Robbie

Thanks for that link. Very interesting article. I wonder how many workers there are in that factory, given that most of the assembly is automated and most of the workspace seems to be for automated processes.

I upgraded to FF3 but went back to FF2. I don't like how the 2 files for Bookmarks and History in FF2 are now amalgamated into just the one file called places.sqlite in FF3. I use Eraser to securely delete files like History (as well as cache etc). It's not possible to delete the history in FF3 using Eraser without deleting bookmarks too. Poor decision to amalgamate the two files in my opinion and one that is causing annoyance to many other FF users too.

Dennis, this is the same scene from Google Earth: http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/midn...GoogleEarth.jpg I'm not sure which is the more up to date picture... (by the way, I located that scene by using the longitude and latitude readings! I haven't a clue where it is otherwise, apart from I guess it's the north east...)

I've never been able to get that feature to work (the beeping when hitting the Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock keys). I can get SoundSentry to work (to flash the screen) but can never get the sound, even though the Toggle Keys option is clicked. I've seen other people over the years posting elsewhere about a similar problem, of not being able to get the sound.

I googled using the search terms "CT4830 driver" (without the "" "") and found some sites that seemed to indicate that they had the driver for download. Here's a link to one site http://www.softwarepatch.com/utilities/cre...830-driver.html "Description This download contains the last known drivers released for Creative Labs CT4830 Sound Blaster cards operating under Windows XP or 2000. The CT4830 was used mainly in the Creative Live! cards but it was also rebranded as an OEM card and sold under Sound Blaster Live! by Compaq, Intel, IBM and NEC. Creative Labs have discontinued the production of CT4830 and this driver was released in 2003 - after you download the file, make sure you create a backup copy for future use. It contains the Creative Live drivers; Creative AudioHQ plus the Diagnose and Restore Default utilities. Creative updated and released this SoundBlaster Live CT4830 driver on Feb 28, 2003." then there's a link to click and download the driver, the link indicates it is connecting to ccftp.creative.com. Obviously, download at your own risk but I'm sure it is safe - Creative use that ccftp link for many of their downloads. EDIT: I just realised this driver is for XP and 2000. I don't know if it is compatible for WinME. Hope it is of some use anyway...

As well as using CCleaner, I also use Eraser for deleting certain files and folders using the On Demand feature of that program. I don't always want to delete everything that CCleaner takes care of but rather sometimes just specific items. Twice a day I run Eraser to securely delete the following files and folders for Firefox 2 cache history.dat cookies and sometimes downloads and signons However, upon upgrading to Firefox 3 I now find that the history.dat file has vanished, replaced by places.sqlite which also is the replacement for the bookmarks file. So two different files have been amalgamated into this new file. Of course this means that I can no longer securely delete my browsing history unless I run CCleaner (which does do the job) but that means unticking all the other boxes for other applications. Or using Firefox's own feature to delete browsing history - but that isn't a secure delete. The other alternative is to delete places.sqlite itself, but then any bookmarks saved after upgrading to FF3 are also deleted (the old bookmarks file for FF2 remains so all the old bookmarks stay as once places.sqlite is recreated it imports them once again). Does anyone know if it is possible to somehow delete the history without deleting bookmarks - for example, how does CCleaner do this? I've checked the winapp file for CCleaner but it doesn't give an indication of how it is doing it. Why on earth have Mozilla amalgamated the bookmarks and history files into one? It's quite ridiculous and to me is a retrograde security step. I've uninstalled FF3 and returned to FF2 for the time being but I can't stay with this version forever as eventually it may become a security risk in itself having an old browser rather than one with all the latest security patches.

I just downloaded FF3 - and had to remove it and revert back to FF2.00.14. Most of my add-ons (extensions AND themes) aren't compatible with it. When they get upgraded I'll upgrade once again.

A BIG, BIG thank you to YoKenny and davey for the suggestion of Dial-a-fix - it worked a treat! I'd heard of this application but had never used it before. The problem was solved by clicking on "Flush Software Distribution" and then after trying the option of preserving Windows Update history (by clicking on "Yes") which didn't work, I then tried the option of "No" which completely erased Software Distribution which included erasing my Update History. After doing this, the updates were installed with no problem. What a brilliant program that Dial-a-fix is! Perhaps patrick_415 could try using this program and see if it works? Though he did say he had emptied his software distribution folder. Anyway, a big thanks to all who answered and for YoKenny, I'll be in Durham on Saturday and will raise a glass in thanks to you when I'm in one of the local pubs!

Windows XP SP3 Home Edition Ever since I downloaded the final SP3 update I have been unable to install any updates that have been offered the past 2 months. Is anyone else having this same problem or have any idea what the problem might be? I have had no problems installing updates on this computer ever since I bought it 2 years ago. In fact, I installed one of the SP3 Release Candidate versions and it all went smoothly, all updates being installed with no problem. Last month I uninstalled XP SP3 RC1 and then installed the final SP3 version offered through Windows Update. Again, it all went smoothly except afterwards it wouldn't install two High Priority updates and one optional update. Now, a month later with the latest updates being out there ALL have failed to install. They are: Update for Windows XP (KB942763) Root Certificates Update (optional update) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951698) Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - June 2008 (KB890830) Cumulative Security Update for ActiveX Killbits for Windows XP (KB950760) Security Update for Windows XP (KB950762) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951376) Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP (KB950759) No reason is given for why any of them failed to install. Tonight I've uninstalled SP3 and reinstalled, this time using the SP3 disk I created from the iso file Microsoft made available when the final SP3 was launched (rather than using Windows Update to install SP3 this time). It has made no difference - the same updates will not install. I don't know what to do next - I don't like leaving my computer open to potential problems by not installing all the latest updates but my computer will not install any of them! I'm wondering / dreading that this could be an ongoing problem. Should I just revert back to SP2? I could do a full reinstall of Windows but haven't got the time at present so it could be weeks before I can do this. Any suggestions?

it makes good sense that if there is the remotest possibility that a password has been compromised that the password is changed immediately.

no need for tickets and the events are in the fields surrounding the Angel http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Leisure%20and%...ngel%20Day.aspx there's other events on other days too, including a candle event tomorrow night (listed under Late Events on the menu). That in itself is one of 20 cultural events taking place in Gateshead and Newcastle tomorrow night. http://www.thelateshows.org.uk/

ah, I did once wonder if it was the Yahoo Mail Classic that could be the problem. I don't like that new beta one, the classic one looks and feels much better. Yup, Angel Of the North in my avatar, she's 10 years old ths year and there's some celebrations in Gateshead next month, bands and other attractions and a fireworks display, all on June 22nd. I shall be there!

cheers davey.

I'm still having this problem and I'm having this access problem on more than one computer! I'm getting worried in case I suddenly find I can't access my email anymore. I've had this particular email address since 1999 and it is my primary email address. I've got lots of emails there going back to 1999 and don't want to lose them. I doesn't seem like they can be backed up either. This only started about a month ago. Very bizarre.

perhaps yahoo is picking on people in the north east of England Dennis - first me and now you! Shocking!

cheers! I've asked elsewhere and it works OK for them too... it's strange. I'm sure yahoo aren't picking on me (!), but it's weird how this happens everytime...

this is after clearing all cookies, and in fact deleting anything that's deletable! It's bizarre...

hmmm... this is a strange one... For almost a month now the only way I can access my Yahoo Mail account is by clicking on the website url THREE times. It may sound strange, but when I first click I get nothing happening, same with the second time. It's only when I do it for a third time that I can access my email account... Anyone else having this problem or is it just me? I've tried it with both Firefox and IE7 and have the same outcome with both

I meant to say - I don't like the inbuilt Disk Defragmenter in Windows Vista though. In XP on my PC it's fine (I just prefer Defraggler because it is easier to use) but in Vista on my laptop it seems to take ages to analyze, let alone defrag. So for Vista I definitely prefer Defraggler.

thanks for those pointers davey! I've often wondered which was the best defrag program for me to use. I have used JKDefrag in the past but I don't normally have too much defragmentation and only defrag once or twice a month at the most. I use Defraggler rather than Windows own Disk Defragmenter though.

from doing a google the main causes of this error are suggested as being either a bad Windows disk or a bad CD / DVD drive a few threads I found: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1006923435 http://ubcd4win.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8503 http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-...tion-error.html quite a few at google groups too, mainly the same advice.

that date is much later than the one I saw elsewhere and then posted here - it was May 31, now it is (according to the above post) December 31. At least that's 7 months away, not 3 weeks!

I just double checked and you're right - the feature isn't there at all. When I first downloaded AVG 8.0 I thought it was giving me a chance to pick the time for it to update - I've just realised that it was just to set the "from" time for the update and AVG then sets the "to" time 2 hours in advance and that is the update "window". So that's one less thing I like about this then! On AVG 7.5 I used to keep tweaking the update manager (by turning off then on automatic updates) until I got the "random" time of 9.00am.

I've upgraded to AVG 8 and I much prefer 7.5. I prefer its simplicity. It seems that many products seem to have to equate upgrading with bloatedness. First it was Zone Alarm back in May 2006. That was a lovely little firewall that was easy to use and which I had used for years - so it was upgraded to cause all sorts of computer problems, especially with vsmon.exe causing the computer to take almost 4 times as long to start up. Next up was the aforementioned Ad-Aware. Again, simple and straightforward - so it was upgraded to a bloated piece of junk. Finally we have AVG taking a leaf out of the ZA and A-A and turning a nice little program into something I'd much rather not use. Unlike ZA and A-A2007 I have stuck with using AVG 8 - it does have one or two little features that i do like (such as being able to choose an actual time to update). I'm still using the old version of Ad-Aware - not sure how long that will still be updated. But yes, the haste to phase out AVG 7.5 is not a good thing. Don't forget though - when Spybot first upgraded when started it did freeze the CPU at 100% on many machines for 30 secs or more - so even that wasn't a complete success though it is fine now.

before I install AVG free 8.0 can anyone advise whether I should first uninstall AVG free 7.5?