Techy Thread: Post your puter problems in here - Apps 'R' Us!

[Queneau]

Anyone know the best way to change Sky channels/get menu up etc. from another room without getting another box or the multi room subscription? I can pick up Sky in the bedroom (off a feed from the front room) but now want a decent method of changing channel. I have seen one option which requires a cable but is there another way, wireless or something? Any help would be grand.

[sirhenry]

Anyone know the best way to change Sky channels/get menu up etc. from another room without getting another box or the multi room subscription? I can pick up Sky in the bedroom (off a feed from the front room) but now want a decent method of changing channel. I have seen one option which requires a cable but is there another way, wireless or something? Any help would be grand.

Aldi used to sell a simple device with a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver (in another room) picks up the infrared signal, transmits it to the transmitter via the mains and the transmitter sends the signal to the Sky box. Not seen one in years though.

Something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/POWERMID-IR-RECEIVER-TRANSMITTER-UNIT/dp/B002AA7JY8

[Wilbur]

Anyone know the best way to change Sky channels/get menu up etc. from another room without getting another box or the multi room subscription? I can pick up Sky in the bedroom (off a feed from the front room) but now want a decent method of changing channel. I have seen one option which requires a cable but is there another way, wireless or something? Any help would be grand.

This do the trick ? http://www.maplin.co.uk/sky-remote-eye-36561

[Queneau]

This do the trick ? http://www.maplin.co.uk/sky-remote-eye-36561

You help me yet again with a tech question. Can't I just have you on speed dial?

[small_world]

Hi.

I'm looking to upgrade the memory on my old desk top.
It's a compaq presario sr1629uk, and I'm hoping to get more than 1GB in there...

But. I've never done it.

So. Could someone please recommend a suitable memory upgrade at the cheapest price.
And
Do I just unlock the memory cards in there and replace? There are two slots, both in use.

Thanks.

[mook]

Hi.

I'm looking to upgrade the memory on my old desk top.
It's a compaq presario sr1629uk, and I'm hoping to get more than 1GB in there...

But. I've never done it.

So. Could someone please recommend a suitable memory upgrade at the cheapest price.
And
Do I just unlock the memory cards in there and replace? There are two slots, both in use.

Thanks.

http://www.crucial.com/uk/systemscanner/

try that.

[Too Many Cochranes]

I have a question, although it's not a problem as such.

When you install Win7, Microsoft .NET framework 3.5 seems to be automatically installed. Fine.

But then if you accept the suggested update to .NET framework 4 it opens a can of update worms (something like 200MB worth of updates that takes an age to install).

What's so good about .NET 4 over .NET 3.5 and is it worth installing as a security risk? Oh, and what function does .NET serve anyway?

Sorry for such a boring question.

[small_world]

http://www.crucial.com/uk/systemscanner/

try that.

Thank you mook. karma kissies onway.

And the website has quoted £14 for a 1gb slot. So 2gb for ~£30 is that good?

[Blumf]

What's so good about .NET 4 over .NET 3.5 and is it worth installing as a security risk? Oh, and what function does .NET serve anyway?

Simple explanation:

.Net is (sorta) MS's answer to Java. It's actually not that bad at what it does (replace VB6, tread on Java's toes), although, arguably. it doesn't need to exist.

Basically, it a collection of various things: A jobbie that turns .Net code into machine code ready to run, a bunch of libraries (collections of software that perform general tasks, like rendering text, playing videos or connecting to network systems) and some other bits and bobs.

Unsurprisingly, all those libraries take up a fair whack of space, they cover a lot of functionality, pretty much everything you can do on a Windows PC. Really helps write programs quickly though, which is why lots of people use it.

The difference between 3.5 and 4 is also mostly down to the libs, extra functions and abilities are brought in, possibly also dropping older stuff that's no longer needed. There's also changes in the way the .Net code it built and handled too. So, you need the older .Net installs to run programs built against those older .Net systems. Very irritating when you consider a single program probably doesn't use everything in a .Net install, but if you want to run it, you don't have much choice.

Security-wise, meh, at least you can get automatic updates for them whereas in a more traditional program you'd have to rely on the developer packaging out an update if a problem is found in a lib they use.

[mook]

Thank you mook. karma kissies onway.

And the website has quoted £14 for a 1gb slot. So 2gb for ~£30 is that good?

i doubt if you'll get it cheaper, and they've never let me down.

one thing to remember, and this is important. before you install the new memory, make sure that the PC is totally unplugged from any power source and peripherals. and to make certain that you yourself aren't carrying any static charge you must lick a radiator to thoroughly earth yourself.


good luck.


xxx

[Too Many Cochranes]

Since your motherboard has two slots it's worth checking if it works in Dual Channel mode. If it has two then it's much faster to install two 1GB sticks than one 2GB stick so that the RAM will work in Dual Channel mode.

It makes Windows run noticeably faster, although I may be teaching you to suck eggs.

Edit: Just checked and it supports dual channel DDR2 so yeah, do what mook said and get a kit containing 2x1GB sticks of RAM. You don't have to change any settings. If you install the new RAM correctly it should automatically start working in dual channel mode when you plug the computer in and turn it on.

[MojoJojo]

i doubt if you'll get it cheaper, and they've never let me down.

one thing to remember, and this is important. before you install the new memory, make sure that the PC is totally unplugged from any power source and peripherals. and to make certain that you yourself aren't carrying any static charge you must lick a radiator to thoroughly earth yourself.


good luck.


xxx

Actually, isn't it better to leave the PC plugged into the mains, just all the switches off, that way you can earth yourself on the ground (or should that be ground yourself on the earth?) of the case.

Also, it's best to use a memory chisel to take out the old chips - they're only a couple of quid from amazon.

[SetToStun]

Actually, isn't it better to leave the PC plugged into the mains, just all the switches off, that way you can earth yourself on the ground (or should that be ground yourself on the earth?) of the case.

This. Get a zap-strap and clip it to the case when the cover's off, but leave the plug in.

Also, it's best to use a memory chisel to take out the old chips - they're only a couple of quid from amazon.

You naughty, naughty boy.

[mook]

but licking the radiator is the best bit!

[SetToStun]

I admit it has a certain élan, but you surely don't really want to have poor smallers standing there with a fried DIMM (or whatever they're called these days) in his hand, gently sobbing in mute frustration?

[mook]

it really wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

[small_world]

I'll take them kissies back. By force, if necessary.

[mook]

I'll take them kissies back. By force, if necessary.

heh...

i think there is a video on the crucial memory site showing how to install the memory - or failing that there's bound to be loads on youtube.

[gabrielconroy]

Does anyone else get this when they try to go into the accidents thread in GB? Have we been hacked by the Chinese military?

[Consignia]

Yeah, it's Rolf Lundgren's avatar. It's being hosted by tvcream.co.uk, which Google identifies as site containing malware.

[alcoholic messiah]

Is that the same TV Cream that used to share an internet domain with CaB?

If so, they are fucking evil.

[JesusAndYourBush]

I was about to post about that.  I keep having to click on "Advanced", then "Proceed at your own risk".  Is there any way I can make Chrome stop bothering me about that, some way of adding "tvcream.co.uk" to some sort of exempt list.  I'm pretty sure the jpg exploit was fixed years ago (meaning there's no risk from jpgs) so It'd be good if there was a way to stop it warning about jpgs completely as it's unnecessary.


I didn't think CaB was using a cream server any more anyway?

[alcoholic messiah]

chilled.cream.org is still there, but I think Neil doesn't want it tarnished by association with the CaB brand.

[sirhenry]

In the last day or so I'm no longer receiving email alerts about pm's any more, despite the settings not having changed. Is this temporary, universal or just me?

[MojoJojo]

Check your spam folder?

[sirhenry]

Check your spam folder?

I have to every 2 hours because that's where the Annual orders come in, but no pm notifications in the last 3 days.

[HappyTree]

Not so much a problem, more of an anomaly. In iTunes my album sorting is weird. They are sorted in alphabetical order from A-S, then suddenly Z comes along, then it's fine again from T-Y and some Japanese character at the very end. Why isn't Z after Y?

The answer may lie in how the same thing is true of the Windows XP iTunes music directory listing. Every other directory is normal, but this oneputs Z in the same odd place:



I've tries deleting the Z and typing it again, in case somehow the Z I see is not a real Z. Nothing changes. What is going on?

[alcoholic messiah]

Perhaps check your regional settings, and make sure Windows doesn't think you're in some heathen country where "Z" isn't the final letter in the alphabet.

[HappyTree]

Aha, genius! Been here for almost 3 years and never knew this:

Estonian alphabet: In addition, the alphabet also differs from the Latin alphabet by the addition of the letters Š and Ž (S and Z with caron/háček), and by the position of Z in the alphabet: it has been moved from the end to between S and T (or Š and Ž).

I had literally no idea.

[alcoholic messiah]

Aha, genius! Been here for almost 3 years and never knew this:

Estonian alphabet: In addition, the alphabet also differs from the Latin alphabet by the addition of the letters Š and Ž (S and Z with caron/háček), and by the position of Z in the alphabet: it has been moved from the end to between S and T (or Š and Ž).

I had literally no idea.

Wow. I didn't know either, it was merely a hunch. My genius has the capacity to frighten even me sometimes.

I'm glad it's sorted. xxx


EDIT: And since no one's ever going to top that, perhaps it's now time to end this already over-sized thread, and start a new one.