peterh

1. Load up services.msc and stop the Automatic Updates service. 2. Delete everything in drive:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder 3. Restart Automatic updates service.

Try data recovery from http://tokiwa.qee.jp/EN/dr.html

Login as administrator, then take ownership of the old profile directory. Make a copy of the entire directory someplace else eg a seperate disk or USB drive or something. If the user had logged in again, it may have a new name e.g. Username.001 or something, back that up as well Delete the old profile(s), get the user to login again so it will create a fresh profile. Logout and login as administrator, and then copy the documents, desktop items, email and favourites to the new profile.

Goto this site and click on Check system requirements to test your PC: http://thesims2.co.uk/products.view.asp?id=38

I would check the following settings in the web interface: 1. Network 1a. Workgroup/Domain. Make sure the Workgroup name (not a domain) matches the one configured on your PC. On XP, it defaults to XPHOME, on Buffalo it may be WORKGROUP! 1b. Check authentication matches your Workgroup setup (I cannot read settings from manual) 2. Disk Management. 2a. Run a Disk Check on disks to ensure they are ok. 3. Shared Folders. 3a.Make sure a share called 'Share' is set up otherwise you need to configure it again. 3b. In the permissions, make sure all the relevant users have rights to access the share(s). 4. User Management. 4a. There are two users will access by default but you may have added new users. Check them here and if password is wrong, change it here. Make sure users have rights to the share (see above).

Run DXDIAG and Save the information to a file and upload contents here so we can determinie if your PC can play the Sims 2 (otherwise I would stick with Sims 1)

You need either: 1. A discreet graphics card such as ATI or Nvidea card that supports DX 9 functionality. 2. A new laptop with a new graphics chipset e.g. Intel 9xx series or ATI or NVidea 3. Play Sims Deluxe instead of Sims 2 4. On use the tips above by playing the game in a window using the -w option in the shortcut.

TRy this driver: http://www.softwarepatch.com/utilities/intel-high-definition-hd-driver.html

1. Make sure 'Fast Save is turned off' (although this is mutual exclusive with backup files option) 2. A backup copy is only made when you modify a file and it will save it in the same location as the original document e.g Backup of file.wbk (it basically copies the existing file, and saves the new changes in the doc file) Try turning off the backup option, click apply, and ok. Then open tools, options, turn on the backup option, click apply and ok.

Ik, what graphics card do you have installed? You missed that off your hardware list above?

Ok. Have you installed DirectX 9.0c yet? Have you updated the drivers for your graphics card or chipset? What graphics card do you have? See Dxdiag or Device Manager to find out. Have you run DXDIAG tool?

You have two choices: 1. Upgrade to Windows XP or Vista. 2. Return software and get an older version such as Corel Draw X3 which is w2k compatible: http://www.softwareselect.co.uk/

First place to look is Device Manager (start, run, devmgmt.msc) and see if you get exclamation marks next to any USB devices esp. the Controller or USB Hubs. If you have one then you need to reinstall drivers again for your USB ports using drivers for the motherboard for your PC.

It is -nothing- to do with XP or Vista unless you want to use its built in paint program ie MSPaint. Photo Editor can tile pictures using Window menu, Tile horizontal/vertical. Also try Photo Filtre can open multiple files at once and tile photos (see Window menu). It can open different file types. http://photofiltre.free.fr/download_en.htm

Try driverguide for drivers (you can use XP drivers): http://members.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php?driverid=709382

Personally I would replace it with a discreet graphics card as the trident is right at the bottom of the barrel in terms of performance/resolution. See DriverGuide for new drivers: http://members.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php?driverid=55433

What settings for PATA/SATA drives in the BIOS do you have, have you tried changing some of the settings: http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/10/23...harddisk-drive/

Does it boot up ok? Do you get the login prompt? Maybe its just a password problem rather than a boot problem.

Login with local administrator password and change the <B>Logon to</B> to the computer's name. Open the System Control panel, click on Change and change it from a Domain to a Workgroup and enter a workgroup name.

Check out solutions here: http://www.pcguru.plus.com/vistafaq/networking.html

TRy running SFC /Scannow to find and fix system files including IE7 which is built into Windows Vista.

Boot off the XP CD and run a chkdsk C: to fix any filesystem problems. You can copy NTLDR to C:\ drive from the i386 folder from the XP CD.

Try downgrading the drivers to v61.76 for your PC to work with the Sims: http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=49796

Ignore it, the think with cached items is that they can be refreshed or replaced later on. If your programs work ok, then I would leave them alone.

Which version of Windows are you running? If Vista, then you need to allow Print Sharing in the Network and Sharing Center. If you have firewall enabled, then you need to allow File and Print Sharing in the Firewall Exceptions list as well.