waldwolf

wolf359 - Good job.

Your NEC 1300A burner is what is commonly called a "combo-drive" and NEC has a very good reputation for quality. If your eMachine owners manual doesn't contain a listing of "Supported Media" for this drive, you can download same from NEC. here. (The Maxwell and TDK you were using are supported.)

At this point there are a number of thing which should be checked, however, as you stated your "computer skills are minimum", so you may want to have a knowledgable friend or a trusted computer service technician do the following:

1. Using "Device Manager", uninstall the NEC_DVD_RW ND_1300A nad drive, then reboot the computer allowing Windows "Plug-&-Play" to find and reinstall the drive.

2. Check to see if drive in question is now operational again.

3. If drive still does not work, have "knowledgeable friend" open the computer case and check to make sure ALL flat ribbon (data) cables are correctly plugged into the drives and firmly seated in the connectors on your motherboard.

4. Re-check drive, to see if now operational.

If above fails to correct the problem, you will need to make a decision whether-or-not to:

a. Restore your whole system using the eMachine supplied disks, or

b. Take the computer to a reliable service facility and have them check the NEC drive on their test equipment. (If NEC drive is defective, be sure to check with NEC to see if it is still under warranty.)

I have found the eMachines to be very reliable. (Consumer Reports magazine (USA) recently rated eMachine #1 in overall consumer satisifaction beating Sony, HP, IBM, Dell, and Compaq) I still have one of the first eMachines made. Its used daily. Had been updated several times (larger HDD's and a CD burner). It has performed flawlessly. Your P4-2.6 with a DVD burner and DVD-ROM drive should give you many years of service, before it needs updating or replacement.

Good luck. Post back if you have any questions. Also the final disposition.

cheers

(PS - Your NEC has special built-in dust seals, so you should not need to clean the drive internally under nornal usage. Now if you plan to move to North Africa...well thats a different story. )

First, would not recommend you attempt to clean any CD/DVD drive using multi-purpose disk cleaners (especially those with the little row of brushes). You may scratch the laser lens or worse, damage the drive's alignment. Some have also been known to cause a fire.

As you have tried several brands of good quality, blank CD-R's, then I think we can rule them out, at least for now.

We know you have an eMachine (apparently an 800 series), with WindowsXP. It would also be helpful to know:

- Your eMachine's exact model number

- Processor make/speed

- Burning software (Is it eMachine supplied or did you install another like NERO?)

- Does your machine have a CD-R/RW burner or DVD/CD-R/RW combo drive? (Check your owners manual for details.)

- Do you have a second CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive?

Other questions:

- When problem first appeared, was it intermittent?

- If your burner does not recognize a blank CD-R, is it able to read disks you had previously burned?

- Can your CD drive read/play other peoples disks, like music CD's or if compatable, DVD's?

- When you insert a blank CD-R, does the burner keep running or does it stop after a few seconds?

If you can manage it (or get help from a knowledgeable friend), we need to know if the are any conflicts shown in the Windows "Device Manager". (Check your windows HELP file, for details on opening/viewing Device Manager.) When you get to the Device Manager window, click the + sign next to the "DVD/CD-ROM drives" icon and look for any YELLOW caution marks, like this . Advise what you see.

All in all, your problem may be as simple as having windows reinstall a new driver or at worse, the burner is defective. Most burners in the eMachine model 800 computers were made by Samsung. Some carry a 3 year warranty. Possibly your still covered by a warranty.

Post back when you can.

cheers

......Is it possible that a virus copies itself into the bios or flash memory on hardware components ?

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Yes, while rare, it is possible to have a BIOS virus wherein the CMOS settings are changed. Some bios virus have the capability of "chopping" themselves into small pieces of code, so as to fit into very small memory areas, but still run nornally. However, a good AV utility should be able to locate/eliminate same. Recommend you run several of the free online virus checkers listed here.

As you probably know, the BIOS is stored in a ROM chip on your computers motherboard. In newer computers, this BIOS is on a "flash ROM" chip. During the startup process, your computer copies the BIOS from ROM to RAM, as RAM is faster then ROM.

The BIOS runs a diagnostic test or POST (Power On Self Test) of the keyboard, drives, ports, chips, and all other components in the system to make sure they are working correctly. On completion of the tests, the computer will normally give you one "long" beep, to indicate everything was OK. (A series of short, or long-and-short beeps, may indicate errors were found and should be investigated.) Additionally, errors found are usually displayed on the screen. That information is often hidden behind a manufacturers "wallpaper", so check you user manual for details on how to view this data. (On many systems, pressing the TAB or ESC buttons will close the "wallpaper" and allow you to see the RAM count and test results.)

Another area to consider is the BIOS itself. It could be damaged or may need to be updated. Check your manufacturers or the BIOS makers website for details. (You'll probably need the BIOS make/model info, which is also usually displayed during the aforementioned diagnostic test.)

If your restore disks are the original manufacturer supplied disks, and not copies or backups, the OS restoration itself, which you say included a full reformat of all partitions, should be virus free.

You might also try the following. Check your owners manual to see if the CMOS memory is retained by the main battery or if there is a seperate battery, such as used by most desktops. If the memory is held by the main battery alone, remove the battery and let the laptop sit overnight. (Naturally, do not plug in any external AC/DC supply.)

Have you tried booting into "Safe Mode"? If so, do things appear normal?

Antivirus, firewalls, and many other "utilities" can and often fight with each other causing untold problems. A simple (but sometimes lengthy) test would be to stop all tasks running in the background, except Explorer, by unchecking them in the RUN>MSCONFIG>STARTUP window. (See MS Help for more details.) Then restore one-at-a-time until symptoms reappear. That should give you a hint as to where the problem may lay.

Post back your findings.

cheers

To determine possible damage to the various knee components, you need to have at least some x-rays, but preferably a CAT or MRI scan. (Tissue damage is difficult to see in standard x-rays.)

If possible, would recommend you consult with an Orthopedic specialist. Tore ligaments may require surgery for reattachment. At a minimum, your probably looking at months for recovery, not days or weeks. (Age can also effect recovery time.)

High heels and certain dance movements, may put extreme stress on knees and ankles. I would avoid such practices until your doctor gives his approval and/or until you have fully recovered from the original injury.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

Crushdepth - From your post, you indicate prior to the Google problem you apparently did not use a firewall, so as Google advised, you most likely have acquired a virus, or two, or three, or............?

Zone Alarm is waving a red flag, basically saying "Hey...someone is trying to call home. Should I let them connect?"

Spybot S&D is not an antivirus detector. It is a spyware detection utility. (More here.) If you have been surfing the net (especially via broadband) without any type firewall and relying only on Spybot S&D, god only knows what malware your system may contain. If you do have a virus, changing search engines, browsers, even your underwear is not going to eliminate the problem. You must find and remove the virus(s). Not to be crude, but having a virus is like having an STD. Changing partners won't cure your infection. (Something like Trend's Pc-cillin may.)

Would strongly recommend you run several of the free online virus checkers listed here. Then obtain and install your own antivirus program. A free one you can download is AVG here. While not free, a highly recommended one (with free 30 day trial) is NOD32 here. All of the free online scanners can also provide you with a good antivirus utility, for a price.

good luck

Last weekend my hard drive crashed completely. The shop managed to retrieve the majority of my data but not many of the applications. I therefore needed to  reinstall/download the applications that I use, one of which was Netscape 7.2 browser. I downloaded the installation file from the Netscape web site but Windows refused to support the file. Has BG rigged Windows to ignore Netscape files?

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I doubt "Willie" has the time to mess with you. He's too busy fighting with the EU Council, who are trying to castrate Windows.

Seriously, if you originally had v7.2 installed and working, it should install and run with the new re-installation.

Are you sure you downlaoded v7.2.......or did you per chance download v8.0 BETA??? Remember, any software installation, repeat ANY, should be done with all running utilities shutdown, except Explorer (or alternatively installed in Safe Mode.)

Now prepare thyself for a wealth of advice recommending you switch to Firefox, Opera, IE or whatever.

And remember......luck beats skill everytime.

cheers

Merlin - From your most recent post:

- I do not believe the problem involves your video card its memory size or lack thereof. (I have PS running on an older machine with a two (2) MB on-board video memory and 256MB main memory. No problems, except is does run a wee bit slow. )

- While you may not have added any "foreign" plugins, Photoshop has tons of them which are installed as part of the main program. For example, each of the FILTERS you use (such as "Sharpen") utilizes a plug-in.

From the new information you've given us, I am fairly certain your problem was introduced at the time PS was first installed. There could be a hundred reasons as to how and why it happened (interference from an antivirus or antispyware utility), but whichever, I think you need to uninstall and reinstall Photoshop.

If you go this route, it is vital you shutdown all running programs shown in the "Close Program" dialog box, except Explorer, before begining the installation process.

Whatever you decide, please post back your findings. Good luck.

cheers

.....Please this is a load of BS.......

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Khun Jean - Please....such remarks are not helpful.

Everyone has something to contribute, when it comes to helping a fellow member.

Thanks.

..... No, I did not follow that advice.  I did respond back to them, telling them what I thought of most of that advice.  Rediculous! Got a response back today "apoligizing" and saying they will check into the issue again.

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Good for you Ken. Hold their feet to the fire.

While I wouldn't put money on it, perhaps they'll now get off their dead ar*es and correct some of the problems with their software.

If you communicate with them again, you might mention that someone associated with Microsoft is also pis*ed at them, for incorrectly stating MSN's position relative to the use of Outlook and Outlook Express at Hotmail.

cheers

Further to my earlier comments, two additional thoughts come to mind.

While quite rare, there is a possibility one of your ram chips has developed a defect (failed). View the ram count on bootup and look for any error message(s).

Secondly, and even rarer.....have you done a hard drive ScanDisk lately? If not, do so. It is remotely possible you may have developed a small sector or cluster defect on the HDD platter used by Windows "virtual memory". The surface scan should detect this problem and either notify you or automatically repair (lockout) the affected area. A follow-on defrag would also be adviseable.

O.K Thanks for the leads, but aren't adobe mad about this, surely they are losing cash on their own software. Is there a catch?

Cheers.

W.S.

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WS - No catch. Adobe (like Microsoft and most other software developers) make their profit from large volume licenses sold to companies and governments running hundreds and thousands of computer stations. Acrobat (not to be confused with Acrobat Reader) is the predominate software used by most businesses to develop forms, manuals, catalogs, etc.. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader is the software which allows all of us to view those aforementioned forms, and printed material.

Anything which promotes .pdf, helps Adobe. Businesses with money will always go for the "real thing". (They don't want to end up a party in any potential law suit.)

[PS - Adobe just bought Macromedia for 3.5 BILLION dollars (US), so their not starving. ]

cheers

rss - Goes to prove no one is immune from malware.

If you have not already done so, suggest you contact your ISP and politely inform them they need to check their whole system, otherwise Google and everyone else will eventually put a block on them, resulting in "loss of face" as well as considerable financial loss.

(They probably need to update their security tracking software.)

good luck

The pinned "Freeware Applications" listing (courtesy of Bizz) has a number of .pdf applications. You may find what you need there.

cheers

Merlin - When Photoshop is first opened, you will note it loads a considerable number of plug-ins, for things like brushes, fonts, etc..

While the problem your seeing may be releated to memory (or lack thereof), I would be more inclined to look first at possible damage to one or more plug-ins within Photoshop itself. While you didn't indicate one way or the other, I have the impression everything had been working OK for some time, and your current problem just sort of "popped up" all of a sudden.

Have you recently installed any non-Adobe Photoshop plug-ins, such as Alien Skin's "Eye Candy" or Kodak's "Digital Sho"?

In the long run, if the problem persists, you may want to consider re-installing Photoshop itself. That should eliminate any "plug-in" damage question(s).

cheers

......In my opinion the best way to fight spam messages is to unsubscribe your mail address from the spammers email list.

Please click the 'Unsubscribe' link (usually located at the bottom of the spam message) and remove your email address from the spammers email list.

Best regards,

Moshe

IncrediMail Support

www.incredimail.com

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Unbelieveable.........He must be joking......or a total idot.

Ken - Hopefully you didn't follow his advice.

.....I have been screaming to the Microsoft support team via Skype, hehe... And a gave them shit. They hate me now......

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Yep......looks like you sure got their attention geoge:

Microsoft Launches New Ad Campaign for Windows XP

Mon Apr 18, 2005 02:04 PM ET

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. launched a 15-month advertising campaign on Monday to boost sales of Windows XP operating system, while the world's largest software maker prepares its next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft declined to say how much it would spend on the global television, print and online marketing effort, or how the duration of the campaign might reflect the delivery schedule of Longhorn.

Scott Lennard, director of advertising for Microsoft's consumer marketing group, said that Microsoft wanted people to "rediscover" Windows XP, currently its flagship operating system, which runs on more than nine out of 10 personal computers.

The massive ad campaign comes three years after the debut of Windows XP and is focused around more than a dozen different themes, including music, science, art and sports. In the main print ads, a window is displayed over a person's heart, with various images connected to the themes flowing out of the window.

Microsoft's renewed advertising effort also comes as Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) prepares to ship the latest operating system for its Macintosh PC later this month. Apple's software, which it calls "Mac OS X Tiger," is being described by the Cupertino, California-based company as a feature-rich operating system that already delivers many of the features promised by Longhorn.

Microsoft is expected to talk about Longhorn in greater detail next week at its annual hardware and engineering conference in Seattle. Microsoft is planning to release a preliminary test, or beta, version of Longhorn this summer.

.....Would you like me to setup a subforum "Migrating to Linux", Thaivisa Linux Support Forum......

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Yes, please.

cheers

Not to worry. I'm sure one or more students have already developed a workaround.

.....it seemed to have disappeared just by deleting the 721w folder with the mysterious invisible cache of lsass.exe(s) it it.....

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melus - Would strongly recommend, if you have not already done so, you do the previously suggested online antivirus scans. The "picture" you posted clearly shows that the routine in question was attempting to replicated itself. The one file you removed may only be a repository and not the key activator. At a minimum, you probably have one or more registry entries which, if called, could restart the whole process anew, but with differing symptoms.

If any scans even hint at a possible sasser type infection, you will probably have to download specific "cleaners" from that antivirus makers website, in order to properly remove all traces of the virus.

.....when I was transferring some files to another computer on the network.....

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Have you check the "other" computer for possible contamination? You may also have transferred this malware at that time.

good luck

melus - From your description, I suspect you picked up one of the sasser viri. Since its inception, many varients and copy-cats of sasser have been released. Some have the capability of blocking antivirus software updates. Most also attempt to hide their presence by emulating valid OS processes.

We all have a tendency to forget most malware updates are reactive, not proactive. In other words, they attempt to locate/isolate viri/spyware already in circulation. (Remember, on average over 300 new malware appear each week.)

As others have suggested, run several of the online antivirus scan engines listed here.

Most firewalls are capable of preventing this specific type infection, so ALWAYS use a firewall. (It goes without saying, DO NOT open unknown email attachments.)

good luck

.....further to above, also check this info link:

Recovery Console overview

cheers

[PS - Congratulations george, on your 7,000th. post.]

george - Any reinstallation may result in loss of data, depending on the origin of your OS disk. An OEM supplied disk may reformat your hard drive prior to installation. (As Thomas_Mertin suggested, if you do not already have one, try to get your hands on a "legal" Upgrade or Full version of XP Pro, preferably the latest with SP2 already incorporated.)

Would also suggest you review the following articles, before beginning any repair/reinstallation:

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

You May Lose Data or Program Settings After Reinstalling, Repairing, or Upgrading Windows XP

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

good luck

CONGRATULATIONS

(Did the same myself 10 years ago, last April 1st. Cold turkey.)

Proves again, if one sets their mind to it, one can accomplish almost anything.

Now tell us.........what are you going to buy, with all the money your going to save?

Congrats again.

For info:

Microsoft has announced Windows Server 2003 x64 will officially be launched April 25, 2005. The new edition supports AMD Opteron, AMD Athlon 64, Intel Xeon with EM64T, and Pentium with EM64T processors. With this release, 64-bit Windows computing is possible with commodity hardware.

While quite technical, more information concerning Microsoft's x64 programs may be found below:

Windows Server 2003 x64 Info

The x64 bit Platforms

cheers

Did anyone check their Upload speeds?

(You might want to have some smelling salts handy. )

By the way does turning off the Windows XP firewall improve speed?

Not noticeably at first, however after you've been bombarded with hundreds of viri and spyware..........things will definately slow down.

cheers

Ken - I'm not very knowledgeable about "Incredimail", however, have you checked to see if your original setup settings might have changed? (More here) If you have not already done so, suggest you run complete virus and spyware scans.

NOTE: Incredimail's statement re: the necessity to pay Microsoft for email client access is not totally accurate. It only applies to NEW accounts. The following is Hotmail's official statement on the subject:

[February 15, 2005]Recently, Hotmail® announced that in order to improve customer experience and reduce spam and junk e-mail abuse on MSN® services, Hotmail will no longer allow new e-mail accounts to be accessed via Microsoft® Office Outlook® and Outlook Express.

We are pleased to inform you that because you are an existing and valued customer, at this time your current Hotmail and MSN account(s) are exempt from this restriction and you will be able to continue enjoying access to those accounts from Outlook or Outlook Express. However, any new Hotmail or MSN accounts you create will not be accessible via Outlook or Outlook Express.

.....Since I haven't recently gotten any spam in my Gmail account......

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ah........and what are those little advs in your GMail messages? (If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck................... )

cheers