The Digital Surgery (computer questions/problems here)

[hhinner]

hhf - if you're running Windows you can easily find the address of your router. Open a command window and type ipconfig. Then look in the output for Wireless LAN adapter. One of the details will be Default Gateway address - that should be the address of your wifi router. Hope this helps.

[Terry]

Question from a pc dimwit.

I have already established that my youngest sons laptop can be upgraded from 32 to 64 bit processor.

Question
Can this be done in Hua Hin?
If so where and approx cost ?
PC details below

Many thanks

[buksida]

Upgrading the CPU on a laptop is not worth the hassle, you wont notice much difference unless you're doing real heavy computing.

From the screen shot it seems you already have a 64bit processor so just need to upgrade the OS. This involves a complete format and re-install (to be done cleanly), any shop in town will do it but make sure you BACKUP anything you want to keep as they'll wipe the lot.

[Pleng]

Laptops cannot have their processor upgraded.

I believe that "64-bit capable" means that the currently installed processor is capable of running a 64-bit OS (ie - it's already a 64 bit processor), which means that it can address more RAM than 4Gb (Well more than 3.75, or 3.5 depending on your hardware configuration).

Unless you need more RAM than 4Gb, there's no point in reinstalling the current OS with a 64 bit OS.

[J.J.B.]

Hi Terry,

From what I understand, your son's machine is already 64-bit capable, which means it already has all of the necessary hardware and doesn't need to have anything physically added to it or changed. What you will need to do, however, is change the operating system to a 64-bit version. I don't know about Windows 8 but in Windows 7 you could choose to install either a 32-bit or a 64-bit version. I don't think there was any price difference although don't think 64-bit was available in the Home Edition. So, if you obtain a copy of Windows 7 Professional 64-bit edition, it should be a simple case of installing that over the existing operating system. How it will affect other programs that are not capable of running in 64-bit mode I don't know but I'm sure the boffins at Microsoft have thought of that already...

In other news, I will be visiting the Lodge this weekend so hope to see you there if you're around.

[Terry]

Buksi, Pleng & J.J.B. - many thanks for your quick replies.

Had already assumed that a hardware upgrade (If needed) would not be worthwhile but if it's a simple OS re-installation then it seems ok.

Thanks for the advice chaps.

J.J.B. - I should be around this weekend - hope to see you there

[hhinner]

Hi Terry,

I reckon you need to decide if it's worthwhile to change from 32-bit to 64-bit, because it isn't all that effortless. You can't, as far as I know, upgrade from a 32-bit version of windows to a 64-bit version. You have to do a clean install. This means that at a minimum you will also need to reinstall all of your programs that you want to keep using. Google ”upgrade windows 32 to windows 64” for more help and info.

Cheers.

[Pleng]

As others have said, you cannot upgrade from a 32bit OS to a 64bit OS, you will need to wipe everything and start again.

The only benefit you will get from upgrading to a 64-bit OS will be being able to make the full use of your 4Gb of RAM. If you right click on 'my computer' and click on 'properties' from the menu that pops up you will see something like "Total RAM: 4Gb (3.xx useable)". On a 64 bit OS all 4Gb will be usable. There's no inherent speed increase simply by having a 64bit OS (in fact I believe there may even be a tiny overhead for all the 32bit compatibility bits) - though, of course, a fresh install always feels nice

[lomuamart]

I recently got a new computer that had "Download Manager" program installed.
I'm not used to this program and it occasionally pops up when downloading, asking me to verify my license or uninstall it.
It's a copy program so I can't verify and am reluctant to uninstall in case it messes up my downloads. 90% of the time, it dosn't appear and all my downloads go to the correct places.
Should I uninstall?

[buksida]

Uninstall it - you don't have to pay for download managers, this one works a charm ...
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... wnthemall/

[hhinner]

Might be worth running PC Decrapifier (or similar bloatware/crapware remover) on your new PC.

[PET]

I have just changed computers and now run Windows7 as against Windows XP - I did has a program that stopped all pop ups can someone please give me the web site ?

[Ginjaninja]

Pet,
check out this thread...
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=24501&hilit=adblock

I use AdBlock on Chrome with great results on all streaming site, results ----
Blocked ads:
1 on this page
81899 in total

Works great for me, thanks sandemb.

GN.

[dtaai-maai]

I belong to a work-related forum that sends me e-mail notification of replies to a thread I'm involved in.

That has worked fine for 6 years or so, but in the last couple of weeks, these important e-mails have been treated as spam by my software, in spite of the fact that there have been no changes of software or in my settings on that forum. I can't get into the habit of checking the spam folder for important, misdirected e-mails.

The e-mail address in question is gmail, with Thunderbird as the 'organiser'. Firefox browser.

I can't find an option to confirm that that e-mail source is genuine.

Any suggestions?

[buksida]

In TB open the junk folder, click the message it has falsely labelled as junk, and click "not junk" - it'll go back into your inbox (you may have to do this a couple of times before TB 'learns' that its not junk). You could also setup a filter in Tools > Message Filters to put anything from that specific email address into a folder you have created so they all go into one place and you know where they are.