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>> despite what Mac users will tellyou there is a real issue with Mac originated Office documents not being compatible with PCs.
>Your compatibility issue is to do with different versions of MS Office, not Mac vs. PC.<
Well that might stand up as an argument if PC wasn't the chosen platform of the vast majority of business users. If I send a PC generated Office document to a customer I know it's going to work and if it doesn't then the receiver will blame their end of the chain. If I send a Mac generated one it might not and given that I'm unliateraly choosing to use a platform that isn't the norm, then it's incumbent on me to resolve any problems that follow.
I haven't got time to prat about sorting these things out, I just want to get on with other stuff. If my computer stands between me and doing other stuff then it's wasting my time and no end of little "nice touches" the mac offers me like bouncing icons and lights that glow on and off makes up for a product that doesn't understand what I want to do with it.
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If my computer stands between me and doing other stuff then it's wasting my time and no end of little "nice touches" the mac offers me like bouncing icons and lights that glow on and off makes up for a product that doesn't understand what I want to do with it.
I.E. It's horses for courses. I use both Windows XP and MAC OS X - on separate computers, for totally separate purposes. I have no greater interest in making Windows work on the Mac than I have in editing my HD Videos on Windows XP.
Oz (as was)
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>> despite what Mac users will tell If I send a PC generated Office document to a customer I know it's going to work and if it doesn't then the receiver will blame their end of the chain.
One of my (Windows-centric) customers sends me a form generated in MS Word. For some reason this form appears differently every time I see it. They blamed my Linuxy, Macish tendencies until I showed them it on the PC they force me to use in their office, where it's just as bad. I suspect it was generated in one version of Word, and edited on another, and yet another so that it is now broken. It looks fine on the PC belonging to the administrator who sends it though.
I guess Windows business users are more important than people who don't like choose the right Kool-Aid, but believe it or not Mac users have customers too. I create documents that go to and from hundreds of people using all kinds of platforms. Being a "one man band" my livelihood depends directly on my documents being compatible with others, so it's rather important to me. If I make extra work for an editor I just won't get hired again. Yet Linux and Mac OSX-generated documents have been just fine for me and my customers for years now.
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Being a "one man band" my livelihood depends directly on my documents being compatible with others so it's rather important to me. >>
Likewise, that just one of many, many reasons I use PCs rather than Macs.
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My point is that people blame the platform when that's the least significant part of the chain. The specific version of Office, and the skill of the operator in making standardised documents are far more limportant. Even the choice of font has an impact.
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Office versions....
.docx anyone? I've gone to Office 2007 at work and I might as well have starting writing my documents in Klingon for all the use they are when I send them to anyone. Yes, you can choose to save as .doc or .rft or whatever, but the assumption is that docx is where it's heading. I'm there, 99% of the people I work with, aren't. Yes, you can install converters to read docx in earlier versions of Office, but if you're a corporate user running in a properly managed environment, you won't have admin rights to do the install so can't install the converter.
And don't get me started on the "ribbon"
One of the nicest features of OSX is the inbuilt ability to print to saved .pdf file, excellent compatibilty straight from the tin.
I've used and looked after PCs since they ran 8088 chips. They have, and always will have a place in the world. But my world has turned to Apple in the past year, I just can no longer be bothered with Windows at home or for myself, as an end-user the Mac does what I need better and easier. But that's just me.
If you're looking for a Macbook, go for the white one; the extra cost for the Macbook Pro isn't probably worth it unless you've got a huge pressing need for shed loads of processing power - the Macbook (non pro) has a big advantage in day to day battery life and in a laptop, this is likely to be more useful.
-- He\'s a cheeky wind-up scamster and he\'s on the radio....
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Office versions.... One of the nicest features of OSX is the inbuilt ability to print to saved .pdf file excellent compatibilty straight from the tin.
MS have a free download enabling this in Office 2007 though anti trust regs would not allow them to sell it incorporated.
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www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=...n
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Just as well really. Office 2007 is not being rolled out into corporate world. Company it departments are giving this a wide berth and will do for some consdierable time. In fact most are looking at it as a reason for jumping onto open office.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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>> Office versions.... >> >> One of the nicest features of OSX is the inbuilt ability >> to print to saved .pdf file excellent compatibilty straight from the >> tin. >> MS have a free download enabling this in Office 2007 though anti trust regs would not allow them to sell it incorporated.
In Mac OSX any application that can generate print can print to pdf, not just Office. I think there is a third-party addon for Windows to do something similar.
Just because someone might find it useful I should also point out CUPS-pdf, which creates a virtual printer that only prints to pdf. Usefully this can be shared on the network just like a "real" printer. This is a good addition on OSX at least because you can create a virtual printer in any folder. It's really quick to just drag files to the printer to make pdfs without opening them:
www.physik.uni-wuerzburg.de/~vrbehr/cups-pdf/downl...l
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Only since installing a new secondary hard disk, XP is no longer presenting file names in alpha sequence in Save As and File Open boxes, but in reverse alpha sequence, or by size, or perhaps any way but proper A-Z. It was also doing it in Windows Explorer, but I've fixed that by using Ctrl when closing the window, having put the sequence right. This does not work in the Save As or File Open. I did both a Registry Mechanic check and and and AVG virus check yesterday. Any clues out there?
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From View in Windows Explorer or an open Folder>Arrange Icons BY...> try display by Name.
This lists folders in alpahbetical order.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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..and then go Tools > Folder Options > view > apply to all folders
Then windows will remember that this is how you want your default folder view.
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Has anybody comes across the above .I recently mentioned that I had installed the software on recuva.com on another website.Another poster then informed me that this program contains spyware called dropper.pakes.
I've scanned with AVG Anti-Spyware and it spoted it.I then deleted it but I was still a bit worried.I have just finished scanning in safe mode and dropper.pakes was shown as still being present.
Should I be worried and if so any ideas for removal
Thanks
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Whenever I've had spyware problems I usually let something like Spybot Search & Destroy or Adaware try to kill it first - both great programs. If the first infection wasn't too long ago, I also do a System Restore to the day before first infection to be certain it has all gone or can't reinstall itself on next boot. Presumably you know when you installed the offending program so this shouldn't be too difficult.
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Just to add to the above i have just scanned with Windows defender and it came back all clear.Could it just be an AVG problem or should i be delving further?
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there has been a big avg update today
maybe its got a conflict problem
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I could do a system restore but the recuva program was installed on 09.02.07 so is this still feasible.i don't know why the problem has not showed up before.i've scanned with yahoo anti spy with no reaction and am currently checking with Windows Defender.
i beginning to think that the AVG may give a false positive.
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Not really a question, but this might be interesting to some. Virtualbox is open source virtualization software that allows you to run "guest" operating systems within Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX. I've been playing with this in Linux and it works pretty well running Windows and Linux "guests". Free to download too:
www.virtualbox.org/
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FIL has just got a new Dell laptop with Vistas and has signed up to AOL broadband.
Got broadband installed fine and he can now access email etc via AOL 9.0VR. However, in my opinion, that is like a "Hotmail" account in that you need to access AOL and then check your mail.
He previously used email on Outlook Express on his last comp.
New Comp has "Windows EMail" which is the "successor to Outlook Express.
So how do I make his new AOL account the default email setting so that when he clicks on Windows Email icon, it goes straight to his email, inbox, contacts etc? I asume it is something as simple as clicking on Tools, select accounts etc?
I tried phoning AOL helpline and although the first person I spoke to was very helpful regarding my broadband wireless installation, the second person did not seem to understand what I was wanting to do with this email problem.
First of all does what I am saying make sense? And secondly can anyone help me??
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>>it goes straight to his email, inbox, contacts etc? >>
If Windows EMail is similar to Outlook Express, go the route you suggest (Tools>Accounts>highlight your ISP's e-mail account in the Mail tab>Properties>Connection tab>tick Always Collect This Account Using...>and, from the menu, select either AOL or Local Area Network whichever is the Default..
Do this for each e-mail account if there are others available.
PS
If you are forwarding other than AOL e-mails by any chance, then you will need to use the e-mail Message panel's drop down menu to switch from the originating e-mail's ISP to that of AOL (i.e. the Default e-mail address); if you don't do this then the e-mail cannot be forwarded through AOL.
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Good evening - I have one of these devices and it works fine - Plugs and Plays - quick data transfer = perfect. I have a bought a second one and my desk top (Windows XP SP2) doesn't recognise it, it won't install as New hardware, and didn't come with any software. On my Laptop with Vista Home premium it plugs and plays but it locks up when transferring files. In particular it doesn't like a 36Mb file of photos I am trying to put into it. Could such a device actually be faulty? It has accepted some files but baulks at the particular folder I am trying to move onto it. I have formatted and started again to no effect. Please advise!
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Try moving the same 36gb folder to the one that does work. If it works on that, then yes you can quite easily have a faulty one.
memory is basically lots of cells accessed by a grid of access wires. Quie possible for a cell, block of cells or a part of the grid to be duff and you loose a chunk of memory. It sometimes means you loose all the memory behind the chunk as well.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Many thanks TVM - why didn't I think of that? To keep a long story short I have got it to work but, for a USB 2 device it seems slow. A transfer that took 15 seconds on the 'good' device took over 6 minutes on the cramky one. Anyway job done and thanks again!
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Now the proud owner of a Canon MP510. Nice bit of kit, separate tanks for all the colours. Thanls for the tips, ended up costing less than £60.00 thanks to vouchers and argument in the shop, sometimes pays to be married to SWMBO.
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I like to clean the crud off my drive before defragmenting- presumably it speeds up the defrag process slightly if nothing else. However, the home PC runs XP Pro and there are 5 accounts, each with its own Temporary Internet Files folder. But the standard disk cleanup tool only cleans up the files of the account it's being run in.
Does anyone know of a (free) tool that cleans up *all* Temporary Internet Files, or should I be taking a different approach?
Cheers
John
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Does anyone know of a (free) tool that cleans up *all* Temporary Internet Files,
try free crapcleaner from www.ccleaner.com/
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>> Does anyone know of a (free) tool that cleans up *all* Temporary Internet Files try free crapcleaner from www.ccleaner.com/
Thanks Dalglish- tried it, looks good, but all the files it listed when I did 'Analyse' were either global or under my account (ie. c:\Documents and settings\[All users or John].
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but all the files it listed when I did 'Analyse' were either global or under my account (ie. c:Documents and settings[All users or John].
use the cleaner>advanced>custom-files&folders to add your own other locations you want cleaned up.
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In Thunderbird (running on Windows XP), is there any way to allow more than one email to be opened at once?
If I open a first email up, it opens in a new window. If I open a second one, it simply replaces the first email in the first email's window, and the first email is no longer open, visible, or available.
I suspect there's an option somewhere to do this, but I haven't found it, or mention of it in the on-line help.
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See this link:
lesliefranke.com/2007/04/mozilla-thunderbird-20-fi.../
about a patch to allow tabs (as in Firefox) for viewing several e-mails at once.
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Thanks Stuart - I'll give it a go.
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Hello. Can anyone recommend, ideally from their own useage, a reliable and simple backup/image programme (I am not totally certain which I need) which will make regular copies of my entire C-drive (docs, operating system, settings, programmes, the lot) onto an external USB hard-drive, which I can then reinstall back to the computer should the main hard-drive ever fail? I have looked on the inter-web at Norton Ghost, Acronis True Image, Karen's Replicator, and a host of other ones which seem to claim to do this. Sometimes I am not sure whether they are claiming to do this, or rather something subtely different (which might not be what I need - sometimes it is hard to tell!!). I am getting baffled....
Thanks for any help!
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\"Archie\"
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Good evening, I know squat about computers (see my dim questions over the years). However, I use Norton Ghost and back up my complete hard drive every couple of weeks, onto a USB Maxtor 320Gb external drive. What seems to me to be a disadvantage is that it does not look at the files which have changed and ignore the ones that haven't. The whole process starts with a warning that the total contents of the external drive will be overwritten - Do You Want to Proceed? However, I press on the the whole contents are copied OK.
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.... I know squat about computers (see my dim questions over the years).
Me too.
However I use Norton Ghost and back up my complete hard drive every couple of weeks onto a USB Maxtor 320Gb external drive.
That's interesting information about using an external drive. I bought Norton Ghost and found it wouldn't copy to CDs because it wasn't compatible with my pc's CD/DVD drive or vice versa. The annoying thing was that there didn't appear to be any way of finding this out before making the purchase, so beware.
--
L\'escargot.
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That's interesting information about using an external drive. I bought Norton Ghost and found it wouldn't copy to CDs because it wasn't compatible with my pc's CD/DVD drive or vice versa. The annoying thing was that there didn't appear to be any way of finding this out before making the purchase so beware. -- L\'escargot.
Yes, I've noticed that several of them claim not to be guaranteed to write to CDs or DVDs, but most of the more modern ones seem to write to USB Hard Drives.
2 Votes for Norton Ghost... Thanks. Have you ever tested the restore from your Norton Ghost back-up? Its all very well if it seems to be backing up safely once a week, or whatever, but the acid test is "is it doing it properly, and will the restore work when your system has died"?!! I guess most people don't find out that it isn't working properly until too late...
--
\"Archie\"
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Archie - you'd be lucky to get a computer back onto 1 CD or even 1 DVD. I have never needed to restore my computer yet. Backing up is an act of faith! You do it but hope not to use it. External drives are really cheap these days, it could be worth a look.
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I use Microsoft SyncToy for a similar purpose, I think it does what you want, and costs nowt:-
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotograp...x
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Yes I have used norton Ghost and I have restored using it. It does what it says on the tin When I build machines for people I always ghost it after the machine is set up to the point I ship it out to them. I then format the drive and restore from the ghost image.
Ghost is a system point of time recovery program NOT a backup program. If you only want to backup changes that have occured since your last back up then you need a dedicated backup programe that has the concept of "incremental changes"
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Yes I have used norton Ghost and I have restored using it. ....Ghost is a system point of time
>>recovery program NOT a backup program.
whilst tvm is correct, note that there are may versions of "norton ghost" around. the pukka original ghost does what tvm says, however later versions do other things including incremental backups.
read up on the different versions of ghost and alternative here, ghost.radified.com/
..NS&R (released 2006) contains a product named Ghost 11 that is functionally the same as Norton Ghost 10, with the added ability to back-up individual folders. (Pre-Ghost 11 products only back-up entire hard drives, or individual partitions, no folders.) ..
note: there is a forum too radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl
>>I bought Norton Ghost and found it wouldn't copy to CDs because it wasn't compatible with my pc's CD/DVD drive or vice versa.
l'escargot: which version of norton ghost are you using? you should be able to image to a cd or dvd.
i use the basic "dos" version of ghost.exe which fits on a floppy (also copied to a cd for use on computers without floppy drives) to do all my imaging work. with vista, i will have to rethink although some versions of vista will ahve thier own "ghost" type of imaging program built in.
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Armitage Shanks - thanks, but it wasn't me who wanted to back up to CD or DVD - that was l'escargot!! I've got a USB hard drive (as I wrote originally :-) ).
Re Ghost - I've seen this morning several on-line reviews that implied that the later versions are not particularly reliable. I was erring towards Acronis Trueimage, but have also just had a recommendation elsewhere to a freebie called Drive Image XML ( www.runtime.org/dixml.htm ), or Comodo Back Up (also free: www.backup.comodo.com/ ). Also, I really don't particularly want one that forces me to boot into Dos to run - I think that, for most users (incl me!), if it isn't simple one won't use it regularly enough, and one introduces an element of risk through not having up-to-date backups.
I think that SyncToy (which I have used in the past) is really meant for backing up files, not programmes or operating systems (but I might be wrong)...
Thanks for all the comments.
--
\"Archie\"
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you are right
ghost 10 will backup "incrementally"
There is no product call ghost 11, Ghost is a symantec product and the current version is version 10.
There is however a lookalike profduct, that has nothing to do with symantec ghost called "anything ghost -11"
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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the so called "norton ghost 11" is not an official symantec name for ghost11. it was an update of ng10. file ghost32.exe. last version 11.0.0.1502 was released on 4dec2006 as part of norton-save-&-restore.
ghost.radified.com/
Update: 27.february.2006 - Norton Save & Restore (NS&R) is sometimes called Norton Ghost 11 cuz it's the next product released by Symantec that contains a copy of Ghost, following Norton Ghost 10.
the officially named "norton ghost 12" was due to be released a week ago:
www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/themes/vista/faq....p
... Norton Ghost? 12 ....... April 18, 2007
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>>I bought Norton Ghost and found it wouldn't copy to CDs because it wasn't compatible with my >> pc's CD/DVD drive or vice versa. l'escargot: which version of norton ghost are you using? you should be able to image to a cd or dvd.
It's version 9.0 ~ although there was also a Ghost 2003 CD in the box. What happened was that it filled the first CD completely and then wouldn't proceed any further, instead of (as it should have done) stopping at the end of a file and asking for a new CD to be inserted. My pc's drive is a Samsung CDRW/DVD SM 308B. I found the list of compatible drives (from somewhere ~ which I can't remember! ~ in the Symantec website) and mine wasn't in it. At that point I threw in the towel and uninstalled Ghost.
--
L\'escargot.
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My pc's drive is a Samsung CDRW/DVD SM 308B. I found the list of compatible drives (from somewhere ~ which I can't remember! ~ in the Symantec website) and mine wasn't in it.
l'escargot: you may just need to update the drivers from symantec
service1.symantec.com/Support/sharedtech.nsf/docid...3
then
service1.symantec.com/support/ghost.nsf/docid/2002...5
at the bottom of that page, under the cd/cdrw drives tested, it lists
Tested Drives
Note: The drives listed in this section have been tested with Ghost and proven to function correctly. This list is not an all-inclusive list of compatible drives. Instead, it is a list of those drives that were identified as problem drives by Ghost technical support. These drives were tested, and Ghost was updated to work with all of them. If your drive does not appear on this list, it does not mean that the drive will not work with Ghost.
Samsung SM-408B 32x 8x 8x TA01 ATAPI or IDE SAMSUNG CDRW/DVD SM-408B
further links below that
References:
For more information on saving image files directly to CD-R/RW drives, see the following documents:
How to save an image file directly to a CD-R/RW disc
How to restore an image from a CD disc
Which boot disks to use when writing to CDR/RW drives
How to create a bootable CD that can restore a Ghost image
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My copy of Outlook 2000 failed to work for about a month, but I was able
to use Outlook Express.
Now I?ve got Outlook working again, I want to transfer all the Express messages I received and sent back to Outlook. I?ve no idea how to do it.
Thanks in advance for your help.
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In OE click - File>Export then select "Messages", you then get a dialogue box saying something like "This will export messages to Outlook or Microsoft Exchange", follow the instructions.
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I?m new to digital photography. I?ve transferred my photos to my PC ands each image is about 2.5 Mb. The pictures I?ve downloaded from various websites are about one tenth the size. How do I reduce the size of my own pictures so I can send them to friends and family on e-mail and also upload them onto various forums using something like Photobucket?
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Irfanview is an excellent free programme that will do what you want and more:
www.irfanview.com/
Best to save a copy of each image to resize in case you "Save" rather than "Save as" once resized and lose the original file.
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Irfanview is an exallent free programme, but if you right click on the photos you want to email then select e-mail recipitent / e-mil picture you have the choice of send original size or reduce size .this assumes you are using windows xp or like.
--
rustbucket (the original)
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>>but if you right click on the photos you want to email >>
Irfanview is a superb little utility (in fact Version 4 along with the plug-ins has just been released) along with PIXResizer; however the Microsoft Power Toys for XP include an image resizer that also uses a right click to allow choice of file size:
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xp...x
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www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xp...x
I echo the Powertoy as I've used this approach for some time. Perhaps the other methods do this too, but I find it really handy to do the resizing directly from right mouse button in Windows Explorer without need to open the file(s) in a picture editor first, to be presented with simple, sensible, sizing options, and for the resized file to automatially save as a copy with no danger of overwriting the original.
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Back in Oct '06 I asked for advice on buying an external hard drive for backing up files from the family PC... home paperwork/my business stuff/loads of images etc. We never did get round to it and then started using our new laptop for that purpose as a temp measure.
Now involved in some family legal type stuff that really mustn't get lost so the independent backup becomes more urgent.
6mths ago folks were saying chose between a DVD re-writer or an extrenal hard drive. I always favoured the external hard drive and went to order a Western Digital one from Amazon this morning. However I see quite a lot of reviews added this year on the Amazon Western Digital page referring to failure of the PC to see the hard drive after a few months use.... great!!!
So has current thinking changed at all since Oct' or do I cross my fingers and get a Western Digital after all?
One comment worth making is that the new laptop has a DVD writer (the home PC doesn't) so that would only cost me the media. I still worry about a possible change in DVD standards over a decade or more... and the ability of the discs not to degrade. Also would the laptop writer drive be less likely to make good copies than a full size new one in the home PC.
Thanks,
DW
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Has anyone any recommendations regarding choice (make/model) of external hard drive for backup purposes using Norton Ghost?
--
L\'escargot.
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Has anyone any recommendations regarding choice (make/model) of external hard drive for backup purposes using Norton Ghost? -- L\'escargot.
Correction ............. insert "complete pc" in front of backup.
--
L\'escargot.
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I actually have 2. One is a Maxstor which I use purely for backing up my main hard drive; it is fine but comes with software needed to make it work, drivers etc. The other is a Toshiba 320 Gb which is plug and play. They have become very cheap indeed. If I was buying again I would go for plug and play capability.
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Typical Toshiba for sale here - you might want more capacity but this is an indication of price. tinyurl.com/2ztyvr
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Thanks AS... linking to the Toshiba you mention has made me think of something I had not considered. The Toshiba says it is not Vista enabled. I have one XP machine and one Vista machine and had hoped to use the backup drive between both. I must look into that... I hadn't even looked to see if the Western Digital range works with Vista.... just assumed.
DW
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some family legal type stuff that really mustn't get lost so the independent backup becomes more urgent. 6mths ago folks were saying chose between a DVD re-writer or an extrenal hard drive. I always favoured the external hard drive
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i think for a belt and braces approach that you need, you should have botht he dvd and hard drive options. my personal recom. is to use the seagate external drive although i do not like the design of the 320gb hd caddy which can easily slip out of your grip. the 400gb version looks better to me. review here
tinyurl.com/2omkmz
with external drives, just be careful that they don't kicked around or to drop them. hdds are so cheap now that you may just as well add a secondary backup drive in your pc to ghost images to.
l'escargot - again, which version of ghost are you using?
i find prices are competitive at ebuyerco.uk, komplett.co.uk, scan and dabs. you do need to watch their delivery charges. some offer free delivery above a threshold with special free offers at weekends.
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l'escargot - again which version of ghost are you using?
Version 9.0 ~ see "Back up or image" thread.
--
L\'escargot.
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I use Norton Ghost 2003 and do a regular backup to a partition on my hard disk - a second copy is kept on my son's server.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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.. see "Back up or image" thread.
o.k. further discussion continued there.
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Depending on how happy you feel entrusting your data to a 3rd party, you could try an online backup with Mozy or similar.
Mozy offers 2GB encrypted storage for free (unlimited for 4.95 USD a month) and a backup utility to get the data there. I'd still do the DVD thing, but less often:
mozy.com/
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Your ISP contract may include some storage too, mine includes 2Gb.
I'd say the peace of mind of having a backup "just happen" to a USB disk is priceless. All I have to remember to do is take a DVD copy once in a while and keep it elsewhere. I'm using Nero (found it buried in the guts of bloatware but it's good) and a free copy of Paragon for the occasional full disk backup. The disks is a WD mybook and it's doing fine.
If you're spending money, Acronis gets high marks.
JH
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This is the latest auto update patch for XP SP2 to prevent a DLL memory problem. I install it, then a few seconds later the windows update shield appears in the system tray and informs me it's ready to download the same patch again. Seems to be affecting plenty of other users, but no info on how to resolve the problem.
Any ideas?
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See:
tinyurl.com/38z23z
support.microsoft.com/kb/935448
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I've got auto updates enabled, so it's not a big problem, but I want to see what the optional updates are. So I hit the 'custom' instead of 'express' button on the Updates screen, but that just opens another Windows Update page within the frame saying 'Checking you've got the latest update sofware etc.' and eventually giving me another pair of 'custom' and 'express' buttons. I never actually get to see what updates are available.
I'm running XP Pro with all (high priority) updates, AVG, Windows Defender and a Netgear ADSL router/modem.
Cheers
John
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Assuming you are using Windows updates try Microsoft updates:
update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/
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Many thanks Cheddar- that works fine.
John
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Doh! No it doesn't- it was showing me the list of high priority updates. I clicked for the optional ones, and it started the 'checking for latest available software' again in the frame.
Weird.
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If you configure Automatic Updates to Notify Me When Downloads Are Available But Allow Me To Install, you can still use the Custom button to find out which downloads are being offered.
If you don't choose all of them a panel will appear asking if you wish to be reminded again of these updates? If you click No then the unwanted downloads will not appear again.
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I've just clicked on "Keep your computer up-to-date with Windows Update" and I get a screen which says "undefined" so possibly there is currently a problem with Windows Update.
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L\'escargot.
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Windows Update not working
another option is to install the mbsa2.0.1 tool from microsoft:
www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome....x..
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) is an easy-to-use tool designed for the IT professional that helps small- and medium-sized businesses determine their security state in accordance with Microsoft security recommendations and offers specific remediation guidance. Improve your security management process by using MBSA to detect common security misconfigurations and missing security updates on your computer systems. ...
that will flag up any updates which have failed to install
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>>that will flag up any updates which have failed to install>>
So, in fact, will Belarc Advisor - this is due to the US government now insisting that such utilities advise of any computer security risks.
Belarc Advisor also reveals all the software, hardware and other system details on your system. See:
www.belarc.com/free_download.html
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I've just clicked on "Keep your computer up-to-date with Windows Update" and I get a screen which says "undefined" so possibly there is currently a problem with Windows Update. -- L\'escargot.
This still happens. Is there any way of getting Update back to normal?
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L\'escargot.
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I've just had a poke around in my computer and I've found Windows Update in the "All Programs" list, and it works from there. However, I'd still like to find out (if possible) why the other route to it is malfunctioning. Is it something I've done? (It would be no surprise if it was!)
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L'escargot.
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"Keep your computer up-to-date with Windows Update" and I get a screen which says "undefined"
start>help&support > search for "start event viewer" and then look up the event logs. right click on the relevant error log there and seek more info from the microsoft link there.
I've just had a poke around in my computer and I've found Windows Update
also available from: ie7 & ie6 > tools > windows update
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Try Microsoft update, similar though more comprehensive:
update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate
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I?m looking for a laptop for SWMBO. Her requirements are a simple set up for emailing, shopping etc. Our budget is under £400.
My inclination is to go for one of the Dell offerings (eg the Inspiron 1501 for £359 ) as Dell have always served us well in the past BUT I see that PC World are offering a COMPAQ F504EA LAPTOP ? for £399 at the moment. Is the Compaq any good?
TIA, Ian.
{moves reply to correct place in thread, as per the PLEASE NOTE message at the top - DD}
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I myself find dell laptops a little flimsy and plasticky. Mind that true of all cheap laptops.
The compaq is likely to be very similar in build. Its really a matter of personal choice, at least you can look at the Compaq at your local PC world before you buy it.
Both the PCs you mentioned are fine for simple internet and light office functions use
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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We have just been through the process at a similar price point. Have a look at this thread from 6 weeks ago...
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=49042&...f
Also where the thread continued and further down that page where the header is Graphic card/chip choice...
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=49...8
Like you our final choice was down to a Dell ordered direct online or a Compaq from PC World. We ended up with the Compaq because so many of the other brands on display at PC World felt cheap, lightweight and we didn't like the keyboard feel. We were just too nervous to order the Dell without being able to handle it.
Our Compaq is a near identical spec to yours just with a slightly different processor. I assume you are looking at the Compaq with the AMD Turion?
Anyway we have been very pleased with the Compaq in the 6 weeks we've had it... it feels strong and heavy giving the impression that it will not fall apart unless badly abused.
One thing I would advise... make sure whatever you buy is wi-fi enabled. Ours is and we thought we'd have no need for it but bought a wireless router on a whim. Now that turns out to be one of the best attributes of the laptop... being able to use it online anywhere in the house.
DW
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Thanks MM. I am looking at one with the AMD Turion. Wireless is essential as we are already driving the desktop and 2 other laptops by this means. The spec on the PC world website is silent, although the TV ad yesterday said it was included IIFC.
Am inclined towards the Compaq as it is easier to take the machine to PC World under the the 1 year "free" warranty than it is to phone Dell and await the arrival of support.
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IanS
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Ian,
Walking it back into PC World in case of warranty issues was another decider for us.... however no doubt if it comes to that we will find many hoops to jump through before getting service.
I do not enjoy the PC World experience and on buying the laptop was taken aback by the very hard sell not only on extra warranty but software and hardware extra's. The impression the guy was trying to give was that without all these goodies on top there was nothing useful the laptop would do.
From that aspect I like the feeling of being in control on the Dell Website with no-one to hassle and confuse. Our desktop is a Dell and its replacement when needed will be another Dell without looking at any others.... very pleased with it.
As a matter of interest we did an on-line pre-order with PC World where you take in the printed out order doc and get it at the web price in the local store... saved us £50.
Good luck,
David
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I'm not normally a fan of PC World but even I thought the add running all through the football last night for the £399 laptop looked good value for basic computing - obviously no hard core gaming though.
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£300 HP 510 Celeton-M 360 at Dabs;
www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=4d10
However, special offers on new and used Dell, HP etc laptops and desktops and other computer items at the excellent:
www.itcsales.co.uk/acatalog/Dell_New_Factory_Lapto...l
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As new Dell 1501 at £330 from the well respected BigPockets outlet just revealed in its newsletter e-mail:
www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?product=RG-OFFER1...3
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Been thinking about getting one of these so I can can watch some Tv programmes on my laptop and saw one in action today - colleague watching a Clarkson programme at lunchtime on his Medion laptop with a card and a very small aerial (like a small car radio aerial) Quality was excellent. Have looked on Medion website and can't find mention of it so I wondered if any of you had recommendations for one of these things.
A further Q is that some advertised on internet say they will receive all Freeview channels but I would also like to use it occasionally on out visits to France. Would I need a separate French card or could the "English" one be tuned for French TV?
My laptop is a HP EasyNote Skype edition running Windows XP Media Centre edition 2006.
Thanks for any help - as you may judge from the Qs I don't know much about this!
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Phil
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Have looked on Medion website and can't find mention of it
One of ALDI's twice weekly specials possibly. I recall one of the laptops having a tv card as you describe as part of the offer.
That aside, Maplin?
www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=54435&FromMenu...h
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The issue will be reception. If reception not a problem there are many USB2 DVB devices to get Freeview for very little money. Should come with an external aerial. Maybe £20?
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You have probably seen a Freeview USB stick on the lines of:
www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProduct...2
You can get them for under £20 but the product or software may not be quite as good. See:
www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/108219
Usually the small aerial has a coaxial socket to provide a stronger signal.
If you move to another transmitter area the channels will have to be retuned; to use abroad you would need to change the scanning to the area involved.
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"to use abroad you would need to change the scanning to the area involved"
Is that easy to do? Don't they use a different TV system in France or doesn't that matter?
Sorry if Qs are dumb!!
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Phil
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You'd need to check out the various PAL standards used around Europe - France uses SECAM. The closest digital terrestial television standard used elsewhere to that of the UK is by Italy (in fact you can tune in Freeview stations in the UK even if you set the country to Italy). Some info:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_terrestrial_televisi...n
www.selkirkshire.demon.co.uk/analoguesat/gettingfr...l
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I have a real mystery here. Because I am a stick-in-the-mud I am still using Windows 98 SE because it normally works ok and a couple of months ago I treated myself to a new (to me) 19in CRT screen. It is great but ever since then, if I don't switch the computer off completely after I shut down, after a while it starts up on its own! Also, occasionally, it won't shut down - just re-starts until I yank the plug out and count ten, then it's OK for a while again.
The correct screen driver is running and I have checked all the power management options and can't find anything amiss. Does anyone have any ideas?
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The correct screen driver is running and I have checked all the power management options and can't find anything amiss. Does anyone have any ideas?
Does that include BIOS options? Unlikely I guess, but there isn't a 'wake on CRT' or something in there?
BTW my own computer restarting on its own problem turned out to be a BIOS bug, fixed by a BIOS update (Abit SG95 motherboard).
John
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Its not the screen driver or the screen. There is no control logic (hardware) for a screen to wake a PC.
Its probably waking on keyboard or mouse, or possible waking on lan.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Its not the screen driver or the screen. There is no control logic (hardware) for a screen to wake a PC.
I don't know how it works, but my laptop 'knows' whether an external screen is connected or not because it won't switch to it if it's not. Hypothetically couldn't a BIOS make use of this to offer some sort of screen-based wake-up?
John
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Thanks for now, all - I'll have a delve...
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Its knows if one is plugged in, there are a series of the pins shorted that can provide an indication the screen is there, but not if its turned on or any feedback to wake a PC up on an event. I mean what external events are there on a screen? it just does what the pc tells it to do
(touch screen excepted of course - whole new ball game)
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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