TP: Sounds like the external power supply is OK.

I suspect that the problem you have is bandwidth. Your 7-port hub is still connected to a single USB port and will be constrained by the bandwidth available through that port. And remember that it's 7 ports as it's a 4-port hub connected to one port of another 4-port hub - which in turn is connected to a port on your computer.

MM,

" And remember that it's 7 ports as it's a 4-port hub connected to one port of another 4-port hub - which in turn is connected to a port on your computer."

Ah well, that's a pointer. I have my 7 port hub connected to one port and my USB mouse to another. Clearly I should junk the 7 hub and buy two 4 port hubs and put them into the two ports.

Belkin are a good name. I'll look for two of theirs.

TP

Are your USB devices 1.0 or 2.0 or a mix?

TP: Also, put the external HDD on to a port directly on the computer.

Low-bandwidth HID (Human Interface Devices) such as mouse, keyboard, USB headset etc will all be perfectly happy on the external hub. So don't junk it yet . . .

If your HDD needs two USB ports (not unusual if it's USB powered because the power requirements exceed 500mA), plug the 'power' USB plug into the hub and the 'data' USB into the direct computer USB.

MM

MM,

Thanks. Now I know that a 7 hub is only one 4 linked into another 4 I can re-think my access to the PC. It comes with four USB sockets.

My photographic PC needs to look after:-

Photographic quality Epson 2400 colour printer
Mouse
Two separate, mains powered, external hard disks containing image files
Negative scanner
DVD burner (the internal one is rubbish)
Camera card reader

and

Two mains powered external hard drives kept in another room and taken into the studio to back up the images held internally on the PC and on the two externals.

Canon 5d occasionally 'tethered' to the PC for portrait sessions.

(All the powered HDD's have their own transformers)

And, tyketto, I think they are all 2.0 but with something like a mouse I cannot tell.

TP

A Password Card for your wallet.

(The page at the link explains how it works)

This card could usefully be laminated (a service offered by Staples if you haven't got your own Laminator) and having a little tool like this in your wallet really does seem like a very good idea.

I wonder if something like this contravenes the golden invalidator rule that 'passwords should not be written down'?

Bruce Schneier's Blog on passwords, security and security technology

Final chapter of The Powered Hub.

Following the lead from my gurus around here I have junked the seven socket hub and recovered two four socket hubs, both Belkin, that were in a drawer. They work perfectly and the annoying 'USB drive not recognised' has gone away.

This was the criminal.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=45619

Barge poles at the ready. Luckily I did not pay 29.99. They must have upped the price to deter mugs like me from buying them.

TP

TP: That's great, glad your problem is solved.

USB hubs seem to be of very variable quality, and the 7-port hubs seem to be the most susceptible.

Is it possible to have skype on a IPhone 3G i understand that the 3G network have some phones that have this ability but i also think they work on a differant network to all the others but i was just wondering is this possible with a app as i have never heard of one before.Gut feeling tells me its not possible.

And i have just checked the skype website and yes they do a app for the IPhone so will be uploading over the weekend,this phone just keeps getting better all the time.

Mega: And the Skype app works very well - but some carriers will not let you make VoIP calls (such as Skype) over their 3G networks - it's a revenue issue. But your iPhone will work fine with Skype on WiFi. O2 will et you use Skype chat (text) over 3G, just not VoIP. In the US, AT&T finally relented and you can now VoIP on their network.

Thanks Delboy for the information.

Had a few problems with my PC's after updating windows this weekend.

Desktop running Win XP
After updating Windows was getting runtime error on Panda Internet Security 2010. Had to uninstall and then reinstall Panda.

Laptop running Win 7
I purchased my Win7 licence from Ebay about 6 months ago. Installed Win7 no problem, it passed authentication and has been fine for 6 months now. After updating Win7 I now get a message saying that my key is not genuine and I need to purchase a genuine key.

Anyone else had problems?

Jeffmack
Getting something similar with one of my xp versions although second version, from same installation disk, is running normally. 7 also OK.
It's not too difficult to get rid of the messages re genuine validation which appear on boot up and the effected disk will run normally but you won't be able to update it any more.
I think that micro must have a bit of a campaign running to shoot down pirated versions.

if you buy broadband and you have to subscribe to their telephone line rental, do i cancel the line rental with BT???

If you have a UK landline then (in most cases) BT own the line, so you have to still pay them for the line even if the broadband contract is with some other company. However many broadband suppliers offer a deal where they pay the rental for you, so they should notify BT of the arrangement.
Initially, my advice is not to cancel anything with BT as getting it re-instated is very tricky & very pricey.

Can anyone recommend a decent, reliable Broadband/Telephone supplier?
Alternatively a reliable, trustworthy free email provider of an uncomplicated system compatible with Thunderbird?

I'm currently with Virgin/NTL but have had a bellyfull of them making a total lash up of hiving their email off to Google Gmail.

There are still lots of ongoing problems for many users despite the migration having taken place about 2 or 3 weeks ago.

My big issue is that I don't trust Google in terms of security & privacy one iota, and that they seem to be trying to persuade people to use the webmail site rather than getting it via Thunderbird etc. Emails continue to sit on the server after delivery to the end user and I don't want to keep having to access the web site to delete old mail, and to check whether anything that should have come through has been flagged as spam and held back.

ChuffChuffChaser: Well, I can't help you when it comes to whether you should trust Google's Gmail or not, but I can tell you that you can configure Gmail to delete mail automatically from Google's servers after you've downloaded it to a POP client like Thunderbird. Specifically, you have options to keep it in the Gmail inbox, mark it as read, archive it, or delete it.

I don't know what the blessed Virgin have offered you in the transition, but what I've listed are standard Gmail options.

Also, Gmail's spam filter is reckoned to be one of the better ones.

MM

MM.
Do they actually delete it or block access?
mac