SYSTEM FILES - Windows (corrupted)
Q. I have been having some difficulties with Windows and a friend suggested I may have a
corrupted system file. Is there a way to check this?
A. Yes. Windows can check this for you and if there is a missing or corrupted system file,
it will prompt you to replace it. Run "System File Checker" by clicking on
Start||Programs||Accessories||System tools||System Information and clicking on
"Tools" on the toolbar. Select "System File Checker". If you don't
know the damaged file you are looking for, enable the radio button
next to "Scan for altered files".
Index
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COOKIES
Q. I noticed a folder in Windows Explorer called
"Cookies" which contains dozens of files. Can you tell me what these are?
A. These are files created and stored by Windows when you go on the Internet. You will
notice they are all very small, so don't worry about them taking up space. They contain
key information on the sites you visit to speed up access when you revisit. You will
probably notice your second visit to a site is downloaded for viewing much faster than
your first visit. This is because your browser uses this stored information to connect
quicker. |
SLOW WORKING - PC
Q. I have noticed my PC seems to be getting slower. I notice this particularly when
opening programmes. Is it my imagination, or is there something wrong.
A. I covered this item many moons ago but since I have received two questions on the
subject this week, I'm sure it will help to answer it again. Given that there is nothing
wrong with your hardware, then there are several areas you need to be aware off. The most
common problem is a lack of disk space causing Windows to keep updating the SWAP file.
This is the means by which Windows manages the virtual memory by making access to your
favourite programmes easier. If the hard-drive is too full, space for this file can become
too small so Windows has to keep emptying data and replacing it with later information
causing things to run slower. It is a good idea to check on any old programmes you can get
rid of. Old files and folders are of less importance unless they happen to be colossal.
Image folders, for instance, can become very big indeed.
In these cases, I always recommend emptying the Cache - starting again
is not really so bad. To do this effectively you can download a simple
to use device called Cache Cleaner - what else! - from
www.yippee.net/html/win/utilities/title8688.htm. You can also clean up
your Registry by getting rid of the accumulated clutter from years of
installing and un-installing programmes. This can be done for you by
Microsoft's RegClean. Download it from
http://www.createwindow.com/wininfo/regclean.htm
When you have done all this, run Scandisk and then run Defrag. Right click "My
Computer" left click "Properties||Tools". Make sure you shut everything
down first, including your screensaver.
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LOW ON DISK SPACE (resources
warning)
Q. I run Windows 98 but my PC's pretty ancient and has only a 1GB hard drive. I keep
getting a message warning me that I am low on disk space. Is there any way I can stop this
as it is getting on my nerves?
A. Yes. Go to System Tools (Start||Programs||Accessories) and select "Disk
Cleanup". In the pop-up window select the drive and click OK. When the "Disk
Cleanup" window shows click the "Settings" tab and disable "If this
drive runs low on disk space, automatically run Disk Cleanup". Click OK. In the next
pop-up dialogue box, check the "No" where it asks if you want to delete files.
This method is also useful if you run partitioned drives when this warning has a habit of interfering. But that does not say you
should ignore it altogether.
Index |
FILE EXTENSION - Creating
Q. I remember, some time back someone told me you could append
any file extension you liked to a saved file. Is this true, and if so, how do you do it?
A. Yes, it is true. Well, at least pretty well so. When 'saving as', in the "File
name" box type the file name with whatever extension you want and enclose the whole
thing in quotes. ("yourfile.txt") Remember, this need only be used if you want
to open a particular file type with a different programme. It will not work, however, if
the format is incompatible. |
BOOKMARK DOCUMENT - On the desktop
A useful tip for writers and proof readers.
Q. I review manuscripts in Microsft Word and when leaving a work have to bookmark my
place. Is there a way of quickly returning to the page I left without working through the
'Bookmark' procedure each time?
A. The quickest way I know is to place your bookmark on the Desktop. Highlight the text
you wish to use, reduce the window so you can see your Desktop, and with the right mouse
button, drag the text onto your Desktop. In the menu, select "Create Document
Shortcut here".
The next time you want to return to your work, clicking the shortcut will instantly bring
up the spot where you left it and the rest of the document will load from there. You'll
want to delete each Desktop bookmark as it becomes redundant.
Index |
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PRINTING SCREEN (2)
Q. In your answer on printing the screen, (January 2 2001) you said to paste it into MS
Paint for printing. I did this but when I try to resize it for printing, I lose about a
quarter of the window image I want. How do I get around this?
A. Unless you have a reasonably sophisticated alternative image editor, you may have a
problem with size. Unfortunately, any resizing in MS Paint merely crops the image. I
suggest, before hitting the 'Print Screen' key, that you reduce the window you want to
print and then adjust it outwards by dragging (rest the cursor over the bottom right
corner of the window until you see a double headed, angled arrow. Drag it with the left
mouse button) to about two thirds of the size of your monitor screen. Make sure to place
the window you want to print as far to the left of the monitor screen as possible.
(Dragging the blue title bar). In MS Paint, check in File||Print Preview to make sure your
image is all there and fits okay.
Index |
RECYCLE BIN - Lost file
Q. Some weeks back I deleted a couple of files which were sent to
the Recycle Bin. Now I have tried to find one of them, but although I have not emptied the
Recycle Bin, I can't find it. What happened?
A. The Recycle Bin has a default size of 10% of drive space. If you reach this, it's first
in first out. Old files are removed to make room for the latest deletions. The file you
were looking for has probably outstayed its welcome. You can change the default size of
your Recycle Bin, although, until now, I have not known anyone who has needed to. Right
click on the Recycle Bin icon, left click properties and take it fom there.
If the file is of vital importance, then a search
of the Net for file recovery software will give you a wide choice of
applications designed to recover files deleted from the Recycle Bin if
you know exactly what the file was called and it was not seleted too
long ago. |
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DOWNLOADED PROGRAMME - Installing Q. I
downloaded a programme off the Internet but when I looked in the folder "program
files" where I placed it, there are a dozen files. How do I know which one to use to
install the programme?
A. Before doing anything close all open programmes. Then the first place to look is in the
programme folder for the 'Help' or 'Read me' file. Check if the information is there. If
not, look for "setup.exe". double clicking this will usually do the job. You can also go
to Start||Settings||Control
Panel||Add/Remove Programs. Click install and follow the Wizard. If the programme
installed itself it will run from where you placed it. In this case, look in the folder
for an .exe file, usually with the most distinctive (Product trade mark) icon.
You can drag it with the right mouse button to somewhere convenient and
select "Create shortcut".
If it all goes pear shaped, go back to the Web page whence you got the programme and ask
Support.
Note: It is in cases such as this that things can go badly wrong and other programmes get
corrupted. In which event, the answer may be to replace the registry with an earlier
backup version. I describe this is in several items
on this page.
Index |
NOTEPAD v WORDPAD
Q. What is the difference between Notepad and Wordpad?
A. Wordpad is a word processor with formatting capabilities such as Font, Bold, Underline,
Bullets and so on, and can produce a very respectable letter, or whatever. Formatted
documents created in Wordpad have the same hang-ups as in MS Word or MS Works documents.
They are unsuitable for editing things like Autoexec or Config files, or HTML editing or
creating e-mails. (Special conversions in MS Word excepted) Generally, it can be assumed
that Wordpad is the basic PC Windows word processor supplied in case no other
word-processor is packaged with your new PC. Very rare these days.
Notepad, however, is not a word processor but a pure text editor. You might want to use it
for HTML editing or even e-mails, but more likely for editing the likes of .sys, .ini and
.bat files which must always be edited in pure text. |
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VIRTUAL MEMORY - Windows Q. I was told that increasing the virtual memory in Windows to
say 30MB would improve performance. I did this and now things have noticeably slowed down.
What's happening?
A. You are referring to the Windows 'Swap' file and committing a very common mistake, not
to mention whoever it was that gave you this information. By default Windows manages your
PC's virtual memory for you and does it extremely well. I have met nobody who has improved
on Windows' performance here. Why the option is given I don't know, except for a very few
advanced players in unique situations there is no need to interfere. In a word, give the
job back to Windows, reboot and leave well alone.
Note: For the benefit of those who may want to peep at the forbidden fruit, it is found by
right clicking "My Computer", left click Options||Performance||Virtual Memory.
"Let Windows manage my virtual memory
settings" will be enabled. Look, but don't touch!
Index |
START-UP DISK - Wndows
Q. I have lost my Windows Start-up disc. I know I can make
another but have forgotten. Can you help?
A. Have a blank, formatted floppy disk or other copying device ready. Left click on My Computer||Control Panel||Add/Remove Programs||Start up disc||Create Disk...
Follow the on-screen instructions.
TASK-BAR(1) - Missing
Q. I have lost the Taskbar off my Desktop. How can I recover it?
A. It is not really lost. It has shrunk - not usually of its own accord! - and his hiding
below the edge of your Desktop. Place your cursor at the bottom edge of your Desktop until
it turns into a double headed, vertical arrow. With the left mouse button, drag the arrow
upwards and your Taskbar will come with it. You can make
it what size you like while you're at it.
Index |
PRINTING SCREEN (1)
Q. Is there a way to print exactly what appears on my screen?
A. Yes. Press the "Print Screen" key on your keyboard. This copies the screen
which you can then paste into an image editor, such MS Paint, and print it from there. |
HOT-KEY - Creating
Q. I would like to have Ctrl+Z as a hot key shortcut to a regularly used file. How can I
set this?
A. Ctrl+Z is already in use (Undo) but you can assign a Hot Key to a shortcut by right
clicking on the shortcut and selecting "Properties". Click on the 'Shortcut tab'
then click in the "Shortcut Key" box. Just selecting the 'Hot' key you want will
bring up the shortcut key combination you can use. For example selecting 'Z' will bring up Ctrl+Alt+Z.
Index |
VIEWING WINDOW - Setting category
order
Q. In my Windows Explorer right hand pane I have the headings,
"Name", "Size", "Modified" and way off to the right, outside
of the pane is "Type". I had "Type" next to "Size"
previously. How did this happen and can I change it?
A. I can't say how it got that way in your case but it is quite easily remedied. Place
the cursor on the word "Type" and with your left mouse button drag it over 'Modified'.
You will see it superimposed. Let go and it should stay where you want it.
Note: In any folder window, clicking on these headings will change the order of
the file listings. "Size" for example will set the order of files with the
smallest or, clicked on twice, the biggest (KB) at the top. Default, and the recommended
order, is alphabetical. Clicking on "Name" sets this order. |
MS WORD(2) - Autotext
Setting up Microsoft Word is something many newcomers to PCs feel uncomfortable with.
Although, according to the e-mails I receive, the number of people getting help they don't want seems
to far out-weigh those wanting it, like this one:
Q. How do I cut out those irritating intrusions in MS Word such as "Dear Sir or
Madam" or "Dear Sir" when all I want is "Hi", or the date
appearing when I least expect it and ending the letter with my name and no initial as soon
as I type "Yours"?
A. First look in Insert||AutoText. There you will find all kinds of things you can check
or uncheck. If you're not sure, try them. You can't do any harm but you can adjust or
get rid of many, if not all, of those unwelcome perks. Then look in "Tools||Options". There you will
find another load.
Index |
SHUTDOWN SCREEN - Customising
Q. I have heard that you can customize the shutdown screen in
Windows. Is this true?
A. Yes, but you need to be careful. There are two files Windows uses, the "Windows is
shutting down" file - Logow.sys and the "You may now turn off your
computer" file - Logos.sys. When shutting down, Windows looks for these files so
before you touch them, in Windows Explorer, click on the 'Windows' folder, and back them
up. (Right click the file, select "Copy" and paste it into an open space in the
right hand window of Explorer.) You can then edit the original files in MSPaint - perhaps
by adding "Thank you for being so nice to me!" after the "You may
now..." message, which reminds the kids that it's
kind to treat their PC like it is a really sensitive part of the family.
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TASK-BAR (2) - Moving
Q. After my children had been at the PC, the Taskbar has moved to
the right hand side of the Desktop. They don't know how they did it and I don't know how
to get it back to the bottom. Can you help?
A. Place the cursor over a blank area on the Taskbar and with the left button on your
mouse, drag it to where you want it.
Q. In our family we have three Desktops controlled by passwords, two for the children.
When we change over, do we have to reboot each time and enter our passwords? It's such a
chore.
A. Go to Start||Log off then Start||Log on. |
MS WORD(3)
- Unwanted "Help"
Q. How do I get rid of that irritating little chap (Help) in MS Word that keeps popping up
and wanting to get in on the act every time I begin a letter or start some other function?
A. You can nuke him by clicking on the little question mark on your tool bar to bring him
up and then selecting "Options". Uncheck all the selections or just those you
know you don't want. He will then come only when called - by
clicking on "Help".
Index |
FILE RECOVERY
Q. What do I do when my PC hangs during composing, say a long
letter, and after rebooting, all one sees are a load of $$$$$ signs in the file's folder?
I get a notice saying "The file is already in use" when I try to open it.
A. Yes, it is in use, that is what the $$$$$ mean. To open that particular file - which
contains your latest input up to the last auto save - you need to change its name. In its
Folder, right click on it and select "change name" from the pop-up menu and
you're back in business. Call it what you like (not its original name) and open it. When
you save it, return it to its original name. When asked if you want to replace the
existing file click 'yes'. |
HARD-DRIVE CRASH.
The question from this visitor was too long to puiblish but I think the
answer pretty well identifies the problem.
Depending on the nature of the crash, and there are many varieties, the remedy is usually
easier than you think.
But with any kind of crash, the first thing to do is
stop. Don't go crashing around trying all the keys and buttons in the hope of hitting
something useful. The second important thing is don't panic. The third may be to find a
quiet spot and take an overdose! But seriously, if you have control of the cursor,
the chances are it is a simple hang. These occur for no apparent reason but are always
extremely frustrating so always back-up your work regularly.
Simple crashes such a hung programme - the cursor moves but nothing else happens - hit
Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Your programme should be shown at the top of the list with the words
"Not responding" alongside. Hit "End task". You'll be back in business
but you'll have lost unsaved work.
Whatever the cause of a total crash, it means you can't move a thing, including the
cursor. In this situation, close down immediately - not by switching off the machine - but
by using Ctrl+Alt+Delete twice. Nine times out of ten, your PC will reboot and all will be
okay. If the crash is such that Ctrl+Alt+Delete cannot be accessed, then switch off, wait
about fifteen seconds for the drives to stop spinning, and then switch on again.
You should wait while Scandisk checks the
drives for errors.
If the machine refuses to boot, (load Windows) then you've lost access to
the hard drive
which Windows uses to load itself. Now you will have to revert to the emergency Start-up
disk you had to make when Windows was first loaded. If Windows was preloaded when you
bought your PC, then the disk should be among the items supplied with the machine.
Switch off completely. Wait for the drives to stop spinning.
Insert the Emergency Start-up disk into its drive, (Drive A) and switch on. There is no
space here to take it from there, but you will be well on your way to recovery. There will
be some work to do, but with average intelligence, and a little help from your handbook,
you should be back in business in no time.
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CHILDREN'S SAFETY - Chat-rooms
The time of year approaches when thousands of children will be enjoying their first
experience of the Internet. Christmas is a peak time for sales of PCs and it is also the
time when parents start worrying about the sort of things on the World Wide Web their
children can access.
Training your children should be your first priority. Especially about "Chat
Rooms". Contrary to popular belief, Chat Rooms are not plagued with perverts and
paedophiles. Just the same, caution is called for. First warn your children against
communicating intimate details or responding to someone who does. Tell them to complain to
the chat room supervisor if a user starts on about explicit sex or uses suggestive
language. And to inform you. (A reply from you to the offender usually does the trick)
Emphasise again and again - they must never divulge their e-mail address, their telephone
number or home address, not even the school they attend. The vast majority of chat rooms
are perfectly safe and even educational, and they beat the hell out of street corners and
'raves' where much more harm is likely to befall your children. So let them enjoy
themselves, but supervise them, ideally with the PC positioned where you can sit and watch
TV at the same time.
However, there are other corrupting forces on the Internet besides the odd chat room
pervert, such as porn and violent movies. Most of these can be avoided with an up-to-date
browser. An organisation called the Recreational Software Advisory Council issues a code
of practice to those who publish such sites whereupon the publisher adds a blocking code
to his script. And it works surprisingly well. Internet Explorer 5 can be configured to
recognise this code and block entry to these sites. (IE5 is packaged with Windows so you
are almost certain to have it on your new PC).
In Internet Explorer 5 you go to "Content Advisor" - Tools||Internet
Options||Content - and under "Content Advisor" click on 'Enable'. You will be
presented with a dialogue window where you can set the level of those items displayed,
such as 'Language', 'Porn', 'Sex' and 'Violence'. Moving the slider sets it for the item
highlighted. For instance in "Language" you can choose "Moderate
slang" to "Explicit or crude". When you have finished, hit 'OK'.
This brings up the password window with which you can prevent unauthorised access to
change your settings but, of course, will allow you to research the forbidden sites
yourself. You can also bar specific sites that may not be rated, should you discover any
that you consider unsuitable.
Unfortunately I do not know a way to configure Netscape Navigator - I don't think you can.
Something for Netscape to get their teeth into, perhaps.
Finally, give your kids these two addresses before they start, and let them start out on
the right foot. www.childnet.int.org & www.chatdanger.com. They will find a lot of
helpful advice and information there.
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CD-RW DRIVES
Q. Can you explain a bit about CD-RW drives? I understand they are the best way to backup
all my data.
A. When you know it would require over 700 floppy discs to store what can be stored on one
CD-RW, you will understand why.
In the last few years Read-Write CDs have certainly made an impact on removable storage
and are well on the way to unseating zip drives which have dominated the market for some
time. Transfer speeds are now as quick or quicker and capacity far out-matches the zip
drive. CD-RWs come as built-in or external periferals and behave in much the same way as
your CD.ROM except you can write to it, and therefore backup very large amounts of data.
At present, but not for long, they store up to 700MB per disc (1.4GB discs are just around
the corner), many times the zip drives' capacity, so cost per megabyte of storage is much
less. There are two types of disc. One type writes just the once and you can not
overwrite. These are a lot cheaper than the other type which behaves in much the same way
as a floppy, allowing you to re-write and delete.
One important point. Unless you pay for the very latest technology, (BURN proof), when
backing up, remember to switch off all background activity on your PC - including the
screensaver - or expect to have a lot of CD coasters!
You can expect to pay well under £1 for CD-RW discs and even less for
write only.
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FIREWALLS
Q. You mentioned somewhere on this page to go to the search engines to find out about 'firewalls'. I did that but hardly understood a thing. How important is this and what would you
recommend?
A. I visited Google, ahoo and Alta Vista and found lots to read about. However, how important is
it? That depends on how long you go on the Internet for. If it is just to pick up your
e-mail and empty your 'send' box, then it will not be as important as if you are
maintaining web sites and stay on-line for hours at a time. However, the
current average time before a PC is compromised (raided) is only 20
minutes. Once there, the hacker can install a
trojan, spywre or virus. He can then get into all your files and folders
and even install a keylog to gain access to passwords and usernames,
bank account details and so on. He can edit, steal or corrupt,
depending on what sort of mood he, or she, is in! (Even the mighty Microsoft
Corpn were a victim not so long ago)
The best protection, in my view, is given by the "ZoneAlarm" firewall. A
simple version - perfectly adequate for most casual Internet users- can
be downloaded free from www.zonelabs.com. For those spending more time
on-line, I recommend ZoneAlarm Pro. ZoneAlarm can be configured to block
all internet activity - in and out - immediately your screensaver
activates. Ideal for the 'always on' user. Paired with McAfee
virus scanner you get excellent protection. I should mention, in
fairness, Norton Virus protection is also excellent. However, I have
received many moans and groans from people who have installed Norton
themselves. Clearly, if not OEM installed, it has its problems unless
great care is taken.
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INTERNET EXPLORER -Title-bar
Q. Can I remove my ISP's brand name off my Internet
Explorer's blue title bar?
A. Yes. You can go into the registry and search for any references to
the intrusive name you want rid off. Go to
Start//Run and type rundll32.exe iedkcs.dll.Clear
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CAB FILES BACKUP
Q. Elsewhere on this page you say to backup the cab. files before
reinstalling Windows over-the-top. Why is this and how do you do it?
A. Installing Windows at any time resets its defaults. This includes upgrading from say
Windows 95 to 98. Sysbckup is a Windows default folder and suffers this inconvenience so
if you have 20 or 30 cab.files (registry backups) stored there they will be removed when
the sysbckup folder is overwritten by Windows.
To backup the cab files is not in the least difficult. I suggest you go to Windows
Explorer. Click on [C:] then click on File||New||Folder (you can right click in an open
space in the right hand window for the same option). Name the new folder
"Sysbckup2". Close and reopen Windows Explorer to refresh.
Your "Sysbckup" is a hidden folder so first go to View||Folder Options||View and
enable "Show all files" and hit "Apply".
Now scroll down the left hand window and click on the Windows + sign. Scroll down to the
"Sysbckup" folder and click on it. In the right hand window scroll so that all
of the rb000.cab files are conveniently placed for dragging. Now scroll the left hand
window up to Sysbckup2. Highlight the rb000.cab files in the right hand window and using
the right mouse button, drag them into Sysbckup2 in the left hand window. On the pop-up
menu, click "Copy here". After you have reinstalled Windows, reverse the
procedure (on the pop-up menu hit "Move here") to re-write your Sysbckup folder
with all its earlier registry backups. (cab. files)
Do not copy any other files out of the Sysbckup folder - especially after an upgrade.
Several files will have changed because they're needed to run your system to the latest
standard.Remember to go back to View||Folder Options||View and enable
"Do not show hidden or system files". This ensures you will not accidently
corrupt them while you're messing about!
After reinstalling Windows you will also need to go back to
Scanreg.ini and reset the MaxBackupCopies (maximum number of backups you
want - I recommend at least 10) to the number you want. Go here for more
info
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SECURITY UPDATES
Q. I read an article in today's paper that mentioned, without clarifying it, "Windows
security updates". What are these and do I need them. I only use my PC for e-mail and
the office.
A. Everyone who goes on-line, even just for e-mail, needs a certain amount of security. As
I have said before on this page, when you go on-line your computer is vulnerable to all
kinds of villains bent on finding out about your PC. Microsoft try to minimize this risk
by building in certain measures to thwart these people - especially with Internet
Explorer. You should have "Windows Updates" shortcut on you Start Menu - look
above 'Programs' - which is there to help you get and install these updates with the
minimum of fuss. (If you can't find it, go to www.microsoft.com and click on "Windows
updates")
As usual, before downloading updates, close down all open programmes on your PC as
Microsoft will install these updates without asking. Go Start||Windows updates and you
will automatically be taken to the Microsoft Web site. Once there Microsoft will analyse your
PC and tell you what updates you need. (Not just for security, either. There are many bugs
in Windows which are constantly being removed). You can then download what you need and
Microsoft will install them without any further help from you. You should visit 'Updates'
at least a couple of times a year.
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IE5 - Minimized window
Q. I have recently installed the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5. Now, every time I
open a html file it opens in a minimized window. I have to maximize the window before
working. Is there an answer to this?
A. First, I have not known this problem to affect on-line working but only opening
html files on your desktop, and up to the time of writing this, I know only of a
"work around". This is a boo-boo by Microsoft, I'm afraid. Launch IE 5.5 and
right click on any URL. Select "Open in new window". Go back and close the
original window. Now move the window to the top left corner of your screen. (Press and
hold the left mouse button and drag the blue title bar) Now from the bottom right corner
of the IE 5.5 screen, (with the double headed arrow) drag it to fill your monitor. Close
using "File||Close". Now your IE 5.5 will open in a full size window.
Unfortunately, you will not be able to minimize the window except by dragging it, until
that is, Microsoft come up with an answer. Watch this page.
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REGISTRY BACKUPS - Increasing
number of
Q. I took your advice after a disastrous
installation of a new programme. Unfortunately, I found out I was a couple of days too
late to load an earlier version of the Registry. Any suggestions?
A. Yes. I can't help with your current problem but you can increase the number of backups
to avoid future problems. But we had better take it in a sensible order. You want to know
the size of your registry so you know how much room you will need to store the extra
backups. (Default is four plus the current day) Go to Start||Run. In the window type
"sysbckup" (without the quotes) and hit "OK" Scroll down to
rb000 up to rb005. Usually they will be between 1,000KB and 2,500KB. This is the size of
the registry folder for each day. Now if your machine is old (say, 1GB hard-drive) you are
unlikely to have much space left, so check it. Modern computers with drives upwards of 40,
60 & 100 GB and soon as high as 1000GB will have no trouble storing many more days than
the default. I keep 30 days on my PC.
Having decided how many days you want (you can store up to 99) you need to tell Windows.
Back to Start||Run and type in "scanreg.ini" This window will show you the
configuration for "Registry backups". Scroll down to the words:
MaxBackupCopies=05. Change the "05" to any number you want between 05 and 99.Your computer will now save that number of registry backups so if
you do have a disaster and only find out two or three weeks later, you can go back and
pick up an earlier Registry. Any new programmes you have loaded or reconfigurations you
may have done in the meantime will be lost. However, you will not lose files or folders,
so the letter you sent to your bank a week ago will still be there.
Now, unlike the simple scanreg /restore procedure I told you about in the earlier item, to
pick an earlier Registry is a lot different. You will remember the CAB files rb000 we saw
earlier in "sysbckup". We will want to pick up one of those. Each file has a
"Date modified" entry alongside it. This is what you look for. (they do not
always run in numerical order - don't ask me why) Write the number down.
Now hit Start||Shut Down||Restart in MS-DOS Mode.
On the black screen (some may be blue) next to the prompt
(C:\WINDOWS>) type: c: and hit 'Enter'. Then, type:
cd \windows\sysbckup and hit
'Enter'. Then type: extract /e rb0XX.cab and hit 'Enter'.
Change the "XX" to the number you have written down.
When the replacement Registry has finished loading and the cursor settles again, type
"exit" and hit 'Enter' to reload Windows.
You will be asked if you want to overwrite the user.dat and
system.dat files and the win.ini and system.ini files. It is your choice but I think it is
always better to say yes (click "Y" on your keyboard). This installs the
complete registry you want in place, leaving nothing out, so you will know where you
stand.
Something you should know: If you reinstall Windows for any
reason, you lose all but the last five backups. The answer is to backup the .cab files in
a separate folder before reinstalling.
Index |
|
DEFRAGMENTER
Q. What is defragmentation and why do I need it?
A. You need it to keep your hard-drive in good shape. When you save material your PC saves
it in what are called clusters. These are small, almost microscopic, areas on the
hard-drive, which to all intents and purposes is the same as any CD you see in the shops.
The bad news is, when you save, your PC is not fussy where it places this material. Over a
period of time, you end up with saved material in clusters dotted all over the place on
the CD - the hard-drive. You can easily imagine how much harder this makes it for your PC
to find anything.
The good news is, defragmentation (defragging for short) picks up all these stray clusters
and bundles them all together, neat and tidy, in one place. This does two things. First it
speeds up the search time when you are looking for a file. Second, it saves disc space by
better utilising the available space.To find Defrag, left click Start||Programs||Accessories||System
Tools||Disk Defragmenter.
A small or less busy user should defrag about once a month. I defrag
weekly. If it is a long time since you defragged and you have say a
6/10GB hard-drive, look to a couple of hours.
Make sure you close all open programmes (Ctrl+Alt+Delete - End task) disable the
Screensaver and set all Power Management options to 'Never'. Finally, for obvious reasons,
I strongly recommend using the ScanDisk (Error-checking status) before defragging. This is
located in the same place as Disk Defragmenter.
Index |
|
FIREWALLS(1)
Q. I keep hearing about Firewalls. What are they?
A. Any on-line computer or web site's server side can be accessed by using the very
advanced, albeit questionable, techniques available today. For the average web site this
is not a problem as there is nothing to be secure about. However, if your site is a LAN
(Local Area Network) or Intranet run for a large manufacturing company, then security
takes on a new level. Large numbers of terminals receive e-mails via it and often highly
confidential elements are processed between various offices within it.
Such an Intranet needs to be protected. This protection is generally referred to as a
Firewall and is usually a computer between the Internet and the Intranet that runs,
usually several different security systems by validating predetermined access criteria.
Any criteria not met is barred.
These days, should a person attempt to enter a remote computer, be it you or me, or a
highly sophisticated server run system, his actions are always detected by the invaded
computer. Normally, for the likes of you and I, it does nothing, simply getting on with
its life as if nothing had happened. But where security is vital, action is necessary.With
a modern Firewall, the invaded computer will not only detect an intruder and prevent
access but can identify the computer which is making the intrusion, tracking back via its
route across the Internet and even to the personal telephone of the hacker.
But in case you are worried, there are smaller, but nonetheless very clever programmes
available for the domestic user that will block such intruders. When ever you go on line,
your PC is vulnerable to these hackers who can enter your PC, find and even edit your most
personal data, and you may never know. Enter "Firewalls" in the search engines
for further information.
Index |
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|
WEB SITE - Cost Q. I want to build a web site for my village. What sort of cost
am I looking at?
A. If it is to be a private or personal page, (non-commercial) then the chances are your
ISP (Internet Service Provider) has up to 10MB of free space ready for you. E-mail them
and they will be only too happy to help you through their procedure. They will either add
your chosen name to a folder on their own network which can then be accessed by anyone
with the URL and your personal suffix, (www.yourISP.co.uk/yourname.html) or host your page
as an independent web site (www.yourname.co.uk) The latter is the best, but is not free and
not all ISPs do this.
The surer course to take is to register your own URL (Uniform
Resource Locator)‡ such as www.yourname.co.uk This should cost very little. As
low as £5.00 a year. To find a hosting company, go to your favourite search engine and
look for "Domain Registration". As soon as you start you will see how easy it
is. My advice is to shop around for the best price. A useful starting point is www.123-reg.co.uk You can check
that the name you want has not already been taken and find out how much your URL will cost
to host.
Then you will need to employ a Hosting Service Provider.
(123-reg.co.uk are British, which generally means less expensive) This is, however, the
most expensive bit, (£20/£500 a year but you will not need the latter).
This
gets you much more sophistication than a free service. With this arrangement you will probably
get upwards of 30/250MB of space with the ability to add much more in the way of
images, dynamic
pages, WebBots, plug-ins and gimmicks to your site. It may be worth mentioning that a site
holding upwards of 1000 files, like this site for example, occupies about 25MB. However,
it needs about the same again for maintenance, totalling around 50MB server side.
Now all you have to do is build your pages. (Better to do this before you
lay out any money on Hosting Services) For the absolute beginner, you can start with
Microsoft FrontPage Express in Windows 95 - Start||Internet Explorer||FrontPage Express.
Or in Windows 98, - if you have Netscape Communicator - you will have Netscape
Composer. These are web page editors. You can play with these to your heart's
content and then go to the Microsoft Web Publishing Wizard which will guide you through to
publishing your site. You will need to ask your ISP for certain details which are
explained by the wizard. There are much more sophisticated web design programmes than MS
free version of Frontpage ranging in price from £50 to £700, so if you catch the bug, be ready!
The software for building will far outweight the cost of publishing and
maintaining the website.
‡ Not Universal Resource Locator or Universal
Resource Language as some people think
Index |
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DELETING FILES
Q. In Windows 98 is there a way to select a large number of individual files that I want
to delete rather than picking them out one at a time and deleting them?
A. Hold down Ctrl and click on each file you want to delete. Each will remain
high-lighted. When you hit delete you will be asked if you want to delete all these files.
If all the files are consecutive, high-light the top one, hold down the Shift key, then go
to the bottom and high-light the last one. All the files in between will become
high-lighted. You can then delete, drag or in some programmes even open them, all at once.
Index |
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|
BROWSER SETTINGS Q. When I go on line, all
the text is very large, especially your navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. Some
links disappear completely so I can't use them.
A. I have had a couple of complaints about this so I have added a scroll bar to the
navigation bar. If you still have a problem, you need to adjust your browser settings. In
Internet Explorer go to "View"||"Text size"|| and choose
"Medium". That should fix it. In Netscape Navigator go to
"View"||"Decrease font". In Navigator you can also use Ctrl+] or
Ctrl+[ to adjust to suit your screen settings. If you are running Windows 9x then it can
also help to check your Screen Settings. Right click the Desktop, choose
"Properties" then the "Settings" tab and adjust the sliding pointer to
read 600 x 800 which pretty well covers all requirements. If you change this setting you
will need to reboot for the setting to become embedded.
Index |
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UPGRADING OLDER PCs
Q. Can you tell me how much it will cost to upgrade my 4 year old PC so I can carry on
using it for a few more years?
A. You do not say what you mean by upgrading. Just RAM and/or hard-drive
- not a lot. Say £100/150. But to be honest, my answer to your question
is no. The cost, keeping within the motherboard's speicification, is
likely to be so near to the cost of buying a new PC as to not be worth the
candle.
Index |
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|
LOST FILES
- Finding Q. I have lost a file, sent by somebody else, and do not know its
exact name. I know it's an Excel file and there is a way to look for it, but I have
forgotten.
A. Go to Start||Find||Files and Folders. (A quicker way is to press F3) Type in *.xls
after "Named" and check the results in the bottom window. While on this subject,
this can sometimes happen with files you are working on. Suddenly it disappears, usually
because you have inadvertently changed its path. Often you can't remember its name so it
can be difficult to track down. Well, if you can remember a piece of the text - a banner
heading or an opening phrase - you can do as I explained above but use the
"Containing text" window. Type in the text you know is in the document and
Windows will find your lost file. You need to be exact, so if you are unsure try to think
of just one unusual word, a name or even a rare adjective you may remember using. You need
not type anything in the "Named" window, but be ready for a long wait. Windows
looks everywhere.
Index |
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REGISTRY -
Replacing
Q. I installed a free Internet Service Provider off their CD, which came in the
post, so I could use it just for browsing. I already run Compuserve for the more important
elements such as e-mail, forums and other services, but now, I can't run either.
A. First, unintall the troublesome programme. Then you will want
to replace today's registry with yesterday's or the day's before. All
should then be back
were you were before you installed the rogue CD. You do not lose recently saved work
as these are not held in executable files. Here's how you do it.
Go to MS-DOS mode - Start||Shutdown||Restart in MS-Dos mode||OK. At the Prompt type in
"cd c:\" without the quotes. Click "Enter". At the C:\ prompt, type in
scanreg /restore. (Note the space after scanreg). A screen will appear that will allow you
to select one of the previous four days registries. Choose one and select
"Restore". When all is done, back at the C:\ prompt type "exit" (again
without the quotes) and Windows will reload.
If it is too late for all this (you installed five or six cold boots ago) and you can
remember your password, uninstall Compuserve and reinstall it. If you can't remember your
password, try it anyway as often it will overwrite the previous installation while leaving
your password alone. If it does not, telephone Compuserve, have your account number ready
(ID address) and any secret codes you may be asked (your mother's maiden name) and ask to
change your password. The new password will be effective immediately.
Finally, if you want to add a free ISP to your options and you already have internet
access, never load it from a CD. Go to their web page and pick it up from there using My
Computer||Dial-up Networking||Make New Connection, and follow the Wizard.
Index |
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DOWNLOADING OFF THE INTERNET
Downloading off the Internet can be a real pain if it is your first time or you are unsure
of what happens. An article in a well known paper this morning runs a piece on the subject
but leaves a couple of important things out.
If you visit a site with the intention of downloading something, check on its size and be
ready to take some time. With a modern modem look for about 6 minutes per megabyte. Older
modems can take considerably longer. Broadband about 6 megabytes per
minute. Downloading the full version of Internet Explorer for
instance can take a good modem over 2 hours compared to broadband 15
minutes. Choose the time of day carefully. If the site
is busy, downloading takes longer - sometimes much longer. Here in the U.K. early morning
is best. The web is much less busy at that time because the other half of the English
speaking world is still asleep. You should aim to finish downloading by 10.00 a.m. |
When you find what you are looking for and
you hit the "Download" button you will be asked where you want to put it. I
always choose the Desktop. (Use the Browse button and select Desktop). When you have
finished you can check on it by minimizing your browser screen and it should be sitting
there waiting for you. Off-line, you now want to load the
programme. Double clicking on the Desktop icon should send your new toy on its way. Just
about anything you download these days will load into its own directory with no help from
you. You will be asked, however, so unless you are a control freak, put it where it wants
to go. On the rare occasion you do have to choose, select C:\Program files as a safe bet.
IMPORTANT:
Before moving to this step, be sure to close down all the programmes you have running in
the background (Ctrl+Alt+Delete||End task) by right clicking their icon
and selecting Exit; or whatever.
Index |
|
DESKTOP ICONS
Q. Why do all my icons rush back to one side of the screen when I try to drag them
to the edges?
A. You have your Desktop set at "Auto
arrange". Right click on the Desktop, select "Arrange icons" and
click on (disable) "Auto arrange". Now you can put your icons where you
like. .
Index |
MS WORD - Creating borders
Q. I saw a delicious looking table with a coloured border
and was told it was built using MS Word. I've looked but can't see how this is done. Can
you help?
A. This is much easier than you think. Insert your table,
having selected the number of rows and columns you want, "Cell Height &
Width"and so on. Highlight the whole table by dragging the cursor from top left to
bottom right. On the toolbar click on Table||Draw Table. This will produce the 'Draw
Table' toolbar. On this toolbar there are a number of choices. You will want three
"Border colour", "Line style" and "Outside
border". 'Border colour' is the tilted pen above a thickish line and the 'Line
style' is the scroll down window. Choose the line style first, then the colour, then what
sort of border - outside only or every cell. That's all there is to it.
PASSWORDS - MS Word & Excel
Q. I know I can restrict access to my computer but I want
to restrict access to a single document in "Excel". Can this be done?
A. Yes. With the document open, click on "File/Save
as" On the right hand side of the "Save as" window, click on
"Options". You can enter a password for just that document. If you wish, you
can allow access to the document but deny editing without a password. You can carry
out the same procedure in MSWord. Don't
forget the password. If you do, there's no going back without a lot of
expense!
Index |
RAM - Minimum for Windows98
Q. How much RAM do I need to run Windows 98?
A. Never less than 16MB. At this level, Windows
will work fine but will not be happy. Things will be very slow and you will not be able to
run much besides the document you are working on. I would say the minimum is 24MB
which will allow a couple of things running together, such as a text editor with a Web
page builder. 32MB and above you will notice a decidedly improved performance but if you
are into graphics, such as Coral Draw or Paint Shop, then I would say no less than 64MB.
It must be remembered, however, RAM is not everything. The size of your hard drive and its
remaining capacity are also important factors. |
GRAPHICS CARDS
Note: This item was dated July 2000! The principle remains but not the
prices.
I recently suggested that when buying a PC and running the latest games was to be a prime
requirement, a quality graphics card is essential, and if necessary, an upgrade should be
ordered at the time of purchase. A couple of doubters have suggested I exaggerate. I
disagree. A PC costing say £1,000-1,500 is no joke if it performs below expectations.
Some modern games - not to mention what may be coming up in the future - demand a great
deal of power and can stretch even the best chip-sets. Like CPUs, graphics cards are
evolving all the time. Performance now is almost unrecognisable compared to just a few
years ago. And computer games are being produced that stretch them all the way.
I did say that a good card was expensive. The doubters contradicted this also. I stick by
my statement. If you like games such as Quake III and really want to get the best
in 3D, then look to spending more than £200. (Probably under £100 as a predelivery
upgrade) Among the very best is the Creative 3D Blaster GeForce2 GTS with 32MB of DDR
SGRAM at £216 including vat, from Insight (www.insight.com). You can spend more, but
without gaining much. You can also spend less. £132 including vat will get you the Abit
Silura GF256 with 32MB of SDRAM from Dabs. (www.dabs.com). This is an excellent card for
the money, but don't expect it to out perform the Insight card. Acknowledgements to PC Pro
magazine for the above's test data.
Index |
|
START-MENU
Q. Can I change the order of the programmes listed on the Start menu? I have loaded
various additional programmes over the months since buying my PC. Now they
are all over the
place. Alphabetical would help.
A. Drag the icon with the right mouse button to where you want it. A black insert guide (line) will follow it to the point where you
let go.
Index |
DESKTOP - Accessing
Q. How can I access the Desktop when it is hidden behind open
applications?
A. Right click on the Taskbar and select "Minimise all
windows". Restore them the same way except click on "Undo minimise all". |
WHAT PC?
I was asked by a friend the other day what to look for in a new computer for the family.
He emphasised games and the internet. I did write a short item on this some time ago, but
it won't hurt to enlarge a little.
As games are to play a big part in this instance, I explained that these put a big demand
on a PC, therefore everything needs to be big. RAM and CPU are of great importance and the
graphics card in particular should be looked at along with the chipset. That said, and to
avoid too much geek talk, if you go for a computer with 556MB+ of RAM and a CPU of over
2000Mhz, you will almost certainly have a graphics card (may be described as video or VGA
card) up to the job. However, this is not a foolproof guide. Mainly because there aren't
any! Be sure to look for the biggest numbers you can find in the graphics card
specification. Polygons, frames per second, and cooler fan, should all be the highest you
can afford. The latter is quite a good guide. If the cooler is big, then usually, so is
the performance. Don't look at anything under 32Mb of video memory. The down side - don't
look for a cheap job. Good video cards are expensive - but they're worth it. If you don't
think the card is up to what you want on the PC you are looking at but everything else is,
ask for the upgrade and wait a bit longer for delivery. That too will be worth it.
And finally, if all the foregoing is there, don't worry about the Internet. The modem will
be modern - 56K V90 is the norm, and there is nothing better at the
moment other than broadband or cable.
Index |
|
CLEANING
Do you clean your PC? Well, if not, you should. I don't mean a quick wipe over with a damp
cloth. I mean inside. Over time much dust accumulates inside your computer's works which
can eventually cause minor carbon tracks that can bridge electronic circuitry. This can
cause major headaches with the functioning of components.
It is easy to clean inside your PC, but you do need to be careful. A small vacuum cleaner
is the safest when handled sensibly in conjunction with a small, light brush. Say a
1" paint brush. Make sure your PC is turned off and unplugged. Before you start, even
when you are using plastic utensils, be sure to touch a bare metal part of the PC's case
to discharge any static you may be storing in your body. Static is a dangerous thing for a
PC's bits and pieces. You should not actually come into contact with any component, but
dust around them using the light brush and then suck it up with the vacuum cleaner. Do not
attempt to get into nooks and crannies where you can't see what you are doing. Place the
vacuum cleaner's nozzle close to these areas and with your mouth, puff the dust towards
it. When you have finished, you can blow around the components to release any lingering
dust, wait a few minutes to give it time to settle, and then vacuum it up.
Most good PC stores sell battery vaccum cleaner kits for this job which are a good thing
to have and to use regularly.
Index |
|
VIRUSES - Mobile phones!
The unusual, or better still, weird, concept of viruses attacking your mobile phone, and
even your cooker and washing machine has been aired over the last few days. The fact is no
mobiles have actually been infected, and as for your cooker and washing machine, never!
The idea is that the virus propagates by invading the address code of your e-mail address
book, sending itself to all the recipients listed there. This cannot happen via your
mobile. (Unles it is copied to your mobile and you are on line wit it). What the "Timofonica" virus does is to randomise another telephone
number, which more often than not does not even exist, and sends itself there. It does not
transmit damage - not yet anyway - in the way the Melissa and ILOVEYOU viruses did. As for
the cooker and washing machine. Well, they cannot handle anything outside simple text type
pulses, therefore are unable to read, encrypt or execute, and they certainly cannot send,
which is what viruses need in order to multiply.
Index |
|
CREDIT CARD
FRAUD (May 2000)
Credit card fraud is still the number one hang-up when it comes to shopping on-line. While
99 point something or other percent is totally free of problems, the odd fraction of 1%
that get into the fraudsters net cause an alarming amount of grief. However, the
fraudsters' days may be numbered with a new payment scheme which is starting up. It's
called chargitDIAL and works like this. When you decide to buy something, you go, as
usual, to the check-out. There you are asked how you want to pay. You click on
"chargitDIAL". You are then disconnected from your ISP and your modem
automatically dials chargitDIAL where the amount is charged against your telephone bill.
You are then asked if you want to reconnect to your ISP. It's as simple as that, and of
course, no fraud can happen - unless you cheat by using someone else's phone!
On your first visit, you will be asked to download a tiny file (about 5 seconds) which
puts the necessary software on your machine.
Index |
|
TWEAKUI -
PowerToys
I have been slightly reprimanded ("Letters" page) for suggesting that readers go
to their registry to edit out the little arrow on their Desktop shortcuts. In his letter,
Adrian, refers to PowerToys, a Microsoft utility. Adrian suggests that using
PowerToys is simpler. Well, at least TweakUI is, which is found within Power Toys.
PowerToys is not readily available, however, and has its dangers if not carefully handled.
Windows CDs do not have the PowerToys utility, most of its functions being integrated into
Windows98 by default. TweakUI, however, is an excellent utility - as it says - for
tweaking Windows, but for some unknown reason is only available on the Windows 98 CD (not
Windows 95 or 98SE)
TweakUI, which is part of the PowerToys utility, can be downloaded at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/contents/wutoys/w95pwrtoysset/
but I do not recommend installing the other Power Toys functions unless
you are an advanced player. They can cause havoc with your browser. Nor
is Power Toys a supported utility, meaning if you get it wrong, you
can't go back to Microsoft for help.
To install TweakUI from your Windows98 CD in 'Autorun' insert the CD and select
"Browse This CD". Otherwise open the CD with Start||Run|(Just your CD-ROM drive
letter)||O.K.
In the window go to Tools||Reskit||Powertoys. Click on tweakui.inf.
As for those little arrows, go Start||Settings||Control Panel||TweakUi||Explorer||Shortcut
Overlay and enable "None"
For those more nervous of Power Toys and its components than the registry, going to the
registry is the way to remove those little arrows, but only if they really bug you!
Index |
|
|
PC REGISTERED
OWNER When you buy a second-hand PC, what do you do to change the name
of the owner of the license to your name because, as a legitimate purchase, it now belongs
to you?
It is really very easy. Again you have to go into the Registry
Editor, as in the last item, so remember to back it up. This time go into the Edit menu
and select 'Find'. Enable 'Keys' and 'Values' and look for the following:
RegisteredOrganization
RegisteredOwner
Note the American spelling. When the Registry Editor highlights the entry you are
looking for, you can edit the names to your own.
Depending on who the previous owner was, be ready for a long
search. Some registries are very big so a search can take several minutes.
Index |
|
DESKTOP SHORTCUTS
Do you get irritated with those little curly arrows spoiling the appearance of your
Desktop shortcut icons? Well, if you have a mind to, you can get rid of them. You have to
go into the registry so make sure you back it up before you start messing.
Click Start||Run and type "regedit.exe" (without the quotes) and hit O.K. This
brings up the Registry Editor. Now click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile. Find the file named
IsShortcut and delete it. Do the same again for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\piffile. The next time
you boot, the irritating arrows will be gone.
Index |
|
| May 2000 LOVE BUG
The worst yet, by far, it has been said. The Love Bug virus has
now caused an estimated $10bn worth of damage around the world. That's as much as all
viruses during the whole of 1999, and its variants are fast approaching a similar figure.
With as many as 80% of the US's commercial computers hit and over 50% in the UK, the
seriousness of this virus cannot be overstated.
If you do not have an anti-virus programme running on your PC
then now is a good time to download one and set it up. Go on-line and browse for Norton -
McAfee - F-Prot or simply enter "virus protection" in Yahoo or any other search
engine and you will find plenty to choose from.
Just in case you can't find one, - many are free, at least for a
trial period - a good first line of defence for this particular group of cyber terrorists
is to disable MSH on your PC. The Love Bug runs in vbs (visual basic) and needs Microsoft
Scripting Host enabled in order to run.
Go, Start||Settings||Control Panel. Click on Add/Remove Programs.
Select the "Microsoft Set-up" tab. Double click on 'Accessories'. Scroll
to Microsoft Scripting Host and make sure it is unchecked. (Later versions of
Windows will have "Windows Scripting Host") Click "Apply" and OK.
Finally, the best protection against viruses is you. Do not
download any e-mail attachments. These viruses arrive attached to 'friendly' e-mails and
can easily con you into thinking they are safe. Especially with the subject ILOVEYOU
or anything to do with 'Jokes' or 'Funny Stories'. Always e-mail the sender
and confirm an attachment has been sent. The message will sit safely on your Server until
you are ready to retrieve it or delete it.
Index |
|
| BROWSER SETTINGS - Viewing I have come across three instances in just one week where a small
screen PC was displaying internet data so large that much of it, especially at the bottom
on this site, was inaccessible. The "View" menu is the cure for this. Clicking
on "View" gives you the options to make text and icons large or small. Small is
beautiful. Try it.
Index |
|
|
WORDWRAPPING
E-MAILS Many of us suffer those annoying e-mails that arrive
unwordwrapped. To wrap these messages in order to make them easier to read is simple
enough. Hold down "Ctrl" and press the letter "T". However, many have
complained to me that these e-mails will not print correctly. While this is true, I get
round it by highlighting the whole text, either by dragging the cursor down the page or
using "Edit||Select All", and then hitting "Reply". This wraps
the text suitable for printing. You can then delete the reply box after you've finished
printing.
Index |
|
CREDIT CARD SECURITY
Have you ever been told it is not safe to use your credit card on-line? Well, whoever told
you were mistaken. First of all it is probably safer than the average shop purchase or
filling in the mail order form in a clothes catalogue. The reason is, that provided you
buy through a secure site (SSL - Secure Socket Layer), your details are only used by
machines and are never seen by the human eye. There are some hang-ups you need to be aware
of, however. Don't rely on that little padlock at the bottom of the Netscape browser
window that tells it is a secure site, or the lock in IE5. These only demonstrate that the
page you are viewing came via a secure route. Look for words that tell you the site is
secure, usually in the form of a little pop-up window when you arrive. Then you know it is
safe to go ahead.
Index |
|
|
WARRANTIES This problem is not peculiar to the internet. You buy something
and before the warranty expires, it begins to go wrong. This is not usually a problem.
However, once it has been repaired and returned, what then? Let's say the same problem
repeats itself some months later, outside the warranty period. What are your options. The
law clearly states that a manufacturers warranty does not affect your statutory rights.
The goods must be of a satisfactory quality and suitable for the purpose for which they
were designed and sold. If you have a problem with a retailer or manufacturer, your first
port of call is The Office of Fair Trading. They can be reached on 0870 606 0321 or there
web site at www.off.gov.uk
Index |
|
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April 2000 So you would like to win the lottery! Well, think of poor Mr Gates. Yes, Bill Gates, the
Windows guru and their major shareholder. After this weeks Supreme court ruling that
Microsoft had indeed behaved in an anticompetitive manner, the stock market went
ballistic. At one time Bill Gates was losing money at a staggering $3 million a second as
their shares dived by more than 13%. By all accounts he is now only worth $64 billion,
having lost about $11 billion.
For what it's worth, however, I for one am grateful to Mr Gates. Who would have thought
that by now there would be a PC in almost every home in the country. It's fair to say, if
it wasn't for Microsoft, it would not have happened this quick.
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| WEB PAGE AS WALLPAPER Can I use my favourite web site as a wallpaper on my Desktop?
In a word, yes. To add a Web page as wallpaper browse to
your favourite page on the net, preferably using Internet Explorer - Netscape also works
fine - and open "File||Save as". Select "(C:)||Windows||Web||Wallpaper,
give your page a name and click "Save".
Next - off-line, of course - right click a blank area of your
Desktop, choose "Active Desktop||Customise My Desktop, click on the
"Background" tab||Browse and open (C:)||Windows||Web||Wallpaper. Double click on
your saved Web page and click OK.
Older browsers may not give such easy choices but if you right
click on an open space on the page you want, you should get a pop up menu with the
"Save as" option, following which, you proceed as explained.
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TELEPHONE LINES
Q. I have just had another telephone line installed at my home for the exclusive use of my
PC. But now I am certain my machine is working at half the speed on the Net that it used
to. With a completely exclusive line I thought it would, if anything, be faster."
A. I see this problem becoming much more prevalent as the number of on-line PCs grows.
What happened here was that British Telecom were not advised that the new line was for an
Internet connection. All they did was wire the new telephone on top of the existing line
and installed a box at the exchange (DACS) to sort out which line was being used for what.
Unfortunately, the bandwidth on the line is shared fifty-fifty between the two telephone
numbers. This is no problem with voice and even faxes, but real problems with a modem. A
56K modem wants the whole bandwidth, that is a line to itself. So contact BT and explain.
I'm sure you will find them anxious to help. But, as I know you will agree, with the
current proliferation of new Internet users, they should have asked.
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