rpaco:

Sorry to hear about your experience with Firefox. If a site doesn't render properly with Firefox, it's because the web site authors have only implemented for Internet Explorer, and not the World Wide Web standards (Prop: Sir Tim Berners-Lee). In other words, it's their problem, which is made your problem by their ignorance. Complain to them. Tell them to fix their code so it does work with standard browsers, not just Microsoft's IE.

I use Firefox or Opera most of time (it's a mood thing) and have no problems. I don't use IE, it's in the bin as far as I'm concerned because of its appalling record on security.

"a Start-Up program to evaluate all the start-up items that are slowing my XP start-up to a crawl?"

msconfig.exe typed into 'run' shows most and you can untick the box and stop them loading although the parent application may reinstate them.

I have just changed broadband provider, now if I leave my computer and screen saver comes on, the computer locks up and I have to turn it off at the mains any ideas ?

brian - Well, there's the rub. The parent certainly re-instates them - and which are the one's that really matter anyway. There seems to be some proprietary programs that do all the hard work for tenderfoots such as me and I was just wondering their worth (if any). Thanks for the comment, anyway.

Jim, not at all sure why this should be related to change of BB provider. Have you installed any new software recently? Have you checked / altered the screensaver settings. It sounds more like a corrupted file somewhere than anything to do with broadband. Just to make sure, why don't you switch your router off or disconnect it if it's a USB one and see what happens when the screensaver kicks in. I bet it locks up again.

I would try changing screensaver first!

The Other Kevin: Have you visited www.mlin.net ? There's a free start up control panel that let's you see and control start up progs. Very easy to use

(If I can use it anyone can :-))))))

Bolshi - No I haven't. Sounds interesting. I'll have a look. Thanks.

Spybot S&D will tell you which files and applications execute at start up.

You'll first need to ensure that you are in Advanced Mode, rather than Default.

Then Tools > System Startup.

edit: If there are any values which you're unsure of, it's a good idea imo to paste them into a Google search to find out more about them. There's always a technogeek somewhere on the internet who can say exactly what the purpose of each and every file is.

The beauty of Mike Lin's start up utility is that you can disable any suspicous looking progs (after googling them) and seeing how your system performs and then either deleting or re-activating.

Thanks Hilary. I've never looked at Spybot Advanced Mode because of the health warning that flashed up with it. I'll take a peek.

Help required please on 2 issues,my wife has just bought a laptop and we are planning spending a lot of time up north without internet access,1st question i want to hook the laptop up via either 3G or gprs with either a card modem or can it be done with a bluetooth dongle and a Sony p800,the 2nd choice is the cheaper option as i have the phone already but possible not the best option ????Any suggestions on this one please.

2nd problem is i have a email account that comes free with webspace on a host server and its dedicated to a sales@.....thing,if when i am away from my main computers and want to access my email from my laptop,can the email be routed to say my yahoo account which i can pick up anywhere on the planet,can this be done and if so how ????

Can someone help on these issues please.

Rick...

MB,

I pick up e:mails and do web work that does not require too much speed using a bluetooth USB device connected to my Asus laptop and my Nokia bluetooth cellphone which can handle GPRS. It is a reliable system that not only works 'up north' but in places like Venice, India, South America - you name it.

The great thing is that it is easy to get the connection. The downside is speed and cost as you are not using broadband and you are paying per quantity of data downloaded.

I have no experience of 3G, but there are lots of people using those 3G PMCIA devices with assorted degrees of success.

If your e:mail account can be made to perform as a POP3 mailbox you can pick up your messages anywhere you can get access to the internet. However, sending messages demands that you have SMTP permission. If, like me, you are using O2's GPRS you will get it.

However, I took the precaution of signing up with http://www.authsmtp.com/ and for a nominal annual sub you get an SMTP pass that works on any internet connection you can find. I have a sub to
http://www.maglobe.net/

With that, as long as I can get a phone line I can dial a relatively local number and get internet access - not broadband, but faster than GPRS.

I have a Compuserve account and never bother about re-routing. I have an off-line reader called nPOP and that allows me to scan the headers of what it in my mailbox, delete the junk and then download anything relevant.

Any help?

TP

Could someone offer advice on a ADSL problem please.
I run a Linksys WAG54G modem router.
It has 4 Ethernet connections and up to 30 wireless connections.
The problem this morning is although its showing green lights for connection to
ADSL there appears to be nothing coming out of the Ethernet ports, i can connect my PDA wirelessly no problem. Is it likely to be the Router at fault.
It shows on the PC as " Local Area Connection, A network cable is un pluged " This keeps flashing on and off as though its momentairily connecting
I've checked the leads to both PC connected to it and all seems ok
Thanks Steve.

This is beyond me, Steve.

But until one of the gurus drops in I'd be trying to get Windows to create a new network connection via the Control Panel.

Maybe wrong, but that's what I'd try.

TP

TP,many thanks for help,the bluetooth usb thingy,do you get them from PC World and how did you get it to setup for the internet,i think for the use that i would go down the avenue of using my phone too.

Thanks for your help.

Rick...

TP thanks, will give it a go. The other option is to buy a pci wireless card for the pc's

MB,

My bluetooth USB transmitter came with the laptop, but it will be the same as those at PCW.

You have two steps. First you have to get your laptop to 'bond' with the phone using bluetooth.

Once you have created the link with the phone you have to teach the laptop's dialler how to tell the phone to connect to the local GPRS signal. This tends to be rather more specific as you need to know the settings your cellnet provider uses.

Most people have URL sites where the connections are explained and they are a bit like setting up your normal mail server on a PC.

Like all this stuff it is a real pain to set up - but the thing about GPRS is that once set up it works the same in Patagonia as it does in Alaska.

And if you have your bluetooth phone configured you can then use a bluetooth enabled PDA, like my Asus MyPal 716, to check your e:mails when you can't be bothered with carting a laptop around.

I have a nice bit of software called StockManager on mine and it picks up stock prices, from any exchange, using Yahoo Financial - so I can monitor my portfolio with the PDA anywhere and at any time.

TP

TP,bought another Vodaphone datacard yesterday,so when i am away next week can collect all my emails and place some trade while away from the main pc.

Many thanks for your help

Rick...

MB,

Good luck with the new card.

Still deliberating about my PDA and TomTom.

Might I borrow your version to see if it works whilst you are away.

Rgds

TP