Computer Help

[pintsofguinness]

Check Temporary Internet Files folders, there are usually a few of those folders and also check wherever your temporary directory is, usually c:\temp or c:\tmp or something like that

Make sure when you are searching that you are searching for hidden and system files as well - if not sure open up my computer, go to 'tools' then 'folder options', click on view tab, scroll down and select 'show hidden files and folders' and also 'hide protected operating system files' - you can just reverse that afterwards

Thank you! Sorted.

[mylestheslasher]

Have a printer problem, driving me bananas now! I had 2 HP printers installed on my laptop but both have completely disappeared, when I go to add printer this message pops up, "windows cannot open add printer, the local print spooler service is not running. Please restart the spooler or restart the machine." what the hell does that mean? I've restarted peinter and computer but makes no difference.

Try and download the drivers from the net, install them and plug in your printer. Ignore the add printer thing. Possibly it won't work but at least rule it out 1st.

After that try this.

Right click on My Computer, go to manage, down left hand side click on services. Now scroll down till you find Print Spooler. Double click and select start if it is not on.

[Duine Eile]

I tried downloading the drivers before but that didn't work.   Found print spooler in My Computer and clicked start but get the message  "windows could not start the Spooler service on local computer. Error 1053:The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion." Any other suggestions, I'm tearing my hair out here!



Edit: was messing with command prompts and something seems to have worked, hopefully that'll solve my problem. Thanks for your help Myles!

[ardmhachaabu]

Duine Eile, assuming you are running windows xp, try using a known good system restore point

If that problem continues, potentially you are looking at a hardware error, it would be hard to pin-point what's wrong unless you start replacing components until something actually fails and then it's a lot easier.  If you have any spare compatible RAM for the machine, I would try replacing the RAM first as bad RAM can do weird things

[Duine Eile]

No using Vista. Got a new laptop a while back and the printers were working fine but just disappeared off it. Seems to be working ok for now anyway so hopefully that's the end of it.

[BenDover]

The mother in law to be has an "old" computer and has just got talktalk broadband into the house but the modem they sent doesn't fit into the back of the PC tower. Are you able to get modem's that have mix and match ends i.e. one with the broadband connection and the other with dial-up (i'm not sure if this is right)? Or is the computer that old its no longer any good?

[Mhic Easmuint]

The computer needs an ethernet port I imagine.
You can get a usb ethernet adaptor which would probably do the job. 

Something like: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=46792
Or
http://www.dabs.com/products/startech-com-usb-to-ethernet-network-adapte-5JSH.html?q=usb%20ethernet%20adaptor

[Sandy Hill]

Sometimes (quite often) when I'm playing a Youtube video it starts and stops; anyone help?

[Mhic Easmuint]

It's just simply not downloading quick enough.  Are you watching it at the lowest quality.
Is your broadband connection slow?

[ardmhachaabu]

Sometimes (quite often) when I'm playing a Youtube video it starts and stops; anyone help?

http://download.cnet.com/YouTube-Downloader/3000-2071_4-10647340.html

[Sandy Hill]

Sometimes (quite often) when I'm playing a Youtube video it starts and stops; anyone help?

http://download.cnet.com/YouTube-Downloader/3000-2071_4-10647340.html

Thanks Ardmhachaabu; I downloaded this but the problem's still there!?

[ardmhachaabu]

There are too many things that it could be Sandy to say anything one way or the other.  It could be a piece of hardware malfunctioning - maybe the RAM, maybe the soundcard, if you have onboard sound it could be the motherboard, it could be the hard drive.  On the other hand, it could be a software issue - you might have an old driver installed, windows may have spyware on it

There's definitely something going on with your system though if the software I gave the link to didn't solve the problem.  You did install it and download the youtube videos to your machine, right?

[Lar Naparka]

It's just simply not downloading quick enough.  Are you watching it at the lowest quality.
Is your broadband connection slow?

I too think that this could well be the problem. To see if it is, Sandy might try playing a video from another site to see if the problem persists. It definitely sound like a buffering problem, doesn't it?

[Main Street]

For a general download speed test  you can check your general broadband speed on this site
http://www.speedtest.net/

Restarting the modem sometimes helps.

[ardmhachaabu]

It's just simply not downloading quick enough.  Are you watching it at the lowest quality.
Is your broadband connection slow?

I too think that this could well be the problem. To see if it is, Sandy might try playing a video from another site to see if the problem persists. It definitely sound like a buffering problem, doesn't it?

It's nothing to do with his connection if he installed the software I linked to.