mjdodd

it does seem to me that you have a whole lot going on and much resources being taken up by background programs runnning. You have I presume done a good clean out with something like 'advanced system care 3' which is free and V; good? also Ipresume defrag has been …

another source that gives similar problem is that someone may have set your desktop to be an active desktop but given it a desktop file (wallpaper etc) that is NOT an active url link or siliar. try right click on desktop and turn off the active desktop.... it took me …

I agree with Frank. I have had a lot of communication with tech at Microsoft after SP3 bombed a compaq presario; I tried and repeadly tried to solve it and the only way I couold eventually find to do it was to use the recovery cosole (from a legit XP …

you can also repair outlook using the original installation disk or from the control panel and add remove programs and then outlook M

One way is to use control panel add and remove progs and then uninstall. If that does not work this is the really hard way. delete the windows media player 11 folder. (I cant remember wher eit is!) and then use a registry cleaner to remove all the registry entries …

use the 'help' in outlook and change the word.dot template and that should do the trick as outlook uses the word template. M

can u get any sound? beep on startup or otherwise? I have had probs with sound drivers and start by building up from a generic such as sound blaster. if no sound on start up then the sound system is us! If u get a beep on start up then …

it is also possible the print spool queue has a 'gash' file in it; Try to find the directory (inside windows) called 'spool' and delete anything in there; this often clears th print queue and enable restart of printing systems. (even ofter a restart!) M

have u tried pressing F8 to get to safe mode? Press F8 (or keep tapping the key) until u get a b/w scrfeenand choose safe mofe. Let me know what if anything happen. M

If you have a linux type startup cd (or similiar non windows startup) try to beet from a CD (may need to change bios settings) and if it gives the same freezing then it is almost certainly either of the two ideas already mooted ie overheating or faulty memory, contacts …

Onmost portables thre is a routine that may help. 1: remove the mains lead 2:remove the battery 3: there is usualy a reset button on hte side or bottom. It is a pin hole that you need to insert a paperclip end or similiar. and press lightly on an internal …

there are plenty try typing -create iso image free download- into google! M

The registry is a very large area. It basically is a number of files that store information about the whole of the resouces and requests for hardware and software in the computer. As far as changing things goes there are a lot of books etc but if you really wnat …

limited experience setting up a library with bar codes and ht actual setting of the reader and the particular format of the bar code are critical. If the format of the bar code is not exact to the format of the reader it will push out spurious readings or cpommands. …

I agree with all above but would also say that some routers / laptops / wireless connectors have to have a button pushed within a very limited time frame to allow the first connetion set up to work. the Orange 'livebox' is typical of this. Are all units actually in …

u could try reinstall the mouse driver and check for viruses Even a restore to a previous time might get it going. M

have you run chkdsk x: /f where x is the drive letter. I assume you have but worth a try. M

Has anyone else used the computer and changed firewall settings? (or securitylevels?) I know its obvious but.... M

try removing the wires that go to the switch from the motherboard and then bridge the pins oin the motherboard. if comp then works using the wall àplug / mains switch then the front switch onhte computer is faulty. if the same fault appears then the controlling chip on motheboard …

I had a client with similiar problem and the 'child' had set the deskktop top be a live web page with the address of a static picture on the computer. hence all that it would do is show that desktop picture and nothing else! Worth just seeing is you can …

I agree with most of the above. I had an N: drive and did a huge backup and then it would not work at all! I used chkdsk n: /f (if it is NTFS formatted u can use /X) and thsi fixed the disk problem but look at the chkdisk …

it sounds as though it may not be able to see the hard disk. have yu a disc that will boot (linux or winxp repair) to test the HD? Also one can boot from a USB (or floppy) if you have a drive... have u tried that and then test …

recently computeractive mag gave an interesting item on creating a anvi virus boot linux cd and by updating a key and then using the boot cd (not HD normal boot) and searching using the key updates it finds all viral activity and renames the file seems a good idea and …

have u tried booting from a cd or a memory key by changing the bios settings to avoid the HD. I once had a similiar prob with a dud (but appartently working HD) and using anothr boot method traced the prob. You might even try a linux boot disk if …

On a windows network ubuntu 8.04 is great it sees and works every file I want on XP machines. vice versa is impossible. firewalls down, same user name and same password (linux VNC cant connect, it starts and then the XP seems to refuse on port 5900 etc) All I …

just a very quick reply, but lightning strikes any where near computers even though switched off can hit almost anything by induction. put simply I had a network and all was tuurned off and all mains disconnected. A lightning strike some 100 metres away actually put an induced voltag into …

I would like to put the other side of AVG! I have used it for many years and found it to begood, both free and paid versions. However I have also had the problem of not being able to use the 'correct' licence number. I solved this by being absolutely …

COULD BE THAT YOU HAVE CHANGED SOMETHING IN THE CMOS:BIOS; oN STARTUP GO TO SETTING BIOS 5USUALLY F2 or DEL AND THEN SEE IF RESETTING THE MAIN SETTINGS TO THE DEFAULTS CURES IT. DANGEROUS BUT IT MIGHT WORK. m

any computer freeze can be cused by a number of problems: 1. Is it getting too hot through dust etc on fans and coolers?... clean off! 2. overcrowded softwated. much experience tells me computers work better if doing one thing at a time and not mulittasking. try to reduce any …

dont try it in windows. The tools in windows tend to be very pmitive and will probably result in loss of data if not worse. there are a lot of better tools out on the internet and a search through Google on disk partitioning etc will give much better advice; …

I have had a number of very similiar probs with clients machines and on several occasions have found the machines full of dust eg in fans etc. this causes overheating and cut out (especially on the video cards....) I recommend regular cleaning if in a dusty atmosphere!

without tech help don't know but it sounds to me like a timing problem on hte maoin board due perhaps to overheating or some 'sticky' memory slot; Have you got a soak test type memory program that runs for a long time (12 hours or so repeatededly?) M

having used emulators from the old BBC on IBM andthen using dos on 386 /486/pentiumand then trying to use various ohter emuations one realises thathere are always restritions on using nany type of emulator on another processor built to do differnet things; Wine seems ok for simple progs but a …

I realisethe solutions offered are the best but ther eis a very simple way to connect two comuters. get a cross over (important cross over) cable ethernet nad plug one end into each computer; then u wil then be able to see each other via ethernet automaticlly propvided they are …

30 years have said to me if it isnt broke dont mend it. if 2003 does what yu need dont get the hassle to going future 2007! M

any ideas... totally uptodate good working XP pro on a large computer with no frills except dual boot to Kubuntu. On updating via the redmond genuine etc etc SP3 installed and then completely crashed the machine and would not start beyond the blue screen of no not death stat up …

chech that in IE the properties of connectionare set to NEVER dial up. I ahd cleient with sma eproblemnd unless IE is set to NEVER dialup it tries first to usethe old dialupandthat confuses theADSL lins etc. BOL M

try and install Firefox, good, simple, stable and then when running you can delete and reinstall IE7 M

I know this may sound really stupid but a lot of experience in the field has taught me that not all problems are software!! I have had to physically clean out more computer than reformatting hard disks. If anyof th fans and especially the video card fans are blocked up …

following the, last flag if last good configuratuion does not work try the safe mode option. If it won't boot into safe mode you have either an MBR problem (use any old w98 disk etc) and run fix MBR. If that is non productive then you may need to examine …

almost all linux progs are not compatible with ms types. For basic office work the open office in linux will rad adn write to ms office files. Ther eis the 'wine' program inlinux that will run under linux quite a bit of windows software. I use Kubuntu whch looks verylike …

just to reinforce views... I have had 30 yrs in computing and have reently moved to Kubuntu and have downloaded a lot of open software including office etc. I have as yet to meet virus or malware or spyware on open office and open systems stuff and have met tons …

I also in hte past have had a lot of trouble uninstalling Norton. One trick that I use is after the uninstall to go looking for anything relating to Norton or Symantec. Often the uninstall does not totally uninstall all the directories and start up or initialising parts. Once you …

I know this is obvious but have you checked that the graphics card is both well seated in the motherboard (sometims hot / cold can cause disconnection and thyus the machine goes to default VGA.) Secondly is the fan (if any) or the cooloing fins on the card clean and …

In the bios/cmos have you set the first boot device to be the CD? (not just to detect the hard disk!) If your installation disk is proper it should then boot from that (it may be worth turning off the hard disk as a boot device ) as you probably …

after years on Ms I have as silver surfer streted Kubuntu. Printers fogt it use gnome printing to connect to xp x 2 netwirk printers and it works and doesnt fallover! Problem problem .. Linux cansee Xp files and use them as local copy .. great but full rights would …

I use kubuntu to experiment and in /system/advanced (tab on top of window/ youcan go to file or to system etc and then anywhere formthere! best O L M

Updating to Kubuntu 7.1 disables cd and dvd systems! Solve this by leaving 24 hours updating again and then it works!! I have followed many forums to get a windows printer (actually two of them) on a xp system as a network printer using KDE. Every time it fails some …

I realise witha dead computer you cant use it! However I keep a linux (kubuntu) bootable cd. this boots into a linyux version ( entirely from the CD) like windows that can access the hard disk and enable you to copyfiles. It may be that you can get a friend …

I agre with a lot of what has already been said, but I always asqk my clients not what computer they want to buy but what are they going to do with it? ANY computer since pentium 1 (and even the old BBC and 186 machines) will cope with ordinary …