Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: annew on January 05, 2013, 08:04:30 PM
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YEAH!! Put the flag up, I finished my new website with gallery pages - I'd appreciate any feedback if it doesn't work for some users:
http://www.dryad-home.co.uk (http://www.dryad-home.co.uk)
Edit by maggi : please make comments on Anne's new website here :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9940.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9940.0)
I'm moving those already made there :)
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A friend is looking for some genealogy software to use on her Mac. Has anyone got some to recommend?
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Posting is very fast here
but as soon as I attach a picture 40-80 Kb
uploading takes ages
working with the latest Firefox and XP
this problem is only here
no problem with other fora who use SMF © 2011, Simple Machines
Roland
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Access to the forum is governed primarily by the individual internet provider of each reader.
Each provider will use different pathways to different sites. As we discovered recently by the experience of Arnold T in America, his route to the forum was being obstructed by his provider's pathway being held up by some obstruction or bottleneck in Germany!
These problems, irritating as they may be, are not something over which the SRGC has any control.
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I just wondered
because there was no problems with the other fora
I post now first without pictures
and ad them after uploading the text
many times if I ad text and a picture
firefox stops uploading saying that the site is unattainable
and I have to type the text again
Roland
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After hours on the phone with Verizon. It was determined that after my connection leaves the Verizon system it's getting stuck somewhere in Germany at a server. I ran a program from my Network Utility called Traceroute it times how the connection as it jumps it's way from New Jersey to Scotland. For me the confusing part is it happens only at night here.
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I still think the reason that these obstruction happen is increased traffic in part of the route- at night there are surely many more users online....... :-\ seems possible and plausible to me! :D
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Maggie
My night time you should all be safely tucked away with you teddy.
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Maggie
My night time you should all be safely tucked away with you teddy.
Yes, Arnold, but 200 plus million Americans et al are wide awake!
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Night for you is day here and Germany
if it stuck in Germany it explains a lot
Roland
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Well Maggi:
If tall the Americans are trying to get to the SRCG site that's a good thing.
Things have improved over the last couple of days.
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We are quietly pleased with the numbers visiting the site and this forum- but it is more a question of overall traffic in the internet rather than a specific rush to these pages - not sure how we'd cope with one thousand million Chinese arriving at once- but it would be fun to meet them even if only a few more found their way here!
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Today I visited Indian , Japanese and Chinese sites
well with the google translator you maybe understand a little
but google has a long way to go
so I hope they write English ;D
Roland
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I feel so sick and worried just now.
Bought a new pc from PC World today. Got home, installed MS Office and while looking at the recepit wondered why the price was different than the one I asked the assistant for. I was to-ing and fro-ing between two and settled on the better more expensive one but the assistant lifted the wrong one. Phoned customer service and said its my fault because I should have checked before leaving the store and more so I opened the box and installed a programme.
What do you think might happen when I go back tomorrow?
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They are at fault. These electrical stores try anything to get out of their responsibility, and then finally give in, suggesting they are doing you a favour. I bought a PC which arrived the day we were leaving for NZ. To get it in the packing crate I had to take it out of its box, which I ditched. Guess where the 'key' for Office 2010 was! :-[ I had to install Office 2007, which I'd had for my old computer. Office 2013, when it comes out, is a free upgrade for those with Office 2010. :'(
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After a very sleepless night Anthony you are correct. They don't have in stock which is why the guy sold it to me. The customer service e guy in store said we'll change it when the better model comes in to stock. Do you want to take the computer back home install and download what you need. It will be set back to basic levels when you return it.
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any views on large hard drives such as the 5TB below
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4tb-hitachi-0s03356-deskstar-7k4000-35-hdd-sata-iii-6gb-s-7200rpm-64mb-cache-8ms-ncq-retail?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=google+shopping (http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4tb-hitachi-0s03356-deskstar-7k4000-35-hdd-sata-iii-6gb-s-7200rpm-64mb-cache-8ms-ncq-retail?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=google+shopping)
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It's not for my new computer but for a digital video recorder that records nest boxes. The 1TB I have records, from memory, 9 days before starting to record over again
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Mark
Will it physically fit in to your DVD machine. I think I would seek professional advice on this one. This post may help
http://myhumax.org/forum/topic/hard-disk-upgrade-using-wd20eurs-2tb (http://myhumax.org/forum/topic/hard-disk-upgrade-using-wd20eurs-2tb)
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There are only two physical sizes for consumer hard drives, 3.5 inch and 2.5 inch so the physical fit is not an issue. The largest storage capacities are only available in the larger size (3.5").
DVD recorders use a different disk format to computers. All disks are supplied unformatted but I wasn't sure if the use of Hitachi Advanced Disk Format on the drive Mark is thinking about has any adverse implications.
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My daughter got a Samsung ATIV Smart PC for Christmas (I'm needing to have words with Santa). It seems to have some anomalies which we are noting. One caused her some grief today. It had been switched off all day, and she went to pick it up, but burned her hand on the back. I checked and one corner of the machine was definitely extremely hot - too hot to hold. Is this normal? It wasn't plugged in for charging and hadn't been in use all day! We are leaving it on the kitchen surface over night and will check again in the morning.
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This is not normal at all. Obviously, overheating. Fan may be broken or system which monitors temperature on the blink. This is a major problem - machine will cease to operate shortly if not dealt with - overheating while in use and automatic shutdown interrupting work.
Had a similar problem with a laptop - not quite so hot as you describe.
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Thanks Paddy. I'll take it back tomorrow. It's just sitting on the table and is still red hot. It's not even switched on!
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Thanks Paddy. I'll take it back tomorrow. It's just sitting on the table and is still red hot. It's not even switched on!
I'm no expert but it sounds like a serious battery problem, which could be a fire hazard. Can you take the battery out and see if that's what's heating up - can't think what else it would be if the machine is switched off. If the battery is getting hot, I'd leave it out of the machine until you can return it and the machine (and put it somewhere - e.g. a concrete or tiled floor - away from anything flammable).
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BTW Anthony, just found a packet of snowdrop seeds that I thought I'd posted to you ages ago! :-\ Will get them off to you asap.
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I'm no expert but it sounds like a serious battery problem
I'm a bit of an expert and I agree that it pretty much had to be a battery problem. Faulty computer batteries have been known to explode so Martin's advice is sound. You might even consider putting the battery inside a biscuit tin or similar strong container (although I think it should be okay once disconnected from the computer).
See Exploding Laptop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pizFsY0yjss#)
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Strangely the computer cooled overnight and before I could check it Lucy had recharged it. We are still waiting for the hot spot to reappear! ???
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You can remove the battery and the computer will still work connected to the charger. Do that and see if the hot spot was somewhere along the length of the bit you removed.
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Computer is now charged and we are trying to see if it heats up again. Cool as ice all day. This is the problem with faults. Trying to replicate them for the retailer. :-\ We have the extended warranty, but if they don't experience the problem first hand they just suggest it's in our mind. :(
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Computers can spot when they're not doing anything worthwhile and switch to power saving mode.
To make it get hot you'd have to set it a computationally intensive task - calculate the first million digits of pi. Or maybe block the air vents.
Of course if it is some sort of intermittent electronics thing, this is not relevant.
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It has not reproduced the hot spot since then, but Lucy wasn't happy with it as it made weird noises and so it has been replaced with another of the same. We will now find out if it was the machine or Lucy that was at fault. She would have preferred Microsoft's own version, but as usual, this will be obsolete by the time it's sold outside the USA. I don't understand this drip feed of technology across the world! Vivienne's cousin, who lives in Oz, was sent a Kindle Fire (7" version) from the UK by a friend. It's her friend's "4th Kindle". It says so when you fire it up. This has pros and cons. The pros are - any book her friend buys appears on Kindle number 4. The cons - any book her friend buys appears on Kindle number 4. Weighing up the pros and cons depends on the owner's taste in books! I got my larger Kindle Fire via a friend in New York as you can't get it outside the USA. As I paid for it it is my 3rd Kindle. I can't get the Facebook app for it as I'm not in the USA. Don't need it as I can access Facebook by clicking a link on my email page. I tried to key in the time and date, but realised that I was limited to time zones for places in the USA (why was Puerto Rico there?). I then checked the display and realised the time on the machine had set itself! ::)
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Anthony, Puerto Rico is part of the US, a territory - sort of a state but not a proper state with Puerto Ricans having US citizenship, probably to become a full state at some point. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico)
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Is anyone using photoshop elements 11? I cant find how to change pixel size. For years I've been editing photos down to 700 pixels wide.
PS 11 only gives the options %, inches, cm, mm, points and picas
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found it!
Trying to set up my new Lenovo, thanks Alan, the way I like it and downloading and installing everything I need.
Amazing how fast it is compared to my very old Dell.
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Glad you like it, Mark.
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Anthony, Puerto Rico is part of the US, a territory - sort of a state but not a proper state with Puerto Ricans having US citizenship, probably to become a full state at some point. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico)
A bit like Mexico, in a way. Up until recently I don't think US citizens needed a passport to travel to Mexico and could us US currency. Doesn't work the other way though.
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My new monitor makes everything too wide and squashed. The new one is 21 inches / 54cm. The old one was quite small at 15 inches / 38cm
Do I have to learn to live with it or go back to the small one?
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Mark, go into the control panel and then monitor settings( or whatever shows a screen in your system ) and you can adjust the picture to suit your screen
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LCD monitors have a physical number of pixels, for best results you should set up the computer to use the same number of pixels. So if the screen is 1280x1024, tell Windows to use 1280x1024.
Right click on the desktop background, select properties, then the settings tab.
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Thanks Michel and David. Alan I'm getting to like it.
Another small problem is with the way windows 8 is showing Outlook. I want to see a full list of emails in a , newest at the bottom, and one for reading at the bottom.
How can I get rid of the sub folders as seen in the photo below?
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Mark, in the view you've pictured the boxed area in the middle of the menu area with date at the top left hand side has, at the bottom right hand side a down arrow (triangle with a line over the top, not the simple down arrow just above it). Click on this and a ticked box will appear marked 'show in groups'. Unclick the box and magically your problem will disappear! This is a function of Outlook not Windows 8.
Cheers
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Thanks Martin it worked
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Last query and I think I'm done.
I edit images for everyday use down to 700 pixels wide / 9.72 inches / 24cm wide. I never realised before now how large they actually are. When I double click one, in a folder, to look at it the computer blows it up to 14 inches / 36cm wide to fit on the screen.
How can I stop this so the edited photos are actual size?
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Can anyone tell me please why I seem to be unable to play You Tube videos that are posted on The Forum but I don't have any problem with them from the You Tube Site?
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I'm still having the problem.............. please?
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David,try changing the graphic settings on your screen , the resolution may not be high enough to deal with embedded High Def film.
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Micheal, I have no problem at all viewing videos or indeed live TV on my screen apart from links to videos on the Forum. I find it most odd?
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No reason why they shouldn't be visible via the forum David. Perhaps a setting that you have enabled for you-tube? ???
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I have noticed recently a number of webistes have apparently badly formatted layouts, with pictures laid over text, so the latter can't be read.
e.g. http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/blogs/rosemoorgarden/archive/2013/02/18/ornamental-prunus-are-looking-great.aspx (http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/blogs/rosemoorgarden/archive/2013/02/18/ornamental-prunus-are-looking-great.aspx)
Is this because they are formatted for screens other than computers? Do they come out correctly on ipads etc.?
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Brian, that site looks okay on my computer (IE9 on Windows 7) with no pictures over text, although there is blank space to the left of Archive
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The picture of the prunus is overlapping the archive on pc at work, running firefox on windows.
cheers
mick
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Just tried again using Google Chrome on Windows 7 and it doesn't work on that browser, pictures overlap the Archive text. I'd say its just bad formatting of the page.
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No reason why they shouldn't be visible via the forum David. Perhaps a setting that you have enabled for you-tube? ???
The thing is I can see the video just fine if I look at it using Internet Explorer it's only Chrome (which I tend to use 98% of the time) I appear to be having the problem with. I click on the button in the middle of the video screen and the screen disappears leaving only the control bar at the bottom.
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I hate it when the computer does something apparently random, like when I click the little rhombus top right of the last tab it comes up with SnapDo instead of Google. SnapDo must be the computer equivalent of an udder on a bull but I can't get rid of it. >:( All my settings have Google.co.nz but no, up comes this useless page! :(
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I once had the same problem Anthony. Can't remember how I got rid of it but you might have a look at this:'
http://forums.anvisoft.com/viewtopic-45-1208-0.html (http://forums.anvisoft.com/viewtopic-45-1208-0.html)
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I suggest you download and run the free version of Superantispyware http://www.superantispyware.com/ (http://www.superantispyware.com/) . That is good at identifying and removing browser hijackers like snap-do.
I too have a lot of problems with using Google Chrome on the forum. The click to enlarge function for pictures has not worked for several months although it has started working again very recently. I think Chrome is just temperamental.
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I thought Malwarebytes would deal with spyware?
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Yes, if you prefer, Anthony.
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Doesn't seem to remove Snapdo. Do I have to search it out? I have tried the superantispyware. It's quite thorough.
Not exactly a computer problem, but a wee annoyance. Every time I access my list of friends on Facebook they are randomly assorted, which makes it difficult to be systematic if one is searching, yet my wife's are arranged alphabetically. I can't see how to change mine.
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Anthony,
If yoiu google it you will find that it has a very bad reputation. maybe it is not spyware in itself but at least it opens a lot of holes in your computer for hackers and malware to enter. You will also find ways to get rid of it. I have not got it so I cannot give details but I assume it means seeking it ourt and removing it by hand.
Good luckl
Göte
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Anthony, even if you have removed the 'infection' you may still be stuck with the consequences as changes to your settings. You may well have to do this manually. Of course, the difficult part is finding out how.
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Anthony
I don't know if this is relevant to your complaint but it may be worth a try.
http://speedmaxpc.com/download/remove/malwares/?t202id=3124&t202kw=toolbars&gclid=CLW6-Iq24LUCFfLLtAoduzUAqQ (http://speedmaxpc.com/download/remove/malwares/?t202id=3124&t202kw=toolbars&gclid=CLW6-Iq24LUCFfLLtAoduzUAqQ)
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TC, given the dubious reputation fo SpeedMaxPC http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-speedmaxpc.html (http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-speedmaxpc.html) , I would be a little wary of using a removal tool from them.
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Thanks. I've managed to track it down and remove it. Yesterday I had another grumble. Lucy's 14th birthday and I took some photos. Downloaded them to my PC. Vivienne said 'can you up load them to my iPad?' I failed. IPad has no USB port, so a pen drive was out of the question. It has no CD Rom drive, so a CD was no good. I connected it to my PC, but repeated attempts to drag and drop, copy and drop, failed. I gave up and gave Vivienne a CD of the photos and she can put them onto her laptop. ::)
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Sorry I missed Lucy's birthday, Anthony. Hard to believe she is fourteen already :o
Please wish her many happy returns of the day !
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Thanks. I've managed to track it down and remove it. Yesterday I had another grumble. Lucy's 14th birthday and I took some photos. Downloaded them to my PC. Vivienne said 'can you up load them to my iPad?' I failed. IPad has no USB port, so a pen drive was out of the question. It has no CD Rom drive, so a CD was no good. I connected it to my PC, but repeated attempts to drag and drop, copy and drop, failed. I gave up and gave Vivienne a CD of the photos and she can put them onto her laptop. ::)
Anthony one of the joys of the iPad is it does not have an instruction manual to tell you all those attempts would never work.
It is necessary to have ITunes on your pc and then when you connect the iPad to it it has a synchronising facility which then transfers the pictures together with most other things you might not want to transfer. When it works it is brilliant as my wife agrees but then it is not her that has to do the damn thing.
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Yes, 14! I remember when Vivienne and I got married and went off to Bali on honeymoon. One Sunday two of the ladies in the choir alto section were chatting about it and a friend overheard: "Bali? That wouldn't have been cheap." Whereupon the second replied: "well at their age they won't be having any family!" ;D
Apple and SJ have a lot to answer for in trying to make everything exclusive. My kids got iPods in the UK and have iTunes accounts. Last year Lucy got an iTunes voucher. It's for NZ so she can't use it. It's in a drawer somewhere.
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Anthony,
Have you tried transferring them by bluetooth? I know I've done it the other way from Mandy's I phone to my laptop.
Cheers
Mick
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Not thought of that. Must investigate. I selected a few pics, reduced them and emailed them, so we'll see if any more need transferred.
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I wonder if any forumists can help me with this question. In 3 weeks I am changing my ISP will my o2 email address still function?
You can see I'm only semi-computer literate ::)
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Shelagh - given your O2 account is nothing to do with your ISP, then it will continue to work.
(I see O2 offer free email, like Google gmail etc.)
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Shelagh, if you use an email program like Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird or Windows Live Mail to download your emails then you will almost certainly need to change a setting to continue to send emails after you have changed your ISP, although receiving emails should continue uninterrupted.
If you view your emails via the O2 web site then there will not be a problem.
If O2 is your current ISP then it is unlikely that they will withdraw your email account if you stop using them as your ISP but there is always the slight possibility that the will have a fit of pique and discontinue your current email address, even despite the fact that you could sign-up for a free new one.
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Thanks David and Alan.
Yes o2 is my current provider. My only real problem is that I booked my air tickets with Ryanair using that email address and trying to get Ryanair to change the email address is like trying to get anything sorted with them, difficult ::). I now have a hotmail address so it doesn't matter who I am with. Ah well, so old and STILL so much to learn.
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Paypal Button
Hi, is there anyone out there who has practical experience with successful implementation of a Paypal button on their website? I would like to take the plunge but feel terribly nervous about this. I understand that it took a forum colleague a week to puzzle it out and he did not wish to repeat the experience. :( :( :(
If you have done this successfully and wish to help, please send me a PM.
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Paypal Button
Hi, is there anyone out there who has practical experience with successful implementation of a Paypal button on their website? I would like to take the plunge but feel terribly nervous about this. I understand that it took a forum colleague a week to puzzle it out and he did not wish to repeat the experience. :( :( :(
If you have done this successfully and wish to help, please send me a PM.
Maren, Ian has dealt with some of this for the SRGC. He says that there are pretty good instructions on the Paypal site- any difficulty we have found has been with the fairly considerable hoops through which one must jump to satisfy all the legal requirements for those who will administer the account.
He will be happy to discuss this with you if you like. I will pm with phone number.
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Since I got my new computer about 8months ago I've been happily using Mozilla Thunderbird as my email service provider. Last night though I had a problem and couldn't send emails at all. Each time I pressed send I got. The following message:
"Authentication Required (VM401) please verify that your email address is correct in your mail preferences and try again."
No matter what I tried I was unable to send any emails and I have not at any time altered any of my settings.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received!
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Switch to Gmail, never a problem.
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Authentication Required (VM401)
I believe VM stands for Virgin Media. Either it was a temporary problem caused by Virgin or it is a permanent problem caused by Virgin changing their required email settings.
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Does the reply from virgin on this mean anything to you?
http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Email/Email-help-with-virgin-net-settings-unable-to-send-emails/td-p/1828948 (http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Email/Email-help-with-virgin-net-settings-unable-to-send-emails/td-p/1828948)
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To me it means what I said in my previous post.
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Thanks folks, I'm away from home until Wednesday next week so will see what happens then.
Doing this, rather badly on my IPad Mini.
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Since I got my new computer about 8months ago I've been happily using Mozilla Thunderbird as my email service provider. Last night though I had a problem and couldn't send emails at all. Each time I pressed send I got. The following message:
"Authentication Required (VM401) please verify that your email address is correct in your mail preferences and try again."
No matter what I tried I was unable to send any emails and I have not at any time altered any of my settings.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received!
Change to gmail its easy to set up and has a good spam filter. I have used it for years now with no complaint - it will probably go wrong now
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Google actual administer Virgin's email, so David already has Gmail by proxy!
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hello - is this the right place to ask this question? How do I attach photos to a post? How do I know if the photo is too big - will a message tell me so? when you get that icon or whatever it is that says something like 'attachimg', is there actually a photo there even though when you try to preview the post no image appears? yours, mystified, Jonathan Trustram.
oh and what's the relation between KB and MB? I mean, if I have a photo that is say, 3.43 MB, is that more than 200 KB? And how could I make my photos smaller?
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Hi Jonathan, here's a few answers:
Resizing photos - there's a handy resizing tool on the website - go to the 'Member's Board', and it's the third topic down (amongst the 'sticky' topics at the top). I don't use it myself as I have nerdish tendencies and use Photoshop, but everyone else says it's fine.
Attach photos by clicking on the 'attachment and other options button' below the text box when posting messages. It doesn't show the picture, which doesn't appear until the message is posted (it's not on the preview), but shows the pathway to the files on your computer.
KB is kilobyte, MB is megabyte - about 1000 times bigger. If your picture file is 3.43 MB, it's way too big to post, so suggest you use the resizing tool mentioned above.
Oh, and if your picture is too big to post, you will get a message to say so.
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Thank you, Peter.
Hello Jonathon, have a look at this thread : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=65.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=65.0)
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Guys and girls I recently upgraded from an XP to W8 computer.
I was able to watch my digital video recorder on the xp pc via an easycap device.
The new computer doesn't seem to be able to see/find the easycap. When I try to view it it says no device is connected
I upgraded from a Ulead Video Studio to a Coral/Ulead Video Studio X5
Any ideas what I can do?
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You probably need a software 'driver' for your Easycap device, probably a 64-bit driver as I imagine you have the 64-bit flavour of Windows 8. This is not easy. I have seen it suggested that this driver http://www.sabrent.com/drivers/USB-AVCPTSetup_For_Win7.zip (http://www.sabrent.com/drivers/USB-AVCPTSetup_For_Win7.zip) might work but it's pot luck!
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sadly it didn't work
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You could try here http://easycap.org.uk/viewthread.php?tid=22&extra=page%3D1 (http://easycap.org.uk/viewthread.php?tid=22&extra=page%3D1) but it appears you have to buy the download!
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Wonder if any of you boffins can help me. I have received an email from Manchester Airport re parking there which is 2/3 pages long and includes an important bar code. However when I attempt to print it (and I have tried several times) only about a 1/3rd of it prints. Is there any way I can save this as a word document and print it from that, and if so how do I go about it?
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Shelagh, you don't say what format the file is in but I presume pdf and don't know what the problem is (printer??). However if you're using Windows and it's just part of the file you need (e.g. the bar code) then you could simply use the snipping tool to cut & paste into a Word doc for printing.
- Open the document and expand the bit you want on the screen.
- Click on the Windows logo at bottom left of your screen, then go to All programs/Accessories/Snipping tool.
- In Snipping Tool window click New (top left) then use the cursor to capture your bar code or whatever you want from the doc.
- Still in the Snipping Tool window click Edit/Copy, then open a new Word doc & right-click to Paste. Finally print.
Hey presto! Much longer to describe than to do ;D
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Does anyone know if there is a problem with wordpress.com? I have been trying unsuccessfully to access Henrik Zetterlund's blog and also that of patient gardener.
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It took a few moments but I was able to load http://patientgardener.wordpress.com/ (http://patientgardener.wordpress.com/) .
This web site http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ (http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/) will tell you if everyone else is having the same problem loading any web page you specify.
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I can access Henrik's blog - though no new page since 6th July.
This morning I did have a very hard time getting Ebay to open pages.
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This morning I did have a very hard time getting Ebay to open pages.
And me, I think there must have been a problem on the Ebay server. I bid for a couple of things that I now realise didn't register.
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Thank you ,Alan. Maybe I am just being too impatient ;D
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Decided to take up Microsoft's offer of 32gb Surface and keyboard for NZ$372. Fired it up and it has messed up my PC display and keyboard. My PC keyboard is a UK one and the Surface has an Australian (read American) one. This means that when I press " I get @ and when I press the GBP sign I get #, and when I press @ I get ". # becomes \, but \ is also \ and the squiggly line is now |. It even changed the background colour of my display on the PC to what I'd set my on surface. I wonder if I can stop this nonsense and revert to what I had? >:(
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Anthony, I don't even understand what you were trying to do. You had a PC. You bought a new tablet computer. What caused them to interact?
Anyway, System Restore on your PC should set it back to the way it was before.
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This morning I did have a very hard time getting Ebay to open pages.
Ebay say this was due to maintenance activity on 23rd.
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All you need to do is opening the configuration panel, then search for regional option, then keyboard where can choose the main language.
You can also try to press the FN key and hold. then press num lock once, your keyboard should be back.
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My keyboard doesn't have an FN key and my antivirus won't allow me to use system restore. Windows 8 is doing my head in. I don't understand why my Microsoft settings on one computer can change the settings on another and reconfigure my keyboard!
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Managed to sort out the keyboard language setting. Proof of the pudding will be when I check the "Surface". ;)
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;)
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I seem to have an Internet Explorer version 9 problem.
I don't use IE very much (much prefer Google Chrome) but the lady of the house doesn't like Chrome and prefers IE. When she tried to access the Internet today by clicking on the IE icon on the desktop (we have the system set to single click for everything) nothing happened and I was summoned. I found that indeed nothing appeared to be happening. Looking a little further into the problem I found that if I clicked on the IE icon on the Task Bar (left hand side) a whole series of thumbnails of our home page (the number of thumbnails matching the number of time we had hopefully clicked on the IE desktop icon) If I then clicked on any one thumbnail the whole series disappeared. The alternative way of getting rid of the thumbnails one by one was to click on the mini red X of each of them and they disappeared. As they disappeared there was a very fleeting look of a larger version shooting off the edge of the scree on the right hand side. I tried right clicking the task bar icon but had no success in improving things; I also tried right clicking the thumbnails again with no improvement.
The thing was working perfectly yesterday and Google Chrome is working perfectly too. Can any one help please???
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And did the problem recur after you restarted the computer, David?
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I know you solved the problem but FYI:
... my antivirus won't allow me to use system restore.
Yes it will, you just have to press F8 during start-up and the choose Repair my computer. That will give you an option to run a System Restore that your antivirus cannot stop. It might sulk a bit afterwards, mind you.
... I don't understand why my Microsoft settings on one computer can change the settings on another and reconfigure my keyboard!
Well of course they can't! I figure you must have been trying to do one of these too-clever-by-half automated transfers from your old computer to your new and accidentally set it to run backwards.
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Thanks. I managed to restore the settings on my old computer, but, yes, they seem to be linked.
I've just had a phone call from an Indian-sounding gentleman who says that he is speaking from Microsoft and that my computer is sending them errors due to trying to download malicious material and as a result is doing strange things resulting in slow down load speed and strange noises. He then asked me to switch my computer on and he would show me. I declined and hung up.
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Same scam all over the world, Anthony. Or are non-English speakers spared?
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Perhaps they get English-sounding gentlemen called Rupinder ringing them.
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Yes, we all get these calls from time to time. If I am in the mood, I like stringing them along.
I sound most concerned and ask them what I should do. It's usually switch on the computer and follow instructions. I tell them I am switching it on and they will have to wait a few minutes. When I feel like it I ask what next, it is download a program and follow instructions. I do nothing and then tell them the program has not downloaded. I then ask if I should switch on my router to connect to the internet.
Then I ask which Microsoft program is it that is causing problems and I don't understand what he is talking about as I have an Apple Mac.
Phone suddenly goes dead.
Another ploy is to sound most concerned and ask for their phone number so my anti virus program people can talk to them to see why their program does not work. Conversation suddenly terminated.
Another couple I have used is "I don't have a computer" or "Sorry, I don't have a telephone"
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Here's an interesting problem for someone (it has me stumped).
I'm running Windows 7 on my desktop and having a few problems with Outlook 2003 (an old program I know, but I'm happy in my obsolescence). Outlook has worked seamlessly for several years picking up emails from my Internet provider with all passwords etc entered so that it is a one-click process. However I have noticed recently that clicking the send/receive button in Outlook has brought up a dialogue box asking my for my password. Typing the password in results in a failure to link up with the mailbox, and the message that the ISP does not recognise my password. I can of course still view emails on the Internet, but replying to a downloaded emails has been irritatingly complicated.
For the past couple of months this has been a mildly annoying, occasional problem and after a couple of attempts everything works, however in the past three weeks the problem has twice persisted for a couple of days. The last weekend has been typical - picked up emails with no problem on Friday morning, then no success until this evening when the computer suddenly decided to play nicely, in spite of many tries and many deleted expletives over the previous two days, turning the computer off and on (this has worked before).
There have been NO changes to passwords, Outlook settings or anything like that, so my first thought was a possible virus: ran a full system check (3 hours and 1.2 million files checked) and nothing showed up. Possibility two was a software conflict, the only program I thought I had added was Dropbox, so I deleted that; no improvement.
The only other change I noticed was that Windows (or Firefox) managed to lose my login details for the SRGC forum, and also my email address when logging on to my mailbox which I don't normally have to enter, just the password.
I wondered whether there is a software conflict between Outlook 2003 and one of the recent updates for Windows 7. Having looked at the options for an up to date version of Office, I'm not impressed - apparently it's linked to one computer for it's lifetime, and as my computer is now over three years old, middle-aged in IT terms..... So if that is the problem, then it looks like the iMac route for me in future.
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Download Gmail and you will have no more problems. it is free
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Peter, I've had the same problem on a number of occasions over the last few years with both Windows XP and Windows 7. I now run office 2010 and it has happened with that too so I don't think it's software standard related and I don't know whether the issue is at the PC with Microsoft or at the server (in my case BT). I learned at work that the answer when the password box comes up is to close it and wait for the problem to resolve itself, that was on a big network with many other issues. I once complained to BT and had my password reset twice. Once it worked, once it didn't, so I'm guessing the successful one was just luck.
In conclusion you're not alone ???
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Michael,
I'm afraid that I use Outlook for more than just emails; and as for emails, the ability to sort into different folders is something that I wouldn't want to lose. GMail does not seem to have the same folder structure; filing by 'conversation' wouldn't do it for me I'm afraid, I file by subject.
Martin,
It's reassuring to know I'm in good company. ;)
I also use BT, but I don't think that the problem is at their end.
It's useful to know that Office 2010 has similar problems, saves me having to try and hunt down a copy somewhere.
Closing the password box is something that worked when the problem first started, but waiting 2 days for the problem to resolve itself is beginning to be a tad irritating. >:(
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Also with BT. I used to use Outlook for years but when I got the laptop went over to webmail, as it was simpler with 2 computers. Currently I get endless spam, supposedly from "BT" about their changeover this month from yahoo. Don't know if and when I need to do anything or it will all be transparent. I use 2 of my available 11 email addresses. Any other BT user doing anything about this? Tried to contact BT by email and phone but useless. Never get an answer.
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AlanB - A forumist recently mentioned his/her Paypal account had been compromised. Do you have any recommendations to avoid such a horror? Personally with a Mac I use Safari and Apple mail. If doing banking and the like I turn on Private Browsing for what (if anything) it's worth. Should I simply get rid of my PP account and make the ocassional payment without an account - I have no idea which might be safest.
Seems everyone has switched to gmail and then last week I heard google had been snooping into users mail! Why gmail in the first place I have to wonder?
I started my car last week and a message came across my dashboard saying you have no new messages - hadn't seen that before and still puzzled.
johnw - a brilliant summer day here - +24c, sunny and blustery.
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Brian W - I've had only 1 message from BT about the changeover which basically said 'we'll tell you more when the time comes'.
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Peter, not entirely sure it's not at the BT end. Desktop help often chucks up a message offering to help and when you go through the sequence it concludes the BT system doesn't recognise you and pushes you towards a password reset. For info I used to get the occasional 2 day issue but more recently it's been more like 10 minutes or the odd hour.
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I was thinking about changing my ISP to BT but you've all put me off now.
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Hmmm,
That's certainly something to consider. It could be the reason why BT are planning to migrate their service away from Yahoo. Perhaps they are are aware of a problem they are not telling us about.
I notice that no-one who is not a BT customer has reported a problem here.
Concerning the lost access details:I discovered another instance last night where online access details (not the password) which have been stored on the computer for several years without a problem on on the computer have disappeared without trace and had to be re-entered. That sounds like a problem with cookies to me.
I suppose that I will have to check the settings on Firefox when I get home tonight, but I haven't altered them. :-\
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Peter, a couple of years ago, I used to get the same problem of boxes asking for the password, which didn't work (when I used Outlook Express and XP). I am sure the problem is with BT and I think in my case it was because I had two passwords - one for BT phone and broadband account and one for my email online account. If you use the BT website you are constantly transferred from one section to another, with passwords constantly being asked for. After a long discussion with a man in India it did get sorted as my two passwords were reset to the same. I'm not sure if there was a conflict with the Outlook account password being saved as a cookie. I don't want to use online email for the same reasons as Peter - I like the one-click approach to open my emails and I like the folder structure and the possibility to use filters to automatically move incoming emails to the correct folder. I'm now using Win7 and Windows Live Mail - this is similar to Outlook Express but also mirrors what you do locally on line, which is handy when away from home. I have once or twice had the old box pop up asking for a password, but closing it down now solves it.
The changeover from yahoo is, I heard, because some BT accounts have been compromised and BT think yahoo is not very secure.
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I was thinking about changing my ISP to BT but you've all put me off now.
David,
I think all ISPs come in for a bit of criticism occasionally. I've been with BT for over ten years and have no plans to change.
Diane,
Thanks for that info, I did wonder about trying Windows Live Mail, but got the impression that it was just an updated, rebranded version of Hotmail - I'll have another look.
I have recently had cause to change my password for internet access (I can't remember why now, but must have had a reason for it) , so there may be two passwords on the system - something else to look up.
There has definitely been a cookie problem with my computer in the past 24 hours, but it looks like that may be a separate issue. Oh well, something else to distract me from real work. :-\
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JohnW : there is always a possibility to be hacked - there is always a possibility to have one's pocket-picked - there is always a chance to be run over as you walk outside your home - life is full of possibilities- I prefer to concentrate on the good ones and take a chance on the nasties- after all it may never happen!
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Diane,
Thanks for that info, I did wonder about trying Windows Live Mail, but got the impression that it was just an updated, rebranded version of Hotmail - I'll have another look.
Peter, Windows Live Mail is an updated version of Outlook Express. I like it because it has retained the good features of OE (folder structure and filters for incoming mail, and the ability to insert different signature blocks - Full Outlook will only take one). Unlike the old OE, the on line version mirrors your local copy, which is also very useful. In the past, once your OE mail was downloaded, you couldn't see it online.
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Thanks Diane, I'll definitely look into it in more detail.
John W - my Paypal account was 'hacked into' as a worker at my bank's help desk inadvertantly let slip about a year ago. Nothing major fortunately, and the bank refunded the money. I changed my password and linked the Paypal account to a rarely used bank account that has £50 or less in it (and no overdraft facility). So far, so good, and I can always pay more into the account linked to Paypal if I need to for a one-off transaction.
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For anyone else having problems with the Outlook/BT interface, I found this thread on the BT community forum:
http://community.bt.com/t5/Other-BB-Queries/Outlook-password-problem/m-p/86599#M21066 (http://community.bt.com/t5/Other-BB-Queries/Outlook-password-problem/m-p/86599#M21066)
There might be something useful in there; I'll try it out when I get home and let folks know if any of the advice is useful. There's a lot of 'helpful' suggestions there. so I hope no-one is holding their breath....
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Thanks Peter. So you have Paypal linked to a bank account, now I understand. I wasn't aware that was possible, mine is via credit card. Don't know how protected my system is with the Apple and no Anti-Virus.
Maggi - I always keep a set rat trap in my pocket and in most cases I drive rather than walk so it's others that are taking the chances. ;)
I do want to start cycling though, I plan to drive on the sidewalk where it's much safer...
johnw
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John,
I don't think that the Mac/Apple OS has really been a target for undesirables yet, and I don't know of anyone here who uses antivirus software on a Mac.
Nice album cover by the way, is Pohjola the Finnish accordian player ?
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John,
Nice album cover by the way, is Pohjola the Finnish accordian player ?
Peter - I don't know but his Daughter is a rhododendron.
john
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but his Daughter is a rhododendron.
;D ;D ;D
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In my experience all email programs will occasionally throw up an unexpected pop-up window asking for your user name and password. This is always a fault at the other end, when the computer belonging to your email provider fails to validate your credentials within the allotted time. The advice I give those clients wise enough to call me first is to do nothing, come back in an hour or two by which time their email provider will have fixed the fault. That advice has always worked.
Some clients panic. Having tried the correct password and found that failed, they then go on to try a selection of incorrect passwords until they give up. Since the pop-up windows stores the last input password, their email program never works again and they are forced to call me out to fix it for them. The fix involves finding the correct password and inputting it, for the original root cause problem will have inevitably been resolved by their email provider by the time I get there. To establish the correct password I bypass the email program running on the computer, go to the online interface of their email provider and log-in there.
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BT are, in my opinion, a fine ISP except:
- They are going through a 'messy divorce' with Yahoo at the moment.
- Their T&Cs prohibit business use without prior permission.
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Thanks for that insight Alan, it's reassuring to know that I can continue for at least a little while longer with Outlook 2003 as it's unlikely to be the cause of the fault. I would agree that doing nothing and letting the fault clear itself is the best course of action, although as it had taken one or two days recently, that was beginning to try my patience.
It may or may not be of relevance, but I tried something that was mentioned on one of the BT forums and changed my password so that it no longer contained any capital letters. So far, so good, although of course the password is slightly less secure as a result. ;)
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Ah Peter, my password was changed to one with capital letters following the same advice but in the opposite sense :P I suspect another good placebo style bit of street lore....'it seemed to be what fixed my problem so the coincidence is clearly fact!'
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Maybe it's the mixture of capital and lower case letters that cause the problem.
So much for hybrid vigour, ;)
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Maybe it's the mixture of capital and lower case letters that cause the problem.
So much for hybrid vigour, ;)
Just to note that new passwords for the forum must have a mix of upper and lower case letters and numbers.
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In my experience all email programs will occasionally throw up an unexpected pop-up window asking for your user name and password.
Me too, except with Juno. It is the first email program I ever used, since the mid 1990s, and I still use it.
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Earlier this evening I narrowly avoided downloading something called AVG Nation. I use (or did-see later) the free edition of AVG as my anti-virus protection and I had no reason, at first to be suspicious about what I was being asked to do until I realised that if I downloded what was being proposed my computer would be just about "owned" by AVG Nation.
Having Googled AVG Nation and finding that there is a lot of comment out there in the ether about AVG Nation, and indeed AVG, and most of it not good (I have to say that I didn't understand a lot of it) I have uninstalled all AVG systems from my Computer.
I'm now looking for a replacement for a good, and safe free anti-virus protection system, and views please.
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We use AVG and Ian just renewed the free version on this laptop for me the other day- seems it is necessary to be wary of what you allow to be added on to your download, but we think AVG is still a very good product.
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I'm now looking for a replacement for a good, and safe free anti-virus protection system, and views please.
I would recommend Microsoft Security Essentials, free from Microsoft (the same program is called Windows Defender on Windows 8 ). It does just as good a job as any other security software, free or otherwise. And it is a light user of your computer's resources so it runs well on older computers where other security software does not.
I don't believe AVG Nation has anything legitimate to do with AVG Antivirus but in my opinion AVG Antivirus has become too strident in its advertising and too resource-hungry to run well on older computers.
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Interesting advice and point about AVG, Alan, thank you. I think the issue of heavy resource use is not one that we all take into consideration, or even know about. :-\
P.S. I have re-arranged this thread into a specific one for 2013 ( also one for 2012 and then there is an old one for 2008-2011)
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I would recommend Microsoft Security Essentials, free from Microsoft (the same program is called Windows Defender on Windows 8 ). It does just as good a job as any other security software, free or otherwise. And it is a light user of your computer's resources so it runs well on older computers where other security software does not.
I don't believe AVG Nation has anything legitimate to do with AVG Antivirus but in my opinion AVG Antivirus has become too strident in its advertising and too resource-hungry to run well on older computers.
Many thanks for that Alan. Apparently, and this came as a surprise, I have Windows Defender already on my computer (Windows 7 Home Premium) and have just done a scan. All clear. I have to say I agree with you on your comments on AVG's stridency.
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Sorry, David, you will have Windows Defender on your Windows 7 computer but that is not what you need; you need Microsoft Security Essentials.
For versions of Windows up to and including Windows 7, Windows Defender is a semi-defunct piece of software that only targets spyware. You need to install Microsoft Security Essentials which targets all forms of malware.
For Windows 8, somebody in the Microsoft Marketing Department decided to give the Windows Defender name to the software formerly known as Microsoft Security Essentials. You can see why they did this, because it is a better name, but it is also incredibly confusing.
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Problem with Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition on Windows 7
I have become aware of a problem affecting very many people that has received minimal publicity. It was caused by a faulty Microsoft Update that was released on Wednesday 11th September and withdrawn on Saturday 14th September. It affects the free version of Microsoft Office called "Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition" that was bundled with many Windows 7 computers. In technical terms, it corrupts the file associations for Word and Excel files. So the symptoms you will experience are:
- You will get gibberish if you try to open an old file created in Word or Excel
- You are liable to get a message implying you need to buy a copy of Microsoft Office 2010
The cure is to go to Control Panel - Programs and Features. Find "Microsoft Office Starter 2010 - English" and click once to highlight it then click Change. A Window will appear offering to repair the software. Click 'Yes'. You may find there is a long delay when you next try to open an Office document whilst something is downloaded and installed but it does eventually work. Please be careful that you Change rather than Uninstall the software.
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P.S. I have re-arranged this thread into a specific one for 2013 ( also one for 2012 and then there is an old one for 2008-2011)
But is this not the thread that should be stuck/stickied whilst the old one can be allowed to roam free?
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Yes, Alan - done!
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...............For versions of Windows up to and including Windows 7, Windows Defender is a semi-defunct piece of software that only targets spyware. You need to install Microsoft Security Essentials which targets all forms of malware...............................
Thanks Alan, sorted.
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A little help needed as to this email problem.
I am on Virgin media and when I send an email to a person on BT Yahoo it is taking hours before it gets there. If they send one to me it is immediate. I did a test with Peter Maguire and one I sent at 11pm arrived with him at 9am the following morning. Of course BT say there is no problem and the only contact with Virgin is in Mumbai who say all is well.
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The only thing you can realistically do about this is to open a Gmail, Outlook or similar other email account and try using that instead.
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I'm moving my ISP from Virgin Media to BT at the end of the month. I use Thunderbird now for dealing with my emails there's no reason why this should change is there?
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With regard to this discussion about the speed of emails, it's worth remembering that only a few years ago we had to stick a stamp on a letter (remember those?) then walk to the post box (exercise!) before entrusting our message to The Royal Mail and crossing our fingers in the hope that they wouldn't lose it. ;D
We have a similar problem with text messages between my wife and I (we're both O2 customers). Most messages are ok, but the odd one can take much longer - over 24 hours! :o
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We have a similar problem with text messages between my wife and I (we're both O2 customers). Most messages are ok, but the odd one can take much longer - over 24 hours! :o
Try getting back to the good old days of 'speaking' to your wife, Peter!!! Remember those evenings of sweet nothings, those days of plans and platitudes, those mornings of discussion and discourse ... ;) ::) :P :'(
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Remember those evenings of sweet nothings, those days of plans and platitudes, those mornings of discussion and discourse ... ;) ::) :P :'(
He's making it up ;D
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Remember those evenings of sweet nothings, those days of plans and platitudes, those mornings of discussion and discourse ... ;) ::) :P :'(
They never stopped! ;D ;D
Actually the latest occasion I was thinking of for a late text was when I was talking to her. The phone beeped and she said "who is the text from?" The reply - "You, apparently you've just left the shops - yesterday" :o :o :o
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My children's school, which is also where my wife teaches, uses Windows 8, so I decided to upgrade. Big mistake. Last week my son tells me if I upgrade to 8.1 all the problems associated with Windows 8 will be solved. Bigger mistake. Most of my shortcuts on my desktop, including my SRGC Forum one, don't work. I even tried reloading the software for my Olympus 810 camera. The disc won't load. It totally messed up my pictures by hiding the photos taken by the Olympus camera and removing them from the folder with my Nikon photos taken the same week. They had been in the same folder until I upgraded. >:(
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The desktop shortcuts issue is probably a problem with File Associations so the shortcut does not launch your web browser of choice any longer. And you should be wary of loading any software from a disk that predates Windows 8.1; download the latest version from the manufacturer's web site.
I would consider an upgrade from Vista to Windows 8.1 but an 'upgrade' from Windows 7 to 8 feels more like a downgrade.
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I'm moving my ISP from Virgin Media to BT at the end of the month. I use Thunderbird now for dealing with my emails there's no reason why this should change is there?
David all I can say is 'lucky you' If you think it is difficult dealing with Virgin wait until you try BT.
Always remember that if you have a problem and have to phone them it is you or your equipment that is at fault, theirs is always working perfectly.
My best advice is to chose the 'I want to close my account option' it sometimes gets their attention.
Good luck!
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The desktop shortcuts issue is probably a problem with File Associations so the shortcut does not launch your web browser of choice any longer. And you should be wary of loading any software from a disk that predates Windows 8.1; download the latest version from the manufacturer's web site.
I would consider an upgrade from Vista to Windows 8.1 but an 'upgrade' from Windows 7 to 8 feels more like a downgrade.
After a week the problem seems to have sorted itself out. Download seemed to update itself several times, so perhaps that was the problem?
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I'm moving my ISP from Virgin Media to BT at the end of the month. I use Thunderbird now for dealing with my emails there's no reason why this should change is there?
Well, changeover of ISP from Virgin to BT went really well. New Router installed; wireless connection established; Forum Profile amended to new email address; security email received from Forum and acted upon, and email notifications of Forum posts started to arrive. Cracked it I thought! But NO, I then tried, from Thunderbird, to send an email and the system refused to send it. Then followed two conversations with BT Call Centre (Mumbai?!) one of an hour, the other just under an hour, to explain problem and for very pleasant blokes in call centre helping me to set up new accounts in Thunderbird--- NONE OF WHICH WORKED--- and there it remains. The only way I can send an email is from BT Yahoo (which I detest).
So, if anyone has had the same problem and can offer a solution, I'm yer man. Maggi has offered Ian's services when he gets back from across the pond but he's not back until 4 November and he's sure to be shattered for some days after that, so if anyone can help would much appreciate it.
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Well, changeover of ISP from Virgin to BT went really well. New Router installed; wireless connection established; Forum Profile amended to new email address; security email received from Forum and acted upon, and email notifications of Forum posts started to arrive. Cracked it I thought! But NO, I then tried, from Thunderbird, to send an email and the system refused to send it. Then followed two conversations with BT Call Centre (Mumbai?!) one of an hour, the other just under an hour, to explain problem and for very pleasant blokes in call centre helping me to set up new accounts in Thunderbird--- NONE OF WHICH WORKED--- and there it remains. The only way I can send an email is from BT Yahoo (which I detest).
So, if anyone has had the same problem and can offer a solution, I'm yer man. Maggi has offered Ian's services when he gets back from across the pond but he's not back until 4 November and he's sure to be shattered for some days after that, so if anyone can help would much appreciate it.
David - you obviously need the attention of Ali - "I am your friend" - who telephones me every Monday to offer his services. Unfortunately he is not very patient as a brief expletive results in his rapid departure.
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;D ;D ;D
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David
from a full page rant the other day in the Telegraph I understand it is Bangalore,I am sure that is helpful to you!
Virgin (also NTL and Blueyonder) emails are still taking up to two days to be delivered to BT customers and the web is full of rage about it but do they care NO.
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As I mentioned earlier I've changed my ISP from Virgin to BT and whereas before I had unlimited, but very slow, usage I selected a BT package that gave me 10GB of usage per month. This I thought would be ample for my needs as I never download films, DVD's etc., and apart from occasional music from Itunes (always via my Ipad) don't stream or download music. This leaves me with dealing with emails and Forum stuff that might mean some downloading.
I've had a message from BT that I'm in danger of exceeding my usage for November. I appear to have used nearly 7GB of my allotted 10. This period coincides with a lot of my work as advertising manager for the Club that entails a lot of email work and handling some pretty large files from clients which I need to pass on and discuss with our Editor and our Printers via email and I am wondering if this is likely to be an ongoing problem.
Is there anyone out there using BT and with a similar 10GB package whose usage is similar to mine, but obviously without the added advertising work, who could give me an indication how they fare with the package please?
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David, I'm on the same package and I've only got close to/ over the 10Gb 'limit' twice and that was due to using a cloud storage system (since discontinued) which kept 'updating' stored files every few hours. I find using BBC iPlayer or lots of YouTube surfing can use up a lot of the allowance.
I have a free bit of software I've had for years, but it is still available, called NetMeter which monitors your upload and download traffic and gives use by day, week, month. You can also set alarms so that it tells you if you're using more than you expect
Those adverts must be big files! mind you every receive and send counts so it could well add up.
BT sometimes let you off the first time you exceed your limit but after that they will charge for the excess.
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I'm on a 10GB package from Plusnet that allows free (unmetered) usage between midnight and 8 a.m. I have to make use of that to avoid going over my monthly allowance and also restrict my use of streaming (such as BBC iPlayer). I notice that Skype also consumes a lot of bandwidth. These days 'unlimited' packages have become quite cheap so as soon as my telephone contract runs out I plan to renegotiate for one of those.
David, can you not keep your emails on the 'server' so you don't have to use up your allowance each time you download and upload them?
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David, can you not keep your emails on the 'server' so you don't have to use up your allowance each time you download and upload them?
Alan, I may be a "thicko" but I don't understand what you mean here?
Martin, thanks for that I'll get hold of that software.
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.........I have a free bit of software I've had for years, but it is still available, called NetMeter which monitors your upload and download traffic and gives use by day, week, month. You can also set alarms so that it tells you if you're using more than you expect........
If anyone else is considering this don't. It's taken me over two hours to clean up my computer from the rubbish that unknowingly (well to me anyway!) came with it including some malignant thing called MySearchDial that took over and replaced my preferred search engine and replaced my chosen browser opening pages. I suspect I'll find more problems too.
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Oh dear, didn't have any problems like that when I got it, albeit some time ago. Which site did you use to get it?
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Can't remember actually Martin but think it was Softonics.
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Alan, ... I don't understand what you mean here?
To view your BT emails, BT encourages you to go to their web site http://home.bt.com/ (http://home.bt.com/) log on and view your emails there, in 'the cloud'. You don't don't download the emails to your computer so if you are only passing on large files without changing them you should be able to avoid downloading these files to your computer and uploading again by forwarding the email (to retain the attachment) but editing the message. The principle remains the same whoever you use as your email provider.
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Alan, I never look at BT,s home page and never use it for reading emails. I use Thunderbird for all email receipts and processing?
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As an aside to Alan's comments about accessing one's email online direct from your provider : be that BT, Blueyonder, whoever - if you suspect an email has got lost - as in the case we warn of for automated emails from the SRGC to activate seed accounts, for example - the SPAM filter that has scooped up such an email is the one on the provider's website. ...... when you log in to see your mail there there is a SPAM box that will contain all sorts of things - not all of them SPAM/ rubbish - it is that area which needs to be checked for missing emails.
I check my mail via my online provider's site several times a day - I am determined not to miss any SRGC query mails that may be scooped accidentally - I only find about one a week but that is one too many to lose !
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Alan, I never look at BT,s home page and never use it for reading emails....
so you will probably completely miss some emails, as per Maggi's post
... I use Thunderbird for all email receipts and processing
which will tend to cost you more of your usage allowance.
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The perils of modern plant hunting. –never hunt plants without a first aid kit or safety net to fall back on.
We often see references to the well known plant hunters from the last two centuries, whose names we all know from current plant names, telling tales of how dangerous things were at times, and even today the people from Crug Farm or Cally Gardens or Lullingstone Castle are exploring. But I never expected I might be in a perilous position at home.
On Saturday I was filling in a seedex form and wondered what a particular Adenophora looked like. A quick Google search and there was a row of photos. The last in the row looked interesting. Click.
Whoops! What was that? Up pops a new window trying to get me interested in very dubious products and services. Again and Again and Again. A Trojan virus.
Won’t go into the full story (my fault of course) but I am now poorer but have new software packages, one named after a famous old motor cycle, others with weird names, a new very small but shiny solid state hard disc that holds the same amount of data as our 2 laptops added together, and I have re-acquainted myself with the local guru.
Hope you are better prepared when you click on those handy little plant links.
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It probably wasn't a virus at all; just a web site that had been hacked so that your browser got stuck there. Restart the computer and you would have been rid of it. If it did take hold then it was more likely because you had not been updating utility software like Java, Adobe Reader and Flash Player than for lack of "Matchless" Internet Security.
Solid sate hard drives work very fast but unless you have very very deep pockets they will have a relatively small capacity. If yours really holds the same amount of data as your two laptops put together then your laptops are both over 10 years old and it's time to get new ones.
Amongst "computer gurus", as with any other trade, you will find the odd cowboy. Perhaps the "full story" would explain all but the edited version doesn't really hang together from the perspective of a computer problem. The best first response to any odd behaviour when online is to restart the computer and see if the problem persists (if you don't try to revisit the web page where it started).
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I can't get on the iinternet. My PC keeps saying the proxy server isn't responding check man. What does that mean?
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Proxy servers are most commonly inserted by a computer "virus" to subvert your internet activity. Proxy servers are the corrupt taxi drivers of the internet, you ask one to take you somewhere and they may do or they may take you somewhere else, possibly without you being any the wiser. Or you may get to your intended destination but find that you have picked-up some passengers en route (in the form of unwanted advertisements). These fake proxy servers change ID quite frequently to avoid the authorities but if the virus on your computer does not keep up then your internet connection will stop working altogether. I should add that some work locales also use a legitimate proxy server so you may find you are using one if you bring your work laptop home.
Under "Tools" in Internet Explorer select "Internet Options". Try Alt + x on the keyboard if you don't see tools.
In the "Internet Options" window that pops up, click the "Connections" tab at the top.
Click "LAN Settings" near the bottom of the "Connections" section.
If the "Proxy server" checkbox is marked with a check, click it to deselect/uncheck it.
Click "Ok" to close the "Local Area Network (LAN) Settings" window.
Click "Ok" to close the "Internet Options" window.
Restart Internet Explorer.
"Internet Options" is also available via the Control Panel
Update your security software and run a full scan of your computer.
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thanks Alan. Now back online. I ran AVG and it found 14 problems
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OK, here goes...Seriously sick 18 month old Samsung Laptop running windows 7 Home premium. Started taking anything up to 20 minutes to be useful at switch on. Restored to factory settings several times but as soon as any software or windows updates are applied it slows down and, on recent attempts has become very unstable, frozen, etc, etc. What next apart from a sledgehammer? Reformat the hard disc?
frustrated
Derbyshire :'( :'( :'( :'(
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Crumbs- 18 months seems very youthful to me- though in technical terms it's probably geriatric. Had you thought of fetching it up a Via Ferrata and threatening to chuck it into space? That should terrify it into action.
If Alan and Co. don't come up with a rescue plan you may just have time to write a note to Santa...... ;)
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Microsoft were very helpful to me - there is a phone number on their help website. I was experiencing very slow loading, constant crashes of Internet Explorer, and a refusal to install updates. They tried various things by taking remote control and eventually downloaded and reinstalled Windows 7 for me. Took three days in all but their people in India were very patient!
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What next apart from a sledgehammer? Reformat the hard disc?
I see a lot of quite new hard discs that have a very short life. My guess is that that is your problem.
Make a back-up copy of all your documents, music, photos etc. to an external hard drive or a memory stick or a "cloud" storage server.
As the computer begins to start, press the F8 key repeatedly to bring up the options menu and choose 'Repair my computer' at the top of the list.
Follow the instructions here https://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=6565 for "from the Windows CD" missing out the first 4 steps and starting at stage 5.
The chkdsk program typically takes about an hour to run through all five stages. If it reports more than a few bad sectors and/or runs so slowly at some points that it takes many hours to complete then your hard disk needs to be replaced (although the operation may work as a short-term fix).
On a few computers the drive partition you need to check does not get mapped to the normal letter C. You should perhaps also run Dir C: from the command prompt and look for the normal Windows, Users, Program Files folders to verify that you are checking the correct partition.
Post back to report your results.
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Thanks Alan, ran it from desktop (started in safe mode) and it took about 1.75 hours . 'replaced bad clusters in two files', several pauses of several minutes while checking free space (235gb of this).
reported 8 bad clusters and 32kb of data in bad sectors then, as I was writing the results down it decided to restart windows all on its own.
Next step is to go back to a series of restarts to see if it's stable and then try loading windows updates.
Any comments on the results?
I then ran a system health check from 'advanced tools' deep in the depths of the control panel. It has flags set for potential drive failure :'( :'(
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You cannot check your C: drive from Windows if the Windows drive is your C: drive. Perhaps you scheduled a disk check on start-up? This is fine except that the results disappear as soon as the scan finishes and then you have to hunt them down in the Event Log afterwards.
8 bad clusters indicates some deterioration in the hard drive but nothing too major so far. The time taken seems reasonable. So I would be inclined to leave the hard drive in place but run the same check every few weeks to make sure the bad clusters are not increasing in number too rapidly. Or there could be areas on the drive that are not quite dead but which are very difficult for the computer to read - in which case you will still have problems. But if you are lucky the computer should now run normally, at least in the short term.
In the mid to long term you probably need to replace the hard drive. I would clone the old drive to a new one but that requires special software and a second computer. If you made recovery discs when the computer was new (as you would have been nagged to do) you should be able to use those to reset the computer to its factory state after installing a new hard drive.
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Thanks Alan, alas back in trouble almost immediately so new drive purchased and fitted, Windows now loading.....watch this space.
Believe it or not I'm one of those people who actually do what their computer tells them and create the necessary back ups...how sad is that ::)
Great place this forum, more useful advice than Samsung product Support and PC World Know How combined.
cheers
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Going OK but oh the stress....I assumed the Samsung windows recovery disc would include the basic drivers for the machine...oh no....so on to the desk top, find the WiFi driver, download it, put it on a stick, load it onto the laptop...ah internet access. We're getting there :P
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Going OK but oh the stress....I assumed the Samsung windows recovery disc would include the basic drivers for the machine...oh no....so on to the desk top, find the WiFi driver, download it, put it on a stick, load it onto the laptop...ah internet access. We're getting there :P
As they say in Eden; 'An Apple day takes all the stress away'.
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So, apple hard drives never fail?????????? :o :o
You know you're never going to convert me ;)
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More seriously, I note Apple had problems with Seagate drives a year or so ago. the one I've just removed is also a Seagate drive. Glad the new one isn't!
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....I assumed the Samsung windows recovery disc would include the basic drivers for the machine...
These days you are generally prompted to create a set of discs that duplicate the contents of the recovery partition on the hard drive. Since these are typically about 10GB in size that's several DVDs worth. If discs are supplied with the machine there is often a Windows disc and a separate drivers disc.
I don't think that Seagate are significantly worse than any other manufacturer with regard to drive reliability. I hope the machine now performs as it should; there will be over one hundred Windows updates to install.
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Sadly no drivers disc but he ho I'll find them as I need them. I owe you a pint or three Alan. Just finishing the 100 plus windows updates and got all my data back on the machine.
cheers
Martin
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Good old Admin Fred has been at it again adding another dimension to the forum in the form of an app called Tapatalk.
This app allows much easier navigation around forums and other social media from mobile devices.
For most of us using computers we will not even be aware that that this feature is now enabled, it makes no change - but if you are using a tablet, such as an Ipad, or smart phone simply go to the app store and download the Tapatalk app, lauch it and see for yourself how it works. It is very intuitive and easy to find your way around and you can do everything you can from a computer.
We hope that this may broaden our appeal to a younger generation – it will certainly let them access the forum in a way designed around mobile devices.
I also take this opportunity to say congratulations, and a huge thank you, to Admin, Fred Carrie on being made an Honorary Vice President of the SRGC in recognition of all his work in spearheading and driving the SRGC’s online presence. No matter what content, articles, forums, pictures, journals etc. we had without Fred the enabler it would simply not happen.
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I'm buying a new digital recorder to record the goings on in my nest boxes. The options are to have no installed hard drive, buy one with a hard drive included or buy my own hard drive off Amazon.
I can buy a 2TB HD from Amazon for the same price as buying a digital recorder with a 1TB hard drive included
How easy is it to install a hard drive?
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You're in the wrong year here, Mark - it's 2014.
Hard drives come in two sizes, 3.5" for desktop computers and 2.5" for laptop computers. Provided you get the correct size then actually installing one should not be a problem.
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Most external drives are plug and play. I use them to store digital images. However, if you plan to store uncompressed digital video in real time you would be better with a hard drive with a "fast connection" such as FireWire, USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt (Apple). Of course you need to ensure that your computer has the appropriate port and ability to handle such inputs.
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Thanks Alan and Steve. I ordered one with the hard drive pre installed
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if you are installing normal drives make sure they are formatted to NTFS and not FAT32
For internet security I use either KIS or KIS Pure - Kasperskey
If you are installing and installing programs a lot use - 'Your uninstaller' - this will also let you disable lots of things in start up that you don't needed like adobe reader etc. It also clears up lots of issues caused by poor software like Norton
I run 'registry repair wizard' once a month to clear up all the other rubbish that accumulates
Cpuid CPU-Z is always installed so you can see what is fitted to your machine and see how its running - particularly if you are adding memory
Acronis - is used to create an image when the machine is installed with all its software and just after it has been cleaned - also backups are taken if I have installed a lot of software
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Digital recorders I have seen use a proprietary disk format (not one used by Windows computers i.e. neither NTFS nor FAT32). Therefore if you want to transfer the contents to a computer you need a translation program in order to read the disk.
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Not a computer problem but I could not find where to post this.
I resized a bunch of pictures to post in my Bargany Gardens posting using the SRGC resizer. When I uploaded a batch I got a message saying they were too large and had exceeded the 200 kb per picture. On checking, I found that 2 pictures were oversized although conforming to the 640 x 428. One was 377 Kb and the other was 280Kb. The rest varied between 88/136 Kb
What has happened here. The resizing is outwith my control.
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I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager and find some of my pictures are too large at 640 by 428. If I check the original file size it is bigger than usual. They are generally pictures with lots of small detail like masses of small flowers or lots of gravel or small stones. No help to you I know but this is what I have observed. As I am doing them individually I crop before resizing if this will not lose too much of the picture.
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You need to also reduce the File size as well as the image size. Not sure about the programs mentioned but in Photoshop (and its other forms) you can lower the File size when you go to Save As. There is an option to reduce the quality which has the effect of reducing the file size.
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I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager and find some of my pictures are too large at 640 by 428. If I check the original file size it is bigger than usual. They are generally pictures with lots of small detail like masses of small flowers or lots of gravel or small stones. No help to you I know but this is what I have observed. As I am doing them individually I crop before resizing if this will not lose too much of the picture.
In MS Picture Manager I click on Picture then Compress Picture then select WebPage and click on OK. Then save as. This reduces the file size within the limit.
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I used to use photoshop but this SRGC resizer was supposed to simplify the operation. Using the resizer you drag the picture file into the application and it is supposed to reduce the picture size and bring the file size below 200Kb. For two of my pictures it reduced the size but the file size exceeded the 200 Kb. limit for posting.
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My computer is getting so slow. Even typing this there is a lag and last week I was getting multiple letters when I only typed one. How do I fix these problems?
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Change the battery in the keyboard (if it is wireless). If that does not work, try using another keyboard.
Otherwise you may have a rogue process that is occupying too much of your computers processing power (CPU) so preventing anything else from getting much of a look-in. But I don't think that would account for the multiple letters, just the delay.
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A new problem had suddenly appeared. The Forum, and other sites, are now "decorated" with little green three quarter circles with an arrow that link to adds that pop up unannounced. This adware virus has not been picked up by my Malwarebytes soft ware. How do I get rid of it?
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Which web browser are you using, Anthony?
Edit: And have a look at this page which appears to describe your problem http://malwaretips.com/blogs/interyield-virus-removal/ (http://malwaretips.com/blogs/interyield-virus-removal/) . I cannot vouch for the removal instructions given.
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if your machine is running slow try 'registry repair wizard' to clean your machine up - also have a look at what is in startup - you don't need any of the adobe rubbish, etc. - when you need those applications it then loads what you need
also if you put applications on and take them off make sure you use a proper uninstaller - something like 'your uninstaller' not just the one that comes with the package which never actually remove everything (particularly if you have ever had any norton product on your machine)
also look at your browser - if you are using ie - think about getting firefox if you are using a desktop or laptop - it has lots of nice addon's
if you are using a smaller device try chrome
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Which web browser are you using, Anthony?
Edit: And have a look at this page which appears to describe your problem http://malwaretips.com/blogs/interyield-virus-removal/ (http://malwaretips.com/blogs/interyield-virus-removal/) . I cannot vouch for the removal instructions given.
Thanks Alan. Took me the best part of three times through the procedure to remove it. 8)
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My Skype connection is playing up. I sign in and it then immediately (or sometimes a minute or two later) it signs out with that downward electronic "sigh". Broadband connection is okay and I have the latest Skype version, so anyone any ideas?