Technical corner........

2 Jul 2008

Quote by gary-danne
Hi, deks just come back from china with his camera cards full of pics and we cant import them onto the pc or lappy, even the printer (with mem card slots) isnt reconising that there is pics on the cards when we try to import it says the cards needs formatting but to format we would lose all the pics on the cards is there any possibly any way to format and keep the pictures on the cards? or another way round importing before a format?? tried going in via my computer and importing that way but still getting no where
thanks in advance
Tan x

Hi...
Have you tried connecting camera to pc or putting card in a card reader?? DO not format the card !!!. Pics will be lost....When a card is first used in a digi cam it normally needs foramtting b4 you use it....I would go for the card reader method...but if your cam can access the pics and show them then it should be able to export them....keep me posted Gary xxx

We have a card reader for the lappy that does not import the pics either the pc and printer have inbuild card slots/readers. will find the cables and try through the camera instead of just the cards
thanks x

2 Jul 2008

Hi....
That may be your only option....
Fingers crossed Gary xxx

2 Jul 2008

Quote by TanKinky
Hi, deks just come back from china with his camera cards full of pics and we cant import them onto the pc or lappy, even the printer (with mem card slots) isnt reconising that there is pics on the cards when we try to import it says the cards needs formatting but to format we would lose all the pics on the cards is there any possibly any way to format and keep the pictures on the cards? or another way round importing before a format?? tried going in via my computer and importing that way but still getting no where
thanks in advance
Tan x

Hi...
Have you tried connecting camera to pc or putting card in a card reader?? DO not format the card !!!. Pics will be lost....When a card is first used in a digi cam it normally needs foramtting b4 you use it....I would go for the card reader method...but if your cam can access the pics and show them then it should be able to export them....keep me posted Gary xxx

We have a card reader for the lappy that does not import the pics either the pc and printer have inbuild card slots/readers. will find the cables and try through the camera instead of just the cards
thanks x
Let me guess? It's a 2Gb or above SD card?
Most SD cards are pre-formatted in the FAT (FAT16) filing system and whilst the camera devices can recognise the extra file space, Windows based devices cannot recognise any more than absolute limit of 2Gb (and there's slightly more than 2Gb space on a 2Gb card).
So basically it's a limitation of Windows I'm afraid. The only option round it is to use the camera as the reader and directly connect it to the PC using the USB (or whatever) lead.
The other fly in the ointment is that card readers haven't kept up with increases in memory space. There is a new standard called SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) which allows greater than 4Gb capacity.

2 Jul 2008

They are 4gb compact flash cards! and all the cards used to work with the pc/lappy/card reader fine before he went of to china and imported some onto a pc at the factory he was working at. We have another 4gb compact flash card in a camera that i use and never had any problems with will try with the leads tonight!

2 Jul 2008

Quote by TanKinky
They are 4gb compact flash cards! and all the cards used to work with the pc/lappy/card reader fine before he went of to china and imported some onto a pc at the factory he was working at. We have another 4gb compact flash card in a camera that i use and never had any problems with will try with the leads tonight!

Ah, now I've had this problem before, in reverse. My Minolta also uses CF cards and a couple of times a card I've formatted on the PC isn't recognised by the camera.
Unhelpfully I've never yet managed to get to the bottom of it but I suspect that it's one or the other not being totally standards compliant in the format, though I have no idea which one is at fault... though I do have the urge to blame Bill Gates due to my overwhelming hatred of any software that bears the Windows name (a by-product of struggling with his crap since MS-DOS v3.3). :twisted:

2 Jul 2008

Tried the cable tonight and no luck - the cards did need formatting after each import before not sure if that is the norm but we have always done via the camera not the pc so possibly the same problem with the formatting??

2 Jul 2008

Quote by TanKinky
Tried the cable tonight and no luck - the cards did need formatting after each import before not sure if that is the norm but we have always done via the camera not the pc so possibly the same problem with the formatting??

It's a PITA alright, this is why I transfer everything to a flash drive now at the earliest opportunity and never use memory cards for storing/transporting anything. Been bitten in the ass too many times now sad

8 Jul 2008

Vista Help - we have a fairly new HP desktop machine, running Vista Home Edition, 3gb RAM, 500 GB hdd (partitioned to 450 and 50gb) and 350 external drive which is for daily back ups. Less than 2 gb of stuff in My Docs, not many programmes installed (10gb max)but the hard drive is now showing that it only has 30gb free. No back ups are done on to the internal hard drive, all onto the external one.
I have done disk clean up (including all old restore points apart from the last one), defrag, and deleted all tmp files. I have also restricted the restore point size to 5gb but the hard drive is getting fuller by the day (at a rate of around 4gb per day)
Helllllppppppppp :shock:

8 Jul 2008

Quote by Naughty Wigan Couple
Vista Help - we have a fairly new HP desktop machine, running Vista Home Edition, 3gb RAM, 500 GB hdd (partitioned to 450 and 50gb) and 350 external drive which is for daily back ups. Less than 2 gb of stuff in My Docs, not many programmes installed (10gb max)but the hard drive is now showing that it only has 30gb free. No back ups are done on to the internal hard drive, all onto the external one.
I have done disk clean up (including all old restore points apart from the last one), defrag, and deleted all tmp files. I have also restricted the restore point size to 5gb but the hard drive is getting fuller by the day (at a rate of around 4gb per day)
Helllllppppppppp :shock:

Have you?:
Done a scheduled chkdsk in case there are any orphaned files?
Checked the hidden temp folder in C biggrin

ocuments and Settings<user name>Local SettingsTemp as well as the C:Documents and Settings<user name>Local SettingsApplication Data folder (this folder can get especially large sometimes).
Have you checked the browser cache settings?
Have you set your swap file to be a fixed size instead of a temporary size that increases or decreases?

8 Jul 2008

Quote by Peanut
Have you?:
Done a scheduled chkdsk in case there are any orphaned files?
Checked the hidden temp folder in Cocuments and Settings<user name>Local SettingsTemp as well as the C:Documents and Settings<user name>Local SettingsApplication Data folder (this folder can get especially large sometimes).
Have you checked the browser cache settings?
Have you set your swap file to be a fixed size instead of a temporary size that increases or decreases?

Erm, can you please say that in anti-technophobe speak lol

I wont be on line tomorrow, but will be back on Thursday, so will report back once I know what Im doing. But any step by step instructions really would be appreciated (I might even send you some painfree waxing instructions) :lol:

8 Jul 2008

Quote by Naughty Wigan Couple

Have you?:
Done a scheduled chkdsk in case there are any orphaned files?
Checked the hidden temp folder in Cocuments and Settings<user name>Local SettingsTemp as well as the C:Documents and Settings<user name>Local SettingsApplication Data folder (this folder can get especially large sometimes).
Have you checked the browser cache settings?
Have you set your swap file to be a fixed size instead of a temporary size that increases or decreases?

Erm, can you please say that in anti-technophobe speak lol

I wont be on line tomorrow, but will be back on Thursday, so will report back once I know what Im doing. But any step by step instructions really would be appreciated (I might even send you some painfree waxing instructions) :lol:
Alas I wish I could give step by step. I don't have any machines running Vista here, plus the fact I've steered well clear of Vista so I don't know the specific way to do things on it.

8 Jul 2008

Thanks Peanut, I will have a go (but will do restore/backup before I try) and if it all goes wrong, your nuts are for it :shock:
But thank you, really appreciate your help kiss

9 Jul 2008

Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

9 Jul 2008

also whats the difference between a flash stick and a memory stick?

9 Jul 2008

Quote by TabbynTina
Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

Hi why are you gettin rid of XP or do you mean over writing XP with Vista???
Windows should take care of it all....but back up alll your files first...obviously....another option is to create a dual boot pc by just installing windows into another directory.....windows will auto matically create a boot menu so you can choose between XP or Vista ...am not sure but I think you have to put Vista in first .... have not tried it tho ....Peanut will probably be on later and put us both right .....Also a Memory stick is made using flash memory so thats where the names get muddled but essentially all the same smile

...
Cheers Gary xxx

9 Jul 2008

Quote by gary-danne
Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

Hi why are you gettin rid of XP or do you mean over writing XP with Vista???
Windows should take care of it all....but back up alll your files first...obviously....another option is to create a dual boot pc by just installing windows into another directory.....windows will auto matically create a boot menu so you can choose between XP or Vista ...am not sure but I think you have to put Vista in first .... have not tried it tho ....Peanut will probably be on later and put us both right .....Also a Memory stick is made using flash memory so thats where the names get muddled but essentially all the same smile

...
Cheers Gary xxx
no its my son he has vista but wants XP as he has a gadget for his xbox 360 that wont work with vista

9 Jul 2008

Quote by TabbynTina
Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

To be honest I'm not sure installing over Vista would be successful unless you do as Gay suggested and go for a dual boot system
Although there are many similarities between XP and Vista there are enough differences to make for a lot of problems trying to share.
If he's not interested in keeping Vista on the machine (and TBH I can't see why he would be) then the best way would be to nuke the lot by formatting the drive during the XP install.
This would of course destroy all data on the drive prior to the install, so he would need to have all his data files backed up.

9 Jul 2008

Quote by TabbynTina
also whats the difference between a flash stick and a memory stick?

A flash stick tends to be a simile for flash drive, pen drive etc whereby the memory is in such a form that it can be plugged into a USB slot and the operating system recognises it as a new removable hard drive.
A memory stick tends to be a different way of referring to the various different memory cards, SD, Compact Flash, MMC etc, which all require a card reader of some sort so that the system can recognise them as a removable drive. It was a name originally coined by Sony for their proprietary flash memory e.g. Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo etc.
Having said that the names you asked about can also be interchangeable with the two definitions above. It all depends on who's using the expression (their technical knowledge) and in what context.

10 Jul 2008

Quote by Peanut
Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

To be honest I'm not sure installing over Vista would be successful unless you do as Gay suggested and go for a dual boot system
Although there are many similarities between XP and Vista there are enough differences to make for a lot of problems trying to share.
If he's not interested in keeping Vista on the machine (and TBH I can't see why he would be) then the best way would be to nuke the lot by formatting the drive during the XP install.
This would of course destroy all data on the drive prior to the install, so he would need to have all his data files backed up.
that sounds an easier option to have both vista and xp on then he can choose which to boot from, from what he saying he has seen it on the internet and you download from there, it just seemed too easy as I though you had to buy the xp program

10 Jul 2008

Hi......Erm you do have to buy XP...Beware of virus infected free XP downloads...
Cheers Gary xx

10 Jul 2008

Quote by TabbynTina
Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

To be honest I'm not sure installing over Vista would be successful unless you do as Gay suggested and go for a dual boot system
Although there are many similarities between XP and Vista there are enough differences to make for a lot of problems trying to share.
If he's not interested in keeping Vista on the machine (and TBH I can't see why he would be) then the best way would be to nuke the lot by formatting the drive during the XP install.
This would of course destroy all data on the drive prior to the install, so he would need to have all his data files backed up.
that sounds an easier option to have both vista and xp on then he can choose which to boot from, from what he saying he has seen it on the internet and you download from there, it just seemed too easy as I though you had to buy the xp program
If I'm reading this right and not confusing his technical knowledge with yours, if he thinks XP is a 'program' you download from the 'net I'd recommend he stick with Vista (shudder) because if he doesn't know what he's doing then he is most likely to wreck both operating systems and end up with an unusable computer.
If he does actually know what he's doing and is quite happy to download an operating system off the net for free then I'd recommend he go for Linux instead of XP. A Linux distribution like Ubuntu is totally free, very easy to install and is a perfect competitor for XP. Most of the desktop software for Linux is also free such as Gimp (an imaging software similar to Photoshop) OpenOffice (which is a similar thing to, and compatible with, Microsoft Office). There are all manner of other things too, all free including Firefox.

10 Jul 2008

Hi....
More sound advice....not tried linux yet....can you still run it from a boot disc??
Gary...

10 Jul 2008

Quote by Peanut
Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

To be honest I'm not sure installing over Vista would be successful unless you do as Gay suggested and go for a dual boot system
Although there are many similarities between XP and Vista there are enough differences to make for a lot of problems trying to share.
If he's not interested in keeping Vista on the machine (and TBH I can't see why he would be) then the best way would be to nuke the lot by formatting the drive during the XP install.
This would of course destroy all data on the drive prior to the install, so he would need to have all his data files backed up.
that sounds an easier option to have both vista and xp on then he can choose which to boot from, from what he saying he has seen it on the internet and you download from there, it just seemed too easy as I though you had to buy the xp program
If I'm reading this right and not confusing his technical knowledge with yours, if he thinks XP is a 'program' you download from the 'net I'd recommend he stick with Vista (shudder) because if he doesn't know what he's doing then he is most likely to wreck both operating systems and end up with an unusable computer.
If he does actually know what he's doing and is quite happy to download an operating system off the net for free then I'd recommend he go for Linux instead of XP. A Linux distribution like Ubuntu is totally free, very easy to install and is a perfect competitor for XP. Most of the desktop software for Linux is also free such as Gimp (an imaging software similar to Photoshop) OpenOffice (which is a similar thing to, and compatible with, Microsoft Office). There are all manner of other things too, all free including Firefox.
many thanks for your help so far....
i have spoke to him again and basicly what he wants is something called "xsata" which is something he links his xbox 360 to his laptop so he can save games onto his laptop and then rung them on xbox 360, apparently it needs to be explore 360 compatible too.
he bought this gadget and hasnt managed to find any "driver" ( which he was told he needed to run it)
I think if he had these then he would probably stay with vista

10 Jul 2008

Quote by gary-danne
Hi....
More sound advice....not tried linux yet....can you still run it from a boot disc??
Gary...

It all depends on the particular Linux distribution variant. You maybe thinking of which runs totally off CD and only uses the HD for data files (it has no problem using NTFS drives).

10 Jul 2008

Quote by TabbynTina
Hi can you tell me is it as easy as it looks when you try to download windows XP over windows vista?
is there anything I should watch out for?

To be honest I'm not sure installing over Vista would be successful unless you do as Gay suggested and go for a dual boot system
Although there are many similarities between XP and Vista there are enough differences to make for a lot of problems trying to share.
If he's not interested in keeping Vista on the machine (and TBH I can't see why he would be) then the best way would be to nuke the lot by formatting the drive during the XP install.
This would of course destroy all data on the drive prior to the install, so he would need to have all his data files backed up.
that sounds an easier option to have both vista and xp on then he can choose which to boot from, from what he saying he has seen it on the internet and you download from there, it just seemed too easy as I though you had to buy the xp program
If I'm reading this right and not confusing his technical knowledge with yours, if he thinks XP is a 'program' you download from the 'net I'd recommend he stick with Vista (shudder) because if he doesn't know what he's doing then he is most likely to wreck both operating systems and end up with an unusable computer.
If he does actually know what he's doing and is quite happy to download an operating system off the net for free then I'd recommend he go for Linux instead of XP. A Linux distribution like Ubuntu is totally free, very easy to install and is a perfect competitor for XP. Most of the desktop software for Linux is also free such as Gimp (an imaging software similar to Photoshop) OpenOffice (which is a similar thing to, and compatible with, Microsoft Office). There are all manner of other things too, all free including Firefox.
many thanks for your help so far....
i have spoke to him again and basicly what he wants is something called "xsata" which is something he links his xbox 360 to his laptop so he can save games onto his laptop and then rung them on xbox 360, apparently it needs to be explore 360 compatible too.
he bought this gadget and hasnt managed to find any "driver" ( which he was told he needed to run it)
I think if he had these then he would probably stay with vista
oh apparently a "patch" might do it

10 Jul 2008

Quote by TabbynTina
oh apparently a "patch" might do it

I'm not too au fait with the xbox, but this page may have the info that gets it to work for him under Vista...

10 Jul 2008

Quote by Naughty Wigan Couple
Vista Help - we have a fairly new HP desktop machine, running Vista Home Edition, 3gb RAM, 500 GB hdd (partitioned to 450 and 50gb) and 350 external drive which is for daily back ups. Less than 2 gb of stuff in My Docs, not many programmes installed (10gb max)but the hard drive is now showing that it only has 30gb free. No back ups are done on to the internal hard drive, all onto the external one.
I have done disk clean up (including all old restore points apart from the last one), defrag, and deleted all tmp files. I have also restricted the restore point size to 5gb but the hard drive is getting fuller by the day (at a rate of around 4gb per day)
Helllllppppppppp :shock:

Just incase anyone has any ideas on this :cry:

11 Jul 2008

Quote by Naughty Wigan Couple
Vista Help - we have a fairly new HP desktop machine, running Vista Home Edition, 3gb RAM, 500 GB hdd (partitioned to 450 and 50gb) and 350 external drive which is for daily back ups. Less than 2 gb of stuff in My Docs, not many programmes installed (10gb max)but the hard drive is now showing that it only has 30gb free. No back ups are done on to the internal hard drive, all onto the external one.
I have done disk clean up (including all old restore points apart from the last one), defrag, and deleted all tmp files. I have also restricted the restore point size to 5gb but the hard drive is getting fuller by the day (at a rate of around 4gb per day)
Helllllppppppppp :shock:

Just incase anyone has any ideas on this :cry:
Hi.....
Right my money is on a virus causin this prob....try spybot search and destroy or something similar just in case your anti-virus missed something....also if it was mine I would reformat....after backin up your files to a memory stick first....then after the format scan your memory stick for viruses b4 restorin your files.....best of luck...
Gary xxxx

11 Jul 2008

Quote by Peanut
oh apparently a "patch" might do it

I'm not too au fait with the xbox, but this page may have the info that gets it to work for him under Vista...
thanks to Peanut and Gary for all your help, turns out a family member can help us with installing XP
many thanks
Tina
xx

11 Jul 2008

I'm having Facebook issues! The site loads, my home page and profile are visable as is my mail, but when I go to look at other people's profiles I just get a blank page with the word 'done' in the bottom left of the window - is it a connection issue? I don't know where to start looking for the problem.
H.x
In edit: I'm on wifi braodband, use IE and XP