DR M's COMPUTER TIPS

________________________________________________________________________

A very easy way to delete unneeded files from your computer is to use DISK CLEANUP. (START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, SYSTEM TOOLS, DISK CLEANUP. You can delete all Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Internet Files, Offline Web Pages, Temporary Files and even emoty your Recycle Bin in one fell swoop. These files should be eliminated very often (I DO THIS EVERY NIGHT!) to keep your computer running smoothhly Get into a routine of doing this and you will be well rewarded in increased performance of your machine.

_________________________________________________________________________
I received this question from a subscriber:

Dr M., Is it possible to Copy & Paste from an Adobe Acrobat .PDF document? There is no EDIT menu which has Copy & Paste and I can’t highlight text as the curser is that funny little hand, not an arrow. Pete G., Buffalo, NY.

Pete, It certainly is possible. Although .PDF documents can’t be altered with Acrobat Reader, you are able to copy text from a PDF document and paste it into your word processor. To do this, you can’t use the conventional shortcut keystrokes, you must use the buttons on the Acrobat reader toolbar.

There are two buttons that you must use: Copy Text and Select Text. Copy is usually the fifth icon from the left and looks like an inverted MINIMIZE icon. (Two icons, one slightly over the other.) Select Text appears as a capital “T” with a dotted box next to the “T”. Run your mouse cursor over the buttons and you should see the names appear.

To select text, click on the Select Text button and the mouse cursor will change shape and allow you to select text (highlighted in blue). Then click on COPY Text button to put your selection into the Clipboard where you can paste it into other applications as normally do. Dr M.

_________________________________________________________________________
Dr M. I am running Windows XP and have lost my SOUND. I ran the Wizard Troubleshooter and everything checked out OK but still no sound. I also have lost the speaker icon in the system tray on the taskbar that controls volume. Can you help me? Dom, S., Newark, NJ.

Dom, First, in Windows XP, to place that volume icon in the tray, go to CONTROL PANEL, SOUNDS AND AUDIO DEVICES and on the VOLUME tab, place a check in the box before “Place Volume Icon in Taskbar”. (In Windows 98 ity’s CONTROL PANEL, MULTIMEDIA and then check the “Show Volume Control in Task Bar”) If you have no sound and have checked out all that you can, and also made sure that the volume control on your speakers is set up high (Yes, don’t laugh, it may be that the volume at the speakers is turned off!) try this: Go to CONTROL PANEL, AUDIO HQ, EAX CONTROL PANEL, PARAMETERS and click on DEFAULT.

That will return all sound settings to the original default settings and, hopefully, your sound will be back to normal. Dr M.

And he replied: Thanks, Dr M. I can hear everything clear as a bell now. Dom.

And here’s another way to restore sound if you have a Soundblaster card in your machine. This was given to a reader, Murray D., by a Dell technician and it worked for him:

Go to: Programs, Creative, Sound Blaster Live Value, Creative, Restore Defaults

_________________________________________________________________________
Did you know that when you delete a file or files on your hard drive you may not make them disappear? Simply deleting a file or even emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash Folder does not necessarily make the information irretrievable. The information can live on until it is overwritten by new files. Various software products are available for a more thorough hard-drive cleanup.

Here’s a good cleaner called File Shredder. Read all about it:

First, it's FREE!
Why do you need a File Shredder?
Windows does not physically remove deleted files from your hard disk. Emptying your Recycle Bin does NOT protect you at all. Your sensitive files can be recovered, even after you format your hard disk! When you delete a file from Windows, Windows just mark the file as deleted in file allocation table, but the data of the file is still in your hard disk, there are many tools available which can let others easily recover your sensitive files even you format your hard disk.

How does Absolute Shield File Shredder protect your files?

By overwriting the portion on the hard drive that was previously allocated to the files several times with junk data, Absolute Shield File Shredder will completely erase files from your disk, without the possibility to recover it by any practical software or hardware methods.

This can be downloaded FREE at: http://www.sys-shield.com/fileshredder.htm

_________________________________________________________________________
I read a cute article in the Wall Street Journal in reply to one that had been printed. The writer says: “A typical computer user has 21 accounts, should use a different password on each account, not use words, change them every 6 months, and never write them down. (HIS MEMORY MUST BE BETTER THAN MINE!!! )

(Dr M.: I use a few passwords and have written them down on plain old-fashioned paper with an old ball point pen. When I forget a password, I open the old fashioned manila folder where they are stored and easily find. Them. I do NOT keep my passwords in My Documents because if the computer goes down they will be impossible to retrieve. If you so desire, there is a shareware downloadable program called Password Plus which will store your passwords on your hard drive in an encrypted form. You only have to remember one password for the vault to gain access to many passwords. Their web site is: www.authord.com. (After March 1st, 2003, Password Plus will be renamed Password Max.)

A number of inexpensive vaults are available on the Web

. ____________________________________________________________________________

How do I backup my Registry:

Insert a CD-RW in your CD burner drive tray (“E”)
Go to START, RUN. Type in the word: regedit and click OK. Then in the next window click on FILE, EXPORT. Select a destination (Drive “E”). Name the file (Eg: Registry Backup) and click on ENTER, SAVE, or OK, depending on whichever your computer specifies.

If you open the CD you will see the backup file. Don’t try to open the file as if you do, it will be added to the Registry and you don’t need another copy there. Just save it in case you need to restore the Registry in case of a crash or other problem.

_________________________________________________________________________
TASK MANAGERS

You know that CTRL+ALT+DEL brings up the task manager to show what programs are active and may unnecessarily be draining Windows' fickle resources. And, of course, with the often-repeated tip of going to Start|Run, entering "msconfig" without the quotes, selecting the StartUp tab, and unchecking those you don't want starting up when you boot your system (don't disable System Tray and Explorer.) But perhaps you would like to leave that job to one of the third party task managers that provide greater control over what processes are run on your computer as well as more extensive details of those processes. If so, check out the freeware Niresoft Solutions Task Manager at http://www.niresoft.com/tm.asp Yes, its compatible with Windows 9x/ME.
_____________________________

DRIVER DETECTIVE

A handy -- and free -- download at http://www.drivershq.com/dd/ddtechrepublic.html identifies all drivers installed on your system along with the version number and vendor name. This is some very useful information when you need to shop for a new driver to correct a hardware problem.
_____________________________

CUSTOMIZING HEADERS AND FOOTERS

MS Internet Explorer places data at the head and foot of each document and this can be easily changed by clicking on File and Page Setup. The symbols entered there control such things as page centering, date, time, etc. You can get a complete explanation by placing your cursor in either the header or footer box and pressing F1.
______________________________________

MOUSE WHEEL REVISITED

That wheel on your mouse (if you have one) can be useful with Internet Explorer. With the Ctrl key depressed, moving the wheel forward or backward resizes the font. With the Shift key depressed, the wheel moves you backward or forward to other sites visited in the current browsing session.
_________________________________

HANDY KEYS

Before that Windows key (the one with the Windows logo in the lower left of the keyboard) gets rusty for lack of use, look at all the handy things it will do for you: By itself, it displays the Start menu. With D, it minimizes or restores all Windows, with E it displays the Wondows Explorer, with Tab it cycles through active applications on your taskbar, and with F it displays the find function for all files. Use it with F1 to display Help, with R to display the Run command, and with Pause/Break for the System Properties dialog window. With Shift + M, the Windows key will undo minimizing all Windows, and with Ctrl + F it will display the find: computer dialog window. All these work on at least Windows 98 and XP operating system and you can experiment on the others as you please.
________________________________________

NETSCAPE 6.2 SHORTCUTS

Convenient shortcuts may be worth a reminder: Used with the Ctrl key, B opens bookmarks, F finds page contents, H opens history, M composes email, N opens a new browser window, O opens a local file in the browser, P opens the Print dialog box, R refreshes the page.
_____________________________________

TWEAKUI

It occurred to me that it has been a long time since I last mentioned TweakUI. This is a utility put out but not supported by Microsoft and it installs itself into the Windows Control Panel. It allows many useful tweaks of your system without the user having to edit the registry (something we try to discourage unless you like to live on the wild side and are confident you know what you're doing.) Tweak UI offers a lot of options to clean up some annoying Window features, it's free, compatible with Win95/98/NT/ME/2000, and worth looking into at http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp
_____________________________________________________________

TWEAK XP. Got Windows XP? Have the urge to tweak? Then surely you won't want to pass up the chance to make XP behave the way you want by visiting this sizable collection at http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakxp/default.asp.

_________________________________________________________________________
Select Nonconsecutive Items in Word 2002

Now Microsoft Word version 2002 users can do something Microsoft Excel users have been doing for a long time - select multiple items that aren't next to each other. For example, you can select a word in the first paragraph, and a word in the fifth paragraph, but not all the words in between. This is helpful if you want to perform the same task on multiple items, such as delete them or change their formatting.

Here's how you can select items that aren't next to each other: 1) Select the first item you want, such as a table cell or paragraph.
2) Hold down CTRL.
3) Select any additional items you want. Thats it.
__________________________________________

Create a Photo Album Presentation in PowerPoint 2002

Did you know you could use Microsoft PowerPoint version 2002 to create a photo album? Here's how:

On the Insert menu, point to Picture, and then click New Photo Album. In the Photo Album dialog box, you can choose to add pictures from your hard disk or a peripheral device, such as a scanner or digital camera. To add a picture from a file or disk, do the following:

Under Insert picture from, click File/Disk.
Locate the folder or disk that contains the picture you want to add to your photo album, click the picture file, and then click Insert.
Repeat Step 2 for as many pictures as you want to add to your photo album. Or to capture them all at once, hold down the CTRL key, click each picture file you need, and then click Insert.
Next, specify the look of the album under Album Layout.
Then click Create.

Note: If you want to change or update your photo album after you have created it, use the Format Photo Album dialog box from the Format menu.
_________________________________________________________

I receive many messages about starting a computer in SAFE MODE, There seems to be some confusion about this so let me try to clear it up.

What exactly is Safe Mode and how do I start the computer in Safe mode.? Safe mode is the Windows diagnostics mode. When you start the computer in Safe mode, only the specific components that are needed to run the operating system are loaded. Safe mode does not allow some functions, such as connection to the Internet. It also loads a standard video driver at a low resolution; therefore, your programs and the Windows desktop may look different than usual, In addition, the desktop icons may have moved to different locations on the desktop. All Windows operating systems except Windows 3.1 and Windows NT can be started in Safe mode.

Windows 98/Me includes the System Configuration Utility. If you can start the computer normally into Windows, this is the easiest--and the recommended--way to restart the computer in Safe mode.

To configure the System Configuration Utility to start the computer in Safe mode in Windows 98/ME:
1. Close all open programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
3. Type msconfig and then click OK.
4. The System Configuration Utility window opens.
5. The Advanced Troubleshooting Settings dialog box appears. Check Enable Startup Menu and then click OK. Click OK again when the System Configuration Utility reappears.
6. You will be prompted to restart the computer. Click Yes. The computer will restart in Safe mode. (This can take several minutes.)

NOTE: When you are finished with all troubleshooting (in Safe mode) repeat these steps, but in step 5, uncheck "Enable Start-up Menu," and then close all programs and restart the computer as you normally would.

Windows XP includes the System Configuration Utility. If you can start the computer normally into Windows, this is the easiest--and the recommended--way to restart the computer in Safe mode:

Follow steps 1, 2 and 3 as listed above. 4. The System Configuration Utility window opens. On the BOOT.INI tab under BOOT OPTIONS, check the "/SAFEBOOT" option, and then click OK.
5. You then see the prompt to restart the computer. Click Restart.
The computer restarts in Safe mode. (This can take several minutes.)

NOTE: When you finish with all troubleshooting (in Safe mode) repeat these steps, but in step 4, uncheck "/SAFEBOOT" and then close all of the programs and restart the computer as you normally would.

You can also get into SAFE MODE in Windows 95 By continued slow tapping of the F8 key at the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choosing Safe Mode from the Windows 95 Startup menu.

And without going into more complex issues, that’s the basic story about SAFE MODE. I hope that you have a better understanding of it now, Dr M.
______________________________________________________________________

CHANGEEXT is a free Windows Explorer add-on that will display additional information about a file when the file's icon is right-clicked - including: file extension, size, attributes, creation/modification date and short-cut info. Download at http://justaskcomputer.com:8099/
______________________________________________________________________

JV16 POWER TOOLS contains the tools you need for cleaning, controlling and tuning up your computer, including a registry cleaner, duplicate file finder, and temporary file finder. It's a free download athttp://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/jv16powertools.shtml
_________________________________________________________________________

Ready for another time synchronization utility? Dimension 4 accesses public time servers on the Internet and sets your system clock when you start your system, or whatever time interval you choose. It's a free download for Windows 9x at http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/
____________________________________________________________________________

TASKMAN resides in your Windows 98 Windows directory and contains a number of customizable tasks programs. To access it, double-click Taskman, or enter "taskman" (without quotes) in Start's Run command line. The program can list all currently running programs and windows tile or cascade open windows, provide a command line, minimize all open windows with one command, and shut down Windows.
_________________________________________________________________________

AVOIDING SCRIPT ERROR MESSAGES. If those messages asking what script debugger you want to use are becoming a real nuisance, consider disabling the message (not the debugging) feature: In Internet Explorer select Tools | Internet Options | Advanced and click OFF in response to "Display a notification about every script error", then click OK. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SPEED VS. CUTE. Opt for a faster Windows 98/2000/ME by right clicking on the desktop, selecting Properties and Effects tab, then unchecking items in the visual effects box at the bottom of the dialog box. The more you check, the faster the response but the drabber your computing experience. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ QUICK WAY HOME. In Internet Explorer, click once on the address bar to select (highlight it) or touch F6. In the address bar, type two periods like ".." and hit Enter. You're home. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ FAVORITES FOR ADDRESSES. If you'd prefer to use Favorites instead of an address book to organize your email, do this:

In Internet Explorer, click on Favorites and Add to Favorites. Type the addressee's name in the Add Favorite dialog box and click OK. Then, right click on the newly added Favorite and select Properties. Replace the information in the URL text box with "mailto:" (without the quotes) followed by the email address and click OK. Selecting this favorite now opens the email composition window with the desired email address already entered.

Go one step further by right clicking on the new Favorite, select Send to and clicking on Desktop to place the Favorite as an icon on your desktop.

For even greater convenience, right click on the desktop icon and assign a shortcut key in the space provided.

To Speed up your computer you can change the “Typical Role” and Read Ahead Optimization Settings for the hard disk:

1) Right-click MY COMPUTER., PROPERTIES.
2) One PERFORMANCE tab, click on FILE SYSTEM. 3) On HARD DISK tab, click TYPICAL ROLE OF THIS COMPUTER and check “NETWORK SERVER”.
Make sure that the READ AHEAD OPTIMIZER SLIDER is dragged all the way to the right to FULL. Click OK and OK again to CLOSE.
___________________________________________________________________________

Here’s How To Change the Drive Letter for your drives:

1) Right-Click on MY COMPUTER, PROPERTIES, DEVICE MANAGER and click on plus sign next to the CD-ROM in the list of drives.
2) Right-click on the drive you wish to change, click on PROPERTIES.
3) On the SETTINGS tab, click on the START DRIVE LETTER down arrow, click a drive letter then click OK
4) Click YES when asked whether you want to restart your computer.
_________________________________________________________________________

If you buy a new computer and need to transfer many files from your old machine to the new computer, you can copy files to CD-RW’s and then install on the new machine.

Also you can use YAHOO BRIEFCASE which can be found and downloaded free at http://www.yahoo.com to upload files to their Internet site. The files can then be accessed your new computer. Also, Yahoo Briefcase has a feature where one can e-mail the files so you can then send them to your e-mail address, put them in a folder, and then open them in your e-mail program on the new computer when you are ready to install them.

You can also use WINZIP to ZIP files (compress them) and send them via e-mail as attachments. To do so:

Open Windows Explorer, right-click on the folder you want, then select E-MAIL and ZIP FOLDERS. The file gets zipped. wait a few seconds until NEW MESSAGE window appears where you can then e-mail the zipped folders.
___________________________________________________________

Dr M. I am about to received my new computer momentarily and wanted some information about moving information from the old to the new and closing out the hard disc of the old so that the information is not available to others. I am sure that you have up-dated your computer many times in the past and must have a routine that you follow in closing out the old computer. I also think that this would be a good topic for your "juicy computer tips".

My old computer does not have a CD Writer, so I must rely on floppy discs to transfer information. I know how to transfer files to a floppy disc ( I use "Save As") but I don't know how to do this for programs that I may wish to save. For example, I had installed a program for Las Vegas games, which may or not be part of the software for the new computer. I may wish to copy the program to a floppy disc so that I can install it on the new computer. How do I copy a program?

What do you do to erase the hard disc on the old computer? Are there any other steps that you take in the change over process? I welcome all suggestions. Lee L.R.

Lee, Congrats on getting a new computer. In addition to using floppy discs to copy your documents, files, etc, you can also send those files by e-mail as attachments. Floppy discs only hold small amounts of data and e-mail may be a good way also to send data. Then you open the e-mail on the new computer and place them in the proper location on the new computer.

You can’t copy programs from your old computer to floppy discs as when a program is installed on a computer, files are placed in many places such as your Registry and you can’t possibly find those files so just copying the program will not work. You must have the original installation discs or CD’s to reinstall them on the new computer.

As far as deleting data from your hard drive. What are you doing with the old computer? If you are not selling it to someone or giving it to someone you know, you can format the hard drive and that will remove everything on it. However, the recipient of the computer will have to start all over to get the machine working. A better and easier way to destroy files is to use a FREE utility called FILE SHREDDER.

When you delete a file, Windows simply removes the reference to the deleted file from the file system, but disk clusters still contain the file data, so your confidential information can be accessed by others after the file deletion. Securely wiping files - you can configure File Shredder to overwrite a file data with random information up to 15 times, so it is practically impossible to recover the original data.

You can wipe your files or folders right from Windows Explorer. To do this just select the files or folders you want to process, then click them with right mouse button and select "Destroy with Shredder" from the Explorer's pop-up menu.

Go to this url to download File Shredder:
http://www.webattack.com/get/etshredder.shtml
___________________________________________________________

For a quick and automatic way to delete Temporary Internet files, In Internet Explorer, go to TOOLS, INTERNET OPTIONS, ADVANCED, and check: “Empty Temporary Internet Files When Browser Is Closed”.
______________________________________________________

Just want to say again that I appreciate your effort in compiling and sending out this information. I have a question for you. Do you have any idea how to shut off the mouse click audio in IE6 when links are clicked? This is driving me crazy. Thanks as always, Steven C.
***********************************************

Steve, The mouse clicking is normal. The computer saves any actions you make on the mouse in a buffer so it can perform them later when it starts falling behind. The clicking just means that this buffer is full. You'll hear the same sound if you start typing too. Windows XP gives you by default a clicking sound when you press a mouse button. You can try this: Go to START, SETTINGS, CONTROL PANEL. Open the SOIUNDS folder and play with the sounds there. See if you can find one that controls mouse clicks. My mouse does not make any sound when I click on a link, Dr M.
____________________________________________

How To Slim Down Your System Tray:

I have approximately 20 programs running in the system tray on the right end of my taskbar. How do I prevent some of them from loading every time Windows starts up? Johnny M., Long Beach, NY.

Johnny, These days every program seems to put its icon in your system tray. The icons do more than just fill up the taskbar, though. Each icon in the system tray represents a running program that's using RAM and other system resources.

To identify the program associated with an icon, hold the mouse pointer over it until a title pops up. Now ask yourself if you need that program running at all times. If it's something like a firewall or an antivirus program's auto-protect module that does something constructive while it's in the background, the answer is yes. But if it's something like the little AOL icon that merely gives you yet another way to launch the service, you can probably do without it.

Right-click the icon and examine the menu that pops up. There's often an Exit or Close option. When you select this, you may be asked whether you want the program to restart the next time you restart Windows; tell it you don't. (You can turn off AOL's system tray program in this way.) If that doesn't work, examine the pop-up menu for an option named 'Preferences' or 'Options'. Or open the program itself and check its menus for an option that will prevent it from loading on start-up.

If the program doesn't include a simple way to turn itself off, you have to do the job through Windows. In Windows 98, Me, or XP, select Start, Run, type msconfig, press Enter, and click the StartUp tab. Msconfig doesn't come with Windows 95 or 2000.
_______________________________________

Dr M. I am using a one-year-old Dell PC with a2 GHZ ,512 MB of RAM, an 80 GB hard disk, and Windows XP. As I write this, all I'm running is Outlook Express, along with one window of Internet Explorer. Yet Windows informs me that my "system resources" are too low and that I should close some programs but I’m not using any other programs. If I were to open Microsoft Word and additional browser windows, the available system resources would drop to very low levels. Sometimes I even receive a warning that the computer doesn't have enough resources to open a new document. What are system resources? Doesn't my 512 megabytes of memory help with this? Chris, C., Tampa, FL.
********************************************

Chris, I have discussed this problem many times. You've run into one of the worst design blunders ever to come out of Microsoft a characteristic of Windows that aggravates many users, especially those who, like you, have invested in lots of memory precisely so that they can avoid running out of computer capacity. Regardless of how much actual memory you have, Windows will only allow you to simultaneously run a limited number of programs and to have a limited number of open windows, and those limits have nothing to do with your PC's actual memory capacity. That's because of a bottleneck called "System Resources," a special chunk of memory Windows allocates to each program or window you're using. This is severely restricted, and can fill up long before your actual memory is taxed to capacity.

The problem is made worse because of the host of invisible background programs that Microsoft and other companies place in your machine, which run all the time, whether or not you know about them or approve. There's nothing you can do about this, except to try and pare the number of nonessential programs and Windows in use. You can press Control-ALT-Delete to close some of these weird background programs. Rebooting sometimes also helps. Also, you can go to START, RUN, type in msconfig and then use Selective Startup to Uncheck many of the programs that you see checked. There is no need to have all thse programs running in the background. You can’t do anything wrong because even if you stop a program from running in the background and then your printer or something else doesn’t function, you can always go back to msconfig and check the program that needs to be running. Dr M.
_____________________________________________

Jack S. of Boynton Beach, Florida had a problem backing up data to a CD. I gave him all the proper suggestions: Format the CD first, Use a high-speed CD, use only CD-RW’s, Backup when you are NOT inline to avoid incompatibilities with your ISP, disable your virus checker,, etc. And then he replied that he solved the issue very simply: “ I have another way to fix the problem of CD-RWs that don't work. I washed the CD and then did the backup. Guess what? It worked.” With all the information that I have, I forgot that simple trick. CD’s can’t be read if there are too many fingerprints or a thin film of grease or oil from our handling them. Just use a very slightly damp tissue to clean the CD and then dry it well and often, as Jack discovered, the CD will function normally.
_________________________________

Dr M. When I had a Windows 98 computer, I could right-click on the My Computer icon, Properties, and the System Poroprties window would open up.By clicking on the Performance tab, I could check my Performance. My new Windows XP compuer will not do that. How can I check Performance in XP? Desmond F., Laramie, WY.
**********************************************

Desmond, Open Control Panel, System Icon, There you will see the System Properties window and the Performance tab. Dr M.
______________________________________________________

SINGLE CLICKING
"A click saved is a click...uh, something like that".
If you want to single click instead of double clicking all the time , it's easy to do.

On your desktop, click on My Computer.
Then, at the top, click on Tools.
Select and click "Folder Options".
Under "Click items as follows" place a check mark in the little circle for Single Click to open an item.

That's it! No more (very little) double clicking!
_________________________________________________________

HOW CAN I GET RID OF SPAM WITHOUT BLOCKING MY e-MAIL WITH MAIL CONTROLS? I FIND THAT A GREAT INCONVENIENCE. IN ONE OF YOUR LETTERS I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SITE TO GO TO AND I ACCIDENTLY DELETED IT. THANKS. Bear.

Bear, I checked my DR M Computer Tips but can't find any reference to spam there. There is no easy way to stop spam without using some type of BLOCKER. In your e-mail program, there should be settings to filter out spam. In addition, you should have a BLOCKED SENDER LIST into which you can enter e-mail addresses that you wish to block.

I can't use a real SPAM BLOCKER as every day I get requests for subscriptions and questions from people with new e-mail addresses and a blocker would prevent me from receiving those messages. I can use the Blocked Sender List but mine is already filled up and I can't add more without deleting some that are already on the list.

Here is a url that lists many Spam Blockers. Some are free, some are Shareware and others charge for the software. See if any of their suggestions meet your requirements.

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/browse/0,cat,1447,sortidx,2,00.asp Dr M.
_______________________________________________________________

Windows 98 Thumbnail Tip (This is standard in Windows XP)

And now for a Windows 98 secret. So you want an easy way to view thumbnails of images but don't want to buy or install any new software, eh? You want it all don't you! In Windows 98 you have an thumbnails option that's pretty nifty.

Open Windows Explorer and right click on the folder in the left pane with the graphics you want to view as thumbnails, then choose Properties. In the Properties dialog window that opens, check the box at the bottom that says Enable Thumbnail View. Click Apply.

Next highlight that folder to open it and then go to the View Menu. Something new will be there.

At the top of the part of the drop down menu where it used to have the choice to View Small Icons, Large Icons, List and Details, it will also say Thumbnails. Just click that and it will display thumbnails of all compatible files types, which even includes html pages.

If you don't see the thumbnail option close Windows Explorer and reopen it.

This has to be done on a folder by folder basis. Just doing it to one folder won't add the Thumbnails view to the other folders.
____________________________________________________________

Dr M., In my haste, I deleted an e-mail from my Hotmail Inbox. Is there any way to retrieve this message since they deleted e-mail does not go into Hotmail’s trash bin? Erika J., Naples, FL.

Erick, Here’s a little trick that can help you. If you accidentally delete a message, keep clicking on the BACK button until you get back to the Inbox that had the message. Then you can click on it to open and read it. Dr M.
____________________________________________________________

Q. Is there a simple way to eliminate the unpleasant high-pitched sounds you hear while a modem connection is established?

A. In most versions of Windows operating system, there is a place in the modem's control panel to adjust the speaker volume.

In Windows, go to the Start menu, then to Settings and then Control Panel and double-click on the Modem icon to open it. Click on the name of your modem in the window, then click on the Properties button. Click on the General tab, and in the area called Speaker Volume, slide the control to suit your ears. (These steps may vary depending on the version of Windows you are using.)
___________________________________________________________

Dr M., I recently upgraded to MSN Messenger, the chat room service. Now, when I sign on the Internet, the MSN web page automatically opens up. I do not care to view this page but don’t know how to stop from appearing. Can you help me? Percival P., Canton, OH.

Percy, Microsoft would like everyone to come to their web pages so they have automatically put into the default settings of MSN Messenger version 6.0 (also called 6.0268) the automatic opening of their MSN web page. To eliminate this, in MSN Messenger, click on TOOLS, OPTIONS. On the GENERAL tab, under Sign Up, uncheck “Display MSN Today when Messenger signs in”. This will say “Goodbye” to the MSN web page.

Here’s another tip about Messenger. In the same General tab window, be sure to uncheck “Allow Microsoft to collect anonymously information about how I use its software and services”. I don’t know how you feel about someone looking at what you do, but this sounds too much like “Big Brother” and “1984” to me. I don’t need anyone watching what I do and possibly using my actions, even though they are perfectly legal and “usually” highly moral, against me at some future date. I don’t even like anyone looking over my shoulder when I am using my computer for my daily chores. Dr M.
_______________________________________________________________

Now, contacting Your Doctor Has Never Been Easier using a FREE service called MD Hub. Every doctor participating in this system (over 380,000) has a Website already up and waiting for you to send your non-emergency message. And since most practices do not use the Internet, messages are automatically delivered by FAX. The service is free at http://www.mdhub.com

Reaching your doctor by phone these days can be an enormous challenge: busy signals, music on hold, press 1 for press 2 for telephone tag and even having your personal calls overheard by co-workers. Finally there's an alternative to using the phone.

MDhub is a FREE service. There's no setup, registration or fee. Every medical practice has an MDhub Internet MessageCenter already up and running for NON-URGENT requests. Use your doctor's MDhub Internet MessageCenter instead of the phone for requesting or canceling appointments, renewing prescriptions, requesting test results and referrals, etc. Since most doctors don't use the Internet, your message will automatically be sent to his or her FAX machine. If you're seeing a doctor for the first time, you can even fill out the paperwork before your visit. That way your new chart will be ready when you arrive.

How Does It Work?

All you have to do is enter your doctor’s name or phone number in one of the text boxes on the MDF HUB web site and you’re on your way. It's that easy to send your doctor's office a message that will automatically pop up on the office fax machine.

Sooner or later, your doctor will likely be responding to your request with an e-mail response. But for now, expect his or her response by return phone call.
____________________________________________________________

A tip from Herb K., Boynton Beach, FL. If by some strange circumstance you lose all of your menus in Microsoft Word, and therefore can not see the VIEW menu to select the TOOLBARS, don’t despair.

Simply Right-Click on that menu line at the extreme right side of the line and a popup menu will appear from which you can select the task bars you desire. Most of us just need two – Standard and Formatting so click on at least those two.
_____________________________________________________________

Dr M, This message comes on the screen every time I boot up. It is eliminated when I click on ok. I would like to eliminate it finally and completely. Do you know how?

This Is The Error Message:
"Problem with Shortcut The shortcut "OfferCompanion.lnk" refers to a location that is unavailable. The location could be on a hard drive on this computer, on a network, or on a different computer on your your home network. Check to make sure that the disk is properly inserted or that you are conneced to the internet or home network and then try again. OK".

I am not on a network, I do not have a different computer, I do not have a Home network, there is no disk to insert, I am connected to the Internet and I have tried to eliminate it again and again with no success. Jack L.

California Jack, It appears that you have installed some sort of Office Companion utility in the past, and now the program is no longer where Windows expects it to be. This can happen if you just delete off the files of the utility, without actually uninstalling the application correctly from the 'add/remove programs' icon in the control panel. The easiest way to correct the problem is to reinstall the Office utility, and then uninstall it if you don't want to use it anymore.

However, If you can locate the shortcut, which should be on your desktop, simply delete the shortcut and you should not be bothered by the error message again. If you have Norton Utilities on your computer, run WIN DOCTOR which finds and fixes errors with Windows. Dr M.
_________________________________________________________

Dr M, I am running Windows 98. My computer is stuck in MS-DOS Loop During Startup. The screen says C:\Commandcom How can I get out of here and return to Windows. Paul K., Duluth, MN.

Paul, This problem can affect both Windows 95, and Windows 98. First, try typing WIN /w and press the ENTER key. If that does not work try typing: WIN /wx and press ENTER. That “should” take you back to Windows. If not, try typing the word: EXIT and press ENTER. If you type Exit and Windows does NOT open but the computer returns to MS-DOS mode and if the same happens if the computer is turned off and turned back on, you should Quit the MS-DOS-based program properly. Windows should then start automatically. If Windows does not start automatically, use the following steps to work around this issue.

Turn on the computer and begin pressing the F8 key in one-second intervals. If you complete this step successfully, the Microsoft Windows Startup Menu opens. If no menu opens, and Windows starts up normally, repeat this step. From the menu, select Safe Mode Command Prompt Only, and then press the ENTER key. If you complete this step correctly, a command prompt appears. At the command prompt, type: Win /wx. Press ENTER. That should take you back to Windows. Dr M.

_____________________________________________________________________

Dr M, I received a strange error message called: “SECURITY SANDBOX VIOLATION”. Do you know what that means? Horatio R., Gastonia, GA.

Horatio, Without going into great detail, “SECURITY SANDBOX VIOLATION”. Refers to a problem with FLASH Presentations, manufactured by Macromedia. The message deals with accessing data to a Flash presentation from a web domain outside of the of the domain where the presentation was created.

Unless you understand Flash, you will not be able to understand the explanations given by Macromedia about this.

Here’s a short excerpt from their explanation:

“External data not accessible outside a Flash movie's domain:
For security reasons, a Flash movie playing in a Web browser is not allowed to access data that resides outside the Web domain from which the SWF originated.”

If I were you, I would just delete the error message. At some time, you probably opened a Flash presentation (you know what that is, an animated short movie-type of presentation like an animated greeting card, etc.) and that’s why the message appeared. Just forget about it unless you are a web-master and create Flash presentations yourself. Dr. M.
____________________________________________________________________

The Problem – Holding down the CTR: key at the wrong time can cause baffling problems.

For the past couple of months I have been coping with an incredibly frustrating problem. My files in the File Open dialog box mysteriously started appearing in order of the "Last Modified" date, instead of in alphabetical order. Let me tell you, this problem was driving me nuts. My Web site has more than 200 files in it and wading through the list NONalphabetically has been one gigantic pain. I figured at some point I must have clicked just the right key combination to change some Windows default setting somewhere. But I couldn't put it back. (Oh the aggravation!)

I looked through my Windows registry settings to see if I could find a setting somewhere that affects how files are listed. No dice. And I tried every combination of keystrokes I could think of in my effort to restore alphabetic order. One thing I did discover, which sort of mitigated the problem to a degree is that if you right-click over the file listing area of the File Open dialog box, you can change how the files are listed (choose Arrange Icons, then By Name.

The Solution:

Finally, I ran across a tip that contained the solution. As it turns out, you can force Windows to remember the file listing settings. I apparently did this accidentally at some point. Here's what you do: go into Windows Explorer and open a folder such as My Documents. Now choose View|Details. Along the top of the file listing area, you see Name, Type, Size, Modified. If you click any one of these, it will change how your files are sorted in the list. For example, you click Modified to sort your files by the date they were modified.

Now...here's the part that made Windows save this sorting information everywhere. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the X in the upper right-hand corner of the Window to close it. Now whenever you run a Windows application that uses the File Open, Save, or Save As dialog boxes, the files are listed in Date Modified order rather than Alphabetically.

It's sort of astonishing to me that I could have experienced so much aggravation just because I held down the Ctrl key at an inopportune time, but there it is. The mystery of computers just never ends.
______________________________________________________________________________

Have you ever heard about index.dat files., what they are, what they contain, how to remove them?

If you are using Windows, chances are that all your browsing history is stored in some hidden files. Even if most people are unaware of that, Internet Explorer keeps these records and does not delete them when you empty your browser cache.

Just grab the index.dat viewer at this url and see what I mean. Then read the long story below about what they are: http://www.exits.ro/

If you are like me, you don't want your computer to keep secrets from you. Every time I find a suspect file, I either open it with an editor or search the net for information about that file. Of course, opening a file with an editor does not make sense for binary files. You will only get a ton of nothing showing up.

When I first discovered an index.dat file, it was because I read about them in a technical document. They are so well hidden by Windows and if you are not told about them it is very unlikely to find them. I immediately opened the file with an editor (I recommend using the index.dat viewer mentioned above - it is free) and I was amazed by its content. URLs I haven't even known to be surfing, files I opened months ago and a lot of cookies I thought I deleted. So I started investigating this file and trying to figure out how the information is stored in there. Here is what I found.

What they are:

They are so-called Internet Explorer (IE) databases, where IE says it keeps track of the recent stuff you did related (more or less) with internet browsing. The reason it keeps this databases is the easy retrieval of the information (otherwise it would have to scan the temp directories every time it is searching for cache files)

. There are three kinds of index.dat files, all of them having the same structure but storing different kinds of information.

1. Temporary internet files index file. This one is storing almost all the addresses of the html and pictures you opened in your browser. Cleaning the temporary internet files won't help, it will only remove the files, but it will keep the records in this file.

2. Cookies index file. This file contains a list of cookies placed on your computer by sites you visited recently. Cleaning the cookies usually removes most of the records from this file, but there may be leftovers that were not deleted (usually less than 10).

3. History index files. These files contain all the URLs you ever opened on your machine. There can be more than one file; usually it creates one of every week.

What they contain:

To have a look at the actual URLs contained in this files, grab the free index.dat viewer at: http://www.exits.ro/

They contain records of your past internet activities. There are 5 kinds of records in these files:

a. URL - this contains a URL and a reference to a local file where it is stored.
b. REDR - this kind of records contain references to the pages that were not saved in the temporary internet files. Usually they are dynamic files. These are the most dangerous records, as they may contain sensitive information like passwords.
c. LEAK - those are similar with REDR records, but for some reason they are named like this.
d. HASH - couldn't make much sense out of these records, probably here they store the indexes used to access quickly the data.
e. BADFOOD - this is the information they use to fill up the space in the file. Funny guys, isn't it?

What I have to say here is that, as you can see, these files are very dangerous, because they may store (and any person that knows what too look for can see) sensitive information about what you surfed and even your passwords or credit card numbers.

How to remove them:

Well, many people have written about this. These files are permanently opened by windows (Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer open them). For the moment, the only way to remove them is during a reboot. This is because when the system reboots, they can get deleted before Windows Explorer starts. Another way to delete them is using a boot disk and booting in DOS. But with more and more Windows XP systems around, this is not an option (what I want to say is that this only works on Windows 95, 98 or Me). It may also be possible to clean them by overwriting their contents (there are several programs claiming they do this and it is technically possible. Removing them at reboot should work better in my view).

DELINDEX. The primary purpose of Delindex is to delete Index.dat files which are never resized and only get bigger. These files contain all your web surfing history since they were (re)created, and large index.dat files can cause performance issues with browsing. Index.dat files cannot be deleted if Explorer is running. The secondary purpose of Delindex is to delete junk files for reasons of space, privacy, and performance. Delindex is "stand-alone" program and requires no installation and no other files to run. Download at http://www.burzurq.com/forum/delindex.html

However, and this is a big “however), when I installed this program and tried to run it, Norton Anti-Virus claimed that there “might” be a suspicious component in the program, so I, exercising caution, deleted the program.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Question: How can I tell the size of a file?
Answer: An easy way to determine total size of a file is to select the file and then right-clicking on it, selecting Properties where you will see the file size listed.

An easy way to determine total file size of multiple files is to select them all (holding down the CTRL key and clicking on each is one way), then use the right mouse key and select Properties.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Dr M. My daughter has an HP computer running windows ME. Lately, she has had a problem shutting down. Quite often, but not always, the problem comes. She clicks on START, then SHUT DOWN, the computer starts to shut down but then stops. The screen goes black and then comes back to the background screen color. If she pushes the button on the monitor, the monitor shuts down, but not the computer. The computer can be shut down by pulling the plug, which then shows the error message when started up again. Or, sometimes she is able to push the button OFF on the processor. When resrting, no error message comes on and it goes to the desktop quickly. Any suggestions? Morris F.

Morris, This problem can be caused by many reasons. You should first do routine housekeeping on the computer and every night delete the contents of these folders as I do: Temp, Temporary Internet Files, Recent, History, Cookies. They slow down your computer and lower the performance.

But, most likely, one or more of your drivers is not allowing itself to be unloaded. This, supposedly, is less of a problem in Windows 98 and Windows Me than in Windows 95 (most drivers are no longer unloaded when you shut down), but it still seems to trip up Windows from time to time.

Here are some suggestions:

Try hitting Enter when it hangs to "wake it up." br> Try holding Shift while clicking Ok in the "Shut Down" dialog - this might allow you to shut down faster, and bypass whatever is causing your system to hang.
This can also happen if the sound file for Shutdown becomes corrupted. Double-click on the Sounds icon in Control Panel and remove or change the sound event for Shutdown.

There's another great way to create a Shutdown program for your machine. I use this method myself and my computer shuts down immediately. You can place a Shortcut on your desktop to shut down your computer without using the Start button.

1. Right click mouse on an empty space on the Desktop
2. Choose "New"
3. Choose "Shortcut"
4. Type the following in the space provided exactly as follows:

rundll.exe(space)user.exe,exitwindows (Just leave a SPACE, don’t write the word SPACE or include the parenthesis "(" and ")" marks)

5. Choose "Next"
6. Give it a name. Suggestion "Shut Down"
7. Choose "Finish"
The Shutdown Icon will appear on Desktop. When selected it will shut down your computer.
_____________________________________________________________

Dr M., My Wireless optic mouse blue was working great - Suddenly I find it hard to click-I must press hard and often.

I was printing out the guide for the mouse-when I came to a subject that had sub titles also I would click "Print selected heading and all subtitles--this always worked, and was working on this project also, I was half way thru the guide ,when the printer refused to print the sub topics. In fact it would only print the selected topic and I could not get it to print the rests of the topics no matter what I did. I never had this problem before. I would sure appreciate it if you could help me on this one. Norton G.

Norton, There are many things to try to fix your optical mouse. The leading cause of mouse issues is dirt. Always make sure that even on opticals the bottom of the mouse and the surface it uses are clean, and that the optical sensor is free and clear of debris. Also, check that the plastic windows covering the LED’s are absolutely clean. One spec of dirt on the sensor can cause problems.

Next thing to try is to simply reboot as computers are often self healing.

You didn’t say how old your mouse is. Older optical mice required a highly reflective mousepad with a printed grid that was used to detect movement. Although this mouse did eliminate the mouse ball and its inherent problems, it had its own set of problems – It was slow and if the mousepad was lost, the mouse will not work.

Also, check the surface that the mouse is on. An newer optical mouse works on virtually any flat surface and does not need a mousepad, although one can be used. However, some surfaces, such as glass, mirrors, or smooth shiny, solid-colored surfaces without detail do not work well with an optical mouse.

Look for any interference. Not only physical interference, but software interference. Is Anti-Virus blocking the transmission of the optical mouse? Firewall Windows (XP comes with a firewall)? Ad-blocker?

Try changing the Port from PS-2 to USB. There also could be a problem with your motherboard.

If it still does not work, next thing is to uninstall and reinstall the mouse driver and if that does not help, uninstall and reinstall the mouse. Dr M.
_________________________________________________________________________

My friend, Jack S., of Boynton Beach, Florida told me about a web site called The Belarc Advisor that builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, including Microsoft Hotfixes, and displays the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any web server.

You can download the Belarc Advisor FREE at: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

You will find plenty of software and applications that you didn’t know you had on your computer!
_____________________________________________________________________

Sometimes you want to highlight a very long text document like a web page for either printing or copying and pasting. It can be awkward starting at the top of the document and drawing the mouse all the way dowqn while keeping the left button depressed. An easier solution is to left-click at the extreme left side of the top of the text, then depress the SHIFT key and keep it depressed while you move the mouse to the end of the document and again left-click. The desired text will then be highlighted and will be ready for printing, copy and paste or what ever you desire.
___________________________________________________________________________
Dr M., Can you tell me how to send a file to a certain location, folder or program? I know there is a method but can’t find it. Robert B., San Antonio, TX.

Robert, The “Send To” function can be very useful. The folder itself is a hidden file and does not show up on your computer unless you have selected hidden files to be visible. Here’s how to add a destination to the Send To menu:

Open My Computer. Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive C, unless you have more than one drive on your computer). If you can't see the items on your drive when you open it, under System Tasks, click Show the contents of this drive. Double-click the Documents and Settings folder. Double-click the folder of a specific user. (Eg: On your machine, it’s probably “Robert” plus your last name.)

Double-click the Send To folder. The Send To folder is hidden by default. If it is not visible, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options. On the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Shortcut. Follow the instructions on your screen to complete the job.
_________________________________________________________________
Dr M., Did you ever send us, your esteemed Quicken audience, an icon that is placed on the bottom of the screen, that we can click and get to the desktop? I had such an icon and it disappeared. Jack S., Florida

Jack. I never sent such an icon for one reason. There is no need to clutter up your desktop with another icon when all you have to do is click on the Windows Key + D to get to the desktop. However, here’s how to get that un-needed icon. Be aware that this does NOT work on my computer. Dr M.

SHOW DESKTOP. Rather than bother with minimizing a number of open applications to return quickly to your desktop, just click on the Show Desktop icon in your Windows 98 taskbar. That icon looks like a small shovel and if you don't have it, you can enable it by right clicking on an open spot of the taskbar, select Toolbars, and make sure Quick Launch is checked.
___________________________________________________________________________
STOPPING MESSENGER POP-UPS. In XP, if you're plagued with Messenger pop-ups, try this: Right-click on My Computer and select Manage, double-click on Service and Applications. Double-click on Services. On the list that appears, double-click the Messenger entry and select Disable as the Startup type. Click on Apply and OK. This should prevent pop-ups in Messenger.

Bothered by pop-ups when you are online? – We all are! And you say that you don’t want to buy a program to prevent them? Well, here’s a terrific free pop-up stopper that my colleague, Gene H., told me about:

Go to: www.panicware.com They also want to sell you programs but if you click on DOWNLOADS on the top menu, you will find a free pop-up stopper program listed. And, it really works. I love it. One very minor problem. I have an annuity which I check on the Internet and which requires sign in on a popup. Ialso have many animated gifs in folders on my computer and when the popup stopper is activated, the gifs or that annuity folder will not open. No problem however, as all you do is double click on the small icon that the popup stopper has placed in your system tray to inactivate the program, the gif opens, and then you can instantly activate the pop-up stopper again by clicking on it, Try it, you’ll appreciate the fact that pop-ups really disappear.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SAVING PASSWORDS. Internet Explorer 5 and 6 will save your passwords automatically without the bothersome pop-up asking you whether you want the password saved. To enable this feature, go to Tools|Internet Options and the Content tab. Then click on AutoComplete and uncheck "Prompt me to save passwords."
____________________________________________________________________________
FASTER BOOTUP. You can avoid a few seconds in your long Windows 98 boot up by stopping the floppy scan. Right click on My Computer, select Properties and Performance Tab, and click on File System and Floppy Disk tab. Uncheck "Search for new floppy disk drives every time your computer starts".
____________________________________________________________________________
CONNECTION KEEPER prevents your dial up Internet connection from appearing idle or inactive using little bandwidth or system resources. Download at http://www.webattack.com/get/conkeeper.shtml
____________________________________________________________________________
Dr M. Every twenty seconds while I'm on the computer a screen comes up. In the upper left hand corner (OOPS-it just came up again) is the address "MAP132 Exception". It asks for my name, e-mail address and the following;

"out going server SMTP Server", and incoming server "POP3 Server". I don't have the foggiest hint as to what this is. Incidentally, it came up three more times while I was typing this message. I get rid of it by click on the delete box at the bottom of the message.

Can you help me with the two servers? Thanks, Dick A., CT.
**************************************************
Dick, Your computer is infected with a worm virus. Read this article that Georgia State University sent to its students:

New Worm Pretending to Be a Microsoft Patch
posted September 20th, 2003
There is a new worm which installs a remote control program (trojan horse) on the infected computer. The text advises you that there is a "September 2003, Cumulative Patch update" which eliminates vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, and that you need to run the attached update file. NOTE: Microsoft never sends security patches through email notifications. If you see messages like this, they are not from Microsoft. Please ensure that you have the latest protection by doubleclicking on the "gold shield" icon at the bottom right of your taskbar. The Virus Definition file should have version 9/18/2003 rev. 7 listed.

If an earlier date is listed, run the Symantec LiveUpdate program immediately. After that is completed, scan your hard drive and network home directory for viruses by choosing Scan from the top line menu of the antivirus program, "scan computer." Select your "C" drive and any other drives that you store data on. Click the scan button at the bottom of the screen.

If your computer is already infected with this worm, you may see a green pop-up box with "Map132 Exception" at the top of it. It will advise you that you need to enter your email address, password, etc., and hit apply. Do not enter this information. Contact the HousingNet support staff at 404 206-5956 (housingnet@gsu.edu) for assistance.

(I have posted below some other links that can be helpful if you get infected with this virus – Dr M.)

If you are infected by the w32.swen.@mm worm, follow this link for removal instructions. https://www.europe.f-secure.com/v-descs/swen.shtml

For more information Visit:

http://securityresponse.symantec.co....swen.a@mm.html

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=283673

McAfee's Stinger: http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

Symantec/Norton: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/ve...moval.tool.html
____________________________________________________________________________
Dr M., I received a message from you twice and the same thing happened the last time I Heard from you. I have been getting messages from people I write to saying they are getting duplicates and even triplicate from me. I have no idea why this is happening. Do you? Jack W., Boynton Beach, FL.

Jack, This is a common occurrence. if you get exactly two copies of each mail, it is more likely that you`re subscribed twice, maybe with two different e-mail addresses being routed to your account. Check the `Received headers.

There are a few things you can check to stop duplicate email messages.

Start by checking in your e-mail program to be sure that copies are not being made to the Inbox. Then, if you are using Outlook Express, check the task manager to be sure that there is only one instance of Outlook running. Two instances of outlook.exe running can produce two messages arriving at the same time. You will need to then determine why two instances of Outlook were running in the first place.

Another thing you can do is to delete/remove ALL your e-mail accounts and recreate them. This worked for some people.

Also, if you're running Outlook XP, be sure that you are at service pack 2 or later. You can tell if you need to upgrade at Microsoft Product Updates.

Finally, another person had this happen when he had two e-mail accounts set up - using two e-mail addresses, but the same POP3 incoming and same SMTP outgoing. What happened is that the second account was getting the e-mails from the POP3 server before they were actually deleted after the first account was finished. If this is the problem you can disable the receive on the second account. There is a Microsoft article explaining the problem more thoroughly at http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q284404
____________________________________________________________________________
Dr M., I can't confine my task bar to one line. It is getting into the way of other programs. How do I control it? If it's thru "settings" please walk me thru it. Thanks. Lou M., Fl.

Lou: 2 things you can do:
1) Move your mouse cursor over the top of the taskbar. When it change into a double arrow, left click and drag the task bar up or down to the position you prefer.
2) As above, move the task bar to the position you prefer (One Line) Then right-click on an empty space on the taskbar and select PROPERTIES from the pop-up menu. Then select LOCK TASKBAR and it will remain in that position
_______________________________________________________________________

Dear Dr. M. I have a workhorse HP Laserjet 5 printer which is fast and fabulous. Unfortunately, it only provides black and white printing. My computer and monitor are geared for color and many of my new programs (digital camera, Print Master, etc.) require printing in color. I could buy a color inkjet printer but I hate to give up the Laserjet because black and white is suitable for much of my computer printing. Is there a way that I can run my existing printer with a new color printer, switching, easily, from one to the other? I have a Compaq Presario 8712 using Windows 98. Help! Lee R.
**********************************

Leon: I can’t find the message that I previously sent to you but you need a switching device to connect the 2 printers to your computer,. A simple A/B switch would work with inkjet or dot matrix printers but laser printers manufacturers warn against using mechanical A/B switch boxes because they may disrupt communications between the laser printer and the computer. If the switch is thrown to select another computer, the contact points break and make contact. The momentary voltage drop causes a logic error, requiring the laser printer to be reset.

You can read about this at: http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles%2F1996%2Fapr96%2F96n0441%2F96n0441%2Easp (You will have to register with SMART COMPUTING – It’s FREE – to read the entire article)

To be fair to the A/B box manufacturers, it’s possible to make a rotary switch safe for laser printers. Bravo Communications makes a surge-protected data switch certified as “LaserJet safe.” Available in either two-input or four-input models, these cost less than $70. You can find Bravo Communications at: http://www.bravobravo.com/ Dr M.
___________________________________________________________________

An old former pupil sent this question: Dear Dr. M: I am contemplating the purchase of a new computer loaded with Windows XP. What is the best way to transfer the programs and data from my old Windows 98 computer to the new Windows
********************************************************

Al, There are several ways to transfer data. For Quicken, just backup your files to either floppy disks or CD-RW’s (if you have a CD burner on both computers). Floppy Disks are the best way as sometimes CD’s refuse to go into the new computer. Also, Quicken must be installed on the new computer first before restoring the data through FILE, RESTORE.

As for your DOCUMENTS, you can go to Windows Explorer and copy them, again to floppy disks or to CD’s and then restore them to the new computer. And, you can send also send e-mail to yourself with files such as your documents in ATTACHMENTS. Then when you open your e-mail on the new computer, you can place those attachments in the proper folders. There are programs that you can buy, one may be called LapLink or something like that which transfers data, but I wouldn’t bother with that as the above methods will work and they are cheap.

Since your new computer will have Windows XP, its Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. You can use a stabndard serial cable to connect your old computer to the new machine Just follow the steps in the Wizard and you won’t go wrong. There are even links to information about the necessary cable and how and where to install it.

There is also a company called Detto Technologies that has a kit (sorry, but it’s not free!) that can transfer data fils from one machine to another. You can find info on this at: http://www.detto.com

One thing more. Windows XP comes with a feature called SYSTEM RESTORE (Go to START, HELP & SUPPORT. Near the bottom you’ll see System Restore._This lets you set up a RESTORE point so in case your computer starts to act funny, you can restore it to a previous time when it was functioning perfectly. This is VERY important. And also do this before you install any new programs or make any major changes in your computer settings, etc. Dr M. *****************************************************

I am often asked about problems running older software programs in Windows XP that were designed to run in Windows 3.1, 95 and 98. Some times Window XP will not allow this to happen. But, don’t throw your hands up in despair, read on for a possible solution. Most programs DO run properly on Windows XP. The exceptions include some games and other programs that were written SPECIFICALLY for an earlier version of Windows. The Program Compatibility Wizard can allow older programs to run on Windows XP.

The Program Compatibility Wizard prompts you to test the program in different modes (environments) and with various settings. For example, if the program was originally designed to run on Windows 95, set the compatibility mode to Windows 95 and try running the program again. If successful, the program will start in that mode each time. The wizard also allows the use of different settings, such as switching the display to 256 colors and the screen resolution to 640 x 480 pixels.

The Program Compatibility Wizard provides step-by-step instruction for use. To run the Program Compatibility Wizard, complete the steps below.

NOTE: Windows XP allows different options for viewing graphical interface. The following procedure assumes that the default Windows XP view settings are used, rather than the Classic Start Menu View.

Close programs, return to the desktop, and click Start on the Windows taskbar. Click All Programs, choose Accessories and select Program Compatibility Wizard. The icon appears as a question mark (?). The Program Compatibility Wizard Welcome window will open.

Click Next. Click the "I want to choose from a list of programs" radio button. A list of programs will appear. Select the program that is to run in a Compatibility Mode. Click Next. A window presenting the different Windows Compatibility Modes will open. Click the radio button next to the desired Compatibility Mode and click Next. The window that appears allows for the selection of 256 Colors and/or 640 X 480 Pixel Screen Resolution.

NOTE: These display settings are not available options in Windows XP. They are only available when running a program in Program Compatibility Mode. The only reason to choose either of these settings is if you are experiencing difficulty installing or running an older application designed to run in MS-DOS, Windows 3.1 or Windows 95. If all options remain unchecked, then the current Colors and Screen Resolution settings will not be altered.

By default, Windows XP uses visual themes that may change the appearance or behavior of other programs, especially those games or educational programs that include intensive graphics and animation. To prevent the visual themes from affecting these programs, check Disable Visual Themes.

Click Next. A window showing the heading "Test Your Compatibility Settings" will appear. In addition, the settings that you selected will appear. Verify that the settings are correct.

NOTE: If the settings are not correct, click the Back button to return to the previous screen (or screens) and make the necessary changes.

With the correct settings selected and showing in the "Test Your Compatibility Settings" window, click Next. A screen showing the following question will open: "Did the program work correctly?" In addition, the program selected in Step 5 (above) will launch. Run the program to test the settings. After testing the settings, minimize (or close) the program to return to the Program Compatibility Wizard.

NOTE: After the program is minimized (or closed), the window with the "Did the program work correctly?" question will reappear. The "Yes. Set this program to always use these compatibility settings" will be selected.

If the program functioned properly using the compatibility mode that was selected in Step 7 (above), click Next. The Program Compatibility Data window will open.

NOTE: If the program did not function correctly, click "No, try different compatibility settings" and complete the Wizard. After completing the wizard, try the program again.

In the window that opens, select Yes or No and click Next. The Completing the Program Compatibility Wizard window will appear. Click Finish to close the window. Launch (if necessary) and use the program.
************************************************************

DR M. I am using WindowsXP and have collected many sound files from the internet. However, now that I have installed several new programs, these files now open with Jukebox instead of with Windows Media Player as they formerly did. How can I get them to open with Media Player as Jukebox is more complicated to use. Cyrus P., Groton, CT.
********************************

Cyrus, When you install new programs, they have a tendency to take over your computer and that obviously is what happened with your sound files. Right-click on a sound file (Eg.: .wav or .mid file), select OPEN WITH. You will see a list of programs that you can use to open the file. Click on CHOOSE PROGRAM, select WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER and then place a check before ALWAYS USE THE SELECTED PROGRAM TO OPEN THIS KIND OF FILE and click OK. From then on, Media Player will open those files. Dr M.
************************************************************

More About Spyware: Some time ago I sent out information about Spyware that was on TurboTax. I recommended deleting the Spyware and also recommended intalling AdAware, a program that removes these harmful and possibly dangerous files. Subsequntly, I installed a free program called Spybot. I ran AdAware and it found 1 spyware file which I removed. I then ran Spybot and it detected EIGHTEEN additional files that AdAware could not find. Also, Spybot gives a full explanation of each file with descriptions of what that file can do. I strongly recommend that you install Spybot to protect your computer.

Please note: Before installing or downloading programs, if you have Windows XP, run SYSTEM RESTORE to create a RESTORE POINT which will allow you to go back to a datebefore any installation was made so as to be able to solve any problems that may have occurred as a result of adding new files or programs to your computer. The computer manufacturers should tell you to use System Restore as soon as you set up a new computer so as to be able to prevent any future problems. You will not lose any data by using restoring to a previous date.

Please read the following article which I found on the Internet:

Q: The other day I was looking up new cars and mistyped the Web name. The site came up as a porno site. Then porno pop-up after pop-up came on the screen. They appeared faster than I could delete them. Finally, I got rid of them, but some "updated" the browser as Favorites and one put a shortcut on my desktop. How do I set my browser so this can't happen again?

Along the same lines, a friend of my son's visited "Lop.com." This site changed my home page to Lop.com and added an accessory tool bar to the browser that always goes back to Lop.com.

When I tried to change Home back via Tools and Internet Options, I got a window that says: "Operations have been canceled due to restrictions in effect on the computer. Contact your system administrator."

I have since changed the home site via setup but cannot use the Tools option. Also, I cannot get rid of the accessory tool bar. How can I fix both and stop it from happening again? Mark K.

A: You've been struck by spyware. Chances are good that everyone who reads this column has at least one piece of these nasty little programs on a computer. A user actually may install spyware -- including key loggers, screen capture devices, and trojans -- on a PC to collect information about the sites being surfed or other activities. Known as surveillance spyware, these programs stow away on code delivered by e-mail or a Web site.

Key loggers record every keystroke at a computer while screen captures record sensitive user information, including passwords and credit card numbers. This information may sit on your computer, waiting to be recalled, or it may send itself out via e-mail or the phone. A trojan can allow an outside party to contact your PC and take control of it.

Advertising spyware is often installed without the user's knowledge or without full disclosure of what it will collect. It uploads data about the PC user to the originator and downloads ads.

Other spyware comes as "browser helper objects," code that modifies or extends the functionality of a browser. Some so-called "helpers" may add functions such as re-setting a Home Page and replacing Favorites.

A number of file-sharing sites popular with the younger set are major purveyors of spyware, including BearShare, Grokster, Kazaa, LimeWire and Morpheus. Certain ad-supported "search" sites such as Xupiter and Lop.com are also egregious offenders.

How do you get rid of it? Both PC Magazine and SpywareInfo.com recommend Spybot Search & Destroy, a shareware program available for free download at http://security.kolla.de.

My home PC had shown an increase of mysterious problems: slower performance despite a new motherboard and additional memory, problems connecting to the Internet, and finally, ceasing to respond, first to the keyboard, then to the mouse, then the monitor.

The quirky behavior disappeared after I installed Spybot. I had to download the program on another machine and copy it over via Zip disk. When installed, Spybot S&D found 271 problems on that machine, which it removed. By contrast, the machine I usually use revealed only 113 problems, which Spybot also successfully fixed.

I highly recommend an excellent article on spyware in the April 22, 2003 edition of PC Magazine. Further information also can be obtained at SpywareInfo, http://www.spywareinfo.com.
****************************************************************************

HOW TO FIND AND RECOVER DELETED FILES

Virus attacks, computer crashes, an unsupervised toddler, even an inadvertent mistake on your own part...all things that can lead to important files being deleted from your system. But all is not necessarily lost. There are steps you can take to find and restore deleted files to your computer.

Searching for files:
First things first, do a thorough search of your computer to make sure the file just hasn't been inadvertently saved in the wrong folder. Many programs, such as most Microsoft Office software, save a list of most recently used files under the File menu, so it's a good place to start your search. If the file doesn't appear here in the recently used list, then you can run an automatic search of your computer to locate the file.

In the Start menu, go to "Find", and then "Files and Folders." In the "Name" field, type the name of the file you'd like to find. If you can't remember the exact file name, you can enter part of it, and the search will return any files that contain that fragment in the title. Alternatively, you can enter a key word or phrase from the text of your document and search by that. In the "Look In" field, select "My Computer." This will search every directory on your hard drive. You can narrow the search (and shorten the time the search takes) by selecting only specific folders to search. Be sure the "include subfolders" box is checked. Hit "Find now". Any matches will appear on screen. In the case of numerous matches, you can use the "Advanced" tab to further refine your results by file type and size. your recycling bin When you delete a file in Windows, the file is not immediately erased from your hard drive. Rather, it is placed in the Recycle Bin, a temporary storage area, from which it is as easy as point-and-click to restore the file to your system.

Double click on the Recycle Bin icon. Locate and highlight the file or files you wish to recover. Open the File menu and click on "Restore" or click and drag the file to its new or original location. When you empty the Recycle Bin, however, Windows changes the catalog or file allocation table to indicate that the drive spaced used by the deleted file is now available to be written over by new data. If you haven't saved new files or installed any new software since emptying the Recycle Bin, it is possible that the file has not yet been overwritten and can be recovered using a third-party program, such as Norton Utilities. Such a utility is also your best bet if your system is suffering from a more serious malady such as a crash or virus attack.

Do note that files deleted from a removable media source (a floppy or zip disk, for example) will not be moved to the Recycle Bin. You will need to use your recovery software to restore these files.

Protect yourself! Of course, it always best to protect yourself from the need to recover lost files by keeping regular back-ups of your most important files. You won't need to back up everything on your hard drive. you should still have your Windows disk and any master disks for applications you have installed, and can always use these to reinstall. But you will want to make backups of any files that you have created yourself.

Here are five things you should definitely back up: My Documents Folder , Saved Games, Any System Settings, Drivers, Anything else you don't have a copy of, such as applications for which you no longer have the disks.

Back up these files to a zip disk or CD, and keep them in a secure location so you will have them if you need them. ****************************************************

Dr M, Re: Excel – creating square columns and rows. As usual, THANKS for the prompt reply and telling me about the web site, mrexcel.com.. I've bookmarked the site with the BINGO card and plan to work my way thru the various topics. I've used Excel for a number of years but a refresher program will be helpful. The BINGO card approach is just what I'm looking for.

NOW, is there a chart, formula etc that shows the ratio or combination of column width numbers to establish a corresponding row height. If I want 3/4" or 1/4" squares what is the combination of row/column settings to use?

The BINGO card uses row height of 90 and Column w of 15 to get their "square". To get different size squares I'm back to the trial and error method. Dick P.
**********************************************

Dick, Here’s info on your problem that I received from mrexcel.com. He’s the Excel expert, I just pass on his superb information. Dr M.

How to Convert Excel Rows Height to Inches, Excel Column Width to Inches Or Is there any formula to Convert Row Col H W Points to Inches?

1 point = 20 twips
1 twip = 1/1440 pouce (inch)
So... 72 points = 1 inch

One of the (many) frustrating things about Excel is that it uses different units of measurement to specify the height of rows and the width of columns.

Row height is pretty straightforward--it is measured in points. Column width, however, is measured in character widths. If your Standard style is set to Courier 10, then a column width of 12 means that you can fit exactly twelve characters in a given column. For proportional fonts, the character 0 is used to count the characters. (Yup, it's absurd.)

This leads to problems if you want the height and width of a particular cell to match, thereby making a square. Fortunately, with a little macro wizardry you can bypass this oddity of Excel and achieve the desired results. Consider the MakeSquare macro:

Sub MakeSquare()
Dim WPChar As Double
Dim DInch As Double
Dim Temp As String

Temp = InputBox("Height and width in inches?")
DInch = Val(Temp)
If DInch > 0 And DInch < 2.5 Then For Each c
In ActiveWindow.
RangeSelection.

Columns:
WPChar = c.Width / c.ColumnWidth
c.ColumnWidth = ((DInch * 72) / WPChar) Next c
For Each r In ActiveWindow.
RangeSelection.
Rows r
r.RowHeight = (DInch * 72)
Next r
End
If End Sub

This macro prompts you for the dimension of the square you want to create, and then calculates exactly how wide and high to set each cell. You can run the macro with a single cell selected, or you can make a larger selection set.

The "math magic" is done in the calculating of the WPChar variable. This is set to a value derived by dividing the width of the column in points (returned by the Width property) by the width of the column in characters (returned by the ColumnWidth property). This value, which is the number of points in a character at the current settings, is then used to calculate how many characters should be used to set the width in the next program line.
_______________________________________________________________________

Here’s an easy way to send a text document via e-mail: If you write a document in MS Word, you don’t have to copy and paste it into your email program. Just select File|Send To|Mail Recipient and it will do that for you, opening up your default email program and placing it there, either in the text window or as an attachment, depending upon the program you customarily use for email.
***************************************************

OFFICE DOWNLOADS. If you use Microsoft Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and/or Word, you might like to check out the free downloads at http://www.theofficeexperts.com/downloads.htm
***************************************************

Remember the old radio shows from the 30’s? You can relive your childhood again and find them at: http://www.radiolovers.com/allshows.html
***************************************************

When you delete COOKIES (which you should do often – I delete them every night!), you will see one file that will not be removed: INDEX.DAT. Index.dat files are files impossible to delete under windows, and it stores all the information of your surfing history, you can be followed through these dangerous files. and even if you delete your cookies and your history, these index.dat files remain there and become bigger and bigger, their original size is 16kb but they can reach up until 600kb.

At this url: http://www.exits.ro/index-dat-files.html you will see a tutorial and explanation of Index.dat files. You can also download a free viewer to view these files. (A very small file and fast download) Download the viewer and then run it and you will se the hundreds of files inside Index.dat.

To preserve your privacy, I found a way to delete them. You can’t do this in Windows so you have to reboot your computer then press F8 or F5 for advanced boot options; then choose "safe mode with command prompt”, log in as administrator and then from there you can delete them freely without windows preventing it. (Be patient as there are MANY index.dat files.)

Just go to the root (c:\) by typing CD\

Then type del index.dat /s and press the ENTER KEY.

Bingo, all the files names index dat in your computer will be deleted permanently.

For more security, also in command prompt mode you could go and completely delete your cookies folder to be completely sure all your internet cache and history is gone forever. (well until you start browsing again; as soon as you boot up normally windows will recreate them.. But blank) I don’t delete the cookie folder as I have a shortcut with this folder plus History, Recent, Temp, Temporarty Internet Files on my desktop, all in one folder called “Delete Shortcuts Every Night”. And, every night, I open this one folder and then open each of the folders inside, delete the contents and then empty the Recycle Bin. As I said before, Index.dat will not be removed during this process.
***************************************************

PROTECTING DATA FILES. To prevent accidental deletion of data files, browse to the file using Windows Explorer. Right click on the file, select Properties, and click the read-only option in the Attributes section. With read-only enabled, you can still open and edit the file, but must save changes in another name. Deletion of the file requires confirmation.
***************************************************

To quickly highlight a sentence in MSWord, place your cursor in the left margin of that sentence, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the left mouse button.
***************************************************

I often get questions on how to add RAM and other items to computers. While adding RAM to a desktop is a fairly straight forward process, many people don’t know how to open a laptop or add RAM. If you don’t know the process, here’s how to do it:

Turn the power off and disconnect any cables.

Turn the notebook upside down and remove the screws holding the memory cover in place.

You should see either an empty socket, a stick of RAM, or a combination of the two. If you're replacing old RAM with newer, there should be tabs on either side that will allow you to remove existing RAM.

(Be sure to ground yourself before handling RAM to discharge any static electricity that may damage it.)

Insert your new RAM with the gold connector bar on the module pointing inward.

Push gently until the tabs on each side click and secure the module.

Lightly tug the module to ensure it is securely seated.

Replace the plastic cover, re-attach the cables, and restart the computer, which should recognize the new RAM automatically.

If you want to purchase a RAM upgrade for your notebook, but don't know what to get, you can figure out what kind is compatible with your computer through manufacturer's memory configurators. Kingston.com and Crucial.com do a pretty good job.

Consult the manufacturer of your notebook for information on RAM limitations (the manual or company website will probably have it).
***************************************************

Here’s an easy way to access CONTROL PANEL when you are on the internet and using Internet Explorer.. Just type "control panel\" (NO quotation markd requited!) into the address window followed by whatever feature in the Control Panel you want. For example, "control panel\display" takes you to the display settings.
***************************************************

I received this e-mail from a reader:

Hello Dr. M. Thanks to fellows like you and your newsletters & tips, my life is simpler. This may be out of your bailiwick; if so, I understand.

I use Outlook (not Outlook Express) and like it fine. I have Microsoft xp home and office xp pro.
I have two accounts; one for me and one for my wife, on the same computer. How do I get the address book from one account copied or exported to the other account (we both use many of the same addresses, etc) Thanks Bob B.
***************************************************

Bob Looking for a way to export your Outlook Address Book to another program? Outlook 97 and Outlook 98 doesn't come with a built-in method to export the address book, but if you have Outlook Express 4.x here's an indirect method: (There is also a full tutorial on this subject at:
http://www.uams.edu/firstclass/importoutlook.htm) Run Outlook Express 4.x (if you don't already have it, install Explorer 4.x full version)

Select "File | Import | Address Book..." from the main menu

Select "Microsoft Exchange Personal Address Book"

Click "Import" and click "Close" once the importing is completed

To export the address book:

Select "File | Export | Address Book..." from the main menu

Select "Text File (Comma Separated Values)"

Click "Export"

Type a file name in the "Save exported file as" input box.

For example type, "C:\MYADRBOK.CSV"

Click "Next"

Optionally select the fields you wish to export and click "Finish"

Click "Close" once the exporting is completed

You're now ready to import the newly exported Outlook address book (C:\MYADRBOK.CSV file for example) into the program you were trying to export to. CSV (comma separated values) text files are supported by almost all programs with the ability to import information from external programs. Refer to the documentation for further instructions.
***************************************************

I use the INSERT/Date and Time feature is MS Word to, obviously, insert the date into a document such as a letter. To use that all the time, click on the DEFAULT button while setting it up. You can also use a keyboard shortcut of SHIFT+ALT+D to do the same thing but I find it easier to use the INSERT method.
***************************************************

Dr. M, When I try to manually set a restore point in XP I get the System Restore Wizard which allows me to check the option for creating a restore point. But when I do, and then click on Next I get the following message:

"System Restore is not able to create a restore point. Please restart the computer, and then run System Restore again."

I restart the computer and I try again but get the same message. I have repeated this process many times, on different days, and cannot seem to get around that block. I hope you have some suggestions.

Sincerely, Albert R.
**********************************************

Al, Go to START, MY COMPUTER. Right-click on an empty spot on the screen and select PROPERTIES from the popup menu. You can allocate more space for System Restore by moving the slider bar. Then try to open System Restore again. If that does not help, you can try to open it by going into SAFE MODE. Some “experts” say this will work and other say that it will not work but it’s worth a try, (To go into SAFE MODE, reboot the computer and then as it starts to boot up, continually slowly keep tapping either the F8, F5 or the DEL { DELETE} key as different machines need 1 or the other of these keys to enter Safe Mode).

As a last resort, did you know that if you leave your computer on, walk away for 2 hours so there is no activity on the keyboard (no keyboard motion), System Restore will automatically create a System Restore Point so you will be able to go back to that point in time if or when you wish to do so.

And, if you have Norton System Works installed on your computer, you can use their GO BACK utility which works in a similar way as System Restore. Also read the following:

To troubleshoot System Restore issues, try one or more of the following steps:
If you receive an error message that is related to System Restore, always make sure that you first record the error message and follow the instructions that the error message contains to try to resolve the issue. Most System Restore issues generate an error message that contains a description of the issue and suggestions for how to resolve the issue.

Make sure that you have enough disk space on all of the drives on which System Restore is enabled.

Make sure that the System Restore service is running by using one of the following methods:
Check in Control Panel:
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Performance and Maintenance.
Click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, and then click Services and Applications.
Click Services, and then click System Restore Services.

Open a command prompt window:
Click Start, click Run, and then type CMD
. Press the ENTER key, and then type Net Start at the command prompt to make sure that the System Restore service is up and running.
Make sure that System Restore is enabled on the drives that you want System Restore enabled on.
Try to run System Restore in Safe mode.
If you suspect that you do not have as many restore points as you should have, make sure that the data store is the size that you want the data store to be.

Check the event logs to investigate System Restore service errors:
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Performance and Maintenance.
Click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, double-click Event Viewer, and then click System.
Click the Source tab to sort by name, and then look for "sr" or "srservice." Double-click each of these services, and then evaluate the event description for any indication of the cause of the problem.
___________________________________________________________

In WinXP the computer is programmed such that the Start menu recognizes frequently used programs and puts them at the top of the quick list, bumping less frequently used programs to the bottom or off the menu. To keep a favorite program at your fingertips, right-click the link to the program on the Start menu and select “Pin To Start Menu.” Your program then moves to the top of the lists below your browser and e-mail programs. The program remains on the Start menu and can not be bumped even if you use other programs more frequently than that one.
___________________________________________________________

By default WinXP has only one icon on the Desktop, the Recycle Bin. If you miss seeing My Documents, My Computer, Internet Explorer, etc., on the Desktop, as with previous Windows versions, you can revive them by right-clicking on the Desktop, choosing Properties, clicking on the Desktop tab, and then the Customize Desktop button. Now check any of the icons for the aforementioned items that you want on your Desktop.
________________________________________________

Firewall software sits between your computer and the Internet. It acts as a door that lets you decide what software can access your computer, and when. WinXP comes with a built-in firewall. To install it, open the Start menu, right-click My Network Places and choose Properties. Right-click on the connection you want to protect and choose Properties. If using a dial-up account right-click on that icon. If using a network in your home or office, right-click on the Local Area Connection. Either way, choose Properties and then click the Advanced tab and activate the firewall. Click the box to activate the WinXP firewall. If you're running a network and using the Internet Connection Sharing to let all the networked computers share the modem, the firewall should only be activated on the host computer, which is the computer that's actually connected to the Internet. It doesn't need to be activated on the client computers, which are the computers that share the host computer's modem.
________________________________________________

Internet Clock
To set up Internet time synchronization in WinXP, right-click the time display on the taskbar, choose Adjust Date/Time, click the Internet Time tab, and check Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server. Now choose one of the servers on the drop-down list, click Update Now, and finally click OK. WinXP will synchronize with the time server automatically once a week. If your Internet connection is intermittent, XP will try to sync at regular intervals until it succeeds in this task.
________________________________________

Every 60 days WinXP checks for icons that you haven’t used on the Desktop during that period of time. Subject to your approval, it will move those icons from the Desktop to a folder. If this feature gives you a problem, disable it by removing the check next to “Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days.” You can click the Clean Desktop Now button to invoke the wizard manually should you change your mind.

To remove unused desktop icons:
Open Display in Control Panel.
vvv On the Desktop tab, click Customize Desktop.
Under Desktop cleanup, click Clean Desktop Now.
Follow the directions in the Desktop Cleanup Wizard.

Notes:
To open Display, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
The Desktop Cleanup Wizard displays a list of the desktop icons that have not been used for 60 days or more, enabling you to remove those icons that you don't want on your desktop. You can retrieve icons you have removed by opening the Unused Desktop Shortcuts folder on your desktop.
Clear the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days check box if you don't want the wizard to run automatically every two months.
You can remove an individual desktop icon by right-clicking the icon and then clicking Delete.
To add or remove the icons for My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, or Internet Explorer, select or clear those items under Desktop icons.
_____________________________________________

Remote Assistance
WinXP has Remote Assistance (RA) which lets you control another computer on a network (LAN or Internet) and interact with the remote machine’s user. The two RA connected personal computers (PCs) are the Expert and the Novice. The Expert can see and take control of the other PC. The Novice loads only the tools that let the two users communicate. Once the connection is established, each party can then type messages, exchange files, and converse using microphone and speakers or headsets. The Expert PC can take full control of the Novice PC and seek solutions to his computer problems. On connection the RA interface appears on the Expert’s desktop and a smaller RA window appears on the Novice PC. Both function as chat windows and central controls for file transfer, voice chat, and disconnecting the session. You can start an RA session in three ways: through Windows Messenger (WM), e-mail, or by sending a file. WM is the easiest way, but both parties must have it installed on their computers. WM installs with WinXP and replaces MSN Messenger. Using WM, either party can invoke the RA session by right-clicking on the other person’s name in the contact area of the WM window, or by selecting “Ask for Remote Assistance” from the Tools menu. In this latter case, the Novice can request an RA session from anyone on WM’s contact list or by choosing Other and specifying the e-mail address of another MSN/Hotmail/Passport user. The expert can ask an MSN/Hotmail user to allow an RA session by using WM’s “Invite” menu or by clicking Tools/Send an Invitation. The Expert can also send a request to an MSN/Hotmail user who’s not on the contact list.

You can invoke RA through e-mail or file transfer by using the “Help and Support” screen. Click Start, Help and Support or press F1. Under the “Ask for Assistance” heading, select “Invite a friend to connect to your computer” with Remote Assistance to initiate an RA request. If you invite someone to help you, the next screen gives you the option of selecting a WM contact or typing an e-mail address and sending it through your default e-mail program. Once you’ve typed in the e-mail address for your helper, click Invite this person, fill in the e-mail message form, and click Continue. The final screen lets the Novice set an expiration date for the invitation which can remain open for up to 99 days. The invitation is a file attachment (RAInvitation.msrcincident) with an incident number appended in parentheses. This same file is created if the Novice invokes RA by saving the invitation as a file, but then the Novice must send it to the Expert. In either case, the Expert opens the file in order to launch the RA session.
____________________________________________

WinXP displays a dialog box when you install new software. This can be a nuisance when you’re logging off or shutting down your computer. You can prevent the box from appearing by clicking Start, right-clicking at the top of the Start menu, where your name is displayed, and then clicking Properties. In the “Taskbar And Start Menu Properties” dialog box, click the Start Menu tab and Customize. Now click the Advanced tab and clear the “Highlight Newly Installed Programs” check box. Finally click OK twice.
______________________________________

Yes, Windows XP does have a Sound Recorder, just like in previous versions. They have hidden but here’s how to find it, To send a personalized email with a voice message, you can use the Sound Recorder which is now located in Start, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment and finally, Sound Recorder, for this task. You should use the buttons on it just like a tape recorder to save the file and then attach it to an email message.
_____________________________________________

Did you know that if you have a web site in your FAVORITES in Internet Explorer or Netscape, you can easily create a desktop shortcut for that site which will eliminate the necessity of going to your Favorites to open that site?

All you have to do is to click and open your Favorites, minimize the browser window slightly so you can see a portion of the Desktop, Right-Click on that particular Favorite and drag it to the Desktop. Bingo, that shortcut is now available for you to use.
__________________________________________________________________________

We all know that for no reason at all, computers can malfunction in strange ways. One reader wrote:

Dr M., I have been using WORD for many years and suddenly, it will not open. I have run all the tests in Norton System Works including Win Doctor and while I found some errors and fixed them, nothing applied to Word and it still only opens occasionally. Any suggestions, amigo? Romero C., La Paz, Bolivia.

To which I replied: Romero, If Word will not open, go to START, RUN, type in WINWORD.EXE and click on OK. The program should open immediately. Dr M.
__________________________________________________________________________

I was recently asked how to wrap text around a picture in MS Word. It’s a relatively simple task but does require following a few specific steps:

1) Open the picture and adjust its size so that it fits in your document. You can also adjust the size after you have placed it into the Word document. Then Copy and Paste the picture into the document.
2) To wrap the text, click on VIEW, TOOLBARS and select the PICTURE TOOLBAR. This icon has a picture of a dog with gray lines around it.
3) Click on EDIT TEXT WRAP POINTS.
4) Click on the picture and drag it to the desired position on the page.
6) Type the text and it will wrap around the picture to create a beautiful, professional document.
________________________________________________________________________

One more tip about WORD:

Miscrosoft tries to come up with some cute ideas, like that stupid, useless animated PAPER CLIP that starts when using the HELP screen. And you may remember that dog, I believe it was named BOB, that you could ask for help in some earlier versions of Windows. Well, now they have another stupid dog in SEARCH in Windows XP. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love dogs and have had several great, loyal ones that I really miss. But I don’t need one on my computer, especially when I have to search for a file.

To SEARCH (formerly called FIND),You click on Start, Search, For Files and Folders and an animated dog appears on the screen wagging his tail. To chase that dog away, click on Change Preferences at the very bottom of the Search box. Then click on WITHOUT AN ANIMATED SCREEN CHARACTER. The dog obediently turns on his heels and trots away. Click Back to return to the main Search page and continue your search without interruption.
___________________________________________________________________________

Have you ever wanted to change an Icon for a Shortcut? Well, you can easily do this.

Right-Click on the shortcut and select PROPERTIES. Then click on CHANGE ICON. That opens the CHANGE ICON WINDOW which displays several icons. To select one, click on it to highlight it and click on APPLY. The icon you selected will replace the former one.

If you do not like the small selection of icons in the Change Icons Window. Click on BROWSE. In the SYSTEMS WINDOW, scroll to MORICONS.DLL, double-click on it and you will see a large selection of icons to choose from. Click on the one you desire, click on OK , CHANGE ICON, APPLY and the icon will be replaced on your shortcut.

And, to change the icon for a DESKTOP FOLDER, Right-Click on the folder, select PROPERTIES, on the CUSTOMIZE TAB, click on CHANGE ICON, OK. Then you can select a new icon in the CHANGE ICON FOLDER., click on OK and icon will be changed.
____________________________________________________________________________

With computers getting cheaper every day, lots of people are buying new models. I say “CHEAPER” because the features thay are offered at these current prices are far greater than those offered before. Now 2 GIG speed is common where 33 or 66 MHZ was common only about 10 or 12 years ago. And 40, 80 and even 120 GIG hard drives are available as compared with 234 MHZ not so long ago. So prices have really dropped way down.

If this happened in the automobile industry, we’d be driving cars that got 200 miles per gallon gas mileage, reached speeds of 500 miles per hour and cost $100 bucks! Of course, we’d have to buy a new car every 3 years as the features were upgraded, when starting the car we’d have to wait till it booted up and to shut it off we’d have to use a START button!!! And you might even have to phone the manufacturer if your wife, a different user, wanted to borrow the car!!!.

Many times when I see a person who is having trouble with a new computer, much of the confusion stems from the fact that, by default, Microsoft does not show complete file names in the folder listings. It's supposed to make things easier and less confusing for new computer users, but it doesn't, because you aren't getting to see the actual file name complete with the “extension”.

Whether you realize it or not, the files ALL have an "extension." The extension is usually three letters and appears after a period at the end of the file name. You may see "Aunt Mary’s Letter" as the file name, but your computer knows it as "Aunt Mary’s Letter.doc". The .doc at the end tells the computer that it is a Microsoft Word file. Every program adds their own special extension at the end of the file name.

To show file extensions, go to My Computer or Windows Explorer and choose Tools, Folder Options. On the View tab, remove the checkmark next to Hide extensions for known file types. And if you are using Windows XP and don’t like the new appearance of folders, Control Panel, etc., on the General tab, click Use Windows Classic folders. This will revert to the familiar Windows 98 Classic look. (To change the appearance of CONTROL PANEL, open CONTROL PANEL and select SWITCH TO CLASSIC VIEW.)

Dr M. I've been having a bit of a problem and I can't seem to figure out how to fix it.
I defrag and delete cookies, etc. I tried several times today to run the Scandisk but it runs and restarts 10 times but doesn't do anything it's supposed to do and I get a warning that I should shut down all programs first. There are no other programs running...just Windows. I ask the Scandisk program to perform the Standart test and scans disks for surface errors and also to correct any errors. Any ideas on why I am having trouble? I'd be grateful for whatever help you can offer. I tried to several times today to run the program...no luck. Connie C., Long Island, NY
**********************************

Connie, As for Scan Disk not working, you might have to reboot your computer into Safe Mode to make Scan Disk function. Sometimes Defrag also will not work properly unless you are in Safe Mode. Different computers need different ways to enter Safe Mode. Usually, while the computer is rebooting, you keep pressing either the F5 Key or the F-8 kep continuously to enter SAFE MODE. Then you can run Defrag or Scan Disk. I had the same problem here with Defrag last night and went to Safe Mode and it worked.

And to run ScanDisk, just go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > ScanDisk.

Now listen, Since I installed Norton System Works on your computer, use Norton Disk Doctor instead of Microsoft's ScanDisk. Disk Doctor does the same job as Scan Disk but is a little more thorough. You can also run Disk Clean Up, which will delete all of your unused and unwanted files, including your garbage and old Internet files. An important thing to remember about this utility is that it will delete cookies that contain user names and passwords for Web sites you visit often, but that doesn't make a problem as the cookies will return when you visit those sites again.

ScanDisk stabilizes your computer while a Disk Defragmenter speeds up your computer by refiling your files. When a file is too large to store in a single location on a hard disk, it is stored on the disk in discontiguous (not adjacent) parts or fragments. Such fragmentation is 'invisible' to the user; however, the system keeps track of fragments' locations. Over time, disk-access time can be slowed by fragmentation since each fragmented file is likely to require multiple-drive head repositioning and accesses. A Disk Defragmenter is a utility that rearranges your fragmented files and the free space on your computer so that files are stored in contiguous units and free space is consolidated into one contiguous block. This also improves access time to files that are now contiguous.

To run the Windows Disk Defragmenter program, go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. Since you have Norton System Works, use Norton Speed Disk instead of Microsoft's Disk Defragmenter. and it will do the same job much faster. Dr M.
__________________________________________________________

Dr M. I made a “BooBoo”! I was downloading fonts from the internet and copied them to a folderon my desktop. Now, suddenly, half the files listed in Windows explorer are in much smaller size fonts and the applications that are open on my Task Bar are also very small. How can I restore the original size? Roberto T., Oakland, CA.

Roberto, Never fear, everything is reversible on computers. Right-click on an empty space on the desktop, select Properties. In the DISPLAY PROPERTIES window, on the APPEARANCE Tab, UNDER item, select ACTIVE TITLE BAR and and change the size to #18. Change the size of the FONT to #8, click APPLY and OK and everything should be back to normal as these are the default settings. Dr M.
___________________________________________________

Dr. M, Please help me send pictures and graphics in my e-mails. When I try to copy such items, from an e-mail sent to me or from a website, into an e-mail only the text portion copies. I do not want to send these as attachments. I have Windows XP as an operating system.The problem persists whether I use my "free" Juno e-mail program or another "paid" e-mail program. Robert.
************************************

Robert, Read this: You can have a lot of fun sending images to friends and family. To insert a file into a message click anywhere in the message window. On the insert menu click file attachment, and then find the file you want to attach. Select the file, and then click "attach". The file is listed in the attach box in the message header. To insert a picture into a message, click the place in the message where you want the image to appear. On the insert menu, click "picture" and then click "browse" to find the image file. Enter layout and spacing information for the image file as needed, or just select "not set" to place the image where you left the curser in the message area.

If you cannot select the "picture" command, make sure HTML formatting is turned on by clicking the "format" menu in the message window and then clicking "rich text" (HTML). A black dot appears by the command when it is selected. If message recipients are not able to view your inserted images, on the "tools" menu, click "options". Click the "send" tab, click "HTML settings", and then make sure that "send pictures with messages" is selected. Then re-send your message.

To insert a background picture into your message, in the "message" window, on the format menu, point to "background" and then click "picture". Click the browse button to search for the file you want to use.
____________________________________________________________

Dr M. When I tried to save gif from a web page, my only save option was BMP, ( bitmap ) Animated gifs then become static in the BMP format. Why can’t I save it as a GIF? Tony G., Portland OR.
******************************************************

Tony, The bitmap save option comes about because of a bug in Internet Explorer. Here’s why this happens.

Internet Explorer has a cache. This cache is where all the web pages are stored from the web sites that you visit. The cache enables you to view all the pages you have recently visited offline. Also, because the pages are already stored in the cache when you re-visit a site the pages will load a lot quicker. If you happen to want to save an image when the cache is full, the only save option you'll get is BMP, which is not going to help you much. One answer to the problem is to empty your cache.

On the menu bar in Internet Explorer click tools, Internet Options. Under general settings click clear history. This will delete sites from the cache that you've recently visited. Now if you save an image it'll save in its original format. From the general settings tab you can select how many days to keep the recently visited pages. Under temporary internet files on the same tab you can select how much disc space you want to allocate to storing pages. Just click settings and use the slider or type in the amount of megs. If you're short on disc space set the amount low or empty the cache regularly. By clicking on the history button in the menu bar you can quickly view pages you have visited, offline. Just select a week or day from the window in the left hand column.

However, there are times when Internet Explorer will still not allow you to save a gif as a gif and still insists on saving it as a bmp/ Don’t fight City Hall, you can’t win! Simply use open Hotmail with the Netscape browser and Netscape will be happy to download the gif as a gif!

And one more thing. There is a program that converts files such as BMP, JPEG, TIF, etc. to other formats. It’s called Easy Graphic Converter, very simple to use, and can be downloaded free at: http://www.etrusoft.com/graphic-converter/

I’ve been using it for sometime with excellent results. And,if you create pictures using MS PAINT which only creates BMP’s, you’ll appreciate the versatility of the converter program.
_______________________________________________________

Dr M. I follow your advice and every night I delete Temporary Internet Files, Cookies, Temp, History and then run DiskCleanup. I have found a folder called CONTENT IE5 that contains many files. Is it safe to delete these files? Juan B., San Juan, Puerto Rico.
****************************************************

Juan, Within the "Temporary Internet Files" folder there is also another folder called "Content.IE5" which will also have in it, one or more other folders each with a name made up of random letters and numbers.

All sub-folders within the folder "Content.IE5", can safely be deleted (all applications should first be closed), even though windows will give you a warning that they are system files and might cause problems if you delete them. The sub-folders within the folder "Content.IE5" are especially prone to having files left over if you use Outlook to access Newsgroup forums and can leave thousands of temporary files. Dr M.
____________________________________________________

Are you tired of seeing your pointer as an arrow or an hourglass all the time? Windows XP offers a number of alternative pointer schemes, such as Dinosaur, Ocean and Sports. Open the Control Panel, double-click Mouse, and select the Pointers tab. (If you start in Category view, select Appearance and Themes, then click Mouse Pointers under "See Also.") Next to Schemes, click the down arrow and select a scheme to preview its pointers. Click OK to apply the scheme to your desktop. Simple as that.
_______________________________________________

These days, with manufacturers not giving printed manuals for their products, many of the features available are not known to the end user. One of the most full featured Windows XP configuration tools available is hidden right there in your system, but most people don't even know it exists. It's called the Local Group Policy Editor, or gpedit for short. To invoke this editor, select Start and then Run, then type the following: gpedit.msc

After you hit ENTER, you'll be greeted by gpedit, which lets you modify virtually every feature in Windows XP without having to resort to regedit. It's a great feature!



There is a new tactic in the war between those who are sending out scam and spam messages and security vendors who are trying to combat them As a result, we, the computer users, are now subjected to a new menace. Steganography, a word unfamiliar to many, is a process of embedding, or hiding, text in an image. In other words, spam and phishing messages (phishing is a scam that lures users to disclose banking and other user names and passwords) have incorporated hidden code messages in graphic images. These codes are designed to take advantage of known vulnerabilities in e-mail programs and web browsers, most often in Windows Explorer as it is the most popular browser.

Scammers using this method are able to skirt most spam and content filters (Bayesian filters) consider the tect of each e-mail but are unable to scan or identify the text in graphic images.

One thing that we might consider doing is to download an alternate free browser such as Mozilla or Opera. Since these browsers are used by fewer people, the hackers are not directing stenography to them as much as they are at Windows Explorer. You can download Mozilla version 1.7.3 at: http://www.mozilla.org/

Opera can be found at: http://www.opera.com/
___________________________________________________________

Here’s another question I received from a reader about Internet security:

Dr M., I know I can pick up a virus from an attachment so I NEVER open any. Can I get a virus from going to a web site that has been established for a few years? I have the Norton [symantec] anti virus set up & keep it updated, but since I recently had to restore my whole system because of many Trojans, I`m scared of opening anything. Your serious comments will be appreciated. Bob L. , Boynton Beach, FL.
***************************************************

Bob, Can a virus be picked up from a web page? Usually not by just viewing a page but, unfortunately, yes, in several ways. While in principle the web is designed to be safe, security flaws are sometimes uncovered in web browser software, and unscrupulous people have been known to exploit them. Fortunately, there are five major steps you can take to protect yourself effectively:

1.Do NOT click "yes" or "OK" when asked if you wish to install extra software or "Active-X controls" when you visit a web page, unless you are installing something well-known and reasonably trustworthy such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Macromedia Flash Player or RealPlayer. If you know what you are doing and have up-to-date antivirus software, you can install optional programs, but NEVER agree to the requests of dialog boxes that pop up asking you to install extra software when visiting a completely unrelated web site. Install the frequently required plug-ins mentioned above; they cover most situations in which optional software is needed. Naively agreeing to install useless and dangerous Active-X controls is the most common way for a virus or other unwanted software to infect your computer from a web page.

2. Internet Explorer users with Microsoft Windows: run Windows Update frequently or automatically. See the Microsoft Windows Update page. When Microsoft is made aware of security holes in Internet Explorer that could allow a program to install itself without the user agreeing to it, they provide security fixes in this way. If you do not get these updates, your computer WILL be vulnerable, even if you refuse to install Active-X controls. Alternatively, switch to a different web browser such as Mozilla or Opera. Of course, you must keep up with new versions of those programs as well. However, most virus authors seem to target the most popular browser.

3. Install quality antivirus software, and ALLOW IT TO FETCH AUTOMATIC UPDATES. If your antivirus software icon is blinking at you, it is probably asking your permission to go fetch crucial updates you must have to keep its protection up to date; click the icon and answer those prompts. As of this writing, Grisoft offers AVG, a quality antivirus utility, free for home use. Symantec offers Norton Antivirus, and McAfee Security also provides a quality antivirus program. Good Windows antivirus software for business use is not free. If you must run Windows for your business, you will need to buy antivirus software.

4.Install quality spyware detection software, and be sure to use the "fetch updates" button first before the "scan for problems" button. There are good free programs for this purpose. ZoneAlarm, Spybot and AdAware are excellent free programs that can be downloaded from the Internet.

Although this FAQ is not really about email programs, it is worth mentioning that most viruses exploit similar problems with email software. If you must use Outlook Express, be sure to use Windows Update as mentioned above. Never open attachments unless you clearly understand their importance -- even if you know the sender, there is an excellent chance that their computer is infected, and has sent you a copy of a virus after pillaging the sender's address book. Install quality antivirus software and keep it up to date as mentioned above. Dr M.
________________________________________________

And here’s another one about updating problems, This time with Microsoft’s Security Service Pack 2:

Dr M, I downloaded the security pack 2 and wish I hadn't. I received a notice each time I rebooted that Norton antivirus status was unknown. I updated, did a complete virus scan ands still got the message. I was able to disable the message. My power options for shutdown have disappeared and don't appear in ten control panel. Incidentally I use XP Pro. I am also having difficulty down loading quicken quotes but after removing them all and then rechecking them each time it works. I tried unchecking system restore and rechecking. Was I supposed to shut down and reboot with system restore unchecked. I didn't dare do it. By the way, I backed up my computer before installing the security pack. Any suggestions. Thank you. Sy F.
**********************************

Sy, You have been around for so many years that you should know that, as they say in Physics classes, "Every Action Has An Equal And Opposite Reaction"! Many times problems result after installing programs or updates. Remember what I have been saying for years about updates: “IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT”! But, that does not mean that one should NEVER update!

Microsoft has had so many complaints about problems with their XP service pack 2 that they created a special web page with tips for this issue:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242

You certainly can reboot after shutting off System Restore. I can’t do any harm. Just be sure to create a new Restore Point when you turn your computer on again.

I noticed that they mention Symantec’s anti virus program, which is Norton Anti-Virus, so this may be of help to you. Dr M.
_____________________________________________________

Some people may not agree with my ideas about Cookies but there are good and bad Cookies and since it’s difficult to differentiate between them, I eliminate all of them as best I can. Read on:

Dr. M: Is there any reason, other than reclaiming disk space, for deleting cookies? I find that cookies enable faster access to favorite websites. Please explain. Thank you. Al C., Florida
***********************************

Al, Yes, it’s true. Enabling Cookies may help web pages load slightly faster. Here’s what Microsoft Says About Cookies:

A Cookie is a very small text file placed on your hard drive by a Web Page server. It is essentially your identification card, and cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses. It is uniquely yours and can only be read by the server that gave it to you.

A Cookie's Purpose is to tell the server that you returned to that Web page.

A Cookie helps you by saving you time. If you personalize pages, or register for products or services, a cookie helps Microsoft remember who you are. Next time you return, we know to show you the information you requested. Or, when you register for another product or service, all you need to do is type in your e-mail address and a password. We then fill in any questions you've already answered. Of course, if you never register or leave personal information with Microsoft, then the server only knows that someone with your cookie has returned to the Web site. You are in charge of deciding whether we know anything about you. But the more you tell us about yourself, the more we can help you find information or products you want.

A Cookie Helps Microsoft to be more efficient. We can learn what information is important to our visitors, and what isn't. We can discard Web pages you don't use, and focus our efforts on information you need.

I don’t need or want anyone placing any size files on my computer. I believe that spyware is placed on computers thru some cookies and tracking software also. I don’t need or want anyone to track the web sites that I frequent. There are enough “Big Brother” programs out there already watching what we do. Who knows who finally gets to see the results of these searching programs?

Yes, it’s true that some cookies help you return to a web page faster but that short space of time is not even noticeable or important to me. And I don’t need Microsoft or any other company deciding what web pages should be available to me.

E-commerce sites can implement things like shopping carts and "quick checkout" options. The cookie contains an ID and lets the site keep track of you as you add different things to your cart. Each item you add to your shopping cart is stored in the site's database along with your ID value. When you check out, the site knows what is in your cart by retrieving all of your selections from the database. They say that no one can look at this information but who knows. I believe that it’s more data about you that is collected and some way, some time and some where a real, live human being may gain access to this information. I don’t need someone knowing that I once bought a pair of polka dot under shorts or I order certain medications on line.

People often share machines - Any machine that is used in a public area, and many machines used in an office environment or at home, are shared by multiple people. Let's say that you use a public machine (in a library, for example) to purchase something from an on-line store. The store will leave a cookie on the machine, and someone could later try to purchase something from the store using your account. Stores usually post large warnings about this problem, and that is why. Even so, mistakes can happen. I read that a man once used his wife's machine to purchase something from Amazon. Later, she visited Amazon and clicked the "one-click" button, not realizing that it really does allow the purchase of a book in exactly one click. On something like a Windows NT machine or a UNIX machine that uses accounts properly, this is not a problem. The accounts separate all of the users' cookies. Accounts are much more relaxed in other operating systems, and it is a problem.

There are two things that have caused a strong reaction around cookies:

The first is something that has plagued consumers for decades. Let's say that you purchase something from a traditional mail order catalog. The catalog company has your name, address and phone number from your order, and it also knows what items you have purchased. It can sell your information to others who might want to sell similar products to you. That is the fuel that makes telemarketing and junk mail possible.

On a Web site, the site can track not only your purchases, but also the pages that you read, the ads that you click on, etc. If you then purchase something and enter your name and address, the site potentially knows much more about you than a traditional mail order company does. This makes targeting much more precise, and that makes a lot of people, including me, uncomfortable.

The second is unique to the Internet. There are certain infrastructure providers that can actually create cookies that are visible on multiple sites. DoubleClick is the most famous example of this. Many companies use DoubleClick to serve ad banners on their sites. DoubleClick can place small (1x1 pixels) GIF files on the site that allow DoubleClick to load cookies on your machine. DoubleClick can then track your movements across multiple sites. It can potentially see the search strings that you type into search engines (due more to the way some search engines implement their systems, not because anything sinister is intended). Because it can gather so much information about you from multiple sites, DoubleClick can form very rich profiles. These are still anonymous, but they are rich.

DoubleClick then went one step further. By acquiring a company, DoubleClick threatened to link these rich anonymous profiles back to name and address information -- it threatened to personalize them, and then sell the data. That began to look very much like spying to most people, and that is what caused an uproar. DoubleClick and companies like it are in a unique position to do this sort of thing, because they serve ads on so many sites.

For all of the above reasons, and you may not necessarily agree with me, I delete Cookies, History, Temporary Internet Files, History, Recent and Cache files every single night and often run ZoneAlarm Pro and also Spybot, programs that search for and remove spyware and other malicious programs. That way my computer is fairly clean of lots of junk and possible tracking and spyware, Dr M.
__________________________________________________________________________

Everyone should have Antivirus software on their computers. Here's a chance to get a good version (the company says it's a "GREAT" version!) absolutely free. It's a $49.95 value.

eTrust EZ Armor Security Suite from Computer Associates, the world's #1 supplier of Internet security software combines award-winning Antivirus with industrial-strength Firewall protection. Built specifically for today's Internet-intensive computer user, eTrust EZ Armor leverages the core technology CA has developed for the world's most demanding users including over 99% of the Fortune 500.

You can downloads it free at: http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/
__________________________________________________________

Dr M, I just upgraded to Norton System Works 2004 from version 2003 and now can’t find the Scheduling Agent to set up the utilities to run automatically. Can you tell me how to do that7. Cherie L., Manalapan, FL.
**********************

Cherie, If you go to the Norton System Works 2004 Help menu , you will be taken to their web site and then you must go through a long rigamarole through Support to find the correct method of scheduling. Let’s keep it simple (The KISS PRINCIPLE –“Keep It Simple, Stupid”!)

Go to START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIERS, SYSTEM TOOLS, SCHEDULED TASKS and then click on ADD SCHEDULED TASK. A Wizard will open up and by following the simple instructions you can schedule ANY task, not just tasks from Norton. Dr M.
___________________________________________________________ Dr M., I just put a three page document on my Word Perfect and cannot get the printer to go. It just feeds one blank sheet through and nothing else. How do I get the computer to get the message to the printer. It seems to do that but nothing happens. Thanks, Esther T. **********************************************

Esther, There are several things to try. Obviously, the computer is not communicating with the printer. First look in the instruction book in the Trouble Shooting Section for help and follow their suggestions on this problem if they have any. Then:

1) In Control Panel, Printers, check to see if your printer is the one that is designated as the default printer
2) In Control Panel, Printers, right-click on your printer, select PROPERTIES and cancel or clear all documents waiting to be printed.
3) Disconnect and then reconnect the printer cable from the computer and the printer and examine the cable ends to see if any of the connectors are bent out of shape, broken or missing. If the connectors are OK, then reattach the cable
4) Try using a different printer cable to see if the cable is defective.
5) If your computer has both a parallel connection and a USB connection for the cable, try using the other connection (if you have the other type of cable)
6) In Control Panel, Printers, unselect the printer and, using the CD software that came with the printer, re-install the printer as a new one.

These are the basic steps to diagnose and fix your problem. Dr M.
_____________________________________________________

Dr M, I have several e-mail programs and I want to change the default program to a different one. Can you tell me how to do this. Arnold?

Arnold, Open the Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) options dialog box (go to IE, click Tools, then select Internet Options). Select the Programs tab. Click on the E-mail drop-down box, select the preferred default application, then click OK _____________________________________________________________________________

Dr M., I use Classic Phone Tools Fax that came free with my Dell computer but can’t find an easy way to fax a document. I have to go through a lot of intricate rigamarole to fax a document. The program looks like a nice program but can you tell me how to more easily use it. Morgan C., Rapid City, SD.
___________________________________________________________________________

Morgan. Here’s a very easy way to do what you want. It’s called PRINT CAPTURE. Print capture is the simplest way to send a document by fax, when you are in the same application as was used to create that document: You simply "print" the document to be sent, specifying capture in the print manager installed with Classic PhoneTools. This has the effect of preparing the corresponding fax and directly accessing the Send Fax window. Then you need only indicate the correspondent’s phone number to transmit the document, which will look exactly like what would have been printed on paper.

Print capture involves the following four stages:

1) Load the application which produced the document you wish to transmit, then open that document.

2) When the document is ready to be sent, access the application’s Print Setup function (usually found in the File or File - Print menu), and select the printer "CAPTURE FAX BVRP".

3) Print the document using the procedure defined for the application (in general, this is the Print option of the File menu); the document is copied to Classic PhoneTools Print manager, then processed and stored as a graphics file.

4) Next access the Send fax window. The prepared document is already present in the Send Document window in attached documents box. This file always has the name CAPTURE.DGR. It is in graphic pivot format and can be edited or viewed using the built-in graphics editor.

After this, transmission takes place in the usual fashion, just as for any other document. At its simplest, you need only add the destination number, but you can also view the document, add a page background, send it to several correspondents, etc. Dr M. ______________________________________________________________________

A form of nuisance advertisement is proliferating on computers but there is a way to fight back, security experts say. The ads, often referred to as “Messenger Service Spam” are different than e-mail spam and unrelated to the banners and pop-ups that appear on web sites. Messenger Service ads can appear on the screen of a computer connected to the Internet even if no browser is running.

The senders are exploiting an administrative tool in Windows called Messenger Service that was not intended for advertising. It was primarily intended for administrators to send informative messages to the desktops of users on a network using the user’s IP address. Spammers developed software that can take aim at a large group of IP addresses and then churn out as many as 90,000 per hour which will appear on those computers that happened to be connected to the Internet but have not taken steps to block them. The problem arises when Messenger is set to run when your computer first boots.

The web site: http://www.mynetwatchman.com/winpopup.asp has lots of information on this problem and also will instantly check the susceptibility of your computer simply by your going to the web site. Also, http://www.intermute.com/ is a site that specializes in software that blocks pop-ups, spyware, junk e-mail, bad web sites, banner ads. etc. Although their programs are not free, they are worth looking at.
______________________________________________________________________

Dr.M. I am sending an email as an attachment, it is in Microsoft Word with a picture. There is no problem when I attach the file. The text and picture get attached. however I am concerned that all the people I am sending it to will not know how to open it.
I tried to just copy and paste, and the text pastes fine, but the picture will not paste. Arnie
____________________________________________________________________

Arnie, to send a picture via e-mail you can do it 2 ways:

1) Open the e-mail COMPOSE box and send it as an attachment which should open if it is a .gif, .jpeg or .bmp when the recipient simply clicks on it.

Or: 2 Open the picture and RIGHT-CLICK on it. Select either SEND TO and select “E-mail Recipient or select “E-Mail Picture”, which ever choice you get, and follow instructions to send the picture via e-mail.

The picture will appear listed as an attachment and also will appear pasted in the body of the e-mail message. Dr M.
______________________________________________________________________

For an easy way to send a file to a certain destination or location, use the SEND TO function on of your computer. Using the Send To folder, you can quickly send a file to a floppy disk, your desktop, another person using e-mail, or the My Documents folder. Every user on your computer has a Send To folder and can customize its contents. When you add new locations to the Send To folder, they appear on the Send To menu when you right-click a file.

Adding other locations to the Send To menu is convenient if you frequently perform the same file management tasks. For example, if you back up files on another network computer every day, having the computer on the Send To menu can save you time.

When you Right-Click on a file, select SEND TO and select the desired destination. Here’s how to add a destination to the Send To menu:

Open My Computer. (Start, My Computer, or look for it on the Desktop in the upper left corner)
Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive C, unless you have more than one drive on your computer).
If you can't see the items on your drive when you open it, under System Tasks, click Show the contents of this drive.

Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
Double-click the folder of a specific user.
Double-click the Send To folder.
The Send To folder is hidden by default. If it is not visible, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options. On the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders.

On the File menu, point to New, and then click Shortcut.
Follow the instructions on your screen.
____________________________________________________________________________

I have been asked many times if I have an index on my web pages so as to facilitate finding a desired topic and I have to say that I never created one. However, to find ANYTHING on any of my pages (and also on any other page) click on CTRL+F to bring up a SEARCH box at the extreme left bottom corner of the window. Type in the particular word or phrase and press the ENTER key. Lo and behold, instant find! This also works in any Microsoft Word document.
______________________________________________________

When you have visited several web pages and want to either back or forward to a previously viewed page, no need to keep pressing the Back or Forward buttons (arrows) several times. Simply Right-Click on either button to select the site you desire.
_____________________________________________________

Backup and Save.

Two words that are extremely important. When you have accumulated or created data in a program, you should always backup that data periodically. Doing so will save you countless hours of exasperation if your computer suddenly crashes or even just suddenly shuts down. While I was a creating this document, after adding every section, I “Saved” and I was glad I did so because, without any notice, my computer told me that the program (MS WORD) was unresponsive and it closed the program. I did not lose a single word as all the data was “Saved”.

Another good practice is to save your document BEFORE you print it as occasionally a computer can freeze up when printing and if not saved, the document will be lost. Believe me, I learned this the hard way. One time,years ago, as my loyal subscribers will remember, I worked 8 hours on TurboTax without saving the data at all and the computer froze and all that work was lost. I may be slow, but I have a great memory and I never forgot that day.

T he one time that you do not backup or save, that’s when the unexpected will happen. I guarantee it! DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU!
_____________________________________________________________________________

Dr M., I am having a terrible problem with Norton System Works. I had version 2002 and it worked perfectly for several months, then my computer slowed down to a crawl. Also, in the Antiv Virus utility, the e-mail scanning was set on “OFF”and even after following all the instructions, no way would it go to the “ON” setting.

I have always cleaned out all the files that suggested: Temp, History, Temporary Internet Files, Cache, Recent, Cookies and History, empty the Recycle Bin, remove all Protected Files and defrag once a month so my computer is “clean”. Since my free Live Update had just expired, I bought System Works 2004 and installed it. But the computer still is extremely slow.

I have read that firewalls can cause problems with Norton so I would like to turn off the firewall in my cable internet connection but can’t seem to do s. Can you tell me how to accomplish this? Philip G., Anaheim, CA.

Philip, Go to Control Panel, Network Connections.
Right-click on your Local Area Connection (LAN), select PROPERTIES.
On the ADVANCED TAB, Uncheck “Protect my computer and Network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet. That will disable your firewall. If you wish to enable the firewall again,which you probably should to protect your computer from viruses, worms, intrusions and hackers, recheck that box.

One thing I must tell you. While Norton System Works is a great program – I use it myself – many users have problems with it and some seem to be insurmountable. If your computer still is very slow with version 2004 and you cannot correct this problem, I would suggest that you install another anti-virus program such as McAfee which, according to the reports that I have seen and the clients for whom I have installed it, seems to have fewer incompatibilities with other utilities on computers. However, you will then not have the other great Norton utilities such as Win Doctor, Disk Doctor, One Button Checkup, Speed Disk etc., but you can always use Scan Disk and Defrag to search for problems.

By the way, if you decide to uninstall Norton System Works using Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel, you should then do a SEARCH for “Symantec” and delete any files with that name as sometimes there may be several that will not have been removed.

There is also a free, easy to use program called “RegCleaner” which can easily get rid of those old and obsolete registry entries created by software that you have destroyed ages ago. It can be downloaded at:
http://www.worldstart.com/weekly-download/archives/reg-cleaner4.3.htm Dr M.
____________________________________________________________________________

Dr M., I downloaded the free version of ZoneAlarm and liked it so much that I purchased and installed ZoneAlarm Pro. After using it for a few weeks, I received a message that a free update was available which I then downloaded and installed. I then was notified that I had only a free TRIAL VERSION of ZoneAlarm Pro which would expire in 15 days if I did not purchase it or buy a new license for the new version. After 15 days I was informed that the free trial was over and if I did not buy the new version I could either delete it or convert back to the free version, which I did. Now I tried to reinstall my ZoneAlarm Pro disk but it refuses to install. Help? Kenneth L., Culver City, CA.

Ken, Don’t panic, here’s what to do. Open the program, click on Overview, then click on the Preferences tab, and make sure in the General section the Load At Startup box is UNchecked. REBOOT.

You should now have no ZoneAlarm processes running on your system.

Now if you are uninstalling, click Start > Programs > Zone Labs > Uninstall ZoneAlarm.
Be sure to say OK to the Security check.

If you can’t find the Uninstall Icon, you can go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Hardware and uninstall the program there.

Now you should be able to install the latest version. Dr M.
_____________________________________________________________________

I just downloaded the Mozilla browser. What must I do designate Mozilla as my default internet browser? Murray N.

Murray, usually, when you first open Mozilla, you will be asked if you wish to make Mozilla your default browser. Answering YES will do that. If you do not get that message, to make Mozilla (Firefox) your default web browser, select Tools > Options. You can then click on the Set Default Browser button in General options to make Firefox your default web browser. Dr M.
_______________________________________________________________________

How To Troubleshoot A Computer

It is not possible to describe all of the steps one might take to fix every make, model, and type of computer, but in many cases these simple set of basic procedures and a logical approach may save you a trip to a repair shop or even save that old computer you have just about given up on--don't shoot it yet or give it the old bounce test by dropping it out of a four story window!

A lot of this is pretty much common sense; but, some otherwise obvious steps can be overlooked if you are in a hurry, can be performed in an inefficient sequence without a logical versus an Easter-egging approach, or you have not had the pleasure (???) of troubleshooting a computer before.

1) Reboot the Computer

By turning off the computer and turning it back on, you are allowing the memory to start fresh without any errors in it. This also insures that programs load into memory in a correct order. 99% OF THE TIME, THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM!

2) Check all cables and make sure that everything is attached to the back of the computer.

Sometimes moving a computer on;y a few inches can unplug a necessary cable such as your mouse or keyboard. With most of the newer computers, each port is labeled and each device can only fit into one specific spot. THE MAIN THING TO REMEMBER IS NOT TO FORCE ANY CABLE WHERE IT WILL NOT GO! THIS MAY BEND OR BREAK A PIN INSIDE THE CABLE!

3) Read through any errors that come up on the screen.

Usually the computer is telling you something about what is going on with the problem. It may be as simple as "it cannot connect to a device on your computer" or that "a floppy disk is holding up the booting process". Errors are written by programmers to pop up when something that was expected to happen, did not. AGAIN, USUALLY A REBOOT WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM!

4) If a new problem shows up, it might be connected to something you have just changed or another program that is running in the background.

Most software problems are incompatibilities between other software programs already running in memory. Quite frequently a software program will believe that it is the only piece of software running on your computer. The problem is that we are all multitasking people in this day and age.

To help troubleshoot, try running programs one at a time. If you install a new piece of software into your computer, it may cause problems with the software that has been there for years. The fewer programs that you have loaded onto your computer will result in less of a chance that the programs will conflict on your computer.

MAYBE UNINSTALLING THAT UNNECESSARY, NEW, CUTE PROGRAM THAT IS NOT TASK RELATED, MIGHT HELP OUT YOUR COMPUTER!

5) Backup your data.

When you notice a problem is starting to take form, backup what is important on the computer. Try to avoid backing up to the computer itself because if the hard drive goes out, you will have still lost your data. You can backup to network drives, CD’s. Zip disks, USB Jump Drives or floppy disks. Floppies can be easily broken and wear out quickly. DO NOT RELY ON FLOPPY DISKS AS YOUR ONLY BACKUP. DEFINITELY DO NOT WORK SOLELY ON FLOPPY DISKS OR PREPARE TO PAY THE PRICE OF LOSING YOUR DATA!

6) Take whatever problem you have and try to pin it down or rule out possibilities. If you are having problems with a component, begin by ruling out everything related to it. For example, if you are having printer problems but the printer is attached in tandem to other items such as a scanner or ZIP drive, remove those items. Then, if the trouble persists, you know it has nothing to do with those other things.

If wires or cables are used (such as IDE cables, printer cables, phone cords) always test these wires. Try another one. Try another IDE cable, for example. If it involves a phone wire on a modem, And be sure to also check that if your modem is connected to a surge protector, detach it from the surge protector and plug it directly into the telephone outlet to be sure that the outlet is OK. Use a phone to test the phone wire and jack and make sure they are active. Many times in doing this, you may also fix the problem inadvertantly by fixing a previously bad connection.

7) It is nice to have extra hardware around. Techs often ask if you do, because a great way to rule out problems is to throw in a replacement and see what happens.

For example, you just installed a new video card or are having problems with it all of a sudden. Well, you could play with the drivers but you need to rule out a hardware failure as well. After double checking connections (monitors connected, card fully seated in slot), you can remove the video card and put in another, such as a simple VGA or SVGA card. If your system comes back to life, then you can assume your other video card is broken, because even with crummy drivers, any video card should at least pump out the old 16-color display if it works.

8) Update the Drivers.

A high percentage of PC problems can be fixed simply by downloading the latest drivers for your hardware and updating or installing them. Especially if you have just changed operating systems, this needs to be done. Always make sure the drivers you install are specifically stated on the manufacturer web site that they are for your specific harwdare and your specific operating system.

9) Scan for viruses. Some of them can do some nasty things.
_____________________________________________________

ENCRYPTION IN OUTLOOK EXPRESS

Digitally signed e-mail allows an e-mail recipient to verify your identity. Encrypting an e-mail message prevents other people from reading it when it is in transit.

Compose a message.

To digitally sign the message, on the Tools menu, click Digitally Sign. To encrypt the message, on the Tools menu, click Encrypt. (In some versions of Outlook Express, go to TOOLS, OPTIONS, SECURITY to find the Digitally Sign information.)

Note

You must have a digital ID to digitally sign or encrypt e-mail. If you do not have one, Outlook Express will ask if you want to get one.

Sending secure messages:

As more people send confidential information by e-mail, it is increasingly important to be sure that documents sent in e-mail are not forged, and to be certain that messages you send cannot be intercepted and read by anyone other than your intended recipient.

By using digital IDs with Outlook Express, you can prove your identity in electronic transactions in a way that is similar to showing your driver's license when you cash a check. You can also use a digital ID to encrypt messages, keeping them private. Digital IDs incorporate the Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) specification for secure electronic e-mail.

How do digital IDs work?

A digital ID is composed of a public key, a private key, and a digital signature. When you digitally sign your messages, you are adding your digital signature and public key to the message. The combination of a digital signature and public key is called a certificate. With Outlook Express, you can specify a certificate to be used by others to send encrypted messages to you. This certificate can be different from your signing certificate.

Recipients can use your digital signature to verify your identity, and they can use your public key to send you encrypted e-mail that only you can read by using your private key. To send encrypted messages, your Address Book must contain digital IDs for the recipients. That way, you can use their public keys to encrypt the messages. When a recipient gets an encrypted message, his or her private key is used to decrypt the message for reading.

Before you can start sending digitally signed messages, you must obtain a digital ID. If you are sending encrypted messages, your Address Book must contain a digital ID for each recipient.

Where do you get digital IDs?

Digital IDs are issued by independent certification authorities. When you apply for a digital ID at a certification authority's Web site, your identity is verified before an ID is issued. There are different classes of digital IDs, each certifying to a different level of trustworthiness. For more information, visit the certification authority's Web site.

The following is a list of certifying authorities from which you can get a digital ID:

VeriSign, Inc.
Verisign is the leading provider of digital authentication products and services.

Thawte Certification
Thawte Certification offers free personal certificates for signing and encrypting e-mail, these certificates are recognized and trusted by the majority of mail clients in use today on the Internet.

GlobalSign
GlobalSign is a Certification Authority (CA) that, with its private key issues, signs and manages digital certificates. The policy and the procedures GlobalSign uses for this are incorporated in the Certification Practices of GlobalSign (CPS).

British Telecommunications
British Telecommunications offers: secure server certificates for companies with web sites and intranets. These certificates are issued under the VeriSign Global Trust Network, allowing global interoperability across intranet, extranet and Internet applications.

How do you verify a digital signature?

With revocation checking, you can verify the validity of a digitally signed message. When you make such a check, Outlook Express requests information on the digital ID from the appropriate certification authority. The certification authority sends back information on the status of the digital ID, including whether the ID has been revoked. Certification authorities keep track of certificates that have been revoked due to loss or termination.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Are you tired of MS Words Spell Checker hounding you to “check the rest of your document” when you request a spell check of just one word? Here’s a simple way to spell check. Right-click any word and a menu will open up showing several; spelling choices from which you can select. If you do not see a choice of words, from the right-click menu, select AutoCorrect to see a word list. Real fast and simple.
_____________________________________________________________________________

How to Use the System Configuration Editor (SYSEDIT) utility

The sysedit utility is a program that allows you to modify 4 of the windows configuration files, the Autoexec.bat, config.sys, win.ini and system.ini. Although we used to work with those files years ago in Windows 3.1, I’ll bet that most of you haven’t seen those files in many years and some people have never even heard of them! You're lucky that computers are so much more easy to use today than they were years ago!

One of the important features of sysedit is that it automatically saves a copy of each of the files when it is first opened making it safer in case you make a mistake by giving you the chance to retrieve the previous copy.

It is opened as follows: Go to START, RUN. Type SYSEDIT in the box and click on OK. A new window will open which will have within it four other windows, each one containing one of the files mentioned above - AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, WINDOWS\WIN.INI, WNDOWS\SYSTEM.INI.

You can simply click on the title of any of the windows and that will change the focus to that window and then by clicking anywhere within that window you can modify the contents.

When you are done, Click on the File option at the top left of the main window, and select Exit.

If any changes were made, the computer will present you with a warning pop-up window asking if you want to save the changes. You click on the "Yes" button to continue. At that time the files will be saved and the sysedit program will close.

The changes will take effect the next time you reboot your computer.

A similar method for making changes to the above files from within DOS is to use the EDIT function.

This would be done by going to a DOS prompt and typing the command: EDIT autoexec.bat and clickinmg on the Enter Key. A DOS based window would open allowing you to make changes. When you are done you would use a similar method of exiting by selecting File Exit from the top menu.
_____________________________________________________________________________

I was recently asked a question about an error message that kept popping up on a reader's screen concerning a file called VSHINIT.VXD. That file is a "remnant" from a previous McAfee installation. The procedure provided below to correct this problem should be simple to follow. (There is also a solution in which you must edit your Registry. I have outlined it below also. However, you must be very careful when editing the Registry as you can cause terrible problems if you make an error. So I suggest that you use the first solution)

SOLUTION 1) As long as you have uninstalled all McAfee Virus Scan programs from your computer, you should be able to remove all the registry remnants from your computer by running the McAfee clean up file from the link below. It works with Virus Scan 5.x, 6.x, and 7.x. (You'll need an "unzipper" program like WINZIP to unzip the download.) You can download WINZIP free at:
http://www.download.com/3000-2250-10003164.html

Then go to:
http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-6121-0.html?forumID=45&threadID=34784&messageID=401974

You will see a link: VirusScan.zip Download Link

Click on the link to immediately start the download of Virus Scan Zip.. Download it to your desktop, Unzip the file with WinZip, then double click on the "VirusScan.reg" file to run it. Restart the computer and the error message should be gone.

Here’s the SECOND SOLUTION: I once found a posting on an Internet forum about vshinit.vxd that was answered on the same page. Read on:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vshinit.vxd problem

A forum member wrote: When I boot up, I get this message before Windows shows up: "Cannot find a file device that may be needed to run Windows or a Windows application. The Windows registry or SYSTEM.INI file refers to this device file but the device file no longer exits. If you deleted this file on purpose try uninstalling the associated application using its uninstall or setup program. If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try uninstalling that application to replace the missing file.

C\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vshinit.vxd

Press any key to continue"

When I do press a key, Windows opens after a short wait.

I had installed McAfee by AOL and have uninstalled it. I don't know what version it was. Please help!

And the SOLUTION: from

(On further questioning, it was learned that the questioner began having this problem after she had McAfee AntiVirus removed from her computer and Norton AntiVirus installed.)

Initially, bring up the System.ini screen by clicking Start, click Run and type in SYSEDIT. Click on System.ini file, scroll down the entries and if you find VSHINIT.VXD, type REM at front of the line.

Most likely you will have to go to the Registry, i.e., click on Start, click on Run and type in REGEDIT. You should now see the Registry window. You should then export the Registry by clicking on the File menu, give it a name, e.g., registry1.reg and export this file to your hard drive or to a floppy.

Next, click on the Edit menu; click Find and type in VSHINIT.VXD and search for it. At each find, delete the file then depress the F3 to continue the search. When no more new ones are found, exit the Registry. Restart the machine."

I have Windows 98SE, and IE6.0, and a number of wrinkles in my brow caused by computers.

Question answered by a member named “Grandpaw”.
__________________________________________________________________________

Dr M. I found an icon on my desktop called SPYWARE STORMER. After it scanned my hard drive, it showed about 200 infections, most from cookies. They suggested I get rid of the infections; first, register for $29.95. I have heard that spyware is a problem. Should I go through with it? Milt C.
________________________________________________________________________

Milt, Yes, it is true that Spyware is a problem but you do NOT have to pay for a popup stopper. Go to: http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html and download a free popup stopper. I use this one myself and it works perfectly. Then you can delete that other icon and forget about it. Dr M.
__________________________________________________________________________

Here’s an old but easy way to access your files. There's no need to exit or minimize your browser to open files in Windows Explorer. Just type in "C:/" (without the quotes) in the browser address bar and touch Enter. From there, you can scroll down to your subfolders and files by expanding them the same way you would in Windows Explorer. Easy, huh?
_________________________________________________________________________

There is much discussion about the merits of installing Windows Service Pack 2. Here’s a question from one of my readers about this subject:

Dear Dr. M: I have been running XP for about two years with Norton Anti-Virus, Zone Alarm Firewall, and Ad-Aware spyware checker. My ISP, Bellsouth, assures me that they have an anti virus program on their end plus a pop-up and spam blocker. In addition, I very seldom use Internet Explorer, only when an important web site works with no other browser. I still prefer Netscape and my computer has been running great with the programs I named above, knock wood.

What would you recommend I do about Service Pack 2. I have it on a disc but I have not installed it. I think that it would only serve to get future Microsoft updates but not much else. And I am fearful that there would be conflicts between duplicated programs if I don't disable my Norton, Ad-Aware and Zone Alarm. I have yet to see this problem addressed anywhere yet.

I would appreciate your opinion, you haven't let me down yet. Thank you very much. Lou B., Coconut Creek, FL.
Lou, I installed Service Pack 1 and my computer started acting strangely. No serious problems but programs were slow to open, etc. I do service work for a local computer professional technician who is too busy with commercial accounts to service individuals. Several weeks ago he mentioned that he saw many problems with Microsoft’s Service Packs causing problems with other programs.

So, now I do NOT install any updates, am depending on Norton System Works, ZoneAlarm Pro and Spybot to protect my computer from hackers, intruders, etc. Also, I do NOT open attachments or e-mails from strangers (and usually not even from trusted friends as their computers might be infected). And, I usually use Mozilla as my browser instead of Internet Explorer as Mozilla supposedly has not been attacked by hackers so much as they usually concentrate on Explorer as the majority of computers use that browser.

As far as seeing the problem with SP-2 addressed, go to these 2 web sites and you might be surprised at what you will find there. Dr M.

_____________________________________________________________________

Dear Dr. M: I found an icon on my computer for Registry Mechanic. It can be installed if I pay a fee. I have Norton and also two spyware programs. Do I need Registry Mechanic? Judge Ralph Y., Boynton Beach, FL.

Ralph, Registry Mechanic is a Registry cleaner that gets mixed reviews. The manufactures says it is marvelous, PC Magazine says it does a pretty good job and is worth a trial. (Free trial offer does not allow all the capabilities of the full program to be utilized. Full program costs $29.95) This web site lists reviews by actual users. View the web page to see what they said. The majority of them did NOT like the program)
http://fileforum.betanews.com/review/1046491603/1/view

Also, I saw many other reviews that said the program was terrible and caused numerous problems on people’s computers. I would not use it myself and suggest that you do not use it either. Dr M.
_________________________________________________________________________

Since System Restore is such a great utility, people often wonder if it is actually available, creating System Check Points, etc. Try these steps if System Restore does not appear to work:

First, Check that System Restore service is running.. You can do this from the Control Panel:

Click Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Services and Applications. Click Services, and then scroll down to System Restore Services. Make sure that the service is set to Automatic and the status is Started.

Now you can rest assured that System Restore is up and running.
___________________________________________________________________