Posts by mjdodd

Just to add a little to Jorge with whom I totally agree having set up several networks in schools with serious hackers!,! I fully endorse all the above , without a central well protected server it is impossible to set up a safe network that will give you the protection you need.
Best of luck
M

!this looks as though it is past its sell by date!
M

Not clear on the possibilityoif the forum causing this but there is in the settings for most mice a setting that allows it to show or not show when hovering...
cant remember where though!
M

do a search on google for cloud printing, it is very easy to follow and enables distant printing.
M

most files have attributes (eg read only, hidden etc) right click on the file in the usb stick and go to properties and one of the attributes is 'last accessed date' that will tell you when the file was last used (copied or altered, / accessed)
M

try right clicking on the screen and see if you can change the screen parameters. I had a very similiar happening a while ago and it was because the screen was displaying in the wrong way!
M

you could also look for the reset to factory option. Usually a small hole underneath the computer where you insert a pin / end of paper clip and it resets to as original factory option then reformat.
M

some anti virus and some anti malware programs have within them the possibility of marking a program as legitimate rather than detecting as a virus. Worth looking in the AV to see if it has such a let out clause!
M

Dear CJ
I only chose fat 32 so that dos could respond
happy new year

M

yes to above but also use a partion type disk manager to both remove the partition, and then format the disk with FAT 32 and then set the primary partition to be the boot partition. Then you can insert the xp disk. (the xp disk will do the above if there is a fat 32 but not otherwise I think.)
M

Not oinly the wiring, memeory but also the Hard disk, if that has failed it wont start unless you try to start from a different boot system. As you do not appear to be able to get to the first screen even to get access to the bios it seems to me that here is a major power supply problem and it is possible that a connector / connection at the motherboard is at fault. you may need high tech equipment to trace this unless there are obvious signs of burning.
M

agreed, would seem to be solved?
M

the power button is not just a power button. It is itself controlled by software so that the machine can go to sleep turn off and also reboot etc. So that software also has to be kept alive when the machine is off (and that relies on the internal battery and the cmos battery. is your cmos battery OK (they should recharge, but a failing cmos battery will give the symptoms you have had!
if it not that then most likely a mobo fault and that needs special equipment to test it.
M

A further idea would be to start the computer but not using the hard drive. You could use the windows disk and go to safe mode or better to set the bios to first boot from a cd drive and then use a linux boot anything type cd.
Then you can use that CD and its OS to look at your hard drive and if it cannot see it then the drive is not working. If all appears well then as you suggest is would seem that there is corruption on the drive and MBR and partitions need to be looked at;
It may be that the drive is partition and the boot primary partition has got moved to a different partition.
M

I have had similiar problems in the past with some software. Various manufacturers provide drivers for printers (eg HP, Dell etc) The same is true for some other peripheral devices. These drivers (any particularly early ones) forgot to let go of the processor when they had finished their slot. hence the processor went round in circles for a while waiting ....
Try removing (or even uninstalling peripheral devices like printers cameras etc and see if that helps. It certainly seems as though a ,process is hogging the CPU but have a look in the list of processes running in the task manager (as you have done) and look at those that have a high CPU usage. You can then turn them off so that they do not start unless manually started but as you are aware do not turn off the critic windows ones (but be aware that some critical windows processes are started by a different thread (eg USB devices!)

M

Ifd you canuse some other boot media such as a liux type startup disk then the place to look is in the windows file where there are two files that may help.
Boot.ini tells the machine what it should do
boot.log (or similiar name gives a record of what it actually did at boot time. The last line in that file will be the one that it fell over on.

you can also by repeatedly pressing F5 at boot up go through the booting sequence one command at a time and then find the one that is causing the problem.
M

you could change the timing of the repeat keys press or else remap the actual key (or if you are using a software like word then make a null macro); You could also remap the second key to do nothing. look up the accessibility area!
M

If solved elsewhere do ignore this... however I have in the past had troubles with windvd as it seemed to me to be flakey and a bit like vista not the best version in town.
This is not an advert but I solved all those problems similiar to yours by buying a commercial package ( with a name a bit like washing your hair product!) and it has worked very well for everything I have wanted to do on a modern powerfull set up and network.
M

this may seem a silly question but are they both in the same workgroup? Win 7 uses homegroup and xp uses workgroup. It does help to have them both in the same workgroup!
M

I ve used microsoft security essentials OK with legitimate windows.
I ve used Panda
I ve used AVG and all do a good job... the commercial ratings are about as good as the professional commercial versions.As viruses are noit as much a problem as they used to be any good AV will give OK results. You do not mention other nasties like root kits, or malaware. Advanced system care is a good all rounder re detection but not prevention. There are some free 'security' programs that cover everything,(MS essentials) but others you will have to pay for full cover.
m
M

msdos and I think w98 can only make partitions up to 2GB. you need to convert to NTFS to make larger ones.
M

oops and so very useful if a computer is stuck or needs diagnostics and network stuff not available in windows..... try traceroute!
M
PS I think this threads may be past it!

There are routines in DOS that cannot be done under windows (any version) a

I started with DOS ,and now on WIN 7 . ME was a stop gap upgrade from WIN 98 to give MS time to release XP. personally I would avoid ME it was a bit flaky.
M

A lot depends on your knowledge of the registry!
if you have little or no knowledge then you can easily and completely screw up the machine so that only a reinstallation will get it going.
If you have a good working knowledge or are prepared to work towards that then although I do not know the exact reference, by using the search facility inside regedit then you can find the entries in the registry that refer to SP1.
However removing them does not remove the files that were changed when SP1 was installed. (it just means the processor will not be able to use those files that depend on the registry entries.)
It is possible that either Microsoft knowledge base or Google will give you the exact references.
M

if solved why not mark it as such?
good luck
M

I think you solved it Rik but just a word of warning, if you are not used to soldering use a very fine soldering iron, earth yourself and the machine and don't apply too much heat to the board!

boot manager HAS to start before loading a windows operating system. If you upgraded from Vista (or other OS) there is a chance that part of vista is still on your hard disk and the boot manager is responding to that. (There may also be a left over line in hte boot manager file telling the boot manager to offer this additional option.)As the previous reply indicates you need to look into the boot manager file and see what it is trying to do and then delete the line that is causing a second system to respond. Google really is worth typing in any question that tells of your problem.
'(eg: What should my boot manager in Win 7 look like
M

Whilst not always jumping too fast onto beta versions of software I am confused as to which backup files you need. If you have sp1(beta) installed the full release version of last week should instal without difficulty. (you may be able to uninstall the beta and then install the full release)
If you need back up files it seems to me it may be asking for the original disk from which you installed Win 7.
As to why they did not do an update the reason is that in some updates you can use the old systems files, but in others (as in the change from FAT 32 to NTFS) file system (win 95 ,to XP for example) the whole structure of the disk had to be changed and that just cannot be done via an update it has to be a clean install, same with win 7.
best of luck
M

coming back,
if you use the linux cd and then try to open the MBR (master bbot record ) file at he beginning of the hard disk does it compare with the details as given in microsdoft help or Google. If unable to open or the details are widely different this will prevent the machine booting to windows. As you can see the files using linux cd, there does not appear to be any basic fault with the electronics of the computer or the electronics of the hard disk;

I suspect that a complete format and reinstall will correct the problem.(you can save the data using linux and an external HD or memory stick
M

if you cant boot from another boot cd (linux type or original win cd)it is a serious hardware fault
M

another way but more tiresome but can be efective is to get a program (there are a lot of free ones or a linux disk) that can boot from CD and then look directly at the hard drive. If you do this you may see in the index entries that start with a question mark '?'. these are entries that the computer thinks have been deleted (such as your user account documents etc) but they can be recovered if they have not been written over. To do this you will need to copy those files and then rename them removing the '?' mark.
M

it is worth exploring the actual files (outlook express I think keeps the emails in files with a dbx format ie (inbox.dbx etc) You may be able to either import these directly or to get a intermediate program (outlook would be one) that can convert.
M

It could also be hard disk failure to boot. (have you tried any other boot type cd disk
M

It is possible that some automativc update has changed something. Can you do a restore and go back a week. If not then it may be a hard ware problem as it doe snot appear to be reading the hib file properly on the hard disk

http://remove-malware.com/antimalware/anti-malware-howto/how-to-remove-a-patching-virus-w32virut-w32sality/

if it not too late have a look at this video!
M

have a look at primopdf as well
M

re the registry:
Do not be too afraid just be extremely careful Yes you can screw up the whole system but it is actually just a great big file that can be edited!
So N° 1: in the menus of regedit when you get there , there is an 'export' (save) the registry. Do an export (as well as a system restore before starting)
then using the 'find' command you can get it to go through the registry and find any word/s that apply to the program that you are wanting to remove.
When you are sure you have found a reference and are sure it applies to the program that you have bother with it then delete that whole key (as the line of text is called)
If it goes bannana shaped then close the reg editor, reopen and import the file that you saved and all will be as before!
If the banana is really squashed then use a system restore (all that does is restore the last working registry at the time is was created!)

A little knowledge of the registry can often help solve the type of problem that you have got.
M

agree with rik, but if you are up to it you could remove the keyboard and get to the motherboard and check around the power supply area as some laptops have protection fuses there and if blown give the symptoms you have.
M

I suspect the laptop is starting ok with the modem and then perhaps the output on the electronics (ethernet and Wireless) are getting 'jammed' and thus locking the modem into waiting for the signal from the output side of the laptop which has seized. if reinstalling all the drivers (ethernet and wireless and perhaps the modem) does not work then I fear it may be professional electronics help.
Increasingly it sounds to me like a heat buildup problem and then an electrical component switching off to prevent damage.
m

do you get the same problem if you connect using hard wire ethernet. If so then it is in the laptop in terms of its taking over the modem.
since you say that without the connection the modem works it would seem to me that the wireless connection may be overheating the modem (it has to trasmit and receive and this can involve dispersing heat in th output transistor the transmitter pat of it. If this is the case then you may need to look at cooling the modem in some form.
A very rare but none the less real possibility is that here are other wireless signals (eg fro a close by microwave) that are interrupting your signal and then the modem then hangs.
M

just to add I have used the microsoft essentials 64bit ever since win 7 arrived and it has done the business.
Trade press say it is OK and as ISPs now do a lot of anti virus automatic the danger from viruses is less than it used to be.
don't struggle use another AV!
M

this is a long route but might work!
you could install 'wine' (windows emulator) into linux and then try itunes in 'wine', you may have to install a version of windows as well!
M

before uninstall turn off system restore then uninstall.
If that does not work then do the same but instead of using control panel try to delete the directory in which the program is. It may not delete everything as it may be using a file at start up. Check the start up programs and delete any that refer to this awkward software and then continue to manually uninstall. You may then need a registry cleaner to remove any other left behind entries in the registry.
if all else fails go to command prompt in DOS and delete the directlry from there!
M

have a look at 'drop box', not ideal but very effective.
there is also a program called 'easysync' if you are no line all the time at both locations.

M

agree with above but it is worth trying vista drivers as well.
M

You may also need to check that the identity and password that firefox is using to access your ISP are correct.
M

You should not need to do so! If you look in program files you will find that there are two versions: One is program files, and the other program files(x86).
The first deals with 64 bit and the (x86) set of files deals with 32 bit and all quality 64 or 32 bit programs should run in win 7 seamlessly and invisibly to the user. If you have a 32 bit program that won't run properly you may have to take on administrator rights and you can use compatibility mode for earlier versions (32 bit) of windows;
Beyond that you cannot change 64 to 32 as the motherboard is built with '64' wires around it instead of 32. (oversimplified version of the truth!)
M

was it running when dropped, although this is not a certainty it rather sounds as though you have had what is known as a head crash, that is the read>/write head of the hard disk has actually been force (by the drop) to touch the actual surface of the hard disk(normally it flies over it and lands in a safe place (or is lifted off). in such cases the touching of the head against the disk damages the disk surface and it cannot read any files at that point and it is quite possible that this point is the start up files!

If this is the case then a reformat and re-install is the only option as in the reformatting it will mark the damaged part as unusable and not use it again. Hope his works

M

oh dear, sound may not work for various reasons:
1/ The sound board has died or not properly seated or connected;
2/ The software driver for the board may be incorrect (or failed update)
3/ The windows controls for sound may not be set to allow the sound board to work
4/ The sound may be muted on the master sound control (or volume set very low)
5/ finally it is possible some other hardware or software has 'hijacked' the sound system and is not letting the media player use it.

Each of the above has very differing solutions but it should give you a start!