Jewish World Review


James Coates' Computer Answer Man Archives


07/12/04: Slowdown when starting likely a RAM issue; desktop icons do not appear, nor do the toolbars; boot up gets 'file that HPSCHED or one of its components is missing' and 'DLL-FW setup not found'
06/30/04: User hits .bmp in road while saving images; why firewalls and antivirus programs are important; right-clicking a WordPerfect file to choose "open with," Microsoft Word is not listed
06/21/04: Sound advice on Media Player worth a listen; securing Wi-Fi and cellular from electronic interlopers at the next table at Starbucks; wants program to print whatever is on screen in single key stroke
06/09/04: Auto-update feature in need of a quick fix; Word will not allow me to start a new line of text with a lowercase letter; Caps Lock releases when striking Shift key instead of a second depression of the Caps Lock key
06/09/04: Software shield easily thwarts port scanners; WordPerfect 8.0 documents keeps being corrupted; more
06/02/04: Certifiable e-mail receipt doesn't register; simple way to install firewall?; more
05/20/04: Tweaking tool helps speed up Windows entry; opening Adobe Reader impacts Internet connections, closing programs and even shutting down the computer becomes an extremely slow, difficult process; "disks needs to be checked for consistency"
05/11/04: Fold calendar into Web page for easy sharing; great idea for automating saving large number of small text files that must download every day; software is available to monitor program usage on a PC

04/28/04: Labeling DVDs raises risk of a rotten approach; program for Windows XP Home version that prevents program downloads without password protection or warning?; problem passwords on Windows XP Home 2002

04/28/04: Hijacker slips past safety nets — use stronger Rx; can Quicken just unilaterally discontinue service?; Windows ME can't find hard drive

04/19/04: Contacts list can be copied if small enough; After upgrading to newest version of Microsoft Office, inability to permanently dismiss 'Reviewing' toolbar; Windows XP installed by the factory had virus but no system recovery CD

04/05/04: Compressed driver leaves fax in a funk; computer "meows"; expensive scanner solution that wasn't necessary

03/17/04: Problem with moving files after downloading anything from the Web; hidden command in Excel that allows spreadsheet to print lines when moving to Microsoft Office; after 'puter tune up, no longer can move image files from digital camera to the hard drive

03/17/04: Spyware sends ads for foreign fonts, other ads; computer vulnerable to hacking during the boot process before Zone Alarm finishes loading?; can't find the Windows Messenger to stop pop-up ads

03/11/04: Dazzling fonts help put best face forward; turned off 'puter before saving 30,000-word document; "official" documentation of when e-mail was sent

03/05/04: Dropping check puts an end to Money troubles; cursor arrow is "nervous"; must maximize Internet Explorer every time

02/24/04: Slow download brings need for Zip in the mail; renaming large number of files at the same time; can't access Outlook Express mail account

02/18/04: Save passwords from jaws of intrusive Gator; how to stop log-on, log-off-by-account nonsense on Windows XP; blue desktop is now a white vertical stripe

02/09/04: Path to default documents too obvious to find; using Yahoo with Word attachments does not transmit in format; uninstalling older version of DVD-burning software via Add/Remove Programs Control Panel won't work

02/03/04: Messenger flaw opens way for hostile attacks; digital video-recording setups for $100; more

01/28/04: Viewer software for PowerPoint a snap to obtain; scanned pix at same quality as origs?; saving multiple page sizes for printing
01/21/04: Other products on market to clean up audio; Is there some kind of program running in the background needed to shut down before trying to defrag the C drive?; problem when booting up computer
01/12/04: Ending bootup blips is a long, tedious process; wireless keyboard doesn't work; combining Palm 500, Netscape PC address books
01/08/04: Corrupted library may trigger Excel error message; stopping Windows from sorting files in a folder; how to get important data out of the old equipment
12/30/03: DivX brings a sharper look to AVI format; dictionary for Windows XP terms; clicking on a hyperlink within an e-mail message using Outlook Express and Internet Explorer, forces need to minimize the Outlook Express window to view site
12/26/03: Safety icon lost as notifications taken off tray; CD drive keeps breaking; more
12/23/03: Special cable navigates USB, parallel ports; more on restoring backed-up files on CDs; getting rid of the Google tool bar
12/18/03: Losing cookies clears way back to healthy site; echo when computer runs machine-generated voice; more
12/16/03: Antivirus killing attachments to e-mail messages; Can Microsoft Outlook 2002 send out e-mails looking like Web pages with banners, background color and different-size and colored text?; eBay made a systems change, no longer can send pictures when listing an item for sale?

12/11/03: Diagnostic tool can see, maybe rescue CD data; convert some video footage into photographs; "cable splitter" to connect both ThinkPad and computer to cable modem?

12/03/03: Copying e-mail to local files in Outlook no-go; problem with video-editing software and AVI format movie files; changing desktop color in Windows XP Pro to transparent

12/03/03: Keyboard trick can rein in that out-of-control Office scrolling; XP-compatible dictionary and thesaurus; "Safely Remove Hardware" icon disappeared from the Notification Area in taskbar

12/01/03: Windows Start missing user's favorites place; how can I back up or store my files temporarily and restore them after reinstalling XP?; simple way to transfer old computer setup and OS to new drive without software?

11/24/03: PC displays can be made game-friendly; addicted to Freecell and can't get it off computer; can't view entire e-mail pic

11/19/03: Clever trick speeds sending of group e-mail; getting rid of all temp files; problems adding new computer

11/17/03: Special tweak may be needed to change logon; printing e-mail gets him booted offline; network wizard won't let him do so

11/12/03: Frozen-out AOL customer needs to start all over; e-mail no longer downloading automatically; Windows 98 with Internet Explorer 6.0 user clicks on a highlighted link on a Web page and a duplicate of the page appears

11/10/03: Synchronization is simpler with AOL's calendar; eight-PC network running Windows ME, suddenly, everyone's machines have started running very, very slowly. Checking the system monitor it appears that the processors are occupied to 100 percent as soon as the network is accessed; clicks to open Excel spreadsheet , gets message that it is "Shared" and unusable

11/05/03: Fixing faulty fix eliminates those pesky pop-ups; upgraded my computer system to a Gateway 700XL with Windows XP Home Edition, now unable to open attachments to e-mails arriving into my Outlook Express; lost the ability to "drag" on my Dell computer with Windows ME

10/21/03: Browser captor nasty bug that's tough to banish; establishing home computer networks; "SMART failures"

10/21/03: Stop pop-ups by killing the other Messenger; better than manual underlining; cannot access the Internet when I use the LAN connection on the wireless computers, and cannot share files when choosing wireless connection on them

10/21/03: Prefers the Mac, but will never walk away from the PC — unless he's assured that Virtual PC will work; uncheck box to use files saved to CDs; how to prevent tampering with spreadsheets and the formulas they contain — bingo!

10/16/03: Zap passwords for surefire cure of forgetfulness; updating-software hell; extorted by messenger service goons

10/09/03: Low-cost PC a sum of its universal parts; cursor disappears when surfing 'Net

10/07/03: Device let you bypass scanner to convert slides; messages from Microsoft that aren't; how do I get rid of the non-stop stream of annoying pop-up ads?

09/30/03: 2-step solution for controlling auto-correction; protecting network from viruses and worms and now unable to print; made the mistake of not using the standard Uninstall program for Lotus Notes and not sure what can be deleted

09/22/03: Firewall need not as pressing for dial-up users; yanking spyware-planting home-page-stealing varmints; you know if a souped-up laptop is a must

09/22/03: Turn for help to find firewall in Windows XP; "A Runtime Error has occurred. Do you wish to debug?" — huh?; Virtual Bouncer

09/18/03: Missing features vex preinstalled software users; web browser still comes up with homepage from previous 'Net provider; getting rid of latest

09/15/03: AOL lets users block pop-ups, Google tool free; using audio CDs to to make a photo slide show; removed spyware program and toolbar in Outlook Express 6 disappeared
09/11/03: Point and click to delete pesky duplicate e-mail; printing directories from the Microsoft Explorer
09/08/03: Beastly size of 'swap thing' file shrinks, not dies; Is there a directory or list that rates 'Net services?; getting Hotmail to work in Microsoft Outlook 2000
09/04/03: Worms derail laptop talk, spur advice on minimizing damage
09/02/03: PrismIQ pumps Net music to stereo system; "Iexplore has caused an error in USER.EXE. Iexplore will now close down." — why?
08/27/03: Simple click cleans desktop of icon clutter; getting rid of program 'junk' and saving space
08/25/03: PCAnywhere, broadband can work together; site continues to write into my Favorites subfolder located in the c:¼documents and settings¼user directory; recurring problem with editing and saving Word documents both when using my computer running Windows 98 and another computer running XP Home Edition
08/14/03: PC monitoring of a home easy but not cheap; best of the bunch for PDA/cellphones
08/12/03: Balky AOL 8.0 easily replaced by past version; deleting selected Web site addresses in the drop-down list; clicking on e-mail hyperlink message when using Outlook Express and Internet Explorer, has to minimize the Outlook Express window in order to view the site
08/06/03: When assistant is away, Acrobat puts files in play; getting PowerPoint to play complete song through the presentation without the song starting over on each slide; downloading attachments on Hotmail gets Outlook Express error message
08/04/03: Best way to E-mail photo; firewall recommendation; removing all listing of files that have been created in Microsoft's Word program; stopping annoying Windows 98 dialogue box appears asking to Enter Network Password
07/31/03: Check with IT, then cancel dial mode to use DSL; converting text to audio?; easy to get non-conventional alphabets to display in e-mail and Web sites
07/29/03: Display quality may suffer with Web accelerator; typing symbols not on keyboard; programs were not uninstalled correctly, now what?
07/23/03: How to add the Mail Merge command to the Word toolbar; how to save as a Word doc; company that offers a file/folders print program?
07/17/03: Pay off the spam mongers?; converting casually recorded speech on analog audiotapes to computer text; more on homepage hijackings (browsers)
07/15/03: E-mailed spreadsheets are being received with formulas changed and different figures; two computers with router --- way to print from one that does not have any printers connected to it
07/10/03: Washing laptop; security for your PC — don't be had; needing an AirCard to surf
07/07/03: Don't spend like a pro to convert audio to CDs; "browser hijackings"; automatically checking a CD
07/02/03: Saving time on distribution lists; he changed the color of the fonts in just that one spreadsheet file; not enough space on 'c' drive, lots on 'd'
06/25/03: How to get rid of porn spam; Windows XP dictionary?; Windows ME system can no longer find the Internet with Windows applications
06/25/03: NT flashes "at least one service/driver failed during system startup"; automatically converting .doc and .xls files to .dat; transfers to XP not as vexing as they may seem
06/19/03: Can't open Zip files; RealPlayer won't play .avi files; step-by-step process to "burn" digital images
06/18/03: Restore missing Word task bars in a normal way; computer was zapped, how to fix it; spell check won't upgrade


© 2003, Chicago Tribune; Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services