Thanks Optimist - any idea what the likely extra cost for the upgrade to Ultimate might be on a new laptop?

CCC

The OEM version retails at around 150. I recently bought a machine from Dell and the upgrade from Home Premium to Ultimate was 85.

You used to be able to buy the Ultimate leys on Ebay for under 20 but of course there is the risk that they may stop working.

Can you install programs on a removable disc and then use them on pc, or does each program need to write something to the pc memory.

Jeff

Most Windows programs require installing to the PC hard disk and although you could install to a removable drive, they will still require some bits on the C Drive so you won't be able to use the drive on another machine.

Some programs are designed to be portable and will run entirely from a USB drive. One of the best free sources is PortableApps.com, but there are others.

As I thought Opto.
Cheers

I do disapprove of being forced to choose a browser by the European courts. I used to use Firefox and others occasionally. I have now reverted to just Internet Explorer in protest. When will Macs be forced to do the same thing instead of getting Safari preloaded.

On the off-chance, are there any PHP whizzes here?

I'm really struggling with a script and wonder if somebody can pinpoint where I'm going wrong. I suspect it's in the filepath (it dies when the debug isn't commented out), but I'm also not sure about those headers as it only wants to download the first 512 bytes when I bypass the debug.

< ?php
// Don't timeout when downloading large files
@ignore_user_abort();
@set_time_limit(0);

$filename = "myfile.exe";

send_download($filename );

// -- function

function send_download($filename){
$file_path = 'http://www.example.com/my/path/' . $filename;
$file_size=@filesize($file_path);

// -- let's try to debug
// if(!file_exists($file_path)) { die("File wasnt set or it didnt exist"); }

header("Content-Type: application/x-msdownload");
// header("Content-type: application/force-download");
header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=$filename");
header("Content-Length: $file_size");

header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0");
header("Accept-Ranges: bytes");

readfile($file_path);
exit;
}

?>

I need to print a number of docs on header paper and was wondering what uses the least ink.

To print directly onto the headed paper
or
To photocopy onto the headed paper

or is it the same?

If you are talking about using your printer as a copier/printer it won't print the docs as text and be that crisp. It will print it as a picture image. You might be better printing one copy onto a letterhead and then photocopying at a shop, but that method might depend on whether you have a coloured heading.

Yes the heading is coloured and I just had 1000 letterheads printed.

There is another solution. It is something I have done. I printed the document on plain paper and took my letterhead to a print shop or anywhere that has a photocopier. Then put your letterhead in the copier and copy the document onto your paper. A print shop would probably be cheaper.

Thks for the responses H

Messenger Live Help

I can't see some of my contacts, when I know they are online and they can't see me either, even thou am online

Searched the net and it suggests I uninstall Messenger Live Essentials, but windows won't let me do it, how do I uninstall this so I can re-install Messenger Live to try and get my contacts up and running

Did somebody say something :-0

What are the best Netnanny-type products? Not something I've gone into before but the kids have started asking embarrassing questions. Must be that Naughty Babysitter game. :-)

Preferably free ones, but happy to pay if it means them staying off the Sexual Offenders Register.

Tip: Apparently 'binder clips', otherwise known as 'bulldog clips', can make quite good cable organisers:

Had a major PC crash. I'm looking at it as an opportunity to do a clean re-install which is going well if tedious to locate discs, software download like itunes etc, etc. I have My docs, outlook.pst etc on an external hard drive using Goodsync but I find it limited as it only allows top level folder selection meaning I have to include a load of rubbish to get the outlook.pst file, templates file and the like included. I've looked at the XP backup but it seems a bit clunky and displays a tiny file selection screen.
Any recommendations for backup software - something that allows me to drill down and select individual files and then allows me to see those files on my external drive.

TIA :-)

Do have a look at the HP SimpleSave Portable

This is a USB connected portable separate hard drive. It has integral software, which makes both Backup and Restore a breeze. It sits there in the background, quietly handling Backup and you don't have to do anything other than set it up to start with and then just wisely check on it every so often to see if it is continuing to do its stuff.

It comes in various sizes from, say 320GB (circa 55-60) right up to 2TB (circa 150)

I like it and use one myself. I think it is a great value combination of portable hard disk and automated backup software.

There are some videos on it here.

You can use the Google Shopping (a tab off Google) to see where to get it from in the UK. I bought mine in Tesco.

You could also look at Acronis' True Image Home 2010, and another type of separate USB disk, such as Iomega's eGo Portable.

I suspect the best policy is to have more than one policy - that way if one scheme turns out bad you still have another string.
For this reason I store files I really need (like family pics etc) on CD as well as having a HDD copy on an external drive.
This keeps the PC's own drive clear to run the OS rather than be clogged up with important files.
Since the CD's have a serial number the same number should be used on the filename, on the HDD prior to burning the same-numbered disc.

hangon: But do take note of the expected life of CDs and DVDs. There is much debate on the subject, but cheap CDs may have quite a short storage persistance ( < 5 years??).