Sorry but I''m not sure what you mean by "a speed grade".

The 1.85GHz refers to your processor speed, the memory runs considerably slower - most likely around 400MHz although the fastest desktops now use 1GHz + memory speeds.

If you go to the Crucial site and run their memory checker, it will offer you the best memory for your machine although some of the options may involve discarding your existing RAM. If the crucial tool can't identify the machine then check the manufacturers website.

Dailos:

I will bow to superior PC knowledge from elsewhere (I'm just a simple computer scientist/software engineer), but the only cost-effective way I know of to upgrade the CPU speed of a laptop is to buy a new one.

Having said that, more memory will vastly increase the operating speed of your laptop. Don't worry about the CPU GigaHertz (GHz), upgrade the memory Gigabytes.

Your computer can only run program code that is resident in main memory. If the size of all the stuff, including the chunks of Windows you are using, exceeds the available main memory, Windows uses up lots of time swapping the things you're not currently using out so it can load the things you want to use back in from disk.

So, instead of things running at the speed of the CPU, you end up waiting for the mechanical disk heads to scrabble around reading the stuff that you need, while you wait at the keyboard with that dinky little hour-glass cursor in front of you.

Install more RAM.

Cheers

MM.

Thanks.. understand now.
:-)

The Belarc Advisor will build a profile of your hardware and software, and display the whole machine's shooting match in your Web browser.

Then you can print it out for future reference.

Who made the machines parts?
How much RAM and what sort?
What software is on the machine and exactly where is it located?
What are the software versions?
What are the Microsoft Product Keys?
What Microsoft Updates have already been downloaded and installed?

And more!

Less disk activity in swapping means a longer lasting disk drive. I have found that people with PCs with very low memory are frequently the ones with disk failures. A PC with low memory may be swapping almost continuously if you have more than one window open at a time or more than one web page open.

Thanks Optimist - again!
Hope I've cracked it this time - machine looks set for another updateything, so fingers crossed for an easy re-set.
Still don't understand why the screen goes every time though.

Chocolat

You should normally set your auto update options to automatically download and install which in practise assuming you do not switch your machine off, will result in it rebooting some Wednsday or Thursday mornings.

I'ved never lost my second screen during an update, but it has happened if the monitor is disconected for a short time.

MM

As always, you explain it perfectly.

Exec

I totally agree re Belarc Advisor it sould be a must have for everyone. Make sure that you save the report to an independant drive.

Portforwarding?

Firewalls/AV's installed
Norton Internet Secruity
Zonealarm Internet Secruity
AVAST
PeerGuardian 2

Also using Netgear WPN824 wireless router

I need to let my P2P software allow uploads, but i keep getting firewall is stopping part or all of the connection so if i didnt sort it out it will ban me sooner rather than later

I've switched off the ZA, NIS firewalls or told them to allow access to P2P software etc but still nothering. Tried to change the router setting but dont know user name / password etc

I need to make sure my pc is secure for viruses, hacks spyware etc, but also allow uploads for my p2p software

HELP ;-)

Richgit

You will have to get into the Netgear router and alow access on the required ports to your machine.

Thanks again Optimist - think I'm getting the hang of it now.
I kept postponing the updates today, because I didn't want the interruption, and I've just come back to find the machine was waiting for me to let it restart - and the screen is working. Had I shut down earlier (which I'm afraid I tend to do when the boys and their friends are around after I've gone to bed) I'd have had to have a fiddle by now :)

Anyway - next question: do I want this IE security patch?
http://tech.uk.msn.com/news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=11984472

Yes - as soon as posible.

As regards the MS updates, I find that it is best to load everything automatically. It is very rare that a patch will foul things up seriously although there are exceptions. In any case, you can always use system restore to put it back.Your chance of spotting the rouge patch before instalation is almost zero.

Thanks :)
They are s'posed to load automatically, but perhaps I mess up the routine by shutting down - I don't know :S
I noticed that IE patch when I was logging into my hottie account the other day - I'll give it a whizz later.
And you're right about system restore - it's about the only thing I can't mess up :)

Anyone know if its possible to do a Firmware update on a Toshiba 42" LCD TV to get FREESAT +???

Also looking to get a wireless streamer for the TV to recieve video and TV HD from the computer at the moment the Netgear EVA8000 seems ok, put the forums say don't touch it with a barge pole, ummm any other suggestions???

I've also heard that if I got a PS3 not only do i get a blu-ray player but it would do video and TV HD streaming from the computer the same as the wireless streamer I am looking at, is that true??

Am currently running 2 x DDR sticks of 256 MB on my Amilo laptop, but for the first time ever the message "Windows 16-bit program - Insufficient memory to run this application" has come up on initial Windows XP boot-up (Probably 3D text screen saver).
I can upgrade to 2 x 512 MB sticks, which I may well do, but does anyone know if there is a way of checking to see if either of the two existing sticks has packed up, as apart from downloading OpenOffice recently, I haven't increased the RAM load as far as I can remember?

Harry
Right click on toolbar.Select Task manager.
Then performance.This will tell you total and usage.
mac

Harry

Try Googling for memory test. There are plenty out there including one from microsoft and those one most live linux CD's.

Thanks guys. Used the Microsoft test program, which I can highly recommend. No fault found with the memory sticks, so must be just too high demand on the RAM at start-up.
Have upgraded my PC memory, but never even opened the back of my laptop. I hope it is straightforward, but any tips appreciated so I don't completely b*gger it up!

Harry

Most laptops have a seperate panel that houses thr RAM so upgrading should be even easier than on a Desktop.

My Dell XPS 1330 laptop is playing up. It boots up ok then atfer using it for 10-20 minutes it does one of two things

It locks and all programs will not respond, then 5 minutes later it will switch of.

The screen goes black then lightens with lines of colour (like a defrag screen) then it goes white then nothing happens and I have to manually switch off.

I tried a reinstall of win vista plus all the dell utilities/drivers but it is still the same. It is 13 months old.

Any ideas??

Jeffie: a first guess would be overheating. Are the fan(s) running? Are they clogged up with fluff (lucky you)? Careful use of a vacuum cleaner can work wonders here.