Sorry a computer question - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

Amanda · Expert

Sorry a computer question

Peasie · Expert

Did a quick search to see if system restore did away with personal files and came up with this
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/app_system_restore_hss_understand.mspx?mfr=true

which I think says if you don't want files deleted move them to My Documents.

Don't know about emails though.

I'm using Windows XP and don't think I can download IE9 but I thought Outloook Express had been done away with and replaced with Windows Live Mail?

EDIT : Don't think it deletes emails either. I can't use System Restore for some weird reason. Any time I've tried in the past it has gone through the motions and then I restart it tells me it didn't restore.

-- Edited by Peasie on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 12:13:35 PM

Wella · Expert

Hi Amanda

Dont know if it will help but the link below takes you to microsoft website, which has a download link for IE8 (bottom right column). Haven't tried it myself

I recently changed to IE9 and didn't like it to start with but have now got used to it.

I think Live Mail comes with Vista onwards. Outlook Express is XP and earlier (prefer outlook - so got Office 2010)

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/internet-explorer/products/ie/home

Bill

Edit: Not sure why Outlook Express should have changed, as I would have thought the software would control the attachment, not IE9

-- Edited by Wella on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 12:47:53 PM

Peasie · Expert

I'm still on XP and it's Live Mail I'm using. I really need to get a couple of more up to date computers.

Wella · Expert

Hi Peasie

Sorry, it was Windows Mail, not Live Mail, I got when I upgraded hardware, which came with Vista, and I lost my Outlook Express disbelief . That was some time ago now, and I'm counting the days 'till this computer starts to creak too much, so I can dump the rubbish OS that is Vista, and move onto W7 (given the chance I would have gone back to XP - not worth upgrading now though. Just have to grin and bare it smile )

Amanda · Expert

Hi Bill and Peasie,

Yes got confused it is windows Mail not outlook exp, I still think of it as outlook. Anyway Windows mail looks abit different and I can't get it back to how it was which was certainly better for me.

I also think my windows mail is because originally when I bought my laptop I was on Vista Home premium, but have since got a copy of office 2003. God I hate computers when they don't do whay I want them to do!

I will have a look at your link Bill.

Cheers,

Ridesy · Veteran Member

Amanda,

Instructions from Microsoft site:

To uninstall Internet Explorer

The following instructions apply to both Windows 7 and Windows Vista.

Click the Start button , type Programs and Features in the search box, and then click View installed updates in the left pane.
Under Uninstall an update, scroll down to the Microsoft Windows section.
Right-click Windows Internet Explorer 9, click Uninstall, and then, when prompted, click Yes.
Click one of the following:
- Restart now (to finish the process of uninstalling Internet Explorer 9, and restore the previous version of Internet Explorer).
- Restart later (to wait until you shut down or restart your computer).

Note

After you uninstall Internet Explorer 9, the previously installed version of Internet Explorer will be available on your computer. It is not necessary to reinstall.

Source - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/how-do-i-install-or-uninstall-internet-explorer-9

Ridesy

-- Edited by Ridesy on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 01:40:18 PM

Peasie · Expert

I've just had a phone call from a computer technical department telling me that my IP address is infected with some kind of virus. What I should have done was sound panicked and start screaming "what am I going to do? what am I going to do?" but instead I just said "give it a break" and put the phone down.

It's happening a bit too regular now.

That's me had three or four calls in the last half hour that I could have done without........"I just want you to answer two quick questions and if you do you will be entered in our draw for..." "Sorry, I'm not interested".

Amanda · Expert

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks for that will try it as its driving me mad! It won't affect anything else though will it? cheers

gbm · Guru

Is there any truth in the conspiracy theory that Microsoft is actually owned by the US Government?

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Or maybe the other way around!

Susie Sue · Senior Member

I upgraded and nearly had a fit 'cos my favourites had disappeared. Got them back but I don't know how!! I'm such a techie......

Amanda · Expert

Sue,
Mine dissapeared and then they were on the right hand side, how wierd is that!

What about your emails Sue did it affect them at all?

Stardoe · Guru

Peasie wrote:
I've just had a phone call from a computer technical department telling me that my IP address is infected with some kind of virus. What I should have done was sound panicked and start screaming "what am I going to do? what am I going to do?" but instead I just said "give it a break" and put the phone down.
It's happening a bit too regular now."

I had one of those phone calls the other night. They'd "had a report" that my pc was infected with a trojan virus and I needed to download some software to fix it. I asked which computer it was as I had 4 and they said "oh, any one" ! (really). I told them that I'd worked in IT support for 3 years and would know if one of my computers was infected, told them I didn't believe them and put the phone down. Well known scam apparently....isn't there somebody we can report it to?

Pauline

Amanda · Expert

Hi Jeremy,

Just uninstalled it and back to normal now, so thanks for that I knew I would get the answer on this forum.

Many thanks.

gbm · Guru

Stardoe wrote:
Peasie wrote:
I've just had a phone call from a computer technical department telling me that my IP address is infected with some kind of virus. What I should have done was sound panicked and start screaming "what am I going to do? what am I going to do?" but instead I just said "give it a break" and put the phone down.
It's happening a bit too regular now."
I had one of those phone calls the other night. They'd "had a report" that my pc was infected with a trojan virus and I needed to download some software to fix it. I asked which computer it was as I had 4 and they said "oh, any one" ! (really). I told them that I'd worked in IT support for 3 years and would know if one of my computers was infected, told them I didn't believe them and put the phone down. Well known scam apparently....isn't there somebody we can report it to?

Pauline

Are these calls on business lines? I've heard of them, but never experienced them. My pvt line is ex directory, so never get any unsolicited calls on there.

Peasie · Expert

Stardoe wrote:
Peasie wrote:
I've just had a phone call from a computer technical department telling me that my IP address is infected with some kind of virus. What I should have done was sound panicked and start screaming "what am I going to do? what am I going to do?" but instead I just said "give it a break" and put the phone down.
It's happening a bit too regular now."
I had one of those phone calls the other night. They'd "had a report" that my pc was infected with a trojan virus and I needed to download some software to fix it. I asked which computer it was as I had 4 and they said "oh, any one" ! (really). I told them that I'd worked in IT support for 3 years and would know if one of my computers was infected, told them I didn't believe them and put the phone down. Well known scam apparently....isn't there somebody we can report it to?

Pauline

I doubt it. The phone number came up as "unavailable" on my phone so might even have originated outside this island. I should have asked him what the actual IP address was that was causing bother to see if it matched mine (not that I'd have known mine - but he likely wouldn't have been prepared for that qiuestion).

morgwick · Senior Member

Amanda wrote:

What about if I go back to computer restore and restored it back the day before I download it??

Hi, sorry a bit late, but I asked my husband about restores and he says that he would use it as a very last resort because more often than not the restore doesn't work and can actually cause corruption to windows. He also said that it should in theory only restore system files and shouldn't affect user data files, like documents, but it is very unreliable.

Thought I would mention it incase someone uses it in the future.

Wella · Expert

Peasie wrote:
......
I doubt it. The phone number came up as "unavailable" on my phone so might even have originated outside this island. I should have asked him what the actual IP address was that was causing bother to see if it matched mine (not that I'd have known mine - but he likely wouldn't have been prepared for that qiuestion).

I believe you are right. There was a similar post a little while ago.

I know of one similar call, which was from an Indian based call centre but the incoming call number was from the US (May be a VoiP phone)

The caller identified a folder that contained a list of error reports, which I suspect is a standard system folder. If you are unwary, seeing this list would certainly frighten you. They then pass the call to a "senior manager" who went on to try and sell Windows 7. So it in reality turned out to be a sophisticated cold sales call.

Stardoe · Guru

My call was on my home line. I think they are definitely VoIP calls. I read somewhere that you can report them to consumer direct, but haven't done so....yet. Someone on You Tube recorded one of these calls and played the idiot whilst keeping these guys hanging on for ages. They didn't even seem bothered when he told them he had recorded the call.

The folder that contains the error reports is Event Viewer. If you go to Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Event Viewer you can see what looks like loads of errors.

Pauline

Wella · Expert

I use the Telephone Preference Service (for private and business lines) which generally is quite successful.

It will not stop calls from outside the UK (luckily very few of these), and may also not stop calls after you fill in some online forms with you telephone number (think the details are sold on) You have to re register if that happens (or tell the caller to foxtrot oscar, and never disturb you again - you never know it might work)

The TPS have legal powers but not sure how much

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/ctps/what/

links to the business TPS and

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/what/

is a link for the private line TPS

Bill

semsley · Guru

Amanda wrote:
but have since got a copy of office 2003. God I hate computers when they don't do whay I want them to do!

One of my clients (for whom I also do some admin work) has now got Office 2010 - it's a nightmare - you know what you want to do but can't find it anywhere. It's supposed to make it easier with the "ribbon" system but I much preferrred proper menus and toolbars!!!

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Seconded.

Pet hate for me is that taking off the display of gridlines and zero values is buried down in advanced settings rather than being just a quick drop down away.

My money o the non backwards compatible change of file format that came with 2007/2010 was just to ensure that you had to buy this. If it hadn't been for thart nobody would have moved from 2003.

I'm definitely of a mind that these improvement(!) are just a microsoft tax as I've seen very few major improvements in Excel since Excel 4 (still my favorite as Macro programming was so easy in that verion).

I say very few rather than no improvement as for me I feel that Pivot tables are so much better from 2007 onwards.

Amanda · Expert

HI Shaun,
Can't remember where I posted the other thread about installing Sage! But anyway got the disc off the client as its his and I've inserted it on my Laptop and basically it keeps going round and round in the drive and nothings happening, its trying to download it but doesn't seem to want to and doesn't come up with custom install box for me to stick it in a different path! I have V12 and V10 instants already both under different paths and they are fine, but this one is V14 and it won't load? Any suggestions please? I know you are a wizz on computers!!!

Many thanks

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Amanda,

if your not even getting a message coming up after waiting say 5 minutes then to me that one sounds as though it just can't read the disk. Could be either a dirty lense in the drive or a dodgy disk.

I say 5 minutes as if it's attempting to load a large file up front you need to have sufficient RAm to hold the file so it may be paging files in and out to attempt to load it. However, if it really can't get the space then you should get a message telling you so.

How much RAM have you got? How much is free? Do you have a large enough paging file?

If you've been doing a lot of work your RAM may have been left in a state where space hasn't been released back to the system. Try restarting you computer to flush memory.

Assuming the everything else is ok then if other disks play ok in your machine then it's not the lens in the player leaving us with just the disk as the issue.

check the disk for greasy finger marks, clean if neccessary and try again.

If there's a deep scratch on the disk you will need a new disk.

hope that this helps,

Shaun.

Amanda · Expert

Thanks Shaun for your reply.
I'm being really think here how do I check to see what ram I have got etc and how do I clean it up?

I have recently loaded the disc for my new printer and that was fine found it immediately so I don't think its the driver. No scratches that I can see. It says I have got 52.6 GB left. Help!!!!

Cheers

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Amanda,

for the Ram just go to Control Panel then System. The top part of the screen tells you your operating system. The bottom part your hardware. In amongst that it will have a line "Installed memory(RAM). Thats one way to see how to tell how much RAM you have.

In the control panel pane to the left of this you will see advanced system settings. Click on that and then under the advanced tab you have boxes for Performance, User Profiles and Startup / Recovery.

Click the settings button against Performance.

Go to the advanced tab.

it should be set for programs then below that there is a virtual memory box.

Click the change button.

It will tell you what is currently allocated and what it recommends.

So long as the button saying automatically manage paging file size for all drives is checked this shouldn't really matter too much.

Ok, now tell us how much RAM you have, what your paging file size is and what Windows recommends.

Next time you try to load SAGE (assuming that you've checked the disk for greasy finger prints and scratches) if it still refuses to load do cntl, alt & del to bring up the task manager and have a look at performance. If its at 100% all of the time then it may be that your system just doesn't have the neccessary resources.

I think that this is more likely to be just a dodgy disk but at least you get to know your computer a little better along the way.

All the best,

Shaun.

Amanda · Expert

Hi Shaun,

Thanks for the info, I have had a look and her goes:-

Ram:- 2GB

Recommended 2872MB

Current Allocation 2215MB

The box is ticked for the file page thing. It says on the back of the Sage case you need 600MB of Free Disk space after Windows has been installed. Should I be OK?

I have looked at the disc abit more closely tonight under the lights and there are a few very tiny scatches. Will this make a difference? If it does then I can see me buying a new disc, this one is V14 is the latest one out V16? He doesn't want to use it on his premises as he hasn't got the time to do it hence the call to me so hes happy for me to deal with everything. So I'm maybe thinking of just buying the lastest one? Basically hes not inputted anything for about a year! Large pile of paperwork on my floor!

Let me know what you think of the my Ram etc.

Cheers very much.

Amanda · Expert

Just tryinng to load it again and its not doing it even though I have dusted it off.
I think its the disc, done Control alt del and task manager and its at 59% so I think theres plenty left of it but the disc is knackered!

cheers

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

With SAGE it's 1gb recomended so providing you don't have any major bits of software running in the background you should be ok on the RAM front.

To me this sounds more and more like a trashed disk.

Go into windows explorer when you've got the disc in the drive. Does the drive letter for the player have the CD/DVD name against it. If not that's 100% confirmation that it's the disc that is unreadable rather than the machine not being able to process the data that it's getting off it.

The scratches may be tiny but if they are over the index area it could be that the drive is unable to find any of the files which would explain why it just keeps spinning and searching.

cleaning the disc may cause more problems than it solves but as a last resort you could try cleaning the disc with a lint free cloth and then try it one more time. When the disc is spinning check the system performance although I really don't think that such is the issue here.

Are you actually able to try and load the software onto a different machine? I have had it before where I've had a machine with a tempramental drive that point blank refused to play discs that played quite happily on other machines.

At the end of the day though, if the disc is trashed it will still make a very nice coaster for the glass of wine that your going to need after all this.

Amanda · Expert

Like that bit at the end, good idea about the coaster.

I think its the disc, I loaded my new printer disc only about 7 wks ago and that was fine, so I think its his disc. I will try it on hubbys later and see whats what. Hubbys laptop (my old one) hasn't got very good memory and isn't a good one thats why I don't use it anymore, also the numbers keys are only across the top and not at the side as I like them. Don't know about you but for me the numbers keys at the side is a must as I can input without looking then!

So if I was to buy a new Instants package for this particular client then my laptop whould be ok?? I bet you are thinking why aren't I using QB??? Well the new accountant doesn't like it and prefers SAge, I don't mind Sage so I will just go with the flow. Good job I can use either.

Many thanks for your help with this I thought you of all people would be able to help me tonight.

Cheers.
PS go and have a beer you deserve it!

Peasie · Expert

Shamus wrote:
At the end of the day though, if the disc is trashed it will still make a very nice coaster for the glass of wine that your going to need after all this.

I used to have hundreds of these discs. They'd send them through the post all the time or be attached to magazines. Usually for an internet service provider. I always kept them as they would come in useful for something someday. They never did.

Peasie · Expert

Amanda wrote:
also the numbers keys are only across the top and not at the side as I like them. Don't know about you but for me the numbers keys at the side is a must as I can input without looking then

I only had one laptop - Windows 98. Still have it somewhere. The battery was dud and only lasted 10 minutes if you were lucky so I had to connect it to the mains. I didn't like they keyboard for the reason mentioned above. I also didn't like the trackpad so I connected a mouse to it as well. It was probably pointless having a laptop when I think about it now. Having said that I think I may invest in one soon.

EDIT : I should mention I connected a normal keyboard to it.

-- Edited by Peasie on Thursday 19th of May 2011 10:26:04 PM

semsley · Guru

Peasie wrote:
Amanda wrote:
also the numbers keys are only across the top and not at the side as I like them. Don't know about you but for me the numbers keys at the side is a must as I can input without looking then
I only had one laptop - Windows 98. Still have it somewhere. The battery was dud and only lasted 10 minutes if you were lucky so I had to connect it to the mains. I didn't like they keyboard for the reason mentioned above. I also didn't like the trackpad so I connected a mouse to it as well. It was probably pointless having a laptop when I think about it now. Having said that I think I may invest in one soon.
EDIT : I should mention I connected a normal keyboard to it.

-- Edited by Peasie on Thursday 19th of May 2011 10:26:04 PM
ACER now have a laptop that has a numeric keypad on the right hand side not sure of the model though.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Sheila,

Or just plug in an external keyboard.

Personally I never use the inbuilt pointing devices with laptops and sad muppet that I am generally always have an optical mouse in my jacket pocket... And revision cards... And Pens... And some Jelly babies! OMG I'm Doctor Who!

Actually, Toshiba also do a model with a numeric keypad. Check out models C650, L650 and L670

Amanda · Expert

Hi Shaun,

Mines a toshiba with numbers on the side, can't remember what model it is.
I also plug in a mouse as hate the mouse on the laptop its useless for excel!

cheers

-- Edited by Amanda on Thursday 19th of May 2011 11:40:47 PM