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1276

Living Room / LiteOn DVD writers?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 15, 2011, 06:52 PM »

I have just built a new system (Win 7 Pro with 8Gb memory/Phenom II x4 CPU) and included a LiteOn DVD+-RW DL drive.

I have never had problems with optical drives in recent years with Verbatim x16 DVD+R disks but having set up the system I attempted to do the usual backup (Windows Backup System Image) for quick reinstall if the need arises.

The strange thing is is took 3 DVDs and every time I tried to do it the first two disks burnt perfectly and the third refused to verify with a media error (and the logs showed 'bad block').

Having got through 12 DVDs I gave up - 8 burnt perfectly (the first two each time) and 4 failed (disk 3 in each set).

Anyone got any ideas what could be causing this? I have also burnt CDs with the same drive without any problem.

I can't believe that every third DVD in the batch has a problem (none of the other 25 in the pack have had issues on other systems).

Things I have tried so far are:

1) Upgrade to the latest firmware
2) Run LiteOn's tool that is supposed to optimise writing speeds to ensure good writes (sorry can't remember what it is called).

In the end I have done the backup by plugging in a laptop Samsung external DVD+R and the disks burnt without problem.

Anyone else experienced anything like this with LiteOn drives or do I have a duff one? I have used LiteOn in a number of builds and up until this one they have been fine.

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Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 15, 2011, 06:45 PM »

The trouble is his solution is the 'upgrade' install mentioned above.

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Living Room / Re: The All New Kindle - ripoff!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 14, 2011, 03:47 AM »

That's truly ridiculous - but maybe they can't be accused of spying if they hobble the device to their own store (which they are entitled to monitor your activity).

Alternatively they may have realised that their servers are unlikely to keep pace with the surfing demands of users - how much space would that require as Kindle adoption grows?

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Living Room / Re: Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 14, 2011, 03:44 AM »

It really *can* truly multitask on the by and by- if you jailbreak, you set it free to do so.

-wraith808 (October 13, 2011, 08:29 PM)

I have not doubt that is true - but iSpeak is truly disingenuous saying that the iPad multitasks by any normal definition of the work as supplied.

Given Apple's track record of deliberate 'bricking' is it really sensible to jailbreak such an expensive device?

Battery life, and applications that don't play well with others are two of the primary reasons.

-wraith808 (October 13, 2011, 08:29 PM)

That may be a fair point if Apple didn't actually sell those products direct to the consumer - given they get 30% of every sale shouldn't they check apps play nice and work properly?

Other operating systems don't seem to take this approach AFAIK!!!

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Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 07:18 PM »

Yes but that would mean backing up all the data, reinstallling Windows, reinstalling all applications and restoring all the data. Not something I really want to contemplate.

A repair install is done using Windows 7 installation media and using the Upgrade option. The problem is that unless you have Windows installation media from HP which doesn't require a license key you have to use a commercial copy that does require a license and activation. I have had bad experiences using the license key on the label stuck to the box - they only seem to work about 50% of the time and if it fails HP will say do an install from their backup media and MS will say talk to HP! Either way it would be a real PITA

Even if the license key is accepted and the repair install works you then have to reinstall all windows updates which is a pretty long job and some applications may need to be reactivated which means contacting software vendors if the activation is not successful automatically - that can take days. This is an essential office machine that is used all day everyday - it can't be out of action waiting for companies to respond to emails.

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Living Room / Re: Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 07:11 PM »

well a netbook is not a mobile device

-lotusrootstarch (October 13, 2011, 07:04 PM)

Scratches head? Odd I almost never use my netbook in my house - I must be doing something wrong?

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Living Room / Re: Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 06:57 PM »

Really I get about 6 hours out of my Samsung netbook running multiple windows tasks with screen at 100% and with 2Gb memory, Windows 7 Pro and a full install of MS Office 2010 Pro.

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Living Room / Re: Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 06:49 PM »

OK so I am confused what is the difference between background tasking and multitasking? On that basis music playing while you do something else is also a background task.

Given that a human can only physically do one thing at a time but the computer can juggle a number of things what would you consider multitasking?

Apple obviously doesn't know either because they seem to see it the same way that I see it and suggest the iPad can't actually multitask (even though they use iSpeak to suggest it does in a very limited way) - it just suspends things when you do something else, apart from special cases like music playing, and allow immediate relaunch when you need them.

Here is Apple's explanation: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4211

The key iSpeak to me is:

Most applications are not taking up system resources when running in the background and instantly launch when you return to them.

How can a 'multitasking' application use no resources? Ridiculous!

Basically Apple took a hammering when the original iPad launched and everyone tittered when they said there was no multitasking. In typical Apple manner they now say iOS supports multitasking and then, for anyone who can be bothered to try and find out what that means, they say 'multitasking' just means suspend and resume as required! Doubtless they will patent that concept and insist that all computers adopt that approach for a fee.

Note it doesn't mention email collection in the background only GPS, music and Skype incoming call alerts.

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Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 06:37 PM »

How can I reapply TrustedInstaller ownership if I take ownership?

-Carol Haynes (October 13, 2011, 05:55 PM)

I answered that a few posts above.

-Stoic Joker (October 13, 2011, 06:28 PM)

Sorry I missed it because it looked like a quote. Mea culpa - but that is a really useful bit of info thanks!

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Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 05:55 PM »

A repair install; isn't really an option as it is a preinstalled HP installation without disks and I am not 100% sure the license key on the box will work! I don't want to try a repair install from another DVD only to find the license won't work or activation fails!

I can't add folders to Winsxs even with admin permissions - I just get access denied.

How can I reapply TrustedInstaller ownership if I take ownership?

Better does anyone know how to reapply the standard security template to the Windows folder tree if I bugger about - I used to be able to do this to WinXP but I have never done it to Win7 x64 and Microsoft's Support site is now worse than useless - almost all the KB results you get take you to irrelevant community posts.

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Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 02:52 PM »

Actually I am trying to install SP1 and it is failing with an error. The system used to have an nVidia graphics card and it was swapped for an AMD/ATI card to allow 3 monitors.

The change really got screwed up as the drivers got into an infinite circle or errors and blue screens. The solution I used was to use DriverSweeper to remove the older drivers and start from clean.

Unfortunately DriverSweeper also removed the packaged drivers from MS for ATI and nVidia and SP 1 now wnon't install because preinstalled drivers are missing (even thoigh they aren't being used). This is a known issue with older versions of DriverSweeper.

There is a tool from MS to try and fix this sort of problem but it doesn't work.

The solution is to put the driver packages back and I need access to the winsxs and FileRepository folders.

Unfortunately disabling UAC and granting full access to the user doesn't get round the Access Denied error.

I can take ownership of the folders but the problem arises when I want to revert the ownership to the correct user. Winsxs is owned by "TrustedInstaller" which you can't return ownsership to (the user isn't recognised by the user/group check tool and so you can't assign ownership back). FileRepository seems to belong to "SYSTEM" which isn't a problem as you can return ownership to SYSTEM.

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Living Room / Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 12:46 PM »

I need to replace corrupted/missing files and folders in Windows 7 64-bit. (A heavy cleanup deleted some stuff that stops SP1 installing).

The path I need to copy into is:

C:\Windows\System32

I have turned off UAC and still get access denied errors (even though the account is in the admin group, and the files/folders are not in use because they don't actually exist).

The problem I have is that I don't want to change the ownership on the folder because it is currently owned by TrustedInstaller and I am not sure how to reinstate the correct permissions after the files are copied.

What I have read suggest I should use the following to gain access from an elevated CMD prompt

takeown /f C:\Windows\System32
icacls C:\Windows\System32 /grant username:F

but that will leave the wrong owner on the whole of System32 which isn't a good idea.

Any ideas how to do this correctly and have the correct permissions afterwards?

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Living Room / Re: Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 12:37 PM »

Example - I get lots of emails so open email app to download latest bunch of crap and then go and do something else while I am waiting - like surf the internet or read a book .....

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Living Room / Re: Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 09:05 AM »

Your eyes?  I do extended reading all the time, and it's fine for me...

-wraith808 (October 13, 2011, 06:15 AM)

Commenting on an earlier comment - I don't believe in eReaders of any type - I like proper books.

The only thing I would convert to eReaders for a time limited dsiposable books such as computer manuals etc. Trouble is this is the one area that all eReaders really stink at becaus the books aren't produced electronically to the same standards and a lots of books that come with CD utilities don't have them included in the eBooks - plus they cost as much as (or on occasions even more than) the hardcopy which is far more convenient to read and scribble on!

What do you mean by multitask?

-wraith808 (October 13, 2011, 06:15 AM)

Actually doing more than one thing at a time (not just allowing you to swap between tasks but have background tasks dormant).

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Living Room / Re: Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 13, 2011, 04:06 AM »

So if I understand correctly 90+% of what people do with these toys is surf the net and check email!

They are too hard on the eyes for extended reading of eBooks (one of the reasons I have heard people say they buy them).

You can listen to music - but you can that on so many devices (I do on my blackberry).

Email attachment handiling is seriously broken

They can't multitask.

Expensive device and locked in infrastructure.

I can understand the form factor - but sure they there must be cheaper and more flexible options with a similar form factor. What would possess anyone to choose the iPad in preference?

Apple UK Store: 16Gb iPad2 WiFi only = £400

Samsung Netbook: 1Gb memory, 250Gb space and 10 inch screen = £250. Windows 7.
Asus EeePC = £250 (similar spec to Samsung)

Apart from a minor weight improvement and an annoying touch screen why would you spend £150 extra on a device that can only do 5-10% of what you can do on a much more capable netbook.

Sorry I really don't understand the logic?

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Living Room / Anyone got an iPad and like it?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 12, 2011, 06:33 PM »

I have looked at iPads with scepticism since they first appeared but someone called me this morning asking for help with their iPad 2 which had just frozen until the battery went flat over night.

We got it going again easily enough but having played with it for 5 minutes I was ready to throw it through the window.

What a piece of crap - the first thing I found was that a family member had sent her an attachment. There is no way to open attachments that aren't 'approved' by Apple, in this case it was a document that had been formatted as a Kindle eBook (it wasn't from the Kindle store and wasn't copy protected). She has Kindle installed but still couldn't open it (just got an error).

Worse there was no way to save the attachment and use Kindle to open it. You can't save attachments (or at least neither of us could find a way to do so).

Having done some research if you can open an attachment you can read it and that's it. If someone sends you a document that needs updating there doesn't seem to be any way to edit the thing and attach it to a reply.

What is the point of this device? Is it really just a sill expensive toy or have I totally missed the point.

Apart from idiots with more money than sense who buys these things?

If I am wrong can someone put me straight please ...

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Living Room / Re: Steve Jobs is dead.

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 12, 2011, 06:12 PM »

That's assuming the vertical orientation is correct ...

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Living Room / Re: New AMD 8 core processors released

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 12, 2011, 01:10 PM »

I guess this is going to be a stepping stone release and AMD was going for the 'first 8 core processor' tag.

They are going to be releasing 4.3Ghz chips soon (but haven't yet) so maybe a 30% increase in current clock speeds will prove the concept.

Personally I think the Bulldozer II will iron out some of the kinks.

It has to be said at least AMD are being innovative in its designs.

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Living Room / New AMD 8 core processors released

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 12, 2011, 11:20 AM »

See http://www.v3.co.uk/...uilt-bulldozer-cores

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General Software Discussion / Re: Multiple printer defs under W7. Anyone have the key to this?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 11, 2011, 06:33 PM »

HP doesn't even develop drivers anymore (quote form an HP rep) they just let the Uni-Monster auto-configure itself to whatever is needed for the latest devices (a bit scary me thinks).

-Stoic Joker (October 11, 2011, 05:05 PM)

That really does account for a lot of issues you see with HP ATCW (Almost Totally CrapWare) drivers. It also accounts for why almost any model in their range seems to suffer from the same software issues.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Multiple printer defs under W7. Anyone have the key to this?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 11, 2011, 04:05 AM »

Is it a wrieless printer or are you connecting with a USB cable?

If it is a USB cable have you tried clicking Add a new printer and adding a new copy of that printer?

Not sure how you can do that with a network printer (Windows seems to just recognise that it is the same printer).

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Living Room / Re: Steve Jobs is dead.

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 11, 2011, 02:53 AM »

Obviously we are heading for Apple's version of the Rapture ... when all Apple device will be fused to their owners and a mere twitch of an eyelash will inform all of your friends of your exact location and which app they should buy next off the app store ...

Oh no - South Park is coming true ...

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Developer's Corner / Re: Windows 8 from a Developer's Perspective Post-BUILD

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 11, 2011, 02:47 AM »

Sorry - it is what comes of having a butterfly mind ...

I'll shut up now and let you get back to discussing on-topic!

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Developer's Corner / Re: Windows 8 from a Developer's Perspective Post-BUILD

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 10, 2011, 05:47 PM »

There was an article I read today about the German government/law enforcement deliberately infecting computers in Germany to monitor what they were up to!

See

http://www.v3.co.uk/...ealing-trojan-german

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Developer's Corner / Re: Windows 8 from a Developer's Perspective Post-BUILD

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 10, 2011, 04:00 PM »

If PC hardware gets locked to MS products there will be massive protests and regulatory intervention - particularly in Europe. If that happens I wouldn't be surprised if the EU competition commission didn't mandate that EU governments are not allowed to use Windows and force the use of open source OS and applications on government systems, a bit like some US states are already trying to do. Anti-competitive won't be the word used by then it will be pure monopolistic behaviour and if the hardware manufacturers collude it will breed huge class actions against an open and notorious cartel.