The Original

Since Reboot hasn't been on Plime in almost 3 months....

I have a more appropriate use of this thread. Recently my colleagues bought these flash drives. The files show up on them, but the file names sometimes are garbled and others don't open. I'm assuming they are just crappy drives, but an older lady I work for claims its a virus (she claims that everything is a virus. She once sent some students an inappropriate file and still claimed it was a virus).

Could reformatting help the drives work better?

and

Sometimes the .doc files are saved onto the drives as .docm files. Not sure why it does this, but could it just be because they are wonky and cheap Chinese drives?

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fileextensions/f/docmfile.htm

Looks like it has something to do with your enabling your macros.

Go here: and pick the file converter download.

I will be getting an ipod touch for xmas but there are one or two things I can't find out about it.


1. 32gb and 64gb come with a pair of earphones with mic attached. Anyone got any idea why I would need a mic?

2. The earphones that come with it are the wrong kind for my ear, I prefer the true in the ear ones with the squishy bit. I have a pair of Sennheiser which cost me about £60. Will I be able to use these with an ipod touch 32gb?

1. There is a "record a voice memo" thing on the iPod. That's what the mic is for.



2. Any standard headphones with a 3.5mm jack will work.

I'm looking for a new graphics card for my Medion MD 8800 computer.
I came up with a second hand Nvidia Geforce 8600 GT card(256MB). And it seems like my pc would be able to handle it since it has PCI-E slots and enough power (I have 400W it needs 350W) but one thing has got me confused.

The graphics card uses directX 10, but sine I'm running windows XP on my computer, I can only have dirextx 9 installed. So will the graphics card be compatible with my computer?

It will be compatible. What it means is that the graphics card can support up to DirectX 10 instructions. Windows XP can only support up to DirectX 9. So, that means that you just won't be able to play DirectX 10 games on your computer. But if you don't have any of those anyway, you won't notice a problem at all. It just will have a few extra features that you can't take advantage of without an operating system upgrade.

Thanks, that makes sense.

This is for the Biological Scientist...


I'm helping my son with a homework project and we have to relate the parts of a plant cell to things you'd find in a resort.

For example, the cell wall is like the privacy fence...the Chloroplasts are like the solar energy cells that run the resort..

Anyway - we're having problems with what to do for the Mitochondria.

Can any science geek help???

They're like the power house, the battery of a cell. So a generator, a boiler room, something like that?

Thanks. I'll go with that....

When I'm done, I'll upload our project so you can see it.

I need a computer......


I will be getting a grant to buy a new computer through University and they have some specifications.


1. Must run Windows
2. Must not be a refurb or self built pc
3. Must from from a recognised High street retailer
(I am assuming that online purchases must be ok as long as it isn't from Bob's Pcs which is run from some guys bedroom)

Here comes the fun bit. I want to put the computer in my bedroom and link it to the big TV so I can use it to watch movies in bed.

I also want to play games on it so need a fairly good spec.

I do not understand graphics cards at all, back when I was a lad the higher the number the better the card but nowadays if you stick a couple of letters on the end it radically reduces the performance.

I am only getting £400 max to play with but out of this £400 I am only allowed to buy a computer; no add-ons such as graphics cards or extra memory etc.

I and pulling out what little hair I have because most of the major pc suppliers are boasting huge Hds and tons of ram but really skimping on the graphics cards.


Anyone know of a good pc with good graphics capabilities which is under £400?

My PS2 Port failed, so I bought a Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000 USB Keyboard. Plugged it in and Windows 2000 detected like 4 USB devices one after the other, I did not read any of them...I figured it was just installing. Then it said it needed a reboot. So fine, reboot. Get to the login screen to enter the password and nothing, No key press responds at all. Num lock light is locked on. Restart the PC, keyboard works fine in the BIOS. It just fails once I get to the login screen. I tried all the USB ports with the same result. I turned on the USB Legacy Keyboard support in the BIOS - then the keyboard only works in the BIOS - it fails at the DOS Screen OS selection screen for Ubuntu / Windows...but once the timeout for Ubuntu is reached, it works fine,

I am currently using the keyboard fine with Ubuntu so I know the hardware works. I would just stick with Ubuntu but it does not support my outdated Unichrome video.

So...how to get Windows 2000 to recognize the keyboard? Remember that I cannot access the OS at all because I cannot type in a password, nor can I use a PS2 keyboard because the port has failed.

EDIT TO ADD: I tried to login to Safe Mode and the system Blue Screens with "Attempt to write to read only memory"

There may be an option in your BIOS to have a USB keyboard controlled by either the OS or BIOS, if you change it to BIOS it may solve your problem.


I've also had problems with my keyboard (microsoft wireless laser 6000) conflicting with my webcam. if I unplug the keyboard and plug it back in on the login screen, it works correctly.


HTH

You are going to have to get to the OS somehow - not really possible without that.

What you might need to do is buy a crappy $5 keyboard from somewhere with a no questions asked returns policy* and use that to get in.

Once in, I think you need to install drivers for the keyboard:



That might do it.


*NB, buying a keyboard with the express intention of using it once and then returning it to the store for a refund is dishonest and I would obviously never recommend it.

What is the deal with Ipod Touch and skype? I have been researching media devices and this issue is the deal breaker for me.

Does it work?

Also, (possibly the wrong thread for this) will it help me get the chicks?

Depends if they're the kind of chicks you need to phone and negotiate a deal with...

I'll ask a question in return - as you need as a prerequisite a wifi connection doesn't that render the whole phone aspect of the ipod pretty much redundant?

Unless of course you're living in an area that has free city-wide wifi.

I am on Comcast and am about to climb a water tower due to problems connecting to various websites.

I am constantly unable to connect to various sites. Which sites I am unable to reach vary from time to time.

Most of the sites will eventually be reachable sometimes in a day or two sometimes others will be unreachable for much longer. When the site becomes reachable another site that I was previously able to reach becomes unreachable

There doesn't seem to be any pattern to which sites are blocked. I am able to access them through a proxy.

I am at a small office where no one would or even know how to set up filtering software at the router level

I have the problem with the default DNS and with Open DNS

There are also a number of sites such as megaupload and the like that I can access but 90% can not finish a download. This aspect has been permanent and going through a proxy usually won't help as the sites don't allow proxies

Can you unplug the modem, wait 30 seconds and plug it back in? I get that at home occasionally and that usually fixes it.

or try going to and rebooting the modem that way...

No. I can't afford to be a iPhone AT&T slave. I just want a good music player that also happens to have skype because I have procured quite a few international contacts (quite a few ladies). Calling them from a coffee shop with an ipod seems appealing to me. Plus, I have an international skype plan, so THey can call me with free call forwarding and I can just call back with my (I hope its true) ipod touch.

I heard that some people have used skype on their ipod touches, but I haven't seen too many people actually prove that it truely does work besides skype instant messaging.