All i have on my map atm is just Blocks, i havent set any of them to func_wall, because well... they are walls and need to block light...

Blocks.. thats all i have... Blocks....

Use the squared brackets keys to change the grid size in Hammer.

Compile times are proportional to your system specs (CPU and RAM anyway), what machine are you compiling on? Adding more RAM especially, unless you have loads already, will make a huge difference.

What's taking the time, VIS or RAD?

VIS processing time can be improved by a number of things, including limiting the amount of space the engine can see at any point (which is the whole idea of VIS); tidying up the brushwork so, for example, brushes are flush against each other whenever they're not seen by the player (e.g. having the outside of the map a perfect six sided cuboid helps a lot, although it's not easy!) and definitely don't overlap; not having too much unnecessary detail; and always keeping in mind what Sub said about brushes that touch splitting faces.

RAD depends on how complicated your lighting is, especially when you start to use dynamic lights. One thing that really eats into RAD time is brush based entities (func_anythings) that are set to appear opaque, but I don't know if you've played around with that at all yet

Right....

I have just started again from scratch....

I have made a 8 sided 'Block' which my map is gonna be inside, the walls are 64 thick and are all flush against each other - there are no gaps.

next i put in a few blocks here n there, i moved each of them 1 pixel away from sides, and anything alse they may be touching.

i have a info_player_start, a info_player_deathmatch(Dont know what this is) and i have 8 standard light entities and that is all..

when i compile the map, because i have started over again, it aint taking as long but it is still a little slow, so by the time i start entering loads of other crap i guess i'm gonna be waiting for hours !!

The thing which takes time is RAD.

Advent 7012 Laptop
My comp = P4 2600mhz
752 Mb Ram
64mb onboard SIS 650

also the 1 pixel gap.... when running around map i can see right thru, and shoot thru it!!, thats never right... surely??

Thanks for your help by the way, much appreciated