I need some tech support for my computers.

My fossil computer still works but very slolwy.

Gateway running
XP 02 HE with Service Pack 3
CPU 2.00GHz
256 MB RAM

Right now I have an Acer laptop
dual core processor
2.16GHz, 667 MHz FSB 1MB L2 cache
3 GB DDR2
250 GB HDD

I don't know what any of that means but I'm sure some of you do. It means the laptop has saved me from going bald from ripping my hair out in frustration!

My issue. I want to transfer all my photos and receipt scans to the laptop. I bought an external drive for the PC but the computer is not recognizing it. What is the best way to go about transferring these files? I have over 11 gig of pics and receipt scans (not all MS photos, these span back years).

I have a wireless router so that both computers can run on the same connection, and my plan is to get all the pics off the desktop and then format it to attempt to get some better performance out of it. Right now it freezes up on Myspace, and thats basically all my boyfriend wants to do with it.

Any suggestions? I'm a computer dummy!

Lynlee

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Ok. Was there software that came with the external drive? If so, you may find you need to install it on both the desktop and the laptop so that both can detect the drive.

On the other hand, both machines are fairly new and may very well have autodetected the external drive. I assume the external drive goes through a USB connection. Sometimes it makes sense to boot the machine with the external drive turned on and in that process the machine will find it and once the boot process is finished a right click on the 'Start' button and going to explore you will be able to see the drive and copy/paste the files you want to move directly to the external drive.

I am not going to suggest trying to network the two machines across a wireless network. My kid got that working for me a couple of times, but once either machine was turned of it was gone. I dunno . . .

Another option is to move the files by thumb drive. I operate a 4GB thumb that is about $10 or less these days. I would copy the files to a new folder on the desktop and then cut and paste from that folder to the laptop to make sure I got everything.

But I do expect that your external drive came with software that needs to be installed on both machines.

First, I would give the gateway a boost. Replace the 256 meg strip with a 1 gig strip. On sale @ Staples this week for 54.99.

All external drives should recognise automatically. Try a different usb port. Check the bios to make sure your ports are turned on...

Shopping Bama and parts of Georgia.
I'm still learning 24/7.

So true on the memory. My eye just glanced down the specs and saw the 2.0 GHz so I assumed (foolish me) it was a newer machine. Not even sure how she is running XP with that little memory.

Makes me wonder if the machine is old enough it is a USB1 and the external drive a USB2.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2009 09:25PM by Flash.

Like I said, I'm not that computer literate so I don't even know where I would find those specs to know what I'm running. When I mentioned the external drive, it is just an external CD reader/writer. I'm trying to write my files to CD and then transfer to the laptop and it is not working. I did install the software for it on the desktop, specifically so I could install a couple programs. It worked fine to install, but won't let me write files to disk.

Thumb drive would probably be the easiest way to go.

Oh, mrcomputer- I know nothing about tearing the computer apart to replace anything; would Staples do that for me?

Lynlee

Hi lynlee,
Can you plz email me your whole problem and your requirements at shhntl123 at yahoo
My husband is a tech guy and he should find a solution for you

Staples will install the memory for you. Strange that gateway does not have a burner already. Staples can also convert your external burner to an internal one. Thumb drives are a cheap solution until you have other work done. Feel free to ask for further assistance. I am a Microsoft Registered Partner and have been a computer builder for 25+ years...

Shopping Bama and parts of Georgia.
I'm still learning 24/7.

Although the burner would probably work faster as an internal, I sure would not be in a big hurry to convert it to an internal. I keep an external floppy because new machines no longer have floppy drives and very occasionally I need to boot up an old one (and keep my fingers crossed the floppy has not deteriorated over time). With many of the new machines (such as the netbooks) not having an external CD, even loading programs must be done with an external drive.

Sorry I should have clarified. My Gateway did have a CD burner, but one day when I tried to push the button to open it, the button pushed all the way in and the drive became inaccessable. I bought the external reader/writer so I could install the Windows Mobile software for my phone (HTC Touch Pro which is now history).

I'm thinking thumb drives for now because the stuff I want to transfer is important things that I don't want to risk losing. My resume, scanned receipts and documents, and most importantly the pictures.

I own ferrets, a cat and a dog, plus my moms dog and I love to photograph them, also nature shots- sunsets, Lake Michigan. I probably have about 5000 pictures with less than 1000 backed up on snapfish and photobucket.

On that note let me make a quick pitch- anyone who has the time head over to rubberhedgehog com and vote on the photo contest for #40, my Princess. I did a mystery shop for a credit union inside a supermarket and saw her in the pet store and fell in love. #16, Loopy is my moms dog. A few years back one of my ferrets, Twinkles, won and her picture was made into a stamp, pretty neat.

Thank you to everyone for your helpfulness!!
Lynlee

oops, the contest is over, no need to vote. Feel free to check out all the adorable pics people entered though!

Lynlee

A tech support thread!! Yay.

This should be an easy one. New desktop, almost everything's hunky dory. Mystery Shop Forum won't log out. I click log out and it doesn't. Close the browser and log-off but the next log-in, then to MSF, it's where I left off with nothing reloaded. I browse on Firefox or when I have to, IE.

I never bother logging off. I do find that if I type in the MSF name it wants me to log in but if I use the little drop down 'suggestions' then it will open without log on. Works happily for me

I usually have to hit the refresh to see what has been posted since last visit.

Different users at my house, and my stuff is not privy to all. I log-off as a user. The laptop, which is 95% mine, logs off MSF. It's just the desktop and just MSF.

Different handling of computers. My desktop and laptop are mine. Significant other's desktop and laptop are his. Visiting children either bring their own or have their own logon to my desktop. A different set of fingers on the keyboard most often is a kid fixing something gone awry or testing for an anomaly I have found or downloading updates I have neglected to do.

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