I am not familiar with Avast, but if it's anything like AVG then the grayed out icon would be to the definitions being out of date. This would make since because you did a systems restore. Try...

The problem is that you made a hardware change and now windows sees your system as a different computer. You will more then likely have to call to activate it. Even if you do get to the web to do...

Try going into the security of the the c:\backup folder and taking ownership of the folder and have the rights to all child objects change.

Have you tried to activate it over the phone?

Open control panel, click on Network Connections, right click on you wireless connection and click properties. Click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) once to highlight it and click properties. Make...

Could you go to command line when you are connected to the wireless and run ipconfig /all
and post the results here.

Are you trying to install a Zip drive? If so go to the manufacturers website and download the drivers.

I personally use AVG, but have heard really good things about Avira too.

Did the XP disc come with the laptop? If so then yes that is the one you use. As long your bios is set to boot to the CD drive first then yes just stick the disk in and restart.

You have a couple of options here. You can get your hands on another copy of XP and use the driver CD's to get your system up and running, or you can contact HP and get them to ship you a...

Are you using IDE or SATA hard drive?

That's because by default windows firewall blocks port 21 that FTP works on. It just happened that IE was the program you were using for the FTP. It would have alerted you to say Filezilla if you...

It is looking for the amount of RAM in your system, but depending on the game I would go with the amount left after the video allocation. That will make sure the game runs smooth.

It is your video card allocating RAM for itself. Boot your system and go into BIOS and it should recognize all 256MB.

1024MB = 1.00 GB Your system just uses the easiest measurement, as most new systems do.

You wouldn't have to enter the codes if you have already done this once because the system would cache it.

Your wireless device is not showing up here? Is it hooked up?

Disconnect you Wii and connect your laptop. Open a command prompt and type ipconfig /all. Post your results. Also do you have and encryption on your WIFI?

Sounds like you have two DHCP servers running. One on the LAN and one on the WAN. Is there a particular reason for this?

Could have been a mix of both. Bad CMOS chip would could accept a fresh flash, but would not fuction correctly. If he is telling you to install an update, but not the most current, they could have...

You wouldn't have a USB dongle or a PCMIA card you could try? I would disable the onboard and try that first.

With all of that it does sound like BIOS issue then. Sounds like a defective line of boards. Almost like the controller on the board does not see the HDD then suddenly does. That would explain the...

The black screen with cursor means the bios have finished post and is waiting on the HDD to load the ntldr. This is usually an idication a bad MBR, but with you able to shut the system down and then...

Sounds like a bad wireless card. Either a bad driver or actual hardware. Oh I am the same way with my network. Nothing goes on that I don't know about. It kinda scares my bosses. I had one bring...

Sounds like your HDD is having issues. Like it is having problems spinning up after a cold start. I would recommend a full back up and then replace the drive.

Are you absolutely positive that you don't have a rogue AP somewhere in the building? Do they pull the 192.168.1.x addy in the same area of the hotel everytime? If so that definately points to a...