I use quicken also. If you wanted to e mail the backup I'd be happy to try on my spare machine.

Thanks Kernow but the problem has been (partially) resolved. He's managed to open the file and recover his data up to Jan 9th. He's going to manually update it from there.

He says that it's been misbehaving for a while. Invoice numbering occasionally increments by 5 or 10 at a time, rather than sequentially.

I've told him to find some different software.

The @compuserve.com mail system is currently not working.

Beware all, like me, who use it.

TP

No probs. CCC. I must say I've used quicken since 1993 and never a problem. Perhaps a re-install of the software.

Hi Kernow

I've suggested he does a re-install but don't know whether he has or not. I've used Q for many years also without problems, but only for domestic matters. My brother is a walking computer disaster zone & always having problems. It's no doubt down to something he's done.

Thanks again
CCC

Hi all.
Laptop recommendation needed please.
Believe it or not, I have never owned a laptop and know bog all about them. However I will be travelling for 2 months this summer and need to keep a close eye on my modest portfolio. Any suggestions gratefully received. Weight is a consideration. TIA

It depends how adventurous you are!

I use a 200 Linux netbook on holiday which works fine but updating it to Firefox 3 with Java and Thunderbird email was interesting though probably no problem for a Linux guru. I haven't tried it, but I don't fancy running Win XP on an Atom based netbook. I know that many people do but I can't imagine it being powerful enough. Though Windows 7 may be better and it's free till March.


The other alternative is a standard laptop. Aim for at least an Intel Core 2 Duo processor with at least 2GB RAM. There are loads available well under 500 so choose one that has got the features that your prepared to pay for. Get one with Vista Business or Ultimate this will add significantly to the cost but Vista Home version is c**p.

Bel, Check the costs of downloading if you are abroad. May be cheaper to use and internet cafe.

Set up your portfolio on an internet site, before you go. I was stuck in Portugal for 6 mths with a desktop in my motor home and it cost me about 200 a month. I was downloading, but when I start flogging shares the internet at that time was B slow. I resorted to internet cafe and sold out at the right time. I was lucky then.
But the internet and communications have vastly improved since then
Another thing, perhaps, because I am more tight fisted than Optimist, and if you are not going to use it for other purposes demanding a powerful machine, and older operating system and a large ram may solve your needs. More cheaply.

Friends have picked up some bargain second hand computers at crazy low prices.
I am as I said tight fisted and having to trail behind the pack and like a operating system which has been debug by others. Happy to be lazy!

Enjoy. your holiday.

Just a thought, Optimist do you know if they do packages on the continent with computer and WFI connection like some phone companies are presently offering here.

My be a cheaper method of solving problems. Depends on contract.

I'm not sure that a 200 notebook counts as extravagent, but you do tend to get what you pay for.

The downside of using an Internet Cafe, is security. You have to asume that any machine will have a keylogger and possibly a screen capture trojan runnng in the background, which means you have to be brave to access financial sites on them. Public WiFi, though safer, still has it's risks which means you need a machine with at least a fully patched Win XP SP3 and a good AV program therefore you need a machine with at least 1GB RAM which rather limits the choice of used models. Also, in my experience, the built in WiFi receiver in Laptops is one of the most common failiures although you can always buy a USB dongle.

A Linux machine is less vulnerable to attack, mainly because fewer are in use, but not immune. you would also (almost) lose the option of using mobile phone based internet connection.

A mobile phone based internet connection is the most secure, but as Fred says, it can be very expensive and data rate is variable.

I don't know of any computer/WiFi packages on the continent but I suppose they must exist. Possibly the cheapest way is to buy a data dongle with a short contract when you get abroad.

BTW Vodaphone are abolishing roaming charges for the summer, but maybe not for data.

Thank you for the input guys.

Time difference means no cafe or hotel internet open, so will need hotel with wifi where possible. Didnt realise a netbook could do the job, so will investigate further. Would want to run xp and ie8 which is what I am used to, if possible. Yes the large ram with an old system has got me thinking too.

EDIT to add

Ok another source has suggested a Dell Inspiron 15 ( seem to be pretty loaded with about 3gb ram) 350 while they're on offer. And could you please explain what a win xp sp3 patch is please, as I will be viewing financial sites.
Thank you very much guys

I was thinking of checking shares prices, rather than trading. I did have anxieties about Internet cafes, but I was flogging out in ISAs and money only transferable to own account. I hoped.

I use my Eee netbook using XP when in Spain. Moneyam and other web based trading sites work fine as does web based e mail. The dinky size is a gem as is the 4/5 hrs battery life but you do spend more time scrolling due to small screen size.
I also use a usb dongle at 6euro/month, 2 euro per day but this is country specific.

I bought a Samsung NC10 netbook a few months ago - I can easily get 7 hours battery life out of it with XP. I used a Dell Inspiron laptop before this which managed about 3.5 hours. Not as cheap as some netbooks but the NC10 has convinced me that mobile computing is really all about battery life - because for the first time I can use a portable without constantly feeling like I'm watching the clock and battery indicator. I've read that some newer netbooks might be able to manage as much as 9 hours now - after the NC10 I'd never go back to anything with less than 7 - it's changed my way of using them.

A good point, much as I like my cheap and cheerful Aspire1, the usable batterry life is around 75 min.

This might be well worth considering too:

https://www.gotomypc.com/....

I would agree that a remote desktop is a good way of accessing both your home computer and Internet applications while abroad but have the following reservations:-

I would not be comfortable giving control of my home PC to someone like gotomypc. I know that they say it is secure but I try to be cautious.

I do often use remote desktop but only over a secure VPN connection which rules out Internet Cafes.

If you use something like gotomypc in an Internet Cafe and a trojan manages to get your logon details then your entire PC would be handed over to the bad guys.

Optimist, or any other person who can help.

I am running a Sony VGN with XP pro and NFTS partition hard disc Laptop.

I am beginning to wander about again and frightened of losing my machine when I take it with me to some strange and dark places.

I am thinking of getting an encryption package to safeguard information, giving me time to cancel accounts etc.

Many of my files are encrypted already within various programmes.

Are the packages any good?

Are they safe?

Are they expensive? (Tight fisted again.)

Any suggestion to which package?

Do they slow the machine down?

Not that the latter matters too much as I am generally slower than the machine and dont notice slowness often.

If you used something like gotomypc can you protect/ prevent sharing of certain areas of the hard disc against keypadding etc.

I asked at various internet cafes while wandering, if I could plug directly into their land line?

Only one nice guy in France said he would be happy for me to do so.

I am not sure if I was more or less safe.

The safest thing, Fred, would be to ensure that there's absolutely nothing of any worth left on your machine. If that means clearing your cookies and your browsing history regularly each day and deleting any stored passwords from the registry, then so be it. Also empty your recycle bin.

Even so, these items are unlikely to be permanently deleted from your hard disk and could still be recovered. There is software available which claims to permanently delete stuff.

My experience of anything to do with security and encryption is that everything is crackable. Whichever encryption method that you choose, there will undoubtably be a free crack for it somewhere on the internet.

Re Hilary's mention about clearing out all the the dross from your machine, I am an avid user of CCleaner.

In fact, I must use it several times per day. It makes cookie management a doddle and I do like to keep some cookies undeleted because I can then go to sites where cookie recognition by those sites is an asset for me to have. With CCleaner I can easily choose which cookies to delete or keep.

I could use CCleaner to delete History files but I don't do so because I tend to surf quite a lot using History links.

I use CCleaner to delete Temporary Files and Temporary Internet Files, Clipboard and my Recycle Bin. I also use it to maintain my Registry Integrity - this is a doddle to do too.

I can also use it to control my Windows XP Startup programs and do Uninstalls.

It will do more than this but I don't tend to use it for much more than I've listed above.

A reliable download site for CCleaner for me to recommend is via my friends', The Computer Doctors' Software Download Web Site


Can't help with anything to do with encryption but I'd start looking for it here:



(Note how they have used a topical picture of the brand new and very important 'missing link'. Clever, eh?)