Computer Related Questions-Volume 202 [Read only] - Dynamic Dave

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In this thread you may ask any computer related question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.

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Edited by Dynamic Dave on 23/11/2009 at 18:57

Compatibility View - BobbyG
Every time I access HJ, I get a "pop-up" from the top stating that a problem has arisen with HJ website and IE has had to refresh the page.

Using IE8.
Happens on home and Works PC

I also think this may be the reason when browsing via my phone, that it kicks me out the web!

Doesn't happen with any other websites.

Anyone else experiencing this?
Compatibility View - Rattle
That is what happens when you use Microsoft stuff, not compliant. When I used to work as a CSS designer IE was the pain of my life, I hated it, I loathed it. You would spend all day coding a poster in CSS so blind people could access it and you would stick to all the WAI And W3C standards only to find it didn't work in IE.

Switch to something like Firefox you won't regret. I have been using it for seven years now (in the days of Firebird) and it is the best computing decision I ever made.
Compatibility View - Old Navy
That is what happens when you use Microsoft stuff not compliant. >>


Rubbish, it only happens with HJ, the rest of the sites I use are OK.
Compatibility View - Rattle
Yep and it is probably IE's inability to code Javascript that is causing the problem. As I said I used to code everything to standard but IE just wouldn't have it. My code was so pure it was like it was created by the W3C, I used to know all the exact standards in CSS and XHTML and IE would still cause me grief.

I am using Firefox in Ubuntu, not a single Microsoft application in sight and the site works perfectly for me, it works fine in Symbian too although ocassionaly crashes but then my phone only has 128mb of RAM.

Personally I avoid Javascript completely and try and do it all server side but it is not always possible.


Compatibility View - Old Navy
Yep and it is probably >>


Thats where you lost me Rattle, I don't need to know all that crap, It should just work!
Compatibility View - Rattle
Indeed and thats why I stopped using IE many years ago :).

It is so difficult making a website like this trying to get it work in all the different browsers out there.

Try a different browser it takes seconds, it will be a lot quicker than waiting for web developers to try and find out what fault if any in the Javascript is causing it. I know my Firefox is not having any difficulty in all in interpreting the code.
Compatibility View - J1mbo
That is what happens when you use Microsoft stuff not compliant.


Ha, sorry, rofl, most users use IE8, so for many, IE8 IS the standard. Seems logical to me to make it work with the most popular browser than blame the browser itself.

I've never come across a website in 15 years of surfing that has so many issues and then say "use blar blar" or similar.
Compatibility View - Old Navy
Yes has been putting my IE8 into compatability mode for about a week, an improvement, it was crashing it before then.
Compatibility View - BobbyG
Rattle, I assume that was somputer speak! Never really understood much of it!

But agree with ON, its only HJ that I have the issue with. So what is different with HJ?
Compatibility View - Rattle
It relies heavily on JavaScript and how JavaScript is encoded depends on the browser. IE is pretty rubbish as a web browser.

As I said above I have written websites as pure as a new born baby and they still could not be displayed correctly in IE without adjusting the code wrongly.
Compatibility View - Stuartli
IIRC there have been some changes to the HJ web pages and that, presumably, is the reason for the Report Website Problem button.
Compatibility View - Old Navy
IIRC there have been some changes to the HJ web pages and that presumably is
the reason for the Report Website Problem button.

Did that a week ago.
Compatibility View - Stuartli
>>Did that a week ago. >>

Did what a week ago?

BobbyG states: "Every time I access HJ, I get a "pop-up" from the top..."

Edited by Stuartli on 17/11/2009 at 14:58

Compatibility View - Old Navy
>>Did that a week ago. >>
Did what a week ago?

Used the report a problem thing.
Compatibility View - Stuartli
Ah, but you didn't make it very clear...:-)

I've checked IE8 (which I use about once in a blue moon) and the same message comes up.

Absolutely no problems with Firefox.....
Compatibility View - Old Navy
Absolutely no problems with Firefox.....

I have just downloaded Firefox, still don't see why I should have to though.
Compatibility View - rtj70
The point Rattle is making is that Internet Explorer does not handle Internet standards properly and needs websites to code/design to take it into account. Khoo systems will also be doing this but something small may have changed that is now causing the problem.

Other browsers are fine because they handle browsing properly. Ironically, IE8 is closer to the standards than IE6/IE7 and uses compatibility mode to deal with exceptions.

The site is fine in Safari on the iPod and Mac too.
Compatibility View - maz64
Khoo systems will also be
doing this but something small may have changed that is now causing the problem.


It probably doesn't help that the HJ site is non-standard, as I have reported before. Using the W3C validation website, it reports 157 errors and 50 warnings on the HJ home page.
validator.w3.org/
Compatibility View - Rattle
Indeed but sometimes the W3C checker will show up errors just by a simple mistake. I have had that on my sites before showing up 70 errors all because I forgot to specify the document type of something daft.

The main problem with this site is its over use of Javascript. It could be done via PHP but then that means the server will have to do a lot more work, it is swings and round abouts.

Having said that I am not sure how much a JavaScript a typical VB forum would use. I will have a check now.
Compatibility View - maz64
Indeed but sometimes the W3C checker will show up errors just by a simple mistake.


I'm sure you're correct - I'm not a website expert - but the W3C validator has always reported a similar number of errors for HJ when I've checked it in the past. I have emailed the mods who said they could pass on the info to the website people, but I've never heard anything back, and the number of errors doesn't appear to have gone down.

Not that other sites are perfect - BBC gets 27 errors 24 warnings, ebay gets 203 errors.
Compatibility View - rtj70
If you run Safari in developer mode the number of Javascripts is really really high on this site - and a cause for some performance problems.

But some of these scripts tailor pages to the content. But mostly adverts.

I tried IE8 just now on VMWARE Fusion with Windows XP. Yep I get the compatibility problem. And then a page about the server being. Surprise is the site does not use Microsoft products but the error is from IIS so must be one of the adverts.

But don't forget this site is not just the forum. And a lot of the Javascript is down to the adverts which produce the money to run the site including the forum. The forum thus benefits from these adverts.

Edited by rtj70 on 17/11/2009 at 16:15

Compatibility View - malteser
I'm browsing using SRWare Iron - basically Google Chrome without the built in activity spy which Chrome has.
Renders OK in that!.
Compatibility View - malteser
.................and now in I.E.8 - no pop-ups!
Compatibility View - pda
I'm running IE8 as well and it will only display in compatibility view.
Like Lud, all the other sites I use are fine, which would point to HJ being the problem.
I know I can use Firefox etc, but why should I just for ONE site????

Pat
Compatibility View - Altea Ego
Look, Like it or not, IE (in its various releases) is on, and in use, on 80% of the worlds PCs. That makes IE the defacto standard that you should code a web site to meet.
Compatibility View - Rattle
Its actually less than that now and that figure is falling all the time as more and more people use Linux on their netbooks and other mobile platforms. Why should M$ dectate the way we do things?

Sadly you are right though and thinks do need to work with IE which makes web developers jobs a pain. Thankfully it is not as bad as it was when IE6 was king.
Compatibility View - rtj70
But IE8 does follow web standards better than previous versions. And therein may be the problem.

What I am guessing is happening is that the browser is being detected (IE) and then sent IE compatible content. But IE8 is different to IE6 and IE7 and so this means it then runs in compatible mode. Just a hunch.

I'll ask Khoo Systems.
Compatibility View - Stuartli
>>..as more and more people use Linux on their netbooks ..>>

Now let's be serious...:-)

tinyurl.com/6mtchh

Edited by Stuartli on 17/11/2009 at 19:15

Compatibility View - Rattle
That IE usage has fallen by 30% in the past four years in terms of market share?

According to thos estats its now gone down to 65% of people using IE and that figure will go down and down. The days of a PC for internet access are long gone. People are using more mobile devices than ever and Microsoft does not have much of a market share here.
Compatibility View - L'escargot
According to thos estats its now gone down to 65% of people using IE and
that figure will go down and down.


So twice as many people use IE as all the other browsers put together! That sounds like a vote of confidence to me.
Compatibility View - Stuartli
>>That sounds like a vote of confidence to me>>

On the surface, yes.

However, the take up of other browsers - in particular Firefox - in the last two or three years indicates that Internet Explorer (which has always come bundled with the OS up to now) is gradually losing favour with users.

Those switching to Firefox etc have made a deliberate decision to either drop IE or, as I do, keep it in reserve whilst ensuring it is updated as necessary.

In any case, using IEView with Firefox means you can switch between the two as and when necessary. See:

addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/35
IE8 Questions - Dynamic Dave
Having finally updated my browser from IE7 to IE8, I find the site more stable and less prone to crashing (yes, it occasionally happens to me as well) but there are some strange goings on, not only with this website but others as well.

I usually open up a few posts at once by holding down the ctrl key and clicking on the new flags. This opens up a new browser tab and then once read I press ctrl + W to close it again. With IE7 it would take me to the first new post, but with IE8 this doesn't always happen and I then have to search my way through the thread to find the first new post. I've tried various methods, the one just mentioned, "right click - new tab" and more often than not it just opens the thread at the start. If I just click on the word 'new' it then takes me straight to the first new post. But this only works if I don't open threads up in separate tabs.

Another thing I've noticed is that occasionally the new tab opened will be yellow in colour and not the default green or grey colour (excuse my ignorance, I'm partially colour blind). A quick look at the IE help file hasn't found any mention of why this happens, unless I overlooked it.

One final thing, when opening new tabs via holding down ctrl and clicking on posts (in other forums besides this one), instead of them opening sequentially, sometimes they open up out of sequence. This never happened with IE7.

Oh, and please don't tell me to swap to Firefox, etc. On the whole I am happy with Microsoft products and I would like a solution to the above if at all possible.

Thanks.
IE8 Questions - jbif
I would like a solution to the above if at all possible. >>


see if these pages help:

www.vistaheads.com/forums/microsoft-public-interne...l

blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2008/09/10/introducing-t...x

blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2008/08/28/part-i-better...x
IE8 Questions - Stuartli
Do any of these Microsoft Support links help?

tinyurl.com/yddx6ya


IE8 Questions - Dynamic Dave
see if these pages help:


Thanks jbif. Quite a lot to wade through, and it doesn't explain everything. I'm contemplating reverting back to IE7.
IE8 Questions - maz64
Went onto the XP desktop out of curiosity and wasted 10 minutes of my life failing to display a single topic using IE8 :-(

Other sites seemed ok; HJ set to use compatibility view. Not a problem for me as I don't use WIndows/IE, but I do find it odd.
IE8 Questions - colinh
When installing Win7 I tried to delete IE8 but a warning came up saying that this could cause problems with other programs - is this just a Microsoft scam?

IE8 Questions - Stuartli
IIRC, due to EU demands, Microsoft no longer bundles its browser with its latest operating system.

Microsoft doesn't do "scams", although it does tend to "promote" use of its products very forcefully...:-)
IE8 Questions - Rattle
Sounds like it :). I its just stuff like this why I just got so sick of Microsoft and Windows they have lost my trust. Using the latest live applications it just gives you the impression you're using a big advert. I still use Vista on my main PC but I have now Thunderbird for my mail client instead ow Windows mail and also going to stop using MSN messenger etc.

I stopped using Microsoft Office in 2004 in favour of Open Office.

IE8 Questions - jbif
IIRC, due to EU demands, Microsoft no longer bundles its browser with its latest operating system. >>


;-) You can be forgiven for making the same error that MS did. It turns out the EU never wanted that :
" MEMO/09/272 Brussels, 12 th June 2009
... the Commission has suggested that consumers should be offered a choice of browser, not that Windows should be supplied without a browser at all. "

As a result of that clarification, MS did a U-turn:
www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/03/microsoft_ditches.../

and this is the new agreed Win7 browser choice process, which will folow as a MS update to Win7 for EU countries sometime later:
www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/07/microsoft_browser.../

Edited by jbif on 19/11/2009 at 12:35

IE8 Questions - bell boy
the futures bright
the futures linux
and just to make it interesting and crash occasionally i mainly use opera
IE8 Questions - SpamCan61 {P}
I think the netbook market was Linux's last chance to break into the consumer mainstream OS market, trouble is every manufacturer used different, equally clunky distros, hence the vast majority of netbooks now ship with Win XP. Pity as my Acer netbook was transformed when I dumped the supplied Linpus Lite in favour of easypeasy - a tweaked version of Ubuntu netbook remix. Does file and printer sharing withy my Win XP machines no problem. Running FF 3.0 no probs.
IE8 Questions - colinh
Definitely no "ballot screen" when I installed Win7 - only browser included was IE8, and I had to download Firefox
IE8 Questions - jbif
Definitely no "ballot screen" when I installed Win7 - only browser included was IE8, and I had to download Firefox >>


As I said the ballot screen will be supplied as a Win7 update sometime later. How long it takes depends on how quickly the EU lawyers move to approve the ballot screen layout. They are arguing about the number of options to be offered and in which order the options should be listed, etc. etc.

Who knows, by the time they agree, Win8 might be out!

Edited by jbif on 19/11/2009 at 14:44

Anyone else tried iPlayer on the Wii yet? - SpamCan61 {P}
Having noticed the beeb have made a free iPlayer app. for the Wii available I've just downloaded it and tried out a few programmes. Picture quality is good enough for me - with a 28" CRT - been watching Andrew Marr's "The making of modern Britain" with no glitching or stuttering. My BB tends to run around 4meg, it will be interesting to see if it will still play this well at peak intenret usage hours. Anyone else had a go yet?
new mint 8 beta out now - bell boy
Anyone interested in furthering the links of mankind may care to download the latest beta and give it a whirl
It takes an hour to download at 2 watsits on an iso so you just copy it then to a cd.
You might have to change the bios at start up but you can then try this linux without modifying your current bun operating system as you can run it off the disc.
Go on you know you want to and its FREE.
Calling rattles at bed towers...........................
new mint 8 beta out now - Pugugly
He's on a tram bellboy.
new mint 8 beta out now - bell boy
so ive just read
killing half of manchester to save a bob :-o
new mint 8 beta out now - Pugugly
BB,

I have a mental image of Rattle in the title role of a Mancunian version of I Am Legend (sorted)

Edited by Pugugly on 19/11/2009 at 13:34

new mint 8 beta out now - maz64
I think most popular linuxes(?) are available now in 'live' versions which just boot of a CD.

Alternatively download and install Sun's (free) Virtualbox and run them, all at the same time if you want, in windows on your Windows desktop.
www.virtualbox.org/
new mint 8 beta out now - Rattle
Back now after a battle trying to get my started (in technical) but whats the point on running Linux in a virtual machine? It supposed to be a main operating system. However I suppose it is a great way of trying them and a much better idea than using a live CD and performance is too poor.
new mint 8 beta out now - rtj70
Linux in a virtual machine? Well for one you could treat it as a sandboxes environment and therefore protect the main operating system. You could run Linux on Linux.

I use virtualisation all the time but mainly for work.
new mint 8 beta out now - Rattle
I use it for virus removal, I have XP within my Vista setup and infect it in order to remove the infections by hand. However I don't get why you want want to use Linux in a virtual machine on a full time basis.

new mint 8 beta out now - maz64
However I suppose it is a great way of trying them


Yes, that's all I was thinking of - great for just having a play.

The tool chain we use at work only runs under linux. Most people boot into Windows and run linux (CentOS) under VMWare; I'm one of the few people who boot into linux. I also seem to suffer from much fewer IT problems... :-)
new mint 8 beta out now - Rattle
Mind you I have no data at all on this laptop, I use it purely for surfing the net, my desktop PC has all the data on it. It means I can easily just format it every time I want to try a new version of linux.
Google Chrome OS - more details - maz64
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8369611.stm

"All applications are designed to run in a web browser and all the user's data is stored on Google's servers."

So basically it's like when I first started work - you're sat in front of a VT100 terminal with all the work being done at the other end of the RS232 wire. (Similar system proposed a few years ago, the name of which escapes me - thin client computing?)

They do point out that it is "initially aimed at low-cost netbooks" so probably no need to ditch WIndows 7 yet.
Google Chrome OS - more details - rtj70
Focus, it was the next big thing (that never really happened) wasn't it. Sun and Oracle were into this.

I suppose Internet speeds were a lot slower then so it never took off. Now we also have 3G. But it was aimed more at companies then.
Google Chrome OS - more details - maz64
Focus it was the next big thing (that never really happened) wasn't it. Sun and
Oracle were into this.


Yes, you're right - I think they got as far as producing some hardware. Probably still being used somewhere, but didn't catch on like they wanted it to. I think people like having powerful desktops, and of course Intel prefer it that way.
Google Chrome OS - more details - Stuartli
Updated Google Earth late last night and, through leaving it to do the installation itself, found myself faced with the Chrome browser as well (missed the check box to eliminate the browser also being downloaded).

Had a brief look at Chrome and then tried to Uninstall it, as Firefox is my main browser. Nothing worked whatsoever, whether through the Start>Programs>Chrome route, Add/Remove Programs and even Google's own Help pages and registry hack advice (seems I'm not the only one to have had the problem).

In the end a System Restore did the trick.

I disliked this uninstall resistance immensely and vowed I certainly won't be considering Chrome as a possible alternative in future.
Google Chrome OS - more details - Altea Ego
More importantly, the lesson for others here is DONT accept an automated install of anything these days,, always go for the option where you decide whats installed. Vendors are always too keen to lumber you with new toolbars and addons that you dont want, and show a despicable tendency to change your home page and search engine.
Google Chrome OS - more details - Stuartli
>>..DONT accept an automated install >>

Would agree wholeheartedly, but the install is done after an initial small download, followed by a much larger installation version.

It was direct from the Google Earth website, but for some reason I didn't notice the discreet check box and Google Chrome line and went off to make sure the other half was OK...:-(

>>Which Chrome is that?>>

I keep forgetting that Chrome comes in more than one flavour....:-)

Edited by Stuartli on 20/11/2009 at 11:49

Google Chrome OS - more details - jbif
I certainly won't be considering Chrome as a possible alternative in future. >>


Which Chrome is that? The one Focus is talking about, or the Chrome you mentioned in your second line?
Firefox is my main browser >>

I wonder what will happen to Firefox when Mozilla loses its 91% funding from Google in two years time.
www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/20/mozilla_2008_fina.../
" Mozilla revenues climbed to $79m last year - and 91 per cent of that came from Google. ...
Mozilla has a contract with a search engine provider for royalties which expires in November 2011. The contract was recently amended and extended to November 2011. Approximately, 91% and 94% of Mozilla's revenue for 2008 and 2007, respectively, was derived from this contract. ... "

Edited by jbif on 20/11/2009 at 10:28

Hj Site modification? - Old Navy
I have been using IE8 this afternoon, (was using Firefox under protest), and it is not dropping into compatibility mode. Has the site been fixed?
Hj Site modification? - bell boy
Das Interesse an den Präsidentschaftswahlen in Rumänien ist gering, gerade bei Jugendlichen
Hj Site modification? - perro
>>>as Interesse an den Präsidentschaftswahlen in Rumänien ist gering, gerade bei Jugendlichen<<<

Der schnelle braune Fuchs springt über das faule perro
Hj Site modification? - cheddar
I have been using IE8 this afternoon (was using Firefox under protest) and it is
not dropping into compatibility mode. >>


Likewise, let's hope so. I reported the problem, and that it was not saving my password, it's still not (a cookie issue), not had any reply.
Hj Site modification? - Old Navy
I think the password thing is part of the new site security.

Edited by Old Navy on 21/11/2009 at 15:42

Hj Site modification? - L'escargot
I think the password thing is part of the new site security.


Passwords are now encrypted in the interests of security.

Don't ask me to explain "encrypted" ~ I'm a computer duffer and I'm just repeating what I was told when I enquired.

I have no problem with IE8. What's compatibility mode anyway?

Edited by L'escargot on 21/11/2009 at 16:04

Hj Site modification? - Avant
And what's Firefox? An alternative to hunting?
Hj Site modification? - Martin Devon
And what's Firefox? An alternative to hunting?

No, it's Liam losing his job.

MD
Hj Site modification? - oilrag
I`m `forced` to use Firefox 2.0.0.14 on the Eee Pc 701Sd (linux) due to the later version of Firefox (on the Eee update) not blocking pop ups. But on this forum on certain lines of text are smaller and look squeezed vertically. Still readable so not a problem.

With the later Firefox there is a full page pop up advert every time i click on anything on the site. So to post, for example - I have to click out of three or four of these.

I`m not sure whether its due to Firefox on Linux - or what. The alternative is Opera which seems better all round with none of the above issues - but no spell check.
That hasn`t been a problem anywhere else on the internet.
I`m tempted to give up with the Eee and go out and buy a notebook with IE8.. But it seems you just can`t get the same small size size and with a solid state hard drive....

Edited by oilrag on 22/11/2009 at 08:24

Hj Site modification? - ifithelps
... But it seems you just can`t get the same small size size and with a solid state hard drive....

From what I've read, high capacity solid state drives are the future, but might take a year or two to make it to the home computer market.

I don't suppose you would have any problems with a netbook with a hard disk.

One brother has one which he regularly takes on his motorbike.

There are some offers around on 10" Windows XP netbooks for £200-£250.

Hj Site modification? - maz64
I`m not sure whether its due to Firefox on Linux - or what.


Strange - I use Firefox on linux to browse this site virtually all the time, and find the opposite - no pop-ups with Firefox, and on the odd occasion I visit using IE8 on the Windows XP desktop I do get them, and have trouble just viewing threads.

Regarding Firefox, have you blocked pop-ups (under Edit/Preferences)? I must admit I also use the Adblock-Plus plug-in (Tools/Add-ons/Get Add-ons) - not sure if that's required for HJ.

I did a side-by-side comparison of Firefox and Opera under linux and Firefox was much quicker at displaying posts (~1s against ~4s IIRC), so I've stuck with Firefox.
Hj Site modification? - madf
I run loads of realtime java apps.

I use Firefox as far more stable than IE and much much easier to use.

No popups either.

Edited by madf on 22/11/2009 at 09:43

Hj Site modification? - jbif
... The alternative is Opera which seems better all round with none of the above issues - but no spell check. ... >>


I know nothing about EeePc but I do use Opera on my PC. [currently I use IE, Firefox and Opera for particular web sites ].
1. spell check facility is there via Tools>Preferences>Advanced>Browsing>SpellCheck
2. language can be selected via Tools>Preferences>General>Language to British English

Hj Site modification? - buzbee
oilrag --- I had a similar problem (with a desktop PC) that at first I thought was the HJ site in that when I closed Firefox I too often had a few advertising screens to close.

I eventually traced this to my dodgy HOSTS file that had been reduced from the hundreds of lines, that it would normally have, to just a couple of lines. After downloading and installing the latest HOSTS file, I have had no more problems.

For those who do not know, a PC reads its Hosts file at boot up and uses those names and addresses, in preference, when looking up the site-name's address number -- a PC uses a number address, not a name address.

Perhaps the Linux users will comment on how Linux does the blocking.

Edited by buzbee on 22/11/2009 at 19:51

Hj Site modification? - rtj70
The contents of a host file on a vanilla install will be 127.0.0.1 mapping to localhost. The address 127.0.0.1 is known as the loopback address and is the machine itself.

Depending on how name resolution is setup, the host file may be consulted before other mechanisms such as DNS. So malware often updates the host file to point some sites to the 127.0.0.1 loop back address.

As said above, an Internet Protocol (IP) version 4 address is a 32-bit number split into four octets for humans to read easily. So the BBC news site (news.bbc.co.uk) resolves to 212.58.226.139 (at the moment). I won't go into how DNS resolves a name to an IP address and then how ARP locates a device by IP address.

So to avoid some of the malware working, anti-malware software often puts dummy entries in the hosts file on Windows systems to avoid some problems.

But the default content of a host file is not hundreds of lines ;-) It's more like this:


# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost



Edited by rtj70 on 22/11/2009 at 22:23

Hj Site modification? - Rattle
When I used to be a moderator of a student site we had problems with a few students who suffered from severe addiction to the site. I used to sometimes have to log into their computer, tell them to keep their eyes shut for a couple of minutes while I changed their host file so the website in question no longer worked.

I am guessing they probably did watch what I did though making it pointless :(
Hj Site modification? - buzbee
"So malware often updates the host file to point some sites to the 127.0.0.1 loop back address."

Yes, and in particular, the addresses to anti-malware sites!

One site I came across said "an entry in your Hosts file is preventing this software from working. Click here to correct this". When you did it reduced HOSTS to be

127.0.0.1 localhost.

-- just the basic line.

PC updating has hidden the HOST file, to try and make it less accessible. Thus you can't easily see it without unhiding it.

I have my own bat file to unhide it and one to re-hide it.

But it is easiest to use the HOSTS' site own BAT file to re-install either a copy of their latest HOSTS or one you have adapted for your own needs. For instance some HOST lines prevent access to useful sites to me that are not harmful, but have been assumed to be a nuisance.

I found Ad-Aware got about 10 lines wrong and sent a report.

My Linux query as to what that does about malware has not yet been answered.
USB turntable - 1400ted
I mentioned some time ago that I was transferring LPs to CD using an ION usb turntable.
At the moment, you can only hear the music when ' record ' has been clicked.
It would be useful to be able to hear it when it's not recording, just playing. There are some LPs where I don't want to record everything but just do compilations of selected tracks.
It'd be good to play the previous track with the recording on pause and then click back to record when the gap after the track comes up. Trying to drop the needle into the gap is a bit hit and miss...mostly miss ! The end of your selected track is no problem as you can hear that 'cos it's being recorded anyway. I hope that's all understandable.
The instructions don't tell me how to do this but the deck has audio leads fitted.
Do these go in the PC or speakers to make any difference ?
Don't want to pink fluffy dice anything up.
Just recorded 2 LPs, quite old ...total 75 minutes, took a chance and it all went on one CD.
Can do all this while I grice HJ...just got to keep an eye on the deck.
Thanks.

Ted

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 22/11/2009 at 03:03

USB turntable - Rattle
I've seen this turntable so I know it quite well. . Ted I suspect the simplest way of doing it is to buy a 2 X RCA to 3.5mm cable then buy two couplers. Connect the two couplers to the RCA leads on the new cable and plug the other end into the line in input into the sound card. The cable and couplers will cost you less than £5 from Maplin. That way you can listen to what you record quite easily.

I did look into trying to this via the USB cable and I couldn't get it to play through the computer no matter what, the USB connector on the turntable is basically a separate sound card. Ted is then using Audacity (the only software the turntable came with, which ironically is free anyway) to record to the sound as a WAV and then converting to MP3. This in itself seems crude surely there is a better way of doing it?

Ted in simple terms the USB connector is digital only and only connects to your computer, the RCA leads on your turntable will connect to any amplifier or even PC speakers, you just need some fancy connectors to link up to your existing PC speakers and it will work perfectly.

To help you understand this the two RCA (phono) leads out of your turntable carry an analogue signal, your PC speakers take an analogue signal from the output of the sound card so they are both directly compilable it just a matter of getting the right connectors.

I will also add that the instructions are extremely poor and no matter how much I played about with the sound settings in control panel and the mixers I could not get the sound from the USB input to play via the PC speakers.

Ted if you are still struggling with this I will come and have another look for you, and I won't charge you :) It is bugging me why this doesn't work but with a fresh mind should be able to get it working quite simply. It will make a change from the stuff I am currently doing too.

Edited by Rattle on 22/11/2009 at 03:16

USB turntable - SpamCan61 {P}
I would've thought selecting the ion turntable as the playback device in windows sound settings ( audio tab) would probably overcome the no sound until recording problem- or try all of the devices available in the selection box in turn, but I'm not familiar with this setup so can't be categoric.
USB turntable - Rattle
Thats the problem we tried that and it didn't work. I can't remember what the problem was now though. It took a lot of playing about in the mixer settings and control panel to even get the recording working. There is no instructions whats so ever and the only CD it came with was Audacity.
USB turntable - Stuartli
The first source of help should (normally) always be the manufacturers' website. If you go to:

www.ionaudio.com/ionttusb

and go to the FAQ section, there are potential solutions provided for the query.
USB turntable - 1400ted
All good stuff...thanks guys.
I have connectors for the output leads, and extensions as well.
I'll try the connect to speaker method tomorrow and see what happens first. Then other methods......something should happen ....it's not overley complex.

Ted
Windows XP - nick62
The family desk-top crashed yesterday with a missing or corrupted "SYSTEM" file in the windows/config directory.

To cut a long story........... I have retrieved all the important files with a Linux based program that works from a CD, (brilliant bit if kit for a £5.95 download by the way) and now I need to re-install Windows XP.

This is where I discover that Dell kindly did not supply a recovery CD (computer is four years old), so I need to buy Windows XP (Home).

Can anyone recommend where to buy at a good price, (and roughly what the cost should be)?

{no problem with you using the word Dell in your post, so no need to censor it}

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 23/11/2009 at 10:18

Windows XP - colinh
Doesn't the "ghost" file still exist. Vaguely remembered there was a recovery procedure built-in when I owned one. Google "Dell and ghost"

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 23/11/2009 at 10:19

Windows XP - SpamCan61 {P}
There is almost certainly a hidden recovery partition on the hard drive, certainly that's how my 4 year old Dell laptop is set up. You should have had some instructions as to how to initiate the recovery process with the machine, if not it should be on the Dell support site somewhere.
Windows XP - SpamCan61 {P}
In fact this thread on the Dell support site might well help:-

en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19270724/19473924.a...n

Windows XP - VR6
Cheapest I have found is on Ebuyer: www.ebuyer.com/product/114048

Costs £65. Windows 7 is £10 more.
Windows XP - crunch_time
There are often several on eBid from around £10.

Some state something like "only for use on Dell computers" but that won't be a problem for you.


Windows XP - jbif
This is where I discover that Dell kindly did not supply a recovery CD (computer is four years old), so I need to buy Windows XP (Home). >>


The second half of the answer below seems your cheapest and best bet.

uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2008072711...O

Dialup alternatives? - FotheringtonThomas
An elderly relative is using "btclick" or somesuch, and it's s-l-o-w, and possibly expensive.

What's a simple, faster and fairly cheap alternative, preferably "installed" by "the provider" (or at least that's very, very easy to DIY)?
Dialup alternatives? - VR6
The cheapest options I have seen recently are:

plusnet - £5.99 a month for broadband, although recent reviews are not very favourable at all. I think wireless router is free, but you pay £7 postage. They also do a 'no contract' option, which costs £30, but allows you to cancel at anytime

Be - £13.50 a month, but currently running a half price for 12 months deal.

With both, you would need a phone line and you would need to check if they are available in your area.

Another option would be to go for 'mobile broadband' with a USB dongle. Not as quick as real broadband, but better than dial up.

Also, if your relative has an O2 mobile phone, they do proper boadband for just over £7/month. A mate at work has it, and he is happy with it.

Edited by VR6 on 23/11/2009 at 17:44

Dialup alternatives? - Dynamic Dave
Also if your relative has an O2 mobile phone they do proper boadband for just over £7/month.


But only if you're in an area that O2 Broadband covers, otherwise it's £17.13 if you're an O2 customer.
Dialup alternatives? - Falkirk Bairn
What sort of use? Emails, browsing only?

What is mobile signal like at their home?

Suggest you look at mobile access - Dongles - say £30 and then PAYG

Can work out cheaper than contracted landline (say £15/ month) which is used very lightly.
Dialup alternatives? - maz64
Some good info on Money Saving Expert:
www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband
Dialup alternatives? - jbif
What's a simple, faster and fairly cheap alternative, .. >>


If they are on SkyTV, they can get free braodband from Sky.
See details at end of Focus's link.