Niggling Computer Problems

[Grecian]

Not wishing to hug all the attention in this section of the forum, as I have now decided to install extra RAM after receiving advice in my virtual memory thread, my computer has a couple of niggling problems that I would like to try and rectify before I carry out my upgrade.

I had to reformat my hardrive a while back, and since I carried out this operation I have a problem with my DVD drive and my keyboard. The DVD drive will play and burn CDs, and play DVDs, but will not burn DVDs. My keyboard has lost some characters, and some seem to have moved! For instance the @ sign is now on the number 2 key in shift, and I have lost the pound sign altogether.

I have paid to install ParetoLogic PC Health Advisor software to search for any missing drivers, and installed the ones they have come up with, but still have the problems with the DVD drive and keyboard.

Any ideas from you computer whizz kids out there?

[Quillan]

Best to give us the operating system name first so people can give a click by click solution.

The keyboard problem may be because you have accidently changed the keyboard country setting inside Windows. It may have defaulted to US English. Can you try the 'Shift' and 3, do you get a £ sign, if not what do you get?

 

[AnOther]

I think we know from the other thread that we are dealing with XP.

The default language for English versions of XP is 'English (United States)' but you can change that during the install so perhaps you missed it or didn't realise the need. Post install you can change it in the control Control Panel under Regional and Language Options. Under Language/Details you will have to add the English (UK) keyboard as only the USA one will be preset in the list.

XP does not do this natively support DVD burning so you will need 3rd party software for that.

[Grecian]

Gosh you people out there are really clever, I bow to your superior knowledge. Yep AnOther you were spot on, keyboard set to US English as opposed to UK English, I deleted the US English option, carried out a restart, and voila £££££££ signs everywhere!

Sorry Quillan forget to mention which operating system, but AnOther was quite correct in his assumption that it is XP.

AnOther have already downloaded DVD burning software, but the software does not recognise my blank DVD, even though the DVDs burn perfectly well in my laptop. I have seen something on the internet about uninstalling my IDEs and letting Windows reinstall them, but after my virtual memory episode I think I will leave well alone!

Many thanks for all your input.

[AnOther]

That's stuff from Windows foundation class [geek][:D]

If your DVD is being recognised by XP, i.e. showing up in explorer/you can play DVD's/your burning software recognises it, then it's quite possible that it just doesn't like the blank DVD's you have. It used to be quite a problem a few years ago.

You can uninstall the DVD drive in the Device Manager if you want to as Windows will find it again on a restart but if it is as above then it won't help.