PseFrank

Thanks Nev...I'll keep my fingers crossed for Bob.

Try this... Go to cnet and download Ac3Filter (Link below). http://download.cnet.com/AC3Filter/3000-2170_4-190264.html Follow any directions given and install AC3Filter on your computer. Windows Media Player should now be able to both recognise and play .dts files.

Hello Katie, welcome to ExtremeTech.support - Free PC Help Could you tell us the make and model of you computer please. With this information we'll know if your laptop has a recovery partition or not. As far as your personal data and files are concerned, subject to there not being a serious problem with the HDD it's self, you will probably be able to retrieve your data by using an external enclosure (Sometimes called a Caddy). Whatever the problem turns out to be you should back up your data anyway. To do this you need to either borrow or buy an external enclosure that suits the HDD that you have. (No more than £10 to buy in the UK)...You will also need access to a healthy working computer. You will also have to remove the HDD from your laptop.

How much ram do you have installed, and how many modules/sticks. Remove all of the ram except one stick, and try and boot. Try this with each stick you have. What is the make and model of your computer?

Hi Samster17, welcome to ExtremeTech.support - Free PC Help First of all check that your monitor cables are all plugged in firmly. Do you hear a single or multiple beeps when you boot up? If so which is it? Can you boot into Safe mode? (Tap F8 when booting)...If so, does this make a difference?

Please try and answer Kens questions and post your answers. In addition to that, does your computer make a beep noise when you first power up...and if it does, is it a single beep or two or three beeps in succession? Can you boot into Safe mode (Tap F8 on boot)

I wouldn't think that 60 degrees was too hot, although I'm not an expert in these matters. Your video card has it's own audio chip, which is why you see two audio devices listed in device manager. I have to take care of other business right now...but will look further into your problem later today..

I see no reason why you couldn't do that.

Hi Bing111, welcome to ExtremeTech.support - Free PC Help I'm not sure at all what may be causing this behavior, but someone else here will I'm sure be able to throw some light on the subject. However...one thing you can try is to go into the Bios and disable any Auto Power settings. To enter the bios hit F2 when the computer first starts. Navigate to the Power Management section, hit Enter on your keyboard and then look for a heading that says Auto Power or something similar. Using the arrow keys on the keyboard select Disable and hit Enter. Save the changes you have made and exit the Bios...F10 is often the keystroke to save and exit...It will tell you somewhere on the screen. As far as saving and backing up your pictures is concerned. The easiest way to do that if unable to start your computer is to remove the HDD from the case and place it in an external enclosure (Sometimes called a Caddy). You would then plug the enclosure into a healthy computer via USB port and transfer your personal data to the healthy machine. An Enclosure can be purchased at your local computer store for probably no more than £15 to £20 pounds.

Please read all of posts pertaining to your problem. I would also be interested in the answer to Nevs inquiry in post #4. Ilovemovies (Post #3) has come up with what may be the answer to your problem in suggesting the K-Lite codec pack. Link below for download. http://download.cnet.com/K-Lite-Mega-Codec-Pack/3000-13632_4-10794603.html Only use the Download Now (19.22MB) link.

Does this mean that your problem is solved? Perhaps you could enlighten us all..

Does anyone else have access to your computer? If they do, or you think someone else may have used your computer before you had this problem, you may be the victim of a prank. Right click on any image (.jpg is good) from your files/My Pictures) and choose Set as Desktop background from the menu. Post back and tell us what happens.

Hi Shnos... Try this: Go...Start > Control Panel (Classic view) > Display Click on the Desktop tab. Click Customize Desktop. Click Clean Desktop Now. When the wizard opens click Next. Check/Tick any icon that you Don't want. Click Next. Click Finish. You will now have an Unused Icon folder on the desktop. It is also possible that you may have Malware. Please let us know how you get on.

I'm guessing that the reason you enquired about which Motherboard you have is so as you can be sure that you purchase the correct memory for you computer. Starbuck has already pointed you in the right direction for your memory (Ram). If you still need to know your model of Motherboard then I would suggest you download Belarc Advisor. (Link below) http://download.cnet.com/Belarc-Advisor/3000-2094_4-10007277.html Note: Only click on the Download Now (2.26MB) link on the download page. Belarc will scan your computer and give you a full report on your system...including the model of your Motherboard.

Hi Will M, welcome to ExtremeTech.support - Free PC Help. It sounds like you're happy to work inside the tower, so I'd suggest swapping the Power switch cable with the Reset switch cable. You don't need to plug the power switch cable back in. Just make sure that the Reset switch cable is connected to the power switch pin. If it is a switch problem your computer will now start when you press the Reset Button. Let us know how you get on.