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Edited by Dynamic Dave on 08/12/2009 at 21:48
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Reply to nick62's post from Vol 202.
If there is a recovery partition on your PC, it is normally accessed by holding down Ctrl+F11 at the BIOS screen. See step 3 here: tinyurl.com/mwolgo
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I have an unusual problem my client has cancelled her virgin broadband connection and has switched to sky via a crappy router (Sky don't realise the ADSL username and password so you're stuck with it). The sky-box is inside the house and the old router used to be in the garage which is their office. The signal from the Sky router was pathetic so I bought the netgear router into the house and connected to the SKy, now the signal works fine as the Netgear rangemax is doing the work. THis works fine, but the desktop MAC is using a cheapo USB wireless card and is not reliable, will the Netgear WPN111 work well with Mac OSX?
The second problem is that they have an old printer (ethernet) which they need to use, the only problem is it is in the office where there is no no router. So I bought a cheapo router and turned of the wireless and used this so the printer now works. This works fine but there is a major snag, everytime I plug the router in (via ethernet) the internet stops working on the MAC OSX machines, it then looks for the net via ethernet but the router in the garage has no internet access.
How do I tell Mac OSX to only get the internet from the wireless and ignore the ethernet connection for internet but only use it for the printer? The IP addresses are:-
Sky ASDL router 192.168.0.1 - wireless turned off
Netgear Rangemax Router (connected to sky router) 192.168.2.1
New ethernet router for printer 192.168.1.1
Can any networking experts see any problem I've missed? With this current setup they have to plug the Ethernet cable out of the Apple PCs in order to get internet access, yet with ethernet plugged in the wireless still works (I can access the netgear router's admin page) but there is no internet. I have tried pointing the DNS on the ethernet to the Netgear router but with no luck :(
Sorry this is confusing, I am tired and just typing this has given me a mad head ache.
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I don't believe that configuration will work with more than one router
Does the Sky router have an Ethernet socket on it?
If it does, you could plug that into an Ethernet hub and then connect the Mac and printer.
Also, have you found a setting on the Netgear and new router to stop them being DHCP servers? If so, have you tried turning this off?
As to compatibility with the Mac, the network is standardised by the IEEE and is independent of operating system.
Integrale.
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Sky don't realise [release?] the ADSL username and password so you're stuck with it >>
easypeasy:
tinyurl.com/yg7e4qo
tinyurl.com/ydbbj5x
[links to avforums]
Edited by jbif on 23/11/2009 at 21:12
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Sorry I think I have confused people. The internet works fine on the netgear router. The netgear router is connected to the sky router via ethernet and this works perfectly. The customer already had this router in so it makes sense to use it. This is not the issue as it works perfectly. The issue is the signal from the sky router is not strong enough so it meant moving the netgear router into the house to connect to the sky router. This works perfectly.
However in the garage there is also an old network printer which needs a router so all the computers in the garage can use it. For this purpose I bought a cheap router and linked it all up via ethernet. So all the computers in the garage use use wireless for the internet (because the internet access is in the house) and ethernet for the printer (because it would be too much faff and too expensive to make the printer wireless, it dosn't even have a USB port on it)
For this reason there needs to be an Ethernet router in the garage. When the garage router is plugged in the macs seem automatically make this the internet gateway, where as windows dosn't it just works. So my question was how do I make MAC OSX see that the ethernet connection has no internet and just use the wireless for internet?
I am well aware of IEEE and TCP/IP :) The problem here is more an operating system issue rather than a networking one, I've solved the networking problems it is Mac OSX which is the hurdle.
The routers are setup as following:-
Sky router - acting as the modem for the netgear
Netgear - the main wireless router and the gateway to the internet
cheap Ethernet router - used purely as a way to connect the printer to all PCs in the garage via Ethernet and I need this to be seperated from the internet.
Hope that clears it up a bit.
Edit the simplest solution would be to connect the printer to the netgear router, but printer needs to be in the outbuilding and the router needs to be in the house. There is no way round that without involving a major building project.
A wireless bridge would solve the problem which connected to the router wirelessly and then had an ethernet socket at the other end, but these are rare and very expensive. It would also have to be 802.11N compliant which just makes it even more impossible.
Edited by Rattle on 23/11/2009 at 21:31
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If networking is solved, then shouldn't you be able to print to the printer from any machine (not just Mac OS X)?
You (I think) said that when the router (or was it printer - not read the posts in detail) was switched on the Mac gets turfed off the network. So I'd be checking the IP address used by the printer and Mac for a start. Is there a clash? And how are you dealing with DHCP (if enabled) with two routers?
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I need to switch off DHCP on the Sky router, it works fine with it enabled but there is no need to have it on and it may cause problems in the future.
The Netgear has a DHCP range starting from 192.168.2.2... (.1 being the router itself), the TP link (used for the printer) started from 192.168.1.1 and ends in 1.255 so there shouldn't be any clashes anyway.
t
However as soon as the TPLINK is plugged in the Macs stay connected to the Netgear and I can access the netgear admin page but the internet dosn't work, I even tried pointing the DNS on the Ethernet to the netgear and it didn't work. I will do a test tomorrow to see if it is a DNS problem.
I will also double check DHCP to make sure no clashes are possible. They are moving out in the new year to an office in town so costs need to be cut hence not spending £100's on fancy networking equipment although once they moved they will just need basic internet access in the out building which is currently working fine.
Edit re printer it is connected to the tplink in the out building and works fine when the ethernet cables are plugged into the computers, the problem is when the ethernet is plugged in the machines can no longer get internet access from the netgear even though they are connected wireless to the netgear :)
It should work without any problem, I have done more complicated things like this in the past. It is just that for what ever reason MAC OSX just takes preference to ethernet over wireless and there dosn't seem to be any settings to say look there is no internet via ethernet but you need to be connected to both the ethernet router and the wireless one.
Edited by Rattle on 23/11/2009 at 21:56
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You do remember DHCP only works on a subnet unless forwarding enabled for DHCP. Could this be part of the problem?
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Actually wonder if the Mac is picking up incorrect DNS settings from one of the routers?
You can set a static IP and DNS settings (Open DNS is a good option anyway) on the Mac.
Edit: you can always disable the Ethernet connection on the Mac and do all via Wireless. Having to IPs is fine if you have your default gateways and static routes setup correctly. Indeed does the Mac have some static routes setup and with the new network it causes problems?
Edited by rtj70 on 23/11/2009 at 22:03
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The problem is due to physical problems (e.g two buildings) the printer and internet have to be seperate. In effect it is two completely different networks but want them to work together. I have suggested simply bringing in an Ethernet cable to the outbuilding then connecting that to a router but there is no way of doing this without major building work :(
So there is no reason at all why the internet should be going off when the Ethernet cable is plugged in unless there is something wrong with the way I have setup up the network?
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Yep now all the networks are in the same subnet maybe that is causing the problem? I might change one of the IPs to a different class to see if that helps,. Maybe on a 255.255 subnet.
It does all work fine, the internet works fine (so the Sky router and Netgear cable router work perfectly), the printer works fine on its TP router, all computers can print from it, but if you want internet access you have to unplug the ethernet wire meaning you can't surf and print at the same time.
I was very tired when I did all this (due to a big argument with India on my previous job, sorry Newcastle) so I may have missed something. I will double check all the settings tomorrow.
The only thing that must stay the same is the TP link, that must be 192.168.1.1 as that is what the printer is setup to work on, and I have no idea how to change the printer settings as its so old it has a token ring connector as well as an Ethernet port but my client insists they want to keep it.
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Yep now all the networks are in the same subnet maybe that is causing the problem?
If you're using one wireless device as a gateway to the other location it needs to be a different subnet. There has to be a route to the other router (not a pun). How do you expect ARP to work out where the printer is?
Maybe you could get it to work this way but having one router acting as a gateway should solve this. If it can act as a gateway. Or are you trying to use one as a network extender?
The printer (bet it's an HP) can have it's IP changed via the panel surely? Google is your friend.
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Thanks :) As I said they should be completely separate. I do not wish the internet gateway to be able to speak to the printer router. They are completely separate systems I just need each machine to be able to see both. I will try putting one of the networks onto a different subnet and see what happens :)
As for ARP almost five years since I last studied that :) Really need to re-learn all the more advanced TCP/IP stuff.
One router is the easiest solution and is how it was setup before, the problem is now due to range issues in the house and the fact the telephone line comes into the house the router has to be in the house, the printer as to be in the garage.
I've got some ideas to try now so thanks and hopefully when I get some sleep I can approach this with a fresh mind.
Edited by Rattle on 23/11/2009 at 22:24
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As I said they should be completely separate. I do not wish the internet gateway to be able to speak to the printer router
For security? Because if you get this working it is one network. You need firewalls.
If this was all working off one router before but range is the problem then you need something to act as a range extender. Routers can do this. But then you fail on the requirement of making them separate. And when one router used then this was not an issue.
If this is on the same ring main then the obvious solution was always Ethernet over the power lines. A pair of TP Link power adapters (you obviously bought the other cheap TP Link device from Microdirect too) might do the job?
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The reason it worked before was the Virgin Media cable came into the garage, so it was just one router however she switched to sky and now the internet comes in via the house hence the router needed to be moved. However the printer has to stay in its original place.
I did think of IP over mains and my heart sank when I looked around and saw a 4 way Wylex consumer unit in the outbuilding :(. so it is a different ring main :(
I will look tomorrow to see if there is any easy way of routing an Ethernet cable into the outbuilding because it would solve everything.
Also my client said don't spent too much time on it, as they it only needs to work for a few weeks until they move, they are happy to keep switching cables but I would have rather got it working perfectly.
I suppose I could suggest them moving the printer into the house but I don't they would like it, its not ideal at all.
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However the printer has to stay in its original place.
Why?
And this is not a Mac OS X problem is it?
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Nope now seems it is more of a networking issue, but I am not very famalier with OSX so it makes things harder. Thought it was an OSX issue at the time.
The only reason the printer needs to stay where it was is that it is a bit inconvenient to have to leave the office and go into the house every time you print something. Although our laser is a long walk from my room and never does me any harm so might suggest we simply move the printer and connect it to the original router. It would work instantly and solve all this messing about.
The other issue is that that my client has bought a cheap USB wifi card for the desktop and it doesn't work properly so need to try and source a better adapter. It is not a range issue as the laptop (also apple but with built in wireless) works flawlessly and get very high bit rates from downloads. Got a spare WPN111 and google seems to suggest mixed results getting it to work with OSX.
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Instead of thinking Mac OS X as something you don't know, think BSD. Mac OS X is based on BSD. And that Linux is very closely related to BSD. You might know more than you realise.
Mac OS 9 was all GUI based. Mac OS X has BSD Unix behind it and a proper Unix shell. Within an hour of getting my Mac I had su'd to root and edited the equivalent of the /etc/hosts file. Using vi too :-)
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Its that fancy GUI which confuses me, just seems to have far too few options. That said I seem to spend half my time in Linux using the shell :). A good book on OSX may do the trick as I am going to be seeing a lot more of it I think in the future.
When I do get stuck I do often just think back to basics though :) The main problem with macs is people often keep them for donkers years. I've had a few call outs of pre OSX boxes (e.g MacOS8) and people wonder why they can't display websites when they are still using something like Netscape 2.1.
Edited by Rattle on 23/11/2009 at 23:00
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Go to the dock and then via Applications access utilities. From there there is Terminal. How this works changed slightly from Leopard (OS X 10.5) and Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) with the latter having a better doc.
Hey presto a Bourne shell.
And most don't want to admit it, but underneath OS X is Steve Job's NeXtStep brought into the noughties. Some of the libraries refer to NS too :-)
Edited by rtj70 on 23/11/2009 at 23:03
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Yep it is always a source of amusement but then Windows NT was originally OS/2 technology (made at the same time as NExt) so out of the three main desktop operating systems Linux is the newest in terms of when the kernal was first written. However I have used it a couple of times as a childesh come back if a mac fan boy reminds us that Windows 7 is based on NT :D
It was only when Windows 3.1 became a major success that they decided to call it NT rather than OS/2 and I think this was part of the reason IBM and Microsoft fell out apart from both teams having different attitudes to programming. I was too young to understand it all the time. Spent most my time in DOS as my PC had 2MB RAM And didn't like Windows much.
Thanks for the terminal trick :) Should be able to do a lot from there and bypass the GUIs.
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It was only when Windows 3.1 became a major success that they decided to call it NT rather than OS/2
You're mixing up IT history. Windows 3.1 had nothing to do with NT or OS/2. Google it.
No need to bore any others. But you're confused on this (Age at the time no doubt) and it does not matter.
As for:
Thanks for the terminal trick
It's not a trick. Mac OS X is BSD Unix based. It might look nice but it's Unix. You can install the optional X11 subsystem and run X11 apps like GIMP too.
Edited by rtj70 on 23/11/2009 at 23:17
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By trick I meant that Apple like to hide all that :) you won't get many terminal demonstrations in an apple store I bet!
I know Windows 3.1 is completely different but when it became a massive success it meant the NT project came Windows rather than a flavour of OS/2. As windows 1x and 2x didn't sell very well I suspect MS had planned to kill it in favour of OS/2. It is how I remember it anyway.
The biggest thing I remember is why anybody wanted anything other than DOS, it just seemed to work, it played games, I could write by QBASIC programs and I could load up Windows for the rare windows only app. Looking back an Amiga would have probably been better for my uses in the early 90's. A 386 wasn't really ideal for a ten year old boy, but I also knew that Amigas were a dying format.
This is a little off topic :oops!
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Yes off topic ;-) I didn't help. But all computer related so in the right thread.
You said about DOS: "it played games" but the video driver had to be programmed for. No abstraction. That took something like DirectX and OpenGL. Programming for games in DOS other than for VGA graphics was a non-starter.
CoD latest game runs fine on my old P4 3.6 at full resolution/effects BTW.
But this is off topic.
But Mac's are Unix based for about 10 years now and most seem to not know. Even IT people.
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I knew it was BSD based and also Next but I suppose I have never actually stopped to think that means its just a version of Unix with a nice shell on top :(. Until recently to me it has just been something that graphic designers use.
I realise DirectX/Open GL is a lot better, I have a book on VGA programming (mode 10h?) it seems to be around 1000 lines of C++ code just to make a simple animation but on a very old PC like a 386 SX with 2MB of RAM it was surprising how good the graphics could be in pure VGA games.
I think by the time I had 64MB RAM in around 1999 I had stopped using DOS and mainly played the DirectX version of games. I don't really play games at all now though.
I don't know where my personal operating systems are heading but I have a feeling in the next few years I will ditching Windows completely in favour or Linux and cloud computing. I find Linux a lot less obstructive than Windows.
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I was too young to understand it all the time. >>
I'm surprised you were even born at that time, Rattle...:-)
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I still have my 5.25 inch floppy of PC dos v1.0
No 5.25 inch drive to stuff it in tho.
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I have even larger disks dating back to the beginning of the 1960s - probably better known as LPs....:-)
I did have quite a number of 78s of some top artistes, but these and the windup gramophone (the spring had gone, so had to do it by hand) were slung by someone who will remain nameless.....
Remember the Amstrad 3in disks? Used to have an Amstrad 8256 when I was an honourary club secretary.
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I still have my 5.25 inch floppy of PC dos v1.0
DOS 1.0 - R U sure?
Dos 1.0 was US release 128 character set
DOS 1.1 - gave us 256 character & £££ signs amongst others!
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The year I was born an IBM PC still came with 64KB RAM as standard and the Ford Sierra had just replaced the Cortina :).
Earliest version of DOS I have ever used is 3.3, I had 4.0 on my IBM 386 I bought in 1993 but I quickly upgraded that to 6.22 in December 1994. I was very excited about 6.22, was a really good version of DOS.
I then discovered QBASIC and then borrowed a copy of Quickbasic 4.0 from a teacher so I could then make my own EXE files. The other idiots at school were messing about with Playstations and I was busy writing autoexec.bat files.
Around that time I got my 486 DX4 120 (AMD) and soon after Compuserve via 28kbps modem.
Then in 2001 we got our fiest broadband connection, 512kbps and wow that seemed amazing at the time. I used some kind of proxy server to then share the connection to all the PCs in the house (could not afford a router! they were expensive).
Will be getting a 20mbps connecton soon :D
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Rattle-
would a point-to-point wireless link help you? You'll need line of sight between both locations, the devices generally need to be external (unless you have windows that overlook both sites), but they're not as special as you might think- question is, would the client go for it? Cost might be more than they are used to. And you'll only get a max of about 27Mbps between both (unless you go for the more specialised bridges.) I'm thinking Cisco here, but there are some other, cheaper vendors, Buffalo used to be good.
Advantages as I see it are: you can bridge both sides of the network together and use a common network for both locations, if that suits, reducing the complexity of things as they stand.
(BTW: dont use a /16 if you can avoid it. Too much broadcast range. Make it a /23.)
I dont know that the OSX issue is DHCP. Unless the clients were looking for a new address at that point, they shouldn't be talking to a DHCP server. If its an older HP printer (and as Rob says, you can helpfully reconfig these on the front panel) does it by any chance have an AppleTalk address set up?
Failing that, is Bonjour running on the Macs? IIRC, Bonjour is designed to pick up new devices and semi-automatically incorporate them into the local LAN. (Its known as "UPnP" from other vendors." Could be Bonjour is screwing things up?
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>> I still have my 5.25 inch floppy of PC dos v1.0 >> DOS 1.0 - R U sure? Dos 1.0 was US release 128 character set
Yes thats the one
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Rattle
My suggestion is this. Buy a cheap 10/100 switch 4 port or 6 not a router as you don't need one for the garage. Give the printer an IP address which is on same subnet as the netgear. The Mac won't need a default gateway or dns for the ethernet connection. It will use wireless for internet copming from netgear router. Also my suggestion is in such a small network don't bother with DHCP its not need.
If for any readon the Mac still has a problem simply dont use the switch for the Mac but share the Printer out on the PC and then (since everything on same subnet) and connect from the Mac to the shared printer on PC. Of course you will need to have the PC turned on for the Mac to connect to the shared printer.
Your right to use a netgear connect to the Sky adls box but all you will need is a switch in the garage. make sure when you try and connect to the PC's shared printer that use the IP addres associated with the ethernet connection and not the wirelss connection.
Good luck
PS I'm sure you do know but router are very diiferent from switches although most routers can work like a switch as well but I find switches by themselves to be less promlematic then router used as a switch.
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Hiya problem was sold anyway in a very easy way. Virgin gave my customer a very good deal which meant their office/garage now has Virgin and uses the Netgear and the spare TP link is connected to the sky box to give signal in the house. The TP link was very cheap about £18 but amazingly gaves much better signal than the skybox.
Done a few TP links lately on more tricky situations, I find not only are they cheaper but have better range and allow external anthenas which most the cheap well known brand products sucha s Netgear do not. I just hope they don't go back to haunt me! I can see the brand growing quite a lot. I am a big fan of their 802.11N PCI cards too, even connected to an 802.11g router they give great range.
I probably really should do a Cisco course but I am planning to do a Microsoft desktop support one first as I can teach myself from a book. Sadly at the moment it only seems to cover XP which is being phased out so I will wait till the Windows 7 exams come out. Once I have done that I will do the Microsoft Windows server courses before finally considering Cisco.
The problem is I would have to pay for it all :(
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Word 2008, doc saved as 2003 compatible
I have 2 versions of a document, v1 and v2, which is an amended copy
both have radio buttons in a table. Click them in v1, and the appropriate button is selected. Click them in v2, and it highlights the cell with the button in but does not change the button selected - what do I need to do ?
Edited by Pugugly on 26/11/2009 at 17:24
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Sorry I can't be more specific as i still use 2003 but it sounds like the v2 has been saved with macros de-activated somehow.
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I have re-installed windows XP on the Dell Dimension 5150 and everything is okay apart from sound and video!
The Windows sounds will not play at all and if I go to device manager and try to test the sounds by playing the Windows sounds, I get the message:
"windows cannot play the %SystemRoot%\media\Windows XP Startup.wav file. It may be damaged or may not be a valid sound file, Replace the file and try again"
Now, the first time I make this test, the sound actually plays correctly (whichever Windows sound I choose to test), but upon trying the test again the above message apprears (the final part of the message depending upon which particular Windows "wav" file is chosen for the test).
Also iPlayer and youtube videos wont play and a music CD is also non-functional, non of which give a precise error message.
I could have paid Bill Gates to be on-site for a day with the amount of hours I have spent trying to resolve this! I've re-installed drivers from the Dell website several times and everything else I can glean from Google searches, but I just can't bottom this one.
Can anyone suggest a fix before this system goes through the living room window!
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First of all why did you have to reinstall windows? I've had so many jobs where a customer has reinstalled windows to try and fix a problrm when its actually hardware related.
With regard to Iplayer and Youtube I assume you have installed flash?
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The registry was corrupted and windows wouldn't start.
There is noting wrong with the hardware as I can get the sound to play when windows starts-up, but thats the last sound you hear, After this, you get no sound.
With regard to playing CD's, the Windows Media Player (v10) finds all the tracks very quickly then reports a "unknown error".
On BBC iplayer, the stream sticks at the start with the loading circle intermittently flickering in the background, again with no sound.
You tube shows the download bar, but the play ball goes much faster (overtaking the download bar) and again it will not play.
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If you fire up Windows Hardware Device Manager is everything reported as being OK, especially in the sound, video and game controller section?
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Go to device manager, slect the sound hardware and remove the sound drivers, then remove the hardware device from windows,
Let windows find the hardware again at the next boot, and reload drivers.
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What caused the registery to be currupt? Have you tested the hard drive and RAM? I've seen it far too often, there is often a reason why things became currupt in the first place.
If it was driver related you probably would not get any sound out at all, to me it sounds like the new install has already been currupted possibly by faulty RAM or a hard drive. Have you checked the error reports in event manager to see if there is anything obvious?
Finally have you checked the power supply? It is unlikely to be that given the symptons but I've had power supplies cause some very very odd problems like this in the past. With computers never assume anything is too far fetched.
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Problem solved by downloading XP service pack 3!
Thanks for the replies
Edited by nick62 on 29/11/2009 at 18:24
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For reasons I will never know, my Adobe Acobat PDF reader seems to have vanished.
I used to be able to open PDF documents with it, now I can not.
I've tried searching for the program in my computer's memory, but there's no trace.
Somewhere in my memory, I recall a post on here recommending Foxit Reader.
Quick Google, almost as quick download, and I'm all PDF'd up again.
My thanks to whoever it was who posted the original recommendation.
Edited by ifithelps on 01/12/2009 at 18:43
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Yes, I use Foxit in preference to Acrobat, much much smaller download and better support out of the box for far eastern character sets. Cutepdf is a very useful free one for creating pdfs - no watermarking even on the free version.
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For viewing of PDF and creating them, MacOS X does it out of the box ;-) No need for any software. But the MacOS X interface uses PDF behind the scenes to render everything.
But it does have links to NeXTstep from NeXT which used Display Postscript (Postscript being the page definition language from Adobe before PDF became popular).
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"But it does have links to NeXTstep from NeXT "
Cor crikey. I worked for one of the very very few UK dealers that "sold" NeXT computers when they came out.
Goodness, how amazed we were the day we first plugged it in, hit print and it actually TALKED to you! A lady's voice in very plummy English said "Your printer is out of paper."
How we laughed. And she said "Your printer is out of paper."
How we grinned. Then we discovered the paper was jammed and we couldn't remove it.
She said "Your printer is out of paper." How we smiled.
She said "Your printer is out of paper"... After that it's a blur eventually involving, as I recall, something to do with a pickaxe.
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I've often recommended Foxit Reader - neat, tidy and a fraction of the size of Adobe Reader.
It's my Default PDF reader, although I do keep the latter up to date just in case.....
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Somebody recommended it to me here as my then new Vista machine took a dislike to Adobe. The Foxit one is more flexible.
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Does anyone know how to get Foxit to render pdf's in Firefox? My only bugbear with it is that I need to save the pdf first, then view: clicking directly on a pdf link usually opens a blank page.
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In FF go to Tools|Options|Applications and select your preference there.
There may be a Foxit plug in for FF - I can't remember as it's a while since I installed Foxit, but it does open perfectly happily on FF.
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>>In FF go to Tools|Options|Applications...
You've done me a good turn there, malteser. Thanks.
Clk Sec
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...You've done me a good turn there, malteser. Thanks...
Me too.
Tidied up my recent Foxit installation nicely.
Now much easier to save a PDF file from Firefox to the hard drive.
Still wondering what happened to my Acrobat reader....
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>>Still wondering what happened to my Acrobat reader....
I've never been able to fathom Acrobat. Sometimes it would work for me, but mostly it wouldn't.
Clk Sec
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I don't want to come across as being a Mac convert... but things like Acrobat does works. In fact previewing lots of different files (even without the applications) just works.
I tried Mac's in the 90's at Uni and didn't like them. What I didn't like was the small screens on most (I got used to 19" Sun workstations) and the user interface. Screen size now sorted for a long while and Mac OS X is "Unix" based and I like it a lot.
Very different to a PC running Windows but I am glad I paid the Apple premium :-) Sorry for the brief thread hijack.
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In Vol 201 I asked about buying my first 'portable', whose primary use was for emailing, watching DVD's and surfing whilst on holiday.
Many thanks to those who guided me in the direction of the Samsung NC10.
I finally tracked one down and got to use it..its young owner uses it almost exclusively for Facebook. Unfortunately I just could not get on with the 10" screen when using it on t'internet. Too much scrolling (or should that be scowling?). Put it down to approaching old age!
However, I have been recommended by one of the major electrical stores to buy the NC20, with the larger 12" screen, and faster processor (whatever that is) which will apparently load pages quicker.
I shall now try to source one for an early Xmas present to self.
Thanks again for all your advice
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Legacylad, I bought an NC20 a few months ago. Had to return my first one as the "s" key was sticking. Bought from Amazon so returns process hassle free.
Note that it doesn't have a CD/DVD drive so when you say watching DVDs, I assume you mean from file as opposed to disk?
I bought a portable CD usb drive that just plugs in as and when I need it, like loading up cds to itunes.
Computer is great for sitting in front of tv, checking email and doing the xmas shopping on the 'net. Would n't recommend it for any serious documents work though!!
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I sent myself a part finished document from office to home to complete this evening. Having completed it, I realised as I closed it down that I had simple editted the document I had opened from the e-mail attachment; i.e. I had not saved it first into a folder on my C-drive before working on it.
So, having completed the work, where has the computer put it?
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If we assume this is a Windows machine running MS Office, then it will be something like:
%userprofile\\local settings\\temporary internet files\\olk3
where %userprofile is a variable equating to the location of your folder in profiles, e.g. c:\\documents and settings\\fred.
You could always open the attachment again and try saving it - that would reveal where the copy went. Likewise open up the office application and use the "open recent document" facility. Then save it where you know where it ends up.
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Yes - tried all those already and still cannot find it! Oh well, I only wasted 30 minutes.
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Couldn't you do a search for it using some of the key words or phrases in the document?
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Is your browser set to Delete temporary internet files after closing it down?
This might be the reason if the file has remained in TIFs.
Edited by Stuartli on 04/12/2009 at 13:02
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Bizzarely enough I made exactly the same mistake with an important work document yesterday! I spent half an hour searching for any files starting with the first few letters of the file name or created in the last 24 hours, tried opening random sounding files in the 'content.IE5' folder and allsorts. Gave up and re-typed the thing in the end. All I could find was a shortcut with the correct filename, but suprise suprise the shortcut didn't lead anywhere. Why does this only ever happen to time critical documents :-/ ;-)
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You could always open the attachment again and try saving it - that would reveal where the copy went. Likewise open up the office application and use the "open recent document" facility. Then save it where you know where it ends up.
>>
That was the first thing I tried yesterday, but there was no file there sob sob
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This is where good desk top search software, such as Copernic www.copernic.com/ comes in handy. I've done this myself and this has saved my bacon on many an occasion. It will have been hiding in a temporary file but finding it can be a nightmare.
JH
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Sometimes search products do not search hidden folders or subfolders unless you check the right boxes.
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My PC takes around six minutes to boot-up. This seems very slow, is there anything I can do to speed it up?
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Perhaps I should have said that I am running Windows XP and IE.
Edited by drbe on 07/12/2009 at 10:14
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So does mine and I'm running Vista and IE, so can I ask the question too please?
Pat
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When did you last do a disc clean-up and defrag?
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Is it 6 minutes to get to WIndows login, or do you go straight to the desktop? Just wondering whether it's applications starting up after login that's taking the time or something lower level during pre-login.
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You need to ( IN THIS ORDER)
1/ Remove all unwanted icons from your desktop, and dont have any data stored on your desktop, just shortcuts to data.
2/ Remove all unused and unwanted programes
3/ Use a registry cleaner*
4/ Use a start up monitor* to remove programes you dont need to start at start up (open office / Adobe helper / Q time helper / etc etc spring to mind (list your startup programes here and we will tell you what you can and cant dump from startup)
5/ Use a registry cleaner and defragger*
6/ Do a defrag on your hard drive (this is always last)
or ignore all the above and format your drive and reinstall windows
* www.tweaknow.com
Edited by Altea Ego on 07/12/2009 at 11:39
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list your startup programes here and we will tell you what you can and cant dump from startup
>>
Probably a very basic question - but how do I do that?
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too ways
Install and use one of the utilities from tweaknow that I highlighted
or
click run, type in msconfig, press ok you get a box called "system configuration" appear and it has loads of tabs, one called startup.
but tuning your system is not just doing that - you have to do all the stuff in my list.
Edited by Altea Ego on 07/12/2009 at 12:43
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Get Windows 7 or do a re-format and re-install XP. The "tweaking" utilities just install more overhead
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What spec is the machine? processor and memory?
I've seen a spate of machines with less than 256mb ram recently (bt upgraded so the whole village could get broadband) , by the time people have put all the service packs and upgraded ie and put antivirus on nothing worked very quickly (especially the laptop which used 64mb or the rm for the video...)
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I have followed AE's advice - except item 4. (I didn't understand it)
Now when I switch on/log on, my email provider - Yahoo - wants a proper log -in (identity and pasword - even though I have checked "keep me logged in for 2 weeks)
When I open HJ, there are no unread posts. If I want to reply to a post I have to login - email address and password.
I presumably have checked/unchecked something I shouldn't have - any ideas please?
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Slow boot up -
1) How much RAM do you have? For a typical user with all the typical security bloat 512MB is minimum for XP and I recomend 1GB now (my parents XP system has 2gb and its lighteningly fast).
2) When was the hard drive last defragmented? Download a program called defragler and defrag it
3) How much unnecessary things is it opening up on boot up? Use msconfig to stop loading unwanted processes/services.
4) What processor do you have? I've had complaints fo slow boot ups I get there to find they have a 500Mhz processor!
Edited by rtj70 on 08/12/2009 at 16:03
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Saying a 500MHz system would be too slow is a generalisation though. It depends on what they are running and also what CPU that is ;-)
Knowing what system the OP has will help to focus advice though. If they have an old system running a bloated set of software and operating system then they may not make much of a difference.
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Indeed but you it is very common to see 500Mhz systems running all the latest AV software like Norton 360 then complain there computer is running slow so there must be something wrong with it.
The best ones are Athlon XP era PCs, it is very easy to make massive speed differences with them just by doing it a bit of tuning.
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Thank you for your response.
1) How much RAM do you have?
Where do I find that?
2) When was the hard drive last defragmented?
One or two days ago. I do normally defrag roughly once a month.
3) How much unnecessary things is it opening up on boot up? Use msconfig to stop loading unwanted processes/services.
How do I do that? How do I know what is unnecessary or unwanted?
4) What processor do you have?
Where do I find that?
You will gather from my replies to your questions that my knowledge is very limited.
Edited by drbe on 08/12/2009 at 17:46
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1) Go to control panel then system it will answer both those questions (RAM and CPU)
3 ) Go to run type in MSCONFIG, how much stuff do you see? This is a bit tricky to explain (sort of in a rush atm).
If nobody else replies I will write a comprehensive reply after my job :)
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1) Go to control panel then system it will answer both those questions (RAM and CPU)
AMD athlon(tm) 64 processor
3400+
2.20Ghz, 448mb of ram
Physical address extension
I hope this is what you mean.
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You have disabled cookies somehow, What browser you using?
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Drbe - Item 4 is important. This is stuff that eating CPU and memory at startup, I bet there is tons of it.
Click start / run
type msconfig then ok
a programe will open - click the startup tab and tell us what items you have
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a programe will open - click the startup tab and tell us what items you>> have
There is no doubt an easier way to do this than the way I have done it but......
vttimer
vttrayp
soundman
msacui
ashdisp
vvx3000
eki5000mui
lifeexp
reader_sl
adobearm
jusched
ctfmon
nmbgmonitor
skype
superantispyware
msnmsgr
hpoddt01.exe
officejet6100
windowssearch
All items are checked
Thanks for your respomses.
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Google each item find out what they do and decide if you can uncheck them. If you do uncheck them and it causes problems you can always enable it can via msconfig, that is why Msconfig is brilliant for things like this.
Do you really need things like Skype and Supernatispyware running in the background each time you boot up? Windows search too will probably use a lot of resources. Keep the HP stuff as sometimes the printer will not work if you disable it.
Of course knowing if the above is causing a problem we need to no how much RAM you're using. Could you press ALT CTRL DELETE and tell us what you see or even better post a screen shot?
Sorry if I am being vague just waiting for a CD burn and its finished now so I have to go for a job.
Edited by Rattle on 08/12/2009 at 18:23
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This programme more or less automates the process Rattle is suggesting:-
www.windowsstartup.com/
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you have quite a few spyware thingy bobs havent you
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And uncheck Microsoft messenger, you dont want that running at startup it slows it down
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you have windows defender, avast antivirus, avast internet security suite, superantispyware all running.
I would suggest you consolidate, remove that lot and install microsft security esentials.
you can also uncheck reader_sl and adobe.
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vttimer vttrayp soundman msacui ashdisp vvx3000 eki5000mui lifeexp** reader_sl** adobearm** jusched** ctfmon nmbgmonitor skype* superantispyware msnmsgr** hpoddt01.exe** officejet6100* windowssearch**
drbe,
Without even looking at your system you can safely turn off those marked **
Those marked with one * can be unchecked if you dont use them all the time.
Also, you say it takes 6 minutes to boot. Is this an exact 6 minutes? Do you have a card reader in your computer? If so, there is a very good chance this is not working and it takes 60 seconds before windows moves onto the next item. This could be taking up most of the boot time.
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FIL advised me that his Dell Inspiron 1501 had froze and now wouldn't switch on. He claims the last thing he was doing was watching a clip on youtube.
So laptop dumped with me who knows next to hee-haw about computers.
Switched it on, able to select safe mode. Updated AVG and ran ad-aware which highlighted a whole load of items it removed.
But still would only open in safe mode. So I opted for the option of restoring the system to the beginning of dec.
Computer did this and switched on though desktop a bit different from normal.
I have then proceeded to install the recommended windows updates which was a Service pack with 3 updates.
After updates 1 and 2, switched the computer on and it went onto the next update.
However after installing update 3, the "Welcome" and spinning circle is all that appears and has now been spinning for half an hour.
The only other possible relevant info is that when you switch the comnputer on, it first comes up with the message that it does not recognise the battery and so cannot charge it. Although its the same battery thats always been there.
I assume I can power it off again and go back into safe mode but that would be me back to square one.
Any offers of thoughts?
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turn it off then on again. It will probably pull in the update Ok, I had one on my vista laptop that did that to me the other week.
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will try and let you know.....
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Came up with the message windows not shut down properly, offering to open in safe mode or normally.
Selected normal and the wee welcome circle has been spinning ever since.....
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any disk activity?
Is it just a one qucik disk flash every two seconds or so?
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AE, sorry,what do you mean?
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in safe mode, went in to control panel, selected system and then the whole screen flashed 2 or 3 times. That relevant?
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No I mean is the disk activity light flashing during spinning ring thing?
Anyway I think you better do a check disk.
I think it has some unlfagged defective sectors.
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