe Mode from the list of options. What is the make and model number of your machine?

Disabling "Hibernate" is OK. Start > Right Click "My Computer" > Properties > Advanced Under "Startup & Recovery" click Settings. Clear the box that says "Automatically Restart". > OK Next time it crashes you may get an error message. If this is the case copy the exact message and post it here. It will give a hint as to the cause.

http://plantbio.berkeley.edu/~bruns/picts/tb50th/cake.tom.jpg