If you have an HP computer (or perhaps even another brand) with a copy of Windows Vista that suddenly tells you that it’s not genuine you might be pleased to hear that your issue may be resolved with a simple hotfix from Microsoft.

From the Microsoft Website:

This problem may occur because a specific system setting is removed when a program runs with administrative credentials. The removal of this system setting may cause a BIOS validation check to fail. The BIOS validation check is part of the system activation process. Therefore, you may be prompted to activate Windows Vista, even though the system did not previously require activation. For example, this problem is known to occur when you use Intuit QuickBooks 2007. However, this problem may also infrequently occur when you install other programs or device drivers.

You can find the hotfix at this page. Also make sure that you’re running the latest Service Pack (which at the time of this writing is Service Pack 1).

Cheers! As always let me know how it goes in the comments section!

This error message could be caused by a few different things. From an online forums post by “Blackknight-UK“:

Follow the steps below to troubleshoot if the word PROTECT or PROTECTOR is flashing on the A/V receivers display.

1. Check the speaker wires and speakers for proper connections.
2. Reduce the volume level. IMPORTANT: If the receiver is played back at maximum volume level it may enter the protect mode. Maximum volume listening will cause the receiver to run very hot and may drain the output capacitors.
3. Disable the surround sound option if both the A and B speakers are being used simultaneously.
4. Ensure the top of the receiver has proper ventilation to keep it from overheating.
5. If the message only occurs when using a DVD player, the sampling frequency may be set too high. IMPORTANT: Some receivers provide compatibility with the higher sampling frequencies through alternate connections. Consult the owners manual for specific information.
6. Unplug the AC power cord for about 1 to 2 hours to reset the output transformers.

Thanks blackknight!

You’re using your shiny Apple iMac or MacBook and you go to check on your. You click on the Mail icon and low and behold the thing freezes and doesn’t respond. What to do?

Well there are a few things you can do to fix this problem.

Run Apple Update and Restart your computer.

The issue could have already been fixed by Apple with an update or just may need a simple reboot. Try these steps first. You never know when they’ll work and save you hours of headache. Try these steps first for all computer problems.

Your Mail preferences file may have become corrupted.

The Mail preferences file stores- well, your preferences! It’s probably the first file that Apple Mail loads when it starts up and if somethings gone wrong with that file (corruption and so on) the Mail application will just freeze. The easy way to fix this issue is to simply delete the Mail preferences file. This will delete some simple settings but will leave your email intact.

Here’s how to delete the preferences file for Apple Mail:

1. Restart your computer and DO NOT open Mail.
2. Open a Finder Window.
3. Select your User Name folder.
4. Select the Library folder and then the Preferences folder.
5. Find, in the list that appears, com.apple.mail.plist. Drag it to the trash.
6. Open Mail. It should now load.

Hopefully now your Mail app will stop freezing. However if the above didn’t solve your problem read on.

There may be a “corrupted” message on the server.

There may be a “corrupted” message that’s giving Mail pause. Mail tries to either download or open this email and freezes up because it doesn’t know what to do with it. What you need to do is open your email account through a web-based email client. For example if your email comes through a .Mac account you can login here: www.mac.com.

If your email comes through your Internet Service Provider you can try calling their technical support line and asking them to flush the emails waiting on the server. While this will make you lose all of the emails you have not read yet the faster you do this the less emails you’ll lose.

You can also try downloading and setting up your account in another email client such as Thunderbird. Thunderbird is the same thing as Mail only by a different company. It may be able to download the corrupted messages so Mail doesn’t have to.

Looking for Comstar Technical Support? Perhaps because your external hard drive has bit the bullet? You can contact Comstar through the following ways:

Website: http://samtack.com/comstar/

Technical Support (Canada - English): 1-800-255-8048   stsupport@samtack.com

Technical Support (Canada - French): 1-800-541-2799   soutien@samtack.com

Technical Support (U.S.A): (626) 810-2833   jimmy_lee@samtack.com

Unfortunately their website is very sparse and it might be best to simply return to where you bought your Comstar product if you encounter any problems.

Today HP announced a recall of some of the batteries used in their laptops. The affected batteries could pose a fire hazard. Obviously this means that if you’re the owner of one of the affected laptops you should probably change the battery out. And if you’re a technician please check your customers batteries if they bring in an HP Laptop.

These are the affected models:

Keep in mind that not all of the listed laptop models will have defective batteries and you should verify your batteries serial number before you request a replacement from HP. You can verify your laptop here: Verify your HP Battery.

Having problems with your computer? Simply scan your computer for free to identify problem areas and solutions. Click here to start a free scan.

Lauren Writes:

I just bought a new HP printer and installed it using the disc that came in the box. The problem is that every time I turn off or restart the printer it disappears! This is very annoying, what do I do? I called HP and they said it was a problem with Vista and want me to erase everything and reinstall. I really don’t want to do that.

This is an annoying problem indeed. It’s also one that I’ve run into before. Fortunately there is an easy fix.

How to make your HP Printer Stop Disappearing

This problem is caused by a program that HP installs in your computer when you first installed the printer. The program is called “HP CUE DeviceDiscovery Service”. From the name I assume that it’s in charge of detecting HP devices connected to your computer. Unfortunately in some cases it fails to do its job and your devices remain undetected. Bummer.

To fix the problem simply disable HP CUE DeviceDiscovery Service. Follow these simple steps.

Click on Start.

In the Search field type in Services.msc then press Enter.

The Services Manager will open. Scroll down to where you see HP CUE DeviceDiscovery Service listed.

Right-click on HP CUE DeviceDiscovery Service and click Properties.

A Window will open. For Startup type select Disabled.

Click Apply then close the Window. Reboot your computer.

And your printer should be back!

Having problems with your computer? Simply scan your computer for free to identify problem areas and solutions. Click here to start a free scan.

I was recently asked to install a printer for someone. They had the CD, but I found out the DVD/CD player wasn’t responding. I looked in the device manager and noticed there wasn’t a DVD/CD listed. I tried the add new hardware but it said no new hardware found. It is a Presario F700 laptop with vista. They said the DVD/CD used to work. I’ve never came across this issue before. What is wrong and what should I do? Thanks for your time.

This is most likely caused by an upper/lower filter issue. Simply follow these steps and then reboot your computer.

1. Open RegEdit (Start>Run> Type “regedit”)
2. Navigate to “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}”
3. Delete the “UpperFilters” value.
4. Delete the “LowerFilters” value.
5. Restart the computer.
6. You might need to uninstall then reinstall any burning software you may have (Nero, iTunes, etc…) do this now.

Having problems with your computer? Simply scan your computer for free to identify problem areas and solutions. Click here to start a free scan.

Ive got the error “The specified I/O operation on \Device\Harddisk\DR0 was not completed before the time-out period expired.” when I plug in my external USB hard drive.

This error can be caused by the following:

Bad USB Port on Your Computer

Your computer may have a defective USB port. I’ve seen many people get this error when using their device either on their front USB port or on a USB Hub with many other USB devices. Simply try plugging in the drive into another USB port (preferably on the back side of your computer not the front) and see if that works.

You can also try plugging the hard drive (or whatever other device you’re having the problem with) into another computer.

Bad Enclosure on the Drive

If your problem is with an external hard drive then you may be the victim of a faulty enclosure (the case that houses the hard drive). In this case you need to either take the drive out and move it to another USB enclosure or make it a secondary internal drive in your computer.

Bad Operating System

Your error may be caused by a corrupted Operating System. The best way to find out if this is the case is to connect the drive to another computer. If it works then you know that it’s a problem with your computer, if it doesn’t then it’s a problem with the drive.

Bad Sectors on the Drive

And finally it could be bad sectors on the drive. To find out use a tool such as HD Tune to scan your hard drive (use the Full option). If you do find bad sectors you will usually need to use a Data Recovery tool to get your data back. After your data is safe try to replace the drive if it’s under warranty or throw it out if it’s not.

Having problems with your computer? Simply scan your computer for free to identify problem areas and solutions. Click here to start a free scan.

If anyone out there wishes to upgrade to Windows Vista 64-bit I’ve got some great news for you! Microsoft will ship you a copy of the 64-bit version of Vista for free!

From the Microsoft Site:

32-bit CD
If your system features a CD drive but no DVD drive, you can order Windows Vista on CD-ROM. The installation files span multiple discs, so unattended installations are not possible.

64-bit DVD
If your system features a 64-bit processor, you can take advantage of its advanced design by ordering 64-bit software media. You’ll get the same interface, features, and functions, but you’ll get them in an operating system that takes advantage of access to vastly more memory. All installation files are on a single disc. Please note that 64-bit media is included in the box with the purchase of Windows Vista Ultimate.

The 64-bit version of Windows Vista is not for everyone. Please confirm that your system, applications, and devices are compatible with a 64-bit edition of Windows Vista before installing.

There are some caveats of course:

1. You’ll need to already own a copy of the 32-bit version of Windows Vista.
2. You’ll need to pay shipping and handling for the disc.
3. You’ll need to fill out a form (for real.)

Simply head on over to the Windows Vista Alternate Media site and enter your product key to get started.

Having problems with your computer? Simply scan your computer for free to identify problem areas and solutions. Click here to start a free scan.

How do you revert an NTFS partition to a FAT32 partition in windows XP (SP2)… Can you only use WinXP or do you need an external software?

Yes you can convert NTFS to FAT32. But before I tell you how I need to ask: Why?

NTFS is the much better file system. Here are some superior features it has over FAT32:

• FAT32 can only support file sizes up to 4GB while NTFS can go above and beyond.
• NTFS drives are far less likely to develop errors then FAT32 drives.
• NTFS supports cluster remapping for bad sectors allowing the Operating System to “mark” bad sectors off limits. This increases the usable lifespan of a Hard Drive.

But if you’re sure you want to convert back to FAT32 read on.

Unfortunately there are really only two ways. You cannot just use Windows XP to convert back to FAT32 like you could to convert to NTFS. Here’s how:

1. Reformat your computer (saving your data) and reinstall Windows XP using a FAT32 file system.
2. Or use a product such as Partition Magic from Symantec to convert your existing NTFS installation to FAT32.

Whichever option you choose you’ll want to backup your data. Option 1 will erase your data for sure while Option 2 is a dangerous process so backing everything up is a wise move.

Having other problems with your computer? Simply scan your computer for free to identify problem areas. Click here to start a free scan.