> iiwarm
Thanks for your comments .. but it is precisely this that's going wrong on my PC.
Highlight the correct disk or partition or folder, knowing the target is there .. but no result :(

very strange! looks like we've reached the limits of my paygrade, sorry.

Plan B

Look at these regarding your files search on Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977380/

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/fix-search-box-does-not-display-search-results-correctly-in-windows-7

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7files/thread/4282a5af-8bb1-47d1-a7c4-303ade667e1e

At 9286 Harrycat said:-

"You could also use it for something like Readyboost with Vista where vista can use a usb drive like ram..."

I tried that on my studio machine and I thought it went faster. I have just done the same on this (office) machine and I am 99% certain there is an improvement.

I have probably overdone it with 16 gig cards - but my thinking was that later incarnations of Windows might value them - and, in real terms the price difference is only a few quid.

TP

I'm considering a switch of ISP - currently onetel 2mb - as faster options up to 6/7 mb are supported on my line. I also have unlimited downloads (fair use policy). My question is how do I know what my data consumption is so I can consider a capped service? My onetel account has no facility for measuring this. I don't use p2p but I do use skyplayer and the BBC/ITV players sometimes.
Is there software e.g. like the dashboard I get with my mobile dongle that I can use?
TIA

netmeter is the one virgin recommend. seems to work

We monitor bandwidth usage with NetWorx.

Zen Internet users have a free FireFox plug-in which monitors your usage. Very nifty.

McAfee doesn't like that link, Hils.

AVG is quite happy TOK. Looking at your suggestions now - many thanks for your help.

Surely someone could write a net usage program fairly easily in a few minutes. What about Mighty Micro's prgrammers? Are they busy?

> Haystack

First 2 links were nbg, but the third led me eventually to find the fault. 4 hours of re-indexing and I think I'm back in business. Many thanks to you and the others for help offered.

I've got a ACER T138-T970 Sempron 3100+ 1.81GHz 1.5gb DDR I paid 310 4 years ago, looking to either upgrade this

What are me options and costs to upgrade spend no more than 100-200
or What pc can I buy thats faster and better specs for around 400-500

Can't really help you too much, as not familiar with that machine, but in order to find out if your motherboard will accept more RAM, worth allowing Crucial to analyse your machine to check.
http://www.crucial.com/uk/?click=true

There must be a few of you out there with a black BT Home Hub 2.0. Here's how to check a few things including your Internet usage:

Click on this link: http://192.168.1.254/

(Ever after this it should stay in your History if you've enable the Autocomplete in your browser and so all you will need to do is just remember to put in the first digit, being '1', (ie. the very first part of the address) and it should apppear for you to autocomplete)

As you can now see, up has popped the BT Home Hub Help page.

Click on Settings

Enter your case sensitive Home Hub Administrator Password

Click on Advanced Settings

Click on Continue to Advanced Settings

Click on Broadband

You can now see from the Connection information data a few things:

Connection time (ie. for how long the connection has been open)

Data transmitted/received (MB) (ie. your 'usage')

On this page, if you Click on the ADSL tab you can also read your Downstream and Upstream connection speeds and also other connection data too ((ie. ADSL settings)

This BT Help site has lots of extremely useful and helpful information. Do have a browse around it.

HARRYCAT, Thanks I can upgrade the memory to 2GB Max

Shame there is not a one for motherboard upgrade etc

I run a PC and a laptop and find the PC is more versatile, though less mobile! As I cannibalise all of my old PCs as they fail, the power supplies, fans, hard drives, memory chips and plug-in boards quite often get re-used.
Motherboard upgrade? Apart from the drivers (CPU, BIOS, USB, on-board graphics etc) which can be upgraded on-line, not sure what you are expecting to change.

Richgit I can't find anything searching on the model number you've posted. Is it a desktop or laptop? The Acer Aspire T135 or T136 seems to be about the closest match.

If so, I don't think any significant upgrades are going to be worth it TBH. It has a maximum of 2Gb memory (2 x 1Gb modules). Its not going to be possible to upgrade the processor to anything current.

If the PC has just got slow over time through "Windows rot" consider backing up your data and then re-installing Windows. If its struggling with current software and you need a new PC something like thislooks pretty good for the money (note comes with no OS installed). The Core i3 will be a huge jump in performance from a Sempron 3100+.

Jonuk76, HARRYCAT It is desktop pc

One of the main reason I want to upgrade is to get my 3 monitors working, without crashing every few hours, also want to get Windows 7 64bit, and basically get a trading/gaming maching all in one

How about this review of one of the PCs on ebuyer.com - the reviewer's name is AliG :-)

this Pc is well tidy , me like to put me floppy disk in da mazzive holee , its feel sooooo gooood . izz likeee to pushh youu dee buttons well arddd . tooochhh meee USBBB!

If you don't believe me: Extra value PC