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.

I seem to be having problems installing SP3 for XP; downloads ok but then I get a message saying that the installation has failed and XP is restored to its original state - anyone else having this problem?

This article by Microsoft may help you.

Should the fan be very audible? I cant hear anything that sounds like a fan running.

Is it easy to replace a fan on a laptop?


jeffmack 02 Jan 2009 15:06 - 7598 of 7601
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??


MightyMicro 02 Jan 2009 15:10 - 7599 of 7601
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.

jeffmack

You should be able to detect whether the fan is running. Try holding a feather in front of the vents.

The other thing that you should be able to do is check the temperature of the CPU and motherboard. Possibly you can do this in the BIOS settings but you would do better to check the dell site for a monitoring utility.

A few weeks ago, I had reported seeing fake Google search results on my pc. Mananged to resolve the problem. Turns out it was a malware infection. Be careful as this infection results in attempts to access to a malicious site at 78.110.172.21. If you have any of these symptoms (fake Google search results and/or attempted access to illegal sites), then look for "wdmaud.sys" in C:\Windows\System32" The solution for me was to move the file to a quarantine area (I use Avast). If the file pops up again, rename it and shred it to hell.

Are you sure about that?

http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/sys/1497-Wdmaudsys.html
shows it as a Microsoft file wave/midi mapper file.

There is also reference, dated 17/01/2005 to it at:
http://forum.soft32.com/windows/BSOD-help-wdmaud-sys-ftopict315350.html

ChuffChuffChaser, there is a legitimate file in the Drivers directory. The one I mention parks itself in the System32 directory.

Look here for a description and discussion:
Fake Google Search Results

Vista Home basic - Does anyone know how to run CHKDSK please, as I have tried the XP way of doing it by typing in to the 'run' command box, but nothing happens?
Does Vista even recognise the basic DOS commands?

Harry

You need to open a command prompt window and run chkdsk from there.

Type cmd in the run box.